Some mistakes get made, that's alright, that's okay

You can think that you're in love when you're really just in pain

Chapter 30

Moral of the Story

(Moment I)

It's quiet in the room. She's lying in his bed, staring into the ceiling as he lies in her arms. His breathing has slowed down and he's resting his head against her collarbone. He's fallen asleep again. Good. She allows a small sigh to escape her as she gently tightens her grip around his form, holding him closer. His hair is falling freely across his face, free from his beanie. It tickles her cheek whenever he slightly moves his head in his sleep. His body is almost completely on top of hers, the angle being just the slightest off with her legs wrapped around his, tangled together. Taking a deep breath, she closes her eyes and allow her head to rest against his for a while.

Now that sounds awfully romantic and sweet, doesn't it? Admit it – how many of you thought it was about to be some smut coming up after that description? How many of you thought they were snuggling like two little lovebirds; that his face was gently tucked against her chest, feeling her heartbeat against his cheek? Allow me to rephrase.*Ahem*;

It's quiet in the room, finally. She's lying in his bed, staring into the ceiling as she tries to breathe under his weight. Speaking of breathing; his has slowed down quite a bit, which should mean that he's finally passed out from their wrestling session that just occurred. She allows a sigh to escape her as she tightens the grip she has of his form, holding onto him to make sure he doesn't try and escape again, just in case he's pretending to be asleep. Her right arm is wrapped around his chest, while her left is holding onto his arm as she made the desperate move of using her bodyweight to hold him down, forcing him to stay put as she turned herself into a human anchor.

Though this move proved to be quite successful and useful, it also caused the scenario where his back landed on her stomach and chest with his spine first – his ever so pointy spine – which in turn worked wonders when it came to knock all of the air out of her, which allowed him the small window to try and escape. That's when she panicked and threw her arms around him once more and also her legs around his, trying to make it as impossible for him to move and pulling him back down again. Tightening her grip around him, she reminded him through her strength that she is still a Kanker after all. His respond to that had been shaking and thrashing his head so hard that his beanie finally flew off – she has no idea where it went – allowing his hair to fly in every direction possible, including each of their faces, until he finally admitted defeat while staring daggers into the ceiling, the back of his head against her collarbone. And now… and now she hopes that he truly is asleep/knocked out again, because she needs a break to catch her breath again.

Well? How that for a rephrase, huh? Anyway…

Mel has yet to return and check on them; even if Marie's pretty sure she must've heard the commotion from their fighting/wrestling. Does she really trust her that much, even after the whole kidnapping and beating thing?

Marie holds her breath for a moment while thinking about it, her eyes growing more colorless as the thought reminds her of what she did at that moment. She wasn't exactly herself, was she? Letting her breath out and refilling her lungs with new air, she can feel Edd's slow and steady breathing on her arm. It's… almost calming in a way, reassuring even. She's not exactly sure how or why. Blinking a few times before she tears her gaze away from the ceiling and down to the boy in her arms, she's still surprised he allowed himself to fall asleep in her presence, let alone had the guts to fight her like he did before she managed to take him down. She remember the day she followed Kevin to the junkyard, only to find Edd there… he wasn't himself then either, was he? I guess everybody has their certain days, huh?

He moves suddenly and she tenses her grip around him instantly, ready to fight him again if she has to. However it would seem like he's just a little uncomfortable, nothing else. Making an annoyed noise he eventually goes back to lying limp in her arms, letting a frustrated sigh out as he does. Man, is he really so upset that he's sighing in frustration while asleep? A soft chuckle escapes her at the thought. If there were ever a classic Double-D thing for him to do, it surely would be something like that. Letting go of his arm, she moves her left arm so that both of them rest across his chest, carefully hugging him while he's unconscious. He wouldn't allow her if he knew, she don't think… if she knows him well enough, she's pretty sure he would either be upset or terrified at the thought of her giving him a hug. She's really messed him up, hasn't she? She and her sisters…

Closing her eyes, a somber look in her face, she gently leans her head towards his. His soft hair tickles her jaw and the bottom of her cheek slightly; it reminds her that she's never seen him without his beanie before. She can feel her curiosity clawing at her brain to look at whatever it is he must be hiding, but for once she fights it. With all the things she's done to him already, all the things she and her sisters have done to them already, she can spare him with this. She won't look. Not now. If the day ever come where he wishes to show her himself – it never will – she'll allow it. She doesn't want to force him. She doesn't want to hurt him anymore. That's not how you treat the people you love and care about… right? What is she talking about? She doesn't even know if she actually loves him or not!

Her eyes shoot open in chock. What…? She freezes completely, not even breathing as she thinks of the fact over and over again; She doesn't know if she loves him or not. What does that mean? What does that mean exactly, for him and for her? Has she… has she really done all of those things, everything her sisters did that she tagged along with – she did all that for nothing? For a boy she doesn't even love? But she must love him! She's a Kanker! And he's an Ed! It's… that's how it's supposed to be, right? Right?! She closes her eyes again, harder, fighting the tears that are trying to break through. She's not really sure why she's upset like this – she's just never been more confused in her life.

She tries her best to keep her tears as quiet as possible, growing tired in the process. It doesn't take very long before she drifts off to sleep as well, her head resting gently against his; his hair slightly tickling her cheek.

Filling up the last bag of clothes she feels could be part of the problem at hand, she ties it up and places it in the corner where the other three are. Man… she really needs to take Edd out shopping for some new clothes soon. His closet is practically empty, only a handful of garments that seemed to be okay enough for him to wear until they get him some new ones. Stretching her back, feeling it crack here and there, she sighs deeply before she grabs two of the bags, ready to drag them downstairs to throw away at the junkyard later. Fortunately they're not that big or that heavy… but there's four of them! Four! Filled with clothes for a boy! How in the world is she going to get him four bags worth of new clothes that he wants to wear, let alone try out in a store!? Oh well… one day at a time as they say… one day at a time.

Dragging the first two bags towards the door is no hard task, nor is opening the door and dragging them through. Dragging them down the staircase is a little harder, but it gets easier if she just takes one at a time (though it takes more time and her legs will surely hate her for doing it four times in total instead of two…). With the two bags finally downstairs she moves them to sit in the living room for the moment. She's not really sure where she's going to put them at the moment, but she'll just figure that one out later.

Her phone vibrates in her pocket when she walks up the stairs to go fetch the other two bags. It's Amanda, her friend who is currently very worried and concerned over Edd's wellbeing. While reading her message Mel pauses at the top of the staircase, staring at the request her friend asks of her to help sooth her worried mind. "Facetime me – I need to see for myself that he's okay!" Raising an eyebrow, scratching her head, she eventually just shrugs and presses the call button and waits for her to pick up while she lowers her phone's volume real quick.

"Heey!" Amanda says into the camera and waves. Mel waves back. "How's the cleaning going, housewife?" Instant regret slaps her in the face, but it's too late now, isn't it?

Rolling her eyes at the comment, she lets it slide for now. "It's fine…" She says in a groan. "I'm almost done. Got some bags to throw away and then I just need to vacuum everything again. At least I hope that's it."

"Uh-huh, uh-huh." Amanda nods her head, noting everything she says. "How's your bro doing? Is he okay still?"

"Yeah, he's fine. Marie helps me keep an eye on him."

"Marie… isn't that the girl that hurt him? You know; when you called him and said he was missing and all that?" Her voice increases in the level of worry and confusion. "That Marie?"

"Yes, Amanda… that Marie." Mel answers, understanding her friend's confusion. From an outside point of view it must be hard to understand the logic behind that decision.

"You trust her with that?"

"I…" She looks off screen, off into the empty nothingness, thinking about it for a moment. "Honestly, I'm not sure… but at the same time I completely do; I do trust her." She's quiet for a second. "It's hard to explain."

"…okay…" Amanda seems unsure what to say. "Well… maybe we should go and check on them then? Make sure nothing weird is happening when no one is looking?"

A chuckle escapes Mel as she starts walking. "I really don't think something like that is going to happen."

"Yeah? What makes you think that?"

"Well… if there ever was a time for something like that to happen, it would've happened when she and her sisters kidnapped them, but it didn't." She says, reaching the door as she speaks, a memory surfacing the moment she does. "Besides…" She starts, the memory reliving itself before her; the look in her eyes when she was standing in the dark of the room, telling her to keep an eye on him… those were not the eyes of a predator, but rather a prey. She was scared.

"Besides…?" Amanda asks.

"…she just doesn't seem to be that kind of person… not when her sisters aren't around."

"Oh…" Amanda's tone change. "Family pressure?"

"I think so." They grow quiet for a few seconds, thinking about the girl with blue hair for a moment. "Anyway, I'm at the door to my room now. It seems quiet."

"Is that a good thing though?"

"I think so. Edd tends to be quite loud and angry whenever he's forced to stay home from school." Mel explains as she reaches for the door and opens it. "So it being quiet could mean that she managed to get him to stay asle-"

Amanda stares at her friend pausing mid-step and mid-sentence. What? What does she now see and know that she doesn't?! "What?" She asks, not knowing if she should be loud or not. "What's going on?" Mel doesn't answer, instead she just looks at her through the camera and wears a grin if she's ever seen one. "What?!" Why can't she just tell her what's going on?! Can't she tell there's someone dying over here?! She then moves her phone, turning it around to show what's happening in the room. Amanda opens her eyes as much as she can, forcing them to take in as much as they possibly can from the small screen. She can see Mel's bed, and there are two smaller forms on it. Edd is resting with his back against Marie who's holding him in a hug. She must've been holding him down. If Edd really is as bad with staying home from school as Mel makes it out to be, that has to be why she's still holding onto him like that even if they both fell asleep in the process. Man that is adorable.

The two teenage girls remain as quiet as they possibly can while getting a closer look at the two potential future love birds. Both equally giddy at their recent discovery, Mel calls it time and leaves the room again, much to Amanda's disappointment, though she's just going to have to deal with that.

"Maaaaaaan…" She complains over the phone while Mel makes her way back into Edd's room. Closing the door behind her, they both take their time to register what they just saw.

"Well that's adorable." Mel deadpans before she starts to chuckle at herself.

"Duude! That was soo cuuute!" Amanda says. "Okay, okay, I think I understand what you said about her earlier."

"Yeah… I think she's just used to being bad because of her sisters, but… I don't know. I don't get any 'bad girl' vibes from her just by herself." Drifting off into deep thinking for a moment, Mel temporarily forgets Amanda is there and can hear her. "I kind of recognize that." It's quiet in the room for a few moments, before Amanda starts talking again.

"Wow… when your kid bro has a better love life than you do."

"Hey!" Mel snaps out of it instantly. "Brutal!"

Song: Moral of the Story – Ashe

I'm going to use this song to name a chapter again, that's what I meant with (moment I). Had to work extra much these past weeks, thus why I'm kind of late – but I still made it (sort of). It's currently 23:39, it'll be midnight in 15-20 minutes when I post it, or something like that. Goodnight.