Friday Addams || Xavier Thorpe

14

My twin and I entered a field covered in bee houses, I automatically assumed it to be a bee farm which indicated it was the Nevermore Hummers group. I wasn't particularly interested in beekeeping and we didn't have any questions for the club owner, so I wasn't sure why Wednesday wanted to visit it. A short boy with black hair walked over to us, seemingly excited to have company. He wore a white beekeeping suit with a black netted screen protecting his face.

"Are you interested in the ancient art of beekeeping?" He chuckled slightly and held his hand out toward us. "Eugene. Eugene Otinger. Founder and president of the Nevermore Hummers." I decided I already liked him from the personality he had shown so far.

Wednesday shook his hand first and introduced us. "Wednesday, Wednesday Addams. And this is my sister, Friday Addams. Am I late or is it only you?" She asked while she glanced around.

He began leading us to his shed while he talked, introducing us to the club. "The hive life isn't for everyone. Most kids are afraid of venomous insects. Are you willing to feel the sting?" He paused for dramatic effect before continuing, "Bees have been producing honey in the same way for 150 million years. They're nature's perfect community. All working together to achieve a common goal. Fun fact, it's also one of the few ecosystems in which females dominate. From the queen be to her workers. There's no patriarchy in the hive!"

Wednesday quirked her head at the thought of the idea. I figured she wanted to join this club because of the isolation and the lack people within the group, Eugene being the only member. We let Eugene know we would join the club and talked with him briefly before heading back to check in with Thing.

As we went back to meet with Thing, we ran into Rowan before he could leave the school. "Rowan! We need to talk," I took initiative and spoke before my sister could say anything.

"Friday, Wednesday, I'm not allowed to speak to anyone," he replied, attempting to ignore us and stay away from having a conversation with us.

"You had a lot to say when you tried to kill us? Told us we were destined to destroy the school, remember? Where did you get that drawing?" I questioned, wanting to get behind all the confusion of this situation and why he would think we were destined to destroy the school.

"I just went into the woods to clear my head. Then you came after me." He deflected the line of questioning and tried to come up with his own excuse.

"Wednesday, Friday. You shouldn't be here." Mrs. Thornhill walked up to the vehicle. I got the strange feeling I often felt around her as if something was off about her.

"Yeah, back off and leave me alone." The doors slammed and the engine started as the vehicle began to peel away from the school and head toward Jericho. Thing followed after the car with a small nod from Wednesday after he suddenly appeared.

Half an hour later, we met with Thing next to a potted plant inside the greenhouse where our next class was situated. "How do you lose him in a bathroom with no windows? A lefty wouldn't have failed me." The hand bowed down upset with his failure and in disappointing Wednesday. "Don't sulk. I'm going to have to find new evidence myself since you lost our only lead."

I was about to respond to my twin in Thing's defence when Bianca sauntered in and cut off my thoughts. "I see you finally made a friend. Even if it is a plant."

"We go for quantity over quality," I responded, earning a glare from the siren.

Xavier scoffed at the slight argument. "There's two open spots next to me." We walked over and, as an afterthought, he added, "If you can stand sitting that close to an elitist snob." My twin took the seat next to Xavier and left me with the one closest to the wall. The boy finished drawing a spider on his paper and held his hand over the paper to make it come to life. I thought it was an interesting talent to have but I was still upset with him from our earlier conversation.

"I doubt the Addams are impressed by your tricks, Mr. Thorpe," our professor spoke up to get the distractions out of the way for the class to start.

"Admit it, you are a little impressed." Wednesday stared at the spider for a moment before glancing up at Xavier as she pounded it into dust. I was a little upset because the spider had been cute and harmless, it didn't deserve its young death.

Mrs. Thornhill walked to the middle of the room and held her arms out to showcase the array of plants within. "Friday, Wednesday, we're thrilled to have you us on our journey into the world of carnivorous plants. Now... who can tell us the name of this beauty?" She gestured to a plant sitting in the middle of the front table. I didn't particularly care for plants and preferred to simply look at flowers when they were around whereas Wednesday had read multiple books on carnivorous plants.

Bianca raised her hand but Wednesday answered the question. "Dendrophylax lindenii. Otherwise known as the ghost orchid. First discovered on the Isle of Wight in 1854."

"Very good, Wednesday. You may have competition for first chair, Bianca." Students in the background snickered while another called out 'Ooh.' "Wednesday, perhaps you can identify the ghost orchid's greatest qualities."

"Resilience and adaptability. It's able to thrive in even the most hostile environments." I was focused on removing the horrible gut feeling I had around our dorm mom and let Wednesday handle Bianca.

"But its mere presence can change the ecosystem, causing the established plants to reject it. Usually, because the native species is allowed to thrive unchecked," Bianca cut in after Wednesday finished.

"Nothing a Weedwhacker couldn't fix," she retorted, speaking directly to Bianca.

"You can most certainly try," the siren declared triumphantly.

"Are we still talking about flowers?" Xavier asked, causing the entire class to chuckle.

"Clearly the plants aren't the only carnivores in class today," Mrs. Thornhill tried to ease the tension while the rivals glared daggers at each other.