It started freshman year. After dinner, Kevin would go out and check the mail. Looking up at the house across the street, he noticed that there were only two lights on in the place. The front porch light and the light in Double D's room. He could see the nerd's head bent over homework, extra credit or some book that needed his undivided attention at the moment. Occasionally, he'd lift his head and talk to his cactus. And Kevin noticed how sad and blue his eyes were. And suddenly, Kevin needed to go for a walk to clear his head.
So he dropped the mail on the small end table by the door and yelled out to his mom that he was going for a walk. And he walked. Around the playground, the junk yard, the trailer park. It was at the trailer park he noticed Marie was sitting on her front steps, poking the did with a stick and talking with someone on her cell phone.
"It's cool, Double D. You're entitled to your feelings. Hey, Kev!"
Kevin gave her a wave and walks on and wondering why she was now laughing hysterically.
A few times during the year, he'd see Double D smile at his cactus as they had their one sided conversation. That made him feel good. Real good. Seeing his friend sad sucked so if he's happy, Kevin's happy. And on his long walks, Kevin started thinking up of ways to keep that smile on Edd's face.
The summer before sophomore year, during one of his walks, he sees Marie out on her front step.
"Yo, Marie!"
It was then he noticed that she was on her cell phone. Her violet eyes went wide and she hurried off the phone. Smiling, she stepped off the steps and walked over to where Kevin was standing.
"Just the man I wanted to see," she grinned mischievously.
"Well, I need to talk to you, too."
"What about?," she asked as she led the way to the creek. She could tell by the look in Kevin's eyes meant he wanted privacy for this chat.
"Edd."
"Which one?," she asked absentmindedly.
"You know which one."
She grinned.
Her friendship with the smartest of the Eds had always been well known. Thing is, now the friendly feelings were being returned. Just not the amorous ones. No one knew why, but Edd and Marie still remained really good friends. He was her date to the dances all of last year. They'd take a formal picture, and then hang out on the bleachers all night.
"So what about the Doubly Cute One?"
"Think he'd come to my swim party next week?"
"Isn't everyone?"
"He doesn't come to anything on his own. I've asked him a half a dozen times and he still tries to find a way out of it. Eddy is still out of town and Ed will have to watch Jimmy and Sarah. Apparently, Sarah is mad at him for some reason, so he can't come with them. You gotta help me, Marie."
Kevin sounded anxious for sure, but Marie heard a bit of desperation, too.
"I'll see what I can do, but no promises."
"Don't show up without him," Kevin said as he jabbed his finger in her chest.
She shot him a knowing look. He blushed and rolled his eyes.
"Just...Just make sure he comes, Marie."
"I'll see. No promises."
Kevin nodded and sighed and continued walking.
Edd showed up to the party with the Kanker sisters and later that night when Kevin went to check the mail, Edd was smiling at his cactus again. But there was a sparkle in his blue eyes that made Kevin's heart skip a few beats. Kevin had to go for a run that night.
Sophomore year, Kevin and Edd started to hang out a bit more. They kinda had to. Edd joined the swim and track teams, while Kevin played football and baseball. Kevin would give Edd rides to early morning practices and meets as Edd didn't have a car. Everyone wondered why he didn't ever ride with Eddy or Ed, but upon seeing their vehicles they could see why the germophobe couldn't ride with them. They never took care of their rides the way Kevin took care of his. Even if he was a bit of a speed demon on his motorcycle. And when the weather got cold, they'd borrow Kevin's mom's car.
It was in that car, as they left the homecoming game junior year, that Kevin noticed something. Edd would only smile the way he did when he was around or had spent some sort of time with Kevin. Even the most banal of exchanges had the ravenette genius grinning ear to ear at the end of the day.
Kevin could run a three minute mile by the end of junior year.
Senior year had the two boys running the school. The super jock and the super nerd. Brawn and brains. And boy, was it cute. Edd did relish his newfound social status a bit, but he also missed his friends.
Ed got sent to military school junior year and Eddy dropped out in the middle of sophomore year to go to the city to live with his brother and work. Edd helped him get his GED and they only really saw each other on Skype and Facebook anymore.
Ed flunked out of military school and went to work on the farm of Rolf's cousin in Iowa. He was happier with chickens anyways. Double D would get a phone call once a week and a postcard once a month from his dear dim witted friend. Kevin and Marie were all Double D really had. Sure, he had become close to Nazz, Rolf and Jonny, but Marie and Kevin were it.
In early June, Kevin went to check the mail like he always did. Edd's house was dark. And suddenly, Kevin felt hurt and lost and like he had lost something BIG. He took the longest walk he had ever taken that night. But he kept walking in circles. By the time he felt worn out enough to stop and really think he was at the playground again.
Sitting on a bench, he leaned over and rested his elbows on his knees as he propped his face in his hands. A couple of minutes later, he heard a familar voice.
"K-Kevin? What are you doing out here?"
Looking up into those blue eyes, Kevin's feelings came crashing down on him.
He liked Edd.
Kevin took a breath.
"Just taking a walk and trying to clear my head. What are you doing out here?"
Edd sighed and sat next to him.
"Same," he shrugged.
Kevin nodded.
"Nervous about school? Where are you going anyways?"
Edd had so many offers that Kevin couldn't remember where he had finally decided to go.
"Not nervous, just kinda sad. I'm gonna miss this place. I'm going to Peach State."
Kevn nodded.
"When you leaving?"
"Next Tuesday. First thing."
"Cool, cool."
Taking a breath, Kevin's brain started to formulate a plan and he smiled, his worries from the last couple of hours melting away.
"Where you staying if you're leaving so early?"
"Uh, Strawberry Hill apartments. I've got a research position in the science department that starts at the end of the month. That's why I'm leaving so early."
Kevin nodded. This was becoming better than he expected.
"Ok, let's have a BBQ for old times sake on Saturday then."
"Oh no, Kevin. I don't want to make a thing out of this. I'm going to the movies with Marie on Friday and that's it."
"Nope, you're going to movies with Marie on Friday and me and you are going for a ride on Saturday. Old times sake, D."
Edd sighed. He was going to miss the redhead most of all.
"Okay."
"That's what I like to hear. I'll see you Saturday at noon. Don't be late," Kevin said as he booped Edd on the nose and happily walked away.
Edd went to the movies with Marie on Friday and for a long ride on Kevin's motorcycle on Saturday. They made it to the coast, went to the amusement park, had dinner at Edd's favorite ramen place and headed back home.
Later that night, the redhead was in his room packing and noticed that Edd's light was still on. The genius was talking to his cactus again and he looked like he was crying. His smile was small, but those blue eyes of his looked so sad.
Kevin couldn't wait for Tuesday morning.
When Edd got up Tuesday morning, he headed straight for Kevin's.
The redhead answered his door with a grin and Edd looked so heartbroken. He threw his arms around Kevin's neck and willed himself not to cry.
"I'll miss you most of all, Scarecrow," Edd sniffled into his shoulder.
Kevin chuckled.
"I'll see you soon, Dork."
Edd stepped back with a look of confusion on his face. Then Kevin's dad's voice rang out.
"C'mon, Kev! We're losing daylight here, Son! Carpe diem!"
"I gotta go, Dude," Kevin grinned. "See you soon."
And with that he closed the door.
Edd sighed and went home completely heartbroken.
A good four hours later, Edd is at his new apartment complex finishing up his paperwork for his lease. He noticed what looked like a very familiar candy apple red Harley in the parking lot. He brushed it off as coincidence.
By Noon he was all moved in and his parents were gone. He wanted to go to the grocery store but was too tired. He took out his phone to Google nearby pizza places that delivered. Then he heard a knock on the door.
Looking through the peephole, he spots a very familar red SnapBack. He quickly drops the chain, unlocks the deadbolt and swings the door open so fast and hard it bounces off the wall.
"K-KEVIN!? WHAT YOU DOING HERE?!"
"Seizing the day."
And with that, he cupped Edd's face in his hands as he finally pressed his lips to the those belonging to the one who's heart had slowly captured his. Edd had never been so happy for Kevin finally taking charge of what had been building between them for far too long.
Four years later, they graduated. They moved to Peach City and attacked their careers with the same fervor that Kevin had attacked his plan to get Edd. With Marie's help, he eased himself into the ravenette's good graces. He used all his charm and wit to build a friendship with him. And slowly but surely love and fate took care of the rest.
And every morning before they head off to work, they kiss each other goodbye and whisper three little words that make their days that much easier to deal with.
"Sieze the day."
Because when you carpe diem, nothing can stop you.