Disclaimer: This is a complete work of fiction, there's no resemblance to actual persons or events or places. If so it is utterly not intended. I do NOT own Monster High or anything to do with it, thank you.

A / n: Awww, you guys are so awesome. 95 reviews... oh my… I can't believe it! I'm so glad you've stuck with the story thus far, hope you're enjoying it! But regardless, here's the next chapter. :)

Cast In Stone

Chapter Twenty

"Go ahead guys," Jackson told Heath and Deuce as he stayed behind for a little bit. "I won't be long; I'm just going to the library."

"I'll come with you!" Deuce offered kindly, only to be turned down right away.

"No," he flat out refused, "you're lucky you're coming where you totally weren't invited in the first place. The library is my sanctuary, Deuce. Thanks but, I'll be fine." With that Jackson headed off in the direction of the school library, leaving Deuce and Heath to head out to the car and wait for him.

"Hey normie," Jackson heaved a sigh as he recognized the voice right away. He could recognize that voice anywhere - it belonged to Manny Taur. "I just wanted to… apologize." The normie almost had a spit take.

"Apologize? For what? Is this just some joke?" He shook his head, sighing. "If it is... Manny, just save it. I don't need any more to deal with right now. Really I don't, so if it's just a joke - save it and your breath."

"What? No! No joke. I swear. But I'm sorry for... y'know," Manny hinted not – so – subtly. "for being really rude to you and stuff, for hurting you… and being mean and stuff. I'm sorry Jackson. I didn't know it made you feel, so bad."

After being annoyed most of the day, he just didn't have the energy to be so any longer. "Hey… Manny, it's okay. It's all good. I get it, you're a bully… I'm the nerd. It's whatever. It's just something inevitable that I'd be going through no matter what school I could possibly go to. But if you don't go after me like before – we could maybe be friends. Maybe – don't count your chickens before they've hatched… but maybe someday."

Jackson saying that alone made Manny give a smile as he blushed. "Awww man, really? That'd be pretty cool."

He shrugged, "We'll see… but thank you. I don't think you have any idea how much your sincere apology truly means to me Manny. I mean it. Thanks." He returned a book to the librarian and had a new one to check out. After doing the proper student transaction for that, the swipe of the student ID and what not – he said his goodbyes to Manny and left the library with the feeling of a major weight being lifted from his shoulders. "Huh. Maybe shit does work out after all?"

Although his feeling of annoyance came back after he exited Monster High, realizing he had to deal with Deuce for an entire evening. 'Lucky me…' he thought negatively but sighed and took a deep breath, sharply exhaling. He felt he'd need that breath to remain calm when he saw the rest of Deuce's binders.

Deuce watched peculiarly as Jackson took the time to lie a blanket down on the floor, a few pillows here and there, grabbing his backpack and taking out all his binders, pencil case – anything else he felt he'd need. "It might seem silly, but this makes studying less stressful… y'know, if you're comfy while doing so."

He'd never really thought about it before, but it seemed like a decent idea. He soon pulled up a pillow and grabbed the messes that he called binders. Jackson almost fainted right then and there just looking at them. Deuce blushed, "Yeah, so – where are we starting again?"

Jackson face planted into the comfy pillow for a few seconds. He lifted his head and sighed. "First period."

Deuce nodded, "Ge – ogre – phy."

Jackson cursed under his breath. "Shit. We have that together too?"

Chuckling, he silently nodded.

"Damn." Jackson reached for his Ge – ogre – phy binder and textbook. "Alright, so here's my binder. Y'know what? Check it for anything valuable, we're throwing it out. Even the binder itself is all beat up. How can you work like that?" He lightly nagged, as he watched Deuce search through it.

"Nothing valuable in this one, I'll check the others." He offered, with a small sheepish grin upon his face.

Jackson shook his head in disbelief, "You're so lucky I always get extra binders. We'll set up new ones from scratch for you Deuce; it's the only way I can think of to really correct this problem. Organization is everything, seriously."

He sifted through the next binder and found nothing of importance so he tossed it in the 'garbage pile'. "You're really up tight with this whole organizing thing, aren't you?"

Jackson went to specifically a certain drawer in his desk and pulled out six new binders and a few new packages of paper. He carried the bundle of stuff over, gently setting it down on the blanketed floor. "Well, it's not that." He shrugged. "I guess it's just… even if my own life is chaotic, hectic and disorganized… at least my school stuff isn't."

Deuce gave a nod, "Makes perfect sense. I can see it."

Jackson smirked, "What do you see?"

Deuce shrugged his shoulders, a small grin appearing on his face. "You having a spazz attack if these binders don't get set up soon."

Hearing Jackson's laugh sounded like pure bliss to Deuce. He liked to see a happy side of Jackson. It was truly nice. "Yeah, pretty much. Good observation. Now move over." They were now sharing a big sized pillow between them. "Alright, so I'm going to set this up… with a laminated page that will be your 'Table of Contents'. It'll show in order: unit, assignments and notes all in the proper order you'd have received them. Also, if you ever need to refer back to a specific assignment or note – you can do so much easier than before."

Deuce more so watched Jackson and his soft, normie lips speak. Of course he was catching the things he was saying here and there. But he was more so focused on this amazing, sincere human lying right next to him. "Wait, there were assignments I did in that binder, shit." He realized, coming back from his distant thoughts suddenly.

Jackson chuckled once more, "Nice late reaction. No it's okay; I photocopied my assignments – your original assignments Hack or any other teacher would already have marked and given back. The marks are recorded. It's okay, but like I said, to fill the void I copied mine – it's cool."

Deuce acknowledged what Jackson said and actually understood it. "Thanks Jackson, this means a lot to me. That you're actually taking the time to go through my binders and stuff – no one has ever done that for me. Cleo would wonder why my mom would be too peeved to let me out to go anywhere because of my low grades. They're not high enough for her son to have I guess."

A look of hesitation and slight sadness came upon Jackson's face. "I heard you broke it off with Cleo for good, is that true?"

Deuce rubbed the back of his neck nervously as he watched Jackson organize the binder and put is laminated table of contents right in the beginning. "Yeah, I guess so? I mean I gave her the opportunity to prove to me that she wants to be with me. But is that her end of it?"

Jackson attached the laminated piece in the binder. He then brought his binder over so Deuce could rewrite these notes and read them thoroughly as he did so. "Well yeah, I overheard her ranting to Ghoulia. She didn't say anything about an ultimatum though; she just went on about being done for good. I'm sorry Deuce."

He shrugged it off, "Don't you be sorry, you have nothing to be sorry for - except the fact that I'm here at the moment." In his previously cocky moments, he didn't seem to carry that same vibe. It made Jackson wonder just who he was trying to impress with this new side of him?

Jackson chuckled and lightly yawned. "Excuse me." He pardoned himself, moving on. "Nah, you're not that bad. You're alright." He gave a small smile as he settled down into the pillow, looking up at Deuce who made sure to grab a pencil as he began writing the first note. He had many notes to rewrite but it wasn't a big deal. He could do this. 'I got this,' he thought to himself. 'I just flip through Jackson's notebook and put things in that order. He's already got it set out so, that makes my side easier.' He gave a small nod and got right down to work.

It wasn't until about an entire hour went by, Deuce was finally done every single note in every subject up to date, even today's he rewrote. He had put everything in order according to Jackson's binders and the set up within. He set his newly organized binders right beside Jackson's and he sighed. That was a lot of work, but it was well worth it. It would pay off big time and he had Jackson to thank.

He shook off the writer's cramp in his hand when he noticed a very light snoring sound. He turned his gaze to the sleeping human right next to him. Deuce had no idea how long Jackson had been asleep for, but he wasn't complaining. Instead he just snuggled in a little closer, on his side as he faced the male who seemed to be sound asleep.

Brushing Jackson's soft hair out of his face, he leaned in and kissed the other's forehead ever so gently. He didn't want to wake him.

It finally occurred to Deuce that he couldn't feel any happier in his life, which he did in this very moment. He decided to enjoy every single second of it.

Aww, finally! Some real Deuce x Jackson going on xD

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