Beautifully Horrific// Xavier Thorpe

I want to trust you, really I do.

With bags over our heads, we were optimally disorientated, our hands tied tightly behind our backs to stop us moving, cold and uncomfortable chairs, no idea if life will end now or not, the adrenaline was officially rushing through me; I was loving every second. Someone stepped towards us and ripped the bags off our heads, a bright light from a projector shining in our eyes, the one closest to the projector spoke to us, "Who dares breach our inner sanctum?"

"Take the mask off Bianca." Wednesday deadpanned.

"And here I was hoping for a psychotic killer, not a bunch of juvenile clowns." I stated.

Everyone started taking their masks off, revealing Ajax, Yoko, Davina, Kent, Bianca and Xavier watching us, I looked over at Bianca, "I preferred you with it on."

She sent me a sarcastic smile, Xavier broke the tense silence, "How did you two get down here?"

"Rowan showed us." I commented.

"Left pocket." Wednesday said, motioning to her jacket with her head.

Xavier moved forward and grabbed the piece of paper from her pocket, he unfolded it to find the picture of us surrounded by flames, I spoke next, "Wednesday tracked the watermark to the Poe statue."

"Then Valdis solved the riddle." Wednesday commented.

"There's a riddle? I thought we just had to snap twice." Kent asked.

"Aren't you the brightest of the bunch?" Wednesday snarked.

"And here I thought this was an elite secret society." I deadpanned.

"The Nightshades are an elite social club, the emphasis being on elite." Bianca stated.

"Why did they let you in then?" I snarked.

"We have roof parties, campouts, the occasional midnight skinny-dip." Davina commented.

"And Yoko's an amateur mixologist. She makes a killer virgin mojito., we can get pretty wild." Ajax bragged.

"Do you even have a bedtime?" Wednesday stated sarcastically.

"Careful guys, don't want to ruin the good reputation." I grumbled, secretly working on the ropes behind my back.

"Last I heard, the Nightshades had disbanded." Wednesday commented.

"Yeah, the group kind of last its charter, 30 years ago, after a normie kid died." Xavier commented, making my interest peek.

"But we have a lot of wealthy alumni, so Weems looks the other way as long as we make no waves." Yoko revealed.

"What about Rowan?" I asked, remembering the mask Wednesday had found.

"We booted that loser last semester. Anyway, what are we going to do with them? Only members are allowed in the library." Bianca commented.

"I say we invite them to pledge." Xavier stated, making me look up at him in concealed shock.

"What?" Kent demanded, obviously still sour about his black eye.

"They are legacies." He commented, motioning to the photo of our parents.

"After the crap they pulled at the Poe Cup, there's no chance. They're the equivalent of a tsunami." Bianca objected.

"I thought we were your worst nightmare?" I taunted, smirking at her.

"Just because we beat you at your own game? I'll make it easy for you all, we don't want anything to do with this club." Wednesday said.

"I'm not interested in joining any clubs, thanks." I stated.