𝐢𝐯.
"XAVIER Thorpe's his roommate," Enid told Wednesday, "You know, if you had a cell phone, you could just text him and ask him." Enid said as she made typing motions with her hands.
Valora overheared the conversation they had. She walked over to them.
"Yoko. Come on! Flare those whiskers," Enid yelled at one of the girls who was painting, "The Poe Cup droops for no one." She continued.
"What is the Poe Cup anyway?" Val barged in.
"Oh! Hi Val." Enid smiled at Val.
"But It's my entire reason for living right now," She explained with excitement, "Part canoe race, part foot chance, no rules." She counted.
"Each dorm has to pick an Edgar Allan Poe short story for inspiration," She said eagerly, "You guys could grab a brush." She recommended.
"Ms.Thorhill's just ordered pizza. Want to take a stab at being social, Val?" Enid asked, smiling.
"Uhh I don't know, not very big on the social part though." She slightly chuckled with a nervous look.
"It's Fine, just as long you're lakeside Cheering us to victory on race day." Enid said as she made waving flag motions.
"You, Wednesday?" She asked Wednesday, hoping to get a positive answer.
"I do like stabbing," Wednesday answered, "The social part, not so much."
"Besides, it'll cut into my writing time." She added.
"No worries," Enid smiled, understanding the girl's answers, "But same goes for you, Wednesday. Cheer us on!" She beamed.
-
Val was walking by the principle's office until she heard Wednesday speak.
"I told you already. I heard a noise, and I went to investigate," She told Ms.Weems.
Ms.Weems scoffed at what Wednesday said, "That excuse might have placated the sheriff, but you can't fool me."
"You had a psychic vision, didn't you?" Ms.Weems asked.
Psychic visions? Val thought as she overhears the two's conversation.
"I realized you might be having them when we passed by the accident and you knew that poor farmer had broken his neck." The principle told Wednesday.
"Your mother started having visions around your age," Ms.Weems started, "They were notoriously unreliable and dangerous."
"I remember at first, she thought she might be losing her mind." She shared.
"Have you spoken to her about them?" She asked.
Wednesday stayed quiet.
"Clearly the person withholding information here is you," Ms.Weems told Wednesday as she looked up at her, "May I go now?" Wednesday asked.
"Not until you've picked your extracurricular activity." Ms.weems told her, "We want our students to be well-rounded."
"I'd prefer to remain sharp-edged." Wednesday stated.
Val turned away from the door. What are they talking about? She thought until she saw Wednesday walk out.
"Wednesday." She called out her name.
Wednesday turned around, "Were you eavesdropping?"
"I just overheard you guys talking, I had no choice but to hear what you guys were saying because the door was open." Val pointed to the door.
"I heard about what happened to Rowan," Val paused, "Is that why you disappeared for a long time at the Festival?" She asked, trying to make eye contact with Wednesday.
"Yes, but no one will believe me." Wednesday looked down.
"What happened, exactly?" Val asked as she crossed her arms.
"I was running with Tyler until I had bumped into Rowan. As you heard, I had visions of a specific book and him being killed," Wednesday went on, "So, I followed him. Until, he lifted me up against a tree with his telekinesis. Then next thing I know it he was being attacked by a monster."
"So no one believes you?" Val asked.
"No one." Wednesday sighed, "Do you?"
"I do. I mean, we're in a school full of kids with powers. How wouldn't that be true?" Val said.
Valora was shortly called to the principals office, twenty minutes after talking to Wednesday. She had also gotten a talk about the extracurricular activity.
As Val was looking at the archery class, she saw Wednesday walk away from it.
She looked over at the place again to see Xavier taking an arrow and putting it into the bow. Val grinned and walked over.
Xavier heard her and looked over and looked back.
"I didn't think you were the type to do archery." She told him, smiling as the thoughts of yesterday came back.
"I guess you learn something new everyday." He smiled as he looked at her, grabbing an arrow from behind him.
She looked at the target, "Who did that?" She pointed towards the target.
"Wednesday." He replied as he shot the arrow.
"You try." He said as he gave her the bow and arrow.
She took it and set the bow in the arrow and raised it. She closed one eye, trying to get a better view of the target. As she let go it hit the bullseye.
"I like this." She smiled as she looked at the target.
"Then join it." He told her as he took the bow and arrow back.
-
Wednesday hid under the bed as she heard knocks coming from the door. As she heard the door open, Xavier began to speak.
"You're not supposed to be up here." Xavier told the person who had knocked on the door.
"Good to see you too." The girl said. Wednesday regonized that voice, it was Bianca's voice.
"How'd you get past the Housemaster? Use your siren powers?" He asked Bianca as he walked towards his bed frame.
"Not while wearing this," She told him, "Would it kill you to not think the worst of me for once?"
"What do you want, Bianca?" Xavier said, clearly annoyed.
"To see how you're doing." She replied, smiling.
"I'm sorry about Rowan. I know you guys used to be close."
"Since when did you give a damn about Rowan?" He asked.
She made an 'mm' sound, "You were the one afraid he'd do something to Wednesday. Or worse, Valora."
"Isn't that why you've been following her like an eager-eyed puppy?" She asked, "Or is there something more?"
Wednesday saw Xavier get up and walk towards his desk.
"Seriously, what do you see in her?" She asked, getting annoyed.
Wednesday saw Xavier close the drawing she previously looked at of Valora.
"You suddenly have a thing for wolves, especially when they go ballistic. Or do you have a thing for a girl who is two-faced?" She criticized.
"Two faced?" Xavier was confused on why Bianca had said that.
"I overheard her talk dirt on you," She told him, "She was talking to one of her friends, saying that you were a selfish, self-centered jerk that can't get enough of himself."
"What?" He didn't believe what Bianca had just said.
"I mean, that's what I heard." She shrugged as she sat next to him.
"I can't wait to crush Ophelia Hall tomorrow," Bianca smiled, "It's gonna be a Poe Cup finale to remember."
"I hate to think what you've got planned." Xavier sighed as he still thought about what Valora had said.
"My game's already started," She told him, "I like to win."
"Is that so wrong?" She asked.
"And you wonder why I broke up with you." He looked down at her.
"You used to love my killer instinct," She grinned as she took and held his hand.
Wednesday looked at Thing and back as she was witnessing something she shouldn't witness.
"Were we?" Xavier questioned, "Is that just how you wanted me to feel?"
Bianca scoffed at what he said, "Trust me, Valora Quintin is not the girl of your dreams." She told him, "She's the stuff of your nightmares." She said as she walked off.
-
Val sat with Enid, trying to calm her down as she cried.
Both Val and Enid heard Wednesday come in through the window.
"Where have you been?" Enid asked as she got up and walked towards her.
"I'm literally having a heart attack right now," Enid cried, "Yoko and one of my other girls is in the infirmary!"
"What happened?" Wednesday asked
"Garlic bread incident at dinner," She told her, "They had a major allergic reaction. Which that means they're out of the Poe Cup and I don't have a co-pilot and neither do I have a canoeist." She rambled.
"It wasn't an accident. Bianca's behind it." Wednesday said.
"Of course it's Bianca." Val whispered.
"How do you know?" Enid asked, turning to her.
"Doesn't matter." Wednesday said.
"You, Val, and I are going to take her down tomorrow." Wednesday announced.
"Wait. You and Val are joining the black cats?" Enid asked as she looked at Wednesday and the girl who sat on her bed.
"You guys are willing to do that?"
"Guess so." Val said as she layed down on Enid's bed.
"I want to humiliate Bianca so badly, that the bitter taste of defeat burns in her throat." Wednesday said with no emotion.
"Tell me how she keeps winning." Wednesday said as she turned around.
"It's a real brain cramp," Enid told her, "The past two years, no other boat has made it across and back without sinking."
"That sounds like sabotage." Val added in as she sat up on her elbows.
"There are no rules in the Poe Cup," Enid said, "and she is a siren, which makes her master of the water."
Wednesday turned around, "Then we just need to beat her at her own game."