Chapter 14 – After-After Action, September 16th 0630.
Edd's wristwatch beeped with its rhythmic triple tone staccato. Just like any other day, while his unconscious brain was still in control and his conscious was slowly coming to life, he reached towards his watch to silence it. Unlike any other day however, he found himself unable to reach his left wrist. Edd immediately perked up, thinking something was wrong, a feeling which was compounded by waking up on a couch rather than his bed, and not in his room for that manner. As he attempted to rise, he found himself unable to move. Thinking he was experiencing sleep paralysis, he tried to wiggle his fingers and toes, which was successful. He took a deep breath, and exhaled with a slight chuckle as he looked down and saw that the cause of his immobility was Marie Kanker laying atop his stomach. Although they fell asleep side by side, they shifted positions numerous times throughout the evening, and when Edd awoke, he found that Marie's arms were wrapped around his waist and right arm, with her head nuzzled against his chest, and Edd's left arm was draped over Marie's shoulder. He heard Marie grunt and being to stir, so to silence his alarm, he unsuccessfully attempted to press the button against his skull. By now Marie was awake and muttered,
"Jeez Edd, turn that thing off. We got like an hour before school."
"I would Marie, but this is the time I normally wake up, and you kind of have my arms trapped," Edd replied.
"Ugghhhh," Marie grunted, as she started to flail her arms about looking for the source of that infuriating beeping. Unfortunately, she didn't realize that the noise was coming from Edd's wrist, and thought the overprepared Edd brought an extra alarm clock. So, she started swatting about, trying to hit a snooze button, and ended up smacking Edd in the face. When she heard the noise, she jolted awake, which freed Edd's arm, and allowed him to silence the alarm, and her face reddened.
"Thank you," Edd said, as he rubbed his cheek and started to rise.
"For slapping you? My gosh, Edd, I never thought you liked it rough?" Marie teased, hoping to make light of the situation.
"For freeing my arm so I could turn the alarm off," Edd replied, as he turned equally red. "I don't think I'm into that sort of foreplay," Edd replied.
"Don't knock it til you try it," Marie countered.
"Right. Um. Well," Edd began, partially flustered by Marie's early morning flirtations and partially because he was standing before Marie, her in her sleepwear, and himself in a shirt and boxers, "I should probably brush my teeth and we should get going," Edd stated, hoping to change the subject.
"Get going? Now? It's like an hour before school starts," Marie countered, as she stretched back on the couch and threw the blanket over herself.
"Well, I'm leaving in five minutes, and you can either walk with me, or catch up after the fact," Edd said.
That got Marie's attention, "Wait. Walk. To School. With you? Together?" Marie asked.
"Only if you hurry up," Edd replied, tapping his watch for dramatic effect.
"Ugh. I'll never make it through first period. Promise we can stop and get coffee and it's a deal," Marie offered.
"Deal," Edd replied.
Marie shot out of the couch, up the stairs to her room, and slammed the door shut before Edd could blink. "I think I've just been swindled to pay for breakfast," Edd thought as he slowly began changing into the clothes from his go-bag. After changing, throwing on some deodorant, and brushing his teeth in the kitchen sink before Marie came barging down in her black tank-top and cargo shorts.
"So is coffee all I need to offer in order to get you to be punctual?" Edd asked.
"Is being punctual all I have to do in order to get you to take me on a date?" Marie countered, lightly punching Edd's arm.
Edd raised a finger to say something, but all that came out was "A deal's a deal."
As the teens set out, Edd asked "So, did May and Lee say anything about last night?"
"Lee's at one of her work friend's working late on a project, and May's still probably passed out. I wouldn't expect my mom home for another hour or two, so don't worry, you're in the clear," Marie replied.
As they walked towards Antonucci's Coffee Shop, Edd got the door, paid for two large coffees and two blueberry muffins, and they ate as they talked about what Edd's plan was for tonight.
"To be honest, I'm going to go home and see if I can defuse the situation with my mom. I've got a lot to talk about with her, and I'll give Ed and Eddy the heads up today that I might just want to crash at their place. Thank you again for taking me in, but, hopefully things calmed down. Are we still on for tomorrow by the way?" Edd asked.
"Tomorrow?" Marie asked.
"Yeah, tomorrow's Saturday. Weren't we going to meet at one for coffee to talk about your applications before I do some pullups in preparation for the PT test?" Edd asked.
"Oh, right! Tomorrow. Yes, totally, we're still on," Marie replied.
"Outstanding," Edd replied.
The teens walked for another twenty minutes, mostly chatting about day to day affairs, when Ed and Eddy pulled up alongside them in their car.
"Yo, Sockhead? Need a lift?" Eddy shouted from the driver's side.
Edd looked at Marie, "Only if we both can have a ride," he replied.
Eddy grunted, "Yeah, sure, whatever, hop in."
Edd opened the rear door for Marie as they both climbed into the back.
"Don't try anything funny back there," Eddy ordered as he hit the gas.
"Thank you Eddy. Ed, Eddy how are you both doing today?" Edd asked.
"Gravy!" Ed replied.
"Could be worse, could be running from the Kankers rather than chauffeuring them around," Eddy offered.
"Eddy…." Edd said.
"Ok, ok, fine. I'll be courteous, as you say, Edd, but only because you invited her," Eddy responded.
"Wow. Civil," Marie said, somewhat sarcastically.
"Marie…." Edd said, in a similar tone.
"Fine," Marie said, throwing her arms up in deference.
"Honestly, why are we still fighting like this?" Edd wondered aloud.
"Why? I'll tell you why?" Eddy shouted from the driver's seat. "It's because May, Marie, and Lee ruined our attempts to make a quick buck, physically harassed us without consent, and ruined our chances for success with any of the ladies," he finished.
Edd rolled his eyes and put his head in his palm. Marie looked over at Edd, the one person who attempted to be nice to her, of his own volition, in the past week, who actually gave a damn about her, and who was getting visibly upset by the exchange, and decided to bury the hatchet, or at least attempt to. "Yeah Eddy, we fucked up," Marie said.
Eddy slammed on the brakes, spun around, mouth again, and said "Wait? What?"
"We fucked up," Marie said. "Look, it's no surprise that the three of us actually liked you boys, and wanted to keep you for ourselves, but hey, we were kids and didn't do it right. Eddy, Lee's still got the hots for your, and Ed, May's trying to figure out where you want to go to college so she can apply for an athletic scholarship there. Yeah, we tried to hold onto you, cuz we didn't want to lose you. So, on behalf of Lee, who's still trying to make a living for herself, and May, who's trying to follow Ed, we're sorry. So, are we good?"
Eddy blinked twice. "This may be out of character, but that's all I wanted, a simple apology. Now that I know I can stop looking over my shoulder at you all, we're good, unless you fuck it up. Fool me once, fine, I'll forgive you, but fool me again," Eddy trailed off.
This time Marie was the one to be surprised, "Oh, okay. I really didn't think you'd go for it."
"We're about to scatter far and wide, so what's the use staying angry, it gets in the way of profit. How about you Monobrow? You good?" Eddy asked Ed.
"May, wants to follow me to college?" Ed asked Marie.
Marie nodded. "Ed is filled with joy that he will have a companion with him in his next adventure!" Ed shouted.
"You're uh, not afraid or anything?" Marie asked.
"Double D and Eddy forgive! So Ed can forget!" Ed replied.
"Well, looks like that's settled," Marie and Eddy said simultaneously, as Eddy resumed driving towards Peach Creek High.
Edd lifted his head up from his hand and mouthed "Thank you" to Marie, who responded with a wink. Edd then remembered he had some business to take care of with his friends.
"Friends, I must ask a small favor of you. It seems that my mother and father may be planning a romantic dinner for the evening. While nothing is certain, if it turns out to actually be happening, would I be able to spend the evening at one of your places this evening?" Edd asked.
"No sweat," Eddy replied.
"A refuge from the parents I shall provide!" Ed shouted.
Edd smiled as he sat back into his seat. As they pulled into the student parking lot and emerged from the car, it seemed as if today would work out alright for Edd.