Frankie was relieved when they could move-ish. They still looked like they'd never walked a day in their life but it didn't actually hurt, it was just sore.
Frankie walked to the bathroom with their kit and re-braided their hair before attempting to put on their makeup. Their hands were still shaky, they accidentally smeared their eyeliner, "Oops."
"Oh!" Clawdeen said, popping ups seemingly out of nowhere, "Do you need help?"
"Um…"
"Please, everyone has gotten to do your makeup but me." Clawdeen pouted.
Frankie laughed, "You look like a puppy. Not everyone had done my makeup for me."
Clawdeen lightly grabbed their shoulders, "Frankie, you let Cleo do your makeup before me. Your eyes are so cool and it's fun to find a good combination."
"My hands are still kind of shaky." Frankie said, "So yes I'd love some help."
Clawdeen squealed as Frankie hopped up on to the counter and Clawdeen got to work.
"Why do you care so much that Cleo did it before you?" Frankie asked as they closed their eyes.
"Because I thought we were IRL besties. I'm here for all your hair and make-up needs."
Frankie grinned, "I'll try to remember that. If it makes you feel any better, I wasn't intending to let any ghoul do it. It just kind of happened."
"I know." Clawdeen said, "I'm more or less teasing, I just wanted to give it a try."
They sat in silence for a few minutes before Clawdeen stepped back and smiled.
"What do you think?"
Frankie looked in the mirror and smiled at Clawdeen's take. Their eyeshadow matched on both sides but she had used both blue and purple eyeshadow. The lid was blue but it spread out into purple.
"Electric!" Frankie said, bouncing slightly.
Clawdeen grinned, "Thank you. I am so glad you seem to be feeling better."
"Me too." Frankie said, "I've been so slow. My legs aren't very long to begin with, I'm surprised I was making it to class on time."
"I mean, Heath wanted to have some of us carry you everywhere." Clawdeen spoke, starting on her own hair and makeup.
"I wasn't that immobile."
When Clawdeen was finished, they walked to the dorm and saw Draculaura sitting at the table that had three plates of food on it.
"Hey boos!" Draculaura said, "Heath and Deuce weren't sure how Frankie was feeling so they brought us breakfast."
"I'm feeling better." Frankie said, "But I appreciate their help."
Frankie and Clawdeen sat with Draculaura and started shoving food into their mouths.
"I live with animals." Draculaura rolled her eyes.
Frankie and Clawdeen stopped and exchanged ashamed looks and adjusted themselves, seating at a more appropriate pace.
"I'm part wolf, so I have an excuse." Clawdeen said quickly.
Frankie gave her an incredulous look and swallowed, "I'm only 34 days old."
Clawdeen shrugged.
"Ok, so, Clawdeen is on activities and I am on snacks." Draculaura said.
"Are you sure there isn't anything I can do?" Frankie asked.
"Nope." Clawdeen said, "This is your first sleepover so we are going to handle everything."
"Just bring yourself." Draculaura said.
Frankie shrugged and finished their breakfast. The girls soon got ready for the day and their roommates left to go prepare for the evening. Leaving Frankie to their own devices.
Frankie grabbed their bag and headed to the library. It seemed like a good time to get some homework done and to find some answers to themselves.
Frankie found a seat in the library proper and wandered the shelves to find the books on psychology they wanted and a book on monster Paris. As they were deep into one of the Psychology texts, a voice sounded from behind them.
"Hello?" Frankie jumped and spun around to see a girl with blue and purple hair looking over their shoulder.
"You scared me. You're unbelievably quiet. I'm Frankie, they/them."
"Sorry, boogie creatures can move almost as silently as ghosts and blend into the shadows." She said, "I'm Twilia."
"Oh." Frankie said, "Nice to meet you."
"Sorry, I don't usually walk up to random monsters but, you're reading about Autism, ADHD and the DSM 5 and I wanted to know why."
Frankie looked at her then back at the book. They fidgeted uncomfortably in their chair, feeling self conscious
"Sorry. I didn't mean to pry." Twila frowned.
"No!" Frankie yelled suddenly, Twila flinched, "Sorry, it's just new for me. I'm so new I don't know a lot about it and I don't know how other monsters react."
Twila smiled, "Okay. Well, I'm autistic. Do you want to know more about it?"
Frankie stared at the girl and smiled. "Yes! That would be amazing!"
"Can you please stop being so loud." Twilia asked, "Loud noises really bother me."
"Oh. Sorry." Frankie said.
"So everyone is different so this isn't an all encompassing thing. I like quite and I don't like crowded places." Twila said, picking at her bracelet, "Sometimes I can have what people call a meltdown, usually those are caused by getting overstimulated."
Frankie nodded, "I've had a couple. How did you handle them?"
"It depends. When I was a kid I would just scream and cry and sometimes have violent fits." Twila explained, "Now I just feel scared and angry and want everything to just stop."
"Like you need to be alone and every sound and person just makes you so angry. All I can hear is my heartbeat." Frankie stated thoughtfully.
"Yes, and sometimes I can't speak at all." Twila said.
"I had one of those last week." Frankie said, "the cafeteria is sometimes really stressful, so is the hallway. It's better when I have my friends with me."
"Sometimes it can be." Twila said.
"But I also like being around other monsters and loud noises don't bother me, usually." Frankie said.
"It's different for everyone." Twila said, "I occasionally like other monsters but I prefer to be alone most of the time."
Frankie listened as Twila talked about it. Along with their own reading, they learned so much and agreed that they probably had what they learned was called a dual diagnosis. Having both ADHD and autism made a lot of sense. They also learned that it is easier having people around you that can help support you.
Twila had long since left when Frankie got a text from Clawdeen. Did you eat lunch? Are you coming for dinner?
"Sparks!" Frankie stood quickly, grabbing their bag and heading out of the library. When they made it to the creepeteria, Clawdeen waved at them from a table with Draculaura and Deuce. They went to the line and grabbed a sandwich before joining them.
"Sorry, I lost track of time."
"It's fine." Clawdeen said, "We know how you can get when you're doing research."
Frankie chuckled, "Yeah but it's so interesting. I need a way to keep track of time."
"You could set timers or alarms on your phone." Deuce suggested, taking out his phone and leaning over to show Frankie the clock app. "I use 15 minute timers when I work out."
"Thanks Deuce!" Frankie said, "I'm going to give that a try."
"So, we got all the stuff for our creepover tonight. " Draculaura said in a sing song voice.
"I'm so excited!" Clawdeen said, "I haven't had one since kindergarten when I had this friend, Dahlia stayed over, her family was a friend of my mom."
"I'm not sure what to expect but it sounds so fun!" Frankie said, "When do we start?"
"As soon as we get upstairs and into our pajamas." Clawdeen said.
The group finished eating and waved to Deuce before returning to their dorm. Clawdeen rushed to get changed and did her bathroom routine faster than her roommates, much to Frankie's confusion.
Frankie and Draculaura went to the washroom together before heading back to the room.
"Wow!" Draculaura said, "You actually got it!"
"What is that?" Frankie asked. Clawdeen had moved one of the benches and set a long, black thing on it. It looked like their dad's computer screen, "Is it a computer?" Frankie sat on the couch.
"Close, it's the T.V. from my room at home."
"TV?" Frankie felt a spark, "Oh! A television!"
Clawdeen nodded.
"Did you know the first electronic television was first seen on September 7th, 1927 in San Francisco? It was created by Philo Taylor Farnsworth who was working on it for seven years. He also created the first simple electronic microscope, radar and the black light." Frankie explained.
"Do you have a part from him too?" Draculaura asked.
Frankie shrugged. "I'm not sure, I haven't read all my parents' lab journals yet. I do have part of Thomas P. Hughes's prefrontal cortex."
They got a couple blank looks.
"He was a historian of technology." Frankie satiated.
"Oh." They said in unison.
"Anyway." Clawdeen said, "I wanted it to be a surprise. Cleo, in a weird effort to be friends, let me keep it in her room."
"You know we have a theater room, right?" Draculaura asked.
"Yes but this way, our sleepover won't be interrupted." Clawdeen said with a grin.
Draculaura went over to her side of the room and pulled bowls with lids, "I got the snacks."
Clawdeen got the TV on and walked over to her bed where she pulled out pillows, a few sleeping bags and blankets while Draculuara set a case of soda on the coffee table. Clawdeen sat in the middle of the couch, handing a black blanket to Frankie, a red to Draculaura and kept a purple one for herself. Frankie liked how it felt. It was soft like Clawdeen's pink notebook. They toyed with it in their hands.
"So, I don't know if you guy have human movies here, but this is a classic, High School Musical." Clawdeen said, turning on the TV and clicking something on the remote in her hand. The screen came to life as the movie played.
"Do humans usually just burst into song?" Frankie asked part way though the movie.
"No, musicals are just a genre of movies and plays." Clawdeen explained.
"Music can be powerful and you can tell an entire other story through it." Draculaura added.
Frankie hummed as they continued watching the movie. Soon, the credits rolled and Clawdeen stretched.
"I like movies. What other kinds are there?" Frankie said.
"Oh there's tons." Clawdeen said, "My dad sent some documentaries you might like. It's like watching a history book or biography."
"Oh, neat!" They said.
After a moment, Clawdeen pushed the coffee table to one side and began to lay out the sleeping bags and pillows. Frankie watched curiously and moved to sit on t a pillow on the floor when the two girls moved to do so.
"Okay." Clawdeen said, "I think we should learn things about each other. We should go around in a circle and get one question to ask someone." She looked to Frankie, "Usually it would be truth or dare but we aren't sure of boundaries yet which is really important."
Frankie nodded.
"I'll go first." Draculaura said, "Clawdeen, are you and Deuce officially an item yet?"
Clawdeen blushed, "No, but hopefully soon? Frankie, do you have any powers."
Frankie hummed, "Not that I know of. I can give you a light shock though." They punctuated their point by poking Clawdeen's arm. "Are you actually allergic to silver?"
Clawdeen shrugged, "I don't think so but I'm not sure if I ever came in contact with it."
"What do you think would have happened to Frankie if Komos had taken their monster essence?" Asked Draculaura.
Frankie frowned. They purposely didn't give it much thought because, in reality, they knew what would have happened. They're entire ability to breathe was their monster power. So, they decided to lighten the mood.
"Hyde would have started having limbs pop off at random intervals and shock people I guess?" Frankie shrugged, trying to play it off.
They laughed.
"So, Frankie," Clawdeen started, albeit nervously, "You totally don't have to answer this and we can forget I asked but…are you…autistic."
Frankie paused, they were not expecting anyone to openly ask that.
They must have been silent for two long because Clawdeen started to ramble, "I just ask because of what happened the other day and your discomfort with the large crowds alone. Draculaura and I were worried about you and we were talking…"
"And there is this girl in my class since middle school who's autistic and there are some similarities." Draculaura added.
"And my Dad's brother is a psychologist." Clawdeen said, "We just care about you and wanted to help. We don't want to pry if it's a touchy subject-"
"I think so." Frankie interrupted, "I'll find out when my parents send me the evaluation from Doctor Belham but yes, it looks that way. I also probably have ADHD which can often hide some symptoms of autism. However, they do have similarities, it's just why and how they are present."
"Wait, you don't know for sure?" Draculaura asked.
"Technically no." Frankie said, "After my meltdown the other day, I took your advice and called my dad. Turns out most of my brain bits had one or both so it would make sense that I got it too. So, I guess no matter how old I get, there are just some social things that I will never get."
Clawdeen nodded, "So, what can we do to help?"
Frankie frowned, "Honestly? I don't know. I can't even tell myself sometimes. There is this thing called stimming, that might help. I just can't tell what I need yet. There are some certain textures that I know I don't like though." They looked Clawdeen in the eye, "I am never touching or eating an eye ever again if I can help it."
Clawdeen chuckled, "Noted."
"Anyway, it's your turn Frankie." Draculaura said, "Just let us know as it comes up."
Frankie smiled and nodded, "Okay, Draculaura, will a steak to the heart actually kill a vampire?"
"Honestly, what wouldn't a stake to the heart kill?" She asked.
"Me probably." Frankie said, "Or at least I wouldn't stay dead."
"Werewolves can heal pretty impressively." Clawdeen said.
"Probably wouldn't kill a zombie either." Thought Frankie.
They laughed and continued asking a few more questions before teaching Frankie how to play crib. It was no one's surprise that once they caught on, they were really good at it.
When the yawns started, they put on another movie, Legally Blonde, and watched that until they all drifted to sleep.
Author's Note
Hey, here is another small chunk! I probably won't be updating this for a month or so. National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) starts on November 1st, so tomorrow, and I have a different project for that so I won't be working on this one for that time. I got to write 50,000 words for that month.
Just a fun thing, this one is 31,892 right now. See ya later!