𝕊𝕥𝕦𝕡𝕚𝕕 ℂ𝕦𝕡𝕚𝕕 ➶

𝕋𝕨𝕠: ℚ𝕦𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕖𝕖

As promised, CC showed Valentina all around campus. She would likely still need to consult her school map when it came time to actually get to class, but it was still super thoughtful. Even more beneficial was her run-down on Nevermore's social circles.

"There's four main cliques: fangs, furs, stoners, and scales. Fangs are vampires. Those are my people. Some of them have been here even longer than I have. Furs are werewolves. They tend not to wolf-out outside of the full moon, though. That being said, full moons do get crazy.

"Stoners are gorgons. If you see one without their beanie on, you'll spend the next few hours completely petrified. So don't do that! Scales are sirens. They're required by the school to wear special amulets to suppress their powers, but some aren't afraid of bending that rule to get what they want. Watch out for Gabrielle Barclay."

"What about witches, warlocks, and psychics? Don't they have a clique?" Valentina asked as she surveyed the different groups in the quad. Some eyed her with just as much curiosity, but most completely ignored her.

This was no surprise. Zhang wasn't a household name unless you were looking for a significant other, and high schoolers usually weren't. Or, rather, they weren't looking for anything serious.

CC shook her head. "Nah, they're too numerous to be their own clique. Instead they form their own mini cliques."

"What are the big names around campus?"

She was very helpful, pointing out different students around the green. "Shiro Tanaka, Esther Sinclair, Deuce Petropolus, Gabrielle Barclay, Gomez Addams, Vincent Thorpe... You'll hear about them pretty often. But at the top of the list is Morticia Frump."

Of all the people her roommate drew attention to, Deuce Petropolus was the one that immediately caught her eye.

He was classically handsome, with a large nose and a strong jawline, and sporting a five o'clock shadow where most boys couldn't even grow peach fuzz. Most importantly, his beanie didn't look out of place on him like it did on most of the gorgons.

She felt like she'd seen him before. That might just be because his visage looked like a Roman bust, like it belonged in a museum.

He caught her staring, smirked and winked at her. She felt her face grow hot with embarrassment. After that, she was careful not to look too long at any one person.

"Who's Morticia Frump?" She asked before the red-head could comment on her taste in boys.

CC gestured to a girl sitting at a table on the other side of the quad.

If CC was pale, then this girl's skin was pure white. Was that all natural, or did she powder herself until she glowed like the moon? Her paleness was only accentuated by her choice of dark makeup and nail polish. It helped that her hair was jet black to match. It was straight as a pin and long, hanging a little ways past her waist. She had an enviable hourglass figure.

She looked like she just stepped out of a black-and-white film.

"That's third-year Morticia Frump. She currently reigns as Nevermore Academy's queen bee. Class valedictorian, captain of the fencing team, champion of the Poe Cup... And! Girlfriend of Gomez Addams."

CC emphasized these names like Valentina should have some idea of who these people were. Which was sad, because she had no clue.

"They're... An odd couple. But that's to be expected, considering they're a couple of weirdos even by outcast standards. They're so lovey-dovey that I have to wonder how much of it is just for show. Their romance will probably fizzle out after senior year."

Before she could comment on her roommate's pessimistic views on high school sweethearts, Morticia made eye contact with her and, as if pulled by a magnet, started to make her way over.

"You know Morticia Frump? Why didn't you tell me?" CC hissed.

"That's just the thing... I don't!" Valentina replied, already working herself up into a tizzy.

She was in no way prepared to talk with the most popular girl at Nevermore. Maybe it would be better to just run. She waited too long to make that decision, however. She blinked a little too long, and suddenly Morticia was right in front of her.

"You," she said. "I've seen you in my visions."

"Oh? That's... Ominous." And probably not good! Most psychics didn't exactly have a sunny outlook.

As if reading her mind, Morticia smiled. "All good things, I assure you," she cooed. Then, as if in a trance, she said, "There is love in your body... So much so that you can't hold it in. Like an overflowing sink, it pours from your eyes and it spills from your skin. This love will flood the halls of Nevermore, drowning some while saving others."

"Thank-- thank you?" That was a good thing, right? To drown in love? To be saved by love? Love was always a good thing.

She hummed and nodded. "If you don't mind me asking... What breed of outcast are you?"

"I'm--" Cupid's envoy. Wait, no. "I'm a witch! A love witch, to be specific. Um, I'm actually in training to be a matchmaker. Do you-- Uh, do you have any idea who I should start with?" Valentina cursed her stutter. She was so nervous that her palms were sweating.

She got another hum in response. Then Morticia blinked at her, serpentine. At last, she said, "My roommate, Larissa Weems. She could use a little love in her life. I would take it as a personal favor if you started with her."

A favor from Morticia Frump was apparently worth a lot here. Larissa Weems it was.

Valentine wiped her hand on her skirt before sticking it out in front of her. "Well, it was nice to meet you! Valentina Zhang."

The noirette's smile morphed into a smirk. "I know. I'm Morticia Frump." She still took her hand, though.

Valentina gave it exactly two shakes before letting go again. "I know," she answered. With that, Morticia returned to her posse.

Upon her arrival, one of the boys --shorter than the others, but more well-groomed-- immediately grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss to each finger. He looked like a proper gentleman with his pencil-thin mustache. His tan complexion was complemented by his dark hair, which was neatly parted down the middle and gelled down.

This was presumably her boyfriend, Gomez Addams. What was strange was how he made eye-contact with Valentina afterwards, like they were two lions surveying each other across a savannah. There was a challenge in his dark gaze.

She ignored this. She had more important matters to attend to. Once Morticia was safely out of ear-shot, Valentina spun on her heels to look at CC and demanded, "Tell me everything you know about Larissa Weems!"