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Her mother once told her that she’ll grow to love Nevermore. Honestly, it’s pitiful how much Morticia Addams did not know her at all. It’s not that Wednesday didn't love things. She did.
She loves the macabre, the numerous employments of torture, and underneath her rebellious teenage musings, she loves her family—despite their overbearing need to shower her (and everything else, for the matter) with affection.
To love a school, however? She makes a mental note to tell her mother to try her hand at comedy.
To her mother’s credit, Wednesday did form an affinity to the place and has, to her surprise, made room for some friends. She ignores the shudder down her spine with the thought of casually associating herself as someone’s “friend” (perhaps this school really is cursed).
Eugene and his hive remained a source of genuine amusement to her and her relationship with Bianca has morphed into a bond of mutual respect and unspoken admiration.
And then there was Enid.
Throughout the lengthy school break, Wednesday engaged in an almost daily habit of back-and-forth messaging with the colorful werewolf. Usually, a flurry of Enid’s daily activities after her “omg, Wednesday, guess WHAT”’s come by lunchtime. Then, the sharp ding in the evenings signal an update on the latest Nevermore gossip (“I heard they repainted the library with this color called Xanadu. I mean, what the heck is a Xanadu even?”).
Unexpectedly, Wednesday began initiating some of their daily conversations herself (“Pugsley found a decaying rabbit by the lake today. Its eyes had the same shade as yours”), smirking at the aghast but entertained replies from her roommate. (“Ew..but aww this is kinda sweet, i guess?”).
These have been a pleasant exchange, in Wednesday’s own way. What she finds most astonishing, however, is how she starts noticing the days wherein she receives no messages from Enid at all. A gnawing oddity grew in her stomach; as if an annoying raven started pecking at her insides. She scoffs the metaphorical bird away and berates herself for her uncharacteristic need for amity. What a peculiar creature friendship has turned her into.
As friends go, Enid was definitely the best one that Wednesday had. She made the mistake of telling her this over one of their text exchanges and was instantly bombarded with multiple heart emojis and a barrage of random capitalized letters—she learned that this was called keyboard smashing. She wonders when she became so fluent in Enid.
Fast forward to two weeks into the new semester, Wednesday finds herself testing just how proficient she has become in familiarizing herself with Enid’s quirks.
She was walking up the steps of Ophelia Hall with Thing on her shoulder when a high-pitched yelp from their dorm causes the loyal hand to perk up in high alert. Thing turns towards Wednesday, raising his index finger by an inch; his equivalent of a raised eyebrow.
With a slight smirk, Wednesday can only deduce two things, “Either our werewolf has set off our latest booby traps or that package she ordered a week ago has finally arrived.”
“Oh my god, oh my god, it’s here!” Option two it was.
Wednesday walks the remaining steps and creaks open their door. A kettle gently bubbles in the background as a kneeling Enid rips into a big brown box like a raccoon on a sugar high. Styrofoam cups in neon colors tumbled out, clattering across the floor.
“Wednesday! It finally arrived! I’ve been seeing a lot of TikToks about this and we just GOT to try it,” Enid says as she adjusts her legs into a comfortable sitting position, beckoning Wednesday to take a closer look.
“Ah, the Tiktok rabbit hole has struck its unsuspecting victim yet again,” Wednesday takes careful steps next to her roommate and glances over the open box. “Pray tell, what trend managed to capture your attention this time?”
“Well, it isn’t really a trend but I've been watching a lot of mukhbangs lately and the noodle cravings are so real. I don’t know what it is with Koreans, but they make eating things with chopsticks look so good.”
Wednesday inspects the contents of the box and sees multi-colored cups of noodles. She gives a dismissive huff and walks over to her bed.
Undeterred, Enid manages to quickly grab the sleeve of Wednesday’s sweater. Wednesday stops and simply stares at Enid’s hand; this would usually result in severed limbs but for some reason, Wednesday doesn't seem to mind the sudden intrusion. (Again, when has she become so soft?)
Enid slowly unclenches her hold, an apologetic look on her face. The loss of touch should have been a welcome feeling, but it just left Wednesday feeling a bit odd. “Sorry…c’mon Wednesday we gotta try some of it together. We can make a vlog!”
“I’d rather not.”
Enid turns towards her package and rummages through each cup. “Okay fine, scratch the vlog. But at least try one with me! If you think about it, instant ramen has so many preservatives, it can technically be fatal if we eat enough of it,” She says while holding up one of the darker-colored instant ramen, waving it at Wednesday’s face. “Plus this one’s super spicy.”
“A sound argument, Enid. I'm impressed,” Wednesday says, eyeing the words GHOST PEPPER embossed on the side. “I suppose it would be intriguing to explore the limits of my spice tolerance”
Enid yelps again and hops up, “Perfect! Lemme get the kettle!”
~~~
“How are you not even sweating?”
The two girls sit on the floor, the room smelling of the thick, savory scent of instant noodles—salt and synthetic chili oil heavy in the air. Enid with her mouth agape, wipes her teary eyes and seethes loudly, failing to relieve the biting spice plaguing her tongue.
Wednesday, with her back straight, face stoic, and cup noodle in hand, twirls more of the striking orange noodles around her chopsticks–completely unphased by the ghost pepper’s kick.
“Training one’s spice tolerance is a long-standing practice in the Addams family. Both my parents have gifted me with exemplary genetics to withstand any level of heat. Scoville himself would be put to shame.” She takes another slurp of perfectly rolled noodles and, as if it would be enough explanation, ends definitively with, “and I’m Latina.”
Enid, nervously eyeing her own steaming cup, tries for another heroic bite and nearly collapses, pawing at her milk carton.
Wednesday’s expression didn’t shift an inch as she slurped another mouthful.
“I guess these are all for me then,” Enid, who procured two small milk boxes from the cafeteria, starts to open them both to prepare for her next intake of the notorious black cup noodle.
After a few moments of comfortable silence, Enid suddenly quips, “You’re lucky you have great parents.” She ends with a chuckle, earning a raised eyebrow from Wednesday.
“Yours remain to have the same unpalatable attitude since the last time they graced these halls?” She asks. “I would think that once you’ve shifted, they too would have had their own transformation with how they treat you.”
“Mom and dad…well, mostly mom, has been…annoying lately.” Enid’s eyes avoid Wednesday’s stern ones, choosing to swirl her already-cooked noodles with one chopstick. “She tells me it's time I start doing more traditional werewolf things. Whatever that means. Next thing we know she’s gonna nag me on about finding a nice werewolf mate,” Enid feigns a shiver and sticks out her tongue in disgust.
It takes all of Wednesday’s willpower to suppress an annoyed twitch in her eye. Mate. As if anyone would ever be worthy of Enid. She ignores the resurrected green-eyed raven nitpicking at her entrails and simply blames the spicy ramen for the sudden fire in her chest.
“It sucks that it never seems to end, you know?” Enid continues. “I finally wolf out but then there’s another thing I have to do. And another thing. And then another thing. Then when I’m done doing that it’s ‘time to make pups, Enid’,” she ends with a high-pitched imitation of what Wednesday assumes to be Enid’s annoying mother. “Lord knows I'm not ready for that.”
“I’d rather not hear any talk of that either,” Wednesday replies calmly, though the winged monster in her chest erupts into life—cawing and scratching at her lungs.
“I just thought it’d be enough I guess…after I wolf out. That my mom would, like, finally just lay off and treat me like my brothers. But whatever, no biggie.”
Wednesday merely hums in understanding. Thoughts like this used to crumble Enid into crying fits but she barely sheds a single tear tonight. Her growing self-confidence doesn't go unnoticed by Wednesday. If only they treated you how an Addams would.
Unbidden into Wednesday’s mind come the thoughts of Enid with her own kooky family. Gomez, lifting Enid off the ground in a warm and tight embrace, her mother tucking a stray blonde hair behind Enid’s ear, Pugsley and Enid grenade fishing…the raven in her chest caws gently and preens its feathers.
Wednesday scolds herself for how ridiculous her imagination has gotten and gulps down the rest of the scorching tangy soup–hopefully dousing the raven into silence. Her musings were interrupted by Enid saying, “Lucky I have Ajax. At least with him around, mom isn’t setting me up with any of her prospects. As long as I have him, I’m safe from mom”
“That,” Wednesday said slowly, “is uncharacteristically cunning.”
“I mean of course I love him, I think…oh my god you’re right I’m being totally unfair to him.”
Absurdly, a small flicker of hope stirs in Wednesday’s chest. Hope for what, exactly, she files for review for another time. She glances at Enid, taking in the way her shoulders slope under the weight of her distress. “Then stop being unfair to him.”
Enid blinks at her, chopsticks halfway to her mouth. “It’s… not that simple.”
“On the contrary, it’s precisely that simple,” Wednesday says, setting her empty cup down. “If you stay with Ajax to protect yourself from the inconvenience of your nagging mother and not out of mutual affection, then your relationship has simply morphed into a convenient arrangement. And arrangements that have outlived their usefulness ought to end.”
Enid huffs a laugh that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “Well if you put it that way…”
Wednesday tilts her head, almost curious. “You care for him?”
Enid hesitates, twirling noodles again just to avoid answering too fast. “I… like him. He’s sweet. Funny. He tries really hard.”
“But you’re not in love with him.” The raven inside Wednesday perks its head, anticipating her response.
“Wow, you’d make a terrifying couples counselor,” Enid jokes, but her smile falters as the realization sits in her chest like an overcooked noodle—heavy and hard to swallow.
Enid sets her chopsticks down with a long sigh, appetite gone. “I hate it when you’re right,” she mutters.
Wednesday smirks faintly. “You should be used to it by now.”
They finish in silence, save for the soft sound of Thing scurrying over to pat Enid’s thigh in comfort. She gives him a soft smile but her eyes drift—as if her mind is suddenly far from the ramen in front of them. A sharp ding startles Enid as her phone lights up with a text.
“It’s Ajax.” Speak of the devil.
Enid just stares at her phone, cradled loosely in her hands. Wednesday watches as she slowly gulps, twiddling her thumbs over her glowing screen. Enid types, deletes, and types again. The backspace key clicks in an even rhythm—a metronome of her indecision.
“Just reply,” Wednesday commands, her tone flat.
Enid startled at the certainty in her voice and, almost without thinking, quickly typed in a reply.
“There, done. We’ll talk tomorrow,” Enid sighs, and starts to throw away the scattered cup noodles and seasoning packets. Wednesday takes this as her queue that the night has ended and helps her roommate clean up.
“I guess a part of me is scared that I’ll just end up being alone again,” Enid whispers as she walks over to her side of the room.
Wednesday eyes her carefully, watching Enid crash into her bed. Enid’s gaze is fixed at the ceiling, her eyebrows crease together as she fiddles with her fingers in a nervous stupor. Now would perhaps be a good time to lend comforting words. But Wednesday knows her roommate would see right through her disingenuous effort at mundane emotions. So instead she says, “You do not ever need to worry about that, Enid.”
This catches the werewolf’s attention. She looks at Wednesday, curiosity flickering in her eyes, mingled with something softer.
“So long as I’m around—be it living or dead—you will never be alone.” Wednesday says, her voice low but firm, each word landing with the weight of a vow. “You will always have me.”
For a moment, Enid simply stares at her, the usual brightness in her expression tempered by something deeper, almost reverent. “Thank you, Wednesday,” she says, and for the first time in a long time, she looks almost peaceful as she flicks her bedside lamp off and tucks herself into sleep.
~~~
The next day, Enid and Ajax find a secluded bench facing the lake where they had the Poe Cup.
Sitting down, Enid’s hand rests on Ajax’s, warm and familiar. She glances at their joined fingers and the vicegrip around her heart spikes up with anxiety with what’s about to take place. She thinks back to her conversation with Wednesday from the night before.
But you’re not in love with him.
The breeze whips colder, carrying the faint but familiar sound of a cello playing from somewhere in the castle. She swallows. The deep stringed musical notes strike heavier than the silence between her and Ajax. You will never be alone. You will always have me.
“I tried this new thing at the Weathervane. Super strong coffee—smells like it could melt a hole through the table,” Ajax says, breaking the silence. Enid’s mind snags on an entirely different thought—Wednesday chugging a stiff quad as she steadily hammers at her typewriter. She blinks, startled by where her thoughts have wandered.
Before she can chicken out or get distracted, she snaps out of her thoughts and grabs Ajax by the collar of his shirt, her face nearly inches from his and whispers with much intensity, “Ajax, I want to break up.”
Ajax stopped breathing, completely frozen.
“I..didn’t know you felt so strongly about coffee”
“What?”
“I’m kidding…uhm,” he chuckles as he takes Enid’s hands from his collar and places them on the space between them,“…you want to break up with me? why?”
“I just…dont feel right about us–no that’s not right. I want time for mysel—no that’s not true either. I think–I know–I…gosh, Ajax, I’m so sorry”
“Okay how about we take a deep breath and start over?”
It ends up being a short, straightforward confession: her feelings faded. She tells herself wolfing out puts things into perspective, though deep down she suspects it’s more complicated than that. Ajax slumps down deeper into the bench the more she talks. There wasn't much to say, really. No deeper reason for wanting to end things other than the fact that the sparks died. She didn't think there needed to be a deeper reason. She most certainly didn't want to reach the point where they get so frustrated that it coaxes out a more serious (and more hurtful) reason to end things.
What she didn’t expect was how Ajax didn’t seem at all surprised.
“We kinda fizzled out over the break. I mean, it wasn't all you—I wasn't really the best at keeping the flame alive myself,” he says. “Was probably a sign that neither of us really bothered to text or call that much for most of the summer.”
She nods, ignoring the sudden reminder of who she was actually texting for the entirety of their break. She simply stares at the lake in front of them where, just months ago, she sat in her Black Cats boat and gave Ajax a small wink before beating his team at the Cup. It felt like years ago when the only things on her mind were winning school competitions and getting this sweet gorgon boy to ask her out on a date.
“But we had our fun though, didn’t we, Enid?” Ajax asks suddenly, pulling her back from her thoughts as he gives her a sad but genuine smile. He squeezes her hand as if asking for assurance. She knows what Ajax means to say with his gestures. I hope I made you happy.
A very small part of her wishes that things between them didn't dry out so fast—maybe they could've had their puppy love for a little while longer. But Enid knows that they’ve run their course. So she just squeezes his hand back and smiles at him.
He sighs as he gets up, looking at her with kind eyes. He was being so Ajax about it that Enid can’t help but feel like she did something wrong.
“I'm sorry, Ajax.” A lump in her throat forms as she looks up at him with her big doe eyes.
He laughs a little and shakes his head. Turning her apology around with a simple, “Enid, you don’t have to say sorry for things that aren't your fault.”
Enid gets up and hugs him. How’d she get so lucky to have a decent sweet stoner goofball as her first heartbreak? She looks up at him as he cups her face with one warm hand. He wipes away the tears that she didn't notice started falling; a gentle thumb caresses her cheek.
“We’re still friends, right?” Enid asks, still hugging him.
“Well duh!” He wraps his arm around her and gives her a tight squeeze. “Who else is gonna vouch for me when Wednesday decides to bring out her nail gun again?”
Enid laughs, but the sound catches in her throat. She looks away quickly, pretending to watch a ripple in the lake. There must’ve been something in the way Enid looks away at the mention of their goth friend that catches Ajax’s attention because he adds, “I guess that’s another thing you need to figure out, huh?”
She ignores the nagging thought that he knew something that she didn’t. Enid eyes him carefully but says nothing. She can feel the heat rise to her face—it’s probably just the cool air—and hopes that Ajax doesn't spot her suddenly warm cheeks.
“Well, I guess I’d better get going, Enid.”
Out of habit, he leans in to give her a peck goodbye and catches himself just a few inches from her lips. Wide-eyed and embarrassed, he stays there as if stoned to place. Enid chuckles and closes the small gap to give him one last sweet kiss.
“See you around,” he says as he detaches himself from her and walks back to the castle, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
“See you around,” she whispers, watching him round the corner and disappear out of sight. She sighs as a strange sense of relief comes over her, a gentle smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Then a huge wave of guilt consumes her at her initial reaction.
Her ears pick up the crescendo of cello strings somewhere far off, and it doesn't take long before her tears start flowing again.
~~~
Wednesday was in the middle of her cello practice when she heard the dorm room door open, signaling Enid’s return. The door slams, followed by Enid’s heavy sigh. The faint sound of a whispered conversation is muffled through the balcony window, and she hears the quick tapping of Thing’s fingers on the wooden floor headed towards her direction.
Thing scurries from the small opening in the balcony window, and suddenly he’s hopped on top of Wednesday’s sheet music stand.
“Pray that I consider your intrusion worthwhile,” She threatens.
Thing simply sighs, as hands often do, and signs a simple She needs you before shuffling back inside.
Rolling her eyes, Wednesday gently lays her cello back onto its black leather case and makes her way into the room to see what all the fuss is about.
“Your returns from your rendezvous with Ajax are starting to interfere with my cello sessions,” Wednesday sighs as she closes the balcony door behind her. “I trust you know there will be consequences for this distur–” She stops in her tracks when she turns and takes in the scene before her.
In front of her stands a slumped-over mess of pink fluff. Enid’s face is void of her usual vibrant colors which makes her red-rimmed eyes strikingly stand out. Her hands are clasped around her own torso as if she’d fall apart if she stops hugging herself.
Wednesday, lips pursed and hands forming into tight fists, doesn't even utter a word when she stomps towards her desk; Thing already opening the drawer for her. The raven inside her caws—violent and determined. Her eyes are suddenly wide with furious determination. She can feel Enid’s eyes on her as she extracts a large nail gun especially reserved for a stupid gorgon.
“Wednesday, no!”
“I make no empty threats, Enid.” Wednesday says as she heads towards the door.
“Then point that thing at me ‘cause Ajax didn't do anything.”
Wednesday pauses and narrows her eyes at Enid, waiting for an explanation.
Enid swallowed, voice small. “I broke up with him.”
“Oh.”
“Yep.”
“I am at a loss as to why, then, you would be crying?” Wednesday says, almost sounding like a question. “Did you not receive what you wished for from your breakup?”
“I did. And we’re all good. But—” Enid’s face scrunches up and she quickly makes her way towards her bed and dramatically collapses face first. An exasperated wail comes out of her as she buries her face in her folded arms.
Wednesday stands there for a minute, and simply stares at Enid’s sobbing form. Wednesday only breaks out of her stupor when she hears a rapid snapping from her desk. Oh yes, Thing was still here.
Try a little empathy? he signs
Wednesday glares at him.
Swallowing her discomfort, and slowly approaching Enid’s bed. She lays the nailgun down on Enid’s side table and sits down next to her, unsure of what to do exactly.
She sees Thing gently pat and caress her desk, as if demonstrating the proper way to comfort someone. She squints at him, but gives it a try anyway, offering a hesitant but gentle pat pat pat on her roommate’s back in between her sobs.
“I will begin an attempt at empathy and comfort,” Wednesday softly whispers.
This catches Enid’s attention, and the werewolf sniffs and tilts her head so one of her eyes is peeking out from her arms.
Wednesday clears her throat and continues, “It may feel unbearable now, but ending things with Ajax was the right thing to do. You are free to cry for as long as you want. But you need not worry,” Wednesday pauses and fixes her eyes directly on Enid. A younger Enid would’ve shrunk by the intensity of her gaze. But now she holds it and doesn’t pull away—anchored and tethered to the moment. “As I’ve said before…you will always have me.”
The promise seems to land on Enid like a warm weight. Her shoulders relax and she shifts onto her side, propping her head up with one hand, and looks at Wednesday. Enid sighs as they hold each others’ gaze for another moment.
“You’re the best, Wednesday,” Enid whispers. Wednesday’s eyes softened, and something about the way Wednesday must’ve been looking at her—tender and steady—made Enid look away.
And just like that, the moment has passed and Wednesday shifts back to her usual stoic demeanor.
“I will now attempt to distract you,” Wednesday said. “Would you care for some of your atrocious ramen?” She was already walking toward the water kettle.
“Only if you’ll have some with me,” Enid says as she gets up and walks towards Wednesday.
Wednesday paused, then nodded once.
They stood side by side as the water boiled. If Enid needed someone to be with her through whatever came next, Wednesday would be there—cup noodles in hand.