this love is good, this love is bad [wenclair]

chapter 20: summer went away

Quick A/N: the chapter order is done on purpose, and I recommend you rewatch s1 e8 from (+-) 33:48 to 37:00. This is a chapter I'm oddly proud of, thank you for reading.

Beginning of September

We were all in the back of the car as Lurch drove through Nevermore's portal. Pugsley, who was sitting next to me, had been holding back tears since we got in the car. He really had to toughen up a bit. As per usual, Mother and Father couldn't get off of each other. School only started two days later for Pugsley, so he insisted on coming with us. Nevermore students started the next day at noon, but we had to be there in advance to unpack and potentially meet our roommates.
A few days prior, we had received an email giving us all the needed information, and we finally got to know who the new principal was.

Alonzo Medina

No one knew who he was, but since we had his full name, some people (=Yoko) had found every last detail of his life online. Turns out he went to school with my parents as well. Only he was two years older, so they were never in the same class. Yoko had already found some blackmail material. Or at least that was what she affirmed in the group chat.
But apart from the principal's name, there was also some useful information and some less useful information. With him at the head of the school, we had to choose two clubs, and we were forced to join at least one sportive activity to do twice a week. According to him, sport was the binder of teenage friendships. And after a quick Google check, Yoko figured out that he had been captain of the fencing team, and the soccer team. We had a jock as our principal.
Lurch stopped the car.
"Ah Nevermore!" Father exclaimed as he got up and got out of the car, followed by Mother and Pugsley with Thing on his shoulder.
"Oh! This place brings back so many good m-"
"Are you really going to say that every time you come here?"
Mother smiled. "Yes."

Lurch put the bags down on the dorm's floor.
"Thank you."
"Where's Enid?" Pugsley asked.
I looked at her side. All of her bags were there.
"No idea, but probably in the quad."

Hanging out with Ajax.

"So this is when we say goodbye?" Father asked.
"I guess so."
And, before I knew it, I was trapped in the middle of a family group hug. Only Lurch was awkwardly standing by the door.
"Come on, join," Mother said.
I stood there, frozen by the contact, until they finally let me go.
"Take care, Wednesday," Father said, putting my hands in his.
Mother simply nodded to me before heading outside, leaving only Pugsley and I in the room, and not much later, he gave up on holding back his tears.
"Come here," I said, opening my arms, knowing well that he wanted a hug.
"Be strong. We're going to get you here, but not just yet. Be strong until then, okay?"
He nodded into my shoulder. I sighed. He was the one to back away.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes," he said, wiping some of his tears.
He then laughed. "Damn, what did Enid do to you? Two months ago you would already have crucified me twice."
I sighed again. "Just go."
"Bye thing!" Pugsley said, opening the door. He then closed it with a smile.
"And don't forget to always hit back!" I added.
A weak 'yeah yeah' was audible, coming from behind the door.
And just like that, I was left all alone in the room. The midday sun split the shadows into two equal parts, one colorful, the other colorless. And for a second it was like we were last year, but I quickly shook the thought off and put one of my suitcases on the bed. Before starting to unpack, I put some music on my phone and gave Enid's side a quick glance.
She would have unpacked if she was planning on staying here.
I opened the suitcase and began to put everything at its place, starting with my clothes.
When the bell for lunch rang, I was almost done with the second suitcase. Only one left to go. I quickly checked my hair in the bathroom mirror, grabbed a pair of sunglasses, and headed downstairs. Thing decided to stay in. I heard some chatter coming from the common room, but I ignored it and went straight out the door.
For lunch, we usually went to the cafeteria, but since it was the first informational meal of the school year, we had to go to the banquet hall. That was also where we celebrated Thanksgiving, Christmas and where the Rave'N and other dances were. It was more of a multipurpose room, they just liked the fancy name and kept it.
As I walked through the corridor around the quad, I regretted not having thought of bringing my headphones along. I had forgotten how loud school was. You always had a random kid yelling, some girls dying of laughter, a werewolf howling... People were loud, and sometimes it could become deafening. But it was different that time. People were whispering and there were a lot of new faces. I put my sunglasses on, and I just kept walking at the same fast pace to the banquet hall. But just before I could reach for the door, Eugene interposed himself.
"Hi!"
He was holding a blue lunch box and put a sandwich, which he had already bitten into, back in it to present me his hand. It must've already been past noon, which meant I was running late.
"Ow hi," I replied, shaking his hand. "I really have to go right now, come, we'll find a place-"
"I can't go in there, it's only for juniors and seniors," he said.
"Really? That's such a bummer."
Even though my usual tone made it seem like sarcasm, I meant it and Eugene knew it.
"Look, I really have to go, I'll see you right after that."
"Okay, tell Enid I said hi. See ya, Wednesday," he said, already walking away.
I pushed the door and hesitated for a second.