Chapter Text
The day was clear, but cool—a typical weather for this time of year in the surroundings of Nevermore. The students settled on the terrace of the school cafeteria, enjoying lunch under the faintly warm rays of the autumn sun. The terrace was framed by large gray stones, like a picture frame, but mostly it was covered with lush green grass that seemed to defy the autumnal laws of nature. Even now, when the leaves were beginning to crunch underfoot, the grass continued to absorb the last rays of the sun, stubbornly refusing to dull. The air smelled of dampness, the freshness of autumn leaves, and the spicy aroma of non-alcoholic apple cider, which someone had decided to drink.
As usual, Wednesday sat with perfect posture, her very presence seemed to create an invisible barrier that separated her from those around her. Her black outfit sharply contrasted with the vibrant colors of the autumn landscape. A polite aloofness could be read on her face, and her eyes constantly scanned the surroundings, like a predator waiting for the moment to strike. Yoko sat across from her, casually sipping blood from a transparent bottle with a long plastic straw, which curled like a snake. Her movements were graceful and unhurried, but from time to time, she glanced at Wednesday—whether out of caution, respect, or a bit of both. Next to Yoko, Ajax stirred his porridge with sauce, looking thoughtful, even slightly irritated, as if his mind was wandering far beyond the terrace. Bianca, as always, held herself with a cold, composed demeanor, but her quick, scanning gaze made it clear she noticed every detail.
The peaceful, slightly tense equilibrium was broken by Enid’s loud voice. She approached the table with Divina, both carrying trays laden with colorful dishes. Everything about Enid was cheerful—from her brightly patterned clothes to the mood she seemed to charge everyone around her with.
"Here we are!" Enid exclaimed, cheerfully plopping down next to Wednesday and carefully placing her tray on the table. Her eyes were sparkling, and her smile made it seem as though even the sunlight had gotten a little brighter. "Today was pumpkin soup! My favorite!"
Wednesday lazily lifted her gaze, her tone even and completely indifferent:
"An excellent choice if you enjoy food that simultaneously reminds you of baby food and wallpaper glue."
Enid, completely oblivious to the sarcasm, clapped her hands joyfully, as if it were the best compliment she could hear:
"Perfect! Just what I need on a day like this!"
Wednesday merely raised an eyebrow slightly, returning her focus to her lunch. Neither Enid's bright enthusiasm nor her carefree laughter affected her. However, for a keen observer, it was clear that a slight spark had appeared in Wednesday's eyes, but she skillfully concealed it.
Meanwhile, Divina silently sat next to Yoko, her movements quiet and unobtrusive, like the wind barely touching the surface of the water. She smiled only at Yoko, her gaze warm but slightly distant, as if an invisible barrier existed between her and the others at the table. However, her attention soon shifted to Ajax. He clearly glanced at Enid with some tension when she, completely ignoring him, laid down her spoon and, almost by accident, leaned slightly toward Wednesday, resting her arm on the table.
Yoko, sitting opposite, noticed the movement, raising an eyebrow and slightly pulling her lips away from the straw through which she was leisurely sipping blood. With a faint smirk, she remarked:
"You're the only person who can take Wednesday's words as a compliment and even be happy about it," her voice was quieter, as though meant only for the initiated.
"Of course!" Enid smiled, fixing a strand of hair. "Wednesday, she just loves me in her own way."
Wednesday quietly muttered, without lifting her gaze:
"It's amazing how you find ways to twist reality to your advantage."
Divina, observing this scene, slightly tilted her head, her gaze becoming more focused when she noticed Ajax's barely perceptible movement—he gripped his spoon a bit harder than necessary. Clearly, he hadn't missed the fleeting touch of Enid's hand on Wednesday.
A light tension hung in the air on the terrace, but it was immediately broken by Bianca's muffled laughter, as she sat with her arms crossed over her chest, observing the scene with absolute calm, as if it were her personal performance.
Divina, sitting next to Yoko, still maintained her silent presence, as if watching the scene through an invisible veil. Her smile slightly faded as the tension around the table became more palpable. She noticed how Ajax kept glancing at Enid, his gaze returning to her again and again, as if trying to catch something elusive.
Enid, on the other hand, seemed completely carefree. She rambled on about the taste of the pumpkin soup, exchanging remarks with Yoko, but her gaze increasingly lingered on Wednesday. Wednesday sat unwavering, like a statue, her face as impassive as the gray stone that framed the terrace.
Finally, once Enid finished her soup, she set down her spoon and moved a little closer to Wednesday. A light breeze picked up golden leaves and swirled them in the air, while the tension at the table grew, as if some invisible force was waiting for the moment to explode.
"Wednesday, I need a favor," Enid finally began, leaning on the table and looking intently at her neighbor. Her voice sounded unexpectedly soft, almost confidential, but it was clear she was gearing up to ask something.
Wednesday slowly lifted her gaze to her. The cold, piercing gleam in her eyes held no trace of curiosity, yet it conveyed something that made everyone at the table freeze.
"I'm not giving you another lap dance," she said flatly, but her words, like sharp knives, instantly shattered the calm.
A dead silence followed. Yoko froze, her straw fell from her mouth, hitting the wooden table with a dull thud, her eyes wide as though she had just heard the most shocking confession of her life.
Ajax seemed to stop breathing. He froze, his gaze darting between Wednesday and Enid, as if trying to figure out what was a joke and what was real. Even Bianca, usually unflappable, slightly raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the unfolding drama.
Only Enid remained unperturbed, but there was a mischievous gleam in her eyes. She realized she had just gotten herself into a situation and now had to figure out how to get out of it.
The silence that enveloped the terrace was so thick that it seemed even the wind had paused its movement to listen. All eyes were on Wednesday and Enid, but each reaction expressed something different: shock, interest, or irritation.
"Lap dance...?" Yoko finally breathed out, her voice trembling, and her eyes widened so much they seemed unusually large behind her narrow glasses. She slowly picked up the fallen straw and put it back into the bottle, as if afraid she might miss a single word.
The spoon clattered into Ajax's porridge, splashing milk foam around. He straightened up sharply, as if doused with ice water, and his face, usually calm, twisted in indignation.
"Another one?" he asked, his voice vibrating like a taut string. Each word sounded like a challenge, but his gaze—angry and confused—was directed solely at Enid.
Bianca, sitting across from them, couldn’t help herself. She raised an eyebrow with such finesse it almost looked theatrical, and her lips curled into a barely restrained smile.
"You know what?" she drawled, leaning forward and resting her elbows on the table. "I’m not even surprised. This actually sounds completely logical."
Wednesday, completely unperturbed, as if she hadn't noticed the small storm around her, tilted her head slightly. Her face remained as calm as the surface of a pond.
"For me or for her?" she asked with absolute seriousness, her even tone a stark contrast to the emotions flooding the table.
Enid nervously giggled, her bright laughter cutting through the tense atmosphere like a flash of light. She looked around at everyone, her cheeks slightly flushed, but she clearly didn’t know what to do next.
Yoko pushed her glasses up on her nose, casting tense glances between Enid and Wednesday.
"Well, now I definitely want to know the details," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, but the words seemed louder due to the overall tension.
Wednesday calmly lowered her gaze back to her plate, took a small sip of tea, and delivered a short, chillingly calm remark:
"This makes no sense. Just like your dramatic reaction."
Ajax frowned, his spoon frozen in mid-air, and his brows furrowed at the bridge of his nose, casting a shadow that emphasized his anger. He shifted his gaze from Enid to Wednesday, as if trying to find even the slightest clue to believe this was all a joke.
"What do you mean 'another one'? When did this even happen?" His voice was low and threatening, as if the suppressed anger was about to explode.
Enid suddenly froze and then hastily waved her hand, as if she could dissipate the growing tension with that gesture.
"Oh, she just said it casually! You know, sometimes she just says something, and then it's too late to explain! There really wasn't any lap dance!" She laughed, but her laughter sounded a bit forced.
Bianca, watching the unfolding scene, tilted her head to the side, her eyes glinting with barely suppressed laughter. Her hand rested casually on the table, and her lips curled into a sly smile.
Yoko set her bottle of blood aside, her attention fully on Wednesday. She leaned slightly forward, her eyes shining behind her glasses.
Wednesday slowly turned to face Enid, her movements measured like a hawk waiting to strike. Her penetrating gaze made Enid nervously gulp.
"How interesting," she finally said in an icy tone, as if echoing a forthcoming verdict. "I remember a time when you convinced me to perform that ridiculous scene from your school video reel."
Enid immediately tensed up, her eyes widening, and her hands clutching the edge of the table.
"Wednesday," she began, her voice wavering. "Let's not bring that up..."
But Wednesday, as expected, ignored her protests, continuing in the same calm, dispassionate voice:
"You claimed it would be 'fun.'"
"Oooo!" breathed Yoko, her eyes lighting up as if she had just discovered something incredibly juicy.
Yoko pressed her hand to her mouth, trying to stifle her laughter, but her shoulders betrayed her with a slight shake. Ajax, on the other hand, sat like a stone statue, his hand still gripping the spoon in mid-air, his face a mix of bewilderment and fury.
"Video reel?!" Ajax seemed on the verge of an outburst, his eyes widening, and his breathing becoming deep and intermittent. He tried to swallow, apparently overwhelmed by this amount of information. "Are you serious?!"
Enid stood frozen for a moment, then her eyes sparkled—she clearly wasn’t about to back down. She quickly waved her hands as if trying to scatter all this tension as though it could be simply "waved away."
“Well, it was part of the project!” Enid's voice became louder, a bit faster, as if she were searching for a justification that might work. “Wednesday was just the actor! Everything was strictly professional! No personal meaning, nothing like that at all!”
As usual, Wednesday remained calm, almost emotionless. She scanned the table with her eyes, observing everyone present before turning back to Ajax. Her voice sounded almost monotone, but there was a constant irony in it.
“If ‘nothing like that’ means you bought me a long black coat with a high collar and lace cuffs, claiming the audience would ‘get bored without proper presentation,’ then, of course.”
Wednesday said this with such unwavering calmness, as if describing the most ordinary school supplies. But her words hung in the air, increasing the tension as if each one was louder than the last.
Ajax silently widened his eyes, clearly unsure how to react. He began shaking his head, but seemed unable to believe what was happening.
“You even ordered costumes?” His voice was a little quieter, but sounded as if he were trying to find a rational explanation for everything he had just heard.
Bianca, unable to hold it in, leaned forward slightly, barely containing her laughter. She put her elbow on the table and covered her mouth with her hand to hide her grin, but her shoulders betrayed her, shaking slightly.
“Costumes?” Bianca’s voice sounded as though she had just heard the most absurd story in the world. “Are you serious? Enid, this sounds like some fanfic with an M rating.”
Divina, sitting silently next to Yoko, couldn’t help but notice how everyone around her was trying to figure out what was happening and how the tension was building. She didn’t intervene in the conversation, but her gaze was keen, like someone who knows exactly when it’s best to stay in the shadows. She smiled to herself, secretly enjoying the amusing situation. A light breeze played with her hair, and the sounds of laughter and surprised remarks from her friends filled the atmosphere, creating a sense of lightness despite the absurdity of it all.
Bianca’s laughter echoed across the terrace, but despite all the efforts to hold it in, Yoko couldn’t help but glance at Divina. Her gaze was slightly wary, as if she were preparing for yet another unexpected reaction.
“No-no-no, you’ve all misunderstood!” Enid began to panic, grabbing Wednesday’s hand as if that could stop the flow of her revelations. Her eyes darted from one face to another, and her cheeks flushed a deep red. “Wednesday, stop talking! It was just a rehearsal!”
Wednesday slowly turned her head, her piercing gaze like a knife, neatly slicing through any excuse.
“If ‘rehearsal’ includes comments that I ‘scare the audience’ with my stare, and requests to ‘smile as if I want to charm them, not bury them,’ then yes, it was a rehearsal,” her voice was calm, like a distant rumble of thunder before a storm, and the corners of her lips barely twitched with a touch of grim amusement.
Yoko couldn’t hold back any longer. She burst into laughter, collapsing onto Divina’s shoulder, her laughter echoing across the terrace like music, shattering the last remnants of formality.
“This is the best meal of my life!” she exclaimed, grabbing the table to keep herself from falling completely.
Divina simply smiled softly, glancing at Enid, whose face had turned so red it seemed like it could warm the entire table. Ajax covered his face with his hands, muttering something under his breath, probably trying not to explode from jealousy. Bianca, arms crossed, finally let herself laugh out loud. She tilted her head back, relishing the moment, as if it were the most refined dessert.
“You know what? This is brilliant. I demand to see that video.”
“NO!” Enid practically jumped in place, her voice ringing so loudly that people at nearby tables couldn’t help but turn around. Her hands shot up, as if she were trying to catch the words that had already escaped. “Wednesday, tell them it’s a joke!”
Wednesday calmly turned to Enid with an expression that was either indifference or hidden enjoyment of the situation. Her cold gaze fell on her friend, but she didn’t rush to answer. In the silence, only the light breeze rustled the leaves lazily.
“It would be a joke if I hadn’t agreed,” Wednesday finally replied, her voice so flat that it made everything even worse. “But I did agree.”
A pause followed, and then Divina, who had been concealing her reaction until now, suddenly burst out laughing, quickly pressing a napkin to her lips. Her shoulders shook, but her gaze remained focused, as if she were still trying to maintain some semblance of seriousness.
Yoko, it should be noted, was practically lying on her shoulder, wiping the corners of her eyes, looking completely helpless in the grip of her laughter. Ajax, however, looked like a volcano on the brink of eruption, though his outrage was clearly drowning in the general amusement.
Enid, seemingly realizing the hopelessness of her situation, let out a quiet sigh and dropped her head into her hands. Her hair covered her face, but the red tips of her ears betrayed her embarrassment.
“I’ll never ask you for anything again…” she moaned, her voice full of tragedy and resignation.
For a moment, everyone quieted, and only the rustling of the leaves and the gentle whisper of the autumn wind reminded them that the world beyond their table still existed. But this calm didn’t last long, and laughter once again filled the terrace, as if it were part of their unchanging autumn symphony.