A/N: Here is chapter fourteen, Spectra makes an official appearance. I decided to include her a bit more in this story as initially she was going to be a very minor character.
Disclaimer: Monster High and its characters are owned by Garrett Sander and Mattel.
Ch. 14: Rumors and Rekindles
Spectra's POV
Wednesday
Morning before classes
Since it had been a couple of days since everyone at Monster High came back from the holidays, this ghoul was out now looking for the latest scoop! Ooh, see Monster High's power couple.
"So, your sister Nefera still harassing your mellow?"
"Well, not as much since Daddy returned back from Egypt this past weekend. But totally. Ugh, I wish that party Clawdeen and the other ghouls helped throw nearly two months ago never happened."
Then I saw Monster High's Casanova, with his ghoul friend approaching and the fire lighting up on his head using what looks like breath spray? I took a picture.
"Whoa, how strong is this stuff?"
"Heath! You nearly caused student second degree burn."
"Oops hehe. Sorry."
"Sigh, I go to student council now."
"Abbey? Hey wait! Don't you want to try out this breath spray on me?"
Getting a couple of scoops, I proceeded to float towards my personal blogging spot. I sat down looking at the pictures on my iCoffin and started typing.
No POV
Draculaura was walking the halls looking for this mysterious blogger upon analyzing each Ghostly Gossip post throughout the last few months, one included about her being a vegetarian vampire which she was strictly on a vegan diet.
"Hmm, I wonder who is running this blog so that students can start picking up copies of the Gory Gazette again? Hmm…"
She mumbled to herself while taking notes on her notebook then took a picture of her current notes on her iCoffin.
Scene switch…
As Frankie was walking to Biteology, she accidentally bumped into a familiar face.
"Oops, sorry!"
She looks up and sees Jackson, Heath's cousin.
"Oh hey Jackson! Saw you at the manster dodgeball game yesterday. I was going to find you on the sidelines once the game ended but you left."
"Hey Frankie, yeah hehe sorry. I got spooked by the ball's speed."
He laughs while rubbing the back of his head with his right hand.
"How was your break?"
He asked her knowing that his cousin had been talking about her lately.
"Oh it was clawsome. I went to Australia. How about you?"
She replied while asking him back the same question.
"Oh I went travelling throughout all of Europe's big cities with my parents."
He rubbed the back of his head again while meeting Frankie's gaze.
"Holt I recall really took a liking to Spain listening to Spanish music. Since I got back, I feel like muy espanol is near perfect."
Frankie stifled a giggle, happy that both Jackson and Holt had a nice time. Even the socially awkward nerd like him had plans which impressed her.
"Hehe, so um what are you doing here? Did you need to drop off your assignments again? Want me to scout out for anyone picking on you?"
She asked him while looking around the halls.
"Um, actually I just came from Headmistress Bloodgood's office. Thanks to you and Heath, I will be able to come back to Monster High again and not be homeschooled anymore."
Frankie's eyes lit up and lightly jumped up and down in excitement.
"Wow, that's great! Listen, I can see that everything has been cleared up with your…erm…condition. I hope that there are no hard feelings and that we can start fresh now that you'll be at school more often."
She said while holding out her right hand for a handshake. Jackson shook it.
"Oh, and um about what happened when we went to the Revival House. You don't need to explain, I can see why my cousin wanted to come along. Still, I feel like it's my fault that I did not know."
He replied while looking down and put both hands in his pockets. Frankie's smile turned into a confused look.
"Huh? Okay now I'm confused."
Jackson took his left hand out of his pocket and put it up.
"Listen, I get it."
"Get what?"
She asked him, still unsure of what he was saying.
"You and Heath. Why Heath talks about you whenever he stays over at my place lately. Anyway, I gotta get going to class."
As Jackson turned around, Frankie slightly raised her voice to explain to Jackson that there must have been some misunderstanding. The only things she can see Heath mention about her is how much of a freak she was, how she is blind as a bat without her glasses, or how clumsy she was even with machines sometimes. Which the last one might be true. But her and Heath together as boyfriend and girlfriend?
"H-hey wait! I-I can explain, there's nothing going on between me and Heath. We're just-"
But Jackson jogged off in a hurry before she could finish her sentence. Toralei and her werecat twins walked up beside her smirking.
"Awww. Trouble with one of your boyfriends?"
Frankie began to not trust Toralei as much considering how she treated her friends, she had no idea what Toralei was talking about.
"Huh?"
Toralei took out her iCoffin and put it toward Frankie's face. To the mint green ghoul's surprise and horror, she saw a picture of both Jackson and Heath side by side. She read the text written in the post out loud.
"New exchange ghoul dates two boys at the same time. Is there a third we don't know about!?"
Frankie looked up at Toralei, her brow slightly furrowed with her heart racing at the same time.
"H-hey where did you get this!?"
Toralei, knowing her source, begins to tease Frankie.
"Well, a Student Disembodied President never reveals the source. I wonder how I'll break the news to the Vice President. Poor Abbey doesn't even read this blog given that she's doing both mine and the treasurer's work while her boyfriend is off being a cheater. Toodles, hehehe."
As Toralei, Purrsephone, and Meowlody walk away, Frankie, about to have an anxiety attack, pulls out her iCoffin. She puts her books on the floor beside her, while kneeling down texting the other ghouls in the group chat.
"Oh no! I gotta text the ghouls!"
Frankie's POV
Lunchtime
At the halls…
I rushed to where the ghouls were meeting up by the stairs.
"Hey Frankie! Perfect timing, I was just telling the ghouls my investigative results upon dissecting each and every one of these blog posts on the Ghostly Gossip these past few months."
Wow, Draculaura, you are a lifesaver! You did your homework while closely following this Ghostly Gossip blog. I took out my iCoffin and showed the ghouls the post circulating about me.
"Oh thank goodness. Look at this, three boys? As if! If nobody here didn't tell the Ghostly Gossip about this then who did? And with Heath? We're just in Robotics Club together."
I said annoyed but also not that I am even mentioning Heath again. I swear, I don't know how I feel about him. Is he still my bully, or my friend? Why do I feel funny when he crosses my mind?
Lagoona walked over and joined the group.
"Hey girls, got the emergency meeting text. What's shakin'?"
"We're trying to figure out who's behind the Ghostly Gossip blog. Draculaura briefed us on the deets. Also, newbie here's pissed that a post about her having a manage e trois with both Jackson and Heath surfaced."
Like I'd be caught undead being anywhere near Heath touching me again. I don't care if it felt good of him touching me during that closet game. Least he didn't kiss me, not that I wanted him to anyway.
"Melody, gross. No need to say that when she hasn't even experienced that yet."
Only the touching part. I couldn't tell Clawdeen what fully happened that night at the closet other than shocking him, literally.
"Well if it's not one of us then who is?"
I heard Melody ask the group. All eyes went toward Draculaura, she would be the last person to be involved. She was investigating who it was.
"Heehee. Don't look at me."
Before I could speak up to defend her, Melody crossed her arms giving her attitude.
"Come on, ghoulfriend. You're both fear leader and head of the newspaper club. No-one in this group here loves gossip more than you."
"Well, how would it be me if I made a post about myself being a vegetarian vampire, Melody. I'm actually vegan. And what about Clawdeen, Melody? She knew more about Frankie's date with Jackson before anybody."
"Me? What about Cleo? That party back in November after midterms was probably her idea."
Uh oh, this isn't good. This argument was now involving me.
"My phone was broken at the time. It couldn't have been me. What about the new ghoul here?"
I was beginning to get annoyed as all I wanted to do was clear up this whole situation as much as the girls here were.
"You're crazy, Cleo."
I said to her before I walked over to Ghoulia sitting on the steps with her laptop.
"Ghoulia, hop onto the Ghostly Gossip's blog. Find out who it is."
Upon my request, Ghoulia tried to get into the system but she couldn't.
"Ughhh" (No luck. I can't hack it.)
"You can't? Maybe cuz you're the Ghostly Gossip!"
As Clawdeen pointed an accusatory finger to Ghoulia, the girls began arguing. All I could do was watch and wonder how to fix this. Even Ghoulia sitting beside me couldn't figure it out and she's the underdog of the group.
No POV
As the girls were arguing, Abbey was on her way to class. Knowing that something was wrong, she took the first step and approached them the way she knew how.
"Excuse!"
All the girls stopped arguing and turned around to see Abbey. Cleo, Melody, and Clawdeen glared at her. Lagoona was confused and sad that her friends were fighting, Frankie smiled seeing her, and Draculaura looked sad feeling guilty about how the friendship ended between them seeing some tension still remaining from Cleo and some of the girls with Abbey.
"I hear argue, what is going on. You all are acting like yaks when they don't get yeda at the table."
Abbey says holding her left hand with books and her right hand on her hip. Lagoona agreed with Abbey knowing that arguing over this was pointless.
"See? Listen to Abbey. Look at what this blog is doing to you guys. This needs to stop."
"I'd rather listen to my sister Nefera than some cold hearted yeti."
Cleo replied, scoffing while crossing her arms.
"Um, Cleo. I have something to-"
Before Draculaura could tell Cleo that she got over her messy breakup with Heath, Melody suggested a plan on attempting to catch the blogger.
"Well what if we set up a trap? We just need something that the real Ghostly Gossip can't resist. But what could it be?"
As Melody puts a finger to her chin thinking, Abbey spoke.
"Hmph. Like book?"
Frankie's smile widened, agreeing with Abbey's suggestion and stood back up.
"Hey that's a great idea, Abbey! Our diaries! I know just the place. Come on!"
All the ghouls quickly walked except Draculaura who approached Abbey instead with a sad look on her face.
"Hey Abbey."
The tall yeti girl looks down at the petit vampire.
"Privet Draculaura. You need something from Abbey for student council?"
"Actually, no. I wanted to apologize for what happened last year. Cleo should not still be mad at you at my expense. Besides, I have a claw some, strong college boyfriend now and-"
Abbey puts a blue hand on her shoulder smiling. This is what she wanted, to have friends again and not be treated as just a puppet to be taken advantage of. She was getting fed up with Toralei putting her student council responsibilities onto her shoulders.
"Come, let's go help find blogger. You have notes for Abbey?"
Abbey asked, looking at the notebook Draculaura was holding with her left arm.
"Oooh, yes! Here is my notebook dissecting each and every post that was posted since the start of the school year."
Draculaura opened and gave Abbey the notebook for her to look through.
"Huh, Abbey impressed."
At the gym…
Frankie, Melody, Clawdeen, and Cleo circled each other in the gym. While Ghoulia and Lagoona hid behind the bleachers to wait for the blogger. Cleo began instructing the group to put down their diaries.
"Okay, now everyone put your diary in the middle…"
Frankie hesitated, knowing she wrote some of her deepest, darkest secrets in there since she transferred to Monster High. For safekeeping, she left her old diary back in the UK in her old room.
"…and count down from ten. The diary that's untouched belongs to our traitor."
Each of the girls dropped their books on the floor while keeping their backs facing one another. Cleo started counting down.
"Ten, nine, eight…"
Lagoona and Ghoulia see a ghostly figure with bright purple hair and eyes with pale skin floating upwards in the middle to take their diaries, Abbey opens the gym doors with Draculaura. Both see a familiar face. Draculaura's eyes widened in surprise while Abbey did not react.
"Spectra!?"
Exclaimed Draculaura while she held both palms to her cheeks, seeing her newspaper club photographer and student council blogger being the culprit. She suspected a ghost student but not Spectra.
"Spectra. So this why you don't blog in student council office since September. Hmph." Abbey said frowning while putting one hand to her hip.
"A-abbey, Draculaura. Hi, heehee."
Knowing she could not get out of this, she floats up and sees each of the girls, including Ghoulia and Lagoona walking out from under the bleachers.
"Wow Draculaura. I'm impressed you managed to figure it out."
Lagoona added, complimenting the petite vampire's journalism work. Draculaura however, did not want to take all of the credit. She giggled before gesturing to Abbey who solved the final piece of the puzzle.
"Well, actually I would not have been able to have done it without Abbey here."
While Cleo was impressed that Abbey figured out who was behind the Ghostly Gossip, she was still angry now and put both hands on her hips looking up at Spectra.
"Well, Spectra. To think, you've got some nerve. I knew you were a nosy blogger but to think you were also running the Ghostly Gossip."
"Who the heck do you think you are spreading rumours about us?"
Added Melody, pointing a finger at her.
Frankie however, picks back up her diary and looks at Spectra. She was feeling both on the verge of tears and anger over the post she made about her seeing three boys.
"Why are you trying to ruin my life? I just transferred to Monster High four months ago, you know. I never even kissed a guy…"
Spectra points two ghost fingers to her cheek confused at what each of them were saying.
"Ruin your lives? Heavens, no. I'm actually a fan of all of you."
She replied happily, clasping both hands together.
"You've got a weird way of showing it." Said Cleo, still annoyed.
"I simply had to document you and others through your exploits."
She added while floating back down to the floor.
"You could have asked us first." Said Frankie, raising an eyebrow.
"I was too shy." Said Spectra looking down.
"But Spectra, you're the Ghostly Gossip."
Draculaura took her hands out before continuing.
"You're famous! More than the school's newspaper. And you're our photographer!"
"Well, sadly being the school's public blogger as well as running the Ghostly Gossip anonymously, I must remain a mystery. I don't have many friends here besides Abbey, Draculaura, and Toralei…" Replied Spectra turning around.
"Well, we'll be your friends Spectra. And we'll keep your secret."
Frankie said, smiling now, understanding that Spectra's intentions were only for good and not bad. Cleo held a right bandaged arm to her neck still not amused.
"But you have to promise not to write anymore stuff about us. Most of it wasn't even true."
Melody agreed with Cleo, and asked why Spectra would even consider Toralei her friend. Spectra turned back around to face the girls.
"And wait, did you say Toralei is your friend? Ex-fearleader bitch of a Student Disembodied President, Toralei Stripe?"
"Hehe. That understatement given she make Abbey do all her work."
Abbey laughs agreeing with Melody. Spectra explained why she saw Toralei as her friend.
"Yes, well she helps provide me with some of the gossip for my blog. My apologies Abbey, Draculaura, and to you other ghouls. I only hear half of what you say."
Spectra replied, holding both ghost hands together.
"And it's up to my artistic side to fill in the blanks."
Frankie understood and agreed with where Spectra was coming from except her fully trusting a kind of ghoul like Toralei.
"Yeah, I mean come on! Three boys? I don't even have one being that my classes and activities take up so much of my time."
Draculaura gasped, suggesting an idea on how to bring this group back closer together.
"Hey, why don't we all have a slumber party at Cleo's this Friday? Spectra, you can come too! Me and you can discuss how we can incorporate the Gory Gazette with the student council blog."
"Oooh, I'd like that." Said Spectra excited.
Draculaura walked up to Cleo.
"Cleo, can Abbey come too? You two can play Dungeons and Dragons again like old times."
"Sigh, well I suppose."
Replied Cleo before walking over to Abbey, no longer angry but sad.
"Well, Deuce said I can't stay mad at you forever and you can date whoever you want. So, let's wrap this up. Forgive me?"
"Da, over a game of Dungeons Dragons. Be prepared to, how they say it in English, get schooled? Haha." Abbey said laughing.
"I was thinking Gargoyles to Gargoyles."
Cleo suggested while smiling back, happy that her best ghoul friend is now back.
Abbey smiled. All the girls laugh as the bell rings ending lunchtime.
Frankie's POV
Friday: Game of DeNile
At Cleo's house…
My second slumber party with the ghouls. This time it wasn't at night at a school but this time at Cleo's house. I was happy that Abbey is finally back into the friend group with myself included. Melody was fixing Clawdeen's hair, Cleo filing her nails, Abbey was setting up the board game, Ghoulia was on her laptop doing Cleo's homework, while I laid on Cleo's bed reading last month's issue of Cosmopolitan magazine. Lagoona is out swimming at Cleo's indoor pool.
"Nice to be back at slumber party with friends again." I heard Abbey say.
"I've never been in Cleo's room before. Where do you get all these magazines?"
I asked Cleo while looking around her royal bedroom which was much bigger than my apartment.
"Oh when Nefera throws out last month's issues, I just take them and lend them to Clawdeen."
Makes sense, since Clawdeen is always doing her fashion homework.
"Thank god her and your dad are out of the house this weekend for business. Sigh, slumber parties are the best. Sometimes we stay up all night and catch up."
Melody says while she finishes up Clawdeen's hair.
"And give each other makeovers, do our toenails, plus talk about boys."
Clawdeen added while smirking. I began to blush at the mention of boys so I held up the magazine closer to my face so that nobody could see. I quickly changed the topic.
"Hey, um, does anybody know specifically which sign Cancer's are compatible with?"
I asked the group.
"Okay, I have game ready. Who plays?"
Abbey asked, showing no interest in talking about boys. Phew, saved by the yeti.
"Well, me, Melody, Ghoulia, and Cleo will play since we are all here."
Clawdeen replied before turning her head to me.
"Hey Frankie. Wanna ask Draculaura and Spectra if they're in for the next round?"
"Uh, yeah. I'll go and ask them."
I replied before taking the magazine with me, hopping off Cleo's bed, then left her bedroom to head over to the guest room. As I peeked behind the door, I saw Spectra floating while on her laptop taking notes and Draculaura talking to Spectra about her birthday.
"This year I am totes excited that my birthday is going to be on a Friday! Hey, do you happen to know what theme is planned for this year's Valentine's Day dance?"
"Actually, Toralei suggested a girls ask guys sort of activity. Like a Fraiday Hawkins theme."
"Ooh, that's a claw some idea! I suggest to Abbey we make the decorations white, pink, and-"
Draculaura turned to me. Oh crap. I hope it didn't look like I was eavesdropping.
"Oh, hey Frankie."
Well, at least to them they didn't seem to mind.
"Hey sorry, am I interrupting?"
I said waving my left hand and holding the magazine on the right.
"No of course not. Please, come in." Spectra replied, urging me to enter.
"Me and Draculaura already have discussed how we can collaborate the Ghostly Gossip and the Gory Gazette through social media instead of print."
I replied sitting down next to Spectra looking up at her, "That's a voltageous idea! Good for the environment too."
"I know right!? Now we can save on printing costs."
Draculaura said before glancing at the magazine I have on my lap.
"Ooh! Is that last month's Cosmopolitan issue?"
"Yeah, here." I replied while handing her the magazine.
Spectra closes her laptop and puts it beside her as she floats back down on the floor. She turned towards me with a sad smile.
"Hey, listen. No hard feelings on the post right? I took it down from the blog since Draculaura told me you aren't seeing anyone right now."
"Thanks, and yeah no hard feelings."
I smiled before looking down and biting my bottom lip.
"Actually, I'm not great at talking to boys. Whenever I do, I am afraid my bolts will short circuit."
That and my social anxiety gets the better of me sometimes. I heard Draculaura flipping the magazine pages before looking back at me.
"Oh, I totally get how you feel! Especially when you like a boy but already have one at the same time. Like the time Heath and I used to go out sophomore year. Then Clawd stole my heart. Sigh."
She smelt the perfume sample before going off topic as usual.
"Mmm, is this lavender?"
My eyes widened. She and Heath used to date!?
"Wait a minute, you and Heath used to date? What about this Hot Boy Cleo told me that shall not be named?"
I said while lightly poking fun doing a Cleo-like impression. Draculaura puts the magazine down still smiling like it didn't bother her.
"Oh, haha she told you? Well, that was Heath's nickname back when he transferred nearly two years ago. All the ghouls called him that, except me. He was more like, bitable."
She said, looking off to the side. Bitable? Like when he licked my neck? Lagoona walked in with her swimsuit and a towel around her neck.
"Hey mates. Talking about boys?"
I felt a light blush coming back to my cheeks as I thought of how hot Heath's breath felt against my skin.
"Lagoona, hey. Yep!"
Lagoona sat between me and Spectra.
"I have put up a few posts about Heath on the Ghostly Gossip here and there. He seems to be known as an attention seeker more than anything. I don't know how Abbey even puts up with him."
How does anyone even put up with that cocky, hotheaded, arrogant, jerkface?
"Not to mention he keeps calling me Four Eyes, even when I don't wear my glasses. At least he's quick in building stuff in Robotics Club, though he makes fun of me being a clumsy girl in doing so."
I said while slightly frowning. It's like he does that on purpose to get a rise out of me for his attention. Draculaura while flipping through the magazine she picked up again looked up at me.
"Oh, Heath does that to any girl he likes if he doesn't call them baby or doll or whatever at the start of a conversation."
How is that romantic? More like teasing rather than flirting.
"Yeah well more like he calls me that every time just to annoy me, and I ended up accidentally giving him my number through AP Chem midterm tutoring. I swear, lately he just makes me want to either laugh at him or short circuit him."
Lagoona put her left hand on my right shoulder.
"Hey, did it turn out that Heath was your mystery crush?"
I feel my cheeks go redder. I looked down again, mumbling.
"Y-yeah, well more like a mystery fire alarm bell."
"He sounds like a Leo, the Sun sign. King of the jungle, confident, outgoing, and energetic. Enjoys being the centre of attention. Can be stubborn on certain things. All roar and no bite."
Wow, Spectra. Never knew you were interested in astrology too. Well, that's an accurate description of Heath. He is all roar and no bite.
"Ooh, this magazine says that male Leo's are irresistible, their self confidence is sexy, while a passionate lover in the bedroom, and loves doing the teasing and being teased. Frankie, what's your sign?"
I put my knees up closer to my chin wrapping both arms around them, slightly rocking in place to calm my nerves and slightly faster heart rate.
"Um, Cancer. Why?" I asked Draculaura while raising an eyebrow.
"I read online that if a Cancer is paired with a Leo, that Leo's will be the more dominant one in the relationship, including the bedroom. Both aren't afraid to express their feelings while valuing trust, commitment, and family."
W-what!? Like I'd trust Heath. Though I did trust him touching me a bit that evening in the closet…
"And touchy on criticism while being clingy."
I buried my head on my knees feeling my face grow hot and my volts about to spark.
"Come on, guys stop it. It sounds like I'd be compatible with a guy like Heath while having sex."
"The look on your face agrees." Spectra said, teasing me.
"Don't worry mate."
I looked up at Lagoona.
"Your secret is safe with us, right Spectra?"
"Of course." Spectra said, holding her left hand to her bosom.
All the girls giggled while I buried my head back in my knees now having the thought cross my mind of being intimate with Heath.
I heard a knock on the door.
"Hey ghoul friends."
It was Clawdeen, thank goodness.
"Melody is refereeing Abbey and Cleo playing Gargoyles to Gargoyles after we both got booted out."
She then looked at me. Oh gosh, was the blush still on my face!? Then she looks at Draculaura holding the magazine I gave her.
"Lemme guess Draculaura. You talking about sex from that magazine?"
"Maybe, heehee." She giggled.
Spectra floats to the door.
"Let's go see who wins, I bet it's Abbey."
Yes, Spectra. Clawsome idea! No more boy talk, especially about Mr. Hothead. I almost wanted to plug my ears.
In Cleo's room…
"One moment, I have reversal card. We trade places. You are now in pools of fire."
"What!? Ugh, why? I-fine then."
We heard Cleo shouting as we were walking back in.
"Well looks like Cleo is still at it with her competitive streak." said Draculaura smiling, finding amusement from this.
"A cave orc trolls social member, losing po-"
Cleo interrupted Abbey, picking up a card while holding a map.
"A couture wizard curses your closet. Go back five spaces."
"A woodling pecks your phone. Lose 1000 points."
Abbey smiled at her victory. Wow she must be clawsome at this game.
"It is over, you are out. I win, again."
"Oh my rah!"
Cleo's frustration turned into a smirk, she held out a hand to shake which Abbey took.
"Welcome back, worthy competitor." Said Cleo to Abbey.
"Alright, ghouls. Round 2. Spectra, Ghoulia, Draculaura and Frankie. You guys next?"
Melody asked us. Of course I'm in!