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The woods outside of Nevermore was peacefully quiet, aside from Eugene’s joyful rambling. The Addams children took turns humming to acknowledge his words while also bracing themselves for the beaming sunlight they were fast approaching, as they walked out of the comfortably shadowed woods and back to campus.
“WILLA!” Enid screamed as they climbed the hill. Wednesday couldn’t decide what assaulted her more the bright sun or Enid’s volume.
“Yes Sinclair”
“The Nightshades are throwing a party tonight!” Enid grinned, running down to the goth with shocking speed. Her pink Converse digging into the dirt to stop her from tripping over the shorter girl.
“And?”
“We should go together!”
“Why would I do that?” Wednesday asked, missing the point entirely.
“Cause it would be fun!” Enid rebutted.
“Standing around a crowded room with deafening pop music and cheap liquor is not fun, it’s torture…..and not the good kind” Wednesday argued.
“Oh come on! It’s just the Nightshades and you’re friends with all of them!” Enid whined playfully. She would never force Wednesday to do something she didn’t want to do but that doesn’t mean she won’t try to push her out of her comfort zone just a little bit.
“I tolerate them” Wednesday corrected “Tolerating is vastly different then friendship.”
“Wednesday! Please! I’ll make it up to you I swear but I think you’ll have fun! Just do it for me, and if you really hate it you can leave!” The blonde pleaded.
Wednesday stared at Enid, desperately trying to keep her crumbling resolve. She hated parties, hated crowds, hated loud music, hated drinking games, she hated all of it. But, Enid had this talent for breaking Wednesday’s self-preservation until she complied. It was a talent Wednesday wasn’t sure the wolf actually knew she had, judging by the innocent but clueless quality in those big blue puppy eyes she didn’t, but it was a power she had nonetheless. Maybe It was the dazzling grin that painted her face when she got what she wanted or the annoyingly adorable persistence she showed when asking Wednesday for it, but some invisible force would always hold the goth back from saying no to her roommate. No matter how hard she tired, that fluttering feeling deep in her stomach would win out every single time.
“Fine,” Wednesday sighed.
“OMG! Really? I promise you won’t regret this!” Enid squealed as she placed her hands on Wednesday’s pale forearms while jumping up and down, shaking the shorter girl in the process.
“I already am.” Wednesday deadpanned with no real malice. She could never regret something that made Enid this happy. Especially when she was smiling down at Wednesday like that, she was just as hopelessly in love as her parents.
“Hey pup! If you are not up this hill and in class in the next three minutes you’ll be late.” Yoko yelled from the quad, the wolf’s hot pink school bag in hand.
“Oh shit!” Enid cursed while looking between the vampire and Wednesday.
“Well go on, before you tardy…again.” The seer prompted.
“O…Okay…..Yeah! I’ll see you later, Roomie” Enid waved as she ran up the emerald hill. Wednesday watched her as she left. Her golden hair shined under the sun’s rays, the soft pink and blue peaking through like flower buds waiting to bloom. She truly was the most beautiful girl Wednesday ever saw.
“Uh….Wednesday? Hey, earth to Wednesday!” Eugene called when he noticed the older girl staring for a little too long. They were lucky none of them had a class or they would’ve been very late.
“I think we lost her,” Pugsley laughed. Thing began to climb up Wednesday’s shoulder, snapping his fingers loudly in her ear. The sound made her blink in surprise.
“What?” The young writer said in a more startled tone than she would've liked.
“When are you two going to wake-up and admit you have feelings for each other? Eugene giggled.
“I do not have romantic intentions with Enid and she does not have them with me” That was a lie, Wednesday knew she had a crush on Enid since their first hug the night of the battle against Crackstone. Whether Enid wanted to be more than friends with her was the incomprehensible part.
“I call bullshit” Thing signed.
“Me too! You know I’d be willing to bet you and Enid kiss at least once before that party ends.”
“Do not try to predict the future brother, that’s my job.”
“Wednesday! You don’t predict the future, you just see it” Eugene corrected “Also I would totally take that bet.”
Wednesday rolled her eyes. She was seriously starting to regret the day mother introduced the two boys, Pugsley was a terrible influence on Eugene.
“What do you say Friday, you in? Or are you too scared to admit you actually fell in love?” The younger Addams slung his arm around his sister’s back playfully. Pugsley wasn’t an expert at much besides handiwork but he was most definitely an expert at pushing Wednesday’s preverbal buttons. The use of her middle name, the physical touch that also demonstrated their increased height difference, the challenge….Wednesday never backed down from a challenge and no one knew that better than her dear brother.
“What are your terms?”
“If you and Enid kiss before the party is over then…”
“I have an objection.” The raven interrupted.
“Ugh…what is it?” Eugene raised his bushy eyebrows.
“Even if this kiss were to happen, which it won’t, how would you two know about it? Enid only invited me and you two don’t share any classes with her to ask for an invitation.”
Pugsley clicked his tongue audibly, making Wednesday smirk.
“Bee boy could always just text her.” Thing signed smugly.
I am going to kill that hand, Wednesday thought.
“Done!” Eugene said. The blinding light of his phone screen ripping Wednesday out of her thoughts.
🐝: Hey Enid! Can me and Pugsley come to the party tonight?
🦄💕🎊🐺: OFC!!!!! I’m so sorry for not inviting you earlier! I was so focused on convincing Wednesday it slipped my mind!
“Continue,” Wednesday said begrudgingly. There was no getting out of this now.
“Like I was saying, if you and Enid kiss before the party is over then you owe me and ‘gen fifty bucks.” Pugsley explained.
“Excuse you, I’m taking the bet too.” Thing chimed in with clear annoyance.
“Okay! If you and Enid kiss before the party is over then you owe me, Eugene and Thing fifty bucks.” Pugsley exhaled dramatically as he talked, neon blue electricity sparking from his fingertips. He was growing impatient, Wednesday could use that.
“And if we don’t you three give me fifty dollars?” The older girl murmured.
“Exactly!” Pugsley held out his hand but Wednesday didn’t shake it.
“No”
“What!” Eugene shrieked so loudly it almost made Wednesday laugh….almost.
“Despite the fact that this kiss has a one-percent chance of happening and an extra hundred-and-fifty dollars would do me some good. I do not wish to offer up all of my birthday money from Granny Frump, I suggest you lower your standards.” Wednesday bluffed. She certainly had more than enough personal cash but she wasn’t about to admit the probability of this kiss happening was higher then she let on, though it wasn't by much. Still, her brother's predictable meddling would up the probability quite a bit, especially if money was on the line. He was too much like their Uncle Fester for his own good. She’ll have to prevent him from interfering.
“Okay, make it thirty. ” Eugene offered.
“Lower” Wednesday stalled. She was secretly hoping if she made Pugsley wait long enough he’d forget the whole bet and save her the spectacle.
“Alright, fifteen dollars but that’s final!” Pugsley groaned. The musician had to bite her lip to keep from grinning, he wasn’t the only one who knew how to push buttons.
“Fifteen dollars and you three can’t purposely create scenarios that would lead me and Enid to kiss.” Wednesday stated, holding out her hand.
“Deal!” Pugsley all but screamed as he shook her hand in a burning shock. Eugene and Thing quickly followed.
“I’m very disappointed in you brother” Wednesday started as the bell to switch classes rang.
“Why?” The black haired boy whined, hadn’t his sister tortured him enough?
“I taught you to bargain much better than that, I would’ve settled for twenty-five”
Pugsley’s exasperated groan was enough to make this whole ordeal worth it.
-
Wednesday arrived last. She was expecting to meet Eugene and Pugsley outside Poe’s statue, Ironically they’re both too shy to go into crowds without her despite her being just as anti-social. Instead she found them talking suspiciously with Bianca and Yoko, but before Wednesday could question them about it, Enid came over and captured her roommate in an excited embrace.
“You have five milliseconds to get off me or I’ll have you dismembered.” Wednesday threatened coldly.
“Of course you will.” Enid chuckled. Wednesday threats stopped working on her months ago, still she respected Wednesday’s boundaries and let go of her waist. “I’m so glad you came! I know you weren’t fond of the idea of drinking cheap liquor so I brought us some Kool Aid Jammers…….You do drink Kool Aid, right?”
“I can’t say I’ve ever tried it?”
‘Wow! I mean that’s very on brand for you but Kool Aid was like my entire childhood! Anyways I bought Black Cherry, figured you might appreciate that flavor.” Enid rambled in an incredibly endearing way while holding a aluminum foil wrapped pouch out to Wednesday. It was insanely colorful and most definitely contained enough sugar to kill a small child but Enid had taken the time and money to get her something she thought Wednesday would at least tolerate, so naturally she took the pouch from Enid and poked the straw inside the barely visible hole. Enid watched her with a smile, she could never admit this without being killed but she thought Wednesday was one of the most accidentally adorable people she ever met. Most, no actually everyone, would disagree or call her crazy. Cute and adorable were definitely not what most think of when the name Wednesday Addams is mentioned; stoic, grotesque, strange, and creepy were much more common adjectives for the young writer. However, Enid was not most people. She thought of Wednesday like a grumpy black kitten. Maybe it was her crush that gave her those rose-colored glasses but either way there was no changing her mind. Like right now, for example, how could anyone look at Wednesday mother-fucking Addams trying with almost comically gentle precision not to poke her yellow straw through the pouch and not think she was adorable. Or the little way her nose scrunched at the overpoweringly sweet taste of the juice.
“Thank you for the consideration but I have a drink of my own.” Wednesday murmured while handing back the Jammer, like it was radioactive, with her right hand and pulling out a black vile with skull designs on the front with her left.
“Do I even wanna know?” Enid’s blue eyes widened.
“Probably not but I’ll tell you anyways, it’s Cyanide”
“Cyanide! Doesn’t that, like, kill people?”
“Indeed” Wednesday began “Cyanide is a fast acting poison that kills most within seconds. However due to one too many of my ancestors dying from the substance we can now consume it with little to no after-effects, as long as we stay within our limit that is.”
“You Addams’ really are something else.” The wolf gave a nervous laugh. Some part of her thought Wednesday might be joking but the other knew she was dead serious, pun intended.
“Sorry to interrupt whatever this is but I’m going to need to steal E for sec!” Divian subtly began pulling Enid’s magenta jacket sleeve while waving to Wednesday. Without another word Enid was swept away to a table full of chips and random cookies that the wolf probably baked herself.
About an hour had passed without anything remotely interesting occurring. Ajax and Kent were absolutely wasted on weed and dollar store beer. Yoko was at least a little tipsy, and Wednesday hadn’t seen Enid, the only reason she walked into this hellscape, since she tried to get her to drink that sickening juice. Instead the tortured author spent her time leaning on the stone wall just watching the clock tick away, the kids at her Normie schools didn’t call her a wallflower for nothing.
“Hey Wednesday! You having fun!” Eugene wondered aloud as he approached his friend. Where he and Pugsley had been all this time was lost on Wednesday, they normally clung to the wall as much as she did.
“Tons, but I’m considering heading back soon. Lights out is in twenty minutes after all.”
“Wait! No! You can’t go!” Pugsley screamed from behind Eugene while making an over exaggerated hand signal to a poorly counseled Thing.
“And why not?” In hindsight, Wednesday probably should’ve started with the obvious signaling but you live and you learn.
“Hey! Who's down for a game of Truth or Dare?” Xavier shouted over the music. Immediately the small group of teens formed a circle on the floor. Well except for Wednesday, she still had a bone to pick with her brother. Or she did before Enid skipped up to her with the same excitement level as a puppy getting a treat.
“You gonna play, roomie?”
“Absolutely not, I do not need these people knowing my private business.” The shorter girl replied sharply. Enid let out a half-scoff-half-chuckle before replying.
“Oh come on! You've been standing against that wall the whole party! Besides, you like a challenge and you don't have to answer a question you don’t want to. If anyone tries to give you shit for it they can go through me.”
Oh why did Enid have to be so endearing? Wednesday thought as she looked over her roommate. Her chest was puffed out in pride and she had a gentle smile on her lips. How could anyone say no to her?
“Fine…” Wednesday’s mumble was almost immediately overpowered by Enid’s cheerful squeal.
“Alright, I’ll ask first,” Yoko began as Wednesday and Enid took their seat just barely on the outside of the circle. “Ajax, truth or dare?”
“Truth”
“Is it true that you stoned yourself before you and Enid’s first date?”
“We agreed never to speak of that again!’ Ajax shrieked while turning to look at Enid with an offended look in his brown eyes.
“Sorry Jax but I tell Yoko everything.” Enid giggled through her sentence. Her giggle was a sweet sound like a baby bird’s melody but it seemed to have a hypnotic power on Wednesday like a siren's song. The blonde had taken off her jacket to reveal the dress hidden underneath. It was light purple with blue and pink accents. It reminded Wednesday of the doll she gifted Enid a while back.
“Wednesday?” Bianca punched the seer’s shoulder.
“What?”
“I asked you to pick, truth or dare?”
An awkward moment of silence passed throughout the room while Wednesday’s mind caught up to reality.
“Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t it customary for the person who was just asked to select the next victim?”
“Yeah, Ajax dared me to take three shots and now I’m asking you. Truth or dare?” Bianca clarified.
“Where ya been sis?” Pugsley teased, making the room erupt with laughter. In all the commotion Wednesday vaguely remembers her lips forming the word “Truth”.
“Is it true…” Bianca began her tone almost mocking. “That you have a crush on someone in this room?”
Out of pure surprise Wednesday glanced over at her brother. His chubby face was painted with a smug smirk, no wonder he was such a terrible poker player.
“¡Ustedes tres prometieron no interferir!” Wednesday scolded in spanish so only the people she wanted to hear would understand her.
“No, dijiste que no podíamos crear situaciones que llevaran a un beso. No dijiste nada sobre contarles a otros sobre la apuesta y que luego, casualmente, te preguntaran al respecto.” Pugsley rang his hands while he talked like a super villain revealing their master plan. If Pugsley got one thing from their father it was the ability to find legal loopholes in any situation known to mankind.
Maybe it was a bad idea to tease him for his poor bargaining skills earlier.
Whether it was the anger or frustration at not seeing this trickery coming a mile away, but for a second Wednesday forgot Enid’s words. She didn’t have to answer. She was under no court of law or magic spell that made her speak the truth. Unfortunately one second was all she needed to answer.
“Yes” the goth stated sharply before mentally kicking herself as the room went dead silent.
“OMG! You have a crush on someone and didn’t tell me! Who is it?” Enid moved closer to Wednesday so they were almost nose to nose. Her face was a weird mix of shock and happiness but not her usually bubbly happiness, her smile was too thin, her eyes sunken. It was like she was trying to convince everyone, and maybe herself, that she was happy for Wednesday when she really wasn’t.
But why wouldn’t Enid be happy for Wednesday?
One thing was for sure, this was no time for a confession.
“I believe I already answered my question.” Wednesday deflected before turning to Eugene. “Truth or dare?”
“Dare!” Eugene replied confidently.
That poor boy should know better.
Slowly Wednesday pulled a stainless boning knife from her coat pocket and passed it to Eugene.
“I dare you to throw this knife at Pugsley’s head.” The older Addams stared at her brother, a disappointed fire in her black eyes that could only remind Pugsley of one person…
Their mother.
The library went cold and the only sound to be heard was the younger boys gulps.
“I’m….I’m gonna pass this time.” Eugene mumbled meekly.
“But not so subtle hint taken.” Pugsley stammered out.
“Maybe we should play something else.” Divian suggested, trying to lighten the mood. None of the other party goers understood why Wednesday wanted her brother dead but that didn’t matter, they just didn’t want to be witnesses.
“How about spin the bottle?” Yoko suggested with a mischievous grin.
Wednesday slowly leaned into Pugsley’s ear, her anger forgotten as she asked a simple question.
“What is Spin the Bottle?”
“Beats me.” Pugsley replied with a puzzled expression.
“Wait, do you two seriously not know what Spin the Bottle is?” Kent chuckled. The Addams children shook their heads in perfect harmony.
“Basically one player has to spin the bottle.” Bianca explained while grabbing a glass beer bottle and placing it in the center of the circle. “And then they have to kiss whoever it lands on.”
Wednesday could feel her face turn white and she quickly opened her mouth to object but Bianca was quicker.
“Here I’ll go first.” Bianca slowly wrapped her perfectly manicured hand around the bottle and twisted her wrist to spin it like a top. It spun around the circle exactly once before landing on Kent. With a groan Bianca leaned forward and kissed the merman.
“How was it?” Xavier smirked when they pulled apart, basking in his ex-girlfriend's suffering.
“I probably just got drunk, high, and some undiscovered disease.” Bianca snapped back while wiping her mouth.
“My turn!” Ajax cheered as he spun the bottle, it landed on Xavier.
“There’s no way!” Yoko cackled.
“Let’s go bro!” Xavier laughed before he and Ajax locked lips.
“Alright who’s next…..Enid?” Divian said through giggles as she took the bottle from Ajax. Enid grabbed the bottle with a nervous laugh and twirled it on the hard floor. Maybe it was her enhanced strength but the bottle seemed to spin for much longer then it had for the others. When it finally stopped rotating it landed on….
Wednesday
The seer had never felt her face heat up so quickly. She felt almost feverish and if she had to to guess she would assume her face was an unnatural shade of red. Her hands became clammy and she could feel her heart beating so fast she was wondering if it could cause a stroke. Panic began to settle in the pits of her stomach as Enid looked at her, the wolf’s fang shyly dug into her peach lips. Wednesday didn’t even remember thinking the thought but she swiftly placed her hand on the floor and thrusted her head back as if she was having a vision. In the next three seconds Wednesday had to imagine what her vision looked like to those around her. She decided to collapse on the ground, landing so hard that she would definitely have a nasty bruise on her shoulder blade for the foreseeable future. She closed her eyes, because if she left them open everyone would see how focused they were, and tried her best to relax all the muscles in her face. For the next five minutes Wednesday calmed herself as best she could. Thankfully, she believed some of her uneasiness could pass for her normal post-vision disorientation. She also planned the narrative for when her peers inevitably asked her about what she saw, a woman had mysteriously drowned in the nearby river fifty years prior. Surprisingly, when the writer shot back up no one questioned it, even better. They all just stared at her with their usual concerned or confused expressions, except for Enid who appeared to be holding back tears.
“I…I..I need to go.” The blonde stammered out quietly before sprinting up the steps and out the door.
“Enid, wait!” Wednesday called out as she followed her, the game forgotten.
-
Apparently it had started raining during the party as dark storm clouds covered the midnight blue sky and any stars that came with it. Cold drops poured onto Wednesday’s skin as she chased after Enid, not daring to say anything until she was a foot behind her roommate.
“What is the matter?”
“Go away!” Enid choked, not bothering to hide her cries anymore.
“No, you’re clearly upset and I wish to help. What happened, Enid?” Wednesday pleaded.
“You know you could’ve just said you didn’t want to kiss me, you didn’t have to fake a vision!” The blonde stopped walking, whirling around to face Wednesday. Her ocean eyes become a stormy sea as if to further emphasize her pain and break Wednesday's heart.
“How did you know I was faking?” the goth asked in disbelief. Enid took a moment to control her sobs to no avail.
“You only fall when the vision starts while you're standing. You also shake a little and your eyes move under your eyelids during the vision.”
“I….I didn’t think anyone cared enough when I was having a vision to notice all that. Normally people only care about what I saw.” Wednesday explained, her gaze on the soaked sidewalk.
“Well I do! I care about you before anything else always!” Enid snapped as she began to storm away again.
Of course the one time Wednesday doesn't plan her escape down to the second something goes to shit. She should’ve known better. Impulsivity is something to be proud of in its own right but when a plan involves Enid Wednesday has to think of every possible outcome. She would never purposely hurt Enid, whether emotionally or physically. She’d made this mistake before at the Gates Mansion but she wasn’t going to let it end like that night, her sitting knees to her chest alone in a cold, empty room. She was going to do the one thing she didn’t do that night, stop Enid. Fortunately her quick reflexes seemed to be apologizing for their earlier betrayal as she caught Enid’s freezing wrist and led her to the fountain, the only place in the whole Quad that had even a tiny sliver of moonlight.
“Wednesday…” Enid sobbed.
“I’ll explain everything just please sit.” Wednesday interrupted while placing her trench coat on the ledge so they wouldn’t have to sit on puddles. Enid gave her a skeptical look but sat on the fountain nonetheless.
“I didn’t not want to kiss you.” Wednesday mumbled.
“Then why did you fake a vision?” Enid said. Her tears had slowed but she was shivering from the cold, of course the blonde managed to forget her jacket. Carefully Wednesday removed her zip-up and placed it on Enid’s shoulders.
“Because I was nervous.” The goth replied honestly.
“The Wednesday Addams nervous? I didn’t think you could feel that.” Enid teased while snuggling into her roommate's hoodie. It was soft and warm and it smelled like her, cool mint, dead roses and dusty books.
“I didn’t think so either but after meeting you I learned I can feel a lot of things and to never say never. On paper we should hate each other and when I stepped foot into our dorm for the first time I thought I would, but you weren’t as easily deterred as I would’ve hoped and now I’m forever grateful for it. You’ve always been there for me and accepted me as I am. You added that pop of color to my life that I didn’t know I desperately needed. You showed me what it’s like to have a best friend and you made me understand my parents' dizzying love a little more. That deep rooted respect, admiration, and care for another that I swore never to know but, though I’ve never believed in it, I suppose fate works in mysterious ways.” A weird emotion settled in Wednesday’s chest as she spoke. Part of her didn’t recognize herself as the words flowed out of her mouth but another part felt like she was being more herself then she’d ever been, something about exposing her love for Enid just felt so right….so freeing. It was scary too, what if Enid didn’t love her back and that care she spoke of was purely platonic, it didn’t help that the wolf had started to cry again as Wednesday gave her speech.
“You know Addams, if I was crazy I would think that was a love confession.” Enid teased while wiping some of her tears.
“You wouldn’t be crazy, you’d be correct.” Wednesday replied before turning her gaze to Enid, blue irises met black ones for a long moment before Wednesday let those three little words out like a secret just for roommate. “I love you, Enid.”
“I love you too Wednesday. God! I love you so much it’s not even funny.” Enid nearly screamed through her glittering smile. The goth felt her heart burst as she let out a sigh of relief, the hard part was over now all she wanted was a kiss to die happy.
“I suppose now is as good a time as any to complete our turn.”
Enid let out a watery chuckle as she placed her hands on Wednesday's pale checks. Their lips met softly and it was awkward, as one would expect from a first kiss, but also made both girls feel like they were floating. Enid’s lips were salty from her tears and maybe the rain but carried a hint of the sweet cherry Khool Aid she’d been drinking all night.
“WEDNESDAY!!!” Eugene screamed just as they pulled apart. He and Pugsley had clearly just arrived but she could tell from the slight smugness on her brother’s face they had seen the kiss, judging by the shadows peeking out from behind the Poe Statue they weren’t the only ones.
“I’m sorry we never should’ve pressured you. I know Pugsley was mostly joking about the bet and I made it worse but we really just wanted to help because we know how happy Enid makes you and….” Eugene was talking so fast Wednesday worried he might land himself back in the hospital. With a roll of her eyes the goth stood and pressed a finger to the boy’s lips, shushing him.
“I accept your apology but if you ever pull something like this again, I will have your entrails on a golden platter for Kitty to eat.”
“Fair.” Thing signed from atop Pugsley’s head.
“I also hope you know I will be returning the favor when you two inevitably fall in love.” The older girl teased.
“Who says we're going to fall in love at all?” Pugsley pushed back.
“If it happened to me brother it will sure as Satan happen to you.”
“So, you're not mad at us?” Eugene asked, his lip still quivering. Wednesday shook her head in what she prayed was a comforting manner.
“Good because you owe us fifteen bucks.” Pugsley laughed. Wednesday breathed out an annoyed scoff as she rummaged around in her jeans pocket but she wasn’t really irritated. She couldn’t be with her new girlfriend's arm draped in the crook of her own, the blonde’s chin resting on her left shoulder.
For once Wednesday didn’t mind losing.