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

chapter 32

A/N: late update as per usual. please vote or just interact at all,
TYSM FOR STILL READING THIS I LOVE YALL 🥰 THIS FIC HAS BEEN THE ONLY kinda CONSISTENT THING IN MY LIFE FOR A WHILE

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November 1, Saturday

Wednesday's point of view

"I'm going to grab something else to eat," I blurted out, picking up my plate and getting up.
"But, dear—"
I was already too far away to hear my mother. The noise in the quad didn't help either. The school had set tables outside for us to eat there. Some lucky ones got a table inside the cafeteria but the seating arrangement was made by Medina, and we just happened to be sat outside.
Family could be so annoying. Pugsley wasn't even here. He got sick right before they left.
Weak. I wasn't planning on grabbing something to eat at all. I put down my plate on the corner of an empty table and walked to the nearest bathroom. With a little chance, I could hide in there for a little over ten minutes. With a little chance, Thing would be entertaining them enough for me to come back in an hour. On top of all that, my throat was hurting, like all the rest of my body. This had to stop. It was hard to not limp but I couldn't attract attention to my condition. I didn't want my family all up in my business. And even less Mother. She hadn't had a vision in over a decade or so and still claimed that she knew better than me in that area.
Thank God they were leaving that same night. I needed time to investigate with Enid and also to figure out what happened last night. I already came to the conclusion that the drug that was used on me was some kind of benzodiazepine at a higher dose.
I wetted my face with some water and made sure to not get any on my neck. I looked at myself in the mirror for a second — nothing weird to pick up on. I decided to go back. Just an afternoon. Just an afternoon and they were gone. One afternoon.

"Hey, Stan!" I shouted, knocking again on his room's door.
Okay, maybe I made a little detour by the boys' dorm. Maybe I was too curious. Anyway, this couldn't hurt, right? And my parents are used to having me disappear for some time.
"Stan?"
I heard a grunt coming from inside. And footsteps coming closer to the door.
"Go away," he said in a sleepy voice.
"I need you for something right right now, can you help me out?"
"Go away."
I sighed.
"You're no fun," I said, quoting him from a few weeks ago.
"Just—"
"Well, well, well, what are you doing here, Miss Addams?"
Of course, that bitch-ass principal had to spawn her all of a sudden. How the hell did I not hear him come in?
"Girls aren't allowed in here. Go back to your family. No sanction for now, you're lucky I have better things to do, Addams."
I sighed again.
"And get that dorm mate of yours, her family came here last minute."
"Who? Alice?"
"No, Sinclair."

~ ~ ~

Enid's point of view

Some alone time in the dorm was always a part of pleasure. Well, I wasn't exactly alone, since Alice was upstairs, blasting 2010 white girl music. I guess everyone is hungover in their own unique — or not so — way. For my part, I had gathered some snacks as it was almost time for some Friends reruns.
While watching the first episode that was played on TV, I was doing some schoolwork that was due after the break. I had free time anyway, when my phone rang.
"GET YOUR ASS DOWNSTAIRS, YOUR FAMILY'S HERE!"
Was that... Wednesday... with excitement in her voice? That shocked me more than the news itself. But as soon as it sank in, I started to look for decent clothes to wear as fast as possible. It fell upon a blue crewneck and black shorts, that fell mid-thigh because the stupid dress code won't let girls wear flattering shorts anyway. For my hair, I went with one of the few claw clip hairstyles I could achieve with my short hair.
I was ready to leave, when I realized mom was probably there. I rushed into the bathroom and did my makeup. Unlike Wednesday, I only had some light scars on my face, and the other prominent ones were hidden under my sweat shirt.
Some concealer and lipgloss later, I was outside the dorm and made sure to lock the door, even though Alice and Chloe were inside.
But wait, why would I even go? Why didn't they text? Why would I even want to go?

I don't wanna see my parents. I don't wanna hear mom complain about dad, or the other way around. If Jared's here, he can go fuck himself. And Dante's in college three states away anyway.

I felt my anxiety coming back. Mixed with some anger and sadness.

Don't cry, it's not the moment, Enid.

~ ~ ~

Wednesday point of view

"Hi Mr and Mrs Addams," Enid's older brother greeted, offering them his hand. "We met at the barbecue in July, I'm Dante," he added, seeing their confused faces.
Not only did I run into Medina going to Stan's, but coming back, I also ran into Enid's brothers. Well, to be precise, Anthony ran into me. Literally. He had been running away from a kid he had stolen an action figurine from and crashed into me. That kid was more trouble than I was at his age. After the, once again literal, initial shock, Anthony recognized me and led me to his brothers, who had already found my parents. Dante was here, as was Enid's oldest brother I had never met, who was a fully grown adult with a one- and a four-year old.
Mother stood up, shook Dante's hand, and nodded.
"Oh yes, of course!" Father exclaimed after an extremely long time.
He clearly didn't remember him. They sat back at the table as Enid's family stayed up.
"I'm Neil, and this is Juliana," Enid's oldest brother said, taking the girl that was secured against his chest in the baby carrier's hand and waving to my parents. "And this is Sarah."
The toddler he was holding by the hand smiled when she heard her own name.
"Wait, where's Tony already?" Dante suddenly asked.
"No idea," Neil and I sighed at the same time.
"He was calmer the last time I saw him," Neil added.
"You don't say, he was a baby."
He rolled his eyes.
"We can stay with the kids while you look for Anthony," Mother proposed.
I could've shot her with my eyes. And where was Enid for god's sake?!
"Thank you! I'll leave Sarah with you, Juliana will probably throw a fit if—"
"Go look for Anthony, don't worry," I cut him off.
My parents continued to eat as soon as they were gone.
The kid was staring at me. So I stared back. She then broke eye contact and held her arms up with her hands towards me.
"She wants you to pick her up."
"Yeah... not happening."

~ ~ ~

Enid's point of view

I had gone to the cafeteria and to the banquet hall, twice, only to find my Dante and the Addams together at a table, middle in the quad. I was going to freeze on the spot with those shorts.
"Do you want to taste some spinach too?" I heard Wednesday ask in a soft voice.
Coming closer, I saw that there was a little girl in her lap. She grimaced.
"Of course you want the spinach," she answered for her. "Come on, look at the plane..."
She made the spoon float through the air to the toddler's mouth, but she kept it shut. And the spinach didn't survive the crash.
"Oh, the plane is feeling a bit like a kamikaze today. It's fine, it's one of those days, it happens," she went on, while wiping the toddler's mouth.
The little girl really looked like she was listening.
I scraped my throat.
"No one heard or saw that," Wednesday was quick to say, as she looked around her.
"Hi, Mrs Addams, hi Mr Addams!" I said.
"Well, hello dear," Mrs Addams responded for the both of them.
"Hi."
Dante. Watching that interaction almost made me forget about him. He had gotten up and was standing next to me. He hugged me.
"Missed you."
"Me too."
"Where's mom and dad?"
"Not here."
"Who's the little girl?"
"The daughter of—"
"Enid!" I immediately recognized Tony's voice.
"Oh my god, Enid! You're all grown up!"
It couldn't be. I let go of Dante.
"Neil!"
It had been five years. I would've slapped him across the face if it wasn't for the baby he was carrying.
I already felt a knot in my throat.
"Sorry."
"You fucking better have a good—"
"Woah, woah, no swearing in front of the kids!" Wednesday and Dante exclaimed in chant.
"Fucking," Tony already mumbled to himself.
"Tsk tsk," Wednesday retorted.
I had stopped breathing. And when I tried to, there was no space in my lungs for air. It's like I was choking... on nothing. The world started spinning.
"Enid dear?"
"Enid!"