The Woe We Deserve

Chapter 6

That night in their room, Wednesday was more restless than usual. As she played the cello, her mind wandered to places other than her sheet music. Her fingers, usually steady and precise, were shaky and uncertain. She decided to cut her serenade short.

Enid could tell something was wrong. She sat on her bed, pretending to scroll on her phone, but Wednesday caught her staring several times. Nobody could write under those conditions. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.

"Enid."

"Yes?"

"Stop watching me, or I'll make you stop."

"I'm not watching you," she said.

"Just spit it out."

"You're acting weird," she said. Enid dropped her phone on her bed and crossed to Wednesday's side of the room. "I know you left class early today, and Xavier wasn't there either, and then I saw him and he was looking extremely glum, like, more than usual, which is saying a lot—"

"Get. to. the. point."

"Someone saw you leaving the boys dorm."

"Who?"

"Confidential informant."

"Enid. If you write a word about this on your blog—"

"I won't. On one condition," she said.

"I'm not really in the mood to negotiate."

"Tell me what's wrong. And I won't write a word of it. I swear."

"Fine."

"Really?"

"Not a word."

"Okay!"

Enid sat on Wednesday's bed, waiting eagerly for her friend's gossip. Wednesday braced herself for her roommate's reaction. She knew she'd be displeased. Enid cared about Wednesday's love life almost more than she cared about her own—and it was nearly all she talked about.

"I went to see Xavier because he skipped class."

"Why did he skip?"

"He was upset that I was ignoring him."

"Why were you ignoring him?"

"I... I don't know."

Enid narrowed her eyes. "You do know."

"Fine. It's because I like him. Are you happy now?"

Enid jumped off the bed started literally jumping up and down. Wednesday was expecting the outburst, but it didn't make it any less annoying.

"Oh my God!" her friend squealed. "What did Xavier say?"

"Well... he agreed we should remain friends."

Enid stopped bouncing and pouted. "What?"

Wednesday sighed. "I don't know why I even bothered. I wasn't thinking. That's the problem. I can't think straight when it comes to this stuff. I want it to stop. How do I make it stop?"

"Wednesday. Listen to me," Enid interrupted. "You need to chill."

Wednesday inhaled deeply.

"I can't be anyone's girlfriend," she said to Enid.

"Why not?"

"Look at me," she sighed. "I'm not like Bianca. I'm not charming and friendly and popular. And after last semester—"

"He still likes you. He broke up with Bianca, remember? That's not what he wants. He wants you. He knows you. What's so hard to believe about that?"

"I don't get it."

"Last semester you thought he was a murderer. Now you have a crush. These things don't have to make sense. It's love!"

"I knew talking to you was a mistake."

Enid shrugged and crossed her arms. "You can keep avoiding Xavier all you want, but that's not going to make it stop. All it will do is push away one of your very few friends."

"I wish I could. He's incredibly persistent and has seemingly no self respect."

"He's crazy about you," Enid said exasperated. "Everyone knows it. Just stop being so freaking dramatic and go on a date with the guy. You went out with that Normie, and that wasn't so bad, was it?"

"You mean the literal monster who tried to kill us all?" Wednesday asked.

"Fine. Aside from that. The date wasn't that bad."

Wednesday frowned. "I see your point. But Tyler didn't go here. It's different."

"So what?" Enid sighed. "If you date and break up then you'll just be like every other teenager who has a fleeting high school romance. Hundreds or hormonal knuckleheads do it every year. It's not the end of the world."

"I guess."

"You're scared," Enid said. "Wednesday Addams is scared and is too chicken to face her fears."

"I'm not a chicken."

"So prove me wrong then," Enid dared.

"Fine. Maybe I will."