Walking down a darkened hallway

𓋹𓂀

"𝕍𝔸𝕄ℙ𝕀ℝ𝔼𝕊 are so misunderstood," Draculaura sighed dramatically, flipping through the magazine. "Look, I love Seven Twen as much as the next ghoul but come on—not all of us drink blo... blo... you know." She wrinkled her nose with an exaggerated look of disgust. "Have you seen that movie? It bites. Team over it." Zeraphine couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head with a grin as she watched her friends bond. Lou Zaar had fallen asleep at his desk, his monotone lesson having claimed its ultimate victim—himself. Zeraphine shot Draculaura a mischievous look as she snored on in bliss.

Draculaura turned to Frankie, still animatedly flipping through magazine. "So, you like this magazine?" she asked. "I think Justin Biter is totally my type. Look at those amber eyes! Sigh..." She and Frankie shared a dreamy look, both sighing as they admired the glossy picture.

"I used to be all about the Jaundice Brothers," Draculaura added, "but now? Meh. You know?"

Frankie nodded, her expression suddenly lightening as the bell rang, signalling the end of class. Zeraphine immediately shot up, throwing her hands in the air like she'd just escaped a dungeon. "Freedom!" she declared, adding in a mockingly dramatic tone, "I thought I was going to fossilize in there! Quick, everybody out before he wakes up and traps us here forever!"

With a grin and a wild, dramatic flail of her arms, Zeraphine bolted for the door, leaving Frankie and Draculaura laughing as they watched her theatrics.

As students poured out of the classroom, Cleon slipped through the crowd with an easy, confident stride and caught Zeraphine by the arm. With a gentle pull, he brought her close, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. Zeraphine's cheeks turned the faintest shade of pink, which only deepened when Cleon gave her a charming grin before sauntering off with Ghoulian, who stopped just long enough to scribble the final answer on the chalkboard as they exited. Zeraphine watched him go, a warm smile spreading across her face.

When Frankie and Draculaura finally caught up, the three of them joined the throng of students in the hallway. Draculaura glanced at Frankie with an amused smile. "So, got a boyfriend?" she asked, catching Frankie completely off guard. "A... a what?" Frankie stammered, eyes wide. "No way—I've never even talked to a guy before!"

Draculaura giggled. "My parents won't let me date until I'm, like, seventeen hundred years old. They're so ancient. Zeraphine here has all the luck, dating the most popular guy in school."

Zeraphine smirked playfully, holding back a laugh. "What can I say? Some ghouls just have irresistible charm," she teased, winking. "Or maybe he's just drawn to the fabulous snakes on my head. Really, who could resist?"

Draculaura rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling. Then, noticing Frankie's shoes, she pointed down with an approving nod. "Those rides are totally taupe!" Frankie blinked, looking down at her sneakers, utterly lost. "Rides? Taupe? I'm...so confused." Zeraphine chuckled. "It's one of Draculaura's classics. Rides are shoes because, you know, you ride around in them, and taupe is her way of saying they're 'tight' and 'dope.'"

Draculaura beamed proudly, just about to launch into another made-up lingo lesson when a low groaning noise drifted down the hall. She froze, her face going serious. "Uh-oh...did you hear that?" Frankie raised an eyebrow. "The awkward pause between your words?"

But the groaning grew louder, now unmistakable.

"Zombie flash mob!" Zeraphine exclaimed, grabbing Frankie's hand. "Run!" With Draculaura hot on their heels, the three of them dashed down the hallway, laughing as they dodged the shuffling crowd of zombies moving to an unheard beat.

"Trains!"

"Trains!"

"It's brains you idiot! Brains!"

The three girls were cornered, pressed against each other with zombies closing in on both sides, their groans filling the air. Just when it seemed like there was no escape, the door behind them swung open, and they stumbled backward, tumbling into a dimly lit bathroom. As the door shut with a resounding click, they looked up, catching sight of their saviour: Clawdeen Wolf. She was examining her reflection in the mirror, carefully adjusting her curls, and flashing a fanged smile at herself.

"Drop dead gorgeous," Clawdeen murmured with a wink, her confidence radiating off her like a wave. Zeraphine stifled a laugh, shaking her head with a smirk as the three scrambled to their feet.

"Clawdeen!" Draculaura cheered, relieved, and delighted to see her friend. "Thanks, we almost bit the dust out there!"

Clawdeen turned, her eyes landing on Frankie. "So, Zeraphine, who's the fresh blood?" she asked with a grin, but the mention of blood made Draculaura's eyes go wide as she swayed dramatically, clutching her chest.

"Oh, right, blood talk," Clawdeen quickly caught her friend, steadying her with a gentle laugh. "Sorry, Drac, forgot you're a bit squeamish with that word. Go on, splash some water on your face."

As Draculaura leaned over the sink to splash water on her face, Frankie's eyes widened in shock. Draculaura's reflection was completely absent from the mirror! Zeraphine chuckled, catching Frankie's startled expression.

"It's a vampire thing," Zeraphine explained with a knowing smile, nudging her friend lightly. Frankie nodded, still in awe of the supernatural world she was diving into.

"This is Frankie, our new ghoul," Zeraphine added, introducing her.

Clawdeen's face lit up as she took a better look at Frankie, and soon the two were chatting away, complimenting each other's shoes and bonding over their monster style. Zeraphine watched proudly, feeling warmth in her chest seeing Frankie open up and make new friends. She was about to say something when the faint sound of groaning started to die down from outside the door.

Clawdeen sniffed the air, her werewolf senses taking in every detail. "Smells like those zombies have shuffled on. Coast is clear, let's bounce."

With that, the group left the bathroom, stepping cautiously into the hallway. Clawdeen and Draculaura started to head off, but Frankie called after them, her excitement bubbling over. "So, you guys wanna hang?"

Clawdeen threw a thumbs-up over her shoulder. "Zap!" she replied with a grin.

Draculaura nodded, giving her an enthusiastic wave. "Text us!"

Frankie's smile faltered for a second as she remembered, "Oh... except I don't have your numbers."

Zeraphine, ever prepared, pulled out her sleek, coffin-shaped phone. "Don't worry, I've got you." With a few quick taps, she sent Frankie their contacts, who beamed with gratitude as they walked toward their lockers.

As they reached her locker, Frankie caught sight of her magazine again, flipping through it thoughtfully as she glanced at a page labelled Join a Club and Find Your Crew! Zeraphine couldn't help but smile, giving her friend an encouraging nudge as they set off on their next Monster High adventure.

As the week rolled on, Frankie found herself running into one disaster after another. Her enthusiasm for the chess club was a little too much, leaving her teammates overwhelmed. The swim club was a shocking experience—literally—as her electric charge zapped everyone in the water. Even when she tried to rally students for a good cause, Cleon got an unexpected jolt when he reached for the sign-up pencil, courtesy of Frankie's accidental zap. Each mishap left her feeling more discouraged, but Zeraphine was always there, ready with a comforting shoulder and an encouraging smile.

One day, a vibrant poster for the Fearleading Squad caught Frankie's eye, igniting a spark of new hope. This was a chance for a fresh start. However, there was a catch—she'd have to impress Cleon, the captain of the squad. As Frankie approached him nervously, she glanced over at Zeraphine, who stood with Clawdeen and Draculaura, offering a thumbs-up and a smile from behind her gothic black lace mask.

Cleon looked Frankie up and down with a sceptical eyebrow raised. "Any experience?"

"Oh, sure. Mhm," Frankie replied, nodding with an overly confident smile. Zeraphine bit back a laugh, knowing Frankie had just told a tiny lie.

Cleon faced the group of hopefuls with an air of authority. "There's only one opening on this fearleading squad, and it's reserved for the best of the best. Is that you? Unlikely. Watch closely as we do the routine once, then you repeat. Nothing less than perfect on this squad."

With a nod from Cleon, Ghoulian hit play on the boombox, and Cleon, along with the squad, launched into a polished routine. Zeraphine cheered them on, giving an enthusiastic whistle as her boyfriend executed the moves flawlessly. When they finished, Cleon's gaze returned to the newcomers. "Your turn."

The students next to Frankie vanished, darting out of the room in a panic, leaving her standing alone. Zeraphine shot her a supportive smile and gave her a little thumbs-up. Taking a deep breath, Frankie stepped forward. "My turn? Okay."

As the music played, Frankie started mirroring the routine, surprising everyone with her sharp moves and energetic flair. Cleon's stern expression softened into a faint smile, genuinely impressed. But just as it seemed like she'd nail the try-out, the stitches on Frankie's ankles unravelled, and with a stumble, her foot detached, sending her flying into Ghoulian's smoothie, which splashed all over Cleon.

Frankie's cheeks went green with embarrassment. "I'm... I'm so sorry." She bolted out of the room, her eyes brimming with tears.

Zeraphine felt a pang of sadness, knowing Frankie needed a moment to herself. But she turned her attention to Cleon, grabbing a nearby towel and dabbing at the smoothie on his shirt with a playful smile. "You know, for someone who loves smoothies, you sure wear them a lot."

Cleon chuckled, shaking his head as he looked down at her. "Guess that's what I get for captaining a fearleading squad."

Zeraphine paused, her expression softening. "Give Frankie another chance, Cleon. She's really trying—she just needs someone to believe in her as much as she believes in everyone else."

Cleon considered this, his gaze lingering on her as she wiped the last of the smoothie from his collar. "You really think she's got it in her?"

Zeraphine nodded, her eyes twinkling. "Definitely. She's got heart, and heart's exactly what makes this squad stand out. Besides," she added, giving his shirt one last dab, "she's got a knack for bringing people together—even if it's through a bit of accidental chaos."

Cleon smiled at her, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "Alright, for you, I'll give her another shot."

Cleon watched Zeraphine with a smitten smile as she carefully dabbed at the smoothie on his shirt, his gaze softening with every second. She was gentle but playful, her nose crinkling just a bit as she fussed over him. Zeraphine finished with the towel, but Cleon held onto her hand for a moment, drawing her a little closer.

"You know," he murmured, glancing around to make sure the others weren't watching, "you're kind of my favourite too."

Zeraphine's cheeks flushed a soft pink as she looked up at him, unable to hide her smile. "Only kind of?" she teased, arching an eyebrow, her tone playful.

Cleon chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Okay, definitely my favourite," he admitted, his voice low and sincere. He leaned his forehead against hers for a moment, closing his eyes and just breathing in the sweet scent of her hair.

Zeraphine gave him a soft nudge. "You know, I'm only being nice because I'm secretly bribing you to help Frankie," she whispered with a mischievous smile.

Cleon let out a soft laugh, wrapping his arms around her in a loose embrace. "Oh, I know. But I don't mind," he said, pulling her a little closer, as if she were the only thing keeping him grounded. "Besides, any excuse to have you fuss over me—I'll take it."

Zeraphine rolled her eyes but laughed, resting her hands on his chest. "Guess I'm stuck with you, huh?"

Cleon's eyes sparkled as he held her gaze. "Forever," he replied softly, giving her hands a gentle squeeze.

Zeraphine's heart skipped a beat. She leaned up, pressing a light kiss to the corner of his mouth before pulling back just enough to look into his eyes. "Good," she whispered. "Because I wouldn't have it any other way."

Just then, Ghoulian reappeared in the doorway, raising an eyebrow at them. Cleon cleared his throat, reluctantly pulling away from Zeraphine with an awkward cough. "Guess I should get back to work," he muttered, but he didn't let go of her hand until the very last moment, giving it one last squeeze as he left. Zeraphine watched him walk away, her heart still fluttering from the moment they'd shared. 

𓋹𓂀

By: SilverMist707

Sending hugs your way. <3