Chapter Text
The Nevermore courtyard was buzzing with the kind of energy that made teachers twitch and students glow. Wednesday sat cross-armed on a bench, her braid swinging like a pendulum of impending doom, while Enid stationaries sprawled on the desk, flipping a notebook like it was a frisbee.
“Okay, people,” Enid said, dragging out the word like it had weight. “Summer planning committee, assemble.”
“Do I have to?” Wednesday muttered, already plotting how she could sabotage this meeting for fun.
“Yes,” Bianca said, hopping onto the picnic table like it was her stage. “And this time, we need a plan. Like… a real plan.”
Ajax rolled his eyes dramatically. “It’s summer. Chaos is the plan.”
“Chaos is not a plan,” Agnes said, sipping her thermos and glaring at them all. “It’s a liability. Right, Wednesday?” Wednesday just rolled her eyes.
Pugsley bounced in place, clutching a crumpled map he swore he found somewhere. “We should definitely go cliff jumping. Or, like… haunted forest exploring. Or—”
“Stop. Just stop,” Wednesday said, deadpan.
“Fine,” Enid sighed, twirling her pencil like a baton. “We need a base plan. Eugene, you’re in, right? You’ll coordinate?”
Eugene’s hand shot up with enthusiasm that could power a small city. “Absolutely! I’ve got a spreadsheet and a color-coded schedule—”
Before he could finish, his face fell. Bianca noticed. “What?”
“My… my moms,” Eugene stammered, eyes wide. “They, um… they already made plans for the summer. I can’t—”
“WHAT?!” Ajax shrieked, clutching his hair. “This is illegal. Summer without Eugene is illegal. He’s our coordinator. Our moral compass. Our… spreadsheet lord!”
“Eugene, beg. Cry. Do whatever,” Pugsley suggested, half serious, half hoping for free chaos.
Wednesday simply tilted her head. “You will stay home, Eugene. That’s… probably for the best.”
“NO!” Eugene shouted, but it was half-hearted because he knew she was right. Still, Bianca made a dramatic grab for his arm. “This is an emergency. We need a plan B.”
Ajax spoke up, “Plan B is..uh..anyone?” Everyone lowers their head
Bianca pinched the bridge of her nose. “We are doomed.”
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The next day, the quad was thinning out as students dragged their trunks toward the buses to go home for summer vacation, but Bianca had corralled their little disaster group under a tree like a drill sergeant. She clapped her hands once.
“Listen up, degenerates. Eugene is out, which means I am in charge. If we leave planning to you lot, we’ll either end up in jail, dead, or worse—camping without Wi-Fi.”
Enid gasped, clutching her chest. “That was one time, Bianca. ONE TIME.”
Wednesday arched a brow. “And it nearly killed us all.”
Ajax, leaning back on his elbows, grinned. “To be fair, Enid did remember marshmallows. That counts as survival prep.”
Bianca ignored them, scrolling furiously on her phone. “Right. Step one: housing. We need somewhere to stay that isn’t a roach motel or condemned.” She shot Pugsley a look before he could open his mouth. “No, Pugsley, abandoned mansions don’t count.”
Pugsley slumped, muttering, “You people are scaredy cats.”
Enid, sipping something suspiciously colourful, nodded. “Bianca’s right. Someone has to be the adult here. Shockingly, it’s not Wednesday.”
“I could do it,” Wednesday said flatly, “but my plan involves a cabin in the woods, absolute silence, and the remote possibility of werewolf attacks.”
“Pass,” Enid chirped, her pen flying across her planner as she doodled paw prints.
Bianca sighed dramatically. “Fine. I’ll handle housing, meals, and transport. Ajax, you’re on morale duty.”
Ajax saluted. “Copy that, Commander. Snacks, games, good vibes. I’m your guy.”
“Agnes, you’ll make sure nobody does anything stupid.”
Agnes blinked. “That… is literally impossible.”
“And Pugsley,” Bianca finished, “you’re on… well..just don't eat bugs..”
Pugsley grinned, immediately pulling a dead bug out of his pocket. “No promises...”
Bianca pinched the bridge of her nose but couldn’t hide her smirk. “I swear, you’re all children. Lucky for you, you’ve got me.”
“Bianca Barclay: mom friend, dictator, and vacation goddess,” Enid announced, writing it dramatically in glitter pen.
Wednesday muttered, “This is going to be the worst summer of my life.” But her hand brushed Enid’s under the desk, and she didn’t move it away.