Chapter Text
Lydia stumbled through the forest. At least this one was just as creepy and spooky as any average forest she’d gone through. Betelgeuse was just up ahead, but she couldn’t find the demon anywhere. It was like he disappeared into the trees.
Typical Betelgeuse.
In the distance, she could hear the sounds of singing and clapping. But decided to not think anything of it as she needed to find Betelgeuse and get back home before it was evening time. She was glad it was the summertime, otherwise she wouldn’t have been able to do something as fun as this. A nice walk through a creepy forest to clear her mind before heading home again. She wasn’t quite sure why Betelgeuse had intended on coming along with her when he said he was going to spend the evening and most likely the night with the Maitlands.
“BEEJ? WHEREVER YOU ARE, I CAN’T SEE YOU! I’M GOING BACK HOME WITHOUT YOU IF YOU REMAIN HIDDEN!” she shouted up into the trees in hopes of getting him to come out from his current hiding place. No such luck.
She sighed then returned her attention to the stretch of forest ahead of her, noting the girl sitting on top of a big rock in the middle of the forest and kicking at other, smaller rocks and stones. She hadn’t noticed that girl before and she wasn’t there before Lydia had turned her attention away from that particular stretch of forest to call out to her still-disappeared best demon friend. Maybe she just got there.
It was clear the other, strange girl had noticed that Lydia was standing there and looking in her direction since she had stopped kicking at rocks and stones and was looking back over towards her.
“Hi...” she said, playing with one of her braids.
Lydia made her way over towards the other girl and sat down in front of her. The other girl turned and looked down towards Lydia again.
“Hi,” said Lydia, hoping to start up on a nice conversation. This other girl seemed to be as strange and unusual as she was. A hopeful new friend.
“What brings you to this particular forest?” the strange girl asked, now looking down towards the ground and playing with her fingers.
“Oh, I live in a house on a hill on the other side of this forest,” said Lydia. “I usually come out here and walk to clear my head every evening. What brings you here? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around before, uh?”
“Wednesday.”
“Wednesday,” repeated Lydia, holding out a hand for Wednesday to shake. “Nice to meet you. My name’s Lydia.”
“Nice to meet you too, Lydia.”
“Anyway, like I said,” said Lydia. “What brings you here?”
“Summer camp. Very boring here,” said Wednesday glancing at Lydia. “I wish I was back home with my family. All I think about is how much I want to play games with my brother right now. But I have to be here.”
“I agree that summer camp isn’t all that fun,” said Lydia, stifling a laugh.
“What brings you here?”
“Like I said, I’m taking an evening stroll. But I seem to have lost my best friend. You seen him anywhere?” asked Lydia, looking around for signs of Betelgeuse.
“Isn’t that him up there?” asked Wednesday, looking upwards and pointing when she heard a snicker come from the treetops above her. Lydia glanced up towards where Wednesday was pointing, rolled her eyes, and sighed.
Again, typical Betelgeuse.
“Betelgeuse, have you been hiding in that particular tree the whole entire time?” laughed Lydia.
He teleported out of the tree and reappeared beside both girls. “No. I’ve been teleporting from treetop to treetop, Scarecrow. Been having trouble finding the right hiding place to mess with ya.”
“Beej, I think it’s time we went home. My dad, Delia, and the Maitlands all told us both to be back by eight.” Lydia began to head off in the opposite direction and Betelgeuse floated above her, pouting and folding his arms. Lydia turned and called out to Wednesday, “It was nice meeting you! I hope to see you again some other time!”
Wednesday waved goodbye to both her and Betelgeuse and headed off back to summer camp.
Betelgeuse teleported next to Lydia and elbowed her. “Who’s your new friend?”
“That’s Wednesday. She’s super cool.”
“Sounds like you have a crush on her,” Betelgeuse teased.
“I do not!” grumped Lydia, folding her arms. “Cut it out, Beej.”
He would not. In fact, he decided to tease her about it the whole way home. And in no way was she happy about it.