Chapter 1
It was a bleak day, unlike many others that month. The excitement following the Poe cup was finally winding down much to Wednesdays approval; People seemed to be forgetting Ophelia Halls victory, and with it, the unsolicited smiles her way dwindled to none.
The raven was sitting alone in the quad with her eyes trained on a book. Enid sat with her every so often, but Wednesday had insisted she should sit with her other friends, a win win in her opinion. Not that she didn’t enjoy her roommates company more than she cared to admit, but she still preferred her solitude.
Wednesday looked up occasionally to glare at students in the courtyard when their voice would stand out over the already-too-loud chatter that was commencing during her reading time. She let out a small huff and considered retreating to the library for the third time that lunch break, but dropped the idea once again at the thought of running into Thornhill. The woman would likely try to engage in friendly conversation with her, clumsily attempting to nudge Wednesday into lowering her guard.
Instead, she settled for a deeper scowl and a few more threatening glances before refocusing on the words on her page.
One of the large sets of wooden doors lurched open and the goth heard the familiar click of heels on stone. A similar sound resonated from the other side of the courtyard shortly after, and the strange timing created a weird echo-like quality in the space between.
It wasn’t unusual for Weems to present herself in the quad, however, the hush that followed said presence was. So unusual, in fact, Wednesday raised her gaze and lifted her eyebrows approximately half a millimeter. God she hated herself for being so readable sometimes, if any dimwit happened to look her way they’d surely know she was mildly intrigued by the situation.
The principal stood on one side of the quad with her hands clasped in front of her and her expression unreadable. Directly across from her stood a girl with an expression just as unreadable; She was tall and slim, and even with waves and a bit of curls at the end of her hair, her blonde locks still fell well below her shoulders. Despite the extensive cloud coverage her eyes seemed to glow. Not in the way a lantern would, but the way a sky would crackle before a storm. Perhaps she was a siren.
The two blondes watched each other for several seconds as the students seated between them shifted their heads back and fourth. Finally the girl moved, her long strides closing the space between her and the principle swiftly. The older woman straightened her back ever so slightly as the girl stopped a few feet in front of her.
Now that they were standing near each other, the girls height was really put into perspective. Without heels Weems would be no more than two or three inches taller than her, though in the present situation she easily looked down on the girl.
“Ms. Brooks.”
“Principle Weems.”
She offered her hand out, the older woman taken aback somewhat by the gesture before shaking it politely. Weems stepped aside and motioned the girl inside with her arm, following her shortly without so much as a glance to the other students.
The doors shut hard behind her and the courtyard immediately erupted into conversation. Wednesday would’ve likely had a knife buried in her nearest peers throat by this point, however she was no longer very interested in reading.
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“It’s just so exciting!” Enid was pacing the length of the dorm waving her arms around spastically as she talked. “I mean, first you join halfway through the semester which is practically unheard of, but then someone else transfers less then a week later?? I just need to talk to her,” she continued, emphasizing the “need” like it was life or death. “Do you think she’s related to Weems? It would check out with the hair and the height and what not— but wait. Enid, that’s incredibly close minded of you to assume two women must be related just because they’re tall…”
Wednesday tuned her out. Interesting. Their relationship was plausible, but doubtful, considering she’d never once noticed photos of family in her office.
She leaned back from her typewriter. Sometimes the werewolf could be capable of semi-rational thought, but it came out instead as, “Careful, Enid, your desired path of travel is dangerously close to my side.”
Enid stopped her rambling to stick her tongue out to the back of Wednesday’s head, who simply continued clacking away at her typewriter.
“And that look doesn’t suit you either.”
Enid made a face and threw her arms up in confused exasperation before continuing her pacing, although this time it was closer to stomping and took place about two feet further from the line.
Wednesday huffed and pushed her chair back with an ear splitting screech that almost uplifted her mood. Writing was going to be impossible in these unfavorable conditions. She got ready for bed and slipped under her covers, laying on her back and crossing her arms over her chest like a corpse. The Raven closed her eyes but her mind swam with theories about the monster.
She woke up in the same position several hours later and got ready for the day the way she did every morning. Enid was fast asleep across the room, her wild hair sticking up in strange directions and her snores muffled by the pillow she lay face down on. For as many times as Wednesday threatened to smother the girl in her sleep it was considerably more likely she’d end up just doing it to herself.
Wednesday slipped her backpack over her shoulders and walked out of their room, mindful not to slam the door. A minute later she was making her way down the empty halls, her steps silent despite their large soles. She wasn’t quite a morning person, but she enjoyed the emptiness only the early hours could provide, plus it was highly unlikely she’d run into any vampires fanging in the library.
Wednesday paused at the faint sound of footfall in the adjacent corridor. Curious, she trailed after the noise, turning the corner only to see you walking in the opposite direction. She waited until you had disappeared before following, but when she rounded the same corner you had a moment before, you were nowhere in sight. Wednesday peeked around a bit before giving up and heading to the library.
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You had attended nevermore for less then a week but it seemed like you were friends with everyone— or at least everyone wanted to be your friend. Wednesday watched silently from her table as you strode into the quad with a group of gorgons. She recognized the one to your right, the very boy Enid practically drooled over whenever she would talk about him. The raven wasn’t sure why Enid, or you for that matter, would give a guy that looked like he didn’t know where he was half the time any of your attention. She supposed it was yet another area of adolescence she couldn’t comprehend as she continued to quietly observe you.
The two of you were grinning, then Ajax spoke and you were laughing. You replied, and he doubled over clutching his stomach, causing you to throw your head back. Wednesday snapped her eyes away from your jaw when a boy bumped into her arm. She glared up at him with the fire of a thousand suns only to see he wasn’t looking at her. He was looking at you.
“My bad,” he mumbled, not even glancing down as he continued towards you like a moth drawn to a flame. This was getting ridiculous.
Enid plopped down next to Wednesday, momentarily distracting her from the dozens of violent murders she could enact on the boy.
“Isn’t Rae just the coolest?” Enid said airily as she rested her head in her hand and gazed at you making your way through the courtyard. Wednesday pretended to be absorbed in her book, but from her peripherals she could make out you declining to sit with a group of students as you walked.
“Have you ever even spoken to her?” Wednesday responded disinterestedly, turning the page.
“Well, no, but I’m su—- Oh. Em. Gee. She’s totally coming over here!” Enid all but squealed. “How’s my hair? It’s horrible isn’t it!”
“Wha-“ Wednesday started to respond, but was cut off by Enid jumping to her feet and almost ripping the bench out of the ground with her werewolf legs.
“Hi, Rae! My names Enid! Enid Sinclair!” She stood with her hands clasped grinning like a dope for a few seconds. “Oh, yeah, and this is my roommate, Wednesday Addams!”
You smiled and let out a soft laugh, but Wednesday couldn’t detect any hint of malice or mockery behind your reaction when she searched your face for it.
“I know who you are Enid, Ajax has told me all about you.”
“He has? I mean, wow, that’s strange, all good things I hope? Please tell me it’s all good things!”
You laughed again, looking at your shoes this time.
“Of course,” you looked back at her, “It’s very hard to imagine him saying something bad about anyone, really. Well, I guess maybe if he didn’t know them. He seems like a cool guy but sometimes I get the feeling he’s not a hundred percent sure where he is...” You furrowed your eyebrows and looked to your left like you had more to say, but refrained, filing the thought into your mind for later. Wednesday couldn’t help the quirk of her mouth at your comment.
“Oh, yeah, before I forget,” you turned to Wednesday. “Principle Weems wants to talk to you.”
Wednesday blinked.
“I’m actually headed that way now, mind if I walk with you? I keep getting lost,” you said with a frown.
Wednesday looked you up and down as she stood, giving a silent nod and packing her book into her bag. The wooden table splintered.
“Uh, are you okay?” You say, arching your eyebrow at Enids hand balled up around the edge of the table.
“What? Ooooo,” she uncurled her hand, revealing her palm riddled with wooden shards, some more than an inch long.
“Yeah, haha, this table was just a little weirdly shaped, wouldn’t want the school to look bad!”
You furrowed your brows and opened your mouth, but closed it and gave her a slow nod instead before turning around and following Wednesday; The raven had bailed the moment Enid had choked out her response.
Your three strides matched five of hers, and soon you were walking side by side with the shorter girl. Heads turned as you vacated the courtyard.
The silence was nice as you walked with Wednesday down the corridor, neither one of you feeling the need to fill the space with empty words. You couldn’t see her in your peripheral nor could you hear her footsteps, but you knew she was there. Ever since you had arrived at this school, you could feel her presence whenever you two were in the same room. She was like a black hole, slowly pulling everything nearby into her abyss.
Despite never actually interacting with Wednesday before, you had heard so many stories at this point it almost felt like you did. Rumors of obsessive monster hunting, whispers of delusional hallucinations, warnings of homicidal tendencies and previous murders. Even Weems had several choice words to say about Wednesday, which turned out to be the straw that broke the camels back. You just had to meet the girl that caused such a deliberate woman so much grief, the fear of her atom-crushing gravity no longer enough to keep you at bay.
The two of you had just cleared the final flight of stairs when Wednesday suddenly stopped dead in her tracks to face you.
“Are you related to Weems?”
You laughed at her question, looking away and shaking your head. She just lowered her eyebrows.
“Now what makes you think that?”
“I didn’t ask for another question.”
“Are you used to getting what you ask for?” Once again, there was no hint of animosity in your tone, just genuine curiosity.
Wednesday blinked. You stared back at her.
“You decline to answer?”
“Well, at the risk of sounding arrogant I do consider myself a master at avoiding questions. I dare you to ask what my favorite color is.”
You grinned as she looked around in quiet consideration, wondering if she would bite. You began to walk again, slowly, and Wednesday follows your lead.
“Blue.”
“Huh?”
“It’s a simple question of probability. Most people prefer blue.”
“Pfff I mean that is definitely how I’d describe myself, I am certainly most people. In fact, now that I think about it I can’t even remember the last time I had an original thought,” you said, stopping to scratch your head.
Wednesday reasoned you were mocking her, but her lips twitched nonetheless.
“You’re avoiding.”
You cock your head and give her a lopsided smile. Her eyes were so dark, you feared if you gazed too long you’d need a flashlight to find your way out.
“Okay fine, you’re right.”
“You’re favorite color is blue?”
“No, you’re right I was avoiding. Oh look that’s so crazy, I think we’re here,” you said stopping in front of Weems office.
Now her mouth got dangerously close to turning upwards, and she had to concentrate hard on the door to stifle it. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go.
You knocked on the door and Wednesday looked up at you.
“You aren’t behaving in the way I previously hypothesized.”
“I’m not really sure how to respond to that.”
The door opened.
“Oh, girls, I’m glad you two found your way. I’d like to talk to you both, but preferably alone. Wednesday, please come in first, we’ll only be a moment, Ms. Brooks.”
The Raven entered her office without another glance at you, and you just smiled and shook your head.