The bell rang and Jackson decided he needed to leave the bathroom before it filled up with large male monsters.
He had flushed Holt's grossness, and tried to do his best of fixing Holt's constant attempt to deface public property. But that marker was permanent and he didn't have anything to remove it with. Jackson considered giving all his potential graffiti equipment away.
Jackson would have thought by now, Holt, of all people wouldn't want to graffiti things.
Spending the entire class period listening to the calmer section of Holt's playlists, he removed his hand from his stomach. At this point feeling more hungry than nauseated, given enough time to calm down.
Holt was most likely correct in guessing it was a side effect from unhealthy food and the experiment.
And Jackson was still ticked off that Holt always pulled crap like this.
Slowly grabbing the handicap railing, and standing up.
The last time they were sick Holt kept making Jackson deal with it, continually throwing his music sources across the room and arguing with him about who had to endure it.
Claiming fire elementals were dangerous when feverish, but if Heath could spend the night in their house during slumber parties, Jackson was sure Holt could pull his weight of the times it sucked to be awake.
Heck this school day was making Jackson more aware of that, frowning as he checked Holt's image in the mirror and habitually washing his hands because he was leaving a stall. Holt attempting to go through his school day reminded Jackson that his alter ego's day was incredibly easy compared to his. He literally only took electives, and sometimes lunch.
Oh.
Lunch.
His stomach was void and gross. Creepeteria food did not sound good right now.
Guys started coming in the restroom so Jackson left before the werewolves started marking the urinals.
Sneaking off to find a vending machine to maybe keep him going. There weren't that many normie options at lunch, but whatever was there he was hoping he could supplement with peanut butter crackers and chips.
After his snack pitstop he arrived at the mostly full Creepeteria, stopping, earlier thoughts still in his head.
If Holt was going to make him deal with being sick.
He was going to make him eat.
He quickly wrote on his hand, not much else to send a clear message on.
I dealt with stomach cramps, you deal with mystery meat. You're such a jerk. :C
Stuffing the snacks in his bag, Jackson crossed his arms, and exited out of the music app.
Though faltering at first, Holt greeted the Creepeteria with the fierce attitude of someone who'd been challenged.
He knew Jackson was trying to ruin his lunch but Holt wouldn't let him. Even if he had to do it as the least popular kid in school on an empty queasy stomach.
Jackson had taken most of the hit for the bathroom thing, and at this point Holt just needed to sit down, eat, and be awesome.
Wanting to hit up the ghoul's table and flirt, maybe serenade Frankie or start up an impromptu lunch dance party. Jackson's life was so boring he could barely stand it, no wonder the kid needed someone like him to spice up his life. Otherwise Jackson would just undie of lameness.
Skipping over most of the options in the lunch line, Holt made faces at most of them, squinting at others. He finally settled on some sort of monster fruit, what he hoped were fries and what may have been a salad at one point.
"Jackson, over here!" he heard a familar tone call out. Glancing over at he and Jackson's cousin waving excitedly from the boy's table.
Deuce was cringing at Heath practically standing on top of the table to get his attention. Clawd was too busy tearing into his steak to notice. Gil looked more amused than embarrassed. Briefly wondering why the jocks didn't sit with their girlfriends, Holt walked apprehensively over. Plopping down in the open seat next to Heath. He coughed pulling the snacks out of his bag to add to his tray. Jackson voice, Jackson voice, giant nerd, kinda sounds like a girl… he silently reminded himself, making a weak smile trying to play his part. But really just wanting to jog over and give Heath a noogie.
"Heyyy guys."
They half waved.
"Jackson, Jackson, Jackson!" Heath started "I'm having a slumber party and-"
"Sleepover, dude." Deuce corrected his terminology. Slumber party sounding too girlish for his tastes apparently.
"Boys night." Clawd chipped in.
"I need to double check with my parents…" Gil mumbled nibbling on seaweed and sinking into the cuff he kept his helmet on. Acrylic bell jar sitting in the remaining space on the lunch bench
"Yoou're invited!" Heath told him excitedly head bursting into flames, before simmering down "Isn't that great?! I told you I'd invite you to the next time we had a game night. I know you like board gamessss." He spoke fast and excited.
Ohhh man that sounded awesome! He could break out the video games he'd been neglecting. Maybe try out whatever board games they wanted, that bit sounded a teeny bit laaame. But he was adaptable. He could have a boys only party then invite all the ghouls over as a surprise, he considered, though bro-ing it up sounded kind of nice. Especially at Heath's it was always super comfortable over there, and he and Jackson's Aunt's dinners were always loaded with chili powder…
Oh but.
He glanced at his peachy hands with gross yellow sleeves, speaking of lame.
"Pleeeease, let it be next week?" Holt asked smiling hopefully, then biting his lip.
"Friday." Heath explained digging into his own lunch now that the announcement was out of the way.
"Couldn't you have just said tomorrow?" Gil pitched in quietly.
Today was Thursday maybe Holt'd be back to normal by then, but with their luck so far it wasn't looking likely..
He thought hard, which was difficult but not impossible. Leg jittering again, he wished he had his music to mellow him out, it always had the right answer. He didn't want to stop this party train he had going. Stupid Jackson, he ruined everything with this dumb experiment. He shoulda tried it a different week when nothing was going on. Like finals week. Everyone was too tired to have sleepovers and parties then. Then again, the thought of taking Jackson's finals while stuck in his body…
Heath looked hurt. Seeing his cousin stare at his tray unresponsive. "Yo, dude. Did a zombie get you on the way in?" he waved a hand infront of Holt's face. "I thought you'd be excited."
"Oh uh." Holt slowly opened up the peanut butter crackers. What would Jackson do? "I don't know." He couldn't just agree. As much as he wanted to go Jackson needed time to fix stuff.
Clawd laughed "What else would you be doing?"
Holt wasn't sure. He considered saying he had a DJ gig, but no one dared throw a party the day before Cleo's so that was out unless it was the normie side of town hiring him. And that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.
"Homework?" that sounded Jackson-y. "You knooow too busy being a giant dork…" he shrugged.
No one seemed to catch his self insult.
"Why don't you just do it Sunday?" Gil asked leaning in.
"I… might have other plans Sunday" Holt shrugged. Tapping his fork back and forwardth.
"So you'd rather do something else on Sunday then come to my killer sleepover on Friday?" Heath asked squinting "Come on it'll be fun!"
"Maybe he has a date." Deuce pointed out. "I saw you talking to Frankie in Home Ick."
Holt blushed at the mention of Frankie, something more apparent on chalk white skin. He could normally salvage a boasting lie about how he was totally going out with Frankie this Sunday or something, and that's why he couldn't go.
But as much as he didn't tend to have follow through, if he was going to fix stuff with that fine ghoul he couldn't get stuck in a lie that would no doubt follow him to next period.
Though he did actually want to go. Very badly. He kept looking at his forced nerd fashion today remembering why he needed to give Jackson time to fix this. He didn't want to be stuck this ugly forever.
"I-I uh."
Oh ghoul, was he stuttering!?
Holt decided to speak up before he was completely infected by dork body.
"I don't know." he answered sounding definitive.
"What do you mean by that?" Heath grilled.
"That's a great question." Holt answered back just as vaguely. Stuck. He wanted to say yes. But he wasn't allowed. At the same time admitting a "No" would mean Jackson was running his life. When it was his life too.
"Can you come yes or no?" Heath asked again whining impatiently.
"... Or." Holt shrugged.
"This isn't going anywhere" Clawd spoke up "Heath." he nodded at him knowingly.
Heath perked up, "Oh right." Then pressed something on his iCoffin. Holt's eyes followed the wire from Heath's phone into his backpack, suddenly recognising it as a portable speaker.
Holt sat upright, it taking him more reaction time than usual to see music as a bad thing. Or something he needed to resist.
"Heath!" he garbled out before trying to fend off the change, pins and needles poking into him until he submitted.
Jackson looked around nervously. Everyone was staring at him. He had peanut butter in his mouth, swallowing.
He didn't know how to do Holt's voice. Why was out now?
Everyone seemed kind of concerned that he wasn't on the table. Or yelling something.
"Dude, you might be right about that zombie thing." Deuce seemed legit concerned.
"Are you you sick?" Clawd asked.
Gil cautiously scooted away and grabbed his helmet as if he was about to be infected.
Heath put his warm hand to Jackson's forehead "You do feel kind of cold."
"What's the right temperature for a party monster?" Deuce asked sounding half serious about Jackson's 'race'.
Jackson did feel dizzy though. Hungry especially.
"Fire elemental!" Heath defended him "Well, at least half. Dude, do you want to go to the nurse?"
Jackson realised he still hadn't talked. He shook his head just holding onto the table.
"Maybe he can't talk." Clawd offered.
Gil rolled his eyes "Why would Jackson be able to talk but not him?" he asked like Clawd was a complete imbecile.
"I don't know how he works!" Clawd shrugged quickly.
"Guys back off." Deuce cooled down the table. Looking at Jackson. Well, his face was turned towards him, his sunglasses were still on.
They waited for Jackson to talk.
DJ, radio announcer, loud, half singing… he repeated mentally.
Ok… "Guuys I'm fine~!" he put his hands up. "Uh…Wait for me to swallow first next time! Peanut butter yo~" he did those dumb finger guns Holt always did.
Everyone seemed convinced.
"Oh ok." Heath brushed off his weird silence "Having a sleepover do you wanna come?" he asked excitedly.
What?! Of course they'd ask Holt instead of himself. Jackson felt peeved inside.
"Oh so you need someone to spice up the party~!?" he forced out.
"Well more like play Monsters and Mayhem and we needed a dungeon master so were asking Jackson, but he was being a wet blanket about it." Heath sighed. "But it can be more your style if you're coming" he offered.
"Can we still play MnM though…?" Gil piped up.
Oh. No, that sounded so fun! "Tomorrow?" he asked for confirmation. The information floating to his mouth somehow.
They all nodded looking at him expectantly. Clawd rolling his eyes expecting a response about how they were just being nerds.
Now wasn't the best time for a sleepover. But. Wasn't Holt's answer to a party always yes? What would it look like if Holt started turning down parties…?
If he said No, people were going to start thinking he was possessed or something. Which he kind of was.
"That sounds fangtastic!" Jackson beamed. The table cheered highfiving. Hoping he wasn't too out of character "Uh! After we're done partying! You could teach me how to play uh. That game."
"You want to learn how to play MnM?" Deuce asked, sounding sort of hushed like it was a big secret.
"If you guys like it, it has to be cool! Dudes!" Jackson squeaked out.
"Alright!" Clawd approved "Naw it's totally fun, you just make up your own character and choose a class…"
Jackson smiled as his friends excitedly rambled on about the game he knew better than they did. But it was nice seeing them all happy like this. Plus he had time to enjoy his lunch and not have to force out an awkwardly loud voice.
Still... the sleepover.
It wouldn't be too bad. They were getting better at being each other and any work he needed to do on their problem he could work on while everyone else was asleep. Since he could stay up all night. Or he could grab all the right ingredients next period in Mad Science and fix this by tonight.
He didn't talk much that lunch trying his best to be physically active in the conversation, like nodding and smiling brightly. Holt grinned a lot. Jackson didn't realise how much of a smiley person Holt was until he had to pretend to be him.
He was also slowly starting to get used to the music. At first it was always jarring, but it was starting to become white noise, depending how easy the task at hand to focus on was. And with public music like Heath's speakers Jackson was finding it easier to project his voice, because he was forced to. Which with a little thought Jackson realised was the whole reason why Holt sang-yelled everything.
Lunch went smoother than expected. Giving him confidence he could survive a sleepover with these dudes.
After the bell Heath and Jackson habitually walked to Mad Science together, rather Heath stood up and Jackson quickly followed after because it was easier than turning his music on.
Which Jackson did turn on for backup as soon as he could. The anxiety of Heath getting too far away making him sweat. Music trigger was demanding.
Jackson cleared his voice "Heeeey cous'!" he spoke up "You and Jackson are Mad Science partners right?" he asked already knowing the answer.
"Oh. Yeah" Heath smiled, always weirdly charmed and star struck around Holt. Who for whatever reason Heath looked up to.
Which gave Jackson an idea.
Jackson hunched in close to Heath "I need your help with something…"
"I don't know about this…" Heath mumbled standing guard by the Mad Science door while Jackson hurriedly looked through the cabinets for the chemicals he needed.
"Just keep a look out." Jackson huffed annoyed as Heath was breaking his concentration in reading the right chemical names. "Don't tell anyone and don't catch fire."
Smoke drifted over to Jackson's nose as he saw Heath's head smoking nervously.
"What did I-"
"Dude! It's not fire just hurry up."
Jackson opened up his bag, stuffing small bottled chemicals that had duplicates in the cabinent, looking at the ones that were in larger bottles, knowing he couldn't just get away with those. Quickly scrambling for some vials to dump them into.
"Out of time!" Heath squeaked hurrying into his chair. While Jackson made a whining noise and shoved everything where it belonged save for a few stolen goods in his backpack. Still missing some crucial catalysts. Also going to his adjacent seat and pulling out his Mad Science folder so it looked like they were just there early and happened to find the door unlocked. Which was exactly what happened; rather the door wasn't closed all the way.
A few ghouls walked in followed by the teacher. No one acting like their presence there was weird.
Heath waited for the class to fill up more and the cover of other monsters chattering to ask what was up "You aren't uh. Grabbing those for anything bad right?" he whispered sort of meekly.
Jackson looked at him and forced a light smile "Naw." though his body language seemed off, Heath was suspicious but for the wrong reasons "Sounds weird but Jackson needs it for something."
"Really? Jackson?" Heath asked. "I didn't think he would st…." he let steal drift off his tongue, possibly afraid of implying Holt was the 'evil' one. Knowing he could be sensitive to that.
"It's not the kind of stuff you can find in a Monster Mart ok?" Jackson hurriedly explained before shutting his trap as Mr. Hack came over. Took one look at Holt and Heath sitting together and sighed sliding his hand across his face.
Jackson squeezed his iCoffin deeper into his pocket remembering his strict rule about no phones.
"Mr. Burns." he started "Tell your cousin, just because he has a condition, doesn't mean he can drag said condition to class to sit with you." he paused before warning "I know how you two get together." Then snapped at Jackson. "When the bell rings Mr. Hyde."
Well so much for trying to get away with that.
"Sorry." Heath made a sympathetic face at "Holt" being referred to as a condition of Jackson's.
Which he kind of was but that was beside the point. Jackson guessed Holt would take more offense to that.
Jackson looked nervously at the clock "What do you think would happen if I refused?"
Heath pointed at Mr. Hack sharpening a butcher knife for the lesson.
"Point taken." Jackson mused. Tapping his finger trying to think of loopholes but couldn't conjure any up.
"I know I don't wanna sit through class with Jackson eitherrr" Heath whined laying against the backpack he'd piled onto his desk.
What was that supposed to mean?!
"O-oh?" Jackson pressed.
"Yeah he's always talking about really nerdy crap or whining about Frankie or how nothing's fair it's preeeetty annoying right." he nudged Holt expecting him to join in, since they often bonded over Jackson's negative attitude.
Jackson scratched the table "He's not that bad…" he defended himself.
"Holt, he took a week to himself in the summer to spend on a stupid farm. You don't remember that?" Heath offered, one of his many complaints.
"Well he… needed that time… for himself. To.. recuperate…" Jackson scratched his neck while Heath looked at him like he was insane.
"Dude, you've been acting weird since lunch." Heath narrowed his eyes.
Ringing filled the classroom, saved by the bell. "Well gotta go!" he quickly snapped before taking off his headphones.
"Woah, Heath!" Holt snapped suddenly looking around.
Heath gave a small wave of concern, before the lecture started. Holt was just excited they were in this class together.
He looked around the room noticing there was a bunsen burner on their desks, Holt biting his lip and clenching the table as he tried not to mess with it.
Suddenly the lights turned off and a projector was pulled out. Oh man this was suuper lame.
As Holt squinted at the presentation resting his head on his hand. Checking his iCoffin's battery before deciding not to listen to subtle music. He'd gotten good at reading how much charge could last classes, and the next two classes were Holt's subjects. Jackson would need to be there for them.
It was also usually cold in the dungeonesque classroom, post lunch.
Holt blinked more times than he intended. This. Room. Was really. Dark.
"Jackson."
Hn.
"Jackson."
"Mm."
"Jackson!" a hand on his shoulder.
"...Holt?"
Holt slapped his hand to the table loudly, bolting upright realizing he'd passed out. "-! Am. I in trouble?" he asked hurriedly.
It was just Heath talking. Where were they. The lights came back on and Holt cringed closing his eyes again. Then taking off Jackson's glasses. Rubbing his face.Oh good, he wasn't getting called to the office or anything.
"Did you fall asleep too? I don't know what lab this is." Heath explained looking at the other students. He looked anxious like Jackson was the one who normally led and paid attention for that matter.
Holt slid the paper out from under Heath's negligent hand, the front page singed and brownish from his cousin's emotional fluctuations. He couldn't necessarily make out some of the text.
"Don't we just do what it says or whatever?" he flipped to the next page skimming it and getting to the ingredients part.
Grabbing the box of lab supplies on their desk and starting to mix things already.
Heath looked hopeful, Holt actually looked like he knew what he was doing.
But that was far from the truth. As Holt poured out uneven ingredients into their erlenmeyer flask it began fizzing.
"Is it supposed to do that?" Heath asked looking around at the other students who had barely begun. Lagoona was still measuring the first chemical. Ghoulia looked over warily having been seated closer to them and scooted closer to Cleo, her partner, who appeared to be checking her make up in her iCoffin's reflection.
"Yeah of course, we're just ahead~!" Holt laughed reassuringly. Glancing at the paper. Surprised that one of Jackson's dumb classes could actually be kind of fun.
Then slid their bunsen burner over excitedly to heat it up, putting the flask on a tray to rest above it. As he ticked up the gas Heath offered "I could just do that for-"
He stopped as Holt gave him a stern look, hands still fumbling with the equipment.
"Right. You like fire."
"I love fire~~" Holt reminded him suddenly conscious of his peach hands. How immune was Jackson to fire? He'd never checked. Well if he could burst into flames during their transformations Holt figured he must be ok. He couldn't' remember any burn injuries transferring over after all…
"So what's this lab on?" Heath asked as they watched their bottle heat up.
"Uhhh." Holt looked at the paper, they were probably supposed to be notating something. The title had been obscured by a brownish black mark.
But they were interrupted by their flask whistling. Weird smelling steam hissing out of it rapidly.
Before a shattering bang broke up the class.
Everyone instinctively ducking as flaming liquid shot every where and glass scattered across the floor, some shards impaled in a few things, and a few students. Which could have been more disastrous if more of their class weren't already undead.
Heath's head and hands were on fire in surprise only catching the desk behind them on fire as he stumbled back. Classmates quickly trying to put it out with their binders. On guard as this was nearly a daily occurrence for those who sat behind him.
Holt had fallen to the floor in surprise, or force? Either way he was on the floor dazed with a bright flame on his chest. Sitting up quickly patting out Jackson's burning sweater vest.
It was like melting it! Was this acid on fire?!
Science could be fun.
Killer!
He grinned at Heath excitedly, who looked at him like he was insane.
"Holt! Heath!" Mr Hackington exclaimed.
Holt slowly stood up, while their teacher looked surprised correcting himself, as "Jackson" rose from behind the desks.
"Oh. Er- Mr. Jekyll, either way." he looked like he wasn't sure what to do then zeroed in on Heath "What did I tell you about overheating classroom equipment!"
"But it wasn't me this time!" Heath pleaded like the boy who cried wolf.
Mr. Hack put his hand to his face "Bloodgood's office, we'll sort this out later. Your lab partner will clean up!"
Heath sulked off giving Holt a look of contempt. Holt slowly padded out a desk fire with his hand giving Mr. Hack a sheepish grin, while his teacher only looked at him suspiciously before going to help another student.
Man he wished he recorded that, guess he didn't have to turn in this assignment either, double win~!
Sweeping up the glass that had gotten to the front of the classroom he felt like he was getting gawked at, turning to see the dead eyes of Ghoulia looking at him… or past him… maybe at the board?
She looked back to her lab so it didn't matter. Holt's mind flickered to slight anxiety before he hummed to himself a song he was working on, quickly brushing aside any worry.
Taking as much time sweeping as he could, so he didn't have to do any extra work in this class today. Trying to draw out the cleaning process to the bell.