Tryphosa silently watched the art students around her paint, sculpt, and design frantically, the inspiration alight in their eyes. She was a muse, after all, so she seemed to be called to these types of situations recently. Music players, artists, even aspiring chefs have been asking her to join them for a while. She knew very well that they simply needed her because her presence alone have inspiration to the blandest of mortals. But hey, to her, it was better than being called a normie and being harrassed. Life at Monster High was actually good. Sure, her heart had been stomped on by Deuce Gorgon, the only boy who had made her heart race, but now she was getting to know her fellow monsters, making friends and finding out what she wanted to do with her life.
"Phosa, can you come here please?" Catrine's head popped out from behind her easel, a worried look on her lovely face. "I was wondering if you think this looks alright."
The muse nodded and made her way to Catrine, walking around the easel and pausing when she saw who she had painted.
"I- is that me?" She asked softly, shock flickering in her eyes as she glanced over the beautiful painting, Tryphosa standing at the sea's edge, wearing an ancient greek chiton and her long dark hair blowing in the wind. A huge grin spread across the muse's face. "Catrine, it is beautiful.. I cannot express in words how lovely this is."
"Well, you have been coming in here every day for the past week, I thought I would make you a gift. Granted, it is not yet finished, but when it is, I would like for you to have it." Catrine smiled at the praise, glancing over Tryphosa carefully, taking in the smaller details. "I am sorry, I guess I should have asked permission first."
"Catrine, you do not need my permission to paint a painting, you silly cat, I want you to express what is in your heart." Tryphosa giggled softly to herself, then glanced around the art room, feeling the creativity, the imagination that radiated off of everyone. She felt so at home here, where so many different types of things could be created with a single thought and the right skill. "I want you all to look inside of yourself, feel what it is that is fighting to get out. Use your hands, your voices, anything to let that creativity flow and show the world something exciting!"
Little did the muse know was that Deuce Gorgon was watching from the doorway. This was quite the sudden personality shift from the quiet, shy muse he once knew. There she was, urging everyone to do their best, to be themselves. His gaze slid along her body, a body she seemed to be proud of showing, with those amazing long legs and stunning curves in that tight dress..
Deuce shook his head sharply, then knocked on the door jab to get her attention. When Tryphosa looked over at him, he cringed when he saw that smile die and her eyes go hard and flat. And it was all his fault.
…
"You have a lot of nerve, Mr. Gorgon, for interrupting precious class time." Tryphosa kept her voice flat and cold, her arms crossed under her bust. It gave her a small thrill to see him squirm where he stood, how uncomfortable the liar was.. "This had better be important."
"Tryphosa, I was wrong, please.." As he reached out of her, she took a step back, going on the defensive. "I miss you."
"You're a liar, Deuce.. For the last three weeks, I've been working hard on getting my shit together. You are a liar. You lied about breaking up with Cleo, with wanting to be with me, I'm not going to fall for it again." Tryphosa shrugged nonchalantly, meeting his gaze. "You're just coming to me because of a spat you had with Cleo. You have done this constantly for the past three weeks. Listen, I don't think we've even spent enough time together to even consider going out. You were a fun first crush, but I gotta wake up. I barely know you."
"Phosa.." His voice broke slightly as he reached for her again, only to be brushed off.
"Deuce, go back to Cleo. You're starting to sound like a broken record. If you want a chance with me, you have got to break up with Cleo for real, no sneaking behind her back, no lying. Our relationship out in the open, no strings attached to past flames. Unless you grow a spine and tell Cleo how you really feel, I'm never going to go out with you."
…
"You said that to him?!" Howleen let out a cackle as she laid back on her bed, then rolled onto her belly. "Jeez, ghoul, where did these balls of yours come from?"
"I decided I need to stop letting people walk over me. I need to be confident, brave, and master my talent." Tryphosa sat on the bed beside her friend, giving her a hug. "Thanks for letting me stay the night. My mother and aunts are having a party and with the Greek pantheon, it can get crazy when Dionysus gets involved."
"Aw, no problem. I need someone here anyways, I'd just end up fighting with my siblings." The werewolf hugged her friend tightly, before taking out her iCoffin and opening up her social media. "I think maybe you should find some other monster to date, there's tons of cute monsters at Monster High you could date."
"Howleen, let's.. Not talk about dating. I don't think I'm ready for it yet.. I need to focus on me, on my destiny, my life as a Muse." Tryphosa shook her head before glancing over to the doorway, noticing Clawdeen standing there, a look of shock on her face. "Oh.. Clawdeen.. I am sorry, I didn't see you there."
".. So that's why you've been talking more viciously about Cleo." Clawdeen set her hands on her hips, staring her sister down with a glare, before turning pitying eyes to Tryphosa. "Listen, I'm sorry, but Deuce.."
"Don't worry about it!" Tryphosa held up a hand, smiling brightly. A bit too brightly, to Clawdeen's taste. "It was just some silly crush, it's over and done with."
"If you say so.."
The tension became thick in the room, each monster shifting uncomfortably before Clawdeen cleared her throat. "Can I.. Have your help with a design for an outfit? Your family is Greek, right?"
"Of course, Clawdeen. Show me what your heart has to show the world." Tryphosa held out a hand, a smile spreading across her face.
The rest of the evening was full of laughter, bright colours from Clawdeen's sketch book, and the ease of promises that certainly could be kept.
…
"A field trip, seriously?" Tryphosa glanced down at the form Mr. Rotter had set in front of her. This was getting a bit extreme, how abruptly things were happening in her life. First a new school, Deuce, Boo York, and now this. She put her head in her hands, feeling a migraine beginning. "Mr. Rotter, I can't attend this, my aunts need me for some social function."
"Well, unless you want to fail my class, Ms. Muse, you shall be attending the field trip. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see dead languages in their original state." Mr. Rotter gave her a smile that sent ice shooting up the muse's spine. "So I suggest you will have to tell your aunts you cannot attend."
"Ohh, look Tryphosa, you're rooming with Clawdeen and Cleo!" Frankie exclaimed, clapping her hands. "Isn't that exciting?"
"Yeah.." Tryphosa met Cleo de Nile's icy glare and gulped. "Very exciting.."
