Slowly walking down the hall way Jackson read through his schedule not really wanting to dwell on his conversation with Head Mistress Bloodgood. First hour…English…Second Hour Home Ick…Third hour…"Hey Jackson what was that all about?" Heath said walking up beside his cousin giving him a slight heart attack. "What the hell!" Jackson yelled making Deuce chuckle.
"Sorry dude, we didn't mean to scare you it's just Heath wanted to wait and I didn't want him catching something on fire again…" Deuce said watching Heath closely.
"I told you I wasn't going to do that!" Heath glared at his friend then noticing Jackson was holding his schedule. "Oh cool let's see if we have any of the same classes!" Grabbing Jackson's schedule out of his hands making Jackson reach for it but Heath kept his cousin at bay with a hand in the face forcing his glasses into his head.
Deuce sighed at Heath who seemed to be going out of his way to annoy his cousin, but Deuce knows that Heath is only being himself…he couldn't help but think Heath didn't notice his actions sometimes. So Deuce just took a deep breath looking over his own class schedule as Heath read off Jackson's and looked at his.
"Aw cuz, we don't have a class together until History and P.E." Heath moaned out until his hair flamed up noticing something else. "Oh and lunch!"
Heath couldn't help but laugh excited that his cousin was in a few classes with him, he should have guessed he would have been in a higher math and science then he was but still. Deuce looked over his schedule again making sure they did have a couple of classes together taking the Jackson's schedule from Heath before he burned it. "Well dude it seems we have two classes together. History and free hour." Handing Jackson back his schedule who looked very much relieved that Deuce saved it from being turned to ash by his over enthusiastic cousin.
"Cool," was all Jackson was able to get out…he wasn't used to people comparing their schedule with his seeing if they had classes together. If anything they would take a peek to see if they would have to drop a class to avoid him or follow him to torment him.
"Well we better start heading to our second hour lessons knowing we already missed most of the first hour." Deuce said not noticing Jackson lack of words.
"You guys left a few minutes before me why were you guys still out here?" Jackson wondered as he got over the small amout of shock of having friends.
Heath walked over by Deuce who was leaning on the lockers to sit down. "I was worried I got you in trouble and I didn't really want to go to first hour without making sure you didn't get lost." Heath's face seemed to slowly turn red when he started being honest with Jackson.
Jackson folded his arms over his chest and rolled his eyes. "Lucky for you she just wanted to talk a little more on what happened nothing serious. Plus you did get me in trouble, but lucky for you it wasn't serious trouble or I would have drowned you in the pool when I got the chance."
"Aw. Come on Jackson," Heath interrupted Jackson's rant, "You always threaten to drown me but I can swim! I just don't like to. Water and fire don't mix well."
Deuce was smiling at the bantering between the two. This was going to be an interesting year for once. We he first met Heath he found him extremely annoying but somehow the overly happy and hyper boy seemed to grow on him and his friends. But they really didn't become good friends until a couple of Casketball games with Heath did they really start talking. In all of Heath's clumsiness he was a strong player. Deuce studied the normie in front of him who was laughing at Heath who was trying to explain the best path to Jackson's next class while pointing at the map of the school upside down. Jackson doesn't look like much to Deuce…the overly bright shirt that made his eyes hurt, for not wanting to be seen he did make it hard to hide himself. Deuce bit his lip thinking how this nerd looking boy was going to fit in here at Monster High. Maybe he should just turn him into stone making his life a lot less confusing, but then again Deuce himself might miss out on a new friend, and there was always the aftermath he would have to deal with when he just randomly turned a new student into stone.
"Hey Deuce you coming bro!" Heath called to him making Deuce snap out of his trance failing to realize that Jackson and Heath were already walking away to their classes since the bell rang through the halls. It didn't take long for the students of Monster High to fill the halls once again in search of their next classes. Jackson who promised Heath he would be fine finding Home Ick by himself saying that he was used to finding out where to go. Of course Heath was complaining saying that he should maybe come with even though that would make him late for his class that seemed to be at the other end of the building. It wasn't until Deuce pulled Heath away from Jackson giving him a thumbs up and mouthing the words good luck before Heath finally realized he wasn't going to win this battle and started to head to class before he found a couple of girls to talk to.
Jackson took a deep breath looking at the map one more time before walking off carefully to his class. It didn't take Jackson long to find the hall way he was suppose to be in when some large and red slammed him up against the locker.
"Wait!' Jackson yelled when he noticed the large bull Manny who yelled in the theater smiling a malevolent smile at him.
"Well it seems I found the normie wondering around in the wrong hall way." He laughed that made Jackson shudder. "I wonder what I can do to him." Jackson closed his eyes as he remembered what it felt like to be helpless to someone else. He couldn't fend of normal people let alone a bull monster thing. He started counting…1…2….3…it helped to keep his mind focused on something else then what was going on in front of him. Sadly he could not take him mind off the pain that he knew would come.
Jackson arrived to his Home Ick class thirteen minutes late because of Manny. The teacher who had four arms and all seem to be working together to make some odd creation Jackson never seen in his life. "Name?" She said not looking up from her work when Jackson took a seat at an empty table not really wanting to be by anyone.
"Jackson Jekyll." He said miserably knowing the teacher would not be happy.
The four armed teacher seemed to pick up the sadness in his tone and looked up stopping her work but not saying anything to not embarrass the new student. "It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Jekyll, I am Madam Sis. I will be your Home Ick teacher for this year. Right now we are reading over the class rules and guidelines while I was finishing up this baked good for us to enjoy."
Jackson couldn't help but feel a little better when she spoke to him. It felt she really cared. He looked at the paper that she placed in front of him not really taking in what it said or what she said when she started explaining things. As much as Jackson loved to learn he couldn't help but think of how the rest of his day will turn out. So far he been in the Head Mistress's office…nearly blasted his cousin off the face of the Earth…almost got in trouble for that…then meeting a bully in the hall ways that seem to really hate normies…maybe he should have Heath follow him to next hour and after…He maybe could have made a friend…maybe two but Clawd didn't seem to happy to having to go to the office…so maybe back to one. He guessed it could be worst.
The next few classes seemed to go quickly. Jackson's luck seemed to be getting better as the day went on. Well he at least made it to the cafeteria with no sight of he was sure bully for the rest of his life. Walking over to sit alone when he heard his name called from across the room. He saw it was Heath and Deuce sitting with some strange water creature with a bowl looking thing on his head filled with water and the were-wolf Clawd who seemed a little aggravated with the sudden invite.
Jackson made his way over to sit down with the new group of people. "Hello Jackson my name is Gill." The water creature said making Jackson shake his hand…or well fin…or whatever it was. "Nice to meet you Gill." Jackson said not really making eye contact. He really didn't trust anyone at the table but his cousin…but again he was letting the experiences at the other schools cloud his vision on this one. Everyone seemed to be happy to have him there but Clawd…Jackson just assumed it was from this morning. He hoped Clawd would soon like him, but it really didn't matter if he did. The guys were all talking about sports that Jackson wasn't sure of and girls who he has not met yet. He did find out a little more about Heath's friends…like Clawd was dating a vampire named Draculaura and Deuce got an Egyptian Princess who was leader of the Fearleading Squad named Cleo. Deuce was complaining on how she didn't like his gift of Greek jewelry that has been in his family for years.
"Maybe you should make something more personal for her." Jackson said out loud for the first time since he sat down making everyone turn to him.
"Like what dude?" Deuce said leaning his head on his hands looking over at Cleo who was with her Ghoulfriends. "Well…" Jackson thought…. "What does she like?"
"To be the center of everything even when she doesn't really understand what is going on." Deuce said.
"Yeah and being perfect at everything as well as having everything perfect," Heath added on making Deuce just slam his head on the table.
Jackson bit his lip trying to figure out a way to help his new found friend but having trouble making his logical thinking brain to come up with anything creative when he pulled up his school bag to search through hoping there was something to help him. The others just watched him as he pulled out head phones which Jackson slipped around his neck still thinking as Deuce poked his food and Gill seemed to lose interest and starting to stare off in the distance. Clawd who didn't seem to know what was going on as he chewed on a rather large steak that was undercooked or more like wasn't cooked. Jackson seemed to give up and placed his head phones on his ears as Heath slumped a little and went back to eating. Listening to the music an idea slammed into his brain making him jump in excitement making everyone look at him. Turning off the music and replacing his headphones to their resting place around his neck. "Why don't you make her a song?"
Deuce leaned back trying to process what Jackson said to see if it might work. "Like a love song?"
"Yes." Jackson said trying to fend off a small headache that seemed to form when he was listening to his music. "She likes things to be about her, right?" Deuce nodded looking at his girlfriend again. "Then what is more perfect then making a song that is only about her?"
Slowly warming up to the idea Deuce seemed to be getting back into his normal self when he realized he was missing something. "Uh, dude do you know how to write a song?"
Jackson was taken aback by that statement not really thinking it could be that hard to write a song. "Umm…"
"There is always that one Ghoul that plays music a lot." Gill said trying to think of her name, "she records herself a lot too maybe she could help."
"See!" Heath shouted, "Maybe she could help you Duce!"
"Only problem," Jackson said making everyone look at him again, "Where is this…uh…Ghoul at and who is she?"
"I think her name has opera in it…" Gill said making a weird face as he tried to think of her name.
"Oh are you talking about Operetta?" Lagoona said walking up behind them making the all jump.
"Well no we weren't talking about her." Clawd said defending them. "We were wondering what her name was, we need to talk to her."
Lagoona stood there shifting her wait to her other leg holding her tray thinking, "Well mates she is normally in the catacombs."
"Oh! We can go down there and see if she is up to helping Deuce after school!" Heath shouted excitedly making Jackson roll his eyes. He seriously doubted that Deuce wanted Heath to go with him from the look on his face.
"Maybe we should let him do it himself Heath." Jackson said getting a relieved look from Deuce.
"Aw…okay." Heath said letting his flame die down a little.
"Thank you Lagoona for all your help," Gill said nervously making Lagoona smile at him. "It was no problem, I didn't mean to overhear."
"So will there be swim practice after school?" Gill asked Lagoona before she headed over to her Ghoul friends. "Yes there is, so be there right after the bell rings we have a lot of practice to do before the next completion." She said happily then started to walk away, "See you later Gill."
"See you Lagoona." Gill said quietly.
"Aw…Man! You and Lagoona?" Heath said flaming up again making Gill's cheeks to slowly turn red. "No…we are just friends." He told them looking miserable. "Even if there was a chance we could be together it wouldn't work."
"Come on dude why do you think that?" Deuce asked while Heath nodded in an agreement.
Gill shifted awkwardly avoiding all eye contact, "Well she is a sea monster…and well I am a fresh water monster."
Jackson was confused…why would that make a difference…love was love right? "Why would that make a difference?" He asked not really thinking.
It was Clawd who answered him before Gill was able too. "It's like vampires and were-wolves in the normie stories." He explained making Jackson get it fully. "Oh duh…I never really thought about sea monsters and fresh monsters not getting along." He said slapping his forehead making his headache worst.
"Well it isn't the fact that we fight," Gill stated, "it's more like my parents and most fresh water monsters think that sea monsters are dirty…gross and undignified."
Heath laughed, "That makes no sense! Why would they think that?"
"Because the ocean is polluted and the sea monsters do nothing about it." Jackson said hoping he was helping explain the reasoning. Gill just nodded not saying but looking sadly at Lagoona who was sitting with a few people from the swim team.
"Maybe you should try it?" Clawd said making Gill look up confused.
"I couldn't-" He started to say when Clawd interrupted him, "Just look at Daculaura and me! No one thought a vampire and a were-wolf would last long and here we are going on five months."
Gill was just looking at his empty tray when Jackson said, "What is the harm of trying…you never know unless you try." He couldn't help but smile a little when Gill nodded looking over at Lagoona. "I will ask her to the movies tonight at practice."
"You go man!" Heath yelled flaming up and slapping Gill on the back, "I know you can do it!"
Jackson shook his head and threw the rest of his bottle of water on his flaming cousin making his flames go instantly out. "Come on cuz!" Heath yelled, "I wasn't going to catch anything on fire!"
"This time," Jackson mumbled making Deuce, Gill, and Clawd all laugh when Heath sat back in his seat glaring at his cousin who went back to eating his macaroni and cheese.
"Wow Jackson you really do know how to handle fire elementals." Clawd said still laughing at Heath's discomfort.
"I was raised with my father." Jackson said chuckling at Heath who was trying to dry off by causing a flame that didn't want to light in his wet hand. "And Heath is my cousin I had to learn quickly and it also helps when my mom always carried a full water bottle just for Heath."
Heath glared even more at his cousin as he retold the stories when they were younger. "Dude, just for putting out Heath for a little bit makes you cool by me." Clawd said still laughing when Heath turned his glare at Clawd.
The bell rung making everyone get up and head to their next classes. Jackson hung back to wait for his grumbling cousin. "Why did you have to throw water at me?" He whined to Jackson who lit a small flame in his hand to give to his cousin. "Because I can and I wasn't able to do it in the Head Mistress's office." Heath dried his hands off with the little flame before it went out. "Pay back I take it?"
"Pay back." Jackson agreed before going to his class.