It was no secret that Edd was an outcast in his neighborhood. Not many of the kids associated with him because he helped Eddy in Eddy's crazy schemes. Even Eddy and Ed considered him strangely intelligent. He knew that the boys loved him like a brother, and he them, but still... he was an outcast.

Eddy never really consulted his opinion on anything besides using him for the physics behind the schemes or cheating on his school work. Ed... was Ed. Can't complete a conversation. Ah well. He was loveable, in his own way.

Edd was in his room doing his homework. He glanced outside his window to see the other kids playing. Ed was babysitting Sarah, and Eddy was out-to-dinner with his family. Eddy had complained for the whole day about it. Edd had humored him, but secretly wishing Eddy would know how lucky he really is.

Edd cringed. He hated self-pity. But, his mind had wandered to here, so he'll let himself wallow in it for a while.

Edd never went anywhere nice with his parents because his parents were never home. They were famous scientists and were very busy. Maybe that's why he likes science? Not only because it runs in the genes, but because it might make his parents notice him. Really the only form of communication he had with his progenitors was the sticky notes that were continuously left for him to accomplish the tasks they were unable to do. He knew that they were busy, and he should be more understanding, but still, he felt some pain. After all, he hasn't seen his parents in weeks! They were home when he was asleep and up and out-of-the-house before he awoke. The few times a month he did see them it was a quick "Hi son, love you," peck on the forehead, then into the bedroom, where he was no allowed to disturb them. Nor did he want to.

He felt sad that his parents didn't know him. Did they even care? Most kids want their parents off their backs, but he wants his to hug him and love him. Was it too much to ask?

Edd sighed heavily, and returned to his work. Self-pity never got anyone anywhere.

His mind wandered to May. He had no clue what had drawn him to her, but once there, he was never going back. How was she? They haven't talked in a while. Is she still pining over Ed? His eyes teared a little, and he decided to think no more and get back to his math.

It was no secret that May was an outcast in her trailer park. She was, physically, the awkwardest. She was very hard to understand due to her teeth. Her sisters never missed a time when they could pick on her and abuse her the way her parents did.

She was in her room doing her homework. She glanced outside to see her sisters pulling on their hair to make it straighter and using their fingers to imitate buck teeth . She sighed.

Out of the Kanker sisters, she was the smartest, though had a hard time acting like it, since she was the youngest and pushed around so much. Whatever it took to keep her family happy and her off the whipping post. She subconsciously put her hand to her back and felt the scars of her last beating from her father and the drunken slaps from her mother. She remembered going up to her room and hoping her sisters would comfort her. They just laughed and told her to stop being a wimp.

Maybe that's why the sisters fell for the Edd's. Eddy was a money-chaser, someone Lee was convinced would never hurt her because he would have enough cash, and they would never fight. Her parents mostly fought about money, and would beat each other during the fight. Marie wanted Double D because he was smart and sensitive; he could get a good job and would never dream of hitting a woman! May saw the flaws in both these ideas, but never bothered to risk telling them. May had initially liked Ed because he symbolized the innocence she had lost; lost the first time her father used his belt on her. She was only five.

But now she was starting to see Double D in a new light. He was smart, sweet, compassionate, pure-hearted, and happy. She, like Marie, could never see him even considering hitting a woman. She tried as hard as she could to keep it to herself. He didn't feel the same way, and if she were to have any more pain in her heart she couldn't take it!

But the very people they wanted to impress they pushed away. They abused the community they wanted desperately to be part of. She guessed that they were taking their anger at their parents onto the people they should be kind to.

She sighed again. She heard the door open, and two girls roughly pushed inside. She heard a male call her name in a slurred voice. She winced. "Great, he's drunk again." She thought.

Edd couldn't focus on his math, thinking about the girl he was oddly attached to. She didn't have Nazz's beauty. She was way too rough for a girl. And for goodness sake, she was a KANKER! Still, he was falling harder every day. He knew she had a past to tell; he could see it in her eyes. He opened the desk drawer, pulled out her love note, and read it to himself, smiling.

Maybe they could help each other heal the pain in their hearts.