|| 6 || Contrived

EVIE POV

"You should come." He told me before I even argued "After all it is your duty, unless...you want me to give it to someone else? I mean there's a lot of-"

"I'll think about it." Camping? seems way out of my comfort zone. The last time I could remember camping was with my dad when I was 7. It didnt end well.

I laid on my bed contemplating my choices, if I go? sure I get to keep the job, but Dan is coming. I didn't answer him, and ignored him the whole day, im starting to think its a habit when it comes to romance. Finding a way to bolt out of the situation as fast as I can, to Daniel ive probably unlocked a new record.

I looked to the bed on the other side of the room and see my roomie also staring at the ceiling "Let me guess, Wednesday hates you?"

She scoffs and stops spinning on her chair "She doesnt hate me. She just needs time warming up."

I snort "An iceberg warms up faster than Wednesday Addams."

Agnes faces me with a grin "yet you're still circling her like a moth. I guess we're on the same boat"

"Please. I have self respect."

"Of course you do. Maybe too much in fact. Like spilling other people secrets just to protect yours?"

I let out a dry chuckle "Funny."

She gave me a grin before she made her way out "I would have killed you, if we weren't so...similar"

"Correction," I turn to her "I'd still kill you. I'm just wayy to lazy."

She laughed "I think we'd make a good team."

"No thanks, Roomie."

Hey, maybe camping isn't so bad after all? I packed my bags and took a bit of time picking my clothes, because this time I'd rather not get eaten by bugs.

I made my way to the Link just in time for Principal Dort to make his announcements.

I scooched my way next to Eugene who's head is looking left to right "Are you looking for Pugsley?"

"Yeah- is he coming?"

"Dont worry he's way too clingy to let you escape that easy." I joke

"Haha funny." he says sarcastically

Meanwhile I could see Dan waving at me on the other side of the link

Eugene raises his eyebrow "You've been hanging around with Dan since the Founder's Pyre, dont tell me you're camping because of him?"

"You know I've never camped before. And no I'm not going because of Dan, if any I'd be trying to run away from him"

Eugene looks at Dan whos now moving towards us "Well better keep your legs ready."

"Please tell me he's not walking towards us." I lean closer to Eugene

Dan finally arrives as cheerful as ever, and Eugene whispers, "Break a leg, Evie. Or better yet—break his."

I tried to grab Eugene's hand "Please dont leave—" shit. "Heyy..."

"Hey." Dan smiled taking Eugene's spot next to me

"Rule #1 Look out for each other—" Principal Dort's voice echoed in front of us "#2 Have Fun!"

How can I? I feel like Enid ignoring Ajax!

"So I was thinkin-"

"See ya at Camp!" Get out asap. Phew. I had avoided for at least the 2 hours on the bus.

I spoke too soon.

I shouldn't have been the last person in line, I was way too confident they'd transfer me to another bus because this one's full, but just my luck, when the last two seats were either next to Daniel or Pugsley.

Daniel took his bag out of the seat gesturing me to sit next to him, and I was about to ask the driver if I could just move to the other buses, but it was already moving. I slowly turned to the seats as my eyes looked left and right about 10 times, the bus had went over a bump and fate had decided.

I almost ate the floor in front of everyone, but I caught myself on the back of a chair and landed right beside Pugsley. Without thinking, I yanked his bag off the seat and sat down.

"Why are you-"

"Long story— can we please switch seats?"

"No. I got here first. If you want a window, go sit with Dan."

I gave him a look. "He's exactly the reason I'm here."

Pugsley shrugged. "Then problem solved."

"Not solved. He's looking over here. Do you not see the urgency? If I sit in the aisle, he's gonna think this is an invitation to talk to me for two hours straight. Just—switch!"

He leaned back smugly. "Nope."

I grumbled and put my headphones on.

I usually look out the window, and won't have to bother seeing a face next to me, sitting quiet the whole way, but at desperate times, a conversation is needed.

"How did you handle the zombie?" I leaned in

"I got it covered. Also dont call him the z word, he's sensitive"

I raised an eyebrow "I asked how."

he seemed hesitant to tell me but told me anyway "He's with us."

My eyes widend "What- the hedgeog do you mean?"

"Hes in the coffin I brought. I have a plan promise! just don't tell Eugene, ill tell him later."

I look at him dumbfounded "So you just put all of us in danger?"

"Hes not any harm." He said "What's your deal with Dan?"

"Can we not talk about that?"

"Well I should know what im getting myself into."

"He confessed."

"And...?" he prompted, tilting his head

"And nothing," I snapped, tugging my hoodie tighter around me. "I didn't say yes. I didn't say no. I just... walked away."

"Ouch. Poor guy probably still thinks he's got a shot."

I groaned, pressing my forehead against my backpack. "It's complicated, okay? Dan's... nice. Too nice. And its too sudden, I feel like he has malicious intentions."

The rest of the trip was silent and when we finally made it to Camp Jericho I couldnt even escape that roommate of mine, sharing the tent with her and her "friends". Wednesday got her own tent with her parents tagging along. I never would have thought there was a moment that I wish I had rich parents and a chauffer until now. Gomez and Morticia literally brought their house to the woods.

I tried to take in the wilderness and fresh air around me and take a stroll, but it was impossible when at any moment Dan could come up to me. I went to find Eugene and stumble on him leaving their tent

"Eug-" he ignorned me as he stormed away, I look to Pugsley, was it the... "...zombie?" I mouthed

"he's not a zombie." He whispered back

I crept closer, lifting the tent flap just a little—only to be met with a gurgling snarl and a set of very dead-looking eyes. Slurp lunged forward, and I yelped, stumbling back

"Shes not food." He zaps him down, although its clear he would want to feed me to it.

"This is such a bad Idea." I look at him

"Its fine. The flares outside will tell us if he tries to escape."

I give him a look, then notice his loose scarf, geez why is it bothering me so much? It's so lopsided. I'll fix it'll do both of us a favor.

I grabbed the scarf "It looks weird."

"you don't have to-"

"Its bothering me."

I could feel his eyes on me as I fix the scarf on his neck tucking it in, our eyes met for a second too long as I step away "Your welcome."

He cleared his throat. "Well, next time I'll just let it strangle me."

"Good," I say, my heart beating out of my chest. "Saves me the trouble."

Our eyes met for a second time, my brain tells me to run, but for some reason my body wont get the signals.

Oh shit. Am I having a seizure!? I finally got myself together when Slurp roared at us. I stepped out of the tent, confused, concerned, and many more.

"Evie! there you are." Enid grabbed my arm and wrapped hers around it "You...okay?" she looks at at me up and down then at Pugsley

"Im FINE!"

She looks back at me shocked "Yeah...sure...."

Principal Dort, called us all in for another one of his speeches, introducing this event to be a new annual tradition at Nevermore. "Yeah no, this is the first and last time im going."

Enid chuckles "C'mon give camping a chance im sure what you need is just a little insect repellant"

"Is there an insect repellant that repells humans?" I made eye contact with Dan.

Enid follows my gaze and gives me that look "I wish. It would be useful for both **of us."

I follow her gaze to Ajax "You need to talk to him, I cant keep pretending I don't feel bad."

"I know, I know I will. Its just— I havent found the right moment yet." we sigh in unison

"So..." Enid nudged me dragging the word out "I heard you sat next to Pugsley on the bus. What was it like?"

My brows furrowed "Like sitting on a bus. Why do you care? plus the last seat was next to him."

"So the window seat next to Dan was taken?" she grinned leaning in closer "when are you going to admit you don't actually hate him?"

"He's weird, Enid." I look at her, like obviously, Addams's only attract homicidal maniacs and I in fact am not a homicidal maniac or a freak.

"You like weird."

"Excuse me!?" I whisper screamed

The conversation was interrupted as some boyscouts interupt Principal Dort, about the camp being theirs. Turns out they double booked, but no ones backing down.

I turn to Wednesday "Hand me the air horn inside my bag"

"Why??" for all I know I'm not Agnes, though it clear Wednesday isn't attending camp for pleasure "Are you on a mission?"

She looks at me with her dead eyes "Yes. And I wont let anything get in my way."

I sigh grabbing the air horn from the backpack and giving it to her, "Cover your ears." I look at Enid

She honks the air horn catching everyones attention "If you and your dead-eyed drones want this campground so badly, then fight us for it."

Zephyr game, catch the others Zephyr and return to the stand before the other wins. Each team needs 10 players, and so the nightshades have assembled + Enid and Bruno. Ajax and Me were on defending the Zephyr while the other's were on attack.

I got stoned by snakes on accident, fun fact if you freeze the wrong way it gives you a stiff neck. It was worth it though, we won.

We all gathered around the campfire that night, everything was bugging me.

"Do you want to sit next to him...?"

"What?" I snapped back to reality

Eugene looks at Pugsley and back at me raising an eyebrow "Your staring deep into his soul. Its freaking me out."

"What? No-"

"I guess you prefer pugsley as a bestfriend rather than me." Eugene says with slight anoyance and jelousy in his voice "Ill just ask Agnes if she want to switch"

"I wont switch. But you got to admit, he's becoming a close friend."

Eugene shrugs "Whatever."

I had made my way back to the tent with Agnes, glaring at her, if we're going to be buds then I should know a few things "Why do you keep copying me??"

"Excuse me?"

"Whats your deal? I do Judo and you do Karate, I volunteer and you do too and now Pugsley too??"

"I just sat next to him." She scoffed "Unless you have a problem with that Anderson?"

I sigh "I do not—"

Fireworks interuppted our conversation. "Shit."

"What??"

"Its slurp."

Her eyes widened "He brought the Zombie here!?"

We ran as fast as we can, making ourselves invisible skipping through everyone, entering the tent "He's gone."

The boys entered shortly after "I knew we should have told someone" Eugene argues

We made ourselves known

"Harboring a murderous zombie will get both your butts expelled for sure." Agnes states

"ugh." Eugene rolls his eyes

Pugsley furrows his brows "what are you guys doing here??"

"Handling Wednesday's low priority task." Agnes says

"More like saving your ass." I crosses my arms

"Wait did you tell her??" Pugsley asks

"Well-I didnt have any choice to be fair, she is my roommate."

Pugsley steps over the dead body to cross over the other side "come on we need to find slurp."

"Im out of the zombie busisness" Eugene backs out

"Relax. Slurp never tried to eat my brain." Pugsley argues

"Because that would be empty calories." I chuckled nice one Agnes.

"Look the last time I was alone with a monster in the woods, I ended up in a coma."

I grabbed Eugenes arm "Well then you'd avoid slipping back to it again."

"Yeah, well, I'm not volunteering to be Zombie food." Eugene huffed, adjusting his glasses.

"You're being dramatic." Pugsley crossed his arms. "Slurp wouldn't hurt a fly."

"He literally ate a fly last week," I cut in

"See? Harmless," Pugsley argued.

Agnes wrinkled her nose. "That's disgusting."

We went outside the tent "Slurp probably just wandered off." Pugsley looks around

I scoff "Wandered? What is he a golden retreiver?" is he going to waddle his tail too?

"Golden Retreivers don't eat brains." Agnes muttered

"Could we please get this over with!?" Eugene shouted at us, we finally locked in and stopped insulting each other

"Go left!" Agnes spots slurp

"left!" Eugene echoed

"Your left or my left?" Pugsley asks

"We have the same left!!"

We found slurp just in time before Mr. Addams gets hurt

"Not my dad!"

Zap. Boom!A/N: I finally had the time to finish this chapter, and now im currently watching part 2 of Wednesday S2, (is it just me or Slurp's hot) but anyways I have so much ideas for the upcoming chapters so stay tuned!! THANK YOUU