There had been bullies before, and there would probably be more bullies to come, but this was one of the worst confrontations to date. For Eddward Vega every day was a challenge. His brain could figure out many different things, but it could not protect him from fists, elbows, or feet. He knew that if he tried to tell it would get worse, so he bore the beatings and harassment silently.
This day it just so happened that one of his bullies had had a particularly rough day. Samuel Winters had failed another algebra test, which meant he was one more bad grade away from being suspended from the Peach Creek football team. So instead of studying to better his grades he took it out on the smartest person he knew, Double D.
Samuel had spotted the beanie clad boy as Edd walked into the bathroom alone, so he followed him. Double D was standing at the sink dabbing at his shirt trying to wipe away what looked to be an ink stain. The boy was so caught up in trying to remove the stain that he didn't hear the door open or close. In fact he didn't even notice that someone else was in the room with him until solid hands pushed him to the floor.
The assault was quick but brutal. Double D knew who it was by the way he kicked. He had felt that kick a few times before, and just like the other times he didn't say a word. He didn't fight or cry. He just let the brute beat him. When Samuel's rage had died down he stopped kicking the downed boy then kicked him one more time just for the hell of it.
Samuel left the bathroom; Double D stayed in the fetal position on the floor. He tried to move, but a sharp pain shot through his abdomen.
He applied a slight pressure to his side, "I think I may have a broken rib," he whispered to no one.
Time seemed to stop existing as the broken boy tried to block out the pain. He wasn't sure how much time had passed exactly, but he knew he had been in the bathroom long enough to be late for class. The bell had already rung and there had been an all call for Eddward Vega to report to class immediately.
It was that all call that had gotten Kevin's attention. He had known Double D for years, and it was not like him at all to be late for class.
Kevin asked his teacher if he could be excused.
"Yeah, sure. Just come back, don't make me have to write you up."
Kevin nodded at his teacher and quietly left the room. When he got into the hallway he pulled out his phone. He knew it would be useless to text the dork, but he tried anyways.
Dork, where are you?
Kevin went to the bathroom closest to his class room, no dork. He tried the one at the other end of the hallway, still no dork. He checked his phone, nothing. Kevin walked up the stairs to the second floor he was going to try another bathroom but there was a sign on it that said it was out of order. Kevin stared at the sign for a minute before mumbling "bull shit".
He ripped the sign off the door as he walked in. He wasn't sure what he expected to find, but what he found was much worse. When he saw Double D he ran across the room. He saw how the other boy was holding his side, he saw that there was a mixture of ink and blood on the dorks shirt.
"You look like hell. What the fuck happened?" Kevin asked a bit too loudly.
"I'm fine," Double D protested, "I'll be fine. It's nothing I can't handle."
"Bull shit!" The red head shouted, "Who did this?"
"No body. Besides why do you care? It's not like we're really even friends. I'm just the dork that tutors you, remember?"
Kevin ignored the question, a question that was not only inaccurate but insulting as well. He put Edd's arm around his shoulder, placed his arm under the boy's legs, and lifted him up from the floor.
"What are you doing? Put me down!" Double D protested.
"Not a chance Dorko." The side of Kevin's mouth tilted up slightly in one corner.
Double D felt a new ache in his body. He knew this ache better than the one he felt in his ribs. He had been feeling it around the boy carrying him since they began their tutoring arrangement. He had tried to push it out of his mind because he knew Kevin had a reputation to uphold. Edd wouldn't dream of making things difficult for his friend. So he tried his best to keep Kevin at arms length. Double D treated Kevin like a student. He was off limits.
But somehow that red headed charmer kept finding a way to get closer to Edd. Kevin could tell that Double D was holding something back, and he was determined to find out what it was. He was determined to bring the shy boy out of his shell. He told his self he'd do what ever it took. Including beating the ass of what ever dick waffle had hurt his friend.
"Are you going to tell me who did it?" Kevin asked quietly as he walked down the hallway holding the injured teen.
"You won't do anything." It wasn't a challenge, it wasn't a dare. It was a command.
Double D didn't want Kevin getting in a fight with Samuel. The reason being if they got into a fight they'd both get kicked off of the football team. As satisfactory as it might be to have Samuel get a taste of his own medicine Double D wouldn't risk Kevin's spot on the team. And somehow Kevin knew it.
"So he's a football player."
"How did you know?" Double D asked avoiding Kevin's gaze.
"I didn't. I just guessed." Kevin smiled, "so which one of the guys was it?"
Double D sighed, "Samuel Winters."
Kevin gritted his teeth at the name. He had never liked that asshole. Winters was always acting like a big shot, like he was better than everyone else, and it just rubbed Kevin the wrong way.
"Of course it was him. Why am I not surprised?" It was rhetorical.
Double D couldn't find anything to say but it didn't matter because they'd reached the nurses office. Kevin walked in and the nurse looked up from her magazine.
When she saw Edd she nearly jumped up from her chair, "oh dear, what happened?"
"I found him in the bathroom upstairs. He looks pretty bad but he says he's fine. I'm no doctor or anything but I'm pretty sure he has a couple of broken ribs."
Kevin didn't give Double D a chance to speak. He told the nurse what was wrong, put Edd on the table, and left in a hurry.
Samuel had gym that period, and Kevin knew it. He left Edd in good hands, he would have stayed but he had business to attend to. When Kevin walked into the gym he was furious.
"Hey Winters!" He shouted, "I've got a bone to pick with you"
"What's up fire crotch?" Samuel asked with a joking tone.
"Shut your face you piece of shit douche nozzle." Kevin shouted at the boy.
"Who the fuck do you think you're talking to?" Samuel shouted back.
"I'm talking to you asshole. The guy who beat a helpless kid in the bathroom and left him there with possible broken ribs! I swear to what ever higher power you believe in I will get your ass off this team if you so much as sneeze near him."
"Did that pansy ass bitch tell you I beat him up?"
"No. I fucking guessed." Kevin said through clenched teeth.
"The fuck ever. You tell that little shit next time I won't go so easy on him. Next time I'm gonna rip his ass apart." Samuel stood nose to nose with Kevin.
Kevin stood there, glaring at the boy. And then he swung. His right fist connected with Samuel's jaw. Samuel stumbled back a bit before he jumped at Kevin. Kevin was faster though, and Samuel fell on his face. Kevin took the opportunity to pin the guy down and punch him once more in the face. Samuel went slack. Two punches and a floor to the face had knocked him out.
"Don't touch my Double D." Kevin said before he could stop himself.
No one heard what he had said except for him. Which was kind of a shock since half the football team was in the gym at that moment. He sat there staring at the unconscious boy beneath him, a million different questions bouncing around in his head. The only thing clear to him at that moment was the fact that he needed to leave before he got in trouble.
Kevin exited the gym, and as he was walking back towards the nurses office he passed the coach. Kevin didn't even notice him though, his mind was still racing. None of the questions had been clearly answered when he got back to the nurses office. When Kevin walked in Edd smiled.
"Don't smile at me like that." Kevin kicked at the floor in an agitated way.
"Like what?" Double D frowned at the red head.
"Like I'm the most important person in the world to you." Kevin said finally looking up at the dork.
"Oh," was all Double D could say. He hadn't realized he had been looking at Kevin that way.
"Yeah," was the only reply Kevin could muster as he sat in a chair across from Double D.
"Well what if I think you are important? Maybe not the most important person in the world, but one of the most important people in the world to me? What then?" Double D asked ignoring the feeling in his stomach.
Kevin looked him right in the eyes, "I thought you were just the dork that tutors me," he said using the boy's words from earlier.
"Yes I know what I said. I may be slightly concussed but my memory is fine. But if I'm being honest, and I am, then you should know that I didn't mean it."
"So then how do you feel about me?"
"Well, I'm not exactly sure what it is. What is it called when you feel like you might vomit rainbows and candy?" Edd couldn't stop the words from coming out of his mouth.
"So you get that too huh?"
"Too?" Edd raised his brow.
"Yeah. You make me feel like I'm going to vomit rainbows and candy. And a minute ago when I punched Winters in the face I called you 'my Double D'. So now I've got all these questions and no answers. You're the smart one, you tell me what's going on." Kevin laid his head back on the seat and sighed in frustration.
"Kevin, I think it means I like you." Edd got up from the nurses bed, "I'm also annoyed with you right now for not listening to me," he crossed the room to stand in front of Kevin, "but I still really like you."
Kevin heard what was said, and he was okay with it. He was okay with it when he felt a shaking hand take hold of his. And he was okay when a shy boy he had known for years came out of his shell and kissed him.
"Thank you for helping me." Edd whispered against Kevin's lips, then kissed him again.