CHAPTER FOURTEEN. say i'm happy then cry myself to sleep
Kennedy was getting used to how strange Wednesday was. Her bizarre ways didn't shock her anymore. But a murder board was something that definitely gave her the chills. She looked at the grotesque photos and felt like throwing up. "You did inside of a morgue?" She asked very slowly.
"It was actually quite exhilarating." Wednesday replied nonchalantly.
"Y'know, as much as I'm mad that you don't make me on your crazy adventures anymore, I'm kinda glad I stayed back on this one."
Enid was fighting back her disgust. "When I suggested giving your side of the room a makeover, I did not have Ted Bundy's Pinterest in mind."
"I somehow think his Pinterest would be more gruesome." said Kennedy while titling her head.
"Still not as creepy as your stuffed unicorn collection." Wednesday said back.
"So, Will Graham, did you find anything?"
She took some of the photos down from the board. "Turns our all of the monster's victims have had body parts surgically removed. The first one a kidney, the second a finger—"
Enid started to pant. "Wednesday, I don't really—"
"The third one a gall bladder," Wednesday quickly said and grabbed more photos. "And the bearded man from the meeting house, two toes. Do you understand what this means? These murders aren't mindless."
Kennedy stared at the blonde with concern and put a hand on her back. Enid's eyes rolled to the back of her head and she collapsed to the floor.
". . . it's quite impressive, actually." Wednesday continued to say until she turned around and saw Enid on the floor.
"Yeah, she doesn't do well with gore." Said Kennedy.
"Grab the smelling salts. Again." She said to Thing.
After what almost happened with Xavier in his dorm room, Kennedy was hesitant to talk to him. They got caught up in a moment, that was it. But Kennedy felt something. She and Xavier were connected by an invisible string; when they were pulled apart, she still felt the pull of him. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't keep Xavier out of her life. He was a part of her even if he wasn't hers anymore.
Kennedy walked with Presley to the science laboratory. "I need to tell you something." she started to say and felt her stomach drop.
She looked at her with interested eyes. "Ohh, what scandalous thing have you done now?"
"Xavier and I almost kissed."
Presley choked on her own breath. "WHAT?"
Kennedy cursed herself for blurting it out like that. "Almost! I pulled away before we could." She winced.
"Kennedy!" She hissed and grabbed her arm. "Oh my god, tell me everything!"
"I snuck out last night because I couldn't sleep. Took a walk in the woods. Xavier was there so we walked back together. We almost got caught by the housemaster so he dragged me to his room until the halls cleared out. We said some things and one thing led to another. . ." Kennedy explained and then went silent. She looked at Presley and gave a small shrug.
She slowly smiled. "How are you feeling?"
She groaned. "I don't know, Pres. There was a part of me that wanted to kiss him so badly, like I craved it. Then the other part of me wanted to punch him in the face because he caused this. He's the reason I can't trust him. He's the reason I feel like I can't trust another guy again because I'm afraid he'll leave."
Presley's smile turned into a frown. "Oh, Ken." She paused and stood in front of her. "You know that's not true. You're such a great girl, Kennedy. Any guy in this world will be lucky to have you. Xavier made a mistake but I think it was a mistake that the both of you needed." She gave her an encouraging smile. "Look at you. You're bettering yourself. You're not relying on other people to make you happy. You're getting out more. You're smiling and laughing again! Do you know how long it's been since I've seen you so happy?"
Kennedy's eyes watered.
"You're allowed to be upset that Xavier broke up with you but think of it this way; he's hurting too. He's trying to better himself also. The break up was good for both of you. If you love him like I know you do, the timing will work out. I promise. What's meant to happen will happen."
She smiled shakily and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you, Presley."
Prelsey smiled. "I told you I'm good at pep talks."
The invisible string somehow lead her to sitting by Xavier in class. Presley sat with Yoko. They looked at each other, both nervous on what to say. "Hey." He spoke in shock because she hadn't sat beside him in nearly two years.
"Hi." Kennedy said back nervously. She locked her hands in front of her on the table. "How's your morning been?"
His lips curled into a smile. "Good. How's yours?"
She hummed and nodded, forming another awkward smile. "Good. It's been good."
"While most plants reward their pollinators with sweet nectar, many carnivorous varieties turn to sexual trickery or deception," Ms. Thornhill started class.
Xavier bent over to get his book from his back and he let it a grunt in pain. Kenny gave him a concerned look. "Are you okay?"
"Oh yeah. I just tweaked my back fencing." He responded.
"The orchid produced a pheromone that mimics a female insect, luring the males in."
"Female power is what I call it." Said Presley and the class laughed.
"Thank you, Miss Gonzalez." Ms. Thornhill grinned. "Now, once the plant is pollinated, what do the male insects get in exchange?"
"Nada. Just like all the guys at the Rave'N." Bianca answered with a smirk.
The students laughed again. Kennedy mentally kicked herself for cracking a smile.
Ms. Thornhill settled them down. "Okay, okay. I know you're all excited about Saturday, which is why I haven't assigned any homework." The class cheered at that. "But I do still need volunteers for the decorating committee. Anyone interested, come and see me up here."
The ones that volunteered met with her at the desk. Kennedy stayed put in her chair. "Not gonna volunteer?" Xavier asked her. "I thought you had a knack for decorating."
"I do, but I don't think the teachers would appreciate my decorating skills. You've seen mine and presley's dorm." She told him.
He laughed. "Yeah. I'm assuming you're going to wear black?"
She smirked. "You bet."
He put his book back into his bag. "So, um. . . Have you thought about asking someone?" He asked and twisted himself in his seat so that he was facing her.
She shook her head. "Nope. Thinking about going solo."
"Oh. How come?"
Kennedy shrugged. "I'd rather spent the night with friends. Don't think my date would appreciate me throwing up the spiked punch." She joked.
Xavier chuckled. "Remember that one year when you wore a white dress and threw up all over yourself?"
She groaned and threw her head back. "You promised to never bring that up again!"
He laughed again. "I'm sorry! At least I helped you get it out."
"And that's why I never wear white anymore." She stood up from her chair. "What about you? Any lady in mind you're thinking of asking?"
Xavier didn't answer right away. A soft grin quirked on his lips. "I have someone in mind."
Kennedy bit her tongue to not smile and walked away from him, feeling her face turn red.
After classes were over, the girls, minus Wednesday, huddled in her and Enid's room to talk about the Rave'N. "Maybe we can go to that dress store in Jericho?" Kennedy suggested. I saw this really cute black two piece set."
Presley gasped. "The one with the sparkles?"
She nodded and grew a smile.
"Oh, I'm so excited!" Enid squealed and bounced around her room. "We need something that screams, 'We're strong, independent women who don't need a man because apparently all they do is stand you up on dates!'"
Kennedy and Presley shared an awkward look. Enid had told them about Ajax standing her up on their date. Kennedy was prepared to drive a knife through his eyes but Enid made her promise not to. She probably would have if she didn't love the girl so much.
"Trust us, Enid. When Ajax sees you, he'll regret ever standing you up." Presley promised with a confident smirk.
The werewolf beamed. "Thanks, Pres!"
Wednesday walked in on their girlish conversation and cringed. She had an uneasy expression on her face.
"Hey, Wednesday. Wanna join in on the conversation?" Kennedy teased, knowing she hated conversations like these.
"I'd rather choke on acid." She responded. She could hardly look Kennedy in the eye. "I have something to confess."
The three girls looked at her in anticipation. Wednesday looked like she was about to choke on her words. "I, um. . . I-I have a date to the Rave'N."
Enid squealed so loud, Kennedy thought her ear drums would burst. "OMG, Wednesday Addams is going to the Rave'N!"
"I think hell has frozen over." Presley said with wide eyes.
"That's great, Wednesday! Who's the lucky guy?" Asked Kennedy and she smiled.
Now she really couldn't look her in the eye. "It's. . . Xavier." She admitted.
The excitement died down and all eyes fell on her. The smile on her face slowly fell. Wednesday's expression was blank but there was something different in her eyes. It almost looked like guilt. "Oh."
"It was a spur of the moment kind of thing." She said rather quickly.
Kennedy assembled the fakest of smiles she could. "That's, um. . . That's great, Wednesday."
"It is?" She asked, somewhat surprised.
"Totally." She nodded and stood up from the bed. "Really great. Spectacular, really. I'm gonna go get ready for Jericho."
"Kennedy—"
She ignored Presley and quickly fled the dorm room, shutting the door behind her. She leaned against it and sucked in a breath.
She wasn't mad. She couldn't be mad. Xavier and her were broken up. He was free to do whatever he wanted. Yet at the same time, she never thought Wednesday would ask him to the Rave'N. Or maybe she would. Kennedy barely knew her. Were they even friends? Did Wednesday consider her a friend?
She went back to her dorm room and pressed her hand to her chest, trying to steady the pain that was forming. It was like she couldn't breathe.