Disclaimer: This is a complete work of fiction., there's no resemblance to actual persons, places or events. If so, it is utterly not intended. I do NOT own Monster High or anything to do with it. I do not own the rights to any songs, lyrics and / or artists, labels - nothing. Their exposure in this story is completely non - profit and just for fun. I am not claiming to own anything but my own damn story plot, thank you!

Heartlessly Heartfelt

Chapter Seventeen

"Intimate scenes, fresh from my dreams over a triple – x movie screen. I could care less about bein' seen. Got a higher self – esteem with you on me, ain't that the way it's supposed to be? I say baby, do you think? Sugar so sweet it rots my teeth, but instead it just rottens me – spoiled crazy. I said public display of affection, gotta 'em hatin', pointin' in our direction, watch em', watch 'em. Public displays of affection, makes them wish they had it this way..." Holt Hyde winked directly at Operetta as he sang this song with a bit of a slow, moderately fast and catchy tempo, but the racy lyrics seemed to describe his innermost thoughts perfectly. "We'd be at the club, the restaurant, the grocery store or the movies, kissin' and touchin' with my hands all over your booty, wherever it is – we is. I love it truly, your P.D.A. hey, hey -"

"And that will be enough from you, Hyde." Mrs. Shea cut him off there before he could start removing his clothes or something. She shook her head with the thought. "Not bad, not bad. Try to keep it a little more... PG."

"Ahh, say what? Parental Guidance? We're all the way out here in the middle of the sticks Mrs. Shea, we don't need no parental guidance. We're born to be wild!" There were some shouts and cheering from the group as Mrs. Shea just shook her head.

"Well whatever you 'is'," she air quoted Holt's choice of lyrics in his voice sampling song. "let's try to keep our clothes on."

Holt shook his head in protest. Operetta's cheeks blushed slightly when he winked at her again, but she then took a moment to listen to what came from his mouth next. "That's the problem now a days. You got the youngsters gettin' into trouble because they're so shielded and protected from everything. Don't you think if there were some songs out there that talked about the dangers and precautions of things, gave warnings – that people would stop and listen man? Everyone listens to music. It's not that the lyrics are 'racy' – they're 'real'. People get to makin' babies no matter what, no matter how old too. It's the dance-with-no-pants. The 'groove that makes ya move'. The lustin' and thrustin'."

"Alright Holt, no more please." Howleen groaned, not quite in that maturity stage where she was all boy crazy, just yet. Or that she knew what to do if a boy bit her 'in the good way'... but it wouldn't be long before then though. "We get it already!"

'Oh m'ghoul... my heart is racin' Holt Hyde, what'd ya do to me you crazy firepit?' Operetta couldn't help but to feel all fluttery over a good point made and music in-cooperated? It was everything she could ever ask for in one response. And from the DJ? It couldn't get better than that.

"That, is actually true Hyde - I'll give you that." Mrs. Shea added, about his point of course. Not his other names for being intimate.

"You're damn straight it's right. Instead of 'don't do it', it should be 'here's what can go wrong' or 'how to be safe about it'." He held up his hand, "But I ain't here for no nerdy debate, I'm just tellin' it how it is. Or tellin' it like I see it."

Mrs. Shea nodded, "And you made a valid point. Now pick who's next and return to your seat please."

Holt glanced around the room, but before he could, Operetta's hand flew up in the air. "Uh, Mrs. Shea?"

She shifted her gaze over to Operetta and called back on her, "Yes?"

"May I be excused to use the lil' girls room?"

"Oh," Mrs. Shea was rather disappointed. She was hoping to hear Operetta sing. "of course, go ahead. We'll wait until you get back."

An idea popped randomly into her mind, "Don't worry, I'll sing for y'all when I get back!" She offered, a wide grin on her face and playing it off extremely cool, but she panicked greatly on the inside as she practically ran out of the cabin classroom.

She pulled out her iCoffin and realized that she could record her voice where no one was around and then play it in the cabin, if it would work She ran all the way out to where the bonfire was the other night, to take a deep breath and record her quick sample of song at choice. "Well it's been a long time, glad to see your face. I knew we'd meet again – another time another place. Can't believe it's been so many years ya better grab a chair and a couple o'beers. Lookin' good in your three piece suit. Y'know I always knew you'd take the business route. You were always the one to follow the light and y'look like you're doin' alright." She made sure to take a breath in between, before continuing on to the next verse and chorus. "Been singin' for my rent, been singin' for my supper – I'm above the below, and below the upper I'm, stuck in the middle where money gets tight but I guess I'm doin' alright. I'm all, I'm all, I'm alright. It's a boo-tiful day not a cloud in sight so I guess I'm doin' alright. Ooh, ooh I'm alright. I got a good ole friend here with me tonight and I guess I'm doin' alright."

Hitting the stop button on her iCoffin, she heaved a heavy sigh. "I feel like I'll be cheatin', but I don't want everyone to go all batty!" Feeling more conflicted than she ever did in her life before, she replayed the little recording and studied it, so she new exactly how to execute this when she'd stand in front of everyone to perform her voice sample.

If she got caught, she could be sent home and that's the last place she wanted to be now.

She half ran back to the cabin, stopping to fix her hair on the way in as she pulled the door open. "Alrighty y'all I'm-" before she could finish that, her jaw dropped in awe as none other than Toralei Stripe was singing. And she was... good?

"Rule number one, is that you gotta have fun. But baby when you're done, you gotta be the first to run. Rule number two, just don't get attached to somebody you could lose, so le-let me tell you... this is how to be a heartbreaker. Boys they like a little danger, we'll get him fallin' for a stranger, a player, singin' I lo-lo-love you. How to be a heartbreaker? Boys they like the look of danger, we'll get him fallin' for a stranger, a player, singing I lo-lo-love you – at least I think I do!" She finished up her brief song sample and smirked in contentment. She knew she rocked it and rocked it well.

Clawdeen growled under her breath, to which Abbey glanced over at her with a raised eyebrow. "What has got fur in knots, hmm?"

Clawdeen sighed, "As much as I hate to admit it, she was pretty good."

Mrs. Shea gave a brief clap of hands, as she'd done for everyone thus far. "Very good. See I like this formula much better."

Operetta waited until after Mrs. Shea had spoken, to head back to her seat next to Holt. "What formula are we talkin' here if ya don't mind me askin'?"

"Well, Toralei and the twins had gotten up to sing, I tried them all out separately, vocally speaking and I didn't like the mixture. I soon found out it was all of them together, a somewhat dissonance or something. So each of them will perform separately for us today. That's all you missed." She revealed, but it seemed like a lot of time had elapsed while she was out pre-recording her song selection.

Toralei took a look over the crowd as one very familiar face entered the cabin. "You! I want you to go next."

Xavier almost choked in shock. "Me?"

Mrs. Shea smirked, "I don't have you until the early afternoon, but let's hear you Xavier. I've always wanted to hear you sing." She glanced over to the rest of the monsters sitting there. "He's always weaseled his way out of my classes, so this is a tad exciting for me."

Xavier sighed, but stood near the piano as Toralei took her chosen seat in between the werecat twins.

He cleared his throat, glancing downward shyly. "From the first day that I saw your smiling face, honey I knew that we would be together forever. Ooh when I asked you out, you said no – but I found out darlin' that you'd been hurt. You thought that you'd never love again. I deserve a try honey, just once. Give me a chance and I'll prove this all wrong. You walked in you were so quick to judge but honey he's nothin' like me. I'll never break your heart. I'll never make you cry. I'd rather live – than die without you. I'll give you all of me honey that's no lie..." Mrs. Shea was going to cut in, but she decided to relish in this moment, especially if she was catching Xavier singing for the first time in all the years she'd seen him come out to camp. And that was a few at least. "As time goes by you will get to know me, a little more better. Girl that's the way love goes. Baby, baby and I, know you're afraid to let your feelings show. And I... understand, but ghoul it's time to let go-ooh, I deserve a try honey – just once. Gimme a chance and I'll prove this all wrong. You walked in you were so quick to judge, but honey he's nothin' like me darlin' why can't you see..."

After a stunning, perfectly hit higher note, especially for a male vocal range – he trailed it off and blushed, a cheeky smile to cover up the humiliation he was feeling in that particular moment. "By the way, I've dropped your class. Sorry, I just don't have the nerves to handle this." He turned to the group of ghouls and monsters, "But I wish you all the best of luck. Catch you around!" And with that, he bolted out of the cabin, leaving many stunned and a quite a few shocked behind.

He rushed down the stairs, grabbing his skateboard and continued to run a little bit before tossing it down and skating far away from the vocals cabin as possible. That was so mortalfying. More ghastly than anything he'd ever done in his undead life!

He only did it for one reason... one face that before he started singing, he looked up and had seen – only for that wonderfully chiseled face to not be there when he was done.

What did he do wrong now?

Suddenly his board was stopped and it jolted Xavier forward as he caught himself from falling completely on his face. A mechanical giggle escaped the lovely ghoul's lips as she adverted her gaze, but slowly brought it back to his. But he adverted this time. "Hey," he began awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Your voice is timeless." Robecca complimented Xavier, to which his eyes widened.

"You... heard all that?" His stomach did nauseous flip-flops, which it never did before. He didn't quite feel sick, but out of sorts? He wasn't sure at all.

She gave an assertive nod. "Most certainly. Not bad, could use some slight fine tuning. Not bad."

He warmly smiled, "Thanks."

Getting straight to the point, she turned the conversation onto a slightly different path. "You decided not to attend classes at the vocals cabin?"

He sighed, it was linked to stage fright. Stage fright that he'd always had and never knew how to deal with it – other than running away. He could talk to a crowd of people no sweat – but singing or performing in front of them seemed to be two totally different stories.

"It's...complicated." He told her blankly, not really sure of what else to say.

"It would make it more enjoyable with your classic voice, but I refuse to force you." She told him sternly, or perhaps that was just her over all demeanor. Whatever it was, Xavier was well entranced with it. "Give it some thought." Before he could say anything else she shyly waved and knew she had to get back to the cabin quickly before her absence was noticed.

"I'll think about it... I guess." He said to no one, as he stepped on his skateboard again and rode off down the trail, his mind now overloaded with many more thoughts than he had all school year.

Well hey there everyone!

It's been awhile for another update – I know. But here it is!

Don't hurt me, and please review

It's always appreciated! ;)

Shoutout (and quick note) :a HUGE thank you goes out to the lovely 'a kiss of winter' for being an amazing co-writer thus far in the story. From this point on, it will be myself continuing the story now until the end, but this is one amazing co-writer so check out all her works! Thank you chica, you have been FANGTASTIC, and I hope there's another point in time we will be able to work together, it was too fun not to do it again!

If any of you are curious or wanting to know song(s) titles and artists used, feel free to PM me and ask, but I will include a complete songlist from beginning to end, at the very end of this story. :)

- CreativeWritingSoul