All For Not - Wednesday

Page 73

Sitting, I watch, I've only ever seen him wear the school uniform and his suit from the dance, but this was different. He was wearing a regular tshirt and now he was taking it off. My eyes follow the movement looking over the expanse of his back as the garment was pulled off revealing more. The siren was well muscled under the light of the moon, unsurprising but still something I had to tear my gaze away from as he turned around, kicking off his shoes next.

My eyes move to the sky instead as he walks across the pier to stand above me at my side, looking down at my face before diving into the water and causing it to splash up and leave droplets littering my visible skin.

I'm not sure if my face is reddened, or if my eyes are glowing, but I know for a fact I feel like an owl watching everything but him with widened eyes as he resurfaces.

The water ripples as the siren emerges, pulling his upper half up to the docks edge to look at me, "do you wanna come in?" I swallow as the water dries on my skin and my feet move into the water over the edge of the wooden boards, and for a second the look he gives me is like he knows, "I promise I won't drag you under like last time."

"Sorry..." I smile, waving it off, "it's fine... I'm okay here for the moment." I give a nod of reassurance, gesturing back to the water and he grins sinking back down, the moment seemed nice enough, the creepy action bringing a smile to my face as he disappeared somewhere deep into the lake.

The water rippling had the little reflections hopping with each wave until the water calmed and the sky shined back perfectly once again. With a sigh I look up, charting the stars and their names in my head until other thoughts burden me, Enid, my parents, Wednesday and Xavier.

But as the graveyards say, 'speak of the demon's name and so shall they appear'...

"What are you doing all the way out here?" I stay still and turn my head to look at the newcomer, speaking with an accusatory tone as if he'd followed me but knowing otherwise, "what are you, doing out here?" The way my eyes narrowed at the 'you' in my sentence had him letting out a huff as he shook his head, chuckling.

"I'm not the monster if that's what you're thinking." He scowled at me as he spoke, something that made me feel uneasy and shameful when it shouldn't have, "it's not..." I frown and he pauses with what seems like a flicker of regret before he becomes unsure, "in fact I'm almost certain that it's Wednesday's boyfriend."

"Wednesday has a boyfriend?" The confusion was evident before it flickered across his face, the realization completely apparent, "...Tyler..." I nod with furrowed brows, "yes, the Galpin child. They went on a date tonight, crakstone's crypt..."

"Oh..."

"...Do you fancy Wednesday?" He pauses, looking off to the side in thought, watching the way the water ripples under the moonlight as he notices my legs are hanging over the side of the pier, "uhm, I'm not really sure... Lately she just kind of pisses me off."

"I see...well I'm, I am..." I sigh looking away, unable to form proper words for a short moment, "forgive me, for not standing up for you. Enid tells me I am supposed to stand up for others, since it is seen as polite. Apparently I am not supposed to reserve it just for her..." I end with a grumble as I side eye a nail with a curled up lip, the idea almost vile in my mouth as I speak of it.

My eyes move back up to him at the sound of his chuckle, "it's okay, you don't have to..." I relax, taking a deep inhale through my nose, "she is right, I suppose there are a few who I would prefer being more sweet to as she puts it..."

He's silent for a moment, contemplating my words for some reason as I look back at him, "to be honest Morella," he steps forward, feet finally meeting the wood of the hidden pier, "I'm not sure who I really like, your sister's complicated, at first it was kind of cute how oblivious she is..." I frown, a distasteful conversation point suddenly, "but I kinda find myself," his hand moves up, mimicking a clawed hand facing his chest as he speaks a bit awkwardly, "more drawn to y-"