Wednesday was surprised to have a normie teacher. Surprised that her teacher was so open about being a normie, despite all the discrimination she must face from the older teachers at the school.
Her carnivorous plants class was by far her favourite. Taught by a passionate Ms Thornhill, the class covered all the most interesting parts of how carnivorous plants grew and evolved over time.
The class was one of the few that Wednesday did not share with the entirety of Enid's friend group, though Enid was in attendance of the class. With her bubbly and naive nature, Wednesday found it rather uncharacteristic that she would opt to learn about plants that are murderous in nature.
She refused to acknowledge the part of her that found it admirable as well.
Ms Thornhill was known for asking questions about a certain topic to the class before beginning a new topic, in order to gauge the collective understanding of the subject before the class began. Today they were continuing their lessons on international carnivorous plants, focusing more directly on Australia and Oceania today. Though she tried to ask the questions to the entire class, it was not often someone other than Bianca or Wednesday answered - either out of lack of interest or lack of opportunity.
"So, guys, we're starting on Australia today. Who's excited?" She clapped and grinned at an unresponsive class. Not even Enid cheered back. "To start us off: who can tell me which species of Nepenthes was the only one thought to occur in Australia until recently?"
Bianca considered herself the smartest in her carnivorous plants class. She'd been studying them as a hobby ever since she ran away from home, at 11 years old. She had to escape the constant nagging from her mother to remove her amulet, her constant nagging of "a siren can never change her scales". The more she heard it, the more she believed it. So she wore her amulet, studied plants and history that interested her, and beat the people in her class for top spot, just so she could be something other than manipulative.
Maybe that's why Wednesday's appearance halfway through the year was so infuriating. Wednesday was competition, a threat to all that Bianca had built herself to be over the past five years.
She was still trying to prove herself to a mother who hadn't sent her a letter in 4 years and 11 months.
So she smirked. The smug, know-it-all look came to her face far too quickly these days. She was a showoff, but proud of it. She deserved it. Bianca raised her hand, just beating Wednesday. Thornhill smiled at her, nodding at her to answer.
"That would be the nepenthes maximus, Ms Thornhill." She turned to look at Wednesday, as if to prove a point. Wednesday's blank stare was unreadable.
Ms Thornhill didn't give her the expected surprised smile. She didn't clap, or say "hooray Bianca" like she normally would. She grimaced. Barely perceptible, but there. She shook her head.
Bianca's pride crashed.
Wednesday's hand shot up.
Ms Thornhill nodded again.
She turned to look at Bianca, addressing her personally. "It would be the nepenthes mirabilis, the most widespread of the Nepenthes genus."
Her eyes screamed a grin, though her typical blank face showed no emotion. Bianca felt a rage bubbling up inside of her at the smugness, not bothering to notice the hypocrisy. She wanted to stand up and yell at Wednesday that she was not better than her, but she knew somewhere in her that it was irrational. She wanted to use her siren song to convince Wednesday to drop all her classes and run away from Nevermore. She wouldn't do that, though.
YOU ARE READING
I'll Keep You Safe - Wenclair
FanfictionA series of killings have occurred at Nevermore Academy since Wednesday Addams' first day. Sure, the victims were small animals, but Wednesday knows this goes deeper. Will she be able to uncover the culprit as she tries to navigate her crush on her...
