Chapter One:

Sorrow

It was raining outside again.

Edd loved the rain. Each patter of the rain drops on the windowsill soothed his soul as he stared into the grey of the outside. Today he was wearing a black leather jacket with a singular white stripe running down each arm, a grey muscle shirt underneath, his dog tags around his neck, tight black jeans that showed off his muscular legs, black converse shoes with the atom symbol on the bottoms and his typical black, white striped beanie. The teacher was going on about something, but he never listened anymore since he knew pretty much everything the teacher's spewed out of their lips. It annoyed him;the lack of challenge everything had presented to him as of late. He had even taken up the swim team out of boredom and had become the team captain in less than a week, something people still brought up like it was an accomplishment.

Feeling his eyelids getting heavier as the minutes went by, Edd cupped his dog tags and looked down at them. It didn't do much to relieve his boredom, but it was a good distraction as his eyes went over the letters on each one, M and F. With a sigh, he slid them back into his shirt and looked back out the window. He found himself lost in his thoughts again until the bell screamed for everyone to leave class. The walk to his locker was as thrilling as ever with people pestering him about things he couldn't care less about. The only people he talked with anymore was either Jonny, Jimmy, Marie or...a person he really didn't want to think about right.

"Hey, Edd!" yelled someone from father down the hall. Edd didn't even need to turn around to know who it was.

"Nathan, if this is about me playing football then you might as well walk away" Edd said, quickly exchanging his books for his next class and slammed his locker shut for punctuation. The teal haired teen shrunk back, but didn't flee.

"What? No, I just wanted to tell you that...he wants to see you after school."

Edd stared at his shut locker for a moment before turning around.

"I wasn't aware people could order me when I could or could not see him." He said, stomping toward the now scared looking minnow.

"Sorry, I just wanted you to know!" He recoiled back in horror and ran away as quick as his little legs would carry him. Edd sighed wearily and started walking to his next class. The rest of the day went by like a blur, as all he could focus on was his meeting with his pumpkin. It had been weeks since they had seen each other, and he had been falling apart ever since they had went on a break. Of course he didn't show it, he couldn't risk his reputation with something as silly as this. It was the last class of the day and he was busy doing some Calculus work, then when he was finished he started to doodle on the back of his paper. Despite his attempts not to, he could not stop himself from drawing a cutesy pumpkin with several holes in its cheeks and an adorable hat atop it. A small smile made it's way on his face, but he snuffed it out quick enough so no one would see.

The loud scream of the bell sounded and he quickly made his way out of the school, ignoring every call for his attention and cry for recognition. As he headed for their secret spot in the woods near the school, Edd could not help but feel something was wrong. Then again, he almost always felt like that, but he never felt this way about his pumpkin. A few more minutes of walking later and he reached the tallest tree in Peach Creek, good old Randy everyone called him. Probably named after some old idiot who Edd couldn't care less about.

There he was, standing underneath the towering tree like he was posing for an angsty album cover. He was wearing a green sweater with yellow stripes going horizontal on his belly, black shorts and a pair of slip on red sneakers. He kept his head down and leaned against the tree a few feet away, awaiting the freckled boy to make the first move.

"Hey." Kevin said slowly, almost as if it was foreign to him.

"Greetings, pumpkin."

Kevin stayed quiet, waiting for him to say anything else but groaned when he didn't and walked a few feet away.

"Look, I just wanted to let you know Nazz and I are through." He then looked over his shoulder "Is that what you wanted to hear?"

Edd didn't reply at first. Is that what he wanted to hear? Well, of course it was. He had been dangling off the edge of his sanity just being away from his pumpkin for a few weeks and damn him if he was going to let his forbidden fruit slip through his fingers. He approached the boy and placed his hands on his shoulders, making Kevin gasp.

"Of course, pumpkin." He started to slowly massage the boy's tense shoulders "I've been waiting so long to hear that."

Kevin pulled away and looked at him in disgust "Sure you have, since you set this up in the first place." He said, narrowing his eyes "Nazz just so happened to get a confession letter from Marie, and Marie somehow didn't know about it when I asked. Sound's off, don't it?"

Edd stayed silent, not flinching from the accusation. Kevin didn't let up.

"Not going to object?" He threw his hands up and groaned loudly "Why can't you just let me be happy with someone else? Why do you have to sabotage every fucking relationship I get into?" Once again, Edd remained silent.

Everybody, put up your hands

Say "I don't wanna be in love

I don't wanna be in love"

Kevin waited for a moment and rolled his eyes at the silence "Of course, why the hell do I even bother?" He turned to walk away in exasperation, but was forcibly stopped by a rough hand on his shoulder which spun him around to introduce him to Edd's incoming fist. The jolt of pain in his cheek and the surprise of the attack made him fall on the ground, letting out a yelp when he hit the ground. Before he could counter, however, he found himself picked up by the collar and raised to eye level with a teary eyed Edd.

"How dare you accuse me of such things!" The normally composed boy gritted his teeth and raised his fist again, his tears blurring his vision. Kevin struggled and kicked, but knew he could not escape the athlete's iron grip. Moments passed as Edd's fist refused to move, his brain afire with conflicting thoughts. His grip got shakier by the second until he eventually dropped the object of his desires on the ground.

Neither spoke for what felt like hours.

Feel the beat now, if you've got nothing left

Say "I don't wanna be in love

I don't wanna be in love"

Edd tightened his fist and ran off deeper into the forest, his tears leaving a sparkling trail of sadness behind him.

"Kevin!" A familiar voice yelled, coming out of the brush nearby. The teal haired jock offered his hand, but Kevin waved it off, getting up with minimal difficulty himself "What the hell happened?" Nat asked, seeing the cut on the freckled geek's lip.

"Why the hell are you here, Nat?" Nat's eyes narrowed when his question was avoided, but he answered regardless.

"I knew some shit was probably going to go down, so I was going to follow Edd until I got stopped by Mr. Cathro about some fucking science homework. I didn't catch up until I seen him lift you up like that." Kevin crossed his arms and looked unimpressed.

"Thanks for the jumping in Nat, glad to know I can count on you." Nat simply rolled his own eyes.

"Whatever, but you should go after him. Like, right now!"

"Why the hell would I do that?! He ruined my relationship with Nazz and punched me in the fucking face!"

"Dude, it literally only lasted about three weeks! Edd loves you, I know he does!"

Kevin felt the urge to argue back, but bit his tongue. He could go on and on about how stupid Nat's reasoning's were and how'd he'd rather kiss a lobster than talk with Edd again. But he was right. Deep beneath his anger over his destroyed relationship, he knew he still loved Edd. Now that he thought about it, maybe Nat was also right about Nazz. He knew she loved Marie and it was only a matter of time until something drew them together, maybe Edd saw that too? Kevin sighed deeply.

"You're right Nat." Nat looked at him with a raised eyebrow "As always."

"That's better, now go tame that sexy beast."

With a nod, he took off into the sunset glazed forest. His head was abuzz with so many thoughts that he could barely keep up with the one he wanted to focus on, which was questioning his sanity. What was driving him to chase after the person who made his life a living hell and ruined almost everything for him? That question was answered by another thought. Why wouldn't he?

Back it up now, you've got a reason to live

Say: "I don't wanna be in love

I don't wanna be in love"

It didn't take him long to find the handsome boy, who was facing away from him while leaning against one of the many trees with his face shielded by his arms. Kevin was hesitant to get any closer, he knew how easily he could trigger Edd's wrath in the state he was in right now. Regardless of his fear, he took a deep breath and crept closer toward the bad boy. As he drew nearer, he could swear he heard the muffled sounds of crying coming from Edd. Swallowing the rest of his nervousness, he stuck his chest out and got right behind him.

"Edd?" Kevin said cautiously as he reached his hand out.

"You were right." Edd said, his voice harboring sadness and misery "I've done nothing but drive your life further into the arms of misfortune." He slightly looked back at the confused green sweater wearing boy "I would not blame you if you never wanted to see me again."

Kevin sank his head and felt the pang of sadness in his throat. He pushed it back down and put on an air of confidence.

"Look Edd, a part of me may still be mad at you for what you did," Edd almost jumped when he felt the shorter teen's arms wrap around his abs and his head bury into his back "But every other part of me can't get over you."

Edd's eyes welled up more and he quickly turned around, returning Kevin's embrace.

"You have no idea what mess you're getting back into." Edd whispered into the hat wearing geek's ear. Kevin laughed and sniffled.

"Well, I can't be an A plus student in everything." They shared a smile together and tightened their embrace. The walk home was rather awkward at first, but the mood eventually settled nicely as the two started to hold hands. Unbeknownst to them, they had two pairs of eyes observing them from some nearby shrubbery.

"Oh fuck yes, I told you they'd get back together! You owe me five bucks!" Nat said, a cocky smirk on his face. The black haired girl next to him punched him in the shoulder "Ow, what was that for Alice?"

"I didn't bet on anything, I knew it the entire time you dick!" She crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at the boy "Still, it's so fucking cute seeing them together!"

"Let's just hope they stay that way this time." Nat said with a smile, watching the couple vanish over the hill toward Edd's house.

You got nothing to lose
Don't be afraid to get down

A.N: Lyrics belong to Good Charlotte!