Edward: Hello ?
Edward is a bit confuse from the long pause after his confession .
Edward: Marie , is this a bad time ?
Edward ask politely as he wait for a response. On the other side , Marie is blushing like a tomato as she can't believe what she just heard , a full and sincere love confession from Edward. She can't even muster any words to response as she is flabbergasted right now . Her heart is beating so fast that it became the only she can hears right now . Ever since they start talking together again , her heart has been opening up to him and he has ever been so honest with her . She knows there are things that he can't share with her , something deep but he has made it clear that he is trying to change for the better , for her. She collects herself as she prepare to answers .
Edward: If this a bad time then I will call you later then . I'm...
Marie immediately reaches for her phone and stops Edward from ending the call .
Marie : I'm here , I'm here . I was just done making my cookies . The oven was ringing so I have to make sure it doesn't get burned.
Edward is surprised as he thinks that Marie didn't here his confession.
Edward: So did you heard anything that I said a minute just now ?
Marie starts to panic as she basically lied to Edward about not hearing his confession.
Marie : I'm sorry , I wasn't on the phone . Do you want to tell me something?
Edward is surprised and a bit relieved that she didn't hear him .
Edward: I was just checking on you that's all . What made me call you earlier today was taken care off so you don't have to worry about it . I'll see you at school tomorrow.
Marie's inner voice is screaming at her for lying to Edward after he spoke with his heart to her .
Marie : I would love that .
She lied , she doesn't know what to do after lying to him , potentially breaking his heart after hearing those heart warming words .
Edward: Alright then , good night .
Marie : Good night .
Edward ends the phone and Marie immediately screams .
Marie : Why did I lied , he was being so sincere, I'm a terrible person . Marie , you know how he feels about you , you know how you feel about him . Why didn't you say what you wanted to say . Oh my God, how can I even face him again .
She cries and wine ,rolling all over her bed as she contemplate what she just done . Over on Edward side .
Edward: Oh my God, I think I just dodge a bullet . I'm gonna stop drinking cause I didn't know what came over me . Better head to work to distract myself. May be trying to play it cool when we meet tomorrow then when it is the perfect moment, I will just have to remember those lines. Yeah , I think it's better this way.
Edward continues walking,feeling oddly relieved as how he avoided moving too fast with Marie . May be the adrenaline was still kicking but it doesn't change how he feel about her . May be he is just afraid of her rejecting again. Edward makes a quick call to his boss about possibly arriving late to which his boss asked him why .
Edward: I may have got into a little war at school and just beat up 6 idiots that try to jump him .
Boss : Wow , and you are still good for work ?
Edward: My hands are a bit busted right now so i may be a bit slower than usual.
Boss : Listen Edward, like I'm being honest . Recently we got into of a bit of a financial problem and we can't have a 15 year old working under us . The laws here are Very Tough here if you understand me .
Edward is a bit saddened that he lost his job all of a sudden but doesn't hold a grudge since he knows why Chuck is doing this . Chuck is not an honest guy but he does treat his worker right which is why Edward started working under him a few months back . They bonded quite well but nothing last forever and Edward will have to deliver the bad news to his brothers.
Boss : Listen, I'll send you the hours that you have worked so you don't have to worry about me cheating here . No hard feelings kid , hope you can understand.
Edward sighs but doesn't get angry , just a bit sad .
Edward: Thanks Chuck. It's been fun working for you . Give the guys my goodbye, alright ?
Boss : Sure thing , kid .
His boss ends the call as Edward sits at the bus stop , thinking about how can he make some extra money now . His hands are out of commission so he won't get a new job as well , may be he needs to let thing settle before finding a new way to make money .
Edward takes a few minutes break before going to the bus station that will get him home . On the way home , he just continues to scroll through the local job market site to may be find his next gig . Although he wants to rest up , his restless mind won't let him as he thinks about his options. Getting close to the trailer, he can hear the voice of his brothers celebrating their victory which make Edward smiles and happy as he opens the door and goes inside.
Eddy : Hey man , thought you were at work .
Eddy and Ed are by the table with a bunch of foods that they bought on the cheap .
Edward: Not anymore.
Edward drop his bag beside the couch as lays on it to rest.
Eddy : Did you get fired?
Eddy is concern as he can see the sadness on his brother face .
Edward: Just lay off , legal problems so I can't work there anymore.
Eddy: Must that new mayor , she and her crusade for the children. Load of BS more like it .
Edward: Guess we have to go back to mom left over and sale hunting again boys .
Ed : I like hunting in the mall and on the field as well as we Viking must live off the lands .
Eddy : I don't mind , beside we can always make a quick buck from eliminating our competitors.
Edward: True but until I'm healed, we better stay off taking random fights .
Eddy: And better not get caught alone .
Edward: Agree , now let get something to eat before mom gets home and made a mess again .
The three brothers start eating as they fill their stomach after a wild day . Leaving one full box for their mother. With a full stomach, they start doing their chores and homework before crashing early . Just over 9 , Ed and Eddy are in their bunk beds, snoring while Edward sits outside the trailer, waiting for his mother to return. While he waits , he looks at his hands and remembered the warm feelings of Marie . He starts to think about trying at school to get a scholarship, may be leaving this place behind but he notices that he can't, not yet at least . His mother is a major issue , he can't leave her on her own in this broken state . He remembers when he was quite young that she always distance herself from him , the way she looks at him was just different from his brothers but it wasn't just hate , it was also fear . His mother fears him just as much as she hates him but he never truly knows why . Is it his unnatural strength and intelligence that made his mother thinks he is a monster?
can't since Ed is much stronger than him . What about wits ? Eddy has a talent for numbers himself so it doesn't make sense as well . Why then ? As he thinks about his past , he can hears footsteps coming towards him from dark woods . He hasn't get a good look at who is it so he is a bit on edge but when the figure emerged from the woods is his mother , he breathe a sigh of relief as his mother is finally home and judging from the way she walk ,she is at least half sober . Lisa Kanker finds her son sitting outside of the trailer in the cold night in shock as she doesn't want to even look at him .
Mother : why are you out here ? Aren't you supposed to be at work or something?
She throws the question at him in an insulting way to get a quick answer out of him before heading inside since she doesn't want to linger any further.
Edward: I don't have a job anymore , the least I can do is making sure you arrive home safe .
Mother : Safe ? I don't need you to look after me ,you little shit . I feel unsafe just being close you .
Edward sighs as he opens the door to the trailer.
Edward: I don't want to argue with you , mom . Just go inside and rest , I need to take a walk anyway .
Edward starts walking away in the opposite direction to the nearby stream where they get their water from to relax a bit .
Mother : Fine , I hope you don't comeback to bother me in my sleep anyway .
Lisa heads inside and see the place is tidy and neat . Dropping her bag by the table , she finds the box full of food with a note that said " eat up mom , from your sons " . She checks on Ed and Eddy , finding them soundly asleep as she goes to rest on the couch . Grabbing a sandwich from the box , she takes her time eating as he turns on the television to watch the news . While she was watching, she notices Edward's school bag is next and a note is sticking out from the stack of books .
Lisa : Job listing , have to find one soon , I have to help my family.
Lisa breathes a deep breath then let out of a long sighs as she is disappointed in herself for making her sons life miserable. She puts it back in and head over to the cupboard to get her bottle of whisky to drink her sorrow away but she couldn't put the drink in her mouth , it's just doesn't work . Putting the bottle back in , she goes back to the couch as she decides to end the night early after her meal .
While everyone is soundly asleep, Lisa suddenly wakes up after a nightmare hits her , the same one which has been plaguing her for the past few years . She gets up and goes to the sink to get a class of water but finds Edward sleeping on the table . He is wearing his hoody and showing signs he is cold . Lisa let out a sighs as she goes to Edward bed and get a blanket for him . When she is about to put it on , she hears Edward talk in his sleep in mumbles.
Edward: I can't abandon you , mom . You are my mother even after all the hate you gave me , I still love you .
Lisa just put her hand on her face as she just want to cry from what she just heard . She caress his cold cheek which her warm hand made him squirm a bit in his sleep as she whispers.
Mother : I have always love you , Edward. The reason I tried to make you hate me cause I can't live with myself knowing I failed you and your brothers . I thought may be by making you hate me , you will lead your brothers away from me . Live a better life but i seems i have failed that too . There is much you don't know and it's for the best that you never would .I dont deserve to have a wonderful son like you .
She is on the verge of tears as she tucks Edward in , she finds his injured hands ,from the white color bandages standing out in the dark . She is dishearten at the sight of him getting hurt physically,possibly by her . She gently put the blanket over as she walks away , no longer can stand being close to him . The pain is just too much to bare with her already defeated soul . In the upscale part of the city where the top reside , a dark figure sits behind an office desk at the top of a tall sky scraper in the center of the busy metropolis. He presses a button on his control board and with in seconds , his secretary walks through the door , gravely striding toward him before stopping just one step in front of the desk . Hands on her sides as she waits for his command .
Secretary: What can I help you with ,sir ?
The man doesn't turn around , continue to look down on the city through the glass window.
The Man : How is the search going ? Any progress so far ?
Secretary: The most recent location we found her to be at was at a small trailer park , far in the suburb . She didn't register her name so by the time we found the location , she has already moved on .
The Man : What about him ?
Secretary: our PI have managed to find him and profiled him . The file will be send in tomorrow but he is seems to be on to us .
The Man : I expect nothing less from him . He has grown into what I have hoped him to be and now ,it's time to bring him to me .
He stands up from his chair .
The Man : Brings me my son .
The next day , as the Kanker family all get up at the same which is rare as the three settle for some left over while their mother made her cup of Joe. Everyone is silence as one words could trigger an entire argument every time Edward and his mother are near each other . Lisa leaves first without much of a words , only leaving the three with a few dollars to buy some lunch . Edward gives the money to Ed and Eddy as the three pack up for school. The boys take their time walking to the station, discussing on what they should do for the day .
Eddy : Man , I wonder how the school going to react to the fact we just humiliated a bunch of sophomore and junior , outnumbered and outgunned.
Edward: Probably the way that have always been. Scared .
Eddy : You got that right . Lunch money won't be a problem after our victory.
Eddy laughs in cheer while Edward thinks about how this news may affect his relationship with Marie , afraid she might see him as a monster like what happened a few years back .
Eddy : Oh yeah , Yo D . Could you do us a solid and keep those bandages on ? it will look like battle wounds and make us look even cooler for the girls . Except for you since you already have your girl , that's remind me . Ed ?
Ed immediately runs to his side to Edward confusion. The two put their arms around each other shoulders and chant .
Ed and Eddy : D and Marie sitting under a tree . K I S S I N G .
The two laughs as they make kissing gesture with their hands , implies Edward and Marie have kissed each other .
Edward: OK, real nice there guys . I thought you actually grown up for once, Eddy .
Edward is a bit irritated and Eddy knows it .
Edward: You would stop doing that after we join Junior high.
Eddy: Oh yeah , like I was ever gonna . I approved her but that doesn't mean I can't make fun of you two being together. Now where was I, Edward got a girlfriend, Edward got a girlfriend.
Edward: Eddy ..
He gnarled at his brothers as they start chasing each other out of the woods and to the bus station. At the station,Marie is already there by herself as she is still deep in thought about his confession and the guilt of lying is eating her . Sitting by herself, she just keep imagine every possible scenario that would happened when the truth come out that she lied about not hearing his confession. She doesn't even notice that her friends are gathering around the station as the bus is about to arrive.
Lee : Yo , Marie , wake up , don't study before we get to school , will you ?
Lee snaps her finger at Marie to get her attention and it finally works as Marie pays attention to her surroundings.
Marie : wah , wait , what ?
Lee : Jesus , you are boring me beyond belief and we haven't got to school yet .
Lee goes back to talking to May as Marie stands up and clear up her thoughts a bit before the bus arrive. The brothers are still chasing each other as they turn the corner . Their little fun catch the attention of the teens as they start to whispers about the aftermath of the war .
Lee : Yo , May , did you hear those 3 just beat up 6 of the school bullies who are older than them . They like humiliated Jake Sullivan for real , made him look like a baby .
May : Yeah , I heard . Basically they didn't break a sweat from what I heard . Who can even stops them at this point ?
Marie overheard the conversation and immediately get concerned about Edward fighting in his injured state .
Lee : The bus better get here quick cause I don't think any of us want to be near them right now. We could be their next victim .
The teens prayers seems to be answered as the bus arrive and everyone immediately gets on while the brothers are still one block away . Some of the teens rush the driver to just get going but the man refuses as any complaints about his job will affect his pay and it's already not much so he waited for the brothers to arrive . Ed and Eddy are still laughing hard at their brother while they run for their lives to the bus .
Eddy : Hurry Ed , get to the bus , he won't dare fight us in front of his girlfriend. haha
Edward yells at his brother: God dammit Eddy .
Eddy laughs as he knows he is right . Eddy made it first then Ed as they immediately get to the back seat before Edward could even get on . By the time he gets on , Eddy is already sitting and pointing at Marie while everyone else is looking Edward. He looks back everyone and sees them acting scared to his expectations , finding a seat the back with his brothers. He walks past Marie as he doesn't even greet her as in he can't reveal their relationship just yet .
Eddy: Oh this was just so funny .
Edward : Will you just shut up already?
He whispers loudly to make his intentions clear that he doesn't want to continue this . Eddy stops but still giggling as he goes on his phone and past his time with Ed while Edward examine his hands . He starts unwrapping the outside layers and sees there hasn't been much bleeding so it's a good sign that his hands are recovering well.
Edward: I still need to go to the infirmary to check on my hands and probably need someone to go with me .
He intentionally speaks that in normal tone , just loud enough for Marie to hears him as she recognize that he is asking her to come with him . Eddy picks it up and chimes in .
Eddy : I'm busy with Ed , can't come. I already missed too many for just the first month.
Edward: It's fine, it's just a check up anyway . I should ...
Edward is just about to finish his sentence then received a text on his phone . He pulls it out and finds it's from Marie . Smiling just from Marie kindness toward him,he thanks her in text as they promised to meet each other at the infirmary to catches up on their day . The rest of the drive is quiet as everyone tends to themselves and no one wants to disturb the brothers . When the bus arrive at school, everyone who isn't a Kanker immediately runs scare off the bus while the brothers take their time , slowly and steady . With the three out , the bus goes to the parking space as they walk to the front door . Everyone just stays to the side , chattering about their recent exploits which Eddy feels proud and excited for ,Ed is just like always while Edward doesn't even bother to repay the attention. The brothers spilt as Edward goes to the infirmary while Ed and Eddy head to the hideout to skip the first class . While Eddy is walking across the hall ,he overheard some talk about a new student transferring to his school and apparently ,she is quite the catch and has charms that can make senior blush . Eddy is thrilled to the challenge as he continues on to his destination while Edward march on to the infirmary. By the time he gets there , Marie is already there with the nurse waiting for him .
Marie : HI , you are here .
Marie is so awkward when greeting Edward that makes him raise his eyebrows in confusion.
Edward: Yes , I am .
Edward heads over to the nurse to get his check and she waste little time peeling off the layers to examine the injury.
Nurse: My , your hands are almost fully healed . Just a couple more days and you will barely see any red skin with how fast you are recovering. Also , you won't need a sick note so you can and should attend class like usual.
She makes a new wrap which is thinner than before , all while Marie is still unable to finds her words.
Edward: Can I attend gym class , Miss ?
Nurse : Depends on the sport but it's best that you hold it off for a day or two more .
Edward: Alright, thank you .
Nurse : You're welcome.
The nurse finishes up as she returns to her desk as Edward gets up and checking his hands . It's much better than before but still injured, a day worth of rest will be good enough to heal him back to fighting shape. Edward gets his bag and goes over to Marie ,noticing she is distracted and lost in thoughts even as he is getting closer to her , when he is in front of her and still she hasn't noticed him , he flicks her forehead. It startled Marie as she rubs her forehead and look up only to finds Edward staring at her .
Edward: Are you OK? are we about to take a test or something cause it still too early to study ?
He jokingly smiles as he turns around and start heading out first. She quickly gathers her things and follow him into the hallway. When they are finally side by side , she finally able to speak again.
Marie : I was just thinking about the new transfer student that's all , I was tasked to show her around the school after the first two class .
Edward: We are having a new student? In our homeroom class ?
Marie : Yes , she is quite the student as well. Top grades across the board , also very pretty , much prettier then me .
Edward stops the both of them by pinning his arms into the wall , surround Marie as she can only helplessly watches Edward gets closer and closer to whisper in her ears.
Marie: Don't be jealous, we still have a promise to keep . May be I will throw in a kiss at the end of our dance to incentive you .
Edward just has a seductive and devious grin on his face as he leans in closer for a kiss . Marie can only breathe faster and faster as she slowly tilt her head and raise her lips closer and closer till .
Edward: Not so fast , we still have to dance first .
He stops her by gently placing his finger on her lips , stopping her from getting closer as he releases his hold and walks away . Marie just explodes with embarrassment as she can't no longer take the heat anymore as she follow Edward over the corner then bump bump into him but he doesn't even budge as she steady herself and look over Edward to find the new student is standing in front them .
