synposis: deuce is too late to stop seth and cleo’s marriage. but, they meet again in the future. (angst)
i stood at the entrance of the museum door, looking up i saw her kissing him. as the comet passed, the sky lit up, fragments of crystals surrounded the entire atmosphere. but i could feel the shards in my throat, scratching and burning as i struggled to breathe. was i too late? i looked up to see cleo standing in the middle of a thousand lights reflecting her beauty, she looked even more goregous in the spotlight. i tried my best to get to her, to let her know i came back but was hastily stopped.
“duuude” nefera blocked my way as she laughed mockingly. “you’re too late.”
i tried to brush past her but was stopped by her servants. “on behalf of the de niles and now the ptolemys as well, this is goodbye forever.”
— fast forward three months —
“dude,” clawd fist bumped my shoulder forcing me to look away from my uneaten food “is cleo ever coming back?”
before i could speak, heath interrupted “dude, don’t mention her! you know she’s married now, they can’t get back together.” he tried to whisper the last part, but still i heard it ringing through my ears like a disease that wouldn’t go away.
now, clawd too tried to join the whisper train but was clearly just as bad. “okay but like maybe they can work it out or talk or smth!”
in that moment, i just really wanted to petrify both of them on the spot, but really i couldn’t. instead i muttered an excuse about needing to use the restroom but descended my way down to the catacombs. i walked over to smokey and placed a hand on his head, “i lost her dude.”
i had already lost smokey, and now i lost the love of my life, life truly was meaningless now. i just wanted to find a mirror and turn to stone, or at least numb my heart but it wouldn’t work. my love for cleo would still ache a numbed heart.
then they came, rivers and streams started forming on my face. i took of my glasses needing to dry my tears, when i accidentally dropped them. i just let them fall whilst i curled into a ball, feeling like making my self smaller would make the world vanish, but it never did because the pain just kept growing.
i stayed like this for who knows how long, until i finally came to my senses. i went to grab my glasses then saw rochelle, standing there holding them.
“uh, how long have you been here for?”
“i just came, but i heard sobs and wanted to make sure everything was alright.”
“i heard about cleo, i’m sorry.”
“don’t be,” i rested my head on my palms again as i barely managed to continue talking, “it was my fault anyways. i left her first.”
“yes but now she has someone else.” rochelle placed a hand on mine, but i didn’t dare look up. “maybe it’s time you moved on too.”
over the next few weeks, rochelle stayed by my side. and whilst i appreciated her company, it irritated me knowing she was where cleo was meant to be.
“deuce, do you want to go to the mall later?” rochelle grabbed my hand, “just for fun.”
despite feeling like i should decline, i accepted.
first we watched a movie, great. then we ate, also great. but then we went shopping and she was trying on a dress for a party draculaura was hosting.
i heard her cry as i asked what was wrong, she brushed it off as nothing but from experiences with cleo, i knew that something was up.
“i’m opening the curtain.”
there she wore a golden and blue dress, it instantly reminded me of cleo’s signature look.
“sorry, i just, i feel so hideous.”
“rochelle, you look gorgeous, don’t cry.”
just then, i saw her eyes come alive as she hesitated for a moment. “deuce, i’ve had a crush on you, for a while. i always respected you and cleo but i feel like i have gotten to know you so much and i want to help you move on from her.”
that dropped like a bombshell. because cleo, i could never replace her.
“i’m sorry rochelle. i think i’ve been giving you mixed signals. i love cleo, and i don’t think i’ll ever stop. sure, maybe it hurts, but when i remember her, my heart aches, but also jumps? i don’t know how to explain it, but the hurt is sometimes comforting, because it reminds me that i’ll always have a piece of her.”
“oh, deuce! i’m so sorry. i really hope one day you and her and reconcile again.”
she jumped in my arms and gave me a hug, “yeah i hope so too.” i pushed her away, uncomfortable with another woman’s touch, but still i tried to be polite.
i stood in the mall where deuce and i always went on dates, where i always shopped, where i always hung out with my friends. i had managed to escape the tiresome, boring life i was pushed in, and i know deuce left me, but i wanted to see if he regretted it. if he did, maybe we’d run away together or something, but at least i’d know he still loved me.
but first, i needed to look presentable (not that i wasn’t already gorgeous) but still, i wanted him to regret ever giving me up. as i walked inside the big department store i saw him with rochelle. hugging. i see he didn’t regret leaving me because he was already plotting to get with her! ugh.
i turned to leave and run away, and never come back to monster high or anywhere near! now, i was going to live the new royal life that i deserved, without deuce.
after i pushed rochelle away she headed back to change, then i saw her from the corner of my eye. cleo. she was wearing a new style, new makeup, new hair. but she looked just as breathtaking as she usually was, maybe even better.
“CLEO!” I saw her wince at my calling but she didn’t stop, instead she sped up. “wait!”
i ran for her but she started running too, “cleo i’m sorry, come back.”
when i finally reached her we were already outside the mall.
“don’t deuce.” the way she said my name hurt, it was spiteful, resentful. did she hate me now? “i saw you with rochelle, you only left me to be with her, didn’t you!” i saw tears forming in the corner of her eyes and felt my heart break.
“what! no cleo it was a misunderstanding! i don’t like her!”
“oh stop it! i can’t believe i was going to come back for you! ugh!”
“wait, you were-“ but before i could finish, a shiny chariot pulled up and her dad and sister came out.
“cleo, what is this?” nefera pulled cleo behind her as she eyed me.
this was the person who ruined my life with cleo, i felt my teeth clench and fists lose their colour. my snakes hissed and spat which i quickly had to quiet down.
“nothing, i just wanted one good look at him before i moved on to my new life. goodbye deuce.”
but before i could say anything, cleo entered the chariot and left. i had just lost my girl, twice.
since cleo left again, i never stopped trying to find her, but her being elite and royal, it was nearly impossible for me to reach her. since then, i had never even dared to look at another girl in hopes cleo would come back. and when she did, i didn’t want to spoil her mood with her finding out what i’d been up to.
i was walking around boo york for some job interview and decided to extend my stay to enjoy the scenery. it had more than five years since my last visit here and it still held painful memories. i went to visit the museum where cleo was married, hoping to feel her presence once more.
as i walked through the halls which were now adorned with new artefacts, i really could feel cleo’s presence - even though it had been years since we last saw each other.
“mama! papa! is this really were you got married.” i turned around to see a little cute three year old with brown and gold hair, wearing a blue dress and a bejewelled necklace. she was being piggybacked by her father who looked extremely familiar. as he extended a hand to his wife and snaked his arm around her waist, my heart dropped.
“cleo…” i whispered, but she didn’t hear me.
“yes, princess. this is where your father had the luck of marrying me.” she laughed while he kissed her cheek.
“ewwww” the little girl made funny faces.
“it’s true my little princess. at first, we didn’t like each other but gradually we learnt how to care for and cherish each other. isn’t that right my love?” seth, his arm went from cleo’s waist, my cleo, and he run his fingers through her hair.
“we? you mean you realised you could not live without me and would love and care for me, forever.” seth just rolled his eyes as he put their daughter down and side-hugged cleo. as their daughter continued to explore the museum, she made her way to where i was and i saw cleo’s gaze meet mine.
unable to move, i just stood there, staring into her eyes and pretending that maybe, just maybe, she still loved me.