AN: Wow! I really appreciate the glowing reviews! I love that people are feeling the Eddy angst as well as the EddxEddy. The slash will come in the very near future chapters, I promise. I just want to tell a story while staying true to the show and still making it believable.

As always, if you would like to see more of this story please review this chapter and enjoy!

"You sure you need to go, Eddy?" Ed asked me sadly after I put my backpack on my back.

"Yeah, gotta get home and eat dinner sometime, Monobrow. But thanks for letting me watch the movie with ya," I explained. Lumpy's sad expression made me smile. He may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but ya can't help but like the guy.

"Okay Eddy," my tall friend said, sulking some.

"I'll see ya tomorrow, 'kay Lumpy?" I smiled, trying to cheer him up a bit.

"Okay Eddy," he repeated. "See ya tomorrow,"

I closed the door behind me and took a deep breath. I looked at my watch. 6:37. Okay, the rents should be home now.

I leisurely took my time crossing the lawn over to my house. School was okay today. I mean, yeah, I failed the damn quiz, but it's not like that was a surprise.

As I crossed his house, I can't help but think about Sockhead. Today, Sockhead was Sockhead. He didn't act any weirder than he normally does, despite the conversation we had on the phone last night. He may be smart, but he's also really naïve and it's pretty easy to hide and cover up stuff from him. Like my scars.

I breathed heavily when I stepped onto my lawn. My heart felt like it was slowly sinking into my stomach. I always felt like this when I have to go home.

Once I'm on the front porch, I get my key out and unlock the front door. I step inside, not hearing anything. I quietly close the door behind me.
Hmmmm….

Maybe mom and dad are upstairs?

Wherever everyone is, I head up the stairs to my room. I grab the doorkn—

"Hey Pipsqueak,"

I slowly turned my head and looked down the stairs. Not at all who I wanted to see.

"Are mom and dad home?" I asked, worried.

"Not yet," he answered. He seemed pissed, which is nothing new.

"Why aren't they home yet?"

"I need to borrow some money," he ignored my question. I got really nervous at this.

"I don't have any money," I snapped back.

"Bullshit," he yelled. "I know dad gives you an allowance."

"I spent it all already," I said, irritated that I'm engaged in this conversation.

"Yeah right," he mumbled while he charged up the stairs. As soon as I saw him coming towards me I swung open the door and slammed it. I heard him yelling right on the other side of the door, so I quickly tried to turn the lock but then he was on the other side and he already grabbed that end of the knob. What was worse was that he was forcefully turning the other end of the knob so that I couldn't lock it. I was pushing my body up against the door to counter Bro pushing the door towards me.

"Open the FUCKING door, Eddy!" He yelled viciously.

"NO!" I yelled back, breathing heavily while I kept pushing up against the door. He was definitely gaining on me. I knew it was just a matter of time before he was going to open the door and get in here. I knew what he was going to do once he got in here, too. All I can do is try to keep my door closed as long as I can.

I grunted and felt like I was stepping in place while I was pushing and pressing up the door.

"You piece of shit!" He yelled. The door started to open, but I wasn't going to give up. Even though I was out of breath, I kept my left shoulder pressed against the door and didn't stop.

Then, unexpectedly, some weird force flung the door open, and I fell straight on my back, hard. I saw that Bro kicked the door open, unhinging it a bit. I quickly propped myself up on my hands and I panicked while he charged towards me. My legs felt numb, so I scooted back and dragged myself further backwards with my arms until I hit my bed. At that exact time, Bro grabbed the collar of my shirt and pulled me off the floor. I frantically pulled at my shirt, wishing I knew how to take my shirt off so that I could escape, even if he would see the scars. Ya think I would've figured out how by now, after all the times he's done this. With his eyebrows furrowed and his teeth clinched in anger to where I could see his gold tooth, I knew what was coming next. I took a sharp breath in; there's really no way to prepare myself for this.

"SHIT!" I screamed after he punches my face and I fall to the floor. For a second the pain shoots through my face and right at first I don't feel anything. Again, I propped myself up from the floor with my left arm. I saw a few drops of blood, and I realized that my left eye was blacking out and seeing stars. I touched the left side of my face, and it felt numb with pain.

"That's what you GET for talking to me like that!" He yelled. I didn't even look at him. I was still facing the floor, in a strange daze.

"Get up," he said. I didn't move, my head still down. "I said, GET UP!"

With that, he kicked my side and my body slammed up against the bed. I turned around, staring at the monster.

"No Bro," I managed to say, pleading. Again, he picked me up by my collar. He pulled back his right fist, getting ready.

"Please," I whispered in vain.

"STOP right there!"

At that moment, I was dropped down on the floor. There my mom was, standing there in the doorway.

"Edward!" She yelled while she ran towards me. She got down on her knees and wrapped both of her hands around my face. Her eyes filled with tears, I could tell that she was devastated seeing me like this. I felt so humiliated, even if it wasn't my fault.

"Eddy….." She said softly, tearing up. She turned around and yelled, "Go to your room, now! Your dad is on his way home soon and he's going to have a talk with you!"

With that my bro shrugged and left my room. He never opens his mouth to them when he knows he's wrong.

"I-I'm fine mom," I said hoarsely, slowly getting to my knees.

"No you're not," she said.

I pushed myself off the floor and groaned. My legs had to be badly bruised too, or maybe I just got up too fast. Whatever it was, I felt a weird pain shot through my body when I tried to stand.

"Easy!" She said as she hugged me and gently guided me to sit on my bed right behind me. I sat on my bed, my hands folded and my head down.

"Just lay down Edward," she said. "I'm going to get some ice to help with the swelling, okay honey?"

"'Kay," I said.

….

A couple of hours later after she finally left my room after icing my eye and talking to me, I got everything ready that I needed for me. Finally.

I sat on my bed with the shoebox filled with sharp knives. Jesus, I'm finally alone to do this now. I picked up the serrated knife, wanting something rougher ronight.

"Ah!" I breathed. The good familiar feeling never gets old, and it's just what I needed. I breathed out the anxiety and everything that happened this evening. All that matters is this, my fix.

Even in my weird high, I couldn't help but think back to the conversation I had with my mom not long ago.

"I'll help show you how to use foundation to cover up that bruise," my mom said earlier, after she iced my eye.

"I've always wanted to wear make-up," I joked hoarsely. Really, my mind was not there with my mom at that time. All I was thinking about was what I was going to do once she finally left me alone, which I'm so glad I finally got to do it just now.

"I'm serious Edward," she said. "Between that and the baseball hat, no one should be able to tell."

"Mom."

"Yes Edward?"

"Why won't you kick him out?" I asked.

She looked at me with sad eyes as she sat down on my bed next to me. She put her hand on my leg.
"You know he can't make it out there on his own," she said, in a tone as if I'm supposed to be empathetic and understanding.

I felt the new and fresh sting on my left arm, and somehow the memory of just a couple of hours ago didn't seem too bad. Christ, this makes all of that okay. This pain erases my brother kicking my ass earlier. It erases my parents enabling him to be the huge shit he is. It erases the fact that my parents obviously care about his well-being more than mine.

Damn, this was a deep cut, too. But it was perfect. Sometimes I stare at my left arm, kinda impressed at all the "work" I've done. I'm not much of an artist, but damn if it's not the best way I've ever expressed myself. At least I can do something right, for once in my pathetic life.

I got ready for bed in a daze. I got school tomorrow.

RING, RING

My alarm woke me up out of a foggy state of mind. I felt like I was in a very deep sleep and it was really hard for me to keep my eyes open. Slowly, I swung my legs to the side of my bed and blinked a couple times. The first thing I noticed was my left arm throbbing. I held it up to my face and saw the dark red and yellow scabs. Damn, I cut really deep yesterday. My face was sore too from Bro. Mom did give me make-up and a New York Mets baseball cap to help cover it up. I feel stupid about putting on makeup like a girl and wearing a hat, but it should work. I mean, it's no big deal. I'll just take a shower and wear a long-sleeve and a baseball hat. No one will know anything.

After eating breakfast, taking a shower and getting dressed, I walked to the bus stop not far from the Cul-De-Sac. I could see Lumpy and Sockhead, talking and waiting patiently. I wasn't really listening to what they were saying because I felt like I was in a weird daze still.

"Salutations, Eddy!" Double D said while I walked up in between them. "Did you hibernate well?"

"Yeah sure," I mumbled.

"EDDY!" Lumpy immediately bear-hugged me from the side like he did the other day. Luckily he was standing to the right of me so he didn't squeeze my left arm too much.

"Nice to see you too, Lumpy," I chuckled sarcastically.

"Why do you look so forlorn, Eddy?" Sockhead asked. "And why the new headgear?"

"Bad hair day," I said. "And I'm fine."

Then there was an awkward silence between the three of us.

"Let's go do something afterschool," I said abruptly. "I mean, all three of us. Together!"

"Oh oh oh!" Ed said with excitement. "We can all watch 'I was a Nail Fungus from Vietnam' together!"

"Nah, something different Monobrow," I said. "Like something we haven't done in a long time."

"Eddy, may I suggest all three of us studying together?" Double D piped in. I rolled my eyes.

"Lame sauce Double D," I stood there, one hand on my hip, the other scratching my chin, thinking.

"BINGO!" I snapped my fingers. "Let's all go play Laser Tag after school!"

"Yay, Eddy! Yay!" Ed jumped up and down. "Laser Tag is so COOL!"

"Laser Tag, Eddy?" Sockhead asked skeptically. "You know how I feel about physical feats,"

"Yeah yeah," I waved my hand. "Don't be such a sourpuss! It's gonna be great!"

The school bus was pulling into view.

"Need I remind you that Laser Tag costs money, Eddy?"

"So?" I asked. The bus stopped and the doors opened.

Monobrow went up the bus stairs first, then Sockhead, and then I stepped closely behind him and said, "If it's money you're worried about, I gotcha covered, both of you,"

Ed found our usual seat in the middle but Double D lost his balance and grabbed a rail.

"You? Paying? For US?!" His eyes were huge in disbelief.

"Geez Sockhead, why don't ya tell the whole damn bus?" I asked sourly.

"Looks like Dorky is trying to turn a new leaf! HA HA!"

"Shut up, Kev!" I yelled towards the back, whatever that stupid Shovel-Chin was sitting.

Having regained his balance, Double D sat in the row behind Ed. I sat next to him.

"Pardon me for my disbelief," he said. "It's just that I've never seen you pay for anyone other than yourself,"

What he was saying was true, but at the same time it made me feel kinda shitty. I just shrugged it off.

"Yeah well. I've saved up some allowances and I just feel like it, okay?!" I crossed my arms. The truth is, I really wanted to pay them back somehow, for putting up with me and my bullshit all these years. Not that a game of Laser Tag was anywhere near worth the value of their friendship, but it was a start.

"Very well then, Eddy," Sockhead said, smiling and looking at me with amusement and wonder. I continued looking ahead for the rest of the ride. Maybe I was just imagining things but in my peripheral vision, I think I caught Sockhead looking at me several times on the way there.

School was lame, as usual. All I could think about was all three of us hanging out after school and how awesome it was going to be. The three of us met right outside the main entrance once it was all over. I convinced the guys into walking, since the arcade wasn't too far from the school. Once we got there it was hard to stay focused and to not play any arcade games and go directly to the counter and register for the next game of Laser Tag. After I paid and we were registered, we played a few arcade games to kill time. Once we finally got to play Laser Tag, it was pretty awesome. Ed was in a world of his own, and we did not see him again until it was over. Double D on the other hand chose to stay by me most of the time, afraid to go it alone. I didn't mind at all. In fact, I kinda liked it. Even when Sockhead complains and freaks out over dumb stuff, it makes me laugh. The guy needs to relax and have fun more often, and I think I'm good at making him do that. He in turn tries to make me smarter and have better manners, not that I need any of his help or anything. Really, I think we go well together.

"You guys! That was so COOL!" Ed exclaimed on the way home. His cheeks were flushed; it was pretty obvious he did a lot of running.

"Glad ya liked it, Lumpy," I said, genuinely smiling.

"It was a bit of a daunting physical task," Sockhead said, still fanning himself with his hand. "But it was rather intriguing," he smiled. "I thank you, Eddy."

"No biggie," I said. We were in the Cul-De-Sak now, and we stopped walking in the middle of the street.

"Well, I suppose we shall see each other tomorrow, shall we?" Double D said.

"I had such a GREAT time with my pals!" With that, Ed grabbed Double D's right arm and my left arm and squeezed as hard as he could.

I felt the pain in my arm quickly shoot through my body.

"YEEEOOOUUCHHH!" I screamed as I held my left arm close to my chest, protecting it with my right arm. I felt the tears building up in my eyes.

"Eddy?" Double D asked, concerned.

"Geez I'm sorry Eddy," Ed said, "I didn't think I squeezed your arm that hard,"

"It's FINE," I snapped while I turned my back to them. I looked down and could see a speck of red seeping through the yellow sleeve.

Oh no.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I said over my shoulder while I quickly stalked towards my house.

"Eddy?" I heard Sockhead's voice behind. I looked down and saw more blood seeping through, which only made me walk faster to my house. I felt bad because I don't really run from my two best friends like this, but there was no way in hell that I was going to stay there and try to explain myself out of this one while my shirt was getting stained. Plus, I was really embarrassed.

Right when I got the key out to unlock the front door and I stepped inside, I heard the same familiar, high-pitched, angst-ridden voice call my name, begging for a response:

"EDDY!"