Ember and Ashes | Wavier| Slowburn

Deadly Woe

Wednesday made her way through the throngs of students in the school hallway, barely registering her surroundings. Two errors. She had made not just one, but two calculation errors in algebra - a subject in which she had always excelled. This had never occurred before.

Enid's warning from the previous night kept echoing in her mind, urging her to act fast if she didn't want to lose Xavier. The mere thought of losing him was unbearable, and fear consumed her. Wednesday couldn't count the times she had replayed the brief conversation they had during their last encounter at The Weathervane.

Xavier had introduced Wednesday as his "friend" to Heather, and he hadn't mentioned Heather being his "romantic partner", either. She clung to the possibility that Xavier and Heather were not romantically involved; maybe, just maybe, that brattish hussy was only seeking attention, and Xavier was merely being polite by entertaining her.

Wednesday's fleeting thoughts of optimism came to an abrupt halt as an appalling sight caught her attention, causing her to freeze in her tracks.

Xavier and Heather were standing side by side on the balcony overlooking the school courtyard, lost in deep conversation and oblivious to everything around them. As Wednesday peered from behind a nearby pillar, she couldn't help but notice how the pair of them were in close proximity, their elbows touching. She observed the way they looked at each other, the glances that lingered a moment too long, and the smiles that passed between them. It was evident that they were comfortable in each other's company.

As if on cue, Heather let out a loud, high-pitched giggle and deliberately bumped into Xavier, brushing her hips against his in a way that was clearly intended to be provocative. Wednesday felt a wave of disgust wash over her, causing her stomach to churn and her skin to crawl. She couldn't believe that cheap harlot would be so shamelessly flirtatious with Xavier, who seemed to be eating it up. To make matters worse, He responded by playfully bumping his shoulder against Heather's, the two of them sharing a moment of laughter.

Wednesday clenched her fists, nails digging white crescent moons into her palms. She wanted to rip the girl away from Xavier and show him that she was the one he truly belonged with.

But the rational part of her knew that wouldn't solve anything; it would only make her look desperate.

Instead, Wednesday remained in the shadows, silently seething as the girl continued to throw herself shamelessly at Xavier. Her heart felt like it was being torn from her very arteries. She couldn't fathom why Xavier would be interested in someone as bland and shallow as Heather Montgomery.

His previous relationship with Bianca had at least made some sort of sense.

Was this how Xavier had felt when he saw her with Tyler last semester? Had he endured the same torture that she was going through now? The thought merely intensified the dull throb in the back of her head.

She watched in numb horror as Heather delicately place a hand on Xavier's chest, rising onto her tiptoes. Wednesday knew what was about to happen, and it caused another stir of deep, unrelenting pain in her chest. Despite holding onto a tiny sliver of hope that not all was lost, it shattered as Xavier leaned down to meet Heather's lips. Wednesday turned away, unable to bear the sight.

The world around her seemed to blur at the edges, mocking her naivety.

Though she tried to turn away, her feet remained rooted to the spot. Her gaze inevitably wandered back to the couple. They looked sickeningly happy together, deeply in love.

As the couple shared another tender kiss, the girl who had always prided herself on being immune to emotions was suddenly overwhelmed by an intense surge of conflicting feelings.
Envy burned within her for what she could not have, and sorrow gripped her heart as she realized the depth of her longing for the boy who now belonged to someone else. The boy that was never truly hers to begin with.

Unable to witness their intimate moment any longer, Wednesday fled the down the spiral staircase, a hot, prickly sensation stinging her eyes. For a fleeting second, she was unsure where she could go. Wednesday couldn't risk anyone witnessing her in this state. Then, a sudden idea struck her- she should punch a tree. That had always managed to get the frustration out of her system when Pugsley was unavailable for torture.

•••

She found herself safe and alone in the depths of the forest, surrounded by the serenity of nature. Selecting a tall oak tree, she began striking the trunk with all her might. The impact sent a dull thump reverberating through the surrounding woods, but she hardly registered it, her focus solely on the rough, sharp bark tearing at her skin. Despite the searing pain in her knuckles, she continued to strike the tree until blood began to seep from her wounds.

Wednesday knelt on the damp forest floor, her breathing in ragged gasps as she cradled her bloodied right hand. The sharp sting of pain radiated through her body, and she realized that the physical pain was nothing compared to the deep, gnawing ache inside.

The path of a Raven is a solitary one.

Those were Goody's exact words.