Chapter 1
"Dorks!"
Double D landed roughly on the ground beside his two closest friends, Ed and Eddy, as all three were unceremoniously shoved outside. Behind them, the door slammed shut. Music could be heard from within as the other kids of the cul-de-sac enjoyed the festivities inside.
"Dorks?" asked Ed blankly, sitting up.
With a resigned sigh, Double D also got up off the floor and began dusting himself off, only vaguely aware of the tirade of furious insults his friend Eddy was muttering under his breath. Getting up, the shorter boy began pacing heatedly.
"Who does shovel-chin think he is?" demanded Eddy, gesturing wildly at the locked door.
"Kevin is at liberty to deny entrance to anyone of his choosing Eddy," reminded Double D, "It is, after all, his private party."
"But we're the only ones in the whole stinkin' neighborhood that didn't get invited!" complained Eddy.
Ed chose this moment to insert a finger into his belly button, pulling out a damp wad of lint. "Look guys!" he cried gleefully, "I won a prize!"
Both Double D and Eddy stared in disgust at Ed for a moment.
"Be that as it may," hedged Double D, "We live in a democratic society that entitles us to certain unalienable rights. However much we may dislike the exclusion, we must respect his right to do so."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, sockhead," drawled Eddy, looking bored and already walking across the lawn towards his house. Ed followed close behind. Double D hurried to catch up. Eddy's words suddenly clicked in his head and a familiar surge of frustration rose in the quiet boy's throat as he watched Eddy unlock the door to his bedroom.
"Eddy," began Edd, as he entered the gaudy assault on the senses that was Eddy's room, "Am I correct in inferring that you were already well aware of the fact that we were not invited to the party when you insisted we attend?"
"Yeah, so?" muttered Eddy absentmindedly as he dug through his closet in search of something. Behind them, Ed crawled under Eddy's sheets making growling noises and chuckling to himself.
"So…" continued Edd, trying to keep his tone polite, "didn't it occur to you that perhaps that was not the best method for ingratiating ourselves with the larger commune and, more specifically, with Kevin?"
"What are ya? My mom?" retorted Eddy, not even bothering to look up from his search. "Play nice with the other kids sweetie!" he mocked in a high, effeminate tone. Ed stuck his head out from under the sheets and laughed loudly. Turning to face Double D, Eddy shoved a finger right in front of the slender boy's nose. "Besides we already tried it your way, smarty pants. It didn't turn out too good, remember?"
Double D felt his cheeks heat at the memory. "Yes, well, that may be so," he stammered, abashed, "But I feel compelled to reiterate the original thesis of that idea. In order to gain acceptance with the other kids we need to blend into their chosen setting. Kevin in particular might stop his constant torments if he felt that we shared something in common with him."
"Like a chameleon blending into the color of the trees so the velociraptors don't eat him!" offered Edd who had now moved on to exploring the space under the bed, taking the sheet with him.
"Actually, Ed, that's exactly correct… although I'm not certain how the velociraptor is pertinent or even possible… but yes, Ed!" Double D beamed down at the lovable oaf who grinned back at him from the under the confines of Eddy's bed.
Across the room, Eddy sighed in exasperation. "I'm surrounded by amateurs."
"What would the chef recommend for tonight's entrée?" asked Ed.
"Well, Ed, I assume you mean to ask what I have planned for our acceptance into society at large. It's very simple really. Society seems to favor overtly masculine traits in the male gender. I propose we begin an exercise regime that will not only strengthen our physical and social muscles but also provide incalculable health benefits!"
Hands clasped eagerly before him he smiled expectantly at his two friends.
"You're saying you want us to work out? Forget it." Eddy casually dismissed the idea.
"Ooh! Ooh! Can I work out with you Double D? Can I PLEASE!" Ed sprang out from under the bed to hop excitedly next to Double D.
"Why certainly Ed! Let's go to my house and write out a schedule!" Both boys hurried out of Eddy's room, leaving a bewildered Eddy behind.
Glancing at his bed, he frowned in irritation. "Ed! Where the hell's my bed sheet?!"
Sarah groaned in irritation at the sound of the doorbell. It was probably her idiot brother, forgetting his keys again. She angrily stomped to the front door, mouth open wide to let out a scathing insult, when she suddenly found herself looking into a pair of wide, blue eyes.
"Double D?" she asked, suddenly deflated. Her cheeks heated as she tried to remember if her hair was combed. Her brother's friend offered a hesitant smile in response, flashing the small gap in his front teeth that she loved so much.
"Good afternoon, Sarah. I do hope we're not disturbing you. Ed seems to have forgotten his keys and we need to get into the garage—"
Edd was suddenly cut off as Ed pushed his beanie down to cover the boy's entire face.
"Shush, Double D!" warned Ed in a stage whisper, "Sarah not good for Ed!"
Sarah narrowed her eyes as she watched her older brother drag his struggling friend down the hallway. She didn't understand why the brilliant, blue-eyed boy hung out with her idiot brother but she was pleased that it often led to him visiting her house. She followed the pair into the garage where she saw Ed pulling out their father's dumb bell set.
The fifth grader barged angrily into the garage. "Ed! What are you doing! I'm telling Mom!"
Her brother turned to her with pleading puppy dog eyes. "No, baby sister, please don't tell Mom! If you tell Mom, then Mom will tell Dad and Dad will say Oh those things, I never use them anyway."
Double D politely cleared his throat at her side. "Pardon me, Sarah, but I must ask you to excuse Ed here. He was merely trying to assist me."
"They're for you?" Sarah looked down at the boy's slender limbs doubtfully. She didn't delude herself. Her crush was cute and smart but he was not by any means strong.
"Double D is going to get super muscles and engage the demon monsters of planet Neptulon in an epic battle of blood and gore!" announced Ed, apparently having forgotten that he didn't want to include his younger sister in their plans.
The boy in question flushed in embarrassment and adjusted his hat with a sheepish smile. "Yes, well, I don't know about all that, Ed, but I will surely do my very best in this undertaking!" He turned the full force of his lopsided grin to Sarah who all but collapsed with delight.
His hopeful smile proved too much for her. She soon found herself helping the two of them lug several sets of dumbbells and assorted exercise equipment across the street to Double D's garage.
"Both of you have my sincere gratitude for your kind assistance," said Edd, turning to the Hill siblings. "Oh and Sarah, I believe congratulations are in order. Come fall, you will officially begin your career as a middle school student. I wish you the very best in your academic endeavors!"
His smile was warm and genuine, meant specifically for her. Sarah felt her heart thud wildly in her throat. Red faced, she mumbled a quick goodbye to Double D and yanked her brother out of the Vincent garage. She hurried back across the street into the safety of her home, dragging her confused older brother behind her. She didn't stop until she had made it into her room and slammed the door shut behind her.
Leaning heavily against it, she sighed happily. What a wonderful day. This was going straight into her diary. Turning to her bed, she pulled out the small pink volume and opened it to the center page. Pressed inside was the beautiful bloom Double D had given her when they were children. She smiled down at the faded blue of the delicate petals and thought about the sweet boy who had given it to her.
Her feelings for him were her special secret, an indulgence she allowed herself only within the privacy of her bedroom. She knew that he would never reciprocate her feelings. She lacked the feminine distinction that girls like Nazz had. She was too loud and prone to fits of rage. Worst of all, she was his friend's little sister. A sweet gentleman like Double D would never look at her romantically.
With a small frown of disappointment at the thought, she went to her window and peeked out through the curtains to the darkened house across the street where a single light shone upstairs. A glance at the driveway told her that once again Edd's parents weren't home. He was alone in there. The boy with the hopeful gaze and shy smile that remembered little things that were important to her was all alone again. She smiled as she thought of his optimistic plans for becoming stronger, wondering if perhaps she too could change the parts of her she didn't like.
Finally.
Edd sighed heavily as he entered his bedroom. His normally erect posture collapsed into a pair of thin, hunched shoulders. He walked over to his bedroom window and propped it open, letting in a cool breeze of night air. He took a deep breathe and held it for a moment before releasing it, relishing the feel of his lungs fully expanding.
It had been difficult, being polite to Sarah for so long while fighting to control the unease that he associated with her presence. With the exception of his two closest friends, Edd felt nervous around most anyone, not just Sarah. In his eagerness to please everyone around him, Double D found himself constantly on edge, anxiously assuring that all interactions remained peaceful.
Most days, it felt like he couldn't breathe.
He glanced down at the yellow sticky note in his hand. It was from his mother, reminding him to put the garbage bins on the curb in the morning. Yet another person he had to keep happy. He carefully stuck the note to the corner of his daily to-do list, next to his bed, and sat down heavily on the mattress.
It was all so exhausting.