Thanks Darweiner7 for your comments :) All answers are down below ;)
Draculaura's birthday was still being celebrated when Nefera decided she would go to the palace library to learn a bit more about Jackson's origins. She had taken off her shoes and wandered across her place as if no one else were there. Once inside the room, she locked the doors, she didn't want some uninhibited couple to follow her so that they could be able to do nasty things in her personal Safe Haven.
With her left arm, she grabbed the ladder and pulled it behind her as she made her way down the History bookshelf. There were at least ten thousand books in the royal library and she was glad that her father had decided to collect any book that had been released during their mummification. They didn't own every book but at least there was a lot that had helped Nefera and Cleo's father to understand the political system when he woke up. He had also collected data on every monster that lived in New Salem when they chose to settle there. Nefera remembered how scared she had been when she had first gone to a monster school. It might have been five thousand years for the world, but for her, it felt like one day she was human, and the next one she was a monster.
She let out a sigh and started to climb the ladder until she reached the right shelf. The last time Nefera had to do this was when Cleo had started dating Deuce. She was curious and slightly worried for her sister, so she had searched for every bit of information on him, and more particularly, on the Gorgons. She ended up reading everything about Greek Mythology, for it resembled a lot like her beliefs, like the Egyptian Mythology. But otherwise, every monster she had met didn't require such extensive researches, since they were basic and common knowledge monsters.
She had first thought that Jackson only was in Monster High because her mother was teaching there, but after some time she had noticed how uncomfortable he was with her last name and she had assumed that his origins weren't something he should be proud of. And now that she had met Holt, she knew that he was only scared for her to know his secret, and she didn't know why he would hide such things to her, but she was about to find out why.
She grabbed an encyclopedia about monsters and a book called Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, it was a book written by a human, or normie as her sister called them. It was a fictional book but it was in the History section and it had her taken aback slightly. It meant that humans knew about this Dr. Jekyll and that a secret-keeper had had to erase their memories so that they would only think of the monster as a book character. It had happened to many other monsters, such as Dracula or the monster of Frankenstein. Nefera looked for the released date, 1886, and climbed off the ladder with the two books held against her chest.
She chose to read on the floor and to start with the novel. After forty-five minutes, she asked one of her servants to bring her something to eat. She heard the music coming from the living room when the servant came back with food, water, and a blanket she hadn't asked for but was still thankful for. She wasn't a bitch with the house servants. She mostly rarely talked to them, when they were in the same room as she was, she acknowledged them but pretend as if they weren't there. If Cleo used to spend most of her time asking them to bring her this or that, Nefera almost never asked for anything. She knew that their servants liked them, they cared for both princesses and respected the king, but, since you never know, her Father had assigned each of his daughters a trustworthy servant. Whenever she would have something to ask, she would ask Allan. She didn't consider him as a friend but she trusted him, and it was enough for her to tolerate him. She knew that he knew about her having a boyfriend, and she knew that he also prevented the other servants to mention it to her father.
"Your Highness, I don't recommend that you sit on the marble floor for so long, you might catch a cold.", said Allan as he put the plate full of food on a little table before he laid down the blanket for her.
"Allan, we are in the tropical area, not in Siberia, I doubt that I would catch a cold in a 102°F house.", she answered, without ever raising her eyes from her book.
She heard him chuckle and mumble "You're right.", and it caught her attention. She glanced at him and return to reading.
"May I ask you something, Allan?", she asked after she finished reading a sentence.
"Of course, Your Highness."
"Could you tell me whenever those drunk and underage teenagers have left the living room? I hate it when there are too many people at home."
"Yes, Your Highness. Oh. I almost forgot.", he said before he tucked his hand in the pocket of his pants and retrieved what looked like a napkin. "There is a young boy out there that asked us to give you this."
She didn't move but put down her book as Allan approached her and handed her the napkin. She took it and analyzed it. It was a phone number.
"Who gave you this?", she asked, warily.
"I don't know, Your Highness, I got it from Hosni. He told me that some blue boy gave it to him.", he watched as the princess tried to hide a smile and pursued her reading. "Do you mind if I ask what it is you're reading? You seem… Interested."
"It's called the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."
"Jekyll? Isn't… Isn't your friend a Jekyll?", asked Allan.
Nefera put her book down again, it should annoy her but she wanted to know how did Allan found out about Jake's name.
"How come do you know that?", she asked, and then put on a friendly smile on her face when she saw him become livid.
"Huh, forgive me, Your Highness, I never wanted to invade or to break boundaries, I just wanted to make sure that this boy wouldn't attempt to take out your life."
"It's okay, Allan. You only did your job.", she said, trying to comfort him. "So, what did you find? Because I'm lacking information about him."
"Oh. He lives in the human part of New Salem, your highness. At first, I thought that he was a simple normie but I noticed that his mother, Dr. Sydney Jekyll, had supposedly two children with the same date of birth but different last names, so I assumed that Mister Hyde was the father of the two kids, it turns out that Mrs. Jekyll also has a sister named Hyde. I discovered that the whole family is under a shape-shifting curse, Your Highness. I couldn't believe it so, several times, I tricked Mister Jekyll with loud melodies so he would change into Mister Hyde."
"Really? And what did you found out about Mister Jekyll and Mister Hyde, then?"
She saw Allan's face split up with a smile. He was keeping a chuckle for himself.
"Your Highness, the two of them are strictly differents. Based on what I could see, or learn, Mister Jekyll is a talented scientist, with few friends. His best friend, actually is Mister Gorgon, your sister's friend. He has a friend named Frankie Stein, she too, likes sciences, and it seems like she likes a little too much Mister Jekyll. It makes him uncomfortable, but according to the rumors, mostly spread by Her Highness your sister, it seemed like Mister Jekyll had feelings for Miss Stein, too.", he stopped when he saw the princess wince, but she had asked to know everything that he'd found out and he shall tell her so.
"He was never involved in a relationship with Miss. Stein, or any other girl his age. You are supposedly his first relationship. As for his hobbies, he likes to do skateboard in the human part and he's in your former high school and plays casketball there."
She nodded, except for the feelings he had for the ragged doll, there was nothing new.
"And, what about Holt Hyde?"
"He could be qualified as a troublemaker. Mister Jekyll often turns into Mister Hyde during weekends, so Mister Hyde spends most of his time partying. Unlike your friend, Mister Hyde always spends the night with a girl, sometimes two, even. He is depraved and he is friends with nearly every casketball team member. His passion for Casketball might be his only common point with Mister Jekyll. Well, this and their common friendship with Miss. Stein. Mister Hyde often flirt with Miss. Stein but it doesn't seem serious. He had only one serious relationship but I couldn't find out who was his former friend. He flirts with a lot of girls, it's hard to know whenever he is really interested in someone. Her Highness your sister calls the young boy a "manwhore", but Her Highness doesn't seem to be fond of either of Mister Jekyll's personalities."
"Do you know why?"
"Pardon me, Your Highness, but your sister doesn't like many people in this school and the reasons vary a lot, but I could ask the other servants if they had heard her complain about Mister Jekyll if you want to."
"No, it's fine, Allan. Wait, do the servants listen to our complaints?"
"Of course, Your Highness. Why wouldn't we?"
"I thought you just pretended to listen to us to make us happy. Anyway, these are great portraits you presented to me, thank you Allan.", she said, before he bowed to her and started to leave the room. "Oh, Allan?"
"Your Highness?"
"If you were to present my portrait, what would it be?", she asked, curious as to how did he perceive her. "Don't bother to try not to hurt my feelings, I want you to expose facts."
"Well, hum… Her Highness, the princess Nefera is a lonely teenager. From what I could tell, she doesn't struggle with making friends but it is difficult for her to keep them. I think she struggles with many things that she would rather keep for herself than share with others, especially, Her Majesty, Queen Dedyet, her mother's disappearance. The whole de Nile family can't overcome with the Queen's vanishing but for some reason, the eldest princess has more trouble with it than her relatives. I think it's because unlike her father or her sister, Her Highness can't share her pain with a trustworthy acquaintance. But aside from this, the princess is a beautiful young woman who is nothing more than a teenager. I think that she is stuck under the responsibility of becoming a Queen, so she cannot think of a career since she is afraid that whatever she would build, it will be destroyed and left aside once she is to become Her Majesty. But of course, these are simple assumptions based on what I know of Her Highness, since, as mentioned before, she doesn't express her feelings."
She sniffed, she supposed he was right, she had chosen not to linger on her personal problems, she would always worry and overthink and it prevented her any good sleep.
"What about my relationships?", she asked, wanting to know just how much he knew her, it could help her know just how accurate Holt's portrait was.
"Her Highness doesn't have any real friends. Her former best friend, Amanita Nightshade, was a corpse flower, but she betrayed the de Niles back in their hiding spot. Since then, it seems that the princess doesn't lend her trust to anybody. She is friendly with some werecats, Miss Toralei Stripe, and two twins, but it seems like the princess and the werecats are only scheming together when it seems useful for Her Highness, and if I may say so, those girls don't seem trustworthy. As for her love life, Her Highness used to be avoiding any feelings that could settle between herself and her… Partners. She knowingly had four relationships, none of them lasted over three months. I wouldn't include this in a portrait presented to her father, but Her Highness seems to like to meet some men from time to time, and since it doesn't last longer than a night, I would assume that Her Highness only use them so she would satisfy her physical needs. Her Highness is currently in a relationship that is seemingly lasting. His name is Jackson Jekyll and he studies at the same High School as Her Highness, the princess Cleo. Mister Jekyll and Her Highness, the princess Nefera only seem to have known each other for a few weeks, but they surely both have feelings for each other. The princess had never seemed as happy as she is when she awaits Mister Jekyll, so I presume that he is gentle with her and makes her happy. I would suspect Her Highness on being in love with the young man but I guess it would be too soon to say."
She looked at Allan, who was standing near the door, hands crossed behind his back, reciting his knowledge about the eldest princess as he would tell a poem.
"Have you told my father anything about those relationships?"
"Well, when you were younger, I used to report him the names and ages of the boys you frequented. Of course, I would've never mentioned the loss of your virginity to him. And I did well not to, 'cause when it was reported that Her Highness your sister had brought a boy in her bedroom, His Majesty did not react for the best.", he said and shook his head as if he wanted to forget about this. "But I only deliver him those pieces of information when he asks, I would never go to your father and tell him that a normie would come and go in the palace, and more specifically, in your bedroom. For now, your relationship with Mister Jekyll is a secret for the rest of your family. That is until your father asks me about it, and then I wouldn't be allowed to lie to him."
"I know. Thank you, Allan. You can go, now."
He bowed again and left. She stared at the door for a few minutes before she sighed, and returned to her book.
The next morning, Nefera returned to the library to put the books back in their bookshelves. She had ended up finishing the books in her bed and had fallen asleep while reading the encyclopedia. When she had woken up, she saw that her boyfriend had finally replied to her texts but she hadn't bothered to look at his excuses, now that she knew why he wasn't there, it would only make her angrier if she read one of his lies.
She saw Jake enter the palace on her path to her bedroom.
"Oh, there is my Sleeping Beauty. I've been waiting for you all night.", she said, deciding to play him a little.
"Hey, I'm so sorry, I know I said I'd be coming but last minute I realized I had homework and my mother confiscated my phone. I'm sorry.", Jake apologized as he crossed the living room to be closer to his girlfriend.
She sniffed of annoyment and raised an eyebrow. How could he lie so easily?
"It's alright, I made myself a friend last night, since you weren't here, I figured I should meet new people that I will be able to hang out with the next time you ditch me."
He pretended not to hear her cutting remark and leaned down to kiss her.
"Really? So… Who's this new… Friend?", he asked between the kisses.
"You're going to love him. He plays Casketball, just like you, and he's a friend of your green sex doll."
He winced, she hated Frankie and kept calling her different names, but at least she had stopped calling her a slut, so he couldn't complain.
"He's a team member? I know him? What's his name?", he asked as he frowned.
She freed herself from his embrace and pretend to be looking for his name.
"Ugh, I can't remember, but, oh, he gave me his number, though. Do you want me to call him to see if you know him, you may recognize his voice.", said the princess as she hoped that Holt had personalized his voicemail.
She called him and by the second ring, she could hear some buzzing coming from her boyfriend's pocket. Jake stiffed.
Please, tell me it's a coincidence…
But he could see that she was looking at him as if she'd won a battle, and the fact that he didn't retrieve his phone only proved her she was right.
"Hey, you've reached Holt Hyde, can't talk right now but I'll call you back if I want to. Bye.", Jake heard the voice of his alter-ego exit the phone of his girlfriend and he cursed himself.
She hung up without leaving a message and stared directly into Jake's eyes, impatient to see if he will keep lying to her or not.
"So… You've met him.", he said after a minute-long silence.
"Yes. Very charming, a tad flirty but I guess that you two have the same taste in women."
"A tad flirty? What did he say to you?", Jake asked, nearly losing his temper.
"Chill out, he just said that I was hot a couple of times.", she tried to reassure him but she heard him mumble 'son of a bitch' so she guessed it didn't work. "Babe, you should've told me."
He was now pacing nervously, and she could tell he was angry.
"Oh, yeah? How exactly? 'Hey, babe, why don't we go eat some pizza, also, I turn into an asshole when the music's too loud.'", he spat at her, and she wondered if he was angry at her or if he just was mad at himself.
"Don't worry you don't need music to be an asshole.", she snorted back.
He glared at her and she could see that he was trying to calm himself. She thought about what Allan had said to her last night. She couldn't find anyone trustworthy enough. Well, she thought that Jake was worth her trust. Even though he kept lying to her, she still knew that she could trust him.
"My uncle betrayed my father and we ran away.", she said out of context and he frowned at her, not knowing what she was talking about. "When we met, you asked me how could I look this young and be this old. You said you would come to my place until you'll know my story."
"And right now seems to you like the perfect moment?", he said before he chuckled.
"There could have been better times, I know, but… I want us to stop keeping secrets from each other. I know about yours, now I must tell you mine."
Jackson looked at her quietly. He couldn't believe how she could still stand being in the same room as him, now that she knew.
"So, my uncle betrayed my father, and we ran away from the palace. I was ten years old, Cleo was seven. We were mummified with special bandages in an underground hideout. We basically slept for a five thousand and twenty-five years nap. When we woke up, ten years ago, we haven't aged. And we realized that my mother wasn't with us. We don't know what happened to her, if she were killed by traitors or if she managed to stay alive." She couldn't look at him as she was telling him her story. "That is why I couldn't tell you when you asked me. I didn't give a shit about what you'd think about me but I haven't thought of my mother in a long time before that night."
She heard him come closer to her and felt his fingers raising her chin.
"I am sorry. And fortunately, you didn't care about what I thought about you, you would've felt too confident if you knew.", he said before he kissed her. "So, what did you and your new friend talked about?"
"He spent most of our conversation trash-talking you. When I told him that I was your girlfriend, he became jealous. It did make me feel confident.", she chuckled. "I was a bit mad at him for insulting him, so I taunted him for you."
"What did you say?"
"That I made your body cum three times the day before. And then I left him.", answered the princess shyly.
She'd taunted Holt. She'd been mad at him. She could grow into hating Holt if Jake was lucky enough. But he knew deep down that it wasn't his thing to be lucky.
"I can't decide if it was brilliant or stupid.", he said with a grin.
"Chose wisely, then."
And with that, she pulled him into kissing her. She couldn't wait to catch up with what they should have done, last night.
Thanks for reading, I think I'll be taking a break, I'll keep on writing though, so I'll be posting when I will feel like it...
