Chapter 7: Wishful thinking

Eddy faced up towards the sky, closing his eyes as he took in a breath of fresh air. The peace and tranquility momentarily interupted by his grumbling stomach. Not much he could do about that seeing as food was very scarce for him now that all the money was gone. He didnt have much to begin with. It was a miracle it lasted so long to begin with. It was almost the second month since his disappearance and no one had even bothered to look for him. His parents didnt even try. There were no signs of missing posters or police attempting to look for him, but then again, who would really bother with searching for a 17 year old? Its not like he was 12 anymore, at his current age, he probably wasnt even worth the search anymore. That thought... It kinda hurt... a lot.

Wiping away a tear, Eddy lowered his head, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans, then began to walk. Where to? Not even Eddy knew. He didnt really have anyone to go to any more. Its not like he could crash at his big brother's house. Going back home was out of the question as well. He was all alone. That was the fact of the moment... but...

"Hey kid."

Eddy picked up his head and looked up to the tall man talking to him.

"Ya look real dumb ther'blocking the way of these good people. Are ya some pervert or somethin?" The short teen moved his attention from the man and over to the group of kids and their parents behind him. Turning around, he realized he was standing at the entrance of a pre-school, which was odd considering he didnt recall when his feet stopped moving.

"Yo kid? Ya alright?" The man's voice broke through Eddy's thoughts, snapping the teen out of his trance.

"S-Sorry." Eddy took a step side ways.

"Hey kid watch out!" Eddy's eyes took everything in in slow motion. He wasnt sure what was going on, though he did feel his body get heavy and a sharp pain on his ankle. When he was able to proccess what had happened, it was a bit too late for a reaction.

"KID!"

Everything went black.

...

"Kevin!" Nazz bursted through the red-head's class. She was slightly out of breath and sweaty. Behind her was a not so cool Lee. The red haired girl seemed to be very- well... panicked..

"Excuse me miss, go back to your classrooms. I am trying to teach a lesson here." Ignoring the teacher, nazz ran over to Kevin, leaving Lee outside the class room.

"Its Eddy!"

"W-what!?" Kevin practically fell out of his seat attemting to get up. Stumbling around his desk to gain some footing, he swung his arms around Nazz's shoulders falling over her.

"What did you say!?"

"Eddy... He... Lee said his parents.. Eddy... We have to go!"

"You are not making any sense Nazz!" Kevin was now feeling anxious and angry with Nazz, wanting her to make sense so that he could know what emotion to feel. Should he be excited, sad, mad, what!? What was he to feel if he didnt even know what was going on with Eddy?!

"Lee talked with Eddy's parents. She-She got out early today and decided to start off the search for Eddy without us, i mean.. I did ask her to do so since i felt like it wouldnt be fair to leave her out of the search and all.."

"Just spit it out already! I dont want the long story Nazz!"

"Will you two take this conversation outside! I have a lesson to teach!" the teacher hissed at both students.

"Sorry." Kevin gathered his things quickly and exused himself from the lesson.

"So what, whats going on?"

"Eddy's parents got a call from the hospital down town. They said Eddy has been emmitted and that he was in an accident!"

"His parents? His parents!? Those- Those people dont even deserve to be called his parents! They havent done anything to look for Eddy! How is it fair that they are the ones to be the first to know where Eddy is!?" Kevin blinked back a few tears of anger. He felt jealous and angry. He despised Eddy's parents for giving up on the dork after a week of his disappearance. They didnt deserve to know where Eddy was- but then again, neither did he.

"Calm down Kev. We gatta go get Double D and Ed."

...

"...a broken rib, a few cuts and bruises, a sprained ankel, and he seems to be slightly anemic. We will be keeping him under observation."

"Thanks doctor."

"If you have any further questions or need anything, just let one of the nurses know. Now, if you will excuse me, I have another patient to attend to."

Eddy kept his eyes closed, faking that he was still asleep. He didnt want to see the disapointed faces of his mother and father. He knew that it would bring him to tears, not for the fact that he failed to make something of himself when he had been so determined to fend for himself in the real world after escaping and leaving everything behind, but because all the horrible choices he made would be haunting him in the eyes of his ever so dissaproving parents.

"Eddy?" His mother's voice practically nudged him to open his eyes. "Eddy wake up." She said sternly.

"You think we cant tell when you are fake sleeping?" His father added to his mom's sentence.

Opening his eyes, Eddy tried not to look directly at his parents.

"...I'm sorry.. I.. I just.."

"Why did you do it?" His mom asked in a soft voice which surprised Eddy.. He had ecpexted anger, sterness, maybe even a beating for his actions.

"I...I-" He couldnt find the words to explain the why he did it.

"When you are released from here, we are going to have a serious talk." His father practically hissed. "The next stunt you pull like this, consider yourself no longer welcome back home. You are lucky your mother has convinced me to allow you to come back this time around after all that money you stole."

"Leave him alone!" Kevin interupted as he walked into the hospital room. "He doesnt have to go back with you. You didnt even bother to look for him. And all for what? Money? Because he took money? Well here!" He dug into his pockets and pulled out whatever money he had on him tossing it at Eddy's father.

"How much? How much do you need?!" Kevin hissed, his actions coming to a hault when Lee walked in.

"We will be taking your son. You will no longer have a need to worry. In his behalf, I apologize. If that it not enough, we can pay off the debt that Eddy owes you sir." She was so calm and composed that it frightened Nazz who stood hidden behind Lee. The blonde could tell Lee was holding her tongue. She didnt want to make a scene in a hospital room. But the one good thing about her calm attitude was that Eddy's parents dismissed Kevin's rudeness and handed the girl a luggage with Eddy's belongings- leaving without a word.

It seems that they had been prepared for the just in case that Eddy did not want to come home, which made one question if they even wanted Eddy back in their home after everything.

"Dear god, Eddy!" Double D pushed his way in, running over to his friend. "what happened to you!? Where have you been!? Do- do you feel ok?"

"...Geez. What is this? Twenty questions?" Eddy tried to make light of the embarassing situation. Everyone saw him in such a degrading situation. He wanted to crawl into the nearest hole and hide there forever...

"You lost wieght.." Ed mumbled as he walked up, holding back tears. "Dont go away anymore Eddy... Please?"

Eddy blinked back a few tears as he sat up. A sharp pain almost caused him to rethink his idea of sitting up to face everyone properly.

"I'm sorry... I should have been smarter about everything. Truth is..."

"Shut up dork. Whatever it is you wanna say is not important. What is, is that you had us all worried and we are glad you came back."

"Kevin is right dude. Everyone was really bummed when you left and we were putting together a search party for ya. We are just glad you are back. So lets just put the past behind us."

Edd and Ed practically jumped Eddy crying their eyes out.

"We missed you and we are just glad you are back safely." Edd whimpered.

Eddy toughed it out, trying so hard not to cry in front of everyone, but the hug that Ed and Edd gave him made it hard not to, mostly for the pain of his sides.

"Before anything, I wanna say sorry to you Eddy. I didnt mean what i said that night." Kevin looked away, ashamed of his actions. "And to prove it to you, I uh, well.. you can stay at my place. We got a guest room you can use but you would probably be bunking it with me until my old folks can clear it out for ya."

...

School had let out, and summer had begun. After being released from the hospital, Eddy had to attend summer classes, it was the only way he could make up the credits and tests he had missed out on durring his absense. And that wasnt the only thing he missed, turns out Joseph had taken a brutal beating from Lee and Kevin for all that he had done. Joseph soon dropped out of school and moved away, so now Eddy didnt have to worry about him anymore.

Maybe things were finally going to start getting better?

tbc...