Edd lets out a sigh as he looks down at the papers he is supposed to be organizing. After his seventeenth birthday Edd's father offered him to intern at his law office, it is a good opportunity for Edd and would look good on college applications, so he took his father's offer.
But it quickly became clear to Edd that his father wasn't just trying to help his son with a college application, he is trying to get Edd more interested in a career in law. Jake would have Edd sit in when he talked with clients and would have Edd organize his papers for cases, which Edd is supposed to be doing now.
His parents pushing Edd more to go into law only pushed him further away from ever even thinking of going to laws school.
"Eddward." Jake walks over to the desk his son was working at. "You can go ahead and take your lunch break." Jake assume that his son was hungry and thus was being unproductive because so.
Edd looks up from the work he was not doing. "Thank you Father."
Edd gets up from his desk and grabs his black messenger bag and heads for the door of the office.
Edd's father's office building has a small courtyard with a tree and a picnic table for people to eat at. Right away Edd took to eating his lunch at the table everyday as a way to escape the office work he has been doing.
He sits down, removes the paper bag that has his lunch inside of it, sets the paper bag down and then opens it. He has small tupperware container of trail mix and granola, an apple, a bottle of brewed tea, and a chocolate bar.
Edd is used to being alone in the courtyard, so the sound of someone talking was something he never expected.
"Hey." A female voice says from above Edd.
Edd looks up and sees someone sitting on a branch of the tree. "Marie? What are you doing up there?" He asks confused as to why his girlfriend is in the tree he is sitting under.
"Just defacing private property." Marie says pointing down at the tree trunk below her with her open butterfly knife.
Edd looks to where Marie is pointing and sees the all too familiar heart and three letters he has come to know as Marie's personal mark she will leave around the city. Edd smiles at the tree as Marie jumps off of the tree.
Marie lands with her feet next to each other with her arms outstretched. "Been learning from May?" Edd asks as he stands up from the table.
Marie hugs and kisses him before responding. "I may have picked up a few things from her."
Seeing Marie lifted Edd's spirits washing away the boredom that had taken over when he was meant to be working. "How has your day been Marie?" Edd asks as they sit down at the table together.
Edd opens the tupperware container and offers Marie some of the trail mix. "It's been really boring. I miss a certain super smart and super sexy boy."
With Edd working with his father the time Marie and Edd could be together was cut severally, leaving the both of them missing each other very much. "I miss you too Marie. And I am starting to think this internship was not what I thought it was going to be."
Marie takes a few bits of trail mix to eat. "Is your dad pushing law school on you all day?" She asks eating the bits.
Edd opens the bottle of tea. "On the ride to the office, after I sit in on him talking to his clients, and on the ride home." Edd takes a long drink of tea.
"Why don't you tell them that you can't stand law?" Marie picks up Edd's candy bar and breaks it in half before opening the package. "You shouldn't have to keep who you are a secret."
"I know, but I just don't know how bring it up with them."
"Dropping the bomb like it's no big deal has always worked for me." Marie takes a bite out of the chocolate bar.
"I think Mother and Father would react far more negative than your mother and sisters do."
"Well the longer you wait, the harder it is going to be. You don't want to be sitting in law school hating your life because you were too afraid to confront your parents."
"I know." Edd says for the second time. He knows that he needs to tell his parents that he wants to be an Entomologist and not a Lawyer like his father. "I just don't want them to see me as a disappointment."
Marie turns Edd's head so they are looking at each other. "There is no way you could ever be a disappointment to your parents. Or to anyone for that matter. You are an amazing, smart, kind, and loving person Edd. And if they do disown you, we can just run away and we can find a place all our own." Marie meant the part about them running away as a joke to try and lift his spirits, she has no interest in abandoning her sisters and mother.
Edd looks into Marie's eyes. "I would follow you anywhere Marie." Edd meant this statement one hundred percent. Wherever Marie will go he intends to follow her.
Marie pulls Edd's head to her and kisses him. "I love you Edd." She smiles wide at her boyfriend. "And I'd follow you anywhere too."
Edd decided that he should have evidence that supports his claim to not go into law, so he held off telling his parents that he doesn't want to be a lawyer until he has what he needs.
Unfortunately he is going to forget about talking to his parents after the fun day he had with his friends.
Nazz sent out a call to all of the kids of the Cul-de-sac and the Kankers to do a big group outing to the public pool. She wouldn't take no for an answer so on a Saturday afternoon the Ed's, Kankers, Kevin, and Rolf joined Nazz at the pool.
Eddy also went ahead and invited Victoria to join them, she is leaving for collage in just a few months and Eddy wanted to spend as much time as he could with his girlfriend.
The teens were having a lot of fun playing around in the water, laughing and splashing each other. Rolf tried to fish in the pool until he snagged Kevin's swimwear and had his fishing rod thrown over the fence.
Lee however hasn't gotten into the water. She is laying out on one of the beach chairs that are around the pool sunbathing with some sunglasses on, that she stole from the locker room. Oddly she hasn't been getting a tan at all, and she has been lying out in the sun for a few hours.
"Hello Lee." Lee lifts her sunglasses up and sees that Victoria has walked over and sat down next to her. Victoria has avoided talking to Lee, she knows about the history she has with her boyfriend and Victoria never knew how to talk to the one time tormentor of Eddy. But with her leaving soon she felt like she needs to leave on good terms with all the teens that Eddy is friends with.
"Sup." Lee lowers her glasses. She also never sought Victoria out for conversational needs, mostly because she has never had anything to say to the tall blond.
Victoria looks away from Lee to the teens in the pool. "So I heard about what you did to John."
"Going to try and tell me off?" Lee looks over expecting to be yelled at for braking John's finger and keying his car.
"If he was the same guy I knew years ago and not the ass hole that he turned into, maybe. But after everything I went through with him I think he deserved the wakeup call." Victoria picks up the bottle of tanning lotion that is on the ground between the two chairs.
"Did he try and get into your pants too?" Lee asks as Victoria squirts lotion into her hand.
"Multiple times." Victoria rubs the lotion onto her arms. "He even tried to get me to go out to his car at the Spring Formal two years ago to drink with his friends. He probably wanted to get me drunk to take advantage of me." Lee can see the anger in Victoria's eyes.
"Is he friends with a jackass named Scott?" Lee asks remembering what Marie told her about her ex boyfriend.
Victoria moves to applying the tanning lotion to her legs. "He is, and he deserved what Marie and Double Dee did to him." Victoria leans back onto the back rest. "But I didn't come over to talk about guys that are jackasses, I came to talk to you about Eddy."
"I thought you didn't want to talk about Jackasses?" Lee cracks a smile.
Victoria points at Lee. "As you remember him. But Eddy isn't a jackass Lee, he's turned into a rather nice guy."
Lee shrugs her shoulders and closes her eyes. "Eh, whatever."
"The thing is Lee, I have a morbid curiosity to find out what happened between you and Eddy."
Lee opens her eyes. "What do you mean?" Lee looks over at Victoria.
"Well, you and your sisters each had a thing for Eddy and his friends, yet it was just May and Marie that followed through with starting a relationship with Ed and Double Dee."
"So?" Lee knew what was coming next, it was a question she asked herself over the last summer while she was alone all the time.
"I just wanna know what happened with you." Victoria feels rather guilty for asking this of Lee, but besides wanting to leave on friendly terms, she also wants to make sure that when she was gone, Lee wouldn't try and steal Eddy away from her.
Lee looks at the pool at Eddy laughing at May and Marie chicken fighting from on top their boyfriend's shoulders. "Honestly, I don't think I ever really did have a thing for him. It was my sisters that fell for his friends and I just went along for the ride." Lee came to the conclusion that she never liked Eddy like her sisters like his friends months ago. She hasn't even felt the need to look for another boy to date, guys just don't interest her anymore lately.
"That, sounds kind of sad actually Lee," Victoria feels ever worse now that Lee told her this.
"It's fine, Marie and May being happy makes me happy."
"Well don't sell yourself short, everyone needs someone to make them happy. You might not meet them in high school, but there is someone out there for you." Victoria gives Lee a smile. She still feels guilty for having to ask Lee about Eddy, but the thought of him being stolen away from her had driven her to the question, that she knows now she should never have had to ask.
Lee found the vote of confidence from Victoria in finding a partner rather odd, but Lee doubts that she'll ever find someone that would interest her again. "Boys just seem like too much of a hassle and a waste of time to me."
"Boys yes, but give them a few years and when they start growing into men you might see them differently."
Edd was officially done, he is at his wits end over his father pushing him into the law field. On the drive home from the office that he works at Jake told Edd about how he's invited one of his old college law professors to come over to the house for the barbeque that Jake and Pam are having for the Cul-de-sac. Edd knew it wasn't just a crazy random happenstance that a teacher of his father's would be at the barbeque, his parents will most likely have Edd talk to this person for the whole day.
So now him and Marie are planning how to tell his parents that he has no inserts in going to law school.
"I say a big fuck off sign that says; "I hate law school" is what you should make." Marie says as Edd and her plot in his bedroom.
Edd shakes his head. "I don't even know what kind of sign that is, but I don't hate law school Marie."
"I know but you know me, it's go big or go home." Marie thinks for a moment. "What about a shirt that says; "Ants are my life"?"
Edd actually like this idea, but it wouldn't be the best way to tell his parents how he feels about law school. "Maybe a presentation as to why it would be more beneficial to go into Entomology over law."
"Edd. Why not just tell them; "Mother Father, I know you want me to go into law, and I know Father loves the field very much. But it is just not what I want." Short, sweet, and to the point."
Edd found Marie's impression of how he talks spot on. "You don't think I should make a show of it?" Edd had been expecting Marie to keep suggesting grand displays, so the short line was a little unexpected.
"Well I could keep thinking up more, but that is a me thing, not and Edd thing. And this problem needs to be taken care of the Edd way."
"Thank you Marie." Edd leans over and kissed her on the cheek. "I just hope this works."
"Well one way or another your folks are going to learn that you don't want to go into law."
Edd's parents invited all of the families of the Cul-de-sac and the Kankers to the barbeque, Ms. Kanker passed on the invite. Edd didn't understand why his parents are having this event, but he is sure they have their reasons.
The backyard of the Vincent house is full of people, tables are covered with plastic tablecloths, coolers full of sodas and bottled water, music is playing through a small radio, and Jake is cooking hamburger and hotdogs on a grill. Edd's parents are normally very formal, so seeing them in casual clothing and talking to the other parents like they were normal adults and not the proper and well mannered parents that Edd knew was odd to him.
And like he thought, Edd was pushed into keeping his father's old college professor entertained. Jake's former professor, Professor Banks, is a heavy set man with most of his hair lost to time, what hair he does have left is cut very short. He also has a full face beard that is kept just as short as his head hair.
"This is a fine neighborhood you have here Eddward." Professor Banks says as Edd hands him a paper plate with a hamburger and potato chips on it.
"Thank you Sir." Edd chooses to not sit down. He would rather be spending this time with Marie and the rest of his friends that are gathered around the unlit fire pit that was in the back yard, which has never been used as far as Edd can remember.
Professor Banks sees Edd looking at his friends. "Why don't you go play with your friends Eddward, you do seem to wish to join them." He says before taking a large bite out of his hamburger.
Edd turns back to his guest. "Mother and Father asked me to keep you entertained while they are cooking." Edd clasps his hands behind his back. Once the cooking was done he was going to make his move and confront his parents and get the notion of him going to law school out of their heads once and for all.
"Jake was one of my finest students, I am sure you will live up to his memory." Professor Banks has become very good at reading people over the years, and he can see something is off with Edd and the mention of his father's schooling.
"Mmm." Edd couldn't help but look back at his friends, and he met Marie's gaze. From this far away he shouldn't be able to make out the expression on her face, but he knows she is worried about him. Confronting his parents is going to be the biggest bad thing he has ever done in his life and she is worried that they might react badly.
"Have you given any thought to which branch of law you would like to go down?" Professor Banks pulls Edd's attention back away from his girlfriend.
With locking eyes with Marie, even if just for a brief moment, Edd's bolder side that Marie has grown in him rose to the surface. "I actually have no interest in law Professor Banks."
"Well, have you told your parents about this? Because your father spoke very highly of your interest in following him." Professor Banks kind of saw this coming, in the past when he was around a youth that was interested in the field of law they would not stop talking to him about it, but Edd had yet to even mention it.
Edd looks away, not back to Marie and his friends, just away from everyone. "Father and Mother have no interest in what I wish to do after grade school."
Professor Banks sets his plate down on the table. "Son, you need to tell them this not me. Only you can make them see you for you, and that only works if you show them who you are."
These were wise words to Edd. Professor Banks was right, he has to show his parents who he is. But unfortunately, Jake and Pam walked over to Edd and Professor Banks just as Edd was going to thank him.
"Professor Banks, thank you again for coming to this little get together." Jake has a wide smile on. "I hope Eddward here wasn't talking your ear off."
"He can get a bit worked up when talking about things he loves." Pam adds.
"He has been an exceptional gentleman, you have razed a good kid Jake." Professor Banks moves to get up from the bench he was sitting on.
"Um Father-" Edd tried to speak, but he was talking softly and his father cut him off before Edd got a third word out.
"Oh well I'm sure Eddward is just a little nervous, meeting the man that taught his father everything." Jake doesn't see Edd's eye twitch, he is engrossed in his own world that all he sees is what he wants to see.
"Father-"
This time it was Pam that spoke interrupting Edd. "Oh, you should have heard him go on and on about the school he went to for the last year and a half. I would have loved to get Eddward into St Mary Abbots for his final year, but they were not taking any new students that were not in the ninth grade."
"Mother please-" Edd is really starting to hate getting talked over.
"That would have been an amazing school to get him into, it would have added only more positive things on a law school application."
That last line was it for Edd, no more was he going to wait, no more was he going to speak softly. His father's last line was the push over the edge.
"I have no interest in law school!" Edd yelled, silencing the back yard. "For years that is all you have ever pushed me to do. All I have ever heard was "you'll be a great lawyer like your father" and "you will love law son", but I don't. Every sign of enthusiasm you have seen about me becoming a lawyer was you seeing what you wanted to see. It has always been about what you want and never what I want for my own life. I want to be an Entomologist! I love ants and everything about them, but you would never know that about me because you never cared to get to know me." By the end of Edd's rant against his parents tears were in his eyes and everyone in the backyard has a look of shock on their faces. Well Marie didn't, she was readying herself for this when she saw Edd's parents walk in his direction. So when Edd ran for the house she was quick to get up.
"Gotta go." She says tossing May her can of soda as she gets up off the grass.
Marie found Edd in the first place she looked, his bedroom. "You ok Edd?" She walks into the room where Edd is laying face down in his pillow. "God that is such a stupid question to ask. No of cores you're not ok. After going off on your parents like that you would be a mess." Marie sits down next to Edd on the bed, she can hear him weeping into his pillow.
She thinks that maybe a joke might help him. "Well just so you know, that offer to run away is still on the table. We could probably make it all the way to Lemon Brook and find a drug dealer to work for, but if you start using I will pop you." Marie has a smile on her face as she rubs Edd's back, she did hear a short chuckle com from him, but he didn't move to get up.
"I'm sorry Edd. This sucks the big one…" Marie hears footsteps hurrying up the stairs, it could be only two people coming up that much in a hurry.
And she was right, Jake and Pam rushed into Edd's bedroom with looks of deep concern and worry for their son.
Marie was just able to move off of the bed as Pam took her spot. "Eddward." She lifts him up so he has to look at her. "Sweetie why would you do that?"
Edd wipes his eyes with the back of his hand. "How else was I going to get you and Father to notice me."
"Not the yelling son." Jake moves to sit on the other side of Edd. "Why tell us you don't want to be a lawyer that way."
"Because you never asked me what I wanted to be."
"But you've never told us either. Yes we should have asked you what you wanted to do with your life, I guess the idea of you following me clouded our thoughts." Jake puts his arm around Edd's shoulder, something he has hardly ever done.
"But we would never make you do something you wouldn't want to do Eddward." Pam adds. "We love you Eddward and we only ever want what is best for you."
Edd was surprised by what his parents are saying, he expected them to be mad, not understanding. "You're not mad at me for not wanting to be a lawyer?" He asks wiping his eyes again.
"Of course not Eddward."Jake hugs his son with the arm around him. "Yes I am a little sad that I will never have a father son law firm, but we would never want you to be unhappy."
"If you had just told us that you wanted to go into a science field we would have been encouraging that instead of law." Pam hugs Edd with her own arm.
Edd sniffles to clear his nose. "Thank you Mother. Thank you Father. I'm sorry I didn't bring this up sooner, and for yelling at you in front of the guests."
"There is nothing to be sorry about Eddward." Pam and Jake hug Edd tighter.
As the family talked Marie watched in silence. She is happy that everything worked out for her boyfriend, though she does wish she had told him about talking to them about this the night she met his parents, it could have save a lot of time.
"Marie." Pam says getting her sons girlfriends attention. "Come here."
Hesitantly Marie walks over. "Yes Pam?" she asks.
With her free hand she pulls Marie into a hug. "I've never thanked you for all that you have done for our family. You make Eddward very happy and you are always polite to me and Jake and help Eddward with chores without even being asked."
The hug scared Marie, hugging was something she only has ever done with her grandmother, mother, and Edd. So needless to say she tensed up when Pam pulled her into one. "It's fine Pam." Marie fought against her urge to fight the hug, this was happening and she had to accept it. "Edd does the same for me and my Mom."
After the hug was finished, that Marie was happy to have over, Pam and Jake excused themselves from Edd's room and told him if he wanted to he could come back down to the party whenever he wants too.
"I think things are going to get better Marie. Mother and Father don't seem to care that I want to be a scientist." Edd says once he hears his parent's footsteps on the stairs.
Marie jumps down onto the bed next to Edd. "I still say a big fuck off sign would have been better."
"I still do not know what that is." Edd takes Marie's hand and laces their fingers together.
"No one does, that's the point. But hope you learned that you should be more outspoken about what you want."
Edd smiles. "Well if that is the case, then I would like to have you alone for a few hours." His joke caused Marie to laugh, he does love the sound of her laugh.
"Ooo you are such a bad boy Edd. But you know we can't have any of THAT fun with parents in the area." Marie gives Edd a kiss on the cheek as a compensation and as a way to joke with him back.
"Hum… how long would it take us to get to Lemon Brook?" Edd asks causing Marie to laugh again.
The Monday after the barbeque, that became the talk of the teens of the Cul-de-sac, Edd was told by his father that he didn't have to go to the office with him if he didn't want too.
"But Father, what about the internship that you got me?" Edd asked as his father gathered his things for the day.
"There is only a few more weeks left, we can manage the little work there will be. You go enjoy the rest of your summer with your friends, maybe look into taking that driving school class your friend Eddy took last year." Jake gives Edd a pat on the shoulder as he walks for the door.
"Have a good day Eddward, we'll see you tonight." Pam follows her husband smiling at her son.
Edd watches his parents walk out the front door to leave for their jobs for the day, and once he hears the sound of the two car engines he takes out his Smartphone and calls up the one person he would love to spend the day with.
"Hello Marie, how would you like to go see a movie today?"
With the final week of summer vacation here, Edd and his friends are getting ready for the return to Peach Creek High. Well they were kind of getting ready. Eddy was spending most of his time working on a broken jeep his father brought home for him or video chatting with Victoria, who is at her dorm room already.
Kevin was getting ready to try out for the baseball team by practicing and hitting the gym.
May is splitting her time with spending time with Ed, working with her mother at the diner and practicing with Nazz to keep their skill the best.
Nazz was spending what time she can with Kevin and preparing to try out for Peach Creek High's cheer team with May, they intend to get the rank of captain for one of them.
Lee was really looking forward to getting back to her old stomping grounds, maybe things might get back to some sense of normality. But she knows that nothing is going to be the same. Marie and Edd starting a relationship set off the chain of events that led to the sisters somehow becoming friends with the teens that they once bullied. But Lee kind of likes having friends, even if it really only is Nazz and Edd that talk to her, it still makes her feel welcomed and accepted.
It should be no surprise that Marie and Edd have been spending every waking hour together. Whether it was them at the driving school learning how to drive, or it was just the two of them just laying around enjoying the final few days before they start their final year of school.
Like they are this day. Marie is lying on Edd's bed with her back partially on the wall using his pillow to support the odd angle she is resting at with Edd laying on his side using Marie's stomach as a pillow. As the two of them rest Marie was running her fingers through Edd's hair. It has gotten a good amount longer and he has been debating on how short he should get it cut.
"I love your hair Edd, it's really soft." Marie says as the locks of black hair flow through her fingers.
The feeling of Marie's fingers in his hair was relaxing to him, he is on the edge of falling asleep. "Glad you like it, I do my best to keep it healthy."
Unconsciously Marie's fingers run across the scar on the side of his head. The rough texture of the skin made her stop and run a finger across the scar a second time taking in the odd shape and placement of it.
Edd reaches up and takes the hand off of his scar and laces their fingers together.
"Sorry." Marie says feeling guilty for touching his scar.
"It is ok Marie, it's just a little odd to feel it being touched." Edd pulls their hands down to his chest. He thinks for a moment as Marie's other hand continues to go through his hair. "Marie."
"Yeah Edd?"
"Do… do you want to know what happened?" He asks looking up at his girlfriend.
"About your scar?" Marie asks taking her hand off of his head.
Edd sits up. "Yes." He isn't sure how she is going to react to this tale, but he feels like it has been long enough that he can share it with her.
"Only if you wanna tell me."
Edd takes a deep breath. "Ok, well years ago, over ten, my family lived just outside the state capital. Father had just finished his law degree and we only had a small two bedroom apartment on the fourth floor of this apartment building. Well one day the front door was left open by mistake and I somehow made my way out of our home and started playing in the stairwell. I don't remember very much of what I was thinking or how it happened, but from what I was told I was trying to climb up onto the railing. And well… I ended up falling down half a flight of stairs and caught the side of my head on a broken glass bottle. I sustained several other minor injuries but the gash on the side of my head was the worst."
Marie has a look of deep concern and worry for Edd, even if the events that she is hearing about are over ten years old she still wanted him to be ok at the end of the tale. "How bad was it? Did you need stitches? Did your parents freak out on you?" She asks moving closer to him so she could hold him.
Edd doesn't feel as hindered when he told Ed and Eddy about this event, talking to Marie turned out to be rather easy. And with her arms around him and the kiss on his cheek he got made him not feel the pain that normally came with talking about it.
"It was very bad, I had a crack in my skull. No I couldn't have stitches do to the skin being torn off in a small strip so they had it bandaged over. And no they didn't. But Father was able to use the incident as a way to legally break the lease once I was out of the hospital."
"Did you guys move here after that?" Marie asks as she continues to hold Edd.
Edd shakes his head. "No, we stayed with my grandfather while I healed and Mother and Father finalized the sale on this house."
"Huh, so both of our families moved to this place to start a new chapter and to get away from an apartment full of bad memories." Marie found the similarities between the two families oddly unique.
"Did your sisters, mother, and you move away from a bad part of town?"
Marie nods her head. "Yeah, Mom wanted to get out of the apartment she had been in since Lee's dad bailed on her."
"I would never abandon you like that Marie." Edd isn't sure why he said what he just said. They are nowhere near the path that Marie's mother went down at their age, and they are being very careful to not let the mishap that lead to Lee happen to them.
Marie smiles and gives Edd a quick kiss. She already knew Edd would never leave her like her mother was left, but she still loved hearing him say it. "I love you Edd. And you are going to be stuck with me forever too."
The day before the start of the new school year Edd invited Ed and Eddy over to make sure they were ready for the school year. They went over supplies needed and the time school started.
"Yeah yeah." Eddy said waving Edd off. "Just be ready to go at nine." Eddy walked out of Edd's hose with a grin of him planning something.
"I don't like this." Edd says as Marie helped him gather up the empty soda cans and cookie bag that was left by his friends.
"He is planning something, you can see it in his eyes." Marie says noticing something on the couch as she crushed a soda can in her hand. Curious she picks it up and sees it a comic book called; "Vault of Science: Attack of the Space Nose Miner".
"Hey Edd, is this yours?" She asks holding the comic book up.
Edd looks back into the living room. "No, Ed must have left it here."
Marie opens the comic and thumbs through the pages. She's never read a comic book before and the only comics she had seen before was in newspapers. "Hum…" Marie has never tried her hand at doing any story style drawing, it's always been one and done with her drawings. But looking at the pictures of the Space Nose Miner, she thinks that it might be fun to try. "You think Ed would care if I borrowed this?"
"I don't see why not." Edd says from the kitchen. "Just keep it safe."
A cool breeze blows through the Cul-de-sac as an alarm wakes a young man from his sleep. He sits up stretches and scratches his head. He was up later than he should have been with his girlfriend the night before so he is a bit tired as he moves to get out of his bed. He showers, washes his face, and shaves, his facial hair had started coming in noticeably over the summer and he has taken up shaving when the stubble gets too long.
Once he is back in his room he starts looking through his closet to find something to wear. "Hum." He moves hangers around looking for a suitable outfit. He initially went for his suite that he has worn to St Mary Abbots School, but stopped himself from pulling the hanger down. Edd then comes to a black long sleeve shirt and a red T-shirt and he knows this is the one. He takes the two shirts out of his closet and a pair of blue jeans, not the same tight ones Marie gave him to wear, and lays them out on his bed before retrieving his undergarments.
After getting dressed Edd looks for his black ski on his desk, but instead of the hat there is a post it note with a heart on it with a blue lipstick kiss on it. "Marie must have took it last night." He says picking up the post it note. He pockets the note, grabs his black messenger bag, and walks out of his room.
Just as Edd finished eating his breakfast, he hears a horn honk outside. He sets his spoon down and looks at his pocket watch, eight fifty nine am it reads. "Well, this is surprising." Edd is a little amazed, if that is Eddy outside than this is the first time he has ever been early to them meeting up for the trip to school. The horn honks again, Edd is starting to dislike that horn.
Eddy was in fact waiting outside for Edd inside his recently fixed jeep with Ed in the back. "Good morning gentlemen, congratulations on getting your jeep running Eddy." Edd climbs into the front passenger side seat, there are no doors on Eddy's jeep as well as no roof.
"Thanks." Eddy flips his sunglasses down over his eyes. "Buckle up boys, we got an entrance to make."
Edd grabs the bar above his head just as Eddy speeds out of the Cul-de-sac.
Eddy is grinning the whole drive to Peach Creek High, he loves this jeep and is proud of all the work he put into getting it to run. He wishes he could have shown it off to Victoria before she left, but she will be back in town to visit over the Thanksgiving break so he only has a few months till he can see her again. He knows that a long distance relationship is going to be a challenge, but he is going to do everything he can to make it work
They hit the parking lot of the school with more speed than Eddy should have had his jeep going at and they skid into a parking spot. "Eddy, next time I am driving." Edd's heart was pounding the whole way to school, Eddy is far too reckless of a driver for Edd.
"Get a pair of wheels and then you can drive." Eddy turns off the engine and pulls his keys out.
"I believe Mother and Father have talked about just that." Edd says as Eddy pops his steering wheel off.
The Ed's walk away from Eddy's jeep and Edd notices that Eddy is dressed differently. Normally he would be in a T-shirt and unkempt jeans, but today he has a yellow button up dress T-shirt on with the top few button undone over clean jeans. This made Edd proud of Eddy, the year and a half has clearly influenced his friends dressing habits.
"You guys happy to be home?" Ed says, speaking for the first time that day.
"What do you mean Ed?" Edd asks as the school nears.
"Back at our real school and not at the fancy place." Ed attempts to clarify what he meant.
"I'm with Ed." Eddy points at Ed with his thumb. "That private school was too upscale for us."
"I disagree, I think our time at St Mary Abbots was rather-"
*Wap*
Edd is tackled to the ground by a teen girl in a black skirt and black dress shirt with the sleeves ripped off. "Hey there good lookin." The girls says smiling wide through her black bangs, she also has a black ski cap on her head.
"Hello Marie." Edd says smiling wide at his girlfriend, who is sitting on top of him. "I see you found some new headwear."
"She was going on about stealing that from you all last night." May says walking up to the boys. She has on her cheer team jacket over some jeans, she is going to make it a point to remind everyone that looked down at the Kankers at Peach Creek High that she achieved something very big at St Mary Abbots.
"Hi May." Ed says excited to see his own girlfriend.
"Hey Edd." May and Ed hug and share a quick kiss. The sight of Ed and May showing affection to each other is still an odd sight to Edd and Eddy, they are both happy for May and Ed, it is just something they never thought would happen.
Marie gives Edd a kiss before helping him up. "I just thought it looked better on me, thought with what you're wearing today, I think it might fit more to your bad boy persona."
"Oh please, Double Dee is no way a "bad boy" Marie." Lee rolls her eyes behind her bangs at her sister.
Marie grins at her sister. "You don't know my Edd like I do Lee."
"I don't, and I don't ever wanna know." Lee starts walking towards the entrance to the school, wanting to get away from the conversation that is happening in the parking lot.
"So what about you ladies, did you enjoy our time at St Mary Abbots?" Edd asks as the six teens walk together.
Marie holds up her and Edd's joined hands. "Obviously I did." She says with a wide smile.
"I did too." May adds and Ed and her join hands.
"Eh, it was alright." Was Lee's answer.
"Aww, you mean you didn't like making friends with us Lee?" Nazz, Kevin, and Rolf are just inside the entrance to the school.
"Ok, maybe a little." Lee didn't want to admit that Nazz was right, she doesn't feel as lonely now that she has some kind of friendship with people other than her sisters.
Edd looks around at the group of teens he is with. Years ago they were divided into separate groups that really didn't get along with each other, and now they are one big clique of friends that Edd is happy to have.
"I think Lee would agree with you Nazz, if she did not have her Kanker status of being the tough girl on campus to keep up." Edd lets a little sly grin cross his face, he just made a joke at Lee's expense but meant no ill intent behind it. And when Lee's cheeks turn a faint shade of red, he know that he is telling the truth.
"Edd got ya there sis, you like us and we all know it." Marie sasses her sister.
"Shaddup." Lee takes a playful swing at her sister, missing intently. The teens all laugh together, but their laughter is cut short by someone standing in front of them.
"You little piece of shit." In front of the teen is stands Scott, glaring right at Edd as he clenched his fists. "I knew I'd get you."
Edd had almost completely forgotten about Scott, so much had happened after the dance that he had just slipped to the back of Edd's mind.
"Good morning to you too Scott." Edd didn't want too, but he knew he needed to be civil with Scott, or at least try too.
Scott spits on the ground in front of Edd. "Fuck you."
"Hey." Marie had her fists balled and took a step towards Scott, but is stopped by Edd putting his arm across her chest.
"No need Marie, I got this." Edd says looking at his girlfriend with confidence in his eyes. "Scott." He says looking back at the older teen in front of him. "You do know that cursing is not allowed inside of Peach Creek High."
"I don't give a fuck about this shit hole." He points at Edd. "I'm going to kick your ass for getting me kicked out of school." He then points at Marie. "And then I'm going to beat her senseless for getting me messed up with you fucks."
The threat against himself was something Edd could take, but not when Marie is threatened. Edd is angry, but keeps his cool. "You might want to rethink what you just said Scott. We are not at St Mary Abbots where you have your street cred as a tough guy. You are at Peach Creek High, where I am the smartest student in the twelfth grade."
"Ooo, you're the smart one." Scott mocks Edd. "What has that got to do with anything?"
"Nothing at the moment, I just felt like asserting my intellectual superiority over you before I remind you of what one Kanker did to you in three punches, and to let you know that I am in the favor of all three of them." Edd was looking at his nails as he talked and rubbed them on his shirt, attempting to play it as cool as he could. "Also." He adds. "I happen to be friends with one of the best athletes in the school." He points to Kevin. "And his girlfriend who is one of the most popular girls in this school, who I am sure is a shoe in for prom king and queen." Edd , and the others for that matter, can't believe that he is able to keep this boosting going for this long. "Not to mention all the other friends I have that go here."
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Scott is very confused by Edd.
"What I am talking about Scott." Edd starts walking the few feet between him and Scott. "Is that you are in our school now. And here at PCH, we look out for each other. I'm not afraid of you, but you should be of us."
Scott glares at Edd, he is mad. "You think I'm afraid of a little shit like you?" Scott takes a swing at Edd, but Edd had been preparing for this attack from the moment he took the first step to Scott. Quickly Edd grabs Scott's fist and uses his own momentum against him and tossed him into the lockers in the wall.
The others are shocked at what Edd just did. "DAMN! Double Dee! You laid him out!" Eddy yells running over to his taller friend and pulling him into a playful headlock.
"It was nothing Eddy, simple physics is all." Edd pulls himself out of the headlock. "Now Scott please think of this as a warning, and a chance to reflect on your ways. You can make this next year easy on you, of you can make it a very inconvenient one."
Edd didn't bother to say anything else to the teen boy on the floor, instead he takes Marie's hand, kisses her on the cheek, and leads the group away.
"That was really freaking hot Edd." Marie says quietly to her boyfriend.
"I did not intend to arouse you Marie, I only wanted him to understand that this is our school and that he should not look to cause any mischief to you, your sisters, or any of my friends." The other's were talking around Edd, he is sure that this is going to be the talk of the school for weeks to come, but all he cared about was keeping the girl he loves safe.
"Well regardless, I love that you stood up to him." Marie leads against Edd as they walk.
Edd smiles at his girlfriend. "I will always stand up for you Marie. You are that which is most precious to me."
"Edd." Marie leans up to whisper into his ear. "Can we please ditch the first half of the day and run back to your house? I feel the need to rip your clothes off and have my way with you."
Edd's cheeks burn at Marie's comment. "I um…" *ahem* "I'm sorry Marie, we cannot excuse ourselves from the first day of school for that. But maybe something can be arranged for after school." Edd did his best to hide his desire to do what Marie asked, but he knows that this last year of high school is set to be the hardest and they need to be there every day.
"I will hold you to that."
EpilogTen years have passed since the high school graduation of a group of nine teens, now adults in their late twenties. Across the town of Peach Creek is a small one bedroom apartment that is not as clean and organized as it should be, but the young couple that lives in it just don't prioritize keeping their home clean. The couple is preparing for a weekend stay at a hotel where their high school reunion is being held. They could stay home and save the money, but the idea of not having to drive home appealed to them.
The lady of the house was packing a suitcase of her clothing for the weekend, and as she pulls open the top drawer of the dresser she stops and looks at the handful of framed pictures that sit on top of it. They were their collection of memorable moments in their life, them and their friends outside of a school they went to for a year and a half, a picture of nine teens in their graduation gowns, and the newest one was of a man with slightly shaggy black hair in a tuxedo kissing a lady with black and blue hair in a white dress.
The woman picks up the wedding photo, she loved how her and her husband looked in the photo, it was very similar to a drawing she had once done, albeit her hair is much different now. It is a good amount longer that she had it when she was in her teens and she no longer has her right eye covered with bangs.
"Marie." A voice called out from outside the bedroom.
"Yeah?" Marie called back, setting the picture back down.
"Is there any toiletries that you can think of that we might need to pick up?"
Marie thinks for a brief moment. "None that I can think of Edd."
Marie goes back to packing her clothing, making sure to keep a rolled up piece of paper from getting crushed, but also keeping it hidden so it would not be seen if her husband looked into her suitcase. Marie has a surprise for the love of her life that is Edd for when they get to the hotel, and she spent a good amount of her free time using the contents of the beaten and well used wooden suitcase that she has owned for the better part of twelve years to make. 'This is going to be a great weekend, for all of us.' She gives her stomach and very gentle rub.
She didn't believe it herself when she found out the news that she is planning on surprising Edd with, but after a visit with her doctor, she is excited for the next chapter in their lives that is about to unfold.
A tall slightly shaggy haired man walks into the bedroom carrying a small traveling bag in his hand. "I have our toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, shaving supplies, soaps, shampoos, and a small selection of medicine pack up Marie." He says holding up the bag to his wife.
Marie smiles, even after all this time she still finds it cute that Edd will over plan and pack for events that probably won't happen. "Cool, I got all of my stuff packed up, including this." She holds up a see-through black lace night dress. "For when we have some alone time at the hotel." She wiggles her eyebrows at Edd.
"Very sexy Marie." Edd pulls her to him with a free hand around her waist. He gives her a kiss before saying; "Just don't plan on staying in the room all weekend, we haven't seen some of our friends in years."
Marie tosses the night dress back into her suitcase. "You don't have to remind me, I haven't see May sense her and Ed moved out of state."
"It will be nice to see Ed again, I do miss that gentle giant."
A few years after graduation May got signed to a sports team as part of the cheer team. If asked about which team Marie would feign ignorance at the question, but in all reality Marie and Edd made it a point to watch every game she is in, even if they don't understand the game.
On the drive to the hotel Marie found herself paying with the black obsidian glass ring she has on a necklace around her neck. The ring was a gift from Edd years ago after their graduation from high school. It is one of a pair of promos rings that has their names engraved on the inside of the band. Marie wore her graduation gift everyday on her finger for years until Edd gave her an even more important ring to replace it.
At the hotel after checking into their room, and Marie trapping Edd against the door for some kissing, Marie and Edd are riding the elevator down to the lobby. They have a few hours until the reunion starts, so they are going to wait in the bar of the hotel for their friends.
Inside the lower lit room full of table and people enjoying their late afternoon drinks. Edd and Marie look around for any familiar looking faces, and Edd spotted one. Sitting at the bar in an oil stained shirt and work worn jean sat the once shortest member of their group of friends.
"Early as always I see Eddy." Edd says to his old friend as Marie and him walk up to the bar.
Eddy turns around and give his friend a smile, Eddy is happy to see his friend. "Being early means I can leave early and not have to deal with everyone that is coming."
"Would you rather be at your dad's shop all day?" A slightly raspy voice says from behind the three adults.
They all turn to look an see two more of their friends. Kevin is holding Nazz's hand as the two of them walk to the group.
"You mean the second largest auto-shop in town where I manage ten people and get paid to work on cars all day?" After graduation Eddy went to working at his father's small repairs car garage, but with the enthusiasm Eddy brought to the team the business quickly rose to the large size they are now.
Marie didn't hear the conversation going on, she was in shock at the only other lady present at the moment. "Damn Nazz, you look like you're about ready to pop." Her eyes grew wide at the sight of Nazz's swollen stomach.
Nazz gently rubs her stomach through her baggy T-shirt. "Well the baby is due in like a month, so what did you expect me to look like? A cheerleader still?" Nazz and Kevin are expecting their first child together.
"Only I get to say that officially still." A few feet behind Nazz and Kevin is the last couple of the group of friends. May and Ed are walking together also excited to see their friends.
Nazz puts her fists on her hips. "Hey, just because I wanted to become a teacher does not mean I don't get to say I wasn't one. And remember who taught you everything you used to get where you are." In truth Nazz is happy for May, she achieved a great goal in her life.
"You know I could never be where I am today without you Nazz." May smiles almost sheepishly, it has been a long time since she has seen all of her friends.
"If you go to hug her sis, I will pop you." Marie holds her fist up at her sister.
"Why?" May asks confused as to why Marie would hit her.
Edd holds a glass bottle of beer out to Marie, while the ladies talked Edd ordered a pair of drinks for the two of them. "Because May." Edd says interrupting the conversation. "You hugging Nazz would be too girly of a thing for you to do. And Kankers are not girly."
Marie takes the bottle, but doesn't take a drink from it. "Well he's not wrong sis. Kankers are tough."
"But you're a Vincent now Marie, and have been for years. Can you really dictate what it is to be a Kanker?" May asks crossing her arms.
"She's got you there Marie." Nazz says agreeing with May.
Marie crosses her own arms and looks away. "This is why I wish Lee was here, she would agree with me."
"She couldn't make it I take it?" Nazz asks looking from one sister to the other.
Marie shakes her head. "Na, she couldn't afforded the trip back from Seattle."
A year after their high school graduation Lee hit the road and moved away to Seattle in hopes of finding herself. For years as they grew making sure her sisters made it through life was more important to Lee, but when their lives took off leaving her behind she needed to go out and find her place in the world.
"When was the last time you three were all together?" Nazz asks.
"At our wedding." Marie says gesturing at herself and Edd with her thumb. "Which was the last time we saw Victoria too."
"Now there is a face that would be nice to see. Hey Eddy." Nazz turns to her own husband and his friend that have been talking about cars.
"What?" Eddy asks.
"You hear from Ms. Public Defender lately?" Nazz asks curious about Eddy's old highschool girlfriend.
Sadly Eddy and Victoria chose to end their relationship after she was accepted to Harvard. They both didn't want their relationship to end, but Victoria didn't want to tie Eddy down to a partner that is clear across the country and Eddy didn't want Victoria to carry the guilt of not being able to see Eddy for years. So with heavy hearts they decided that it was for the best to let their love story come to an end.
"Not really, she's always working and doesn't have much time for a grease monkey like me." Eddy has thought about asking her out again, but hasn't had the guts to do so.
"I'm telling you man, ya gotta get back on that horse before it's too late." Kevin gives him a playful punch in the arm.
"Na man, what we had was great, and I wouldn't want to stain the memory of it all." Eddy looks away from the group talk, getting lost in his memories.
The group moved to sit around a few of the tables to keep talking. Nazz talked about the elementary school she works at and all the joy she gets from the little kids that look up to her.
May told the group she was thinking of retiring after the next season and coming back to Peach Creek.
"Why give up the great gig May?" Marie asks, still holding the same full beer Edd gave her.
"Well we miss home, the construction business is just not that great for Ed down there, and… I think it might be cool to start a dance school here in town." May has only shared this idea with Ed, so telling the five other adults around her made her nervous as to what they might say.
"Will we get a discount for this little one?" Nazz asks pointing at her stomach.
"And you're going to come to me for any graphical needs right?" Marie asks.
"I donno if I will even do this you know." May expected a lot less of positivity from her friends.
"I think it is a fantastic idea May. With being a professional cheerleader you will already have a good source of credentials for teaching the youths that will come to you." Edd adds his own encouragement to his sister-in-law.
May needed to get off this topic before she finds herself at a loan officer's office. "So how's the coffee shop treating you Marie? You still liking it?"
"I've actually gone to just a few days a week there, need more time for the fun job." Marie smiles, she saw what her sister had done, but let the topic change to her happen without a complaint.
"Putting that degree to good use I hope." May says happy that the topic seems to have changed without a hitch.
"I'm trying, but it's not as easy as you would think it would be to fit art history facts into a three or four panel comic." Marie set her bottle of beer down on the table. "Comedy is just an easier sell."
Marie was able to, with a lot of help from Edd and his parents, acquire enough financial aid to cover most of the cost of her Art History degree and worked her butt off in the summer to pay the rest. But Marie has always preferred doing art over talking about it, so she never actively sought out a job as an Art Historian. As she was at school she worked part time at a coffee shop. Marie loved the job and during the free time she had she started doing little cartoons of Edd and hers childhood, with some over exaggerations on what really happened.
For the first few years out of college Marie worked at the coffee shop as she tried to find work that she could use her skills with. She started doing little drawings on some of the paper cups as a small amount of entertainment to the customers, and she just happened to give a cup with a city landscape on it to a member of the editors staff of the local newspaper. This lead to the editor talking Marie and eventually offering her a strip in the papers comic section. Marie was shocked and amazed by the offer, she talked it over with Edd and took the offer.
But when she sat down to make her first strip, Marie had no idea what to make the strip about. She sat at the kitchen table of the apartment her and Edd got shortly after he finished his own schooling for days trying to come up with an idea. In the end she just did a quick strip about Edd and his friends chasing giant jawbreakers down the road. After the first strip she was able to come up with ideas faster and faster and is not panicking with deadlines.
"I still believe that you are doing a fantastic job on your comic strip Marie." Edd leans over and gives his wife a kiss on her cheek.
Marie smiles, she hears it all the time from Edd but she still loves hearing compliments from Edd. "Thanks Edd."
"So what about you Edd? What have you been up to with your mad sciencing?" May asks turning to her brother-in-law.
"It's not "mad sciencing" May. I have been researching the effects ants have on farmland and if it is more beneficial for crop growth." Edd set his own bottle of beer down next to Marie's.
"You don't want to go down this rabbit hole May. "Marie warns her sister. "Edd will go on and on about work if you let him."
"I was under the impression that you enjoyed hearing about the work I am doing?" Edd crosses his arms and gives his wife a questioning look.
"I love hearing about what you do, but to the unindicted they might not like it." Marie gives Edd a kiss on his cheek to squash any doubt he might have.
"After hearing about what he was doing at college, I can say I still find it boring." Eddy chimes into the conversation.
Edd went to a college down in the state capital for Entomology, and when he was home, and not with Marie, he talked to his friends a lot about what he was learning.
"Sorry Eddy." Edd picked up his beer again. "Science rules." He says before taking a drink from the bottle.
Marie laughed at Edd's comment and picked up her bottle again.
"Hey Marie." Nazz's eyes caught the level of liquid in Marie's bottle. "Not going to drink tonight?" She asks curious as to why the bottle is still full.
"What?" Marie says not fully catching the question.
Nazz points at the bottle in Marie's hand. "You're beer is still full."
Marie looks down at her bottle, she didn't think anyone would catch her not drinking from it, "I just haven't felt the urge to drink tonight." She sets the bottle down on the table. "Plus I really don't like beer much."
"Um, the six beers you drank at our housewarming party last year says otherwise Marie." Nazz countered Marie's statement with some hard facts.
"Um… my tastes have changed." Marie says trying to defend herself.
"You have cut out any alcohol as of late." Edd adds.
"Marie." May speaks up. "Take a drink from your beer." May has an idea why Marie would not drink, but she needs some solid proof.
Marie looks down at her beer, she knows that she can't drink anymore for the better part of a year. "I kinda can't." She looks around at the others, they are all looking at her. Well Just Edd, May and Nazz. Eddy, Ed, and Kevin are talking amongst themselves.
May grins, she knows she is right. "I think you need to tell Edd something Marie." She says leaning back in her chair.
Marie glares at her sister, May is killing the surprise Marie had for Edd. "No, I don't think I need to tell him anything right now."
"What are you talking about May?" Edd is confused, he had no idea what his sister-in-law is talking about. "What would Marie have to tell me?"
"Don't worry about it Edd." Marie smiles at Edd lovingly hoping to get this topic to end.
"If you don't tell him I will Marie." May hasn't used her evil Kanker powers in a very long time, so she is going a bit too far at the moment.
Marie gives her sister a death stare. "Knock it off May."
"Marie." Edd takes her hand with his getting her attention. "What is your sister talking about? Are you keeping something from me?" He asks turning her head to face him with his free hand.
Marie sighs. 'There goes the surprise.' She switches their hands so she is holding his. "I just was thinking." She moves his hand from on top her leg. "That we should look into getting a bigger apartment." Marie places Edd's hand on top of her stomach.
Edd looks at his hand confused. But then it hits him and he looks from his hand to Marie's face with disbelief. "Marie… are you saying that…?" He can't find the words to finish his question.
Marie smiles and nods, not wanting to say anything.
"You're pregnant Marie?" Edd's eyes are wide.
"I wanted to tell you tonight, I made you a drawing to tell you. But I guess the cat is out of the bag." Marie laces their fingers together as Edd becomes speechless.
"I- we're going to be parents." Edd says as his mind tries to come to terms with the news that has been given to him.
"Ha! I knew it!" May yells boasting.
"Enjoy killing my surprise while you can May." Marie turns from her husband to her sister. "Because you have totally lost your chance at being a godparent, Lee is getting it."
"What, damn it." May didn't think that busting her sister would have any negative backlash.
Marie lets out a laugh as Edd finally find his words. "Marie this is so amazing." He says hugging Marie. "I love you so much Marie. I will look into finding us a two bedroom apartment for when the lease runs out, and we should look into getting a new car, and we should start saving money for baby supplies, and-"
Marie cuts Edd off with a finger over his mouth. "I love you too Edd, but you don't need to freak out right now." She takes her hand away from his face. "Let's just enjoy the reunion with our friends. And rub it in their faces that we're going to be parents."
The commotion drew the attention of the other three people that was sitting with Edd, Marie, May, and Nazz.
"I got dibs on the middle name." Eddy says, laying claim to the middle name of Edd and Marie's unborn child.
"Why do you get to pick the middle name Eddy?" Edd asks looking away from Marie.
"I was the best man at your wedding, that makes me the best choice."
"You AND Ed were both my best man at the wedding Eddy." Edd has had to remind Eddy all the time that Ed and him were both equal at his wedding.
"Whatever, I still call dibs." Eddy says.
"I tell you what Eddy." Marie says coming up with an idea. "We will consider letting pick a name we will add to the list IF, and only if, you asks Victoria out again."
"Shit…" Eddy says. "Damn it alright guys, I'll give her a text tomorrow." The adults around the tables start laughing at Eddy.
But Edd and Marie don't join in on the laughing, they are looking at each other smiling. Their life together started out very complicated and if events hadn't unfolded as they did, they might not be where they are now. They have helped each other in so many ways in each other's lives that they are nothing like they once were.
"I love you Marie." Edd says, giving Marie's hand a kiss.
Marie smiles and pulls Edd to her by his shirt collar. "And I love you too Edd." She gives him a nice long kiss, not caring that their friends could see them.
"This is the best news I have ever heard."
"I know. We're going to be kick ass parents Edd."
"I look forward to proving you right."
The End.
AN: Well, there it is, the ending of another story. This turned out to be the longest Edd and Marie story I have ever written, and I feel like it is appropriate to end on a high note. I do not foresee me coming back to this paring, I have written a lot about them and I don't think I could come up with anymore original stories about them. I have some other ideas for stuff to write about down the road, but nothing is set in stone. I should be starting a new job in the next few months (if I nail the interview) so I might not have as much free time to write. But regardless I wanna thank everyone that has read this or any of my stories. You all made this go from something silly, to something I take very serious. I really do love writing and am going to try my hand at writing my own original story. So thank you all again.
Until next time, keep being awesome.
Linken88.