Ember and Ashes | Wavier| Slowburn

Woe-mantic Revelation

The following week was pure torture. Every night, Wednesday spent hours lying in bed motionless, but sleep eluded her. When she finally managed to drift off, her dreams were tormented by an onslaught of haunting visions of the kiss between Xavier and Heather.

Wednesday couldn't help but notice the bizarre changes in her roommate's pattern of behavior. Gone were the days of blaring pop music from her speakers as Enid had taken to wearing earphones instead. The werewolf had even made it a daily routine to purchase her coffee, aware of the fact that Xavier and Heather frequented The Weathervane. What struck Wednesday the most was that Enid no longer gushed about her own dates with her gorgon boyfriend.

Enid was truly a good friend.

•••

The young, dark-haired cellist had been so preoccupied lately, she had neglected her nightly practice routine. The better part of Wednesday knew that she shouldn't let her emotions interfere with her passion, but every time she picked up the bow, she couldn't help but remember the painting that Xavier had shown her in his art shed. The image burned in her mind with such clarity that it often caused her to make minor mistakes, exacerbating her frustration.

She couldn't help but wonder if Xavier had burned that painting.

Unbeknownst to her, another artist of Nevermore Academy was also struggling with similar distractions.

One chilly morning, Wednesday found Xavier sitting alone in the quad, hunched over his sketchbook. The deep crease on his forehead and the tautness of his lips conveyed his frustration. It was evident that Xavier was facing a difficult challenge in his artwork, unlike any that Wednesday had seen before.

It was also unusual to see him without his girlfriend who stuck to him like glue. Moments later, Heather sauntered over. She slipped her arm through Xavier's and planted a kiss on his cheek. Wednesday couldn't help but feel a small sense of satisfaction at the sight of Xavier not reciprocating Heather's affection.

Xavier's dissatisfaction with his work was still apparent as he frowned and tore the page from his sketchbook, folding the paper carefully and stuffing it into his jacket pocket. He then said something to Heather, but her back was turned so Wednesday couldn't discern her reaction as the couple departed together. Not wanting to be seen, Wednesday ducked behind a pillar.

The square of paper slipped out of Xavier's pocket, falling to the ground as Thing scuttled over, snatching it up.

As the day wore on, the weight of the paper in her pocket seemed to grow heavier, a constant reminder of its presence. Despite her attempts to focus in class, Wednesday's mind kept drifting back to the mysterious sketch. The desire to unravel its secrets was tempered by a growing sense of unease. It burned like a hot coal in her pocket, a constant source of distraction and temptation.

As the last bell of the day rang, Wednesday heaved a sigh of relief. She quickly made her way to an unoccupied classroom, double-checking to ensure that no one was following her. Once inside, she locked the door and leaned against it, her heart pounding.

As Wednesday held the square of paper in her hand, a wave of trepidation washed over her. With trembling fingers, she unfolded it, bracing herself for what she might find. As she gazed down at the page, her heart sank. There, drawn in charcoal pencil, was the face of Heather Montgomery staring back at her. The disappointment was so overwhelming, she was tempted to rip the paper to shreds.

But then, Thing tapped urgently on her shoulder, drawing her attention back to the sketch.

Look closer.

"I'm not looking at her cursed face anymore," Wednesday muttered darkly, but Thing continued to tap insistently.

Look. At. The. Drawing.

Finally, with a sigh, Wednesday brought the drawing closer to her face, squinting to see what Thing wanted her to see.

Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart began to race. Heather's beauty mark and hairstyle were unmistakable, but the eyes, nose, and lips; all belonged to Wednesday. As realization dawned on her, it all suddenly made sense.

The revelation was both unsettling and romantic all at once.