A / n: This is really coming along! And it's thanks to you guys. Reviews just make a writer soo much more motivated xD just to tell you, my co – writer and I have come up with another story idea that we'll probably start working on, once we're finished with this one. I may reveal a bit more about the story as we figure it out so stay tuned xD (We've been co – writing for awhile and this will be amongst the 3rd or 4th story that we'll have actually finished from start to end xD we have tons of thoughts okay? Ahahaha) Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Don't forget to R & R :3
Rhinestones
XII
Cleo stopped at her locker to drop the books from class off. Grabbing her lunch, she had her favorite food with it today - grapes. Also she had a lovely rice dish that had peppers, chicken and tomato sauce. It was leftovers from last night's dinner. With one last look in her locker mirror, she closed the door and went to find Frankie and the other ghouls. Slowly walking towards where the group was going to be, Cleo hadn't had lunch with the ghouls in quite sometime, or... ever really. Maybe starting the break off on a good note was what they all needed?
Cleo noticed the group of ghouls as she was walking, she also saw Frankie waving her over. It seemed Frankie saw her before she even saw them. Cleo's face started going a little red, especially because all the ghouls were willing to let her have lunch with them. She even noticed how Frankie moved over to give her a spot to sit. Making her way over and taking a seat beside Frankie, her face still a little red, but she wore a big smile. "Hey ghouls." She said a little nervously. She felt it would feel pretty damn good to sit down with the ghouls and just talk.
Clawdeen gave a friendly smile, her pearly white canines shining radiantly. "So Cleo, I don't know if you heard – but there's a party going on over the break – you down?" She asked hopefully. Frankie glanced at Clawdeen, trying to see if there were any signs of not being sincere – but there weren't. She was being very sincere to Cleo.
Cleo opened her lunch bag and pulled out her bottle of water. "I would love to Clawdeen." If Cleo wasn't smiling before now she was. It did really seem like she and Clawdeen were going to try to be friends. Maybe not best friends, but on the way what seemed like maybe a few texts here and there and maybe hanging out after school even?
"Awesome, it'll be at my place. Not sure as of when yet, my father said he'd get back to us on that. But I can always text you Cleo, that's not a problem. Or I'm sure Clawd will. Whichever. It's going to be great, even my little sister Howleen will be having a couple friends over. A risk – because it'll be a big damn party and we'll probably have to clean up afterward, but whatever. It'll be worth it I'm sure." She blurted with a grin, the more she talked about this party, the more she anticipated it.
"We will make sure before we leave, to help out with the cleaning." Draculaura said taking a bite out of her carrot sticks. She had to admit it was interesting to have all the ghouls together, something that should happen more often.
"Sounds good to me." Cleo popped a grape into her mouth. It was very nice of Clawdeen to invite her, even though if Clawdeen didn't Clawd would. She wouldn't let anyone see it but she was really looking forward in going to this party, although it seemed like the other ghouls were chatting about it excitedly. It'd be great for sure.
::~*~::
"Okay, just relax. You've totally got this. She's just as crazy about you, as you are about her. This should be simple." Heath coached his cousin Jackson, who was quite nervous.
Jackson heaved a sigh, "It should be, but you don't understand. You're not shy like I am Heath. It's really hard to deal with okay? Yes I like her, yes I want to be more than her acquaintance – but... I don't think that could happen."
Just then Frankie was turning the corner, but she stayed back where she was when she heard Jackson's voice. Her bolts sparked and fried a monster's cell phone. Whoops! "And why not?"
"Because... if I ask her out, I'll feel sick and stuff." Frankie's jaw dropped. Heath said Jackson liked her. If he did – why would he say something so mean? "I just, I can't do it. And you can't make me, okay?"
Heath stood there in silence. What could he say? "But I know what you feel though... you really should."
Jackson sighed, "I'll tell her how I really feel, in my own time."
"Fine," Heath replied suddenly. "but I promise I won't say, 'I told you so' in your face, when some other guy comes and scoops her up. Y'know what Jackson? Sometimes... you just need to get the hell over something. The worst she can say is 'no'. Family is here to guide you, that's exactly what I'm trying to do. But you need to want to go somewhere first. I'll see you after school." He stated finally, sighing and putting a hand on Jackson's shoulder, "Believe in yourself, that's the first step." And with that, he walked away.
Frankie watched as Heath made his way down the hall. She didn't want to let the moment pass her by, so she began walking down the hallway, towards Jackson, who was staring off in the other direction. She marched right up to him, grabbed him and kissed him passionately right there in the middle of the hallway.
::~*~::
Cleo was walking and talking with the other ghouls, just then it came down to her and Draculaura as the remainder of their lunch break came to a slow end. Draculaura was talking about what her plans were for the holidays and going on about how she was looking forward to the party. Cleo was trying this new thing – that being to listen to someone else talk. Not to just hear them, but to listen. One thing she had to admit to herself was that Draculaura sure could talk.
What got Draculaura to stop talking and her jaw to it the floor - was when they turned the corner and found Frankie in a heated lip - lock with Jackson. Cleo's jaw was at about the same spot as Draculaura's. They looked at the kissing couple and then back at each other. They did this a few times before taking a few steps backwards, just before Frankie and Jackson could see them.
'What why didn't Frankie tell me she and Jackson had a thing going?' Draculaura thought to herself, standing around the corner still in shock about what she had seen a moment ago. Although she was happy for her ghoul - getting some of the sweet normie butt.
'So Frankie is into the normie? Good choice ghoul. Whatever turns your crank. Or gives you electricity... bahah. Ah, I'm a genius.' Cleo thought as she peeked around the corner one more time with a smile upon her face.
It wasn't before long, Frankie had Jackson up against the lockers, making the last kiss before parting a steamy, passionate one. She backed up and gave a giggle when she noticed how stunned Jackson looked.
When she turned to catch a second glimpse, was he... embarrassed? "I really, really like you Frankie. I want to be with you... but there's someone I'm scared of."
Listening to the words he spoke, she brought her hand up to caress his cheek, looking right into his eyes. "Who are you scared of Jackson? I know I wouldn't hurt you, I'm sorry if I came off that way. I really didn't mean -"
He stopped her delicately by placing his soft index finger upon her plump lips. "It's not you I'm scared of Frankie. I'm... I'm scared of me. I don't think you'd understand. I'm sorry." Very hesitantly, he went to lean forward to kiss her again, as soon as he stopped himself, Frankie moved in to complete the kiss.
"I could try to understand, really I could..." She pleaded softly, kissing him once more. The smell of her perfume – a sweet, light scent – filled the air around them. This was beyond his wildest dreams, only even better, this was his reality! Why wasn't he doing anything about it?
"Frankie... I don't even understand it. I just... I need time to figure it out." A sigh escaped her lips, she brushed the loose bangs from his face. Her lips spreading to a soft smile.
"I'll wait for you. As long as you'll wait for me." He gave a soft smile and nodded. "I'll text you." She said with a hopeful smile. Meanwhile Jackson just hoped that he didn't need too much time to figure out just what was going on with him. Why he was feeling so sick, so tired... and just blacking out. Hopefully – she wouldn't be long gone by the time he did find out.
"Oh – okay..." he blurted rather awkwardly, but bit down on his bottom lip as he watched her walk away. That cute little hip – swing she had, the way her round butt had it's own little movement. She was perfection... and she was walking away from him.
He shifted his gaze to the side. 'No... no this isn't right Jackson, you can't just... stare at her like she's a piece of meat. That's so disrespectful and distasteful... this isn't how I should be. I shouldn't have feelings like this! Feeling of wanting to be with her, sure. That's even racy. But... those kinds of feelings? Ugh, who am I? I'd better find out soon, because I have no idea who I am anymore.' He turned to his locker to grab his belongings and the proper accessories he would need for his favorite subject, Mad Science.
Meanwhile Frankie walked down the hallway further, looking back to see Jackson at his locker. She was so distracted, she didn't notice or try to avoid bumping right into Draculaura and Cleo. "Oh, hey ghouls." She greeted with a small smile.
Cleo wore a smile on her face as Frankie walked into them, she knew Frankie had the total hots for Jackson - she just never knew it was this bad. Almost raping the poor normie in the hall way.
Draculaura was still out of it, in shock at what she had seen. Cleo knew part of the ghoul was trying to find the words to say to Frankie. Although Cleo was enjoying the quiet, since the other had been chatting her ear off since the group had split. "So, you and Jackson?" Cleo said to her ghoul friend. Cleo was starting to get a little curious of what was apparently happening to Draculaura, it was like Deuce came by at that moment and had turned her to stone or something. Although Cleo was more interested in what Frankie had to say for herself.
Frankie blushed heavily. "I... I didn't want there to be anymore guessing, anymore hit or miss. I wanted him to know that I like him in that way... that I want to be with him for real. So I just... planted one right on him. But, then once I started, I really, really couldn't stop." She told them, a heavy blush still remaining upon her face. "I'm... going to wait for him. I don't care, Jackson Jekyll, is worth waiting for."
::~*~::
Heath couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was now the fifth period of the day, Physical Deaducation. He made a small white lie to Coach Igor about feeling nauseous. But as soon as he received a text message from Jackson saying to call him quickly, he figured it must've been important. "Hello?" He answered finally.
"Hey, what's up?" Heath's eyes narrowed towards his cell phone with a hint of annoyance.
"What's up? Seriously Jackson? If Coach Igor knew what I was doing in here right now, he'd beat me with his peg leg until I had splinters up my nose. What the hell?" He lectured, but what extremely surprised to hear Jackson chuckle on the other end of the phone.
"Just relax, you're so tense." Heath was almost ready to just throw his phone, but that would be a bad idea so he decided to try and calm down.
"Why are you so relaxed? Usually it's the other way around. What's wrong with you?" He asked with a chuckle of his own at the end of his statement.
A sigh escaped from Jackson, "Well... you'll never guess what happened to me at the end of lunch. I... never expected it in a million years."
"Guess a million years flew by," Heath joked softly, he had a good feeling about what Jackson would say next. He sounded the happiest he'd been in quite some time. "what happened then?"
"Frankie... made out with me in the hallway." He admitted softly, probably his whole face in heavy blush. Heath's jaw dropped.
"She did? Damn, that's my hoe!" He praised with a grin.
"Excuse me?"
"No, no! I mean... not like, my hoe... but like, good friend." He explained with a laugh.
He knew that Jackson probably had his brow arched with question. "Do you call all your friends 'hoes'?"
Heath laughed, "Oh you're so white."
"And you're not?" Jackson inquired, probably shaking his head at Heath's antics.
"That's not what I meant, but anyway – so how's that working out, considering you're in the midst of peer tutoring her Mad Science class?" Jackson was chosen to be a peer tutor in Mad Science, since it was his favorite subject and Mr. Hackington's freshman class was huge, he needed the extra help.
Mrs. Bloodgood thought it would be a great idea and he was getting a credit for doing so, as if it were a class, so it worked out well. Also because he was in a higher grade than the class he was peer tutoring, they seemed to respect him.
That also could've been because Mr. Hackington threatened the class to respect him. He said he'd let them make a potion that would make all their hair / fur just fall out. Among many other nasty sounding potions. So needless to say, Jackson had been getting the utmost respect from them. "It's going well... well, I feel bad but I find my eyes always staring at Frankie. And... tracing areas I really shouldn't be tracing. Now I feel more confused than anything, not about Frankie, but more about... myself."
Heath sighed softly, he knew that Jackson felt it 'bad' and 'degrading' to have those kinds of feelings. Feelings of attraction and wanting to do things to Frankie, that he never thought about doing before. It was natural of course, but he never treated it that way. He always felt 'ashamed' and would blush at the mere mention.
So for him to say he even stared at Frankie, that's a big step in at least acknowledging it. Heath had to admit, he was proud. "Aww, well it's natural. Especially for a guy. Even though I know you do, you really shouldn't feel bad about it Jackson. It is natural. Ask every other male at Monster High, trust me. You should hear half the shit that's said in this change room alone, I thought I had my 'perv' moments, some of what's said in here makes me shudder just remembering it. Damn."
"I... don't want to talk about it." He said finally, "But I just thought to let you know what happened, I couldn't hold it in and thought it'd be better to just, tell you and maybe it'll leave my mind so I can concentrate for the rest of the afternoon."
"Yeah, I hope that works. Anyway I have to go before I get murdered." Before he could say another word, he heard a voice from behind him.
"You won't get murdered, I'll just be more leery of letting you leave class." It was none other than Coach Igor.
"Oh shit, sorry Heath." Jackson apologized on the other end of the phone.
"No, it's okay. I'll probably be in detention after school, warn mom for me?" He asked politely, but hung up right away considering Coach Igor was a few feet away. "Listen... I'm sorry about that, it's just..." He then began his explanation rather quickly, "I honestly wasn't feeling too hot, but then Jackson sent me a text saying he needed to talk to me right away and it's Jackson so I thought maybe he was in trouble, so I talked to him and it turned out he called me to tell me Frankie made out with him, he felt confused – not about her, more about him – and then,"
Coach Igor held up a hand to stop Heath from going on any further. "It's okay. Don't worry about it. He is your family – it could have been a family emergency for all you knew. I forgive you and take this as just a warning. Don't make a habit of it, Burns."
Heath blushed and nodded, "Yes sir."
~)*(M)*(~
~)H(~
V
