It's not because you're different

𓋹𓂀

𝔽ℝ𝕀𝔻𝔸𝕐 had finally arrived, but instead of her usual excitement, Zeraphine felt a hollow ache. Fridays were supposed to mean a date night with Cleon—something she'd look forward to all week—but today, her phone remained painfully silent. She'd sent Cleon a few texts, short messages that ranged from a gentle "Are we still on for tonight?" to a simple "Miss you." But his stubborn silence echoed back, and with every unanswered message, her frustration grew. She knew Cleon could be stubborn—it was one of his charms, a quality she normally found endearing. But right now, it only amplified the hurt.

As she opened her locker, Zeraphine's gaze fell upon the rose he'd given her, still pressed delicately between her notebooks, the petals slightly wilted. Beside it lay his last note, the one she'd reread countless times, finding comfort in his words. She ran her fingers over the edge of the note, tracing the ink as if his words could give her back the closeness she felt slipping away.

The sound of footsteps broke her from her thoughts. She turned, seeing Frankie, Clawdeen, and Draculaura approaching her with cautious expressions. Her snakes hissed, mirroring her irritation as she let out an exasperated sigh.

"Whatever it is, Frankie. I don't want to hear it," Zeraphine said coldly, slamming her locker shut and crossing her arms defensively. She wanted nothing more than to be left alone.

Frankie took a deep breath, stepping forward with a genuine look of regret in her eyes. "Please, Zeraphine, I know I messed things up between you and Cleon, and I regret it every day. I should've listened to you... I should've been more careful." Frankie's voice was soft, but there was a determination in her tone. "But please, give me one chance. I have an idea to help fix things between you two."

Zeraphine narrowed her eyes, scepticism and frustration written across her face. Her gaze drifted to Clawdeen and Draculaura, hoping for an explanation, but all she received was an encouraging smile from Draculaura and a slight shrug from Clawdeen. With a resigned sigh, Zeraphine unfolded her arms, relenting.

"Okay, Frankie," she said, finally, her voice laced with reluctant hope. "What's the plan?"

A hopeful smile spread across Frankie's face, and she quickly explained her idea, weaving a plan that sounded wild but... possibly effective. As Zeraphine listened, a glimmer of hope flickered in her chest. It was worth a shot—and maybe, just maybe, it could be the bridge to healing what had been broken.

Clawdeen and Draculaura exchanged determined glances before setting off to find Cleon at his locker, hoping he'd be willing to hear them out. Meanwhile, Zeraphine stood beside Frankie, her fingers nervously tapping against her leg as she tried to keep her hopes up. Her stomach twisted with nerves, but she wanted nothing more than to repair what had been broken.

When they found Cleon, Clawdeen approached him with her usual confident tone, "So, yeah, there's this thing we need to talk to you about."

Cleon raised an eyebrow, already suspicious. He looked past her, following her gaze to see Frankie and Zeraphine standing together in the distance. His expression immediately darkened, and he let out an exasperated sigh.

"You have got to be kidding me," he muttered, crossing his arms in irritation.

Frankie stepped forward, swallowing her nerves. "Cleon, please, let me explain. I never meant to hurt you and Zeraphine. She tried to help me, even told me to be myself, but I didn't listen. I just... I wanted you to like me. I ended up ruining things for you two, and I'm sorry."

Zeraphine took a deep breath, her heart pounding as she stepped up to Cleon. Gently, she placed her hand on his cheek, brushing her thumb across his skin. Cleon's expression softened, and he instinctively rested his hand on top of hers, pressing a tender kiss to her wrist.

"Is it true?" he asked her, his eyes searching hers with a hint of vulnerability. "You'd never try to embarrass me like that?"

Zeraphine smirked, giving him a playful nudge. "I mean, not unless you gave me a good reason to," she teased, her eyes sparkling with warmth.

Cleon chuckled at her, a bit of the tension finally breaking, but then he turned his gaze to Frankie, his face regaining a hint of sternness.

"Frankie," he said firmly, "you're not completely off the hook."

Frankie nodded, her voice soft but earnest. "I know I messed up—big time. I get that I hurt you, and I want to make it up to you."

She glanced toward Clawdeen and Draculaura, who stood ready by the double doors. With a dramatic flourish, they swung them open, revealing none other than Justin Biter himself. Cleon and Zeraphine exchanged stunned looks, surprised by the incredible gesture.

"My dad resurrected Justin Biter," Frankie explained with a small, proud smile. "Let's just say he owed me a favour."

As the music kicked off, the entire cafeteria burst into a flurry of excitement, and everyone jumped into dance. Frankie grinned, feeling a rush of happiness when Lagoona approached her with a wink and a warm, approving smile.

"Nice moves, kid," Lagoona said before glancing back at her own partner, Gil, and diving back into the music.

Cleon turned to Frankie, his arm wrapped protectively around Zeraphine's waist. "Not bad, Frankie. Apology accepted. But fearleading practice at 3:00 sharp—you're on probation." He gave her a challenging smirk. "But I have to admit, you've got style."

Frankie beamed, relief flooding through her as Cleon walked off with Zeraphine still by his side. As they moved to a quieter corner, Zeraphine looked up at Cleon, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. She leaned up and kissed his cheek, her lips lingering for a moment longer than usual.

"See, I knew you'd come around," she whispered, squeezing his hand. Cleon laughed softly, his gaze full of adoration as he leaned his forehead against hers.

"Yeah, you always did know how to get through to me," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her as they swayed to the music.

Across the room, Clawdeen hopped onto the stage with an enthusiastic howl, drawing everyone's attention. She called Frankie up to join her, and with an encouraging wave from Zeraphine and the others, Frankie ran up to the stage. Together, they all danced in a joyful, chaotic blur, laughter and music filling the room. Frankie felt her heart swell with happiness—finally, she'd found her place, surrounded by friends who had her back.

𓋹𓂀

By: SilverMist707

<3 <3