"Go on, don't mind us," Viktor said with an easy smile, waving his hand. On the inside, though, he felt a twist of nerves. This was his first real interaction with Nevermore students, like walking into his first day of college, except surrounded by supernatural teens.
"Hey!"
Viktor turned toward the sound and saw a group of students lounging at a table, their dark shades giving them away instantly. And he immediately recognizes them.
Seeing two new faces wearing sunglasses, they naturally called out to invite them over.
Viktor's smile twitched. He wasn't a vampire, but… this was probably his best shot at making friends. And he needed connections here.
He led Agnes toward the table.
"We've never seen you two before. New here?"
A young man stood up, grinning. "I'm Jass. You've gotta be vampires. Come on, that means you're one of us. Want me to give you a tour?"
Viktor chuckled and shook his head. "Sorry to disappoint you, but we're not vampires."
Then, for effect, he vanished from sight. Gasps rippled around the table as he reappeared right behind Jass, clapping him on the shoulder.
"We're the invisible kind of Outcast," he said with a grin.
Jass blinked, then laughed. He was clearly impressed. "Okay, that's actually cool. Don't worry about it, you can still hang with us. Right, guys?"
The other vampires nodded in agreement, some of them grinning with open curiosity. Seeing Viktor and Agnes in shades under the sun was oddly satisfying, a little win against all the normie jokes they usually got.
"Great," Jass said, gesturing around the table. "Let me introduce everyone. This is Elias, Adrian, Claudia, and Yoko."
Viktor gave a polite nod. "I'm Viktor, and this is my sister Agnes. I hope we can be good friends… even if we're not technically vampire. Oh, and could you point me toward the principal's office? I'm still figuring out where everything is."
"Sure thing," Jass said. He was surprisingly cheerful, with pale, handsome, short black hair, with the kind of energy that reminded Viktor of Enid, but in vampire form.
"While we're walking, let me give you the crash course on Nevermore's cliques," Jass offered.
Viktor already knew this from the show, but he let Jass talk; it was good for Agnes to hear it firsthand.
"First up, obviously, us vampires. We're called Fangs." Jass gestured to himself, then pointed toward a boy across the courtyard with a blue beanie. "Those guys are Stoners, gorgons. Don't stare too long at their snakes unless you like being turned into a statue. Over there are the Furs, werewolves. Don't believe any of that ancient 'wolves versus vamps' rivalry stuff. We're cool."
Viktor chuckled softly.
"And last, you've got the Scales, the sirens. Their leader, Bianca, that's her, she's basically the queen bee of Nevermore."
As they walked, Jass pointed out different facilities and name-dropped some of the more well-known students, Bianca, her ex Xavier, Ajax the gorgon, and a few others.
"What about the psychics?" Agnes asked curiously.
"Oh, them? They don't really have an official clique," Jass said with a shrug. "But we do have the Da'Vinci club. Nerdy genius types, always making stuff in the workshop."
"Big brother… what if we made our own clique? We could take over the whole school."
Agnes smiled at Viktor, her big, innocent eyes contradicting the mischief in her words.
"Take over the school? Sounds fun!" Jass overheard her and couldn't help giving a thumbs-up. "A school without chaos is boring! Look at all the students just standing around, they're all waiting for some excitement. I say go for it, little lady!"
Viktor chuckled, thinking about Agnes's idea. "Taking over a school…"
As he repeated those words to himself, a long-forgotten letter surfaced in his mind. Save the outcasts… Perhaps the only way to do that was by taking over the school. He quickly shook his head, dismissing the idea, just as Jass gasped.
"Hey, look at that girl. So wild!"
Viktor followed Jass's gaze. There, at the entrance, stood a girl dressed head-to-toe in black. Her gothic silhouette was striking, and her sharp, unblinking eyes burned with open disdain. Behind her stood two adults and a younger child.
'That's Wednesday?' Viktor was stunned. She was even more beautiful than he had imagined. Even though he'd seen Wednesday's actress in his past life, this Wednesday and this Jenna Ortega in his past life felt different. There was something about her aura that pulled him in. After all, Wednesday had always been his number one crush.
'No wonder she doesn't have many friends. Those eyes could kill someone. I don't even dare to talk to her,' he thought. Seeing one of his favorite characters in real life felt surreal; it was strange, but exciting. His heart throbbed with anticipation.
Viktor wanted to talk to Wednesday, but he didn't know how. She is someone difficult to approach. After thinking for a moment, he realized he might not need to. Wednesday could bring danger into his life, and even into Agnes's. He already felt pulled into enough chaos. Maybe he didn't need more.
"Who is that?" Agnes's eyes sparkled, unable to look away from Wednesday.
"That's Wednesday Addams. I heard she once put a piranha in the pool," Jass said.
"And how do you know that?" Agnes turned to him. A small smile tugged at her lips. "Piranhas in the pool… that's not bad at all. I kind of like her already."
Jass shivered at the way Agnes's eyes gleamed.
"Well, the Addams family is famous in the Outcast world, and my parents are friends with them. So I know a bit. Anyway, let's go. It looks like they're here to enroll. We can meet them up close at the office." Jass explained quickly.
Viktor glanced at his sister. Agnes seemed completely captivated by Wednesday. In the show, she had always been Wednesday's number-one fan, and it made sense. Wednesday was everything Agnes wished she could be: fearless, unapologetic, and untouched by the need to fit into cliques.
Behind Agnes's dark humor and playful smiles, Viktor knew she was really just a sweet, shy, and insecure girl who wanted to be seen for who she truly was and to have real friends. But now, Agnes had him, an older brother who loved her and would always take care of her.
So there was no reason for Agnes to become obsessed with being like Wednesday. Viktor wanted her to stay true to herself. He would always support her wholeheartedly, but he wouldn't mind if she and Wednesday became friends.
"What are you thinking?" Viktor finally asked.
Agnes's smile softened. "That girl… she's kind of amazing. I don't know why, but I want to be her friend."
"I support you," Viktor smiled.
Soon, they reached the principal's office. After knocking, Jass pushed the door open, and they stepped inside. Behind the desk sat a tall, elegant woman with blonde hair, the current principal of Nevermore Academy, Larissa Weems.
"Well, well. Mr. Jass Doline," Principal Weems said with a warm smile as she stood. "And who might these two be?"
Viktor couldn't help but look up at her. She was taller than he had expected.
"I'm Viktor DeMille, and this is my sister, Agnes DeMille." Viktor shook her hand politely. "My father told me there was an academy for outcasts, so we came here."
"Oh, yes… I was informed about what befell your parents." Weems's expression softened. "You have my condolences. I can only imagine how difficult the years must have been for you both."
She gestured gracefully toward the chairs. "Please, sit." Turning to Jass, she offered a courteous smile. "And you, Mr. Jass? Was there something you wished to discuss with me?"
"Ah, no." Jass shook his head quickly. "See you later, Viktor. See you, Agnes!"
"Life has been hard, yes," Viktor admitted, glancing at his sister. Agnes giggled softly at the shared memory. "But we've survived."
"Endurance is a rare gift," Weems observed, inclining her head. "The normie world is seldom kind to our kind. But here, at Nevermore, you'll find something different. Here, we protect our own."
Her gaze settled on Viktor. "Your parents ensured your place long ago; your enrollment is already in order." Then, shifting to Agnes, her eyes softened again. "Your sister, however, is not due until next year."
"Principal Weems…" Viktor wanted to say something, but before he could say more, she raised a hand gently.
Weems lifted a hand, silencing him with quiet authority. "Enrollment dates are a matter of bureaucracy, and bureaucracy pales before family. Agnes will remain here under our care, whether or not the paperwork says otherwise. I will not see a young outcast left alone."
"Really?" Viktor's eyes lit up, and a smile spread across his face. "Thank you."
"There is nothing to allow," Weems replied firmly, yet kindly. "This is her home as much as yours. No thanks are necessary. Now, let us review a few details, and I'll have someone escort you both to your dormitories."