All For Not - Wednesday

Page 84

"This is the first time you've ever willingly returned to a school. How does it feel?" My mother asks as I peer out of the window, her curious question directed to Wednesday. Three weeks passed a little too quickly for my taste and now here we were, sitting in the car all together on the way to Nevermore.

"Like returning to the scene of the crime. I already know where the bodies are buried. No more uncontrolled chaos. I will bend this place to my will."

Wednesday's response to our mother makes my eyes roll in annoyance, an awkward cringe to her words. "Be careful, dear. Control is often an illusion, like how I let your father believe he's in charge of this family," Our mother smiles as she speaks, our father looking up at her with adoration as he sits at her side.

My mother and her converse as Pugsley sits up front with Lurch, new uniform fitted to his form, "Do you think I'll actually make a friend here?"

Out of habit I tune everyone in the car out, not listening any further until my name is called and I have to pull my eyes from the window, "Yes mother?"

"Are you excited to be going back to Nevermore?" She asks, a smirk gracing her lips, "I am positively vibrating, like a bell in a graveyard shaken by those buried alive." Her smirk turns to a sweet smile, my fathers face sporting a loving smile of his own as they look at me.

"With any luck, you will be buried alive this semester and missing your bell..."

Wednesday's voice cuts through and I freeze, glowering with glowing eyes as I look back out the window and speak softly, "An eternity in a coffin...having to live my life six feet deep would be better than being near you in yours..."

The car falls to a fatal silence this time and everyone looks to me in shock, my parents' faces falling at our broken bond while Pugsley sits upfront stunned with his jaw dropped. Wednesday looks at the back window straight past our parents, eyes widened as her heart pounds coldly. Emotions prevalent as her resolve cracks but yet she doesn't cry or even turn to anger, instead she sits, silent and unmoving, uncomfortable with the situation. Unused to my retorts being so negative and distancing.

The car stops suddenly and I sit there, waiting until Lurch and Pugsley exit first. The door opens a few moments later and Lurch extends his hand allowing me to take it in my grasp and step from the car under his gaze, "thank-you Lurch," I say softly, turning around to grab my handmade carrier off the car's floor.

Stepping back I walk to the side and wait a moment, watching as my parents step out from the car next, worried gazes falling onto my form as they frown together. I turn away, ignoring the looks as I wait.

"Ah, girls, do take care of your brother..." I heard my mother say after a moment. I respond with a nod and walk away, leaving them all behind as I walk across the gravel entrance and up the steps, moving through the large double doors.

My eyes lock onto Kent immediately, but then they drift as the voices start, the murmurs and awes of my new peers and their parents, even the new faculty members. I frown deeply and Kent jogs up to me, "Hey," he grins and greets me.

"Hello..." I look up at him, a soft expression on my face as he looks down at me. He's quite bright today, ecstatic, ready for the new year to start just as he was when I'd visited him and his sister Davina a few weeks ago.

He stands there, smiling as he takes the sight of me in, eyes roaming my face contentedly. Forgetting his original plan as he admired me for a moment his eyes widened when he suddenly remembered, "I got you this," He says lifting his hand from behind his back, a cup filled with what smelt like sugary coffee topped with mounds of cream whipped.