Once Thornhill had done her nightly check, Blair remembered that they were meant to find Uncle Fester in the Nightshade Library, she sent a mind message to Xavier saying that she couldn't make it which he was fine with.
Once the twins got to the statue, Blair snapped twice and the gears clicked and clacked as the secret entrance was revealed.
"Uncle Fester?" Wednesday called out as the twins walked downstairs. They heard footsteps but it wasn't Uncle Fester.
It was Xavier. "Who's Uncle Fester?" He asked, he already knew since Blair had told him, but he didn't want Wednesday to know.
"What are you doing here?" Wednesday asked him.
"Since I'm an actual Nightshade, I don't have to explain myself. What's your excuse for creeping around in the middle of the night?" Xavier said, sending Blair a smile.
"Research." Wednesday stated.
"On the monster?" Xavier asked. "I'll save you some time. Blair and I already checked, there's nothing in here matching that thing." He shrugged.
"Isn't that convenient?" Wednesday asked. The twins go to leave but Xavier stops them.
"You know what your problem is?" He said to Wednesday.
"I would love to hear your piercing insight."
"Wednesday." Blair warned her. She knew this wasn't going to end well.
"You don't know who your real friends are. I've been on your side since day one. I literally saved your life. I believed your theories when nobody else did. And what do I get in return? Just nothing but suspicion and lies." He said, angering Wednesday.
"Fine. You want honesty? Here it is. Every time the monster's attacked, you've been right there. Starting with Rowan at the Harvest Festival. Then on Outreach Day, you arrived just minutes after the monster disappeared, yet you say you didn't see it." Wednesday said.
Xavier shook his head. "I didn't realize proximity was a crime."
"Then there's your drawing obsession. You have drawn the monster dozens of times, yet you've never seen it. Or so you claim. You even drew where it lived. Then when Eugene went to investigate, you tried to kill him so he wouldn't spill your secret." Wednesday said.
"Wednesday." Blair called out again, but she was ignored.
"You think I would hurt Eugene?" Xavier asked, insulted that she would accuse him of such crime.
"Let's not forget your oh-so-convenient appearance after Tyler had been attacked at the Gates mansion."
"If I am the monster, then why haven't I killed you?" Xavier asked.
"Because of Blair." Wednesday answered, Xavier left the library.
***
"What the hell Wednesday!" Blair yelled. "I told you to stop, why did you keep going!"
"I don't have to answer you, Blair. I don't have to explain myself." Wednesday said.
"You know, that he and I are together, I have constantly asked you to play nice, to at least try to get along. But no." Blair shook her head ad ran off to find Xavier. Luckily, he hadn't gotten very far. "Xavier!" Blair yelled, making him stop.
"I've tried Blair. I have, but for her to insinuate that I'm the monster, that I've killed... that I would hurt you." He whispered the last sentence. "That's taking it too far."
"I know." Blair stood closer. "I know you would never hurt me." She said, bringing him in close and hugging him. Touch was Xavier's love language, something Blair always tried to show him.
***
After her conversation with Xavier, Blair returned to Wednesday's dorm waiting to hear if they found the book. Luckily she didn't have to wait long because a few seconds after she sat on her bed, Wednesday and Uncle Fester walked in with a book. "I assume you found it?" She asked as Wednesday walked to her desk and opened it.
"I did." She said, slipping through the pages before stopping. "Found it. Faulkner describes Hydes as artists by nature, but equally vindictive in temperament. Born of mutation, the Hyde lays dormant until unleashed . This causes the Hyde to develop an immediate bond with its liberator, who the creature now sees as its master. It becomes the willing ." She read.
"Anyone willing to unlock a Hyde is a next-level sicko." Fester commented.
"That means we're not looking for one killer but two." Wednesday said.
"Monster and master." Blair said. There was knock at the door, Blair looked at Fester who understood the message and hid, just as Thornhill walked in who let out a relieved sigh when she saw the twins.
"I didn't mean to startle you." She said.
"You didn't startle us." Blair stated.
"I was just working on my novel." Wednesday stated.
"Enid has requested to room with Yoko for the rest of the school year." Thornhill told them.
"She did?" Wednesday asked.
"When there's a falling out, I like to get both girls' perspectives on what happened. You two seemed as thick as thieves." Thornhill told her.
"Ultimately, thieves turn on each other. I've seen it with my own eyes." Blair stated.
"Deflect all you want, but you and I both know that you care about Enid. And you have to admit she managed to bring out a spark of warmth in you. Oh, don't worry. Just a tiny spark. Barely perceptible to the average eye, but... I noticed. Part of the dorm experience is making friends with people that you wouldn't normally connect with. And those friendships often turn into lifelong bonds."
"I would rather buy a rope."
"Is it really so difficult for you to admit that you made a friend, and now that she's gone you might actually miss her?"
"I'll survive alone. I always have."
"Well, if that's your decision, I'll submit the forms to Principal Weems." Thornhill said as she left the dorm.
***
"I'm going to see Enid." Blair told her sister.
"No, you're not." Wednesday scoffed.
"Excuse me." Blair said, crossing her arms.
"I said no. we need to be here, finding the Hyde."
"Okay, you don't tell me what to do, if I want to see my friend, then I will see my friend. You don't control me." Blair said, walking out to see Enid.
***
Blair stood outside of Yoko's room, waiting for them to open, it was only a few seconds before Enid opened the door. "Blair!" Enid exclaimed, excitedly. She was glad to see Blair since the last time she saw her or spent time with her was at the Gates House and she was unconscious and covered in blood.
"I've come to spend time with you, I've already informed Xavier saying that I wouldn't be with him tonight." Blair told her.
"Of course! Welcome." Enid said, widening the door for Blair to enter. "Yoko's not here tonight, she's spending the night with some of her friends so it'll be an Enid and Blair bonding night!" Enid jumped and clapped ecstatically.
Luckily, Blair didn't need a sleeping bag since Yoko's bed was available. Here began a night of fun.
The girls started off by playing some board games and card games. They played Monopoly (which can be very long with only two players), they painted each other nails, did each other's make-up, and played Go Fish. They laughed and joked around, and had a great time.
"How's it going with Ajax?" Blair asked as she painted Blair's nails.
"Amazing, he treated me amazingly." Enid gushed. "What about Xavier?" She asked.
"Perfect." Blair sighed and smiled at the thought of him. "He treated me like a queen and we fit so perfectly together." She said, smiling. After a while, they decided to watch a movie. Blair conjured a projector while Enid hung a white sheet so that the movie could play on there. They chose a romantic comedy, and snuggled up under their blankets to watch it with a big bowl of popcorn on the floor in between them. As the movie ended, the girls started to get sleepy. They turned off the lights and settled down in their beds. They whispered to each other for a while, talking about their childhood and their dreams. Eventually, they fell asleep, exhausted from the fun and laughter of the night.
***
Wednesday was just about to leave the dorm when she noticed something on the floor, she went over to pick it up and saw that it was Enid's silver moon nail polish. She stared at it before looking over at Thing who kept insistently tapping.
"I don't miss her." Wednesday told him, referring to Enid. "Friends are a liability and can be exploited. That makes them weaknesses. Your job is to guard that diary while I'm gone. I'll be back as soon as I can. It's not a date. It's a quid pro quo for almost getting him disembowelled. Watch that diary!" She said. She was just about to leave when Thing caught her attention again. "What?" She asked, annoyed. He tapped again. "I will not apologise to her." Wednesday refused. "I am not in the wrong here, the evidence is pointing to Xavier. I told her not to get attached but she didn't listen, why should I apologise?" Thing made more gestures. "Blair will come back, she always does." Wednesday told him before finally leaving the room.