Chapter 18 - Pull of Scholarly Gravity

I spent all weekend with Edd at the hospital, keeping him company while he rested. I even had to turn away the police a couple times because he was either still resting or he said he wasn't ready to speak to them. I've been holding back his parents, even with them roaming the hospital trying to get me to leave instead. Every time they come around, Edd got tense. Dad was great at keeping them at bay the first day we met them, but they are his parents and can't be kept away for long when their son is in the hospital. They have been trying to have the staff get me to leave so they could speak to their son in private, but I haven't allowed that to happen. I just use the bathroom in Edd's room and the nurse who let me in is nice enough to bring me food when she comes to check on Edd.

However, when Monday came around, I didn't have a choice. School was calling and the Dork wasn't going to let me skip for anything. Even when I pleaded with him to let me stay he shook his head and told me that it was my "duty" as a student to go to school. I'm not sure who's "duty" he thinks it is, but I certainly didn't see it as mine. I would rather have stayed with Edd than go back to school, but no matter my protests, he wouldn't budge. Well, he couldn't stop me from just sitting there, but I knew I wouldn't hear the end of it if I skipped school to stay with him.

"But if I stayed here, you'd have to tutor me, Dork." I winked and Edd's face flushed a vibrant scarlet.

"Kevin, I am in no condition to do tutoring of any kind, so kindly get your thoughts out of the proverbial gutter and make sure you get to school." His glare was so cute, all I could do was smile.

Giving in, I told him I'd be back later, kissed his forehead, and grabbed my jacket and helmet. Walking out to the nurses station, I smiled to Edd's nurse who gave a slight nod in response, and made my way back toward the parking lot. As I was walking through the sliding doors, a shot of stark black hair flew through my peripheral vision.

"So, you are finally extricating yourself from our son's room? About time." Edd's dad stood just off to my side. I stopped and held my ground but I didn't bother to respond. I simply held his gaze. "I asked you a question or are you truly so dense that you do not understand common tongue? I will not tolerate a presence such as yours to have any further contact with my son or I will make sure the police walk you out of here in handcuffs for harassment, am I clear? Grunt once for yes; stare blankly for no." To say I nearly bashed his head in with the helmet in my white knuckled hand is an understatement. However, I tried to keep my cool, for Edd's sake.

"Don't worry Dad. I hear you loud and clear, so I'll see you and Edd after school later." I spun on my heels before he could respond through the rage building in his eyes. I sauntered over to my bike, hopped on, threw the helmet on, then revved her up. I could feel the look of disgust bore through the back of my head but I didn't care. It only fueled me to make as much noise with the bike as I could when I flew out of the parking lot.

Despite the roar of my baby girl, the ride was quiet. My thoughts were distant and I drove on autopilot until I go to the school. I couldn't focus because of that man. How could he be so aggressive when he doesn't even know me? Is it really only because I'm more of the jock type? Or is it something deeper?

I didn't realize how early it actually was when I got to school. I ended up walking into the building with over twenty minutes still left before first period. It was like walking into a haunted building, dead silent but for a few whispers behind me as I walked by.

I came up to my locker to be met with many somber faces. Naz's face was blotchy from crying while Eddy stood with his arm around her but with his eyes looking distant. Ed had his head leaning against the lockers with tears still streaming down his face. All three of them shifted to look up to me as I came down the hall to my locker. Naz ran and jumped into my arms and started bawling right in the middle of the hall. I held my eyes closed to hold back the flood I could feel welling in my eyes. A consoling hand rested on my shoulder and I looked up in time to see Eddy give a soft nod of acknowledgement. The last person I would have expected that from, but then again, Double D is one of his best friends, regardless of how he feels about me. It took a couple minutes, but Naz eventually released me enough so I could get into my locker.

"How is he?" Eddy was the first one to speak and he struggled to keep his voice steady at that.

I gave a small nod and sighed. "He's doing as well as he could be. He's tired and sleeps a lot and he has a large gash across his head so it's hard for me to look into his face without getting angry." Naz gasped as I described Edd.

"Did he tell you what happened?" All we've heard are rumors and we all know how full of crap all that is." Eddy folded his arms with a look of disgust on his face.

I shook my head. "He's been so exhausted, I haven't had the heart to ask him about it. I've even turned the police away because he was resting." I paused trying to sort out what I was going to say next. "I only know what the nurse told me that night. He was… Edward was…" I shook as I couldn't bring myself to accept the act, let alone say the word.

"Edd was raped," finally snuck out under my breath. A sharp gasp followed by more crying came from Naz, while both Ed and Eddy started shaking with emotion. It was surprising to see the gentle Ed quake with anger.

"And here people were making jokes about how maybe he just fell down the stairs because he's so 'delicate' or that maybe a robber broke in and he 'tried to be a tough guy' and fight the guy. What bullshit!" Eddy snarled his words through a clenched jaw. I stared at him blankly, awestruck that people would be seeking humor in an event like this. I was dumbfounded.

"How could people be so cruel? Why make fun of someone else's suffering?!" My hands were shaking so bad I dropped my helmet on the ground with a crash. "I need this day to be over. I want to go back to him." With a firm hand on my arm, Naz bent down, picked up my helmet, and handed it back to me.

"We'll all go after school, how's that?" I nodded my affirmation and took my helmet from her. I placed it in the top shelf of my locker and shut it after grabbing a textbook for my first class.

"Let's get this day over with."