"Someone's watching you~"

Jackson nearly jumped out of his skin at the breath and voice so close to him in an empty hall.

"InvisiBilly..." he steamed "What are you doing here?"

"Hey I didn't mean me."

A floating phone was handed to Jackson seeing a Ghostly Gossip's editorial on Holt's hallway adventures with InvisiBilly earlier today. Well "Jackson's" encounters with InvisiBilly anyway.

He knit his brow at the captions. "Why does Spectra think we're a "blooming romance"?"

"Because that's what sounds the most dramatic? He was kind of falling all over me" InvisiBilly suggested taking the phone back. "I was just warning you that you might be getting watched. When you really don't want to be watched right now."

"I mean at least she doesn't know what's really going on…" Jackson gripped his iCoffin hearing it a low battery blip. It was still concerning though. What if she had heard something... "You probably shouldn't be stalking me in that case though. The bell hasn't even rung."

"I'm not stalking you. I happen to LIKE walking before there are a bunch of people around to bump into me. Sides, I can leave most classes early if I'm careful~" InvisiBilly seemed cheery about this "It almost makes up for getting sat on all the time."

"Yeah ok. I don't need you and Scarah nagging me about this though it's my problem…"

"I thought you were relieved someone knew now?"

"I am but…" Jackson tried to rationalize why he was peeved "I'll deal with it on my own time. Besides the more people I tell, or the more I talk to you about it…I don't know, you just told me to be more careful right?"

"Yes… which is why I'm here to tell you to step up your game."

Jackson felt heated. "It's not like Holt's doing any better."

"Yeahhhh but he kind of is…You're not very good at this."

As if to emphasis this fact they arrived outside of the Music room that seemed to be finishing up a lesson.

"We're like the same person, why would he be better at this?" Jackson bit his cheek. "Shouldn't he be just as bad?"

"Not if part of his strength is improv… I mean he is a DJ."

Jackson wasn't sure what InvisiBilly meant by that but he also wasn't very sure exactly what DJs did.

"You should probably finish up whatever you're working on fast before everyone figures it out…"

"Yes I know InvisiBilly…"

"I mean what's your plan exactly?"

"It's getting there."

"Do you know what you're doing?"

Jackson opened his mouth.

The bell rang and they were distracted by all the doors opening as Jackson pressed himself against the wall.

"I have some time tonight ok? I'll figure something out." Jackson mumbled lower. Waiting for the stream of kids to leave his next class before walking in himself. The teacher looked up but didn't take much more notice than that, prepping for the next period.

Jackson went to his seat and pulled out his iCoffin charger, plugging it into the conveniently nearby outlet to begin charging his new source of existence.

InvisiBilly plucked the cord "That seems annoying."

"Yeah this whole thing is kind of making me miss day and night…"

"Aw but you'd miss hanging out with nighttime monster buddies"

"It was at least a little less confusing…" And less anxiety inducing than being wary of triggers.

They both stopped talking as they noticed other kids coming into class including a certain red headed lilac skinned ghoul heading his way.

InvisiBilly whispered fast "Think about what I said though. Holt smiles more for one thing."

"Oh wow you need service with a smile now too?" Jackson rolled his eyes with a forced sarcastic grin.

"Hey Holt." Operetta interrupted them, sliding her bag onto their shared desk space.

Then paused smiling looking towards the blank space in front of their seats "Hey InvisiBilly~"

There was a huff "How'd you even know I was here."

"Well for one thing the floating phone gave it away." Operetta pointed at the iCoffin InvisiBilly hadn't realised he'd been holding.

"Second, Holt was talking to a wall a second ago. Unless you've finally gone that far off the rails, hun."

She ruffled Jackson's hair in a familiar way that caught him off guard.

He forced a smile back at her, clearing his throat at InvisiBilly.

"Think about what I said." InvisiBilly reminded him before most likely leaving.

It sounded like he might be leaving.

He probably left.

Operetta slid into her seat ""About what he said"? What's that mean? Guy stuff?" she winked "Or was he trying to convince you to date him since Spectra seemed convinced he's seduced the nerd."

Jackson wasn't sure how to respond. He had a hard time processing everything Operetta said for some reason. Kind of like when he spoke to Frankie only in a more annoying way.

"H-he's with Scarah.." Jackson started.

"I know." She smiled concernedly back at him. "I was joking…" she seemed to spell out slowly for him.

"Yeah." Jackson didn't know what to say next. He just scooted a little closer to the wall and began to take out his stuff. Or Holt's stuff. The one dingy folder that was falling apart and stuffed full of unorganized notes.
Ugh.

The bell rang again signalling the start of class. Though it took a moment to begin begin.

"Have you been ok though?" she asked quieter.

Was every ghoul in their life going to ask them this?

"Why do you ask?" he tried to sound genuinely confused. Though maybe if he could figure out what was making everyone ask, he could change it.

As if on cue the teacher laid a burnt inky failed test in front of him, moving along to pass out the rest of the tests she had already graded.

Operetta made a face at it as Jackson slowly placed it in his folder. She laughed slightly "Oh um. No reason…"

Jackson sighed. Putting his head in his hands as he wasn't sure if he could make up that grade at this point.

"You just seem a little." She sat back making a picture square with her fingers, panning over him "Dead."

"I mean who isn't at this school?" he countered.

"I don't think Mr. Hyde was for one thing." she tilted her head back at him, getting her own notes out "Wasn't he the one you know…" she sliced her finger across her neck to indicate a murder spree.

She bit her lip when he didn't respond.

"Wait it isn't about that is it?" she asked suddenly.

"Uh I haven't killed anyone lately if that's what you mean…" Jackson asked with enough

confusion that it sounded like she was way off.

"Well I just meant." she began pulling out pens and pencils for note taking. "Nevermind."

Class was starting though, shutting them both up. Jackson attempting to start to take notes. A little hard to hear the teacher for one thing. He pushed the volume down but that was only making him shakey. Grumbling he started fiddling with his iCoffin looking for a less distracting song, but most of his guesses didn't seem to help.

Until a lilac hand pulled around his and began hijacking his device. He was going to jerk it away from her but she soon let go as the music suddenly switched.

It was just a beat. Glancing at his iCoffin he had never noticed this playlist before. With incredibly long "songs" based on the times listed. But based on the names and the one he was listening to, just drum and mixes with subtle melodies that seemed to be enough to keep him conscious but not distracted. Probably what Holt might use to make his own mixes or maybe not clash with music he was working on.

Jackson blinked feeling flush. The fact Operetta had to fix that for him wasn't that suspicious right?

It was a godsend regardless. Why hadn't he considered Holt might have "study" music?

Ok he knew why it hadn't crossed his mind…

As he squinted at the board.

"You know you can put them on." Operetta said quietly in his direction.

"What?"

"I won't make fun of you if you put on your stupid glasses." she rolled her eyes "You don't have to act like I don't know"

What didn't she know?

Because this was getting Jackson on edge.

"Thanks…." Jackson eased out suspiciously as he raised his spectacles to his face, wary he was somehow falling into a trap. Though Operetta wasn't mentioning anything of that sort.

Oh that was so much better for note taking. Though he was already majorly lost on this lesson.

He was getting unpleasantly heated and kept getting distracted by Operetta more than whatever the teacher was saying. Taking notes much better than Holt had, but mostly transcribing.

Pausing when he noticed Operetta looking at his notebook.

He self consciously pulled it closer to him, to get more out of her view.

She rolled her eyes and went back to her own work.

Jackson was just about letting his guard down when he felt a warm sensation pressed up against his thigh.

He kicked and almost jumped out of his chair. Operetta sliding her hand down his leg.

She leaned in close as Jackson sweat "Whatever it is." she whispered "I'm here ok?"

Jackson nodded feverently in anxiety.

She seemed to laugh quietly in his reaction "I can feel you getting warmer"

"Yup!" he curtly responded before pushing himself up against his corner, trying to scoot away. Running out of space.

She pulled her hand off resuming her work but seemed to be quietly laughing to herself.

Jackson, frazzled, tried not to let it affect him as he concentrated on what was left of this lesson.

Hard to with all this swirling in his head.

He didn't understand the lesson, but blamed that on not being in this class. Operetta stopped giving him cryptic advice in the remainder of his class time but it didn't stop his aversion to her general being.

The bell came with relief.

Until.

"Hey want to work on the song?" Operetta quickly asked as soon as most of the class had cleared out of the room and he pushed his notes back into his bag.

Not really.

"Um.."

She took his hand dragging him over to the class piano "Come on I know you wanted to work on the bridge."

Jackson found himself shoved into the piano bench, Operetta scooting way too close up to him.

Testing out a couple of keys she hit a chord.

Then looked at him smiling.

Jackson felt lost.

"Well?" she asked pressing him.

"Oh." she wanted him to play… with her? He wasn't sure.

Smiling nervously he put his hands to the piano, pressing a harmonizing chord out.

Oh hey that sounded great! Did he know piano?

He moved his hands down to the keyboard to erk out a disastrous clunk.

Ok maybe not.

He laughed weakly. "Right uhm. Just kidding."

"Yeah…" Operetta raised an eyebrow.

"YO HOLT!" they both turned to the doorframe. Caught by surprised as even the teacher had left the room to themselves.

Heath, Clawd, Deuce and Gil stood there excitedly.

"We're here to kidnap you!" his cousin exclaimed.

"Wait, what?!" Jackson began to stand up backing away.

"Literally!" Heath flamed up. Clawd pulling out a pillowcase.

Thinking fast, Jackson bolted towards the practice rooms.

Before he was pounced in a roll by a werewolf that severely outweighed him.

Tackling him to the ground, his vision suddenly obstructed by cloth wrapped around his head.

Clawd threw him over his shoulder and held him down.

"H-hey! Clawd!" he kicked struggling.

"Hey he's actually putting up a fight!" Clawd huffed "I thought you said it was just Jackson trying to get out of it."

"Man, I don't know he's crazy!" Heath shrugged, shoving Clawd out of the room, "We gotta go though!"

"Seriously? Why is he so warm?"

"Later Operetta, sorry for stealing your jam session" Deuce saluted.

Operetta waved back with a smile as the boys all ran out with their prize.

Sliding her fingers back to the keys she went back to playing without him. The music soothing after a long school day. Somewhat more pensive than usual.

Too bad they'd stolen him so fast.

Mindlessly playing the song they were working on, wondering if there was really anything to add to it or if they should just finalize it already.

He'd probably be busy all night, but she made a note to text him about some ideas she had for the ending.

Ready for a quiet afternoon before she was rudely interrupted.

"Oh! Operetta!"

She stopped, annoyed her flow was interrupted.

Then very slowly turned. "Frankie!" she smiled politely. "What brings little old you here~" she asked sweetly. Standing up.

Frankie was looking chipper as usual standing in the doorway.

"Well actually I was looking for Holt, but you work better actually." she twiddled her hair.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah…" she hung in the doorframe, then slowly came in. "Um. I've been uh." she put her hands out "Looking into a couple of things. I just wanted to ask you, have you noticed Holt or Jackson being kind of off lately?"

"Well I can't really speak for Jackson but, off like what?" Operetta asked, looking at her nails decidedly.

"Oh you know…" Frankie waved her hand vaguely "You're friends right?"

"You could say that."

Operetta kept looking to her expectantly.

Frankie continued "For the last day or so something seems weird about their behavior. I'm pretty sure I'm not imagining it at this point." she rubbed her arm "Kind of sick maybe? His voice seems kind of strange and he seemed bothered by something. He's skipping classes, and seems to be lying about some things. I was thinking maybe it was something going on at home and wondered if he told you anything."

Operetta looked up in thought "I mean I can't think of anything off the top of my head…" she leaned against the piano "Why? What do you think it is?"

Frankie adjusted her grip on her school bag "Some of my theories are a little far fetched, I was hoping for some more clues. If it's anything…" She then lit up as if a brilliant piece of evidence had come to her "Ooh! Do you know if Holt ever wears Jackson's glasses?"

Operetta slid her finger down some piano keys, testing the lighter sounding ones.

"'Course he does."

"What? Really?"

"Yeah, you didn't know that?" she pressed back.

Frankie couldn't help a bit of spark leaking out as she wasn't sure how to respond "Um. I mean I guess not"

"That's weird. I guess I know him better than you do." she smiled "Wouldja look at that."

"I mean it wasn't the only thing. I had to take him to the nurse earlier and…" she was trying to draw up other evidence.

"Well. You're being a little vague." Operetta said "Is there something wrong with both of them?"

"Maybe." Frankie suddenly was having a harder time distinguishing what happened to who "It's hard to tell when I ask him. He seems to be forgetting things. That might be normal though."

"Yeahhh." Operetta agreed "I blame the nerd trying to cram so much up there it just kinda pushes the other stuff out…" She crossed her legs "You said lying and skipping?"

"It's hard to tell who's lying when they both say different things…" Frankie added.

Operetta laughed.

"Well he's not exactly an angel." she reasoned amused "Either of them."

"Yeah but I didn't think he'd lie to me." Frankie scratched a stitch.

"I mean maybe it is just you then?" Operetta suggested, about to turn back to the piano, then stopped, looking at Frankie up and down.

"Did you need to be somewhere?"

Frankie tugged at her fearsquad skirt, in full uniform, having dressed out last period. "Just the swim meet."

"Guess you should probably hurry along to that then." Operetta encouraged.

"Y-yeah…" Frankie looked around the room "Thanks for your help." she waved as she began to leave the room.

"Don't mention it" Operetta countered back politely, not making eye contact as she cracked her knuckles and went back to the piano keys.

Going back to softly playing as she heard Frankie shut the door behind her.

Operetta smirked, humming along to the melody.