Chapter Five

The first day of classes had arrived and with them a newfound anxiety among the freshmen. They were all treading new waters with college. New surroundings, new instructors, and new expectations were aplenty. Gone were the days of skirting by in high school and in their place was a much stricter, but also a looser structure. It was something Double D relished in. For the first time in his life, he could work at his own pace and not be held back by a struggling student or ones who just didn't care. Now he was free to face each individual challenge head on and tackle it in whatever manner he saw fit. His friends didn't share this sentiment. Eddy was there more for the experience than the academics and Ed was just happy he had made it that far despite his difficulties.

The day was a short one, with most classes just going over their individual syllabi and setting the groundwork for the courses, as well as hammering home the aforementioned expectations that would be bearing down on the shoulders of each freshman until they learned to adapt to the college way.

Double D was already planning out his daily workload for the entirety of the semester. Prioritizing due dates and projects. He scribbled away in his planner with an eager smile on his face. Eddy who sat next to him on the sofa in the student lounge lacked his friend's enthusiasm but made up for it with his own brand of passion.

"This stinks!" he bellowed as he surfed through the channels on the flat screen TV mounted on the wall opposite of them. "I've got to write like an essay a week!"

Double D couldn't hold back his snicker, "Well, you did say you wanted the college experience, Eddy."

"Oh, shut up." he said in a frustrated tone, he tossed the remote on the coffee table, having been unsatisfied with the program offerings. "I want the parties, the fun, the girls!" he relented. He threw his hands about in a dramatic manner with each entry on his list.

The day was late and soon the sun would be setting, and most of the students were returning to their dorms. Double D and Eddy took the opportunity to claim dibs on the lounge before anyone else could and so far, their plan had worked as the only students that occupied the space were the two of them.

"Despite what modern fiction may tell you, Eddy, college is and will always be the cornerstone for continued education. This is an institute for learning and while those things may be facets, they're not the majority."

Eddy didn't respond, he just ground his teeth together. He'd already been here for three days and so far, he hadn't made any progress on the legendary college experience he had envisioned for himself and his friends. Something must have been preventing them from taking off and soaring to the heights he knew they should have reached by then. "Gotta be the Kankers." he muttered.

"Beg pardon?" Double D replied, not looking up from his task.

"If not for them we'd all be knee deep in trim by now!" he said throwing his head back and earning the duo some unpleasant glances from a pair of girls that passed by.

"While I do concur with the sentiment that their arrival is both unplanned and problematic for us, we cannot lose sight of what's important."

"Oh yeah? And what's that?"

"Furthering our educations, Eddy. Just to think of all the classes we'll have the opportunity to participate in. Cultural studies, advanced science labs, not to mention the litany of courses in mathematics. Just the thought of all the knowledge held on these hallowed grounds makes me giddy!"

"Musta been something you ate." Eddy remarked as he cleaned out one of his ears with his pinky. "You're in high spirits considerin' your situation." he grinned at his friend causing him to blush.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." he spat out, digging himself further into his work in an attempt to hide.

"I mean, bedding down with a Kanker? What would the other guys back home have to say?"

"I most certainly am not bedding down with anyone! My priority is to learn, and Marie is simply my roommate and nothing more."

"Hey, I'm not the one you'll have to convince. She's gonna skin you alive before the semester's out, and you know it."

Double D sighed. "Can we please change the subject?"

Somewhere, somehow, the powers above granted Double D that when a rather disheartened Ed walked into the room with his head held low. He dropped down onto the couch without a word and continued to stare at the floor.

"Sheesh, what's your deal, Lumpenstien?" Eddy asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"It's just terrible. Abandon all hope ye who enter here. The end times are upon us!" Ed moaned out, his tone rose and fell.

Double D put his planner away and redirected his attention to Ed. He wore a concerned expression and reached out to his taller friend, "Whatever is the problem, Ed?"

Ed sighed and reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a wrinkled piece of paper. Double D took it and read it over as Ed continued, "In my media literacy class I gotta give a big presentation at the end of the semester. I really don't know what I'm gonna do guys!"

"No biggie, just skip it." Eddy offered.

"I'm afraid that's not an option," Double D started, he finished reading the course syllabus and handed it back to Ed, after folding it up, "That particular class assignment is worth more than a quarter of his grade. It's serving as the class's final."

The tears in Ed's eyes threatened to break through their barrier, "Say it ain't so!"

"There, there, Ed." Double D comforted his friend, "You've got an entire semester to prepare for it. Why with the right planning you could have this presentation ready to give and well rehearsed by the due date!"

"That's all well and good, but you're forgetting about how bad Lumpy is at giving speeches. Remember that time he almost peed his pants in lit class?" Eddy giggled.

Double D shot him a hateful glance, "You're not helping, Eddy."

"Yeah, and neither is talking about plannin' or preparin'. That's not how you cheer him up."

"Oh, and all of a sudden you're the expert in cheering people up?" Double D challenged. He folded his arms in front of him for effect.

Eddy ignored him and grabbed the remote, "Ed? Oh, Ed?" he called out to his anxious friend, "Did you know that the Gore Channel is having a marathon tonight? One on zombies, aliens, and mutants."

In an instant, Ed's demeanor shifted. He looked up and a smile broke his lips, he turned to his friends, and with a childlike wonder he laughed and asked, "Can I see the remote?"

Eddy tossed him the remote and said, "Knock yourself out, Big Guy!"

Double D stood up and collected his things, "While a horror movie marathon sounds appetizing, you're all well aware of my…aversion to blood." he said.

"And slime! And pus! And radioactive mucus!" Ed listed off, cheering as he recounted just a few of his favorite things.

"Yes yes." Double D nodded with a smile, happy that his friend was no longer sad. "Gentlemen, if you'll excuse me. I'm going to retire for the evening." he gave a nod and turned to leave.

Eddy rolled his eyes as he adjusted himself to take up both his and the now vacant space open on the couch while Ed waved.

The marathon had just kicked off with the classic remake of "No Time 2 Die II: Dead O'clock" and Eddy was just happy to be spending time with his friend, who devoured every second the movie was on the screen. Eddy glanced away from the scene right as the main hero was disemboweling a horde of the undead with a weedwhacker when he saw Lee Kanker slink into her dorm. He waited and watched for a few more seconds before he stood. He was satisfied she was alone and needed to have a word with her. He feigned a yawn and called out to his friend as he exited the lounge, "Man, am I beat? Sorry Ed, but I gotta hit the sack."

"Aw but you're missing the best part!" Ed called back to him.

"We've seen that move like a thousand times." He said as he made his way towards Lee's room.

Ed just shrugged and continued to watch the film. He was a fan of the remake due to its practical effects that used water hoses for the blood sprays. His thoughts wafted away when his nose picked up on the familiar scent. Fresh cut spring flowers strewn across a babbling brook with a hint of lemon. He tore his eyes from the screen when he saw a smiling face standing a few feet away nursing a large bowl of steaming popcorn.

"Room for one more?" May Kanker asked.

Double D crept into his room and wasn't surprised to see his roommate laying on her bed, one leg hung off the edge and rested on the floor. She held her phone in front of her face and flipped through something-or-other. When she noticed Double D's entrance she looked up and smiled, "Hiya, dreamboat!"

"Good evening, Marie." he replied. He set the work he wanted to get done that night on the surface of his desk before dropping the bag underneath it. "I hope your first day has panned out well?"

She shrugged, "Guess so."

Double D kept his composure and set about getting his work done. He knew that this would be just the distraction he needed from Marie. If he was going to make this semester work, and he was determined to do so, he needed to come up with a plan to drive that blue haired distraction out of his mind so that he could focus on what was important.

"How was yours?" she asked after a brief silence.

He jolted up from his work, that was odd. He couldn't have heard her right, "E-excuse me?" he ventured.

"How. Was. Your. Day?" she drug out.

Was Marie Kanker asking him how his day had been? In the past she didn't seem the type to care about these things, being more interested in pushing Double D into uncomfortable situations. A small smile played on his lips as he returned to the textbook open before him. "It was wonderful. Thanks for asking."

"This has gotta be like heaven for you." she commented.

"I suppose that's a safe assumption." his smile deepened.

He heard her sigh and the bed shift under her, "You're so cute."

There was another brief silence between them as he flipped a few pages, scanned the first chapter, and took down some notes. His concentration was broken when a question played on his brain. He flicked his pencil around in front of him for a few seconds before turning his attention to Marie. Her back was to him now as she faced the wall, phone still in hand. His face stiffened a bit, but he plowed through the doubt, feeling the need to have this question answered outweighed the risks.

"Marie?" he called out. Her scrolling stopped and rolled over to face him, "May I ask you a question?" he asked once her attention was on him.

She wore a quizzical expression and looked almost unsure. Throughout their time together he had asked her very few questions, "Shoot." she shrugged, trying the playoff the nervous pit that was growing in her stomach.

"Well…it's just." he stammered, "I never would have guessed you and your sisters would be interested in continuing your educations."

Her eyes narrowed and she interrupted him, "What? You think we're not good enough?" she accused. The malice in her voice seeped through.

"No no! Not at all!" he said holding his hands up, "I think furthering your education is a fantastic idea that will bring you numerous opportunities in life." Her expression remained the same as she bore into him, "I just wanted to ask what your major is?" he continued.

Her face dropped. Was he showing genuine interest in her? This was new. "General Studies." she replied, turning attention back to her phone.

"General studies." he repeated to himself, "Are you unaware of what you're interested in major wise?"

"Eh, not really."

"Well, what are you thinking?" he asked, his interest piqued.

She groaned and dropped her arms down to her sides, she stared up at the ceiling and answered, "What I'm thinking is that it doesn't matter." she relented. Somewhere, deep down, she knew this conversation was bound to occur at some point. She didn't think it would be this soon, but she knew Double D's interest in others and desire to help them would shine through.

He cocked his head, "Doesn't matter?" he asked. The confusion laced his voice.

"Yep." she replied.

"How could you say that expanding your education, getting a degree, and taking the first steps of the rest of your life don't matter?"

"Easy. 'Cuz it doesn't."

He was baffled. This was not something he could wrap his very articulate head around. She had to admit he looked cute as he tried to understand her reasoning, but it just hammered home the core differences between the two of them. The hurt panged her heart, but she tried to drown it out by staring into his big eyes.

"Would you care to elaborate?" he asked after several moments of deep thought.

She needed to pull the ripcord and eject herself from this conversation and that specific line of questioning. It was too dangerous, and while she could bullshit everyone else, she knew that Double D's genuine compassion might bring too much emotion out of her. That wasn't something she wanted to do right now. So, she did what she did best, make the beanie clad boy squirm.

She hopped up and sat on the edge of the bed, "I'll tell ya on one condition." she winked.

Double D's face dropped, and the reality of his situation came crumbling back down. He had pushed too far, and now he was going to have to deal with the repercussions. He watched in horror as she stood up and approached, her stride slow and deliberate like a lioness ready to pounce. When she reached him, she turned the chair around from the desk making him face her fully, and clasped both hands down on his shoulders causing him to gulp. She moved closer, a mere inches away from his face, "You gotta kiss me."

Double D shot up out of his chair with a speed and force that caused the surprised Marie to stumble backward, "Well, I think this was a very constructive conversation. But if you will excuse me, I need to finish my notes." he said with a nervous laugh. He sat himself back down and turned back to his work.

Marie shrugged and went back to her bed, "Party pooper." she commented returning her gaze to the screen of her phone.

The door behind Eddy shut and he was greeted with a generous view of Lee as she rifled through her bag on the floor. Her tight jeans hugged her figure and only complemented her features. Eddy couldn't help but admire it. She peeked over behind her and eyed him, a smile playing on her lips, "Like whatcha see?" she asked.

Eddy turned his gaze towards the ceiling, he was a man on a mission and couldn't take any distractions. Business before pleasure after all, and he knew that in order for this to go the way he needed it to they couldn't have any repeats from their complicated history together. "We need to talk." he replied with the best emotionless tone he could muster.

Lee stood up and tossed a binder onto her bed before approaching her unwanted guest, "About what?" she asked, not hiding the displeasure in her tone. He was still on her shit list and unless he came to apologize, massage her feet, and ask her out this wasn't a conversation she wanted to have.

"About us." he said, through a narrowed gaze.

She barked out a laugh, "There is no us."

"Not like that."

"Then like what?" she hissed. The humor from the laugh evaporated.

"I don't want any trouble from you. And I don't want your sisters to give my friends any more shit."

She sneered, "They're their own women. They can make their own decisions."

"Don't bullshit me." he said, the anger in his tone growing.

Lee defused the situation by pushing him back into the door causing the tough guy act to vanish.

"I don't like your tone." she said, "They're big girls. They can do what they want. And it's not any of your damn business." She bore down.

"It is when you guys are screwing things up for us!" he relented.

"Oh please! We're the least of your worries on that front, lady killer. You're an asshole and that's always going to hold you back." Eddy didn't respond, he just bit his tongue and glared up at her. Lee continued with the momentum, she wasn't going to give him a chance to gain any ground. "Me and my sisters are here for our own reasons. I'd be lying if I said you and ya boys weren't three of 'em. But you and I both know I don't wanna set foot back in that trailer park. You may act all big and bad, but we both know there's more to me and you than you're lettin' on. At least there used to be."

Eddy avoided her gaze, finding the floor more interesting than the conversation at hand. She had a way of making him shut up, something almost no one else could do. She continued her rant, "You want me to leave ya alone? Fine. But I'll only screw off if ya look me in the eyes right now and tell me that's whatcha want. Whatcha really want, and that whateva was between us is dead."

Eddy could only manage to mumble out some incoherent nonsense feeling like a child being scolded by his mother. He had intended on coming in here and ending this thing once and for all. He thought he would crusade in and secure his and his friends' college experience that he so longed for. Instead, she called his bluff. She caused him to fumble and hadn't relented any. Now he was in the hot seat. It was supposed to be the other way around, dammit.

The smile broke across her face, and she stared at him. The seconds raced by and seemed to mount into hours, "That's what I thought. Now go on. Run off. I'll see you tomorrow."

Eddy's clenched his jaw and stared into her intense gaze for a moment before he exited. He hated her for being right, for always challenging him and beating him to punch, for outplaying him at his own games, and always being ready for his retaliations. In truth he admired those qualities about her, it's what made her different from anyone else he knew. It's what also made everything so damn hard.

If she had been like anyone else in his life maybe he would have been able to cut her out of it. Maybe he could ignore her passing glances and push her out of his mind. He had tried to retaliate in the only way he knew how, with anger. With an intensity that drove off anyone save for a select few, and even then, they had their limits to his bullshit. But not Lee Kanker. No, she would only respond, in full, with a double dose of the same brand of passion. Sure, he was used to people replying to him with anger, malice, and irritation. Hell, he'd gotten enough of that when he was a kid, and everyone made it clear that they didn't have time for his short temper. But nobody could throw it back at him quite like Lee could. She could pitch it twice as hard and twice as fast, catching him off guard and throwing him off his balance. Even after all these years, it hadn't dissipated. It had only grown stronger, more intense. Eddy would be lying through his teeth if he denied his attraction towards that fact about her alone. The numerous other reasons were only bonuses.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked to his and Ed's room. He wanted to lay down after that. He felt exhausted. Felt like he was a kid again being chased by her and her sisters through the junkyard or the lane. But something kept repeating itself inside his head. What she said, and how she had said it for that matter. The intensity in her glare and the fire that burnt with each word almost made him dizzy. A familiar feeling was welling in his stomach, one of anxiety and excitement. A unique cocktail that only she could stir up. She had said she would see him tomorrow, and as much as he hated himself for feeling this way, he was looking forward to it.

To Ed's credit, he didn't jump off the couch screaming as he ran away. No, instead he sat there wide eyed and with his lips pursed together like he had just sucked on a lemon. He stared at her and risked the odd glance down at the bowl of popcorn here and there.

"I brought some popcorn." she said, as she looked everywhere but at the boy who was sitting alone in the lounge. "Want some?" she asked.

Ed only nodded and watched her approach. She sat next to him, but not as close as she could have. She left a sizable gap between the two of them on the sofa and placed the bowl in the center. "Whatcha watchin'?" she asked, "Is it good?"

Ed nodded again and moved to pick up a single piece of popcorn which he brought to his eyes and inspected it for any imperfection, any poison, or mind control device. When he was satisfied, he dropped it on his tongue and tested the flavor. It melted in a delightful mixture of salty and buttery flavors. He swallowed and forced it down without so much as a bite.

He looked over at May with fearful eyes. She seemed to be coming in peace. That was evident from her offering and the small smile that she wore. Ed scratched his brain. It was true that she and her sisters had calmed down in the last few years. They stopped chasing them around and torturing them with embarrassing acts of sexual humiliation. Ed hadn't had to run from her in a long time. It was what let her get this close. Well, that and the popcorn.

"It's called No Time 2 Die II: Dead O'clock." he replied. He didn't take his eyes off the girl who could escalate into a threat at any given moment. Ed may not be the smartest crayon in the toolshed, but he made up for it in caution and resourcefulness. He had no doubts that if she turned, he would take a running jump out the second story window on the other side of the room.

Her smile grew and she scooped up a handful of the popcorn for herself. "What's it about?" she asked.

Ed continued to eye her, she was being polite enough and had yet to tackle him or try to kiss him. Maybe she had changed since their childhoods together. Days spent cowering in fear with no option other than to sit and take the abuse that she and her sisters doled out. He turned his attention back to the screen, images of gory horror brought him back to his happy place. It was messed up, sure, but to each their own.

"It's about a mad scientist who creates a time machine, but because it springs a leak of plasma gamma sludge it creates zombies throughout the time vortex."

"Wow that sounds really cool." she beamed, watching the violence unfold on the screen. "Me and my sisters only got public broadcasts back home. They never showed the good stuff like this!"

Ed was dumbfounded, in all his life he had never met a girl that was interested in this sort of thing. No, neither of them had been. His mom thought it was disgusting and something Ed shouldn't watch, and Sarah thought it was a dumb waste of time. But here was May and she was sitting with him and watched it with a face of pure fascination.

"You like it?" he asked.

"Course I do!" she laughed as a zombie's head was bisected with a fire axe, dark green ooze sprayed out and covered the main characters.

A dumb smile couldn't help but play on his lip as he reached down and shoveled a handful of popcorn into his mouth. "If you like this then you'll love what's up next. It's Cowboys vs. Vampires. An ancient vampire lord awakens and summons an army of ghouls in the old west. A small town has to fight off the hordes and slay the vampire lord before sunrise." his enthusiasm in the subject apparent as he droned on.

"Really? I always wanted to see that one!" May snorted as another zombie met his end, this time with the help of a blender that was stuck on his head and switched on the liquify setting.

"It's really cool. And then after that, Mutants Ate My Tax Collector!"

"What's that one about?" May asked, her smile replaced with a full on toothy grin.

Ed rambled on about the upcoming movie and enticed May with his recounts of the plots, effects, and the violence that was aplenty. She nodded in between handfuls of popcorn as she stared at the screen, and took in every detail of the schlock. When the excitement had passed, and when she and Ed pulled themselves from the couch hours later, she would realize that not only was this the longest she had ever spent with Big Ed, but it was also the most the two of them had ever conversed. When that notion would hit it, later into the next day, she would swoon and pray to whoever would listen about a repeat scenario. There would be other movie marathons after all, and the more she spent with Ed, the better.