Chapter 3

Edd was hanging out with Kendall and Leon at Peach Creek Mall. The three became fast friends playing basketball. They had different interests but it did not stop the bond from forming. Kendall suggested that Edd gets a tour of the new Peach Creek. He agreed and that's what they were doing. As they walked around, they heard shouts and a lot of people cursing. They looked down from the upper section to see two people running away as security chased them. The two were easily identified.

"Those two need to grow up man. Seriously, they are acting like five-year-olds." Kendall said with annoyance.

"If it hasn't happened by now, it's never going to happen." Edd said with a tone. The two noticed the hard edge in his voice.

"Did you run with them?" Leon asked.

"A long time ago but they showed me that they weren't my friends. I don't even speak to anyone from the cul-de-sac." Edd explained.

"Really? You got issues with them too?" Kendall asked.

"We weren't really friends. I'll admit, hanging with Eddy and Ed didn't help but they were good people either. Kevin was a bully, Nazz was a spaz, Jonny was childish, Rolf was hard to understand, Sarah was also a bully, Jimmy was a jerk and the Kankers… That's a story in itself." Edd explained.

"Wait, wait, you don't like any of the Kanker sisters? Have you seen the Knaker sisters now?" Kendall asked seriously. Edd looked at him and Leon was nodding with a grin on his face.

"Okay, I'll hold my opinion of them Because I've been gone for four years but my former relationship with them has colored my views of them. I just want to do my two years of high school and leave for good." he said. His two friends didn't ask him any more. This must have been something he thought for a while and they wouldn't change them.

"Well. we are here to show you around. Let's keep it going." Kendall said. The two agreed and they continued with the tour.

XXX

Edd, Leon and Kendall were in Edd's room. They were invited to his home, mostly to help him set up the sound in his room. Kendall was really good with electronice like him and he promised to set up the surround sound. The two worked on that while Leon took a look around Edd's room. That's when he saw a picture. It was a picture of Edd with a man. The two were holding up fish.

"Hey Double D, is this your uncle?" Leon asked. Edd turned to see the small framed picture.

"Yeah, that's my uncle and me when he took me fishing in Mexico. I was scared because it was the first time I left the country." Edd said with a smile. "Uncle Richard brought me out of my shell. He told me that who I am was great and that I shouldn't change just so others like me."

"So, you weren't always like this?" Kendall asked.

"My parents are all about manners, perfection, cleanliness, academics, stuff like that. I followed their way to a tee. I built stuff out of garbage because that's what I wanted to be, an inventor. Now, I've grown from that guy. I know who I am and I know who I want to be." Edd explained. The three continued to talk until they finished setting everything up. Edd offered them something to drink before leading them out. Edd thanked them for the help and they said their good-byes.

Unknown to the group, Sarah was walking by when she saw Leon and Kendall leave. She knew Kendall as he was Peach Creek High's best basketball player and she knew Leon from the fact that he was crushing on Marie was surprised to see Edd again, thinking that he was still in Arizona. From what she saw, the three looked like they were good friends. However, the two lived in different neighborhoods from the cul-de-sac. Did that mean that Edd had been back much sooner?

Sarah hid just as the two passed her. She looked up just to see the door to the house close. Sarah waited for a while before she left herself. She knew that for the rest of the summer she would be keeping an eye on the returning Edd.

XXX

It was now Saturday and Edd was making his way to the junkyard. He had some junk to unload after disassembling his failed inventions. He saved important parts and trashed the rest. He had a ton of junk and he could use the extra cash. He used a cart he kept in the back and wheeled it all the way to the junkyard. He entered the place and saw the same guy who ran the place. The owner looked at him and saw the ton of junk in the cart.

"Oh my, that's a lot of junk. I remember a kid who would go through my stuff." the guy said.

"Is that a fact?" Edd asked with amusement. The owner noticed this and took a good look at Edd. While he had grown up a bit, there was no forgetting that skull cap.

"Holy shit, is that you?" the junkyard owner exclaimed. This made Edd laugh and put out his hand. The owner does this and realizes how firm Edd's grip is. "Damn, you really have changed. Not such a scrawny kid any more. So, you looking to unload?"

"Yeah, I can't do anything with these parts. What can you give me for it?" Edd asked. The man looked at stuff with a critical eye.

"Well, me and my guys will have to go through it to give you an amount, You got time to stick around?" the man asked.

"Yeah, I'm not doing anything right," Edd stopped talking when he caught sight of one of the owner's employees dragging something. "Is that an engine?" The man turned to see what Edd was talking about.

"Yeah, I started junking cars a while back. It's improved my profits." he explained. Edd walked up to the engine and was shocked to see what type of engine it was.

"No way. This is a Mustang 289 V8 engine! This looks like a 2-barrel, 280 bhp! This is pretty rage man! This was a part of the first generation!" Edd exclaimed with wonder. This made the man chuckle at him.

"You into cars now?" he asked with amusement. Edd just marveled at the engine. "Tell you what kid, we'll go through your junk and if you have stuff that is worthwhile, I'll trade it for the engine."

"Are you serious?" Edd asked with surprise.

"Think of it as a welcome back present. Just pay for the delivery because there's no way your cart is going to hold the weight." The owner said. Edd couldn't believe it and quickly agreed to the deal.

XXX

Edd's mother entered the garage and frowned at what she saw. Her son was still working on that filthy engie. It looked like he was almost done disassembling it but she was still displeased. She did not like her son's hobby.

"Edward, dinner is ready." she said.

"Alright, I'll be in soon." Edd replied, not turning away from his work.

"Now Edward." she said sternly. Edd sighed and put down his tool. He stood up and made his way into the house to get cleaned up. She turned to the disassembled engine and scoffed. She hoped that this was just another phase. Edward was destined for better things. She would not allow his potential to go to waste like her brother.

XXX

Labor Day, the signal that the summer was ending. It was a time where barbecues came out and the last day for fun. The teenagers of Peach Creek would concograte to the lake to have one major blowout before they went back to school. It was where the cul-de-sac kids met up with others.

Nazz and members of the cheerleader squad watched as Kevin tossed the football. Rolf managed to catch the ball and charged forward. The others could not bring the foreigner down and he ran in for a touchdown. A tall teen in a red one-piece bathing suit was cheering loudly. Her curly red hair covered her eyes but not the freckles. She kept cheering for Rolf who waved at her. Just behind her were two other teenage girls.

The girl to the right had short blue hair that covered her right eye. She was wearing a dark blue jersey with Guns and Roses on it and green bikini bottoms. Her face was amused as she watched the red-head cheer like a fool. The girl to the left had long blond hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a two piece, white bikini with a matching summer hat and long bathing suit wrap skirt. She was reading a book, ignoring her companions.

After a while, the red-head sat back down and continued to watch the game play. The blue haired girl gave her a mocking smile.

"That was just embarrassing for you. You do know that he's just the kicker, right?" She asked, amused. The red-head turned toward her.

"Hey, I'll cheer for my man hoa loud I want Marie." she stated. Marie scoffed at her and was about to make another comment but a voice cut her off.

"Ignore her Lee. She's just lonely." The blond said, not turning away from her book. Marie turned to give the blond a glare while Lee laughed.

"May has you there." Lee said mockingly. Marie just muttered darkly at the two while Lee laughed and May smirked. Nazz and the others looked at the three.

"I can't believe that they are the same girls from junior high." one of them said. It was well-known just who the Kanker sisters were. The three bullied anyone in the cul-de-sac and were tough as nails. Things began to change when their mother moved them out of the trailer park and into the cul-de-sac. They continued their path of destruction until that fateful day. It was back in junior high when Eddy insulted the Kankers. While they were thick skinned, Eddy's words were so cruel that even the others felt sorry for them. Lee was sent running away in tears while her sisters put a beating on Eddy that got them suspended. It was peaceful for a while until the Kankers returned. Only they were much different than what everyone knew.

They reinvented themselves. They got makeovers and new clothes. They went from trailer trash to hot within days. It shocked everyone in their last year of Junior High. Eddy attempted to get back in Lee's good graces only for her and her sisters to toss him into a pool. They then berated the boy and made him less than what he was. With that, they no longer chased after the Eds. They graduated with everyone else and even made a few friends as they were leaving.

As they entered high school, they were the most sought after girls. Each of them developed their own personality, which made them even more desirable. So far, only two of them were in relationships, leaving Marie as the last Kanker standing. Either way, the Kankers were now welcomed within the cul-de-sac but they were still those rough and tough girls.

The cheerleaders went back to their topic of discussion when one of them caught sight of someone walking up the lake bed. When they saw who it was, their nose crinkled in disgust.

"Don't look now but Eddy is here and he has no shame whatsoever." she said. The girls turned and were instantly disgusted at the sight. Eddy was walking with confidence in that black speedo. It was something he should have reconsidered seeing that he didn't have the body for it.

"I think I just went blind." another one said. Nazz could only watch with frustration at Eddy's antics. He was already disliked by almost everyone in school and his attitude was only getting worse. She wished that he would realize this but she just didn't know if he would. That's when she looked up to see Eddy being confronted by Kevin and the others.

"I better stop this before it ruins any more of the day." Nazz said. She was about to stand when she was stopped by one of her friends.

"I know that you're a nice person Nazz but Eddy needs to be dealt with. If he won't back off, knowing that he's not welcomed, he deserves what is going to happen to him."

"Look, Eddy is a jerk but I just don't want him to ruin the last day of our summer." Nazz explained and got up. A few of the girls sighed but followed her away. They walked up to the group who was bocking Eddy.

"You don't tell me where I can go! If I want to walk around here, I will damn well walk around here!" Eddy shouted.

"Well you aren't walking around here! Get lost dork!" Kevin shouted back.

"What, you worried Nazz will leave you for a real man?" Eddy asked with a slimy grin. Kevin growled and was about to say something when Nazz placed a hand on him. She then turned to face Eddy.

"Would you please leave us alone, Eddy? No one wants to be bothered by you. We just want to enjoy our final day of summer without having to deal with you. So just go." Nazz said sternly. Eddy clenched his fists at her words. With a dirty look, Eddy stormed off. Nazz just looked at Kevin who looked back.

"You should have let me deck him." Kevin said.

"No, just ignore him. Let's enjoy our Labor Day." she said. They went back to their fun and forgot all about Eddy.

XXX

Edd was making his way home, dribbling his basketball. He had a really good afternoon playing ball and eating some food. The people who lived near the courts decided to have a barbeque for the neighborhood. Edd really had a lot of fun. It reminded him of the fun he had in Arizona. It was good to have fun again.

As he nears his home, he cut into the alley to enter from the back. That's when he saw a young female standing by the gate. Edd looked at her and instantly recognized who it was.

"Well, well, little Sarah, all grown up." Edd said evenly.

"I can say the same. I would say welcome back but you're been back long enough to become friends with Kendall, Leon and the guys you play basketball with." Sarah said.

"Well, I've learned to make better friends when I was in Arizona."

"Out with the old, in with the new?" she asked curiously. Edd just chuckled and made his way past her. He opened the gate and began to enter. Before he closed it on her, he looked her right in the eyes.

"I don't know what you plan to do but if you tell the others that I'm back, just let them know to leave me alone. If they can follow that, we'll get along." Edd said and closed the gate. Sarah just looked at the gate, surprised at the short conversation. She was expecting him to be nervous about not revealing himself to the others but that wasn't the case. He was avoiding everyone on purpose and he didn't wish to reunite with any of them, including Eddy and her brother.

Sarah just walked away, trying to figure out just who this new Edd was.

XXXXX

Authors' Notes

I really enjoyed writing this chapter. At first, I wrote out all I wanted to write down and type it up. Somethings I would write it free form but I enjoying writing it out first before I type it out. It makes everything go smoothly. Any way, enjoy this new chapter.