Chapter Text
25th Of October, 08:00
He took out his books from his locker, Jackson was waiting for another week at school. That would be the same as always. Pencil case in his left hand as he closed the locker. Looking at his iCoffin, he got a new message from Frankie.
“Hi Jackson. Ready for Halloween this Saturday😸😸😸😸😸😸😸”
Oh yeah. Halloween. Being half normie and half monster, in a literal sense. The memories related to it weren’t the best ones. Stuff like that is something he would rather not think about right now.
“Yeah, a bit” he texted.
He was about to leave for his class as something warm touched his shoulder. He turned his head around to spot his younger cousin right behind him. But thank god Manny wasn’t with him.
Before Jackson knew what was going on, his pencil case was gone. Looking over to his locker, the ground, every place he could imagine. Like the case disappeared into thin air. Did Invisi-billy steal it? No, he’s too nice. He glanced at Heath. Who had the thing in his hand.
“Can I borrow a pen?” He asked.
Jackson sighed and nodded his head. “Sure, but do you promise to give it back to me after class?” He asked, taking back the pencil case and grabbed your typical yellow pencil and handed it to Heath.
Heath put it in his pocket before walking away and giving Jackson a “thanks”.
Straight away after Heath was out of his sight, the bell rang, and he headed to his own class. The room was somewhat about 4 minutes away, so he had nothing to worry about. He was in the same old Monster High corridors. Same students, same spider webs. Nothing ever changes. Except for Mr. Rotter carrying around an old projector that could only handle those old film tapes from the 50s, he was probably going to use it for his Dead Languages class.
Jackson got to his clawculus class and picked up his notebook. It was your regular typical math class. With papers flying left and right throughout the classroom, sounds of phones being typed on, and the typical teen gossip. It was the usual.
He wrote down the questions on the blackboard, he could easily do those in less than 40 minutes or so. As you can see, it’s pretty straightforward. A student approached him.
“Jackson, can you help me with this question?” They asked.
Jackson agreed, if he charged people for helping them with clawculus and mad science, he would be the second richest manster at school.
“So when you…” He started to explain before he detected something hitting his back.
He looked back to see some people in the back, laughing, and a crumpled paper ball was rolling down to his feet. This again? He just picked it up and added that to his backpack. Then he felt another one hit his back. He just tried to ignore what kept happening. Plus, he had none of his friends to go to right now. He didn’t want things to get worse, especially on a Monday. His eyes were on the clock. The lesson was soon over. Just a few more minutes, and the lesson will be soon over. Trying to focus his hearing on the clock ticking instead of the students. Jackson paid more attention to his math problems. The other students had already left for their seat.
A myriad of crumpled papers and a few minutes later, he was out of the classroom. Back to his locker. Where he was ready for his next lesson, monstory. He hoped he wasn’t in the same class as the previous students. He opened his backpack and removed the papers from it. It was better to not think that much about it, that is just what happened being the only normie kid at school. To add, Heath hadn’t returned with his pen. As usual. Y’know, Heath may have some burning flaws, but he's trying his best. He had only burned 14 pencils the past week. Individual pens are better than a pencil case.
He was just about to leave before he heard a familiar voice.
“Dude, who wrote this.”
Jackson turned around to see Deuce standing there, holding one of the papers that was thrown at him. It was him drawn in a trashcan, with “normie trash” written right next to it
“Just some students in clawculus class, don’t worry about them.” Jackson explained, lightly sighing.
“Jackson, dude, if anything like this happens ever again to you. Just tell me. You’re my friend and someone shouldn’t bully you for being different at Monster High of all places” Deuce told him.
Jackson nodded his head, Deuce has told him that several times, it is sad that he needed to repeat it though, but at the same time. It wasn’t surprising. He prefers going to this instead of a human school, monsters can be somewhat bad against normies. Though if you would ask the average normie on their opinion of monsters. It is bound to be negative. At least he was glad to have Deuce as his friend. He could never imagine being friends with someone who was popular at the old place.
His phone vibrates, a new message from Frankie.
“Oh also, i remember how i brought with me some magazines from home, and oh my ghoul the outfits in them are so cute😻😻😻”
It was one of those normie magazines, Jackson zoomed into those photos she sent. It had those typical outfits you would see at a normie halloween party, cat girls, sexy cat girls, the most popular fictional characters at the moment, vampires, more sexy cat girls. Plus some sexy corn. They were all okay, nothing extraordinary.
He had his finger stuck on the A key trying to write a decent response. They were just okay to him, hurting Frankie’s feelings is bad, but so is lying. What if his response came off as tone deaf? It was just a text message though. It couldn’t be THAT bad, right?
“I like them”
Deuce looked over his shoulder wondering what he was doing. Just to see his conversations with Frankie, which gave him an idea.
“You should ask her out on a date.” He said.
Jackson jumped before his face turned rosé pink. “I don't think that's a good idea. It has nothing to do with Holt, but I just don’t feel ready to date someone.” He said.
“Dude, she’s Frankie. They’re one of the nicest ghouls at school. You don’t need to worry. Just ask her out.” Deuce tried to explain.
“Maybe, I will think about it.” Jackson said.
After those words left Jackson’s mouth, the bell rang once more. Luckily enough he was in the same class as Deuce. There were some perks with being friends with one of the popular guys. Together they headed to the classroom.
Jackson saw the same projector from a few hours ago, and Mr Rotter. This wasn’t a Dead Languages, did they go into the wrong classroom? Was there a sudden room change?
But looking at the board it said “The History of Halloween”. So it was probably best to stay safe and just head to his seat. Before he knew it, Frankie and her friends came into the classroom. Then everyone else. Before he knew it the lesson had started.
“Students, as you may now. This week is one of the scariest ones in a monster’s life. I am even surprised you all even survived the first few days of october. Because as we all know.” He said.
“Humans love halloween because that's the best time of the year it is easiest to catch monsters” Most of the students said in an unenthusiastic uneven unison.
Mr Rotter nodded and smiled a little before turning his direction to the projector, everyone noticed the tape standing there. The teacher started the video that showed images of old photos of monsters being tied to stakes, clumped together in small cages with signs saying “freakshow” on it and more horrid imagery, if he was allowed to show the more mature stuff. The class would have been more like a ticket to hell. Once the photos were all shown, his attention was now on the class. Who you could probably guess how utterly excited yet scared they were.
Yeah…. just check all the phones that were being used, the books and magazines being read, and the school supplies being played with. Plus Frankie. Jackson was looking down at his copy of Illustrated Mad Science and taking some notes. Cleo was too busy on her pinscream app making new outfits. Heath was burning up some paper clips. Someone was even taking nice delicate naps.
Clutching his fist and almost pulverizing the chalk in his hand. Mr Rotter slammed his other hand. A few students looked at him with groans that could barely be heard to the students sitting next to them, and now the professor had a small grin on his face.
“Students. You need to pay attention. What did you learn from these images?” He asked, scanning the room for someone to answer the questions. “Miss De Nile?”
Cleo lowered her phone and looked at the chalkboard.
“That humans are dangerous...” She answered in a lackluster tone as she rolled her eyes.
“Absolutely correct. If you still do not still believe me. I will show you this movie.” He said before he played an old movie showing all of the evil tactics halloween stemmed from. Costumes being used as mockery, trick and treat being used as bait. All that jazz.
Nobody cared, no one was paying attention. Except poor Frankie. She felt betrayed by what those magazines told her. She put them away. It can’t be all real, right? The movie is decades old and things change? Right?
As class was over Jackson headed over to his locker. Head facing down to his feet and checking around if anyone would notice him. Trying to forget what happened. He was glad he stayed hidden, imagine if he got picked to answer a question. All the eyes would be on him, whatever he said would change their perspective on humans, now most people here trust him. But if he said anything, some would think his words were true, and would people still trust him? What would happen if the only place he felt safe was no longer for him? He didn’t want to become a homeschooled freak. Continuing to walk until he bumped into something. He looked up to see a 7ft and a half tall minotaur right in front of him.
“Sorry…” Jackson said before turning the other way around.
“Now listen here normie, if you want to pass this hallway, you need to pay!” Manny said.
Now where was Rochelle when you needed her? Jackson reached into his pocket and took out his phone and headphones, went into his Spotify account and played using loud enough to make someone temporarily deaf. A burst of flames surrounded him as he turned into Holt.
“Who were you talking to? Jackson? Look at me, I’m not a normie. So let me pass.” He said, as he walked past Manny like nothing.
Meanwhile, Frankie was at her locker freaking out. That couldn’t all be true. They threw her magazines into their locker as a frown was formed on her face. But Deuce said nothing happens so maybe she shouldn’t worry. But Draculaura told her about why she needed to move. Though wasn’t that a century ago? Maybe she was just overreacting.
She was now walking around the hallway as a bunch of students began to run in the exact opposite direction. Frankie followed everyone else wondering what was going on. They ended up being outside where the whole school was toilet papered and egged. Someone threw a piece of paper at her. She opened it up and their eyes widened as she looked at the horrific drawing of a vampire, it felt uncomfortable to look at. It felt as if they were looking at an insult rather than a piece of “art”. All the features were extremely exaggerated.
“Fuck, we didn't even hit the vampire.” A buff normie with his face covered with a bad Party City mask said before he jumped into the car where another buff normie said.
Frankie threw the drawing away before anyone else could see it and tried to find the rest of the ghouls. That task was impossible due to how every student that had ever walked the hallways of this school was now outside. But seeing an egg fly and a scream so recognizable later. They could guide themselves through the massive crowd. To see Cleos face turn red and her being covered in raw eggs.
“It got in my HAIR, on my CLOTHES, in my FACE!” Cleo hyperventilated.
“Cleo don’t worry, the changing rooms are open. I can get you a bottle of shampo-” Lagoona said before she got interrupted.
“Shampoo isn’t enough to fix this!” Cleo said as she gave the normies a death stare, right before the car drove away from school grounds.
“Get ready for the worst halloween in your entire life bitches!”
School was now over as Holt was at his house, and the first thing he saw when he entered his room was a note made by Jackson.
JJ: Clean our room Holt, cleaned it the last 2 times so it’s your turn now
Well. The room wasn’t that much of a mess. Just some clothes on the floor which he put away. And a trash bin filled with unsolved advanced math problems. Of course he wouldn’t remember doing those boring things. He tied up the trash bag and took it outside. As he threw it into the bigger trash can, his phone rang. It was Frankie.
“Hello Frankie fine” He answered the phone call as he headed back inside.
“Oh hi Holt. Did you see what happened to our school”
Holt walked back to their bedroom and took out some vinyls, David Booie, Red Hot Ghost Peppers, Bowling for Souls, The Scars, The Ghooul Fighters, Spookcesteral Moonovers In The Dark. There was even some R&B in there. Though he didn’t even listen to some of these, it just happens that he just stepped his foot into a record store, then Jackson would question who charged 20$ on their shared bank account. But hey, if Jackson can pay for his nerd stuff, he can pay for his music stuff.
“I was there, I feel so bad for Cleo” he said as he played a random record.
“She refused to talk for the rest of the day. But she did send me a photo of her planning something on her computer.”
“A party?”
“No. She didn’t tell me what, she just told me that she might do it. But she needs more.. motivation.”
“What kind of motivation?”
“Well, she was already buying new clothes, so she’s already pretty motivated. I hope it’s nothing bad.”
“Anyway, are you planning something tonight Frankie? I’m a bit bored”
“Oh I need to work on my essay.”
“What subject?” he asked, sounding a bit bored.
“It’s for my music class, we have to write about different music genres”
Holt’s eyes lit up. “Can I help?”
“Sure! I was going to study with Operetta though.”
“Are you visiting her house? I got some old vinyls and I don’t want them to get ruined if I somehow get lost and wake up as Jackson”
“Oh don’t worry. She’s already here.” Frankie said.
“Okay. See you at 7?”
“Yeah! See you at 7.”
“Also. Before we end this convo. What genre are you doing?” Holt asked with a fiery passion burning though his voice
“Waltz” she said with her tone of her voice shifting to a serious one.
Now that passion was now gone. That was unexpectedly mean for someone like her.
Frankie laughed over the phone. Then another laughter was heard and that New Goreleans accent was heard.
“Don’t worry Holt, we are doing good ol’ rock.”
Operetta said.
Holt took a sigh of relief as he heard Operetta’s answer.
“Bye ” both of them said in unison before they ended the phone call.
Holt looked at the clock. It was almost time to leave. He packed his bag with the records and some other important stuff before he left a note for Jackson.
HH: I cleaned our room, and I also helped Frankie with her music project ;)