Beautiful Nightmares
Chapter Twelve
Her first day at school had gone incredibly well. She was relieved that a sweetheart like that Heath boy showed her around. He was funny and not bad to look at. It alarmed her slightly when he was suddenly engulfed in flames but she realized that he was fire elemental. But normie mixed too? He was a hybrid all his own. He intrigued her. She wondered what the other boys were like.
Invisibilly seemed playful. He loved to laugh… at others sometimes. But that Twyla ghoul… she had a voice on her. Catty couldn't fathom for the life of her why she'd want to keep it to herself. Not that she felt the other was selfish. No, no it wasn't that. Her voice was soft like a summer rain. If only she'd use a microphone.
Draculaura was a bubbly vampire whom was excited over the smallest of things. It was cute. Frankie was the new ghoul before her though she seemed to fit in perfectly well at Monster High.
Another thing that totally blew her mind was Clawdeen's fierce designs! That ghoul had some serious killer style. They weren't just girly, she swore that the design the she-wolf was working on at lunch showcased converse shoes! If that wasn't right up Catty's alley…
It was an eventful first day at Monster High for Dakota Scarrison. But now it was time for Catty to wind down the best way she knew how. She grabbed a notebook and reached for her pencil case. She had already completed her homework and now it was time to relax. She tucked some loose strands of hair behind her right ear and started scribbling something down.
There's always a bit of mystery
about a ghoul who says she's alright,
then falls apart at night
Mascara running down her face
she feels like a huge disgrace
The only thing she knows
Ooh
are the shape of her scars
Catty was proud of what she came up with so far. Sometimes she could go awhile without penning down some lyrics and other times she'd be writing non-stop for a week. She had left her original songbook at her previous dwelling but that was alright. Nothing she couldn't re-write.
There was a knock on the door that startled her out of her thoughts. "Come in." she answered almost mechanically.
"It's just me," William opened the door and balanced a tray of deliciously prepared food. Just the scent was making Catty's mouth water. "hoping you're hungry for a bit of dinner that's all."
"Oh Will," she closed her notebook real fast and set it aside. "I'm ravenous. Thank you so much." She smiled. "You do so much for me… I had no right to harp on you like that. I know it's your decision to help me and gosh, you know I'd be lost without you. I just feel so bad for the family. No… your family."
He shook his head. "Catty, there's no need. I keep contact with Sophie every night, I call her, we even video chat. I don't want you carrying any burden of guilt on your shoulders." He set the tray down by her and sat on the edge of the bed. "You don't need to be worrying about me… but about what normal teenagers should be worrying about. Like boys, studies… friends… frenemies? That kind of thing."
She giggled, it felt so strange for William to be using the 'hip' terms. "Don't try too hard." she told him lovingly with a giggle as she dug into her plate of food. This looked freaky-fab. "Hey Will," she wanted to ask his permission about the upcoming dance… even though he was in the role of her father, she still respected his opinion. "the ghouls at school were going on about some kind of dance at the end of the week."
"You must go." He told her.
It took Catty by surprise, he hadn't even heard any of the details yet. Not that she knew any herself but still. "Will, you don't even know anything about this thing."
He looked at her with a slight sternness in his gaze. "This is what you came here for Catty, you wanted to experience normal un-life as an average teen. Now is not the time to play shy."
He was absolutely right! She nodded, "You're right. You're absolutely right. I'm going to that dance!"
He gave a nod. "Indeed, next… Dakota needs to find herself a date."
She smacked William playfully. "Stop it Will. She's an independent woman." Though she had to admit, having someone to attend the dance with might not be a bad idea either…
The next day Catty, erm… Dakota, arrived at Monster High. Her heart felt joy arriving here just to go to school. Regular monsters didn't realize how good they had it. Got to see their friends five nights a week, weekends off to do whatever they wanted.
"Good morning, ghoul!" Frankie Stein waved her over and reluctantly Dakota followed. "Dakota right?"
Catty nodded. "Yes. You were Frankie..?"
She nodded and her bolts sparked. "Yes."
"You were sad yesterday." She gasped slightly. 'Catty we weren't gonna do this! It's your second day, you oaf.'
Frankie wore a look of momentary shock on her face. "Oh, when we were talking about the dance yesterday and who we'd bring?" Dakota nodded. "Well, Jackson Jekyll and Holt Hyde are essentially one in the same. Whenever Jackson is around music it triggers his transformation into Holt. And he's… rather... busy."
"But he's not Jackson..." Catty had read many a novel and saw a few films with a similar, sort of, concept. "right?"
Frankie nodded. "I'm very confused. On one hand they're the same… but on the other hand they're so… opposite. They don't seem like the same to me at all."
Dakota let out a sigh. "That is quite a pickle isn't it?"
Frankie shrugged it off. "That's alright, I'll be able to see Jackson after the dance. Which… you are going to right? Please oh please tell me you're going?"
Catty nodded. "Yes, I totally am. Not sure if I have something to wear though… what kind of event is it?"
Frankie raised an eyebrow. "It's a school dance. What do you mean what kind of event is it?" Before Catty could explain any further the warning bell rang. It meant there was a remaining ten minutes to get to class or being tardy was a risk.
"See you later, ghoul!"
"Wait!" Frankie called out. "Meet us at the Maul! We'll be there clothing shopping for the dance!"
Catty nodded and quickly disappeared inside Monster High… she could almost feel William's disappointment if she were to be late on her second day.
Catty left the classroom just as the dismissal bell for lunch had rung. She could use a good snack to fuel her for the rest of the day. "Hey new ghoul," the familiar voice made her smile. Heath walked towards her and she gave him a friendly hug.
"Hey you," she greeted, letting go of him. "it's nice to see the same friendly faces I saw yesterday recurring."
He wasn't sure what she meant by that. "I suppose it is." He studied her for a moment. "Do you travel a lot?"
She froze, staring at him. "I uh, used to."
They began to walk together. "I was just trying to figure out what you meant. Then again, being home-schooled wouldn't lead to a lot of friends, would it?"
She clutched the books she carried closer to her chest. "Not real ones, no."
"Well, I hope Monster High will give you everything you seek to find."
"Me too Heath," she blushed when she noticed him looking at her. "me too."
He stopped at the creepateria. "After you, Miss. I've been requested at the guy's table but I'll see you soon."
She waved him off and looked for the familiar faces of the ghouls she had met briefly after school yesterday. "Greetings new ghoul!" Lagoona Blue waved her over and motioned to the empty seat beside her.
"Thank you," Dakota pulled her chair out and sat down. "nice to see you again."
"Likewise, love."
"There you are," Cleo noticed Dakota sit down at the other end of the table. "so… I see you're a bit… how do you say this? Comfortable with Heath?"
Catty was usually used to being put on the spot but not like this. "Uh, pardon?"
Clawdeen shrugged her shoulders. "Heath was the first one to greet you right?"
She nodded. "Yes. Wait, do you think I like him?"
Cleo buffed her nails with minimal enthusiasm as they spoke. "You're practically hanging off him."
Catty didn't think that simply being nice to someone was considered being flirtatious? "That wasn't my intention. I was just being nice..."
Lagoona glared towards Cleo, she could be so harsh sometimes. "Don't make such rough accusations, mate. Not cool."
"Abbey does like him… I just thought the new ghoul ought to know where she stands, that's all." She put away her file and crossed one leg over another.
Catty hadn't meant to hurt anyone's feelings. "She must be the ghoul with the icy exterior whom he talks to… but she always brushes him off."
Frankie giggled. "She's being doing that since she got here. Y'know, the only thing she wants from him… is for him to ask her out properly. He keeps using pick up lines on her and she hates them. She wants him to ask her out the old fashioned way."
Oh well now that made perfect sense to Catty. "I can't blame her." She giggled. 'Now… I have to get them to go to the dance together… but how?'
Miss Bominable walked by their table without stopping. According to the looks on the other's faces it wasn't typical behavior for her. Deep down, Catty knew it was her fault. She planned to fix it. She got up from the table and disregarded her lunch to disappear into the crowd after the tall ice-goddess.
"Hi! Hey… you!" Catty chased her until she left creepateria. She got about three feet away from the door before Abbey turned around.
"What does kitty want?" She glared down at the new ghoul. She seemed to be taking all Heath's time and attention lately, why wasn't she with him?
"I want to formally apologize." She blurted out, unsure if this ghoul was going to beat her up or anything.
"Why?" She lightly scoffed. "Abbey's not dating hot-head."
Catty giggled. "The way you refer to him is cute," Abbey didn't seem impressed but she thought she saw the beginnings of a smirk. "Abbey listen… please. I didn't mean to give you the idea that I was trying to flirt with him… so I'd like to see you two go to the dance together!"
Abbey thought about it in silence. Finally she let out a sigh and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Can you talk sense into him? No silly breath-wasting lines… just ask Abbey out old fashioned way? If you can do such thing, Abbey would be willing to accept offer."
"Deal!" She even shook the ice-ghoul's chilly hand. It seems they finally had something in common at least.
"Good luck," Abbey told her. "you will need."
Stella and Reid were only at the maul to briefly grab something to eat before they were on their way home, when Stella grasped her husband's arm tightly. "Stella, what's wrong dear?" He asked his beautiful wife, whom looked as if she were a deer caught in headlights.
"Reid… Reid… that's my baby!" She whispered and shakily pointed towards a table in the food court that had 'Dakota' seated amongst the ghouls she had befriended at the beginning of the week.
He followed her gaze and his heart thudded. She did look a lot like Catty… except she had dark hair. Their Catty loved her bright pink locks… last time they knew of course. She hadn't kept contact with them in years. What made them think she wanted to converse with them now? "Stella… no. We have to go."
"Reid, I know my baby… even if I haven't seen her in a few years… that's my child! I'm so glad she's alright." Her heart dropped in despair when she was reminded how long it had been since they spoke. She couldn't recall what they had done to make Catty stop their contact.
He could tell his wife was hurting and in all honesty, he was too. "We must leave."
"Coming..." Stella stood still for a moment longer before they turned to exit the maul with the thoughts of someday reconnecting with their long-lost daughter. "I wish I could tell you I love you, sweetheart." A small tear rolled down her cheek. For some reason… it hurt more actually seeing her and not being able to make contact, than just not hearing from her at all.
Hi again! I promise that updates for this story will be more frequent since I figured out where I'd like to go with it for the most part. Thank you for the support despite the lapse in updating! It means the world to me, :)
~ CreativeWritingSoul
