The Monster in Us All

Chapter 1

It had been a week since Melody had started at Monster High. Her new classmates stared at her with all their ghoulish features whenever she entered the building. Whispers followed her every step.

Melody wasn't alone. She was one of six human students attending Monster High in a new exchange program. It was started in an effort to eventually create the first ever human-monster combined high school in the world, with promise of a new and bigger building to house all the students it would eventually, hopefully, have enrolled.
To be honest, Melody wasn't sure it would ever happen, knowing the past history that humans and monsters have.

Melody walked into her first period class, Dead Languages. It's an auditorium style classroom. The rows of table desks and ascending rows made her think of an amphitheater. Melody sat in the center row. Close enough to hear but far enough that if needed, she could doze off and not be noticed. Standing downstage center was the teacher, Mr. Rotter. Melody wasn't entirely sure what type of monster he was. Maybe a zombie, but unlike the other zombies. he could actually talk so she wasn't entirely sure.

Mr. Rotter pointed to the chalk board and told the class to open up their text books to some page number where they would go around the class and read it. To Melody , it all looked like gibberish. Nothing like the ancient languages she had learned in her old school.

Melody tries to follow along. Paying attention to where to roll her "R's" and accentuate the sounds, but she gets lost halfway through and just decides to watch the clock and wait until the bell rings.

Eventually it does and everyone files out of the classroom. Mr. Rotter says that that the rest of the chapter is homework to the dismay of Melody and her classmates.

Melody grabs her books and heads out when she hears someone behind her.

"Hey, new girl, wait up!"

Melody turns to see a very tall frankenstein covered in stitches. Their skin is various shades of green and they have a bionic leg. Melody stares up at them as the frankenstein stops in front of her and catches their breath.

"You're one of the normie exchange students, right?"

"Yeah." Melody responds.

The frankenstein reaches out a hand for Melody to shake. "I'm Frankie Stein. Pronouns They/Them. Would you like to sit with me and my ghoulfriends at lunch? We've been dying to meet one of you."

Melody isn't sure if Frankie is just pretending to be nice or if they're being genuine. They seem genuine, but still Melody is cautious. She knows the history that monsters and humans have. Centuries of feuds and an entire war are enough to keep the two sides away from each other, which was why Melody was surprised when the program was started. She was even more surprised when she was one of the six chosen to cross the border to the monster world.

Frankie's hand is still reached out and their smile hasn't wavered. Melody finally takes it and with a warm (and somewhat forced) smile, she agrees to sit with them and their friends.

Frankie somehow smiles even bigger and energetically shakes Melody's hand. "Great! I'll see you then!" And Frankie walks off to their second period, leaving Melody slightly confused and anxious. She still needs to keep her guard up. For now.

———

Second period for Chad was Monster-Human Sensitivity with Headmistress Bloodgood herself as the teacher, set in the "screamsatorium".  The class was a mandatory weekly lecture on the history and lives of both monsters and humans, today was the first class.

Chad sat in the back, not really caring for his studies. The only reason he came was because it would look good on resumes and college applications.

The back of the class was unnoticeable. Chad was smart enough that he didn't really have to study. He was at the top of his class back at New Salem High and is well on his way at becoming Valedictorian. Monster High is just another step at keeping his image spotless and getting closer to Harvard. His best friend Clair sits next to him.