Chapter Text
“I don’t think—” Enid stopped herself and gripped Thing’s hand for support. “We don’t think you should wear that dress.”
Thing twirled his fingers, encouraging her to finish the speech they’d rehearsed.
“It’s a crime against fashion.” Enid tried not to grimace.
Wednesday jutted her chin defiantly. “There’s no law against it.”
“It’s red.” Thing signed out from a safe distance.
Wednesday pivoted sharply to face him. “It. Is. Not. Red.”
Enid swallowed hard, not wanting to contradict her friend as they stood in front of the full length mirror. Wednesday was wearing a red gown formerly owned by Principal Larissa Weems.
Before her private quarters were cleaned out, Wednesday and Enid had quietly pilfered through their principal’s belongings. The dress Wednesday had stolen was an astonishing vintage Alexander McQueen original. Unfortunately, it was 12 sizes too big, well over a foot too long and was covered in large, blood-red silk applique roses. Thing’s repeated attempts to dye the gown had only dulled the main body of the dress to a strange shade of ruddy gray.
“Wednesday, you look like a funeral arrangement.” Enid said in a measured tone.
“Don’t try to flatter me.” Wednesday tried to pull in the sides of the dress.
Thing’s posture deflated.
“I know you tried, Thing, you really did. Your tailoring skills are usually top level but this dress is such a mess.”
“It fits fine.” Wednesday said through clenched teeth. “It’s simply too long and too wide.”
“And too red.” Enid whispered.
“It’s not red. I do not wear red.”
Enid exhaled slowly. They still had 24 hours. Maybe it could be fixed? She decided to try a different tactic. “What does Xavier think of your dress?”
Wednesday didn’t answer. She stared out the window to Xavier’s dormitory. His shades were drawn. She scanned any signs of movement or light.
“Wednesday?”
“Xavier and I have not spoken recently.”
Enid studied her roommate’s solemn expression. “But you are still going to prom together tomorrow?”
“I assume so.” Wednesday’s voice remained even.
“Is he OK?”
I don’t actually know,” Wednesday said, returning to her page of notes on Advanced Botany.
Enid tilted her head. It was unusual to hear Wednesday utter the words I don’t know.
“I’ve been far too busy studying and he’s been working on his illustrations.” Xavier had started work on a graphic novel, a grisly story based loosely on Swan Lake.
“Why don’t you message him?” Enid suggested helpfully.
“His phone is off. I assume that he wants some peace and quiet. I can’t begin to imagine what that might be like.”
Enid’s eye widened. “That’s the second time you’ve used the word assume. That indicates to me that you know even less than you’re admitting.”
Wednesday pursed her lips. “Xavier skipped class today. Again.”
She turned back to his window as she slipped out of the dress. It wasn’t like Xavier to skip class but he hadn’t been himself lately.
💤
“Wednesday!”
“What?!” She startled awake to the sound of Enid’s phone ringing. Wednesday bolted upright with the indents of typewriter keys on her forehead.
Thing held up the phone but Enid turned up her nose at the incoming call. “I’m not speaking to Ajax.”
Wednesday rubbed her forehead and checked the wall clock. Enid followed her gaze. “You were only asleep for an hour. Wednesday, you need a break; you’ve been studying nonstop.”
“I need to get all A’s.”
“You will. You always do.” Enid reassured her. Wednesday was hoping to take advantage of the school policy allowing students to opt out of final exams in any classes where they had an A average.
“Even if you get all A’s, you won’t be valedictorian.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” Wednesday snapped. “I won’t even be salutatorian like my mother. If I have to suffer the humiliation of graduating 7th in my class, tied with Kent, I would at least like to avoid the end of the year festivities.”
“You can’t skip graduation.”
“Watch me.”
Graduation was a sore point between them. Enid had tried to hint that she wanted her roommate to be there for her commencement speech but Wednesday flatly refused.
“You aren’t still thinking about skipping everything are you? All the parties and end of the year?”
“Bypassing graduation is a modest goal but it’s really the best I can hope for at this point.” As a high school freshman, she had gotten a D in gym class. “Were it not for the sport of basketball, I would have a higher class standing. I can’t believe I’m tied with Kent and Xavier.”
As Wednesday returned to typing out her class notes, Enid quietly wondered if her roommate was intentionally not checking in on her boyfriend because she was hoping his grades would slip. Now that was truly twisted.
🖤
Enid pressed her lips together. “Um. Well, we still need to move all of these centerpieces down to the ballroom.”
Wednesday looked around their room slowly, surveying the milky white vases covering Enid’s side of the room. “I’ve been meaning to ask, why did you kill two dozen trees and paint them white?”
“The prom theme is Fire and Ice,” Enid said in her most authoritative tone.
“But they’re trees.” Wednesday argued.
“Tree branches.”
“I still don’t follow.”
“Do you want to help me or not?” Enid grabbed two vases.
“No, I don’t have absolutely no time to help.” Wednesday shook her head even as she started to heft the large centerpieces.
Enid’s phone continued to buzz as they slowly made their way down the hallway. “I didn’t kill and paint trees, by the way. They’re sycamore branches. They were already white.”
Wednesday followed Enid down the hall to the main steps. “Why would you use sycamore branches?”
Enid pivoted, trying to avoid hitting Davina with a branch as she descended the steps. Wednesday chose not to pivot, allowing a branch smack the siren squarely in the face.
“The branches fit the color scheme and sycamores remind me of Principal Weems: tall, pale, elegant.”
While Wednesday had stolen a dress, Enid had stolen Weems’ planner. The gold edged ledger contained their former principal’s detailed plans for every school event. As Class President, Enid oversaw all Nevermore social occasions. Unbeknownst to anyone but Wednesday, Enid had been following the instructions in Weems’ planner down to the letter. Everything their former principal had planned out for the school year had been carried out to her specifications. The Poe Cup banners, Parent’s Weekend speeches, holiday decorations, faculty gifts... Enid wanted everything to be done perfectly, exactly like Larissa Weems would have done if she had survived.
Wednesday knew it was stressing Enid out but it was easier to help her follow Weems' plans than to talk her into coming up with her own ideas.
The subject of Prom had covered 10 pages of notes which Enid had memorized down to the lighting design and table arrangements. Blue table cloths, blue glasses, icy white vases filled with white branches, fairy lights, fog machines and projectors.
Wednesday’s nose wrinkled as it brushed against a branch. “Did you remove the leaves yourself?”
“Ugh, no.” Enid sneezed. “Wait, are they poisonous?”
“Not unless you eat them.” Wednesday replied in an even monotone. “The leaves are toxic to horses.”
Enid rolled her eyes. “Wolves don’t eat leaves. You do know that, right?”
“I know you don’t eat leaves. You eat groundhogs and squirrels.” Wednesday stated flatly. “I’m simply saying that if you want to avoid the sniffles at prom, you should mask up. The bark is a respiratory irritant.”
“Yes, doctor.” Enid’s stomach growled, thinking about squirrel blood.
They entered the ballroom and surveyed the ice blue table settings and soft cerulean lighting. Projectors displayed flames to match the fire and ice theme.
Surveying the room, Enid beamed. It was exactly like Weem's diagrams. “It’s really nice, isn’t it?”
Wedneday nodded, unable to think of any cutting remarks or critical barb. It was stunning.
“Weems knew how to throw a party, didn’t she?” Enid sighed, setting the centerpieces down with a thud.
Wednesday’s heart felt heavy, thinking of their deceased principal. “Yes, she certainly did.”
Enid frowned sadly, overcome with emotion. She had worked so hard for this moment. It was going to be beautiful and perfect. “Hey roomie, how about if you finish setting up the tables and I'll go help Thing with your dress? Even if I have to color each of those damn petals with a sharpie, I will make them black.”
“OK.”
“You should grab Xavier and Ajax. They can help get the rest of the centerpieces — unless you don't want to risk Xavier accidentally seeing your dress. Is it supposed to be a surprise reveal?"
“Unlike you, I do not aspire to add additional drama to this overhyped excuse for teenagers rite of passage slash instagram moments. Everyone spends too much money on clothes they will later regret and dance with people they will most likely unfriend as soon as they set foot on a college campus.”
Enid's face fell. “Excuse me? I am head of this overhyped rite of passage.”
Wednesday was taken aback by the harshness in her roommate's voice. “I'm still planning to go.” She said quickly. "And as a member of the Nightshades, I am fully committed to being on the cleanup crew as, previously arranged."
Enid's tone of voice grew cold. "This prom is going to be a night to remember. Come hell or high water.”
“I’ll settle for hell.” Wednesday whispered.
“And tell Ajax to stop calling. I’m not speaking to him.”
”Dare I ask why?”
”I can’t remember right now but I’m sure I have a perfectly good reason,” Enid said sharply.
Wednesday wondered if lack of sleep was finally taking its toll on her usually cheerful roommate. Enid’s claws scratched the wall as she sprinted up the stairs.
Wednesday’s shoulders ached, the centerpiece were heavier than they looked. She felt like a sleepwalker as she slowly walked the steps to Xavier's room.