All For Not

Page 24

Enid sat weeping on the floor when we came through the window, "where have you guys been? I'm literally having a heart attack right now. Yoko's in the infirmary!" My upper lip curled at the thought, and the sight of Enid having a full blown panic attack, "what happened?" She spit her words out almost too fast, "garlic bread incident at dinner. She had a major allergic reaction."

"She's out of the Poe Cup and I don't have a co-pilot." Wednesday spoke up quickly, "it wasn't an accident. Bianca's behind it." Enid was admittedly a curious wolf, "how do you know?"

"Doesn't matter. You and I are going to take her down tomorrow." Enid froze and her face turned hopeful, "wait. You're joining the Black Cats? You're willing to do that? For me?" Wednesday skirted around the question from the blonde as best she could without causing offense, "I want to humiliate Bianca so badly that the bitter taste of defeat burns in her throat."

"Yeah, but mostly you're doing it because we're friends, right?" Wednesday flipped around with such a swift movement it stunned Enid, once again avoiding the pre-emptive question that leads to friendship. "Tell me how she keeps winning." Enid shrugged, scrunching her nose as she answered, "it's a real brain cramp. The past two years, no other boat has made it across and back without sinking." I knitted my brows together, "sounds like sabotage." I agreed, "without any doubts, it's rigged in her favor," Enid nodded, tilting her head side to side in contemplation as she continued, "there are no rules in the Poe Cup, and she is a siren, which makes her master of the water."

"Then we just need to beat her at her own game." Enid smiled before she frowned harshly and began to weep once more, "but we still won't be able to compete, We need four people that only give us three..." She paused her hands gripping her hair tightly before she slid her gaze to mine and gave her best impression of 'puppy dog eyes', "unless?" Her question was depressing and wobbly with desperation, "yes," My head shot towards Wednesday and I spoke firmly, "no." Turning to Enid I apologized, "I'm sorry but I don't do well with water Enid, you'll have to find another," her face spelled out the word 'doom' in capital letters, "you'll be fine Morella, she'll join the team." my teeth ground together and I swallowed thickly, not speaking further as my sister walked past me and towards her desk, "you don't have to, I understand, I'm sure I can find someone else," I watched her closely and found myself caving in for Enid, "I guess I can help you, if there's no swimming involved," She frowned wearily, "I can't promise that..."

"I guess I'll have to work on keeping calm then, otherwise I might find myself drowning a pair of pigtails..."