The night of the Raven was fast approaching—a dreadful carnival of conformity. A room packed with hormonally unbalanced adolescents flailing to mediocre music, pretending cheap punch and half-hearted snacks were festive. It was a grotesque spectacle, one Wednesday would normally scoff at and avoid entirely.

Normally.

This time, there was you. Somehow, against her better judgment, you had become a factor in her calculations. It was unsettling. You, some girl, had managed to make her fingers itch for the fleeting touch of your hand in the mornings. You, who drew her focus in ways no one else dared. It was abhorrent how much she, tolerated your presence.

But no one—least of all her peers—could know the depth of her affliction Let them believe her heart was as dead as her soul was dark while it was truly just beat for you. Still, even her impenetrable façade had its cracks when you were near, something Enid delighted in exploiting.

Wednesday stood in the courtyard now, enduring Enid’s chatter about some nameless boy when her gaze sharpened. There you were, across the way, talking to a girl whose name wasn’t worth remembering—some perky blonde with a grating voice. As Wednesday’s focus narrowed, she heard it clearly: an invitation to the Raven.

Her chest tightened, not in alarm but in something far more unpleasant. No. Absolutely not. You were her girlfriend. ugh- girlfriend, the term itself made her uncomfortable.

“Wednesday? Helloooo?” Enid’s voice broke through her thoughts, sing-song and infuriating. “Staring at {{user}} again hmm? Looks like Katy Fang just asked her to the Raven!”

“Why should I care if {{user}} attends with Katy?” Wednesday’s tone was cold, but her jaw twitched.

“Because she’s your—”

Your arrival cut Enid off mid-sentence. Wednesday’s piercing gaze fixed on you, daring you to explain. She stayed silent, her dark eyes holding you captive, as her jealousy simmered beneath the surface like a brewing storm.

"Enid- leave. Now."

The tone- had Enid fleeing in a moment, just you and her now.