Shades of Cool, Tyler Galpin

ONE. every daughter has a cage around her head
and a mother on the cross.

      To say that Andy's proud of what she did would be lie even if it was to protect her family. She's an Addams. They acted in impulse, a violent impulse at that. They're a family of wolves, constantly sinking their claws into their prey to keep each other alive. But not Andy. She claws and bite and scratches while screaming for forgiveness.

Morticia and Gomez wonder how two people so twisted and dark could make something so tender and golden from within, especially when their other two children are copies of them. But Andromeda's been different from the beginning. Her heart's different from theirs. She had one and it's full of love, too much love, so much that she keeps it locked away in a box so nobody can see it.

The Addams family was described as dangerous, mysterious and scary. Two sisters only a year apart but the difference in their personalities made them seem further apart. Wednesday's not afraid to speak her mind. Andy's quiet. Wednesday closes off her feelings, even about her family. Love yous aren't exactly her thing. Andy can't remember the last time any of them uttered I love you to each other. Wednesday doesn't care about other people. Andy cares too much and it's her downfall.

But one thing is for certain, they were each other's protectors. Even if she never shows it, Wednesday would hurt anybody before letting them hurt Andy.  Though she's quiet, Andy would hurt anyone before letting them hurt her sister. She doesn't know what to do with it, all the love in her heart. It's what keeps the organ inside her beating. It's what makes her human, more human than her family. A lamb disguised as a wolf.

The sky was dark and cloudy. She smells the rain from inside the car and Andy watches it fall against the window. She tugged on her earlobe to distract herself from the awkward tension in the vehicle from her sister and also the sounds of her parents kissing across them. Wednesday's cold glare is enough to break them apart.

"Darling, how long do you and your sister intend on giving us the cold shoulder?"

"Lurch, please remind my parents that I'm no longer speaking to them."

Andy rolled her eyes.

"I promise you, my little vipers. You girls will love Nevermore." Gomez assures his daughter. "Won't they, Tish?"

Morticia appears confident. "Of course they will. It's the perfect school for them."

"Why? Because it was the perfect school for you?" Wednesday snarls. "I have no interest in following your footsteps. Become the captain of the fencing team, queen of the Dark Prom, President of the Seance Society—"

"I merely meant that finally you will be among peers who understand you. Maybe you'll even make some friends. Maybe Andromeda can try new things."

What she means is I wish you could be more like me. Or I wish I could be more like you. Why can't you be like me? Why can't I go back and be more like you?

Andromeda looks out the window again.

"Nevermore is like no other boarding school. It's a magical place," Gomez described, smiling at his wife. "It's where I met your mother. And we fell in love."

They kiss again. Andy won't lie that he feels envious of their relationship from time to time. To be loved the way they love each other is a dream most want. Not Wednesday. She'd rather drop dead.

"You guys are making me nauseous. Not in a good way." Wednesday picks them apart again.

"Darling, we aren't the ones who you got you expelled. That boy's family was going to file attempted murder charges. How would that have looked on your records?" Morticia continued her lecture.

Andromeda cringes when she remembers.

The water polo team was practicing in the pool during a closed practice. Wednesday entered the room and stood by the pool with two clear bags full of piranhas. Her appearance caught the attention of all the boys and they started to whisper and point at her. "This is a closed practice!" One of them shouted at her.

Slowly, Wednesday lifted a bag of flesh eating piranhas and she watched their faces drain of color. She dumped them into the pool and screams of terror came from everyone in the pool.

The boys swam rapidly to climb out while shoving each other out of the way. As one was about to run, Andy appeared in front of him, smiling evilly, and his eyes went wide. "Hello." She greeted sinisterly and shoved him back into the pool, directly onto one of the piranhas.

She caught Wednesday's eye from across the pool and they smiled as the pool water turned into a crimson red.

"Terrible," Wednesday's voice is what escapes her from the memory. "Everyone would know Andy and I failed to get the job done."

"It wasn't so bad. They hurt Pugsley. Who's to say what else they would do to one of us?" Andy finally speaks.

Gomez frowns at that. "I'm afraid Wednesday's corrupted you too much, Andromeda dear."

If anything, Andromeda's the nost like her father. His words turn her quiet again. She looks out the window as Wednesday looks at her.

The rain continued as Lurch pulled the car up to the Nevermore gate. Her family's delighted by the weather. "Ah, at least it's turning into a beautiful day," voiced Morticia.

Andy stared at the castle and thought it was beautiful with the gargoyle status and stain glass windows.

A woman greets them out front. She's tall, very tall, with blonde hair and powerful blue eyes. Her lips are painted red. "Hello Morticia, Gomez." She greeted the parents with kindness.

Andy sits in her office with her leg shaking uncomfortably. The roaring fire makes her sweat. "Wednesday and Andromeda are certainly unique names. I'm guessing Wednesday was the day you were born?" Principal Weems directs.

Wednesday's black eyes are narrow. "I was born on Friday the 13th,"

"Her name comes from a line from my favorite nursery rhyme. 'Wednesday's child is full of woe'." Morticia recited.

Larissa Weems hummed. She reads the paper on her desk. "And Andromeda Lenore?" She reads the name. "That's a beautiful name."

"You remember how astrology was my favorite inject in school. I thought the name was fitting," the mother explains and she eyes her daughter, smiling in a daze. "My beautiful star. . .and of course Lenore is after my line from the Raven. 'For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore — Nameless here for evermore'."

Beautifully twisted. Morticia Addams personified.

Principal Weems smiled again. "You always had such a unique perspective on the world, Morticia." She eyes the sisters. "Did your mother tell you we were roommates back in the day?"

Both of them look shocked. "And you graduated with your sanity intact? Impressive," Wednesday's comment is full of sarcasm.

Moving on, Weems took another look at their files. "Well, you've certainly had a very interesting educational journey. Eight schools in five years."

"They haven't built one strong enough to hold me. I bet this place won't be any different."

"What our daughter is trying to say is that she greatly appreciates the opportunity," Gomez coversWednesday's statement with a smile. "And our little star is just as appreciative. She's always been a little shy."

Weems takes a pause. "Nevermore doesn't usually accept students mid term, but given the girl's perfect grades and Adromeda's punctuality, along with your family's long hi온라인카지노게임 with the school, I've spoken with the board and we've made an exception."

Andy and Wednesday share a look.

"Larissa, what about Wednesday and Andromeda's,  um. . . therapy sessions? The court ordered them." Morticia hesitates.

"The school has a relationship with a therapist in Jericho. She can meet twice a week."

Gomez smiles at his daughters. "Did you hear that, my little storm clouds? You're in excellent hands."

Wednesday wasn't impressed. "We'll see if she survives the first session."

Andy rolls her eyes.

Weems stared at the girl before smiling. "I've assigned you both to your mother's old form. Ophelia Hall."

Morticia gasps with excitement.

"Refresh my memory," Wednesday brings up to their mother. "Ophelia's the one who kills herself after being driven mad by her family, correct?"

You'd think after growing up with morbid statements like that one that Andy would be used to it. But no, she wasn't. It was still weird. Their mother smiled.

welcome to the fists chapter of shades of cool!

this was a deep dive into miss Andromeda Addams and there are things to be made clear:

1.  Andy's very different from her family (or so she thinks). Her heart's always in the right place. She always feels guilty after hurting others but she'll hurt literally anyone before letting them hurt her family. She's still an Addams after all.

2.  People reading may think she's weak but trust, she's not weak. She just wants a different life for herself. That's what makes her and Tyler so perfect for each other.

3. "Mothers and daughters exist as wretched mirrors of each other: I am all you could have been and you are all that I might be" described the relationship between Andy and Morticia perfectly