Part 2
3 hours earlier
“ohmygodohmygodohmygod”
“Enid you’re doing it again.”
“Let me freak out Wednesday!”
Wednesday craned her head back, her eyes slightly rounding at her roomate’s flared temper.
One would think she just lost her whole family in a hunting accident, not her jacket at the dry cleaners.
“Oh my god…I’m just gonna have to go looking ugly.” Enid brought a hand to her mouth in genuine horror.
Wednesday spun around to face the girl. “I will not tolerate any self deprecation in this dorm room. It is beneath us. Do you understand?”
Enid nodded quickly, swallowing the lump in her throat.
“You’re right Wenya, you’re right...”
“As per usual.”
Enid pressed her lips into thin line, before hopping forward, hands begging.
“Please come with me!”
Wednesday let out a short breath. “Enid if you ask me one more tim-”
“You don’t even have to do anything! Just stay till I get tipsy enough to forget what I'm wearing and you can leave, I swear!”
“Enid, if you think once I’m there I’d be able to just leave you alone then you’re sorely-.”
“I won’t be alone! Bianca’s there and Yoko, and Divina, and Caspian, and Kent, and maybe even Xavi-”
“Wait…” Wednesday’s eyes flashed. “Caspian will be there?”
“Well I hope so…I invited him.” Enid‘s eyes narrowed. “Why, does that change things?”
Wednesday crossed her arms, pivoting to face her board. ”Don’t be stupid, of course not. And shouldn’t you be gone already? The party started 2 hours ago.”
“Rule one of parties, never show up on time.” She heard Enid scoff behind her, followed by the sound of rattling coat hangers.
Wednesday pressed her lips into a thin line. She tried not to think of Caspian, deciding there wasn’t anything more she can gain from him right now. You see, being a great detective had a lot in common with being a master torture artist. As a torturer, there was a fine balance between pain and death. Air too far on the side of caution, then you’re deemed ineffective at your job, but push your victim too far the other way, they may end up dead and useless.
She’s decided that Caspian may be at his breaking point when it came to her. It’d be in her best interest to disengage and reassess the situation. However, a party setting might just be the change in scenery she needed. Perhaps a drunken Caspian may be more inclined to let things slip.
As if sensing her wandering mind, Thing knocked on the various papers that were sprawled out on her desk. She snapped out of her trance.
Right, focus on the task at hand, Caspian is all but dead to her.
“What’s this?” Enid stood beside her, eyeing the evidence board in front of them.
“Its Crackstone and Tyle-I need more red thread Thing.” The severed hand promptly hooked the red string from one point to another.
“What have you found so far?” Enid wondered aloud, walking over to her desk curiously.
“Tyler’s on the run, or so I thought.”
“What do you mean?”
“I found Dendrophylax lindenii on Laurel’s grave, it couldn't have been more than a few days old. If you recall from Botany class last term, she mentioned it was her preferred carnivorous plant.”
“But, didin’t you say Tyler should be upstate by now? How could he have planted that?”
“I said last we knew, he was heading upstate. He could’ve very well doubled back at any moment to place that flower.”
“But shouldn’t his dad know if his sons in town? He’s the sheriff and all.”
“It only a running theory I’ll admit. But I’m working on tapping Jericho’s police intercoms. I’ve requested my mother send me an FM transmitter.”
Enid paused, biting her bottom lip. “Have you ever thought it could be someone else?”
“The rare and specific nature of the flower means it couldn’t have been any random pedestrian paying resp-”
“No I mean like, someone else she would've known. Maybe even have been close to. A distant cousin? Lover? Friend? Maybe a coworker who still kinda liked her? - Though, major red flags if thats the case. I don’t care how chill Marylin Thornhill was, the bitch tried to kill us.”
“Oh.” Wednesday, paused, sifting through her memories. “Her file made no indication to any relatives and or connections outside of Nevermore.”
“Huh…” Enid leaned against the table. “I just find it weird how after all this time, she just, got up and decided to…you know.” Enid made a sour face.
“She’s been plotting her revenge ever since she was a child, she’s a very persistent person.”
“I get that but still. Would your first thought after almost drowning in the Atlantic Ocean be, ‘Im gonna kill so many kids because of this.’ ?”
Wednesday genuinely thought about it for a moment. “I wouldn’t rule it out as a possible reaction…But either way, people have different ways to cope with trauma, you should know better than anyone.”
Enid pouted. “What is that suppose to mean?”
“The fact that pre wolfing out, you tried embarrassingly hard to be liked and accepted by everyone and anyone who would even entertain the thought of you. How you’d dress to extremes just to stand out, afraid of falling into obscurity. The way you’d settle for even lowest of the totem pole just to feel want-”
“Ok! Ok I get it, ouch Wenya.” Enid frowned, murmuring quietly to herself.
“The truths bitter Enid, I don’t sugar coat it. I know a master manipulator when I see one.”
“Okay!” Enid pushed off the table, her hands splayed out defensively. “I did not…manipulate anyone into liking me.”
“You did me.” Wednesday said blankly. “Somehow, your desperate wails for attention worked. But now it means you'll never rid of me, even if you’re a fully fledged werewolf now.”
Enid paused, taking in her words until a wicked grin broke across her lips.
“Oh-ho I see what this is really about. You’re scared I’ll leave you for the Furs!”
Wednesday blinked. “What? That’s fool-Enid we’re roommates you physically can’t leave me- ”
“Don’t worry Wednesday, I think after what we went through last year, you've locked down the BFFF spot. Best Freak Friend Forever.”
Wednesday pursed her lips. She opened her mouth, clamped it, then tried again. “I don’t care if you choose to run with the pack , unlike you, I’m willing to cut things off that no longer holds value. But if you do, I'll forever be a cold lingering presence over your shoulder, a constant bump in the night. So like how death comes for us all, why fight the inevitable?”
Enid grimaced. “You make it sound like me wolfing out suddenly…changes things between us.”
“Of course it doesn’t. I’m just saying-” Wednesday bit her tongue, what was she trying to say exactly? “I just…If you…” She tore her eyes away. “If back in that forest, if you ended up…not phasing…”
All of a sudden Enid crashed into her, engulfing her in a strong embrace. “You’d still be here…” Enid sighed.
Wednesday stilled, before gently patting her on her back. “More or less.”
When the embrace was going a little too long for Wednesday liking, she cleared her throat. “You should get going, I’d imagine there’s a difference between being fashionably late and just late.”
“Of course, wish me luck.” Enid stepped back with a grin. She reached for her coat before making her way to their window.
“What are you doing?”
“Using the fire escape. It’s the fastest way to the secret passage.”
Wednesday arched a brow. “We have a secret passage?”
“Yeah, it connects our hall to Xavier’s and the west exit.”
If Wednesday knew they had a concealed corridor it would’ve saved her plenty of time snooping around last term. But she guesses there wasn’t any a better a time to learn than the present.
“Well, see you tomorrow Wenya.”
Wednesday spun around. “I’ll have proper hangover ointments prepared and ready. And if you’re not back by 3 am, I'm dragging you back by the baby hairs on your neck.”
“Ok mom.”
“I’m not your mother, your mother would hesitate before murdering you if you come home late, I will not.”
She heard Enid gulp before the window closed with a soft clink.
Thing rapped on her desk.
“I don’t need your support, I’m well aware that I made the right choice in staying.”
Wednesday spent the next couple hours trying to make sense of it all. Switching and altering her suspect board. From taking down a few pieces to completely starting from scratch. She feel’s like pulling someone's hair out. In all her years, she’d never needed Pugsly to vent her frustrations out more than right now.
Her mind wandered back to what Enid said. Perhaps it was someone close to her that she simply wasn’t aware of yet. After all, Laurel was in hiding for many years before enacting her grand plan. It wasn’t so outlandish to believe that she has developed some sort of rapport with an unknown third party. She’d have to ask around if anyone has noticed any new faces in the last week. Whenever the town opened up that is.
Wednesday fingered the picture of baby Tyler with his mom and dad, before hesitantly pinning it to the board.
Wednesday took a step back, pinching her chin in deep thought.
Much to her chagrin, it would appear she was missing various key pieces to her puzzle. She knew this mystery couldn’t be solved in her first week, but she had hoped to gain some sort of an advantage over Crackstone.
After all, someone has to protect this deplorable school.
She feels like she was staring the answer right in the face, but she simply wasn’t able to decipher it yet.
Thing tapped away.
“I don’t need a break I need answers.” Wednesday hissed back.
Thing tapped again.
“A change in subject?” Wednesday cocked her head. “Perhaps sentient hands do have brains.”
Thing rapped harder.
Wednesday rolled her. “I was only joking.”
She cleared up the files, placing them neatly in a locked cabinet.
“There's been no new developments on the stalker situation. But do you have any thoughts worth sharing?”
Thing scampered to her desk, clutching the edge of the top, his fingers dangling in thought before responding.
“A trap? That would be preferable yes. But our lack of field knowledge may prove a disadvantage. I know nothing yet about their patterns or whereabouts. Attempting to spring a trap at this stage could potentially reveal my hand or worst, scare them off.”
Thing tapped thoughtfully.
“Having you tag my primes suspects individually would work, though it would be a tedious process. And you’d be at risk at getting caught. It’d be wiser if I keep you as an eagle in the sky rather than a foot soldier.”
He tapped again.
“Weems? Even thought she may be aware of my siutation, I rather keep this in house. If she comes to me, then we’ll go from there.”
Thing tapped playfully.
Wednesday's eyes narrowed. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”
The hand swung his fingers about for a while before flipping on his back.
Seems like Thing was out of his genius ideas.
Wednesday hit the inside of her cheek. “I suppose all we can do is wait. I’ll have you follow me when I’m in public. By the end of the week, I want a census of every student who dared point a camera my direction. Hopefully the stalker would have made another move by then. From there, we’ll start whittling down the suspects.
Wednesday reached for her glass of water, gulping the whole thing down. She offhandedly hopes Enid was getting enough liquids in her system. She curses herself for not equipping the werewolf with a gallon of water, a sever oversight on her part.
She eyed the clock. It was nearing 1. She should probably call it a night and get her mandatory 8 hours of sleep. But her mind was still firing from all the case work she just put it through.
Everything she was trying to tackle just needed time, and Wednesday hated waiting. There was nothing more frustrating than relying on the punctuality of external forces to dictate how your life went.
She eyed Thing, who was splayed out, open palm on her desk. She was half tempted to poke him to see if he actually fell asleep, but she felt like she already knew the answer to that.
He would answer for his crimes of fatigue come morning.
Wednesday eyed her type writer, but thought against. If she wanted to sleep tonight, then getting lost in her story was the last thing she needed.
Seeing no other option, she got up.
Her mind would turn off eventually, might as well be efficient and be in bed when it does. She bent down to pick up her toiletry bag, but stopped when she caught a glint of light.
Her phone lay dormant on the drawer.
She stared at it for a long while, half bent over. She glanced over to the sleeping hand, then back at the device.
She should probably get familiar with it since it was a key tool in her stalker case.
Wednesday strode over, glancing around before plucking the glass object up.
The screen blasted awake, Wednesday squinting for a moment before it calmed itself down.
She walked over to her bed, gently perching on the edge.
She decided to start with the messages app, opening the last photo her stalker sent her.
Wednesday then opened the various unread chats and messages. She started reading them thoroughly at first, but quickly realized they were filled with nonsense talk. She doubted it actually took that long for Ajax to realize he was pronouncing‘parmesan’ wrong his whole life, but she wouldn’t put it past the Gorgon.
She closed the messaging app, deciding to skip over the camera application and went straight for the yellow app with a pathetic excuse for a ghost.
The second she opened it Wednesday saw her resting expression stare up at her. Why is she not surprised that an app where the first thing you see was your reflection, was Enid’s and Bianca’s favourite. She clicked on one of the tiny ‘emoji’ icons.
Suddenly, it wasn’t just her face staring back at her. To her utter horror, her complexion has softened and she now dawned dog ears and a nose. Wednesday quickly squeezed her eyes shut, clutching the device as if it physically pained her. She kept reminding herself that if she snapped the little thing, she would loose contact with her stalker.
With a calming breath, Wednesday peacefully tilted the camera away, and exited ‘snapchat’, vowing to never open it again.
Her finger hovered over the app called ‘instagram’. From the way Bianca and Enid spoke about it, she feared another incident. But she saw Xavier use the app often, so it couldn’t be that appalling.
She tentatively clicked on it, relieved to find a catalogue of pictures instead. They were all of her various class mates. Enid took the liberty to create an account for her and followed everyone she knew. She was following 5 people and had 67 follow requests and a 15 direct message requests.
All of which she will promptly ignore.
Bianca’s photo library looked like a portfolio, no detail about her life left unmentioned. Her pictures we’re mostly of her and her various accomplishments and school related tasks. It was very professional.
Xavier’s three posts were unsurprisingly art themed and curated to give off just the right amount of melancholy. But once she swiped on one of his posts, the rest were just an assortment of poorly taken photos. Wednesday supposes it may be considered art if one enjoyed shaky low angle shots of him wandering around the woods.
Yoko was up next. She had approximately one picture of her sipping on a glass of red liquid, looking as indifferent as ever. Wednesday commended how naturally cold vampires were. Though she’d never want to be one, given it would strip the majority of the pleasure she got from the expense of others.
She was surprised to see Eugene on her list, but unsurprised to find he had no posts. The only thing giving away the account holder being an odd looking Bee as his profile picture, with the caption ‘You like jazz?’.
Wednesday didn’t get the joke and she has no plans to ask Eugene to elaborate further.
Enid’s photo library was probably the most shocking. Wednesday was fully expecting a wall of bright pink to assault her senses, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth. Her library was full of gorgeous shots of scenery (mostly the moon) and of outfits Wednesday remembered her being proud of. She had some of Xavier’s minimalist style but were decidedly more tasteful than his. She captured their daily life of Nevermore well, various shots of her studying at the quad, in class, and out in the local town. Wednesday was surprised that she made a couple of guest appearances, usually sitting just out of frame or completely turned around. After giving it some thought she concluded she’ll allow Enid to continue taking them.
But she’d have to double back to make sure there was no incriminating evidence that can be used against her in court.
Wednesday eyed her profile picture, which was a mirror shot of half her face. More specifically though, she eyed the little green circle around it.
She clicked on it.
‘We out here at the bash. The basshhhhhh!’
Wednesday quirked an amused brow, Enid was clearly intoxicated. Wednesday could barely hear her over the blaring music.
Enid was seated and appeared to be giggling to no one but herself. Her eyes left the camera as someone apparently took a seat next to her.
‘omg wait- come here’
She wildly flipped the camera over to a confused Caspian.
Wednesday's other brow shot up, she straitened her posture.
‘What is this?’ He managed to shout over the music, appearing to scrutinize his reflection.
‘Insta story for my close friends list!’
‘Huh?’
‘It’s a story!’
‘…Oh…you wanna hear a story? Well one time-’
The video ended.
Wednesday knitted her brows, clicking to replay it.
She studied his eyes best she could, dismayed to find them still coherent and grounded. The video was published 30 minutes ago, so it was clear that Caspian was smart enough to keep his consumption to a minimum.
She replayed the video over and over again, trying to see if she possibly missed something it the short interaction.
‘Insta story for my close friends list!’
‘Huh?’
‘It’s a story!’
‘…Oh…you wanna hear a story? Well one time-’
The second it all clicked , Thing appeared right on her bed post, seemingly disturbed by her video playing.
He tapped cautiously.
Wednesday looked at the hand, but her mind was running a mile a minute. Enid just made it gruelling obvious what she had to do to get through to the boy.
“Thing, I may have a new way to get what I need from Caspian.” Wednesday rose, striding towards her closet. She swiftly unzipped her baggy sweater, carefully hanging it because unlike Enid, she didn’t like leave her room as a a war zone of clothes. She slipped on a black and white pullover along with a black puffer jacket.
“Caspian's like a hound, he responds well to positive reinforcement.”
Thing’s tapping reverberated around her steel bed-frame.
“Yes I’m aware I never mentioned that about him in my previous profiling. He’s still all those traits, but a new development has surfaced. He very dedicated to who he’s deemed worthy and holds them in high regard.”
She slipped her feet into her black combat boots, trudging to the window. She looked back at Thing’s quick tapping.
“You bring up a valid argument…” Wednesday swallowed. She didin’t know how to intentionally befriend someone. All her peers up to this point were either forced to endure her or chose to endure her. But she’d written countless compelling friendships in her novel, the relationship between Viper Delemurte and her partner, Pelly Lafeur being a prime example. However, this would be more like if Viper tried befriending Dionous Saxton, her main rival and enemy. She may not achieve her goal today, but she’ll at least plant the seeds for tomorrow.
“None the less, if I succeed, I will no longer have to actively presures Caspian into revealing what he knows. He will either tell me himself, or slip up. Eventually of course. But I can work with eventually, after all I have more pressing matters to attended to.”
Thing tapped some half hearted objections.
Wednesday paused at the window. “Don’t fret Thing, once I gain the loyalty of Caspien Lee, the case will practically solve itself.”
“Allow me.”
She grabbed the bottle before he could object, procuring a small knife from her pocket. She made quick work of it, expertly popping the cork off.
Wednesday scrutinized the table, deciding she rather drink straight from the bottle than from any of those half used cups.
She yanked his cup towards her, pouring him a shot. “Cheers.”
He looked at her for a good moment, his surprise melting away to a thinly veiled skepticism. “Cheers.” He muttered , before downing his shot.
A millisecond later he started spluttering, spitting its contents onto the ground.
“Pftf! what in god’s green earth-” He gagged, attempting to swallow what’s left in his mouth before shuddering. “That’s rancid oh my days how does anyone drink this crap!”
Wednesday eyes the bottle and took a swig. The pleasant parching sensation hit her tongue, a slight oaky bitterness following suit.
Just how she liked it.
She felt the burn flow down her throat as she gulped with ease. She was vaguely aware of the drunken excited chants that started forming around them.
‘Chug!Chug!Chug!’
She finished the entire bottle, placing it gingerly on the table to a round of ruckus applause and hollering.
Her eyes lingered on Caspian’s, slightly impressed but mostly horrified. “That-That was 40%?”
She arched a brow, easily walking towards him. “I’ve had stronger.”
He stared at her again before shaking his head, moving past her.
She followed behind.
“Enid’s off with Yoko using the washroom.” Caspian said in a tone that screamed ‘go away’.
Wednesday wasn’t easily deterred.
“I’m not here for Enid.”
Caspian let out a hollow laugh, but continued forward.
“You here for the party Addams? I’ll say you missed out on the good stuff a while back, though if you just came for a simple buzz then I fear you’ve gotten more than you bargained for.”
“I came to speak with you.”
“Why?” He abruptly stopped, whipping around. His eyes were on fire. “Hoping to catch me in my ‘lie’ are you? Tough luck Addams I’m still standing just fine. And you know what?”
He put his hands on his hips, pointing an accusing finger at her. “Merlin forbid I actually let loose around you. You do have a knack for sucking the life out of everyone who you don’t tolerate which news flash, is a lot of us blokes. And-”
She cut in "Caspian I came to apol-” The words died on her tongue.
A silence fell around them
“…what?” He said after sometime, dropping his finger.
“I came to ap…To apol-” She constricted her neck as if something as logged in her throat. “I wanted to…I crossed a line for you the other day, behind the chapel.” She decided on, eyes finding its way back to his own which has flamed out considerably.
“I shouldn’t have asked you to do what you did and…” She cleared her throat. “I give you my word that it won’t happen again.”
A cold wind brushed past them, neither of them bristling at all. Caspian just stared at her with an unreadable expression, his eyes unfocused. As far as apologies go, that wasn't terrible she decided.
Given she never gave them out before.
Like her appreciation for Enid, she much rather show it with action rather than say it outright. Words were mere sounds in the wind, actions were concrete and lasting.
When it was clear Caspian wasn’t going to respond, she went to turn around. It would seem she was unsuccessful tonight, but she’ll test her luck tomorrow after a good nights sleep.
“Addams!”
She froze, turning back around quizzically.
“Just-just wait.” He sighed, running his hand through his hair. “I’m…sure that wasn’t easy to say.”
“It was quiet possibly the most insufferable task I've had to endure this term.” She admitted.
Caspian let out a small laugh. “I’d imagine someone as…self-assured as yourself rarely gives out…whatever that was.”
“It was suppose to be an ap-”
“I know.” He cut in, saving her the trouble of saying the taboo word.
“Caspian?”
“Addams.”
“If it’s possible, I’d like to start over.”
He raised an unconvinced brow. “You wanna start over.”
“I believe we got off on the wrong foot…I got off on the wrong foot, more specifically.” She wasn’t sure why she felt the need to say the last part, maybe the alcohol was having a minor affect on her.
Caspian’s eyed her warily, no doubt debating whether she was telling the truth. “So you’ll drop this obsession?”
“I’m definitely still intrigued by your presence Caspian but…perhaps It was for the wrong reasons.” She swallowed thickly.
He let out a breathy laugh. “Wait Addams are you saying that you-”
“Don’t push your luck.” She hissed, feeling her cheeks begin to warm.
Caspian softened a bit, cracking what may have been his first genuine grin at her. It was different than what she was use to seeing, more..pleasant to gaze at.
“I’d like to start over too. I too am interested in you. You seem like you have an…unorthodox outlook about the world.”
“What gives away my differing worldview?” She said deadpan, a small smirk playing at her lips.
He paused, looking at her. “We’re you just…trying to joke with me right now?”
Her smirk quickly faded as she stiffened. “Caspian if this is what starting over with you is going to be like than I retract my offer and I’ll go back to-”
“No no!” He cut in with a laugh. “I, just-I wasn’t expecting it… I like it..I like it.” He affirmed earnestly.
He cleared his throat. “Let’s make it official shall we?” He straitened up his posture and thrust his hand out. “Hello, I’m Caspian Lee, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Wednesday felt herself smile every so slightly at the gesture. Perhaps befriending Caspian wouldn’t be such a laborious task after all. She did catch herself smiling twice around him already. An interesting bodily reaction she’d scrutinize later.
She flexed her hand going to grab his. “And I’m Wednesday Addams, the pleasure is al-”
All of sudden she gasped, her eyes rolling into the back of her head.
Her body seized up, going absolutely still. Her mind exploded with color and light the second she grazed Caspian's hand. The last thing she remembered was falling backwards before being sucked into one of her visions.