War Zone ღ✦

5. Friendly Threats

The tension between Wednesday and Xavier was as thick as the blood of a pneumonia carrier, but James kept egging them on.

"Really, Wednesday? Do you really expect me to believe this artsy freak is your boyfriend? Your type is obviously not stuck-up guys with famous parents."

The noirette glared at the barista. "Xavier is creative, intuitive, and humorous. Just by glancing at you I know you lack all three of those qualities- and many more. You have no chance with me, James. Go scurry along to one of your sensitive normie girls, or I will drag one of them by the dead hair on their head to your side. I am sure one of them will match your toxic masculinity with their toxic feminity."

Xavier smirked at the girl's comments. "She told you to get lost. I wouldn't test her if I were you. She's feisty and graceless... Oh, yeah, and did I mention she's my girlfriend? So fuck off."

James shook his head with a haughty smile. He wouldn't take his eyes off of Wednesday. "Gosh, your own boyfriend doesn't even have anything good to say about you. My type of chick. Let me know when you dump his ass."

Xavier couldn't handle it anymore. He stood up, balling his hands into fists, glaring at the barista. "Say one more thing about her and you'll regret it."

Wednesday's eyes gleamed with pride as she watched her tall friend begin to show his dark side. "Xavier, meet me outside in ten minutes," she told him.

The boy looked back down at his small friend, who was still sitting down. He let out a shaky breath. "Yeah... yeah. Okay, you're right." He said, running his fingers through his hair.

James grinned like a devil as he watched Xavier walk out of the coffee shop. "Good riddance," he commented, letting out a sigh of relief.

Wednesday stood next to the barista and glared at him with a murder-yearning glare. He turned to her and chuckled. "I know you're not dating him, Wednesday. You can stop the fake act to protect his feelings."

The raven found that comment absolutely blood-boiling. "I am dating Xavier. If you say one more bad words about my boyfriend, I will sneak into your ugly white-washed home at night and slice your throat. No one will know it was me, except your dead body."

James raised his eyebrows. "Oh, yeah? Is that right? Then why're you still here? I didn't take you for a cheater, but I guess they don't call you and your Nevermore friends outcasts for nothing."

Wednesday stared at the boy with the utmost intensity. "I am here because I know more than you think. You know a girl named Mila. You are going to introduce us. If you don't, I will expose your secret. I know where you go every Thursday, and I know who you meet up with. I will put you both in prison for life. I will haunt your dreams until the day you die. Am I clear, James McCellan?"

The barista's face fell and his eyes were clouded with fear and judgment. "Okay, okay. You have a deal, Wednesday. What do you want with Mila?"

Wednesday stared at the boy intensely. "It is none of your concern. I will find you when I need her. Your life is at stake, so don't go telling anyone anything."

As she walked away, James huffed under his breath. "God, just when I thought I'd found a girlfriend. I've got to talk to her more. There's no way in hell I'm letting Xavier steal her from me."

...

Xavier's face lit up when Wednesday walked out of the Weathervane. "Hey, sorry about what happened in there. It got a little... heated," he muttered.

Wednesday looked up at him as if he were insane- which she obviously loved. "Don't apologize, Xavier. I can handle myself, even though you obviously have a thing for protecting me."

The boy raised an eyebrow as a smirk spread across his lips. "Oh, flirting now, are we? I've never seen this side of you, Addams." 

That comment made the girl glare. "I would never flirt with you, Xavier. The only thing I have romantic feelings for is the sweet aroma of death in the air."

Xavier smiled. "Yeah, but you did flirt with me. Come on, let's take a walk around Jericho. We haven't been here in a while, and we can talk about your-- uh-- stalker."

Wednesday gave the boy a suspicious look. "Only if you stop talking about nonsensical flirting and romantic feelings."

The artist threw his hands up in defense. "Nuh-uh. You brought up romantic feelings, Wednesday, not me."

The noirette became extremely unamused. "Your implications were not subtle, Xavier. Just because I do not decode emotional signals does not mean I am oblivious."

Xavier rolled his eyes. "If you say so. Come on," he said, motioning towards the antique shop, "maybe we'll find something weird or spooky in there."

Wednesday remained unamused. "I agreed to walk around Jericho, not go shopping with you."

The boy's shoulders sagged. "It was worth a try. So, how exactly did this whole stalker thing start?" He asked as the two friends began their walk around town.

The girl didn't meet his eyes. "When you gave me that phone, I got texts. There were photos of me, Tyler and I together, and you and I together. All I'm completely sure of is that whoever is stalking me wants me dead."

Xavier frowned. "Guess we'll have to kill them first. Why did you stay after in the Weathervane?"

"I had to speak with James," Wednesday responded.

The artist looked at the girl, completely dumbfounded. "Why?! He literally wants to date you. You're not exactly telling him off."

The girl met the boy's eyes. "There is something else happening in Jericho, Xavier. The war between normies and outcasts has begun and something is wrong- not just because a pilgrim founded this town." 

"What do you mean?" Xavier asked.

Wednesday looked up at him. "I don't have details yet. I am meeting with a girl in a few weeks. Her name is Mila. That is why I was speaking with James. I simply threatened to expose, murder, and haunt him if he didn't comply. He didn't seem too thrilled."

Xavier couldn't help but smile. "No wonder you look so happy."

Wednesday glared at him. "I am never happy, Xavier."

He slung an arm around her shoulder. "Yeah, you say that a lot. But I know it's not true."

Then Wednesday felt something else. 

She felt as if she were on top of clouds, floating in a very strange new world. Her stomach felt cotton candy inside. There were bats. Evil bats inside of her stomach, swarming.

Flutter flutter. Flutter flutter.

Wednesday wanted to punch Xavier for making her feel something so ridiculous, but she couldn't... In fact, she didn't even mind the physical touch.

"Why are you looking at me so weird?" Xavier asked with a chuckle.

Wednesday then proceeded to glare at the boy. "You are horrible, Xavier Thorpe. We have work to do. Stop distracting me."

The boy grinned with a toothy smile. "You know you adore me."

"I adore plotting your death," Wednesday agreed.

Xavier unapologetically pulled her into a hug. "Nah, you love me."

"You are mad," Wednesday gritted through her teeth.

"Madly attractive," Xavier agreed.

Wednesday frowned. He wasn't wrong.

The only thing she knew in the moment was that she had extreme feelings for Xavier Thorpe, and she hated it.

But she didn't know that James McCellan had been listening to the two friends' conversation the entire time from just around the corner.

His fascination with Wednesday Addams was only just beginning.