“Nevermore was founded by Nathaniel Faulkner in 1791. He was a centenarian vampire who was highly respected by the entire American outcast community. Before founding Nevermore, he traveled the world cataloging every outcast community,” explained the Marginal History professor with slowness and laziness in his tone, or so it seemed.
Luke found himself at the desk in the back, fighting sleep. History classes were boring. It reminded him of Harry Potter’s History of Magic, which was always shown as a very boring subject because of the professor.
Luckily, at that moment, someone knocked on the door, making the professor stop his boring lesson.
“Come in,” said the professor, and the door opened. All the students looked at the two people who entered the classroom with curiosity, including Luke, who had his eyes a little narrowed. The person walking in front was Principal Weems in her classic professional attire, behind her was a not-very-tall girl wearing a customized black Nevermore uniform.
The girl had two long braids, a pale complexion, dark eyes, and an apathetic look. Everyone wondered who the new student was. Classes had already started a few days ago.
Luke opened his eyes in surprise. His sleepiness left him immediately, and he had to control himself not to get up from the chair to look with more certainty at the very particular girl.
‘What is she doing here? It’s not the time yet,’ Luke thought, staring at the pale girl with a blank expression. He knew very well who this girl was. He couldn’t be wrong: Wednesday Addams.
Luke remembered perfectly the events in Wednesday’s series that he saw in his past life. The girl was due to enter Nevermore mid-year the following year. That is, in the eleventh grade.
“Good morning, everyone. Thank you, Professor Meyer. I have an announcement for everyone. Today, you will be joined by a new student in your class. I hope you will receive her well,” said Larissa, looking around at all the students. She then looked at Wednesday and nodded to her to introduce herself.
All the students looked at Wednesday, who had kept the same expression on her face ever since she entered the classroom. Silence reigned in the classroom.
“Wednesday Addams,” said the girl dryly in a monotone, and silence once again reigned in the room. Could that be considered an introduction? She only said her name.
“The famous Addams family of psychics?”
“I heard they were crazy.”
“I never thought I’d get to see an Addams.”
Many murmurs were heard in the room as Wednesday finished her short, pithy presentation. Everyone knew the Addams family. The last appearance of an Addams at Nevermore was several decades ago with Gomez Addams. Coincidence or not, that time was the last time there was a Poe at Nevermore. Luke’s father.
“Quiet!” exclaimed Professor Meyer, and the hubbub ceased.
“Go sit in the back on the right,” Meyer added, pointing to an empty desk next to Luke.
Wednesday began to walk quietly. Her steps seemed to be in rhythm, and her gaze remained straight ahead and unchanged. Everyone watched the strange girl, who sat down and looked straight ahead.
‘I guess it’s due to the butterfly effect,’ Luke thought, looking at Wednesday, who was sitting a short distance away from him. The girl looked like the actress from the Netflix series, only her aura was darker and her gaze more intimidating.
Wednesday noticed Luke’s stare and turned her head as if she were a robot. She looked at him with her dark eyes, which looked like the abyss itself. After a second, she looked forward again.
‘Her aura is very particular…’ thought Luke, feeling as if he were being analyzed by some kind of strange alien. When Luke pictured an outcast, he would picture someone like Wednesday. A completely different person than a normie.
Larissa left the room, and the boring history class continued. Luke watched Wednesday sidelong and slyly. He wondered if the events of the series would happen this year or wait until next year.
Why did she come a year and a half earlier to Nevermore? Did the events of the past year affect the Addams family in any way? He didn’t know. He also didn’t know if Hyde and Crackstone would be much stronger than in the series. Although this was assuming they would be, the outcast world was much more dangerous and powerful than he saw in the series.
“Stop looking at me,” said Wednesday, noticing Luke’s gaze on her.
‘My first conversation with the leading lady of the series, and I feel like it’s not going to be pleasant at all,’ Luke thought as he decided what to say.
“Excuse me. I saw your face so pale that I was worried you might faint at any moment. Maybe you’re nervous about it being your first day of school and getting a late start,” Luke said with a slight smile. Obviously, his apology was fake, and it was impossible for Wednesday, with her unchanged expression, to be nervous.
Wednesday didn’t even flinch at Luke’s clear mockery. She looked at him for a second and said, “Oh, don’t worry about me. My pallor is simply a side effect of a lack of interest in the banalities of everyday life. I’m not nervous in the least. In fact, you might say I’m excited to see what kind of lost souls populate this place.”
‘Excited…?’ thought Luke. Wednesday’s expression had not a hint of emotion in it. On the other hand, he was surprised at all she said in a monotone with no change of pace.
“How about you, or should I ask if you have any other talents besides detecting pallor in the faces of strangers?” she added, looking at Luke with an icy stare.
Luke fell silent, not knowing what to say immediately. It was the first time he had been beaten in a conversation to dislike the other person.
Wednesday at Luke’s silence, looked at him smugly and looked straight ahead again. Luke frowned as he was about to say something, Professor Meyer spoke up.
“Student Addams. Read from the title: History of Nevermore,” Meyer said, looking at Wednesday.
“I don’t have a book, professor. I couldn’t prepare it because they didn’t give me the schedules,” Wednesday said with no sign of nervousness or anything like that.
“Mm, I understand. Student Poe shares a book with Addams so she can read,” said the professor, looking at Luke, who nodded reluctantly. He moved his desk closer to Wednesday and put the book in the middle.
‘Poe? He’s Luke Poe?’ thought Wednesday, looking at Luke differently, though her face was still just as expressionless. She didn’t think this student would be the famous writer of Carrie and the Mystery of Salem’s Slots. The latter is his new novel, which is proving to be a huge success. She had read it and had to admit that his writing inspired terror and reminded her of Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel.
“Stop staring at me,” Luke whispered with a slight smile, trying to mimic Wednesday’s tone. Wednesday wordlessly looked at the book and began to read where the professor instructed. Her tone was monotone and barely changed as she read.
After that, the class continued. They had to read on their own. The self-study that Professor Meyer was so fond of. Luke and Wednesday read from the same book without saying a word. When the class was over, they didn’t even say goodbye. Luke went to the cafeteria with Xavier and Ajax. Wednesday was approached by many curious students who wanted to meet the new student. Little did they know that such enthusiasm would be short-lived.
…
The third class of the day was the subject: Psychic Powers II. Last year, there were ten psychic students. Because of the death of Sabrina Jones (false last name, though only Luke knew that), there were nine students.
This year, three new psychics joined. A boy and a girl who joined at the beginning of the year, and Wednesday Addams, who took a week to start classes.
Now there are twelve psychic students. The professor’s name was Charles Faulkner. Descendant of the founder of Nevermore. An important family of psychics on par with the
Spellmans and the Addams.
“Well, class. We have a new student in our class today. I assume you already know her name, but introduce yourself anyway,” said Charles, looking towards Wednesday, who internally rolled her eyes. She hated having to introduce herself in class. Such a waste of time.
“Wednesday Addams.”
‘Her presentation was the same as in the other subjects,’ thought Luke, fiddling with his
pencil.
“Quick and concise presentation. If it’s no bother, could you tell us what kind of aura you possess?” asked Charles. He needed to know this so he could guide the students.
“Black aura,” Wednesday replied, and everyone in the classroom was surprised.
‘It goes along with her personality,’ Luke thought. Besides, Wednesday was a dual aura user,
as she would shortly awaken her psychic visions. That is a violet aura. Maybe she already had her first visions he doesn’t know.
Luke wondered what abilities someone with a black aura would have. Because of the issue of
family techniques and the fact the fact that they are guarded, he didn’t know. Maybe he should look for a book at the Nightshade Society. He would have to sneak in again, though. His relationship with Veronica had stagnated, he would even say worsened even though he spent the summer at the Umbrio mansion in Florida. Maybe it was because Veronica discovered Luke with Emily, or who knows why.
“Black aura, interesting… You’re the only psychic with that aura in this class,” Charles said
with a hand on his chin.
Luke didn’t know if Wednesday hadn’t yet awakened her psychic visions or was hiding that she was the possessor of another aura. He would like to read her mind, but it is dangerous.
Mind reading can be stopped by protective devices. Members of important outcast families will have such artifacts so that their minds are not read without their consent.
If he tries to read your mind and it is exposed, they will know he has a blue aura, and he could be punished for reading students’ minds on the sly.
“Now that there are twelve students and you are a pair, we will make groups of two. Choose a partner and sit together. This group will be very important throughout the year. I’ll give you ten minutes to decide,” said Charles as he sat down at his desk, and the students began to talk.
‘This is not good,’ Luke thought automatically, looking at Xavier. He didn’t like team assignments, especially not when it would last the whole year. To his bad luck, Xavier was already conversing with a boy Luke didn’t know.
‘Traitor…’ Luke thought without moving from his spot. All the students were chatting with their classmates/friends. The only two people who were still in place were Wednesday and
Luke.
Wednesday from the beginning was looking straight ahead without changing her expression. She looked like a statue. At no time did she seek to converse with anyone to fulfill the
professor’s task.
Luke got a message on his cell phone. It was from Xavier, saying he was sorry for not being
able to group with him. He had to group with the other guy because he owed him a favor.
‘It’s okay,’ Luke wrote and sent the message.
“Time. Tell me your names with your partner. You first, Sam,” said Charles with a pen in hand.
Desk by desk, he was writing down the groups of two. As there were only twelve people, he
quickly got to the end of the desks.
“Luke, your turn. The only option left is with Wednesday, correct?” asked Charles. There were
already five groups assembled, and two students left. There were no more options.
“No,” said Luke and Wednesday at the same time.
“What?” asked Charles, a little surprised at the coordination of the two.
“Can I work alone?” they asked at the same time.
“If you work alone, it wouldn’t be a group. You are the only ones left so you will work
together.”
“But-” began Luke and Wednesday but were interrupted by the professor.
“End of discussion,” said Charles. He didn’t want to argue anymore with these two students,
who, for some reason, he knew would bring him a lot of headaches.
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