favorite liar | xavier thorpe

15. almost

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

"What if you accidentally summon an evil spirit?" Iris asks as she uses Enid's nail polish to paint her nails a silver color.

Wednesday was sitting on the middle of the floor of her dorm room, candles all around her as she tried communicating with Goody, Iris sitting on the ground with her back against Enid's dresser to give her some space when Enid walked in, causing all the candles lit around Wednesday to go out.

Enid is getting a clear nail polish out of her drawer for Iris's top coat as Wednesday explains to her confused roommate the seánce that's happening.

"I think Goody is an evil spirit," Wednesday answers her sister as she starts clearing off her candles. "That's what mother was warning me about at least."

Enid has just finished saying something about a steak scented candle when a magazine cut-out is slipped under the door.

Wednesday announces they have to go to Crackstone's crypt because the note is saying that she could find answers there at midnight, and it's 11:45 now. Iris steals one of her sister's puffy coats so she doesn't freeze to death and her, Wednesday, and Enid all go out together so if they get murdered at least one of them can try to avenge the other's death.

They walk for what feels like forever through the forest when really it must be like 10 minutes when they stop in front of the crypt, Enid expressing her worry for going inside.

"Someone should keep watch," she explains, and Iris and Wednesday are both too intrigued by what's on the other side of the door that they accept her concern easily, walking in together, Wednesday shining their flashlight all around to find any sign of life.

"Whoever you are, show yourself," she states, and Iris can practically hear eery music playing in the back of her mind. "Try anything and you'll lose limbs."

"Surprise!" Iris thinks that scared her more than if some psychopath appeared from behind the column thing in the middle of the crypt. "Happy birthday to you. . ." Xavier is leading a group of Ajax, Yoko, Divina, and Kent with a cake as they start singing, making their way over to the two. "Happy birthday, dear Wednesday and Iris," they have to rush this part out with the mouthful of syllables as Enid also comes through the door, joining them in their singing. "Happy birthday to you!" they finish and Iris fully grinning at Thing wearing a small party hat and the cake with a grim reaper carrying a pink balloon with writing underneath, 'Happy 16th Birthday Wednesday and Iris.'

"Make a wish," Yoko encourages, and Iris looks over at Wednesday so they can share the moment, but Wednesday is shining her flashlight on something on the wall, already sick of the interaction.

Iris takes her dismissiveness as a moment to reflect. Why is Xavier here? Sure, Enid and Yoko must've forced him and him and Iris still sit next to each other in plant class, but they haven't had a real conversation since the Rave'n where Iris realized she was jealous of Bianca for coming with him.

Iris still doesn't think she's actually into Xavier, not like that at least, but she does miss when he would draw her bouquets of flowers, and she could hold them for a solid three seconds before they disintegrated.

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

"Oh! And Enid wanted me to give this to you," Yoko throws something soft at Iris's face as the birthday girl is messing with the pocket knife, complete with laced poison, her parents had Thing hide under her pillow over Parent's Weekend.

"What?" Iris replaces one gift for the other in her hands, not really sure what to do with the light gray colored crochet project.

"A snood," Yoko says as if that explains anything. "Now get out, I told Divina you wouldn't be in here."