Boy Talk
“Hmmm interesting.” Wednesday eyed Thing as he tapped morse code on her desk.
“So you found no records whatsoever. But you returned later and suddenly found his file.” Thing tapped assuredly. “And you checked the train schedules and incoming traffic footage. As well as triple checked the schools logs. There was no sign of him ever entering Jericho or even being considered for enrolment prior to the last 48 hours?” Thing tapped again, more annoyedly at Wednesday’s continued questioning.
It looked like Enid’s sources were correct for once. A new student has seemingly materialized out of nowhere. What a peculiar boy, walking into walls and standing in toilets, what does it all mean? She was beginning to paint a mind map of who this person was. Once complete, she’d have a full picture. There are some holes however, most notably the car debacle. It’s not like she could implore Thing to interview the witnesses. Besides, Sherriff Galpin has been running a stubbornly tight shift at the police department. But why Weem’s? Why go through all this trouble to keep him a mystery?
Thing’s tapping broke her out of her reverie.
“No I’m not getting distracted by this. Finding my stalker and destroying Crackstone is still my top priority.” She inhaled slowly narrowing her eyes at the dismembered hand. “Tomorrow I want you to go to the Galpin’s house and gather any information you can about Tyler. Including where he may be and what his Dad plans to do.”
Wednesday got up stiffly, opting to finish unpacking her belonging.
Thing rapped against her desk. “What’s in it for you?” She craned her head to glare at him. “You get to keep your index finger…that and I'll make sure you get more of that lotion from Enid.”
Speaking of, Enid waltzed right through the door, her head tilting when she caught sight of Wednesday.
“You didn’t go to dinner.”
“Didin’t feel like eating. It’s important to fast at least once a week to cleanse the body.” Wednesday said plainly, carefully placing down her typewriter.
“Well, I made you your favourite…soup. If you could call it that.” Enid grimaced, walking over to Wednesday with a styrofoam container in hand. It was filled to the brim with a bland looking porridge dotted with green specs and black lumps. Enid made a disgusted face, “I still don’t know how you eat that.”
Wednesday took the offering, sniffing it before placing it on her desk. She’d have to check it for cyanide poisoning of course but it was a thoughtful gesture. “It has all the required nutrients the human body needs to survive. If it were possible, I’d take nutritional supplements at the designated feeding times.”
Enid sighed as Wednesday continued unpacking. “You know, getting together to eat is like super important for survival? Not just werewolves but for human’s? Last time I checked we all need social interaction to survive.”
Wednesday shot her a deadpan look. She decided it was a waste of breathe to explain how like eating, social interaction can be kept to a healthy minimum.
Enid rolled her eyes. “If not for yourself then for Xavier. He was extra mopey today. You should've seen him. That reminds me, why don’t you use your phone Wenya?”
Wednesday paused at the use of her nick name, before continuing. She didn’t tell anyone about her stalker yet, she didn't know who to trust. She didn’t want to admit that the true reason she stayed behind was to see just how determined they were to get a picture of her. She had Thing posted outside the cafeteria, if for any reason someone left early and headed for Ophelia hall she would have a lead. The stalker ended up being more cunning. No matter, makes for a more interesting chase.
“The device made an irritating beeping noise every other second, I don’t like to be around things that are-” she darted her eyes at Enid’s colourful side of the room then back at her. “Obtrusive.” She decided carefully.
“Here give it to me.” Wednesday reluctantly handed Enid her phone, eyeing her as she tapped away on the screen.
Her and Enid’ relationship was, an anomaly as Enid put it. They work for all the wrong reasons. On paper Wednesday finds all of Enid’s traits repulsive, as Enid surely will say about hers. But in practice, it couldn’t be further from the truth. Let's just say, Wednesday would raze a tiny village if she found out something happened to Enid. That makes the possibility of her betrayal even more disheartening, because Wednesday wasn’t sure she could fully hate her anymore.
“There. I silenced most noties so you’ll only get the important ones. Please use it, I don’t wanna have to hunt you down every time.” Enid pouted, taking off her coat and hat.
“The future of our race is pitiful.” Wednesday muttered placing her empty suit case in a corner.
They spoke about everything and nothing. About their break, the upcoming term, the new botany teacher. It seemed Weem’s decided to hire in house and coaxed a Nevermore alum out of retirement. Enid fawned over the red wood trees in San Fransisco and her very first wolf hunt with her family. Wednesday felt a tinge of pride as she watched Enid animatedly describe her first kill before the blonde eventually went green. Apparently blood lust is a thing in werewolves, a natural instinct to hunt that overrides all other reservations. She finds it amusing how Enid managed to display disgust and happiness in one expression. Wednesday on the other hand recounted the various new techniques she came up with for torturing her brother. All inspired by last terms events of cource. Which she instantly regreted doing. She spent a good 15 minutes talking Enid down from calling child protection services, assuring her the torture was a familial past time of theirs.
They took a small break where Wednesday added another chapter to her latest instalment. Viper Delemurte just uncovered she has a mimic but the arrival of a mysterious stranger from abroad captures her attention and throws everything for a loop. It was 10pm and Wednesday found herself sitting in a black plush chair on her side of the room. Enid was a step away on her own side, curling up in her own multicoloured chair. She deduced that the extra furniture was some sort of consolation gift from Weem’s for the events of last month. If the principles really cared, she would’ve gotten Wednesday an ergonomically sound chair, one that didn't actively promote a poor spinal alignment. She can feel her body giving into the velvet surface as he posture weaned.
“Soooo you and Xavier huh…?”
“Enid you know better that to gossip about my non existent love life to my face.” Wednesday bit out dangerously, eyes narrowing.
Enid shrugged, cupping her steaming hot chocolate in her hand. Honestly, Wednesday doesn’t know how she could even take a sip with the amount of rainbow marshmallows piled on.
“Everyone knows he has a thing for you. C’mon I know you know.” She wiggled her eyebrows at her.
Wednesday inhaled sharply through her nostrils. “It is in my best interest to remain platonic with Xavier, I cannot afford to start an...commitment of that magnitude."
“Ah hah! So you do like Xavier but you just can’t at the moment!”
“Enid…” Wednesday closed her eyes as if steadying herself. “Please warn me next time you intend to jump to conclusions.” She swears she gets whiplash whenever she talks to her.
“Do you think Xavier wants to stay platonic?” Enid said in teasing voice.
“It doesn't matter what he thinks, as long as he keeps his thoughts to himself.” Wednesday’s voice was clipped, a tone that signified the end of that conversation.
Enid bit her lip, letting her hair fall down the side of her face. “So what, you won't tell me what's going on with you this term?” She said in a more serious voice. “Y'know, the whole reason you can’t go out with someone and why Thing’s here? I have a right to know, I’m your frie-… your roomie…I could get hurt.”
Wednesday let out an impatient breath, without thinking she opened her mouth. “Enid I'd personally transport you go the opposite end of the school if I believed you were in any sort of danger around me.”
Enid gawked, a wide smile appearing on her face. “Oh my god! Wednesday Addams showing genuine positive human emotions!”
Wednesday blinked, looking away. “I wouldn’t call preventing a guilty conscious a positive emotion.”
“Nope, nonononon. I won't let you take this back! Awwww you do care about me Wenya.” Enid bounced in her seat.
“Of course I do, thats ridiculous you would think otherwise.” Wednesday snapped back before swallowing a lump in her throat. She never meant to out right admit she cared for her. It was something her and her family just never did, even though they were always fiercely loyal to those deemed worthy.
“Friends..” Wednesday started trepidatiously, the word foreign on her tongue. “tend to care if the other dies.”
Enid smiled shyly to herself, tucking her chin in her sweater. Wednesday expected a loud and possibly giddy reaction from her roommate. Maybe she’d even attempt to hug her again. But she wasn’t expecting the silence, it made her cheeks involuntarily warm.
“What? What are you doing?” She said when the quiet got to suffocating.
“Nothing...just enjoying the moment.”
Wednesday took in breath deciding she preferred a loud Enid oppose to a quiet one. “It has to do with Crackstone and Tyler. I have reason to believe both will try and contact me during my stay here.”
At this Enid’s smile dropped. “But didn’t you…ya know, kill Crackstone or something? I really don’t know about the logistics of killing a ghost but he looked pretty dead to me.”
“I suspect Tyler and Thornhill were mere pawns on a chessboard. A hunch that'll soon be answered sometimes next week. Furthermore, I have a theory that we haven’t seen the last of Crackstone just yet. Jericho was built on decades of discrimination and injustices towards our kind, that just doesn't go away.”
“Well, whatever happens, we’ll be ready for it!” Enid said proudly before glancing at her phone. “Holy Cow! My latest post blew up!”
“The one about the new arrival?” Wednesday faked ignorance. She did in fact read her blog. Thats how she knew to even check the records in the first place. Though, Wednesday has some reservations over the explanations Enid offered for his existence. Weem’s son born out of wedlock being a prime example of said reservation.
“Uh huh! I realize now I kinda got his characterization wrong. When I wrote this I never met him yet.”
“You painted an inaccurate image of a person without ever meeting them? How shocking” Wednesday rolled her eyes, finally giving into her temptation and sinking into the plush seat. “So I gather you’ve met him already?”
“Yeah it was…. hold on…” To Wednesday utter horror she watched Enid grabbed a pillow and promptly stuffed her face into it, screaming “AHHHHH” before throwing it across the room. “Ahem, yeah no It was uhhh….OK!" Enid sobbed in horror. "Alright I couldn’t have made a worst first impression!” She covered her flushing face.
“Did you projectile vomit on him?”
“No.”
“Did you accidentally slice his Achilles tendons?”
“No.”
“Did you - I don't know what constitutes as worst in your world Enid, spill it.” Wednesday huffed exasperatedly.
“I pulled an Ajax!…Remember when I was walking you around the quad on your first day and Ajax showed up and started talking about you like you weren't there?”
“Oh…” Wednesday recalled the incident. “And thats embarrassing for you?”
“YES Wednesday,” Enid grimaced.
Thankfully she didn't abuse a pillow this time.
“Talking about someone behind their back only for them to hear everything you said IS in fact embarrassing.”
“But isn't that the entire premise of your blog?” Wednesday asked in genuine confusion.
“The confrontation isn't the same as in person. And besides, I can always post anonymously.”
“From your punctuation errors alone I can pick your writing out from a sea of amateur authors…” Wednesday mumbled, Enid promptly threw her a scathing glare, flashing her claws. But it just looked like an angry puppy wanting extra treats.
“So what’s he like?” Wednesday said, bringing her knees up to her chest.
Enid pursed her lips in thought. “ I don't know, he’s kinda cocky and sarcastic. Has a dry sense of humour that I think you’d like. He’s…very intense, even when lounging. He can be so present one moment, and like he’s a million miles a way the next. Sometimes he gazes off with a look of something like…like he forgot to turn off the stove when he was 6 years old.” Enid's face contorted at her ratter clumsy simile.
Wednesday quirked a brow. “You seem to have garnered quite a detailed description from one interaction.”
”I was sneaking glimpse of him during dinner.” Enid admitted softly.
“My, my, what would poor Ajax say?”
Wednesday always believed Enid could do so much better than that Gorgon. There was nothing particularly wrong with him, she just thought she deserved someone with a bit more substance.
Enid’s eyes grew wide before settling. “I don’t feel guilty because there’s no reason to. I was just curious about him thats all.” She said in a innocent voice.
Wednesday suddenly turned cold. “The offer still stands. If he breaks your heart I’ll nail gun his.”
“Thanks Wenya, but me and Ajax are going strong.”
“Mhm” Wednesday nodded slowly. “Anything else I should know about the new kid?”
Enid open her mouth, then paused as if weighing the risks, then shrugged. “He’s kinda cute if thats what you’re wondering.” Enid said scandalously, a sly smirk playing at her lips.
Wednesday visibly recoiled, her eyes widening in sheer horror for a second before resting stoically. “How do you feel about waking up covered in centipedes?”
Enid whimpered. “Point taken, no more boy talk with Wednesday.”