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Nevermore - that sorry excuse for a school tortured Wednesday. In a bad way. Like the time when her brother Pugsley thought it would be funny to switch up her signature black and white wardrobe for a pink one she actually ended up wearing for a whole week. Wednesday could excuse many things – even people accusing her of attempted murder (she always finished the job, thank you very much), but she drew the line at colour. It was a most vile, barbaric offence, unfit for civilised people like them. Real pranks included, but were not limited to: trying to blow each other up, shooting at each other with crossbows, using guns in sword fights.
Nevermore was worse. It was full of infuriatingly dull teenagers who, luckily for Wednesday, avoided her for the most part. That very thought always brought a smile to the young Addams' face. Wednesday was too weird even for the other outcasts and she was fine with that. She might even say she loved it.
But alas, there were always exceptions. In Wednesday's case, the thorn in her side was none other than the nauseating mess of colours that was Enid Sinclair. Just thinking about how much of a sunshine that girl was made Wednesday shudder. What was worse, the blonde girl never relented in her pursuit of a friendship with the Addams - no matter how many death threats and insults she received, Enid would just laugh it off and continue as if nothing had happened.
It made Wednesday want to gouge her own eyes out with a spoon. Or at least it used to. As of late, the Addams girl had noticed a peculiar trend - the always-annoying demeanour of her lycan roommate had slowly started to become less annoying, despite the behaviour itself not changing.
It all started with that hug. The hug Enid gave her after saving her life. Perhaps the werewolf had hexed her. Could witchcraft non-practitioners do such things? Or did Enid secretly practice witchcraft? In any case, there was no other explanation for this revolting feeling that manifested within Wednesday every time she laid eyes upon her roommate. It should go away on its own or perhaps Wednesday would have to break the hex with one of her mother's methods. But it won't last. Enid Sinclair won’t break her.
But it didn't stop at weird feelings. Wednesday became somewhat dependent on her roommate without even realising it. She suddenly cared about what was going on with her friend - if Enid was sad, Wednesday was mad at whoever had caused it. If she was happy, Wednesday was in her usual state of apathy.
This madness had to end. Now.
"What are you doing?" A painfully familiar voice cut through the silence. Wednesday slowly turned around, careful not to push any of the vials placed on her desk. Her eyes scanned Enid slowly, stopping on her face just for a second longer. There it was again – that bubbling feeling arising in her chest, making her heart skip a beat. It wasn’t rage, nor fear – she felt these all too often to mistake them. It was something else, something warm, reminiscent of what she felt for Tyler but tenfold stronger. Wednesday had never been good with positive emotions. She didn’t know what it was, nor why it was part of the hex’s effect.
“Breaking a spell somebody has cast on me." Wednesday turned her focus onto the little cauldron she had in front of her and, with almost visibly shaking hands, put a weird gooey substance in it. "It would be in your best interest to leave and not disturb me for at least an hour more.” The girl made a vain attempt to calm her wildly beating heart. As of late, that goal was becoming more and more unreachable.
Enid’s smile faded. "We agreed not to do stuff like that, Weds."
"You said emergencies were exceptions. This is an emergency." Wednesday's ice-cold tone sent a shiver through her roommate. The fact that she hadn't even bothered to turn back around made it all the more chilling.
"Are you alright?" The werewolf slowly approached her friend, crossing the long-gone border separating their room in halves. They had stopped dividing it actively a long time ago.
Sensing the sudden movement, Wednesday sprang from her chair, pulling away from Enid's hand as if she had got burnt. "Don't touch me. It was you who did it, was it not?" Almost-black eyes bore into blue ones. Ones filled with suspicion and the others - confusion. Both waging a war with no end goal.
"I know you are keen on weird stuff but this is ridiculous, Wednesday." Enid's expression morphed into a hurt one. She backed away, the action causing Wednesday‘s chest to tighten in a bad way. "You know what, this is what your problem is. You always jump onto conclusions, thinking you're right. " Enid did have a point – Wednesday would, despite her calm appearance, always be too quick to judge and a bit reckless in her decision-making. That did not mean she had to admit it. That would make her lose some of the mysticism that surrounded her and kept her isolated from the others.
Wednesday's eyes widened. “I said get out. Or perhaps I should rethink the decision of getting rid of my silver dagger,” she spat out, keeping a steady voice. Enid gaped at her. It hurt Wednesday to do it but if her roommate wasn’t willing to confess her wrongdoing, violence would certainly drive her away. Even if her heart screamed at her not to fight with the only person who never left her side.
“Fine then, have it your way. I can’t believe you!” Enid stormed out, muttering to herself angrily.
Wednesday continued her work, occasionally glancing at Enid’s side of the room, trying not to think about her.
“Mother, I need your help.” Wednesday was sat in front of her crystal ball, crazed expression on her face and a bunch of vials in her hands. After a good few hours of trying (and failing) she had finally relented, swallowed her pride and sought out the expert opinion of her mother. She was certain her appearance resembled that of a mad scientist – at least she looked charming. “I suspect somebody has cursed me and I can’t break it. I have tried everything – even confronted the one responsible for my predicament. Nothing has worked.”
“I thought you had that on your bucket list, no?” Morticia frowned. The obvious display of concern made Wednesday visibly cringe. It wasn‘t the same as Enid‘s – for some unfathomable reason, hers was tolerable. Perhaps it was because Enid‘s concern for Wednesday, who always managed to get herself in trouble, was a constant in their friendship.
“I was hoping it would be at a later age.” The girl deadpanned.
“Well then, explain it in detail, dear. I am sure we will manage something.” Her mother smiled softy. Wednesday still though of the fruitless attempts at bonding her mother was exploiting as something unnecessary. She had voiced her feelings over and over: she felt misunderstood even by her loving family and only a few people shared her feelings on the matter. What was transpiring right now was business, nothing more.
“It is a most terrible thing – every time I lay eyes upon that person I can feel my heart race, my breath hitch, my face gets hot. I want to get closer to them but to run far away as well. It terrifies me. Why do I feel that way?” Wednesday had racked through her brain numerous times for the answer but to no avail. Perhaps it would be her mother who would solve the puzzle. She hoped for it, needed that closure. The uncertainty of the situation was unpleasant, unlike grave digging (a favourite past time of hers), where the thrill of not knowing whether that particular grave had already been ransacked caused excitement. There were also the corpses who never talked, never made Wednesday question things like what Enid was doing.
“Oh, you foolish child. This is no curse. It’s something far worse.” Morticia let out a laugh, causing her daughter to frown in confusion. “It’s love and I hope you figure out what to do with this person in due time, it’s for your own good.”
The gears inside Wednesday's head rotated and then finally clicked. She was feeling love, an emotion long forgotten. Of course, there were different kinds of love – Wednesday loved her family but knew it was different from the love one felt for the person they were destined to be with. That, she had felt so long ago, she could argue she may have never experienced it. Tyler came close but what Wednesday had felt for him was dull compared to what she was feeling now, resulting in her mistaking the former for mere excitement and the latter – for an unnatural force of sorts.
But now, Wednesday had to face the hard truth – she had feelings for her roommate. Wednesday Addams, the grim and lonely girl (it was a sort of a trademark at this point), a raven, as her mother had said, destined to be alone, had fallen for one of her few friends, and the most unlikely one at that. Where did she go from here? So many overwhelming realisations hit her at once.
Wednesday looked at her mother, a look of horror on her already pale face. Morticia took a sip out of her tea cup and just smiled knowingly. It seemed she had an answer for that too.
“Remember what your father used to say back when you were still willing to listen? It might be useful to revisit that.” Wednesday did remember. All too well at that. A lecture on the Addams family’s strange affinity to love. Wednesday had vowed to never fall a victim to it but perhaps, just like the heroes from the ancient myths she so loved as a child, she had brought her imminent doom in her desire to evade it.
"Love is our weakness," Gomez had said, "or perhaps our strength, for love is a powerful thing, uniting people." He had patted his daughter's head. "Do not be afraid when the time comes, my little storm cloud. Yes, it will be scary at first but you will eventually relent. It's every Addams' destiny. Love changes us." Just then, her mother had walked into the room. Her father's eyes had lit up immediately.
Back in the present, Wednesday noticed her mom staring, gentle smile on her face. She, for the first time in years, returned it. Perhaps it really was business, at least to her, but it wasn’t so bad to be smothered in motherly love once in a while, she concluded. Especially in such a dire time.
“Thank you, mother. I think I know what to do now.” As soon as the words had left her mouth, the girl was already halfway through the room, putting her coat on. It was time to win her friend back and at the very least get the bothersome feelings off her chest.
“Don’t mess this up, Wednesday! Your father and I would like to meet this lucky person.” Morticia ended the call.
“Mother you are blowing this completely out of proportion- And she‘s gone.“ The girl shook her head in amusement.
Wednesday should have thought this trough. But she hadn’t and now she was in the middle of Nevermore academy’s bustling courtyard, in pursuit of the object of her newly-found affections. Who was currently mad at her. Unfortunately, the Addams was armed with only a love confession, a pair of revolting red roses provided by her trusty companion Thing (Hell bless him) and a heart that threatened to break out of her chest any time now. She should have got rid of that thing a long time ago.
Scanning the crowd of students, Wednesday finally noticed her target and began advancing. Without thinking it over yet again. In her state of deep thought, she failed to notice someone standing right in her path, hit them and fell over.
Looking up, the Addams saw none other than Enid’s best friend and now a future target on her hit list, Yoko Tanaka. As Wednesday got up and moved to pass by, the vampire, hands crossed and with a light snarl in her otherwise neutral expression, blocked her way.
“Long time no see, Addams.” Wednesday opened her mouth to throw a biting remark. She was so close to Enid and now her friend‘s guard dog was in the way. “Spare your words. I know you’re here for Enid.” Yoko frowned. “Don’t give me the death glare, I’m looking out for her. She’s pretty fed up with you, you know? Poor Enid just finished crying her eyes out. Because of your shenanigans.” Wednesday was above petty taunts. They suited only little children with limited vocabulary. People with any amount of brains in their skulls used real insults and death threats. Her current goal was to get the vampire to move anyway. She wasn‘t here to quarrel.
“I should have spared some time to see to it that you’re never found again the moment we first met. So, unless you wish me to revise my mistake, I strongly advise you to move.” Wednesday tilted her head, wild eyes staring at Yoko, who took a step to the side. A ghost of a smile graced the Addams‘ features. “And for the record – I’ve done some vampire hunting in the past. Watch your back or you will get stabbed.” Wednesday wasn’t lying. She had been trained for years on how to hunt supernatural beasts in case of an emergency. It was almost disappointing she never got to use her skills for more than peaceful negotiations. Life was unfair at times.
“You are a weirdo, Wednesday. I don’t get why Enid still can’t get over you.” Yoko threw one last insult. Wednesday paid it no mind – she had business to do.
The Addams slowly approached the table her friend was sat on. Upon closer inspection, Wednesday noticed the tear stains on Enid‘s face and the smudged mascara around her eyes, which were red and puffy from crying. Enid was sniffling quietly, a handkerchief in one hand while the other was holding Divina’s arm in a vice-like grip. Something in her broke at the sight. She had to fix this mess.
When she was close enough for the lycan‘s senses to pick her up, Wednesday saw Enid‘s eyes shoot up in her direction. Her heart began that excruciating dance it did every time Enid was present. Now, she knew why that was.
„Wednesday.“
„Enid.“
„Why are you here? “Enid blew her nose in the handkerchief. Wednesday suddenly found her shoes rather intriguing. She didn‘t usually feel remorse for her actions. Enid, unfortunately, proved to be an exception to the rule yet again.
„You, “she said.
„Go away, please. No amount of half-assed apologies will do, “Enid said, eyes reaching far out behind Wednesday as if trying to hold against something, some invisible force. “Not this time.”
Wednesday released a breath she hadn’t even realised she was holding, squared her shoulders and took a step forward, ending up in Enid’s personal space. She pushed the flowers into her friend’s hands a bit roughly. A startled Enid accepted them, even if with confusion.
“What are these for?”
“They are a gift. For you.” Wednesday clasped her hands. “I wish to issue a formal apology to you, Enid Sinclair. I treated you unfairly and accused you of something you didn’t do.” Wednesday knew what came next. She wanted to say it, had to, even.
Enid’s eyes narrowed. ”Is that all? Because I’m sensing you’re not finished yet.”
Wednesday’s already frantic heartbeat sped up even more. With wide eyes and an unreadable expression, she stated, “The reason for my erratic behaviour these past few weeks is the feelings I harbour for you.” Brief panic flashed through Enid’s face, followed by a crimson tint in her cheeks. She looked away only to be met with a snickering Yoko.
“Ouch! Was that an apple?” Wednesday’s heart warmed at the display before her. Seeing Enid flustered made her feel things. “Talk to her, you idiot. I may not like her but you’ve been dreaming of that moment for ages now.” A thump followed. “You did not throw a tray at me-“
“Zip it, Yoko. Let’s go.” Divina, with evident embarrassment, helped her girlfriend up and dragged her away to a neighbouring table. Once sat, she winked at Enid, giving her that much needed encouragement.
Now alone, both girls looked at each other. Wednesday noted to herself how beautiful Enid looked in the golden light of the setting sun: radiant blue eyes that always lit up whenever they caught a glimpse of a certain student with an affinity for black, a thing many had noticed but never commented on; a mischievous smile that brightened up everybody’s day; blonde hair with dyed ends that swayed gently in the afternoon breeze; she admired the scars on the werewolf’s face, a testament to her friend’s strength and bravery.
“Weds, are you…smiling?”
“I love you.” Wednesday blurted out before she could stop herself. In shock, she covered her mouth with one hand and glared at Enid who, with mouth agape, was now as red as a tomato.
The Addams‘ love curse had laid dormant for long enough. Her father had been right, after all. Now, Wednesday would do things like this on a daily basis, involuntarily. But if it made Enid smile and blush, she would endure the torture.
“I know what you want to say, what follows this confession.” The lycan stood from the bench and pushed forwards. Another step and she would bump into Wednesday. “Say it.” It sounded equally like a plea and a command. Who was Wednesday to deny such request from Enid?
The Addams, now more composed, closed her eyes and took a breath as if she was preparing for a speech. She was suddenly aware of the other students who would be present for her biggest display of vulnerability yet. She was pleasantly surprised to find out the idea did not bother her. Enid was right in front of her, patiently waiting, and that was what mattered.
"Since you now know my deepest desires, I must make an offer to initiate a relationship, given that you feel the same of course." Wednesday sized Enid up, waiting for a reaction. "This is fate and I would be a fool to go against it." Enid, still taken aback even by the very same words she expected to hear, looked at Wednesday with adoration.
"That was a rather...interesting choice of words, but it's so you and it makes it sweet. Of course I feel the same." Enid spread her hands out. “May I?” Wednesday spent a few moments thinking it over and slowly nodded.
The werewolf enveloped her friend-turned-something-more into a warm, gentle hug. She felt Wednesday relax in her arms, head resting on her shoulder. “I accept your proposal.”
Enid felt the eyes of all the other Nevermore students boring into them, felt the tension and stillness but did not let Wednesday go. She wouldn’t allow them to take such an important moment from her and moreover, from Wednesday, whom Enid knew had gone out of her comfort zone just to make all of this happen.
Sometime into the hug Enid felt something vibrate near her shoulder. “You should expect an invitation to a date in due time.” Even muffled, Wednesday’s speech was still audible.
Enid smiled. “I would expect nothing less from you, Weds.”