Chapter 4: Old Wounds
"Alpha dog!" Someone shouted from the jocks' table to which Kevin started swaggering his way to. He did some high fives from some of them before he sat down, apparently one of his friends already bought him some lunch. He started eating while his friends chattered away.
Eddy didn't once take his mind off of eating; he didn't register Kevin at all. Double D glanced in his direction before turning to Johnny who was eating.
"Alpha Dog?" Johnny looked at him for a few seconds then at Kevin before turning with a bored expression.
"Yeah that's what his friends are calling him. It's been his nickname since he helped the Peachcreek Cobblers go to the championship last year." He continued eating.
"I see." Double D stated before finishing his salad.
Johnny also finished his food, he looked at his watch. "Sorry guys I gotta go. The drama club asked me for a favor." With that Johnny left.
While walking Johnny pass Kevin who noticed he had a grin on his face. Ever since he was on the football team Kevin's ego has skyrocketed and he has become something of a stereotypical bully. Not even his childhood friend Johnny was safe, he would always notice that his face would be sad but he had a grin on as if he was talking to someone but the only persons who would talk to him were the drama club members of which he was a part of. He glanced at where he walked from to see a familiar black beanie, green jacket and three antennae like hair.
He stared in disbelief for a full minute, he had thought Nazz's guilt caught up with her and she was really just seeing things. He'd notice this as the years went by, while he didn't care for the Eds she blamed herself for their 'deaths' so he never really mentioned them around her. But she
'It's the dorks' He thought to himself and scowled remembering his past transgression with the Eds, they looked different especially big tall and stupid. Double dork still looked like a nerd with the way he dressed and Eddy. Eddy looked like the same short loud mouth that he could beat up if he wanted to; at least that's how it seemed from the back. He smirked before he turned around to tell them something. 'It's time those losers know who's in charge.'
Over at the Eds' table they were just about finished with their food when two big jocks along with Kevin walked over to the table.
"Well if it ain't dork, dork and dorky." Ed and Double D glanced at Kevin's smug grin while Eddy didn't move, his back was facing Kevin.
Ed had a neutral expression while Double D simply sighed while beginning to pack his plate into the brown paper bag.
"HEY ALPHA DOG'S TALKING TO YOU HOMOS." The blonde jock on his right yelled causing the cafeteria to go quiet and look in their direction.
Double D stopped what he was doing and looked at the jock baffled. "Excuse me!?"
"You heard what I said." The jock advanced but was barred by Kevin.
"I heard you guys came back after I kicked your asses out of town." He said casually while he looked at his friend who nodded with a grin. "But who the hell said you could come back?" Kevin grinned while approaching them.
"Yeah go back to San Francisco you homos." Someone yelled from the jocks table.
Eddy finally turned around to face him; he had a really bored expression as if he was sleepy. "Alright shovel chin what the hell do you want?" He yawned earning a few snickers all around.
"Alpha dog wanna know how come you losers are back after he kicked your asses out of the state." The brown hair jock on Kevin's right answered.
Double D slung his messenger bag over his shoulder when Eddy answered "The hell are you talking about gorilla, shovel chin here doesn't have the stones to take me without two of you as backup." He said with a smirk while pointing his thumb at his chest.
The crowd laughed at eddy's rebuttal to which the jock scowled and again Kevin had to bar him from attacking Eddy.
"Easy guys let me tell em, looks like five years of running from me made em forget. So I'm a remind em how I kicked em out a town."
Double D walked around the table and Eddy glanced his way. "Eddy we should leave I would rather not hear this."
Eddy swatted his hand away "yeah please do remind me how you 'kicked' our asses out of town.' He then leaned back with his hands crossed and a smirk.
"Alright, alright, you remember how I told five years ago when these dorks fucked up so bad that me and the neighborhood went after em? Before we could get em, this sock wearing pussy called his mommy to bail em out." He pointed at Double D to which everyone started laughing.
Double D was not amused his eye twitched before giving him a cold glare.
"Well I said 'FUCK THAT,' so me and Rolf, you remember I told you about Rolf?" He turned to his friends to which they did a quick nod with their grinning faces.
"So me and Rolf followed em to the lane one night and the next thing we know these dorks are jerking each other off." He stopped when the entire cafeteria erupted in laughter.
Ed sighed before going into his meditative state to drown out Kevin's untrue story because he knows that there was nothing funny about what happened to him and his friends when they left the cul-de-sac. Double D folded his arms while Eddy kept his smirk although it lessened.
"Eddy we should leave now." Double D urged only for Eddy to hold up his index finger to silence him.
The laughter died and Kevin continued "So these fags saw us and started running, me and Rolf ran after em but then the retard" he pointed at Ed "shoves this pussy at me." He gestured to Double D. "Now he's waddling at with his arms out front tryin to slap me, with his tiny dick flopping around. I ducked that shit and nailed him one right in his gap tooth to make a bigger gap."
The cafeteria burst out laughing again, Kevin shifted his eyes between Ed and Double D to find that Ed was completely ignoring him with his eyes close and Double D was still glaring at him completely unfazed.
This didn't stop him from continuing "So then this guy trips on his pants when we was chasin em and he gets on his hands and knees and starts begging me 'oh no Kevin please don't fuck me up, I know, how about I suck your di-"
"BOOOOOOORIIIIIIINNNNNGGGG." Eddy yelled tiredly. Kevin fixed a glare on his bored face. "Sorry to interrupt shovel chin but your story was just really boring." Eddy yawned while getting up. Ed snapped out of his meditation the same time and Double D looked confusedly at Eddy.
Before Kevin could retaliate Eddy continued "You know shovel chin, it's amazing, five years I left this shithole of a town and somehow you're still the same as I remembered. A ginger-rat, freckled face fuck who can't even take care of his shit without someone wiping his ass of course I'm talking to your pet Gorilla and Orangutan." Eddy gestured to the two jocks standing by his side to which the cafeteria started laughing.
"Y-" Kevin tried to deliver a rebuttal
"Yeah I ain't done yet ginger snaps." Eddy cut him off. "Now personally if it was me 5 years ago I would try to make up some story that's bigger and better but I'm a man now and frankly I don't give a fuck what you your monkey friends or those hyenas in the back think about me." He gestured to the table full of jocks and everyone went "OOOOOHHHH."
Kevin gave a nasty scowl as Eddy continued "I mean you're so fucking pathetic now, you have to make up some bullshit story to make yourself feel better and they slurp that shit down like slushie." Eddy then casually took up his bag and glanced at Kevin and his friends who were all equally furious, as if waiting for something to set them off. Double D was honestly surprised, Ed also got his bag with a neutral expression and Eddy kept his bored expression.
"You know I feel sorrier for Nazz." Eddy smirked making Kevin clench his fist, unknown to them the cafeteria doors opened and a blonde girl walked in.
"I mean when is she gonna see how pathetic you are and dump your sorry ass for a real ma-" Eddy was cut off when he was socked across the face hard, he kept his standing position with his cheek bruised and his head facing the left and that's when he noticed her and grinned "that all you got Alpha bitch." He said low enough for only Kevin to hear.
Kevin yelled and pushed him down on to the table and began punching his face repeatedly. Double D and Ed were flabbergasted while the jocks were cheering.
"KEVIN!" a female voice shouted. Everyone in the cafeteria stopped and the room went silent. Kevin himself felt a twist in his gut as he turned around slowly to see a furious Nazz.
Before he could explain himself Nazz pushed him out of the way to attend to Eddy.
"Eddy, are you alright?" She asked tenderly. He had bruising all over his face, an unswollen black eye and a bloody nose. Double D came to her side to attend to him as well. Nazz glared at Kevin before stomping to him
"Nazz I-" Kevin tried saying but was cut off when she slapped him across the face, it was loud enough to echo across the room making some students wince and mouth 'ow.' Kevin fell on his ass as Nazz glared at him.
"We are over." She shouted before helping Double D carry Eddy out. Ed took up Eddy's bag that was in front of Kevin. He looked down at the jock then nodded disapprovingly before walking out. The crowd stared at Kevin for a while before turning around to continue their business; Kevin just sat their holding his red cheek.
Meanwhile on the bleachers…..
"WHAT!?" Lee shouted.
"That's what Nazz told me. The Eds are alive she even had a talk with them, turns out that they were in China studying or something." May said before taking a bite of her sandwich.
Lee thought for a second but asked nonchalantly. "They're alive, so?"
May almost choked on her food. "What'd you mean so? Don't you want to see Eddy again?"
Lee only shrugged before taking a bite of her sandwich. Truth be told; Lee's crush for Eddy five years ago was just that, a crush. He got her attention because of his scams, he seemed like the type of person to always think of a way to get rich and this resonated with Lee's penny pinching ways. After she found out he died she felt sad, not as much as May or even Marie but she felt a part of herself change, pretty soon she began to take charge of her situation.
Even though she's still tough as nails and feared in school she doesn't go looking for trouble unless someone quote fucks with me or my sisters unquote. With new added maturity her attraction for what Eddy used to be easily faded, now she's looking for something different in a man. Nothing was said between the sisters for the remainder of their lunch together.
Meanwhile Eddy came out of his visit to the nurse's office on cloud nine. He has single handedly made Kevin look like a jackass and ruined his relationship with Nazz who.
"I hope you're proud of yourself Eddy." Double D said disappointedly.
"Oh you bet your ass I am sockhead." Eddy's voice was high
"Language Eddy." Edd said while looking around.
"Ah who cares about them and not even you can knock this boat sockhead, nope. I am unstoppable." His fists shot in the air.
"So what's the plan exactly Eddy? You make Nazz break up with Kevin so you could swoop in as her knight in shining armor?" Edd said while folding his arms.
Eddy stared at him blankly before scratching his chin. He grabbed his tie to force him down to his level with his mouth was close to his ears
"YOU NEED A CUE-TIP SOCKHEAD?" he shouted in Double D's ear causing him to stumble back.
"Didn't you listen to a single word I said these pass two days?" Eddy asked
Double D was stunned but quickly regained his ground rubbing his ear. "Exactly what are you referring to Eddy." He said with irritation.
He glanced at Ed "Hey lumpy didn't I tell you yesterday that Nazz was too preppy for my taste?"
Ed glanced up thinking then nodded in agreement.
"B-but wasn't tha-"
"I don't believe it. You thought I was joking, Jesus Double D didn't I just tell Kevin I was a man now? If she broke up with Kevin just because he was wailing on me, there's no way we could make a relationship work stupid." Eddy then stomped away leaving Ed and Double D looking confusedly at each other before running to him.
"Well Eddy I do apologize for not taking your word for it."
"Its fine sockhead, just don't let it happen again. And for the record the only reason why I even acted the way I did back there was because Kevin is an asshole who needed to be knocked down a few pegs. But I will be God damned if I'm gonna let that prick get to me, so the next time you're worried about me going out of control make sure it's something worth it, now come on we're gonna be late for class." Eddy said sternly before entering his next class with them.
They sat down across from each other and Double D began thinking, he always knew that their time in Tan Shan had changed them he has seen it in himself and Ed. After all he is no longer that scrawny, socially awkward kid who couldn't sleep in a room unless it was extensively labeled and Ed isn't that dumb immature boy who lacked personal hygiene. Eddy however did not show his change much; he still acted like the cocky, loud and prone to violence boy he knew him to be.
He was just proven wrong today. Not only did Eddy stand up to a bully without losing his cool or being violent but did it with no other ulterior motive than to put said bully in his place. Double D had never been so proud of his friend.
Nothing significant happened at school after that although word got around the school about Nazz and Kevin's breakup, word also got around about Eddy standing up to Kevin. Soon there names were all over the school. The final bell rang and the Eds went to their respective lockers after storing their books they set out. Ed stopped on their trail to stare at something, Double D and Eddy noticed and so they turned back
"Is something the matter Ed?" Asked a concerned Double D but Ed continued staring at the poster not answering.
"Hey lumpy what the hell are ya looking at?" Eddy shouted while they approached to look at the poster for football tryouts.
"You guys think mom and dad would respect me more if I played football?" Ed asked still looking at the poster.
They looked at each other both of them knew somewhat about his home life and Eddy grinned while Double D smiled.
"Sure lumpy go for it." Eddy encouraged with a slap on the back.
"I agree Ed, it wouldn't hurt to delve into an extracurricular activity. Why I'm sure they would be very proud you." Double D encouraged with a pat on the shoulder.
Ed gave a dopey smile before he had both of them in a headlock "Thanks guys." They then walked home.
Meanwhile Marie spent the entire day at a friend's place, the apartment was a mess with trash and dirty laundry spread about the place. There was a low table with a bong on it there was also white powder on it as well. Marie herself was passed out on the sofa only in her black bra and matching panties when she was woken up by someone.
"Huh? Oh fuck turn off the lights." She muttered.
"Hey you're the one who told me to wake you up remember? You said something about your sisters.
The girl had multiple piercings: on her nose, under her lips, one on her right eyebrow and a skull tattoo on her back. Her shaggy brown hair was shoulder length; she was also skinny and seemed to twitch a bit every now and then.
"Shit." Marie muttered before pulling on her clothes while her friend snorted the white powder on the table before falling back on the sofa. Before Marie went out she swiped a bottle of vodka in a brown paper bag and hid it inside her brown Denim jacket, making sure to zip it shut. She walked out into the evening sun and proceeded to walk down the street to the trailer.
Unknown to her the Eds were on the other side of the street walking in the opposite direction, speeding cars passed them. Eddy looked up on the buildings then a smirk came across his face.
"Hey how about we take a shortcut?" He asked
Double D gave a confused look "Eddy there are no shortcuts in this area."
"Sure there is just take a look right there." Eddy pointed to the roof of the buildings.
Double D looked up then at Eddy with a bored expression. Ed had a wide smile which turned to a grin when he looked down at Eddy.
Marie pulled a out a cigarette and stuck it in her mouth she was just about to light it when
"AW COME ON DOUBLE D!" Marie stopped in her tracks with a frown; with the lighter lit she turned around looking for the source of the commotion. Her eyes landed on three boys, one of them was on his knees grasping his hands and seemed to be begging tearfully. The short one was arguing with the one wearing a black beanie.
Wait black beanie!? It was then that her mouth opened in shock allowing her cigarette to crash to the pavement.
Across the street the Eds were having an argument.
"Please can we do it Double D please?" Ed begged
"Yeah sockhead this could be a great chance to stretch some limbs besides I can't remember the last time we did a parkour run." Eddy demanded.
"Eddy what your suggesting is ludicrous not to mention dangerous. What happens if one of us gets hurt?"
Eddy raised his eyebrows offended. "You think me and Ed can't handle a parkour run?"
Double D's sweat dropped "No I do not doubt your abilities it's just that-"
"It's just that you're too much of a pansy." Eddy shot back.
"Well I will have yo-"
"No wait maybe your just too scared you can't handle it."
Double D gave him a frown "and just what are you trying to imply? That I can't keep up with you?"
Eddy grinned and got in his face "Yeah that's right."
Marie couldn't hear the conversation but she stopped gawking long enough to try and cross the street to get a better look but the speeding cars prevented her. Soon the boys walked into a nearby alley, she ran out into the street but bumped the hood of a screeching car with her hands. Completely ignoring the shouting of the angry driver she hastily made her way to the alley but pressed her back against the wall to slowly peek through.
"Last one up is a rotten Ed." She heard
"No fair Eddy." She heard another boy said and now she was convinced.
She completely looked into the alley to find no one then she heard a noise from above. She looked up to find the boy in the black beanie hanging from a wall just before he swung himself over and did a corkscrew to land on the roof. Thinking quick she looked to the sides of the buildings and ran along them, if they are who she thinks they are then she knows where they are going.
The Eds were racing on the roof, they flipped, jumped and ran across the roofs of the buildings skillfully.
"You keeping up sockhead?" Eddy glanced behind him to see his friend with an stern expression.
They reached peach creek with Eddy first, Ed second and Double D third.
"The winner is Eddy and the crowd goes crazy!" Eddy imitated a cheering crowd.
"No fair Eddy you cheated." Ed pouted
"Eddy I hate to cut into your victory celebration but I must be going now." Edd walked off with a sordid look.
"Yeah, I have to do homework." Ed said to which Eddy and Double D turned back to look at him bewildered. He's changed but it's still weird to hear him say that.
"Yeah, homework." Eddy said awkwardly before they all went for their houses.
By that time Marie finally reached Peachcreek, she was panting hard. 'Man those guys run fast.' She thought before getting a good look. There was his house and someone just went in. She went straight for the backyard but hid behind the fence to look at his window. A few minutes went by where she thought what she saw was a drug induced illusion which wouldn't be the first time it happened.
The lights turned on in the room which got her attention, the wind picked up signaling the cold winds of fall. The window opened and the boy wearing the black beanie poked his head out to soak in the breeze, he had a gap-tooth smile and his eyes were close. Marie fell down from the fence in disbelief.
"Hello, is someone out there?" The boy called out.
Marie made a mad run for it all the way to the trailer park where her sisters were already waiting for her. She went inside; Lee was watching T.V while May was cooking dinner.
"Well, look what the cat dragged in. Ain't you a little early today Marie?" Lee mocked.
"Shut up Lee." She said in her normal voice before dragging herself upstairs.
Lee knows that usually Marie would give her some vicious reply with some expletives added but she seemed completely drained of vitality which means something happened to shake her up.
"Alright Marie what the hell happened?" Lee got off the couch and went to the stairs.
"Nothing happened." She replied
Lee had enough she marched upstairs and grabbed her arm to slam her against the wall.
"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!?" Lee shouted in her face
May actually stopped cooking to see what was happening.
Marie was unfazed "You guys would probably think I'm even more fucked up than I already am." She replied
May was worried but Lee kept her glare on Marie's face actually tightening the grip on her arm.
"Okay alright, I thought I saw Double D today; see now you both think I'm really fucked up!" She shouted.
"Oh that's it?" Lee simply said before letting her go and walked down the stairs.
"What the hell do you mean 'that's it'?" Marie yelled confusedly.
"You tell her May." She stated to the young blonde who nodded with glee. She approached Marie who couldn't help but notice how giddy she looked
"Marie, the Eds are alive and you really did see Double D. Isn't that great!" She exclaimed with her hands shooting upwards before hugging her.
Marie stared blankly at nothing in particular and her sister noticed and backed away giving Marie a quizzical look. May's expression changed as she knew what was coming and covered her ears, so did Lee who was watching T.V. with a smirk.
Everyone in the trailer park heard a loud "WHAT?!"
To Be Continued…
