ornery

The first thing Reena noticed when she walked into class was Wednesday, frustrated. "What happened?"

Wednesday sighed. "Rowan was driven to the station by Ms. Thornhill. I sent Thing to keep an eye on him. Although, Thing lost him."

Reena rolled her eyes, giving Thing a look. "Really, Thing?"

"How do you lose him in a bathroom with no windows?" Wednesday questioned the hand. "A lefty wouldn't have failed me. Don't sulk. We're going to have to find new evidence ourselves since you lost our only lead."

"We need to find it fast," Reena stressed. "I don't want that monster out there any longer than it has to be."

"I see you finally made another friend," Bianca taunted. "Even if it is a plant."

"I go for quality over quantity," Wednesday replied.

Reena jokingly held a hand to her heart. "Aw. You think I'm quality?"

Wednesday shrugged. "Close enough."

"I think that's the kindest thing you've said about me," Reena pointed out. "Look, class is about to start. There's an open spot at Xavier and I's table."

After the two girls sat down, Xavier used his powers to make the spider he drew start walking around the table.

Ms. Thornhill gave him a disapproving look. "I doubt Wednesday or Reena are impressed by your tricks, Mr. Thorpe."

"Admit it, you're a little impressed," Xavier encouraged.

Reena stabbed the spider's head with her pencil while Wednesday smacked its body, destroying it. The students laughed while Reena smirked at Xavier.

"Wednesday, we're thrilled to have you join us on our journey into the world of carnivorous plants," Ms. Thornhill started class. "Now... who can tell us the name of this beauty?"

"Dendrophylax lindenii," Wednesday blurted out, taking away the chance from Bianca, who had her hand up.

"Otherwise known as the ghost orchid," Bianca added.

"First discovered on the Isle of Wight in 1854."

"Very good, Wednesday," Ms. Thornhill complimented. "You may have competition for first chair, Bianca. Wednesday, perhaps you can identify the ghost orchid's greatest qualities."

"Resilience and adaptability," Wednesday answered. "It's able to thrive in even the most hostile environments."

"But its mere presence can change the ecosystem, causing the established plants to reject it," Bianca interjected.

"Usually, because the native species is allowed to thrive unchecked. Nothing a Weedwackercouldn't fix. "

"You can most certainly try."

"Are we still talking about flowers?" Xavier ended their stare-off, the students chuckling.

Reena shook her head. "I doubt it."

"Thank you, ladies, for those illuminating insights," Ms. Thornhill got back on track. "Clearly, the plants aren't the only carnivores in class today."

* * *

Wednesday and Reena approached Enid, who was painting her boat, after class. "We have to get back to the woods, but Weems has been watching me like a vulture circling a carcass."

"And you want me to cover so that you can return to the scene of a crime that didn't happen?" Enid guessed.

"Wow, Enid, you're getting better at this," Reena noted.

"I have beekeeping club this afternoon. I need you as decoy," Wednesday explained.

"Sorry. Two strikes," Enid apologized. "I'm busy and bees totally creep me out. Why don't you ask Thing? Wait, you can't because he's mad at you."

"Why's he mad? He's the one who screwed up."

"All I know is that we spent an hour giving each other manis, and he really opened up. He feels like you don't respect him as a person."

"Technically, he's only a hand."

"Wednesday! He's your family. And he would do anything for you. Go apologize and I'll reconsider helping you."

Reena patted Wednesday's shoulder. "You're on your own. I'm not gonna apologize to him. I haven't yelled at him. Yet."

* * *

"If Weems comes sniffing around, keep your distance, look grim, and don't say a word," Wednesday instructed Enid while they were in the bee shed.

Enid put the hat over her head. "Payback is going to be a bitch."

"I'd expect nothing less." Wednesday went over to Eugene. "Blab and I will squeeze you like a honeycomb."

"Snitches get stung. It's hive code," Eugene informed her. "Besides, I should be thanking you. This is the most girls I've ever had in the shed. Other than bees."

"Shocking."

"This whole shed is as much of a girl repellent as Axe body spray," Reena commented, looking around.

Eugene frowned, then smiled again. "I've always had a thing for werewolf chicks."

"The chance that Enid ever becomes romantically interested in you is less than 1%," Wednesday tried to let him down.

"So I've still got a shot? Yes!" Eugene exclaimed. 

Reena grabbed Wednesday's arm, pulling her out of the shed. "We're leaving. Now."

* * *

Wednesday and Reena hadn't been walking in the forest that long, but Reena was getting tired. "Are we almost there? This is the most walking I've done in months. Alright, that's a lie, but it's still too much walking."

"Stop complaining and keep walking," Wednesday snapped. "We need to find new evidence."

It was only a few seconds later that the two girls were pulled in another direction, and their mouths were covered. Had the person behind them not smelled like coffee, Reena would've kicked them in the dick the second she was grabbed. They watched as the Sheriff and his dog passed, and the second they were out of view, Wednesday and Reena pulled away from Tyler.

"Sorry," Tyler apologized. "I didn't want Elvis to pick up on your scent."

"Thanks. How'd you throw them off?" Wednesday asked.

"Uh..." Tyler pulled a small bag of coffee grounds from his pocket.

"Coffee grounds?"

"Deer-hunting hack. One of the perks of being a part-time barista."

"You're lucky you smell like coffee all the time. Otherwise, at least two of your fingers would be broken right now," Reena informed him.

Tyler was a little scared. "Oh."

"I assume your father didn't bring the bloodhound to play fetch," Wednesday got back on topic.

"He doesn't tell me shit. You must think it's weird I'm stalking him."

"No, I consistently stalk my parents," Wednesday denied and started walking away.

Reena went with her. "I always check my parents' Facebook before I go to bed."

Tyler went after them. "Hey, wait, what really happened the other night at the festival? Look, I swear I won't say anything to my dad."

Wednesday turned around. "I thought Rowan was in danger. Turns out I was wrong. Then he proceeded to use his telekinesis to try and choke me to death."

"I watched the whole thing go down," Reena told him. "It was fucking insane."

"Holy shit," Tyler muttered. "Wh... Why would he do that?"

Wednesday kept going. "No idea. That's when this monster came out of the shadows and gutted him."

"Whoa. Whoa. So... So you really saw it? And it didn't try to kill you?"

"It actually saved me from Rowan. That's the part I'm trying to figure out. I came here to find something that can prove he was murdered and that I haven't lost my mind. Yet."

Reena sighed. "If you've lost your mind, then I have, too." She spotted something on the ground. "Hey, what's that?"

Wednesday picked up the broken glasses. "These are Rowan's. I knew it was a cover-up."

Suddenly, her neck snapped back.

"A vision," Reena realized.

"A what?" Tyler questioned.

"Don't worry about it." Wednesday fell to her knees, and Reena kneeled next to her. "Did you have one?"

Wednesday nodded. "It's going to help us."