The next day, Wednesday and her uncle, Fester follows Xavier somewhere into the woods. He has a secret meeting with Dr. Kinbott, the therapist.

Wednesday assumed that she's the one who uses hypnotherapy to unlock the Hyde within Xavier.

Elsewhere, in Weathervane. (Y/N) arrived to be greeted by Tyler.

"Hot chocolate?" The barista behind the counter asks him.

"And a word." (Y/N) place his money and before taking a seat at the usual booth. After his order is done, Tyler delivers it to him sitting opposite the boy.

"So, what's up?" Tyler asks with a weak smile.

"How's your chest?" (Y/N) taking a sip of his drink.

"Getting better. What about your head?" He returns the question.

"Still intact." A silence between the two before (Y/N) continues.

"I talked to Wednesday last night." Tyler furrowed his eyebrows. (Y/N) took notice of his expression.

"Are you crushing on her? Cause I know I do." (Y/N) eyeing his friend awaiting his answer.

"Why the sudden question?" Tyler's asks still putting on a weak smile on his face.

"You used your daddy's threat against me. Telling me to keep my distance. Yet you kept following her like a good little pup."

"(Y/N) come on, what's she got on you anyway?"

"I don't know. She's in my head for a while now. And to be honest, I'm actually glad to have met her. Maybe after everything is over, I'll actually ask her out." Tyler's smile disappears looking at his friend. His eyes are serious. (Y/N) takes a sip of his drink before changing the topic.

"What are you doing in the forest two months ago when you first found me?" Tyler was astonished by the question.

"I, was wandering around the place."

"The moment we became acquainted with one another, you've never once wander in the woods, at least not by yourself. So I'm curious." (Y/N) leans in closer staring at him.

"I saved your life." Tyler slightly raised his voice.

"I didn't asked you to. All this time I'm this close to being killed, someone else has to suffer. Eugene got into a coma, then Mayor Walker before his unknown murder. If this is the fate of the people around me, why are you still alive at the mansion. The monster always left me and Wednesday off the hook. You're the third person to survive."

"What about Enid? She was there as well." Tyler countered.

"With Wednesday. You encountered the monster by yourself yet you're alive."

"What about you then!? You also encountered the monster alone and here you are." Tyler raised his voice.

"Wednesday and Enid both witnessed me getting tossed like a dodgeball in the mansion. All those commotions and you didn't even showed up. Either you're scared, selfish or you're hoping for it to kill me. Wednesday even said that the monster isn't working alone."

"You're accusing me of being the monster's friend? How could you!?"

"Why couldn't I? We became friends after I woke up that day at the hospital. You befriended the emo kid from school despite the constant warning from the others. Then, you start to work part time at Weathervane where I occasionally come to for my reading."

"Do have any idea how insane you sound right now!?" Tyler stands up looking down at (Y/N) dead center in his eyes

"Then Wednesday happened. Harvest festival, you're supposed to drive her out of town before she was assaulted by the Ron kid and miraculously saved by the monster."

"It's Rowan but..."

"Then Outreach day. In the woods, the monster knocked me out before it went to find Wednesday. You're the only one that knows where the meeting house is."

"But Xavier was there as well." Tyler cuts in trying to defend himself.

"How did Xavier got there then? You told him?"

"Maybe he followed you guys?"

"He's a volunteer at Weathervane that day. It's your responsibility to report his absence because it was mandatory for him to stay there."

"I don't want to cause him any trouble. Look, let's just pretend none of this ever happened okay?" Tyler beg him to stop.

"The way I see it, the reason you got close to me and Wednesday is because you're trying to protect your secret. Hide in plain sight, right? I'm even beginning to wonder if you're the one that tried to run me over that day right there before the mayor saved my life." (Y/N) as he pointed outside the window towards the spot where the accident took place.

Tyler became speechless as he sits down again. (Y/N) finished his drink. They sat in silence for sometime before (Y/N) spoke again.

"Xavier's on Wednesday's suspect list. You're on mine." (Y/N) takes his phone out from his pocket, revealing that he's been recording the conversation this whole time. Tyler's eyes gone wide.

"For old time sake, I'm giving you a week to came up with a better excuse. Or I'm gonna send this to the sheriff. Or better yet, I'll have Wednesday listen to this." (Y/N) exit the place leaving a frustrated Tyler by himself.

~~

(Y/N) was fidgeting his fingers sitting by Eugene's bedside.

"I talked with Wednesday last night. Tried to talk her out of it hoping to stop her from getting hurt. Or getting someone else hurt. But you know her better than me. She turned my words against me and talked me in instead." (Y/N) chuckled at himself before lifting his head to look at Eugene's comatose figure.

"I uhhh... I got into an argument with Tyler just now. I think whatever we had between us is over with. Either I'm too dumb to realize that or he's too smart." (Y/N) let's out a sigh.

"Who are you kidding? He's not even awake." (Y/N) was startled by the voice that came from behind him. It was Xavier.

"What are you doing here?" (Y/N) was stunned by the sudden appearance of the tall male who makes his way to Eugene's bedside.

"What? I can't even visit my own schoolmate now?" (Y/N) scoffed before taking his leaves.

"Do you still hear any voices lately?" This question stopped (Y/N) in his track. He turned around facing the artist.

"Voices is gone. Now it's nightmare. I'm not even gonna denied it anymore. It's like a new routine to be woke up in the middle of the night." Xavier taking in his words for a moment.

"Why don't you come to my studio tomorrow after school. Perhaps we could discuss it." (Y/N) furrowed his eyebrows.

"Why the sudden interest?"

"I saw you in my nightmare as well. Just briefly but, I could tell that it was you."

(Y/N) thought for a moment before answering.

"I'll take you up on that offer then. Tomorrow after school." (Y/N) nodded at Xavier who did the same before leaving.

~~

Upon reaching his home, he saw Ms Thornhill's car parked outside. He quickly enter the house looking for her.

"Mom?" The voice startled the Nevermore teacher who came out from (Y/N)'s room anxiously.

"Honey? You're back already? I thought you're still at the hospital." She shifted her glass looking at her son.

"How do you know I was at the hospital?" (Y/N)'s question stunned her for moment.

"The nurse informed me about how you've been visiting Eugene everyday. He's my student after all."

"Oh right. Yeah I did, go and see him. Still the same. So what are you doing back here? More deliveries coming in?"

"No. I'm just here to check the place. Surprisingly clean for an emo child like you. Especially the piano."

"Who do you think I almost killed for staining my piano?" Both of them chuckle for a bit.

"Well, I gotta get going. Keep in touch." She walks past her son lightly tapping his shoulder. The boy accompanies her outside, watching her get into the car.

"You sure you don't want to stay for dinner?" She starts the car before turning to him.

"Maybe some other time. But no junk food. I could've swear you look chubbier than two months ago."

"Why did you girls always say that?" Ms Thornhill furrowed her eyebrows looking at her son.

"Girls?"

"Wednesday told me to lose some weight the other day. I get it she's a skeleton but that doesn't mean I'm fat."

"Well, what can I say? Girls stick together. See you again (Y/N)." She drove off as the boy gets back inside the house.

~~

At night, Wednesday agreed to Tyler's date after almost costing him his life back at the Gates mansion.

They watched a movie in Crackstone's Crypt using a projector. After everything is over, Tyler confessed his feelings to Wednesday.

"Don't hate me for saying this but, I want us to be more than just friends." The two are standing close to one another.

"I'm not your just-friends let alone more-than-friends material." Wednesday replied as Tyler's stepping closer to her.

"Don't do that."

"You're making a mistake." Their face were inches away from each other.

"Am I?" As Tyler's face closing in, their lips almost meet before Wednesday turned her face away. Tyler was dumbfounded for moment.

"Why?" He frowned.

Wednesday stayed silent avoiding his eyes. Tyler's expression slowly change from hurt to frustration.

"Is it about (Y/N)?" The question cause Wednesday to finally looks up at him. His eyes is filled with hatred and anger. She never thought she'd see this side of him.

"It wasn't personal." She replied apologetically.

"Personal? I know you first. He's just a pebble on the side and you choose him over me!?" Tyler's tone changed.

"I don't understand why you're letting your infatuation with me ruin your friendship with (Y/N). I was the pebble that got into both your lives in the first place." Tyler scoffed at the statement.

"Friendship? I don't need him." Wednesday was shocked at the statement.

"But I do. If being in a relationship with you means putting my partnership with (Y/N) to an end, I'd rather not."

"It's not fair Wednesday."

"Life isn't fair. Me and (Y/N) have to learn it the hard way. And now you too."

"You're unbelievable."

"So you've noticed? (Y/N) said great things about you. And here you are blaming him for your failure to try and woo me. I swear (Y/N) could've done better." Tyler walks closer to Wednesday pointing at her with his index finger.

"Say (Y/N) one more time...." The conversation would be interrupted by Sheriff Galpin and two other officers who barged in the place.

"Dad? What are you doing here?"

"We found a bike that belongs to a bank robber somewhere nearby. Can't let this place go unchecked. I never see you two here understand? Let's go." He ordered his colleagues to leave the place. Wednesday would leaves the place as well.

"Wednesday! Fuck!" Tyler cursed under his breath before he took out his phone and begin dialling it.

Part 22 is here y'all. This is where the book starts to derailed from the original source, I think.😅