Hey y'all. First of all, thank you so so much for all the love on the previous chapters, I don't know where the influx of reviews in the past day came from but I am super grateful.
Second of all, I stared at this chapter until I hated it, rewrote, rinsed and repeated about seven times. I don't know WHAT it was about this chapter, but it was just not happening for me. I finally couldn't stare at it any longer, so please ignore any typos I didn't have the emotional energy to sort out.
Chapter Six
Wednesday sat on the edge of one of the quad tables, soaking in the idyllic Sunday morning. The sky was a picturesque shade of grey, and there was distant rolling of muted thunder and the occasional spitting of rain. The wind carried with it a sharp chill that drove right down to the bone, and not a single living creature stirred, all choosing to take refuge from the cold somewhere where they couldn't bother her.
And maybe, just maybe, the attractive boy practising his archery a few feet away contributed to the overall pleasantness.
Wednesday watched as he narrowly missed the bullseye yet again and cursed under his breath. She'd been studying him for fifteen minutes now, and she was pretty sure she knew what his problem was.
''You're gripping the bow too hard.'' She said, jumping down from her perch. ''Your hand should be just barely resting on top of it. Here.''
She motioned for Xavier to lower his bow and arrow, bringing them down to her height. She placed her hand over the top of his, readjusting his grip, and then stepped back.
Xavier lined his shot up and released. Wednesday watched as the arrow flew in a direct line, straight to the bullseye. Xavier beamed, and Wednesday gave him a small smile in return.
She returned to her table and absent-mindedly sipped from her water bottle as she watched Xavier hit the bullseye twice more. She hated to admit it, but his excitement was infectious.
''All right, that's enough for today,'' Xavier announced, grabbing his case and packing away his bow. ''I'm gonna leave it there while I'm on a winning streak.''
Xavier zipped his case up and reached into his backpack to pull out his water bottle. He gave it a shake, and, upon realising it was empty, let out a groan of frustration.
''Here,'' Wednesday held out her own bottle in offering.
''Thanks,'' Xavier said, giving her a look that said he understood the significance of the gesture.
Giving him a hand job was one thing, but it was the small, simple gestures of intimacy, like sharing a water bottle, that would always be the most difficult for Wednesday. Which, subsequently, was also why they meant the most.
Xavier took a hearty sip from Wednesday's bottle, then passed it back to her. As she took it, Wednesday reached up and brushed away a strand of hair that had come loose from Xavier's bun and fallen into his eye.
''Are you trying to seduce me?'' Xavier raised an eyebrow.
''No.''
''Well, it's working.''
Wednesday rolled her eyes.
''So, what's on for today?'' Xavier said, swinging his backpack over his shoulder and picking his bow case up off the ground.
''Depends.'' Wednesday shrugged. ''What's on offer?''
''Well, if you don't have any other plans, I found this place in Jerico I've been wanting to show you.''
''Is it another morgue?'' Wednesday tilted her head curiously.
''Yes, Wednesday, it's another…'' Xavier trailed off, mid-sarcastic response, and frowned. ''Wait, what do you mean another morgue?''
''Thing and I broke into the Jerico morgue to perform autopsies on the monster's victims while we were in our investigation,'' Wednesday said, as casually as if she was telling Xavier what she'd had for breakfast that morning.
Xavier stared at her for a moment and blinked a few times.
''When am I going to learn not to ask questions?'' He sighed, shaking his head.
Wednesday shrugged again, giving him a smirk.
''Okay, well, it's not a morgue, but I do think you'll like it anyway,'' Xavier said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his car keys.
Twenty minutes later, Xavier's car rolled to a stop on a quiet backstreet in Jerico. Wednesday frowned, taking in her surroundings. As far as she could see, there was nothing back here besides sketchy-looking massage parlours and a shuttered-up smoke shop.
''Where are going?'' She said, unclipping her seatbelt and stepping out onto the sidewalk.
''That's the fourth time you've asked that,'' Xavier grinned, motioning with his head for Wednesday to follow him. ''Just come with me.''
Wednesday grumbled under her breath and reluctantly trailed after him.
Xavier turned down a side alleyway, and then another. He was walking with such a sense of purpose that Wednesday's significantly shorter legs struggled to match his pace, though she'd wear her feet down to blood and bone before she asked him to slow down.
Finally, after turning down a third alleyway, Xavier came to a stop. Wednesday broke into a slight jog to meet him where he stood, staring at a door tucked into the brick wall and looking infuriatingly proud of himself. Wednesday was already prepping her snarky remark in her head, intent on wiping the smug look off his face, until she realised what he was looking at.
A handmade banner with the words BOOK MARK sat above the peeling green paint of the door, and there was a sign taped to the inside of the window, that Wednesday moved closer to read.
Second-hand and vintage book exchange. All genres, specialisation in horror fiction and true crime. Open seven days a week.
Wednesday's eyes lit up, and she spun back around to face Xavier. She kept one hand on the window, as though the little hole-in-the-wall would disappear if she turned her back on it completely.
''How did you find this?"
''I came past in the other morning on a run. I thought you'd-''
Xavier didn't get to finish his sentence, because Wednesday had already heaved open the clunky door and disappeared inside.
The door opened to a deep red rug running the length of a dark, narrow hallway. By the time Xavier was inside, Wednesday was already at the other end of the hall, peering through three different entryways. To her immediate left and right were two rooms stacked ceiling to floor with books, and directly ahead of her, half-concealed by the dim lighting, an older woman sat behind a faded oak desk.
''Welcome!'' She chirped, putting down the book she'd been reading. ''Can I help=''
''Found the horror,'' Wednesday announced, walking off towards another homemade sign in the corner of the left room. In the background, she heard Xavier apologising to the woman on her behalf and promising they'd come to find her if they needed anything.
When Xavier came to join Wednesday, she was on her hands and knees, trying to dig something out of a back shelf. She already had two books under her right arm and was struggling to keep a hold of them as she used her left arm to push through the books.
''Here, give those to me.'' Xavier chuckled, taking the books from her.
As Wednesday continued to search, he examined the two novels in his hand. To his surprise, he was holding a copy of The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson and It by Stephen King.
''Not gonna lie, that's kind of a shock.'' He said, as Wednesday finally found what she was looking for a shock another book free. ''Aren't these like, two of the most iconic horror books ever? I thought you would've read them by now.
''Oh, I have,'' Wednesday said, handing him another book – Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. ''Many times. I have three copies of The Haunting of Hill House, and two copies of It. Three of Frankenstein as well. But I don't have those covers.''
''Oh, right, of course,'' Xavier nodded mockingly, but he was grinning like an idiot. ''So, I guess I'm in charge of carrying all the books now?''
''Obviously. Take this one too.''
Wednesday added one of the thickest books Xavier had ever seen to his pile - House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski – and Xavier his knees buckled slightly under the added weight. By the time Wednesday added another two books to his arms, he'd resolved himself to sitting in the corner and babysitting the ever-growing stack.
When Wednesday finally announced she was ready to leave almost an hour later, she'd accumulated a pile of seventeen books, nine of which she already owned various copies of. To pass the time while he waited for her, Xavier had started reading the top book from the stack – Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin – and had found himself surprisingly invested. He wasn't sure how willing Wednesday was to share her books, but if she'd let him, he intended to borrow it from her so he could finish it.
''Can I borrow your phone?'' Wednesday said, making a move to gather some of her books off the ground.
''Why?''
''Because I didn't bring mine.''
''No, I mean what do you need my phone for?''
''I need to ask my mother to transfer some money,'' Wednesday explained, struggling to balance a haphazard stack of five books in her arms. ''She gives me a small allowance each week, enough for coffee and some snacks. There won't be enough in my account for the books, so I need to ask her for some more.''
''What? No, don't be stupid, I'm buying the books for you.''
Wednesday blinked, caught off guard, and one of the books fell from the top of her pile. Xavier stuck his hand out and caught it right before it hit the floor.
''I assure you, that is entirely unnecessary. As long as I'm participating in my classes and getting arrested a minimal number of times, my mother is happy to fund my hobbies.''
''Okay, well life would be pretty boring if we only did things that were necessary.'' Xavier took the remainder of the books from Wednesday's arms before they all ended up on the ground. ''I want to buy them for you. Also, we're going to have to make multiple trips to the counter.''
Before Wednesday could argue any further, Xavier had left the crowded book room. A moment later she could hear him conversing with the woman at the counter, in that annoyingly high-pitched social voice of his.
Three trips later, the slightly overwhelmed bookstore owner was making careful work of ringing up all seventeen books and placing them into two cotton tote bags. Wednesday twiddled her thumbs, and anxiously shifted her weight from foot to foot.
''All right, all up, that comes to $187.'' The woman said, with an ear-to-ear grin.
''Xavier, I cannot allow you to pay that,'' Wednesday said, in her very best this-is-your-last-warning voice. ''Please give me your phone so I can call my mother.''
''Hush,'' Xavier smirked and tapped his card against the EFTPOS machine before Wednesday could stop him.
The woman handed Xavier the two tote bags, which Wednesday immediately took from him. He thanked the cashier, and the two stepped back into the alleyway, blinking profusely and struggling to adjust to the piercing bright sunlight after the gloomy light inside the store.
''Are you okay?'' Xavier said as they began the short walk back to his car. Wednesday had gone very quiet, and she was chewing timidly on the edge of her thumb.
''I don't know how to make it up to you.''
''Make what up to me?'' Xavier tilted his head, trying to meet her eyes, which was almost impossible as she was intent on staring at the ground. He briefly wondered how she even saw where she was going.
''The books.'' She said with an exasperated sigh, as though it was obvious. ''You just bought me nearly $200 worth of books. Now I have to get you something and I don't know what to get. I know I can get you art supplies, but I don't know anything about art supplies. What if I get you stuff that's useless?''
Xavier fought the urge to laugh, mostly because he feared the repercussions if Wednesday thought he was laughing at her. As they arrived at Xavier's car, he helped Wednesday load her books into the backseat before they climbed into the front.
''Wednesday, I promise you, that's not how this works.'' Xavier started, as he pulled away from the curb. ''You're the person-that-I-date, which means if I want to buy you gifts, I can. It doesn't mean you have to get me anything in return, or that you owe me anything. It just means I bought you a gift because I wanted to buy you a gift. I promise you, that's the whole situation.''
Wednesday sat silently for a moment, absorbing his words. She felt Xavier glance at her a few times from the corner of his eye as she processed, watching the streets of Jerico pass by through the windshield.
''And what if… what if I've thought about it…'' Wednesday swallowed, hard. ''And decided I don't really wanna be the person-you-date anymore?''
She felt the car lurch ever so slightly. When she glanced back up, Xavier's cheeks had paled.
''Are you breaking up with me?''
''No!'' Wednesday said, a little louder than she'd meant to. She straightened up, regaining composure. ''No, I mean…. I mean if you want to… I'd like to be your girlfriend, Xavier.''
When Wednesday looked up again, Xavier's entire face was glowing. Something about it sent a spark through Wednesday's body, like a thousand little jolts of electricity.
''Okay, wait, but I didn't get to ask you,'' Xavier said after a moment, still beaming.
''What?''
''I have to have my moment. Where I like, officially ask you to be my girlfriend.''
''Why? You know I'll say yes.''
''Can I just ask you?''
''Whatever.''
Xavier over-dramatically cleared his throat as he rolled to a stop at a traffic light, and Wednesday rolled her eyes and muttered ''god give me strength'' under her breath.
''Wednesday Addams.'' He said, taking the opportunity to turn in his seat to face her. ''Would you please be my girlfriend?''
''No.''
Xavier shoved Wednesday to the side, and against all efforts, she cracked a smile.
As the light changed to green and the car started up again, Xavier reached across the console and rested his hand on top of Wednesday's knee. He shot her a look from the side of his eye and raised an eyebrow as if to say is this okay?
In response, Wednesday placed her own hand over the top of Xavier's and squeezed it.