Decision I

"Hey, strange time for you to be having breakfast," Luke said, sitting across from Wednesday, who looked up from her food.

"Why strange? You're also in the cafeteria at this hour," replied Wednesday, her voice as impassive as her expression.

Luke smirked a gesture that made him always seem on the verge of mockery. "It's different for me. On weekends, I usually stay up late playing video games, and wake up late. So it's normal for me to have breakfast at this time," he explained.

"Am I not allowed to use the cafeteria at this hour?" Wednesday asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"That's not what I mean," Luke quickly replied, waving his hand in a gesture to downplay the idea. "It's just that you usually have a fixed breakfast schedule. It's odd to see you here now."

"Do you happen to know every time I've had breakfast in my life?" Wednesday said, in her characteristically dry tone.

They both stared at each other in silence until Luke responded, "Maybe not every time, but I've noticed your breakfast schedule at Nevermore and what you eat."

"I don't have obsessive-compulsive disorder. I can change my breakfast schedule if I feel like it. I'm here at this time because there aren't many noisy people, and I can eat in peace. I wasn't expecting company," Wednesday replied, emphasizing the last words.

"And yet, you haven't kicked me out," Luke pointed out, leaning slightly forward and staring at her closely.

Wednesday let out an almost imperceptible sigh and looked back at her plate. "I can make an exception for you," she replied and began eating calmly.

"Thanks for your kindness," Luke said in a playful tone, though he knew anyone else would have been kicked off the table or ignored at best. Luke understood that these small concessions were significant in Wednesday's language.

Luke silently observed as Wednesday ate. Her movements were calculated and precise. She ate with a grace that seemed innate to her.

Feeling thirsty, Luke glanced at Wednesday's coffee. He grabbed it and took a sip, feeling the bitterness of the liquid roll over his tongue and down his throat.

Wednesday didn't mind Luke drinking from her coffee. She continued eating in silence, casting occasional glances his way.

"Bitter like life," Luke said, setting the coffee down on the table with a slightly disgusted expression.

"Bitterness is relative," Wednesday said. "I consider it an acquired taste," she added.

"I guess it's a matter of getting used to it," Luke said, loving sugar. His body was better than a normie's; he could consume large amounts of sugar and never have issues like diabetes. He had to take advantage of that perk.

"By the way, are you going to answer my question?" Wednesday asked, changing the subject.

Luke's expression turned sour. He knew this would happen if he got close to Wednesday, but his desire to be with her outweighed the question she might repeat.

"Refresh my memory," Luke said, trying to find some way to escape the cafeteria.

"For someone with an eidetic memory, you're quite forgetful," Wednesday remarked, finishing her breakfast.

"I've asked you the question seven times since the lunar eclipse. I won't repeat it. If you dodge the subject again with a poor excuse, I'll consider it settled. And you know what I mean," Wednesday said in a warning tone.

Luke grimaced. There was no escape.

"The promise I made with Enid was the night of the harvest festival, after the Hyde attack. When I took Rowan and Enid to the hospital," Luke replied.

"Tell me what that promise is," Wednesday said, staring intently at Luke. For some reason that bothered her, she didn't like the idea of Luke having a promise with his ex-girlfriend.

She wasn't stupid. Lately, she had grown very close to Luke. They had kissed, investigated the murders in Jericho, and fought side by side during the lunar eclipse.

She had never been this close to anyone. She knew it wasn't just a conventional friendship, even though she had never had friends, but she understood the rules of both outcast and normie societies. Her parents were very affectionate, and she had gone to schools filled with loving couples.

Her relationship with Luke was romantic. She knew it. They just had never said anything to make it official or anything like that. She didn't talk about it, and neither did Luke, but now she wanted to clear things up. She didn't like the idea of thinking about Luke with other women.

At first, it had been hard for her to accept the feelings she had for Luke and get close to him, but little by little, she came to accept it—and even liked it. Now, the promise Luke had with his ex-girlfriend bothered her.

"The promise was that if Enid managed to defeat the Hyde, I had to tell her the real reason why I ended our relationship. If it was what she thought, we should get back together," Luke replied.

"She defeated it, so you'll have to tell her the real reason why you left her. What is that real reason?" Wednesday asked.

'She really wants to get to the bottom of this...' Luke thought.

"The reason was the Spellmans. Last year, during the Poe Cup attack, the hooded figures used Enid as a hostage and threatened me with her to try to kill me," Luke answered.

"Oh, the same reason you tried to use with me. Although I suppose in my case, you used it to push me away and keep your promise with Enid," Wednesday said, staring intently at Luke.

'Why is she so sharp with these things?' Luke thought with a slight grimace.

"So, what does she think the reason was that you left her?" Wednesday asked, returning to her interrogation.

"From what she told me at the hospital, she's aware of the grudge between the Spellmans and my family. So, she's almost certain that's the reason I ended the relationship," Luke replied.

"So, you two should get back together, since the reason you broke up with her was to protect her from your mortal enemies targeting her," Wednesday commented in a colder tone than before.

The table fell silent as they stared at each other. Luke didn't know what to say. For a moment, the idea of jokingly asking, "Polygamy?" crossed his mind, but he held back, knowing it could backfire when it came to Wednesday.

"Congratulations on getting back with your ex-girlfriend," Wednesday remarked in a tone that masked anger, standing up to leave the table.

"Wait!" Luke said quickly, jumping up from his seat and stepping in front of her to block her path.

"What?" Wednesday asked, sounding impatient.

"The promise was before, you know… before us," Luke said with some difficulty.

"Us? What do you mean?" Wednesday asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Come on, make this easier. You know we both struggle to talk about our feelings. If we're nothing, then why do you care about my promise with my ex-girlfriend?" Luke said, and Wednesday fell silent, thinking.

"Alright, I understand. There's something between us," Wednesday said slowly and with difficulty, but without changing her tone or expression.

"So, what will you do? Will you get back with Enid, or..." Wednesday asked, unable to finish the question.

"Give me some time to think," Luke replied.

"One day," said Wednesday.

"Two," Luke countered.

"Fine," Wednesday nodded as she began walking toward the exit, feeling emotions she had never experienced before.

Luke watched Wednesday's back as she left, letting out a sigh.

"Looks like you've got a tough situation," Xavier said, approaching Luke from behind and patting him on the back. Being the curious person he was, Xavier had been watching his friend. He wasn't the only one; the few students in the cafeteria had also been observing.

Since that conversation with Wednesday, Luke had been living with a countdown. The seconds, minutes, and hours seemed to pass faster than ever, and he still couldn't come to a decision.

The next day, Luke received a message. It was from Enid, asking to meet up the following day—a few hours before the two days were up and he had to give Wednesday an answer.

That night, Luke couldn't sleep. Tomorrow was the day. He could hear Xavier's snores, sleeping like a baby.

'Damn it. I need to clear my head,' Luke thought, getting out of bed and opening the window. As the cool breeze hit his face and he looked up at the cloudless, starry sky, an idea came to him. He could go out for a walk.

"Running away from your fate?" Edgar asked, emerging from the necklace. Luke, who was floating and about to take off and sneak out of Nevermore, turned his head and looked at the ghost with a grimace.

[I'm not running away. Just taking a little relaxing trip,] Luke replied.

"If you say so," Edgar said with a slight smile. "Take me along. I could use some fresh air too," he added.

'You can't breathe...' Luke thought, but said nothing as he made the necklace fly toward him. He put it around his neck and took off without waking Xavier.

"Any particular destination in mind?" Edgar asked, admiring the beautiful night sky full of stars.

"Some dive bar, I guess," Luke said. It would be the only place open at this hour in a town like Jericho.

"A bar? Why?" Edgar asked, intrigued.

"They say alcohol is good for solving love problems," Luke replied and Edgar laughed.

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