[Chapter 1] "The New Ghoul at School"
I jump from the high tan-ish seat of our family's silver Grand Cherokee jeep, my stomach turning with anxiousness. A few boys passing by me wearing black lettermen jackets with white and pink lining glanced my way. I bite her lip, meeting their curious eyes.
"I don't think I can do," I opened the car door and slide back into passenger seat. My hands were growing sweaty. "Mom, please don't make me go in there!"
"Oh, Sweetie, calm down. You'll be fine." Mom tries to reinsure me with a bright smile and a cheery up-beat attitude.
"No, really, I can't…I'm scared!" My face lights an intense red.
I watch my mom lift a brow, looking at me with complete disbelief. "You're a monster too, aren't you? What's there to be afraid of?"
"Mom, did you see the way those boys just looked at me?" I shout nervously, and then lowered my eyes. I hadn't meant to yell.
"Mia, people are going to look at you – you're the new girl. They're going to wonder what you're like and ask a heap of questions the minute you introduce yourself. That's just how people are; they want to know what you're about and what you're like." Mom tries to comfort me again, placing a hand to my shoulder.
"I guess…but there's nothing interesting about me to tell, which is probably why you dressed me like this, right?" I mumble, glancing down at my attire.
Mom's head tilted, as if having no knowledge of what I was talking about. As if she couldn't' even fathom what I was saying.
"What do you mean I dressed you like this? Like what?"
"What do you mean like what? Just look at me!" I poked out my lips.
I stared at the black and white mini skirt I'd been forced in. Yeah, sure, it rounded her hips and gave me some sort of curve since I possessed a nonsexist chest (which I actually don't mind), but it was way too short, beyond what I was comfortable with. But then again, any dress or skirt above my knees was uncomfortable to me. You could say I was old-fashioned.
And old-fashioned girls do not wear V-neck shirts that show off cleavage they don't have. Nor do they wear bright raspberry lipstick with sticky gloss and shine their hooves – but then again most old-fashioned girls aren't Fauns, or me.
"Oh sweetheart, but you look so cute! Don't you agree?" mom frowned.
"I guess maybe I do," I glance up at her, eyebrows arching apologetically. It's not that I thought mom's style was sluty or anything like that, it just wasn't Me. It was Mom and mom was miniskirts and V-necks with wild eye shadow while I was wrinkled jeans and sweater vests with…ponytails!
"But I'm a freshmen and I'm pretty sure not a lot of freshmen dress like this."
"Alright, fine. Tomorrow you can dress yourself." Mom smiles.
"Good to hear," a sigh of relief escapes me. "Thanks."
She pulls me into a hug and sway from side to side. That's mom for you, always touchy-feely whenever she adores something.
"You're so cute, being all mature and adorable!" she squeals.
I hug the arm that's wrapped across my nonsexist chest. "Yeah, I guess, but I should go."
Mom jumps back, her clasped hands squeezing to her exist chest. "So you'll go?"
"Yeah, I don't want you to embarrass me anymore." I offer a crooked smile, my face reddening again.
"Thank goodness!" mom bursts into excitement and hugs me again, cradling me in her bony arms.
"Stop it mom, people are gunna look!"
She nudges her cheek against my hair. "Oh my baby, you've grown up too fast! When did you start caring if I embarrassed you or not?"
"Around this time, about ten seconds ago." I stuggle to release myself. "Come on, mom! I'm gunna be late on my first day..."
"Alright, alright, scary-berry." Mom let go finally, flashing a proud smile. "Have fun, okay?"
"Yeah, well, we'll see. Later." I hopped down from the seat again and waited until my mom pulled off to turn fully around.
My stomach was a mess. I felt so sick that I thought I'd puke, yet somehow I make it inside of the building.
"Wow, is it hot in here? Or is it just you?" an arm slung around my shoulders. Out of habit my shoulders hunched up instantly. I shank, glancing over at the owner of the arm. He had blowing white eyes, hair blazing real fire, and yellow-ish skin.
"Me-ooooow," a cat's purr came from behind us. I jumped, spinning around. The boy turned too, releasing his hold. "Heath carrying a torch for his new flame? Now that's the cat's Meow."
I stared into the cat's emerald green eyes, pleading silently that she didn't cause some kind of scene. "N-No, I don't even-"
"How about a picture?" she cut me off, pulling out a device that was coffin shaped.
Oh no, she's pulling out her iCoffin!
"Wait!" I reached for the phone, but the picture had already been snapped.
"Sweet!" The Heath boy head turned to fire again, I ducked the almost unseen flickers of burning ash.
"So UN-sweet," I snap at him, pushing him aside and stalking off down the long purple hall with coffin-shaped lockers.
A hear the snickering of the kitty with pink eyeshadow and emerald green eyes. I don't dare look back for fear that she might snap another picture.
"Let's see..." I think aloud. "This is third period - which is History of the Undead, lunch, forth period is Creative Writing, then fifth is Monster Lit. A.P., and last is sixth period, Mad Science. Doesn't sound so bad I guess..."
"Killer! We've got, like, every classes together!" an energetic voice says, the voice thickly accented.
I turn around, face red, and look up at the girl who sitting in the seat above me. "Oh, um, S-sorry, am I bothering you?"
The girl with pink and black steaked hair, tied in two ponytails smiles widely, revealing sharp teeth. I lower my eyes just in case, but her pink makeup told me that she was harmless. "Oh my fang," she gasped, hands covering her mouth. "You're so terrifiyingly cute - just like everyone said!"
"Everyone who exactly?" I bite my lip.
"Everyone whose anyone." the girl rolls her eyes. "We all saw your picture via random text - duh."
"What?" my eyes wide, focus on her.
"That's not important." the girl stands, just as everyone else, I notice when I look around.
I quickly stand, grabbing my bland colored tan canvas backpack. I follow the short girl as she exits the classroom. "What do you mean that's not important?" I ask when we're in the hall.
"Who care about photos unless they're in Teen Scream or 7Tween?" she turns her head to me as we begin to walk slowly down the hall.
"Teen Scream...7Tween?" I repeat. "What is that?"
"Oh my fang," the girl repeats, gasping again and staring at me with wide eyes as if I've done something absolute crazy. "You don't read 7Tween or Scream Teen?"
I shake my head, face reddening once more. Was I suppose to read those magazines?
"Wow." the girl blinks. "That sure is new."
"I-I guess...?" I respond.
"Well anyway, want to eat lunch with my friends?" the girl asks, batty with glee.
"You mean...there?" I point to the nearby room filled with kids and lunch trays.
"Yes, of course in the Creepateria, silly! Where else would we eat lunch?" she giggles.
"Hey Draculaura!" another girl calls out. I spot her from across the room, waving energetically our way.
The Draculaura girl waves back just as excitedly. "Hey ghouls!"
I look around, notice that we're attracting extra attention. I feel my hands tighten on the straps of my canvas backpack.
"Come on, I'll introduce you to the Fearleading squad." Draculaura grins joyfully.
I shake, eyes darting in each direct, looking at everyone thats looking at us. "I-I've got to go!"
"Wait! Hold on for a second...!" I hear Draculaura call, but I don't turn around to answer.
I keep running until I reach a nearby water fountain. A take a sip of water, althought I don't really need it. I've learned to control my breathing while running through Track and Field in middle school.
"Uhhhh...uhhhhhh. Uhhh, uhhhhhh." a moaning/grunting noise finds my ears.
I stand straight and look over to find Ghoulia slouching and smiling her zombie smile. The awkward atmosphere thickens when I see a fly flying out of her mouth, she doesn't seem to notice, much less care.
"Sorry Ghoulia, I've only had one class of Dead Languages and all I know is pretty much how to say 'My name is' and 'My Monster parents are Saytr's'..." I look down at her shoes, taking note of the Converse star on the side of them.
She pulls out a red device that resembles a recording device. She moans and grunts into it, presses the two button. It replays her message in English: "I saw the picture. I was just going to look for you. I'm glad I found you, are you all right?"
"Oh, t-that, yes, I'm okay." I try to smile.
"Uhhhh." she groans into the tape recorder again. "Good." it says.
"Thanks, Ghoulia. You're a sweet ghoulfriend." I hug her and, to my surprise, she hugs back.