𝕊𝕥𝕦𝕡𝕚𝕕 ℂ𝕦𝕡𝕚𝕕 ➶

𝕋𝕨𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕪-𝔽𝕚𝕧𝕖: 𝔹𝕚𝕘 ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕤

Valentina felt like her whole life was spent waiting for the next school vacation. An exaggeration, but not by much.

Nevermore didn't offer a Thanksgiving break, likely due to its general distaste for pilgrims, but its winter break was twice the length of most boarding schools. She just needed to get through midterms, and then she'd be kicking back in sunny California!

Gomez and Morticia had... Other plans... To say the least.

"What are you doing over winter break?" Valentina asked innocently one morning as she looked in the mirror, trying to determine if her new shade of blush was too cool for her skin tone. Maybe she'd just over-applied it... Again.

Surely the Addams and Frump households had some weird family traditions. She wouldn't mind hearing what they were all about, out of nothing more than curiosity.

"We invite all our friends to my family's private winter lodge," Tish answered. She was putting on her make-up too, but she moved like a ballerina. There was no wasted motion. She did everything right the first time.

Maybe Valentina was just more self-conscious because Gomez was watching them from the bed. Apparently he enjoyed watching them paint and powder. If she were effortlessly gorgeous like him, she'd hit snooze a lot more often.

"You have your own private lodge?!"

"Of course! Where else would we practice our teenage debauchery?" He said with a lecherous grin. Her face got hot just thinking about what kind of trouble he and his goth GF likely got up to. They never seemed to mind an audience, either. They were shamelessly in love.

"That's cool!" Literally and figuratively. "Me and my mom usually just stay at home and watch cheesy Hallmark movies." They used to have big family Christmases when her parents were still together, but that ended after The Divorce. She didn't dare bring this up, though. The two teens seemed to believe very strongly in 'Til Death Do Us Part.

"Will this be your first Christmas away from her?"

What...? "What do you mean?"

"You're coming to the lodge with us, naturally," Morticia interjected, getting up from her desk chair to come stand behind Valentina, brush her hair while the younger girl debated the risks and rewards of wiping off her entire face and starting over.

"What?! No. Oh no no no no no." Tish's gaze dug into her like a needle into a vein. "I mean-- I'd love to, but..."

"But...?"

"My mom would never agree to it! She's very protective over me." Which wasn't a complete lie.

If Valentina begged, she might allow it, but she'd need to call everyone's parents first, get a feel for what kind of kids her baby was hanging out with. A short conversation with Mr and Mrs Addams and she'd probably say no. Val didn't even want to know what the tree that Gomez fell from looked like.

"Cariño, winter break is four weeks long. That's too long apart!"

Yeah, she knew that. If anything, she kind of hoped Morticia and Gomez's passions cooled with a little time away from her.

And maybe, just maybe... She wouldn't have to formally break-up with them. She'd just go no-contact for a month and they'd take the hint. It wasn't a perfect plan, but it was the best she could come up with on short notice.

Tish stared at her in the mirror like she could read her thoughts... Which psychics definitely couldn't do, right? Right?! Then she glanced over her shoulder at Gomez. They shared A Look and a nod. For some reason, this little nonverbal communication made Valentina start to sweat.

She couldn't properly relax until Morticia said, "Alright, mon chou. We'll make do."

Valentina didn't think any more of the interaction, too caught up in her own excitement. It was going to be great! She'd already called a taxi to pick her up from Nevermore Academy and take her to the airport. Once she boarded the plane, it would be just six hours --she booked first-class on a nonstop flight, naturally-- and she'd be back home!

All she needed to do now was pack, and pack light. Mom had said just to bring a day bag.

She had plenty of clothes back home, could live without her stuffies and her records for a month... There wasn't anything she desperately needed, except maybe her makeup bag. She couldn't leave the house without mascara and blush. She looked like a troll without them.

Morticia had packed before midterms, so she was already gone by the time Val arrived back at their room. Gomez probably did the same, because great minds think alike.

CC promised to swing by to say goodbye after she herself finished packing, so Valentina left her door unlocked and slightly ajar. She was so looking forward to a little regular girl-talk that she didn't even think to look over her shoulder when she heard the hinges creak as the door swung further open.

"How many clothes can you pack before your day bag becomes something more?" She asked the girl, staring at all six pairs of her bell-bottom jeans. She hadn't worn them more than once since she came to Nevermore, was almost always either in her uniform or pajamas. They really should come home sooner rather than later.

As she debated wearing jeans on the plane instead of her comfy Juicy Couture tracksuit, an arm snaked around her to press something to her face, over her mouth and nose. The last thing she remembered was the smell: chemical-y with sweet --almost fruity-- undertones.

Then it was lights out.