When You're An Addams

You Need To Have A Taste For Danger

It was one week into the fall semester, and already there were vastly differing attitudes regarding it.

Bren had felt pretty good about their classes overall. Bit of a heavy workload for a few of their business courses, but it seemed manageable alongside their track and field commitments. Even with their scholarship requirements in mind.

They had noticed that Chad was, well...being Chad. Happy go lucky and overall a merry menace. He and Gomez often could be found chattering with one another when Chad wasn't listening to music, bothering the kids, or egging on Fester in some stunt or another.

April seemed more tired than usual, but, it was hard to tell if it was staying up reading or something else with her. After all, she had been bringing stacks of books in and out of the house constantly once given access to the university library. The poor librarians.

Then there was Fin.

They had a few classes at similar times in the same building, and every time they had caught sight of Fin, he looked...well, paranoid. Constantly looking over his shoulder. Trying to slouch his large, lanky frame to seem smaller and hide in the crowd of students. Which was ironic, considering his actions made him stand out even more. On campus, he even wore glasses.

When Bren had asked about them, he had shrugged it off, claiming they were blue light glasses. Bren didn't doubt that, but did find it odd that he only wore them on campus when he spent so much more time in front of his screens at home.

By the end of the week, even Chad had managed to pick up on how much of a nervous wreck Fin was.

"But what do you think is bugging him? He seemed really chill before...do you think he's got social anxiety or something? One of my opera buds has it. More common than you'd think." He offered sagely from his sprawling position on the library floor available in the small aisle they were in. His momentary wisdom punctuated by the obnoxious slurping noise from his mostly empty iced coffee.

"Well yeah, but this is like super paranoid behavior." Bren insisted, actually worried.

"Perhaps, but we really shouldn't be assuming things." April chided gently. "He could just be nervous with his new surroundings and all. Everyone gets a bit jittery at times. If you are truly concerned, Bren, then ask him instead of speculating."

They sighed, seeing her point. "I mean, yeah, but I don't know if we're close enough to ask that sort of thing yet or not. Its hard to get a read on that guy." They complained as April placed another book in their waiting arms. "He's quiet to begin with, but now he's been shutting himself up in his room almost every day after classes. I'm worried about the guy."

"I know, and you're a good friend for being worried." They took a calming breath as she looked down from the stepstool she needed for her next book. "Only a good friend worries this much at concerning behavior, Bren. Just the fact that you are this concerned is enough to warrant you being close enough to ask. Okay?" They nodded, shoulders relaxing a bit.

"Yeah, I guess you're right..."

"Of course I am." She chirped smugly before plopping another thick tome onto the stack in their arms. "There, that's the last one! We can go now. Unless y'all need any books?"

"Nope! All good here!" Chad hummed, standing with a stretch.

"I've already got my hands full." Bren informed dryly, only to immediately regret it as April suddenly looked worried.

"Im sorry, I can carry them!" They quickly stepped back as she reached for the stack.

"Whoa! Hey, I was just teasing! I don't mind, really." They assured, starting the treck to the checkout counter downstairs. "Besides, its easier if your hands are free to get your ID out, right?"