Edd x Marie - A Heart's True Desire

Chapter 7: Hurt

     He slammed the door, disregarding any repercussion of the potential damage to the door or awaking any person within the household. He almost stormed up the stairs until ceasing before Ed and Eddy, who accompanied worried and confused expressions. Double D lessened his furrow once making eye contact with his friends. He knew an explanation had to be given but he wasn't anticipating the mockery that'll fall on him for believing that a Kanker could change.

     "The heck happened?" Eddy questioned as he took note of his friend's minor vexation.

     "Did you get the butterflies in your belly, Double D?" Ed followed with another question as he motioned for Double D to sit but was politely refused. 

     "Eddy, you were right. A no good Kanker will always be one; they will never change. They'd create a world for you to believe in and then rip every fabric of feeling and belief you had, just like that; without an ounce of regret or sympathy in their cold-hearted, remorseless, infuriating vessels!" He begun to breath heavily as his friends looked on in concern. "I arrived at the trailer at the right time to listen to the truth. It was rude to eavesdrop, yes, but I'm glad I did. She's been playing me like a fiddle. She said harsh words like 'he's nothing to me', 'nothing more than a waste of time',  and that I'm nothing compared to the 'real man' she loves, and that a sweet gift would be for me to never show my 'stupid face' to her ever again...."

     Eddy: "That bitch!" He wanted to shout it at that moment but he deemed it not the best to allow his friend's emotions to boil even further.

     Double D heaved to an extent as he took a seat on a kitchen chair before allowing his head to fall into his hands; the scent of despair wasn't too overwhelming but it might as well have been if this continued without anyone intervening.

     His friends stood at his side as they both laid a hand on Double D's shoulders with Ed on his right while Eddy on his left. They remained there for a good minute until Eddy found it to speak; he spoke in such a calm and reassuring manner, it may have been the best way but the shocker is directed towards Eddy burying whatever hatred he had for the Kankers.

     "Don't worry about her. She never deserved you anyway. If she was half as smart as you, she'd know that you're the best thing she could've had. Don't think about her much, especially when you've got Ed to worry about eating all your food." Double D cracked a smile and light laugh as Ed begun to add his own comments.

     "Eddy's right, Double D. You may be hurt now but Ed is sure that in time, you'll feel better. We're here for you and always will be! Or else, we would not be best friends." Ed wrapped his arms around his distraught friend, hoping that whatever they're doing was enough to make Double D happy. Whether the intelligent Ed was fully aware or not, that's all they wanted their dear friend to be. It wouldn't have been surprising if even Ed were to confront the Kankers for his friend's sake.

     Double D rose from the chair to face his friends. He gently thanked them before taking a deep breath and looking over his current attire.

"Seems that I may have to use this wear at a better time. Though, I do appear quite handsome in it. Umm, Eddy? Mind if I keep these?"

     "No prob, but you're paying the next time we're going for jawbreakers!"

     "Not a problem."

     "And Eddy, don't ask Double D to shrink those clothes so you can use them!"

     "You got somethin' against me, Lumpy?"

     Edd: "I love these guys; I'm glad that I have them."

     As the night carried on, Double D took it upon himself to prepare a little meal for his friends, possibly with a bit of worry towards Ed eating most of his edibles. The food were laid on the table for them as they relaxed on the couch with the television gleaming at them. Double D decided that he could take the time to get ready for his nightly slumber. However, before he could make it to the stairs, Eddy made a short comment.

     "Oh, and Double D, don't forget about all those babes we'll meet in school! Betcha that we'll find the one for you on the first week." Double D smiled and nodded in response as he ascended the staircase before stopping close to the top. For just a moment, he still wished that Marie had truly changed. Part of him still believed it, but that part was in the minority, and no one can truly blame him as one's perspective is sometimes difficult to distrust.

  ____________  

     The anticipation of school was there for a few of the young eyes in Peach Creek but many dreaded it, at least in consideration of the work that'll follow. Peach Creek High was set to commence within a few short days and within those days lacked any communication between Double D and Marie. Marie didn't think much of it as she thought that he may be too preoccupied with preparing himself for the new school or just busy. She preferred to not be a disturbance and decided to wait until school starts if she had to. Hardly anyone was going to stop an embrace from her onto Edd upon seeing him again; however, the same person she wants to put affection onto may be the one to stop her.

     Ever since she got news of that call, she had more than did her job in suppressing it to the point of forgetting about it at times. One thing she's been focusing on is a new drawing; a drawing she wished to gift to Edd. The feeling of sharing her personal work with someone was the best she's ever felt, and the idea for a gift to the one she cared for made her more than determined. Unfortunately, in the background of these two individuals came a hard pill of misinterpretation, and soon a dastardly injection of unearned distress. It's much too difficult to not have that sense of slight excitement on Marie's part, especially since their last meeting left them close to a kiss; a mutual kiss. 

     The days were counted down. Eventually, it reached the first day of Peach Creek High. Marie dressed in her usual attire, setting aside a plaided outfit for later in the year. Double D was as dignified as he ever could be with a special light blue tie around his neck; smiling at the mirror, he looked forward to today; then, he remembered that the Kankers would likely be at Peach Creek High. He felt gutted, but he smiled away any uncertainty that came to his mind as he joined with Ed and Eddy on their walk to school.

     You can write something over ten times but it can't match the stress that'll befall both Edd and Marie after today's events. Why must one suffer for another's misinterpretations? Then again, haven't they all had their fair share of pain? However, that is not comparable to this upcoming confrontation.

     Their hearts were skipping beats, but for different reasons. One, it's for the unwillingness to look at the other, while the other one's heart skips a few beats for her anticipation of once again seeing the young man she's grown to genuinely feel for. These were too large of contrasts to conjure anything to soothe the heart. What's to happen is certain, yet uncertain at the same time.

     Misinterpretations. Distress. Pain. Tears. Heartaches. Headaches. Undeniable hurt. Both may end up too choked up in their own clouds to see above it; maybe one will try while the other remains stuck. It's unknown for a confrontation that's yet to happen, but it's the contrast that exists that is haunting the air.

     There they were, the Eds on the brink of getting ready to go to their assigned classes as Marie was left by her sisters to have her time with Edd. He remained at his locker, fetching a few more supplies when she began walking up to him. Her smile was impeccably connected to her glee. Before Edd could close his locker, his vision caught sight of Marie. She held him tightly before releasing shortly after to meet his blanked face. They locked eyes. Edd clenched his fists, tightly closed his eyes and held back a tear that was sure to fall upon the words that circulated in his mind. He breathed in, and looked at her again before finding the words to suit his current mindset....