Beanie Head and Blue Hair
4,300 words in this chapter!
"Okay." said Marie as she straightened her back, stretching it.
"We shall return to the living room, as it's where I discuss work with every one of my groupmates." said Edd as he stood up and began to walk, gesturing for Marie to follow him.
Marie stood up and followed Edd into the living room, fixing her hair as she looked down
"Please sit." Edd said as he gestured with his hand to the sofa, looking at Marie with a smile.
Marie sat down, looking around the living room.
"Let me get things prepared." said Edd as he walked to the room on the right of the front door, it was the room where Edd kept most of his school supplies.
Marie crossed her legs as she waited, glancing over briefly, she saw Edd rolling a whiteboard, bringing it over.
Edd settles the board in front of the TV, adjusting the board briefly.
"Wow. Do we really need that?" asked Marie, looking at the board.
"You'd be surprised at how often people forget and alter their options, essentially losing track of her decisions and having to rethink. This might be needed." said Edd.
"I have a pretty nice memory." said Marie, looking at Edd, smiling as she leaned left, her left hand holding her body up on the couch.
Edd had an intrusive thought, "You also have a pretty nice face.". He quickly brushed it to the side.
"Just in case, M-Marie." said Edd, checking the markers in the pen tray.
"Ouch. Haha." exclaimed Marie.
"Although I do believe you do have a brilliant mind." said Edd, writing the markers on the board to test the ink. Thinking about the times he witnessed Marie's beautiful artworks in the art classes they shared throughout school.
"Really? Why?" said Marie, her voice pitched as her eyes widened in excitement, accompanied by a smile. She was curious as to why Edd would believe that. She doesn't receive compliments regarding her intellect or creativity that much.
"For one, you're creative, artistic... As I've already stated..." said Edd, thinking about something else to compliment Marie on as he had already said creativity. He knew there was more, he's trying to pinpoint exactly what. Now just writing random things on the board as he's focused on the conversation.
"Yeah you literally said that a minute ago." said Marie, looking down on her thighs, smiling.
"... I suppose, if you remember, the- uhm- Traps, that you have designed and built to trap me, and my friends back then." said Edd, after hesitating to bring it up.
"Oh." exclaimed Marie, looking up at Edd briefly before turning back to her thighs, a small guilt in her heart, her smile fading.
"And I recall you being fond of car engines and machinery!" said Edd, finding the answer to his question.
He had observed Marie at the junkyard multiple times throughout their time together. Back then, he would be with his 2 friends, and Marie would be with her 2 sisters. Ed, Edd n' Eddy would run out of the junkyard when they noticed the Kankers present there with them.
But sometimes, the exit would be blocked, and they had no choice but to hide and watch. He noticed how Marie would search for scraps, becoming extremely excited when she would find abandoned car axles. Even shouted it at the top of her lungs.
After they had stopped acknowledging each other, Edd, walking through the lane, or doing his own exploration at the junkyard, would notice Marie alone at the junkyard a few 1 or 2 times each year. Checking out abandoned cars.
"Yeah. That doesn't mean I have a "brilliant mind", though." said Marie, still looking down at her thighs. She never prided her intellect or creativity.
"Well, just my opinion." said Edd as he closed the marker and wiped the whiteboard clean.
"Mhm." exclaimed Marie, checking her nails.
Dead air between the two.
Marie then stood up, looking at the whiteboard, and she began to walk over to it.
"Is this two-sided?" asked Marie, examining the white board.
"Yes." Edd said as he flipped the whiteboard to the other side.
"Okay, I have an idea." said Marie as she moved the whiteboard slightly further away from the fireplace, positioning it in the carpet.
"What do you have in mind?" asked Edd, stepping back and allowing her to control the work.
"I could work on the design at the back, you could write down the concepts on the other side. While we talk about what we should do with the work." said Marie as she stepped behind the whiteboard, on the side of the fireplace.
"Of course." said Edd as he stepped to the side opposite Marie, picking up a marker from the tray.
"See, Marie? You do have a mind more impressive than most." Edd thought to himself.
"Alright, let's begin." said Edd as he looked at the whiteboard, his head filled with ideas.
"Okay!" Marie says as she picks up a marker.
Marie began to draw her vision of what the paper would look like. Edd wrote down the questions they needed to answer. They both continued until Edd finished writing, which didn't take long, he then began to ask Marie the questions.
"So... Marie." asked Edd, staring at the whiteboard.
"Mhm hm?" exclaimed Marie from the other side of the board, focused on drawing.
"How many children will we have. Or adopt?" asked Edd.
"Slow down man, we're only friends. Haha." said Marie, chuckling as she smiled.
"Hah- of course, but- Yeah." said Edd, scratching his head, chuckling between his words. Edd was pleasantly surprised that Marie considers him her friend now. So it shall be.
"To be honest... I never thought that far into the future." said Marie, continuing to draw on her side.
She pauses for a few seconds.
"I don't know if I want one." said Marie.
"Well, I for one would want to have atleast one." said Edd.
"How many do you want?" asked Marie, raising an eyebrow.
"Probably two or three. I don't want my child to be a single child." said Edd, looking at the ceiling, then back to the board.
"Oh." exclaimed Marie, she briefly pauses her scribbling, thinking.
"Just write down whatever, then. I still don't know how many I want or even if I actually want one. I really can't picture myself holding a little me and taking care of it yet." said Marie, continuing to draw.
"Alright. I'll write down two." said Edd as he began to write it down.
"Okay." said Marie. Messing up a small spot, she wipes it with her thumb.
"And... what kind of house do we want?" asked Edd, after he finished writing down a single "2".
"I just want a big, comfortable home." said Marie.
"There are many design choices, Marie. Like contemporary, cottage, art deco, and more. And there are many house types, like a ranch, a villa, a bungalow, and more." said Edd, explaining.
"Yeah, I have no idea what any of them look like." said Marie, lightly smiling to herself.
"I believe if you did, you would have a specific and well-defined taste for a house type. But I do and I have no particular preference." said Edd, smiling to himself.
"You're probably right." said Marie, drawing and drawing.
"I would want to live in a house like this with my family." said Edd.
"Yeah? And what's this house type?" asked Marie.
"My house? It's a Cape Cod. Just like every house in the cul-de-sac and the entirety of the suburban neighborhood." answered Edd.
"You can write that down then, a Cape Cod suburban house." said Marie, focused on drawing.
"Alrighty.." said Edd as he wrote it down.
"I'm gonna draw your house on the paper." said Marie.
"I'm sure it will turn out great Marie." said Edd, complimenting Marie as he kept writing.
"We'll see." said Marie, smiling at the compliment.
"Now... who would do what chores around the house?" asked Edd, finishing his drawing.
"Clean your plates, do your own laundry, but the house cleaning stuff, we switch around every week." said Marie.
"Is that what it's like at your place?" asked Edd, curious as to how she came up with an answer so quick.
"Yep." answered Marie.
"Does it work well?" asked Edd.
"Sometimes. May or Lee... or even me is too lazy or too busy to do our own chores, so sometimes it's just left there, until someone finally does it." said Marie.
"Ah, okay." said Edd, nodding his head in acknowledgement.
"But honestly, the idea of a scheduled chore is kinda dumb. Just do it when it's dirty or something." said Marie, narrowing her eyes.
"I'd argue it is very beneficial. Everyone just has to abide to it." said Edd.
"Maybe. Just hard in the Kanker trailer, I guess." said Marie, relaxing her eyes.
"I'll write doing our own dishes and laundry, but share the workload of every other chores." said Edd as he began to write.
"Sure." said Marie, wiping her palm on her pants as it was sweating from drawing.
"I realized I might be home late most days, as a doctor." said Edd, pausing his writing.
"Oh, right. I don't know about me, though, I have no idea what I'm gonna be." said Marie.
Edd was quiet, thinking for a few seconds.
"I'm so not going to be just a housewife, though. I don't see it. I want to at least... do something." said Marie, briefly pouting, still drawing.
"The original answer would suffice, I suppose." said Edd as he continued writing.
"Mhm hm." exclaimed Marie, acknowledging.
"Alright, well, next question.." said Edd.
"Was there four?" asked Marie.
"Yes." said Edd.
The conversation briefly paused as Edd finished writing the answer.
"How would we spend our time together?" asked Edd.
"Right... uhm. When we want to do something together, we just do it together." said Marie, shrugging.
"Okay, but what if one of us is busy when we want to do something?" said Edd.
"Do it later. Be spontaneous, or something." said Marie.
"Of course. I'll write that down." said Edd as he began to write their answer.
"That's all, right?" asked Marie, briefly pausing to think about what she's going to draw, then continuing.
"Yep.." said Edd as he continued writing.
Silence as the sound of the markers scratching the whiteboard, screeching as it glided along the melamine board accompanied them for a brief moment.
"Alright, I finished writing." said Edd as he closed the marker and placed it back in the tray.
"Okay, let me just.." said Marie as she flipped over the board to the other side, showing Edd her side of the whiteboard.
Marie walks to the design side of the board now, looking at her work.
"Oh! It's flipped, haha, oopsies! I forgot about physics." said Marie as she scrambled and spun it back, slightly embarrassed as she smiled and lightly laughed at herself.
Edd softly laughed along with Marie.
Marie then turned the entire whiteboard around, showing Edd the work she had done so far.
"Wow." exclaimed Edd as he scratched his chin, taking in the artwork of Marie. To him, it was beautiful. She truly is gifted. He felt a minor kick in his heart. One of the things he's attracted to and preferred in a partner is intellect and creativity. Though he brushed off the small feeling away very quickly, disregarding it as another intrusive thought.
"What do you think?" asked Marie, looking at Edd for approval, smiling.
"It looks very nice, yes, you drew so much in so little time." said Edd, appreciating the art.
"Heh, thanks. Just tell me if you want anything changed. Right now, you should go get the materials or something." said Marie, turning back to look at her board.
"What do I need?" asked Edd, looking at Marie.
"I'll write it down. Just in case." said Marie as she winked at Edd and walked to the other side of the board.
"Wow, alright, haha." said Edd, with a friendly laugh.
After Edd took a picture of what Marie wrote on the board, he went upstairs to his room to begin printing pictures he needed for the work, getting tools, such as a pair of scissors, and other materials, such as glue.
The printer in his room hummed as it began to print small graphics they planned to add to their work.
After 10 minutes or so, Edd walked downstairs to meet Marie again.
"Hey, Marie, I got everything." said Edd, holding the materials stacked on each other.
No reply, but he can see that Marie is still drawing. Then he realizes she has earbuds on.
Edd slowly walked over, trying his best not to accidentally scare her. He laid the materials down on the floor next to the carpet. He then continued to slowly walk to the left of Marie.
"Hello.." said Edd, looking at Marie.
She turned to look at Edd, as she took one of her wired earbuds off, holding it.
"You got everything?" asked Marie.
"Yep, except the snacks you had requested." said Edd.
"We should totally go buy some. Snack break!" said Marie, closing her marker and putting it back in the tray.
"I believe you should continue drawing for a bit. I'm sure there'll be new materials I have to print." said Edd, gesturing at the board.
"Nah. Other than those, we, or I... can draw them." said Marie, taking off both of her earbuds, unplugging the jack from her phone, wrapping their wires around each other.
"Are you certain?" asked Edd, looking at Marie.
Marie shoved her earbuds into her pockets, she then looked at Edd.
"Yep!" said Marie, smiling at Edd.
"Alright, I see it as a fitting time for a break." said Edd.
"Okay! Let me go get my bag." said Marie as she speedwalked to the kitchen and grabbed her bag that was resting on the kitchen table.
Edd is already at the front door, he had put his orange jacket on, standing waiting for Marie.
She had came back, her bag across her body, she looked at Edd.
"Hold on." said Edd as he switched from his house shoes to a pair of sneakers.
Marie stood waiting for him to put his shoes on.
He finished, then he opened the door, holding it open for Marie to exit.
She walked out, meeting the crisp, cool autumn air as she stepped off the stairs onto the stone path.
"What were you listening to?" asked Edd as he turned back to close the front door.
Marie turned back to look at Edd.
"I forgot but, what do you think I like?" said Marie, pointing at her own face, her other hand on her hips.
"I couldn't say." said Edd as he began to walk towards Marie.
"Try." said Marie, lowering her hands, smiling at Edd.
"Well.. I assume it's something rock. But, I can't say for certain." said Edd, walking beside Marie.
"You're right." said Marie as she walked beside Edd.
A short pause as they crossed the cul-de-sac to the other side.
"What kind of rock?" asked Edd, looking at Marie, putting his hands in his jacket pocket.
"I like limestones. Just kidding, I like... a lot. Punk rock... pop punk.. so, punk, haha. I like buncha' other stuffs too. I like a bunch of other stuff. But it's mostly just punk." said Marie, her eyes darting between the ground, Edd, and the front as she explained her interest.
"Interesting, what artists do you listen to?" asked Edd, curious to learn more.
"Green Day.. Paramore.. bunch of other bands. Just, average stuff for people like me, you know." said Marie, briefly looking at Edd before turning back to look where she's going.
"People like you?" asked Edd, curious what she meant.
"Punks.. or emos.. or goths, I guess. They're different from each other, but I'm somewhere in between them." said Marie, looking at the ground.
"Ah." exclaimed Edd, nodding his head in acknowledgement, turning back to look where he's going.
Short pause between the two as they walk past the lane and the playground.
"What about you? What music you like?" asked Marie, looking at Edd.
"... Well.. don't make fun of me. But classical music, of course." said Edd, looking at Marie briefly before turning back to look where he was going.
"Heh. That's neat. Why would I make fun for you for that?" asked Marie, looking at Edd, raising one of hey eyebrows, smiling.
"It's an uncommon music taste. And it has been described by others as cliché before." said Edd, looking at the ground.
"I'll punch whoever said that." said Marie, smiling.
"Haha, I appreciate that you would do that for me. But I do not condone violence." said Edd, looking at Marie with a smile.
"Hah." Marie chuckled.
"Hm?" exclaimed Edd.
"Nothing, haha. You just..." said Marie
Marie was about to say he sounded cute, but she stopped herself. "I do not condone violence.". So frickin' cute. She felt a kick in her heart.
"You sound like a nerd!" said Marie, playfully laughing as she lightly punched Edd's arm.
"Ouch. That is accurately what I am." said Edd, lightly smiling and rubbing his arm.
"I'm joking. It's.. It's cool, that you have a kind heart like that." said Marie, smiling at Edd.
Edd looked down, appreciating the comment.
"Thank you." said Edd as he looked back up to where they were going.
Silence as they walked, accompanied by the sounds of birds chirping, their footsteps, and gentle wind.
Marie sighed.
"Nice weather for another foggy day." said Marie, looking up at the sky.
After a few more walking and talking, they crossed the road and reached the candy store. It was a nice stroll from Edd's house to the store, usually relaxing, not tiring at all! Except...
"I win!" said Marie, as she stood triumphant, both her fists in the air, in front of the candy store.
Edd slowly ran to catch up with Marie. He arrived next to Marie as he rested his hands on his knees to catch his breath.
"You alright?" asked Marie, looking at Edd.
"This was childish." Edd said quickly, as he panted.
"Eh? What's wrong with it!" said Marie, narrowing her eyes at Edd.
"No-no, it's childish, how- How you thought I had a chance." said Edd as he stood up straight, looking at Marie.
"Oh, haha. You need to work out." said Marie, pointing at Edd.
"My genetics." said Edd, panting in a softer tone than before.
Short pause as he panted.
"Even if I were to have an average physical ability, alike those of my age. I would still lose to you." said Edd, continuing.
"Heh. Maybe you're right. Kanker blood in my genes." said Marie, smiling as she pointed at herself with her thumb.
"You already knew I would lose." said Edd, smiling.
"Yep!" said Marie, smiling wider.
"Let's head in, shall we? I definitely need those sweets now." said Edd as he walked inside the candy store.
They both walked inside, the smell of sugar greeting them. It's a nice and pleasant smell, could cause nausea to people who hate sweets, but overwhelming excitement to those who love it. The shop owner greeted them. She had owned this shop before Edd even moved into Peach Creek. Edd greeted her back.
"Oh, hey, they already got Halloween candies here." said Marie, looking at the section filled with Halloween-themed candies, candy corn, eyeball gummies, and more.
"Yes, Halloween is in a week and a half." said Edd, looking at the section.
"I love these candy corns." said Marie, smiling.
"Pick out anything, I'll pay." said Edd, looking at Marie.
"Really? Thank you!" said Marie, turning back to Edd and her smile widening.
They both looked around the shop. After a few minutes, they both picked out what they wanted, Edd paid for it, receiving a thank you from the shop lady. Then they went out of the store, now walking together with a small bag full of candy, heading back to Edd's house.
"These jawbreakers.." said Marie as she held one in her hand, walking along the sidewalk, with Edd on her left, and the road on her right.
"Yes?" said Edd, looking at Marie, holding a bag in his right hand. His other was in his orange jacket pocket.
"I only bought them, like, once in my life. I was just wondering why you guys liked these so much. You and the neighborhood kids." said Marie, examining the jawbreaker.
"Did you like it?" asked Edd, looking at Marie.
"No." said Marie.
"Oh." exclaimed Edd.
Marie lowered the jawbreaker package back into Edd's bag.
"They're so.. fuckin' hard to eat. It makes me mad." said Marie, looking where she's going.
"Ah." exclaimed Edd.
Together they walked back to Edd's home, ate their snacks as they continued doing their work, finishing it on time. They chit-chatted, laughed and joked as they did the work together. Now's evening, it's time for Marie to head home, there's nothing more to be done.
Edd offered to walk Marie home, and she let him. She said she didn't need it, but Edd claimed he just wanted to to accompany Marie through the evening. Marie appreciated the gesture, she felt a kick in her heart.
"Goodbye, Marie. See you at school." said Edd, waving goodbye to Marie, standing below the wooden stairs to the trailer.
"See you, Edd." said Marie, standing inside the trailer, waving her fingers bye at Edd.
"Hi, bye Edd!" said May, appearing next to Marie in the trailer, waving her hand at Edd.
"Oh, hello May, see you at school also!" said Edd as he backed from the trailer, waving at May. He wonders if May is any different. He then made his way out of the trailer park.
Marie closed the door to the trailer, locking it.
May looks at her with a big smile on her face, fluttering her eyes with her hands behind her back.
"What do you want?" said Marie, looking at her sister, raising one of her eyebrows in suspicion.
"So.. what did he say?" said May, tilting her head looking at Marie.
"Say wh- Oh. Wait, I.. forgot." said Marie, her eyes widening as she realizes.
"You WHAT?!" shouted May, dropping her hands as her eyes widened and her eyebrows furrowing.
"Damn well, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!" said Marie in defense as she puts her hands up.
"No! You run out there and ask him right now!" said May, desperate, pointing at the door.
Marie looked out the door window, and May joined in, peaking through.
"Where is he?!" shouted May, her eyes darting around every bit of area she could see outside.
"I-" said Marie, doing the same.
Slowly, May moved back from the door, staring fiercely at Marie.
Marie slowly turned her head to May.
"You gotta be kidding me! You're doing MY laundry AND my dishes! Until Halloween!" shouted May, pointing at Marie, with her other hand on her hips, and her face furious.
"Fine.. I'll ask him next time, I'll remember to this time, I swear." said Marie, guilty and defeated, rubbing her arm.
"Hmph!" exclaimed May as she quickly stomped back to the couch, shaking the trailer.
CHAPTER 6 END
Edd is at the dinner table with his mom and dad. He sits enjoying his meal and cherishing the little time the family has for each other.
"Oh, mother, I've been meaning to inquire something." said Edd as he lowered his utensils.
"You're welcome to ask about anything, dear." said Edd's mom, looking at him with an endearing smile on her face.
Edd pulled out the post-it note from his pocket that says "Clean away adhesive after peeling off post-it note from the table.".
"Mother, why do you have this one post-it note on the already clean table telling me to wash away the unnecessary adhesive the post-it note left?" asked Edd as he showed her the note, raising his eyebrows.
"To tell you to wash away the adhesive of course." said Edd's mom, covering her mouth with a napkin as she smiled through it.
"But the post-it note isn't needed because it's the only one that leaves adhesive on the table." said Edd, continuing to question.
"Hehe, we were waiting for when you'd come up to us with that." said Edd's mom. Laughing as she lowered her napkin.
"It was originally my idea." said Edd's dad, laughing, looking at Edd, holding a spoon to his own plate.
"But why?" asked Edd, perplexed, looking at his parents.
"To mess with you, of course, we thought you'd never question it after you've been complying with it for years." said Edd's dad.
"Heh, of course." said Edd, smiling as he turned the note back and looked at it.
"Don't turn a blind eye to absurdity, dear." said Edd's mom, smiling to herself.
Cartoony black screen circling in on Edd's face. Then covers the entire scene.