Author's Note: This story was inspired by a note on tumblr where someone posted the typical starting rundown of your basic American White Boy Teenage Movie. Nerd likes hot cheerleader who's dating the jock that's his bully. Well, you know how I roll. So I ran with it and came up with this. Enjoy!

*a black screen*

*static*

*color bars*

*a 4, 3, 2, 1 countdown plays*

*camera is zoomed in and out of focus*

*faint muffling as the camera is brought into focus*

*typical nerdy teenage boy's bedroom is in full focus and a skinny, nerdy boy rolls on screen in rolling desk chair. he's got a gapped tooth grin, and is wearing a black beanie with two white stripes going down the sides on his head, a plaid blue button up and black skinny jeans with white Converse**

"Hello, there! My name is Eddward Vincent. That's Eddward with two D's. Most call me Double D."

*a snicker is heard and Double D side eyes and smirks at the off screen heckler*

"Anyways, I am a senior at Peach Creek High School. Instead of writing the usual essay for my senior class project reviewing my last four years at this wonderful institution of higher learning…."

*another snicker, another side eye, but this time, it's accompanied by a soft grin*

"I am doing a video essay!"

*a sigh, a look*

"This is Eddward Vincent's An Ode To My Teenage Self. Written, directed, produced and lived by Eddward Vincent"

*fade to black*

Double D looks at at the packet on his kitchen counter and sighs. As a student at Peach Creek High, he has to document his experiences over the next four years and submit it before he graduates. All the essays are then calibrated and stored for future students to read and learn from. Over time, students got creative as new pieces of technology help document and tell student's stories far better than pen and paper ever could.

Knowing he can now #hashtag his experiences for future reference, he decides to take that route on his social media pages. He'll print off the pictures and any updates of significance to tell his story.

He had really only planned to go to school, get good grades, graduate and get into a good college. Something with a good science program. His plan was to use a degree in physics to go work for NASA. Not to be an astronaut, but to work in some capacity that would be beneficial to science and the world. Maybe put a probe on Pluto. Or find a new comet. Or use one off their giant super telescopes to see Halley's Comet.

But what he hates the most about this class project is the fact that everyone will be doing the same thing as he is and people had been known to sabotage projects. Especially as more and more people added pictures and then video to their essays. The projects used to count towards 5% of your final English and Art grades, but when a bully destroyed the class valedictorian's project, so his cousin, who was the salutatorian, could take her spot, the projects were then assigned as one volunteer project to be included with the now five you had to do per year instead of four as too many students were making it a bigger part of their volunteer work than the faculty would have liked.

He thought he had enough on his plate. He was on the honors tract that would lead him to the AP tract. He was the freshman class president, on the chess and debate team and he just found out that he made the freshman squad's for the boy's tennis and swim teams.

The idea was to teach students time management, organizational skills, discipline, to prioritize and a host of other great real life skills that he had been born with. But if he didn't do it, the school would hold his diploma and he couldn't have that. He needed that piece of paper to get out of Peach Creek.

So he went to his phone, brought up his Instagram app and took a selfie. He then hashtagged it and posted it to Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.

Let project graduation begin!

As school got into full swing, Edd, just like everyone else, was in a constant state of updating his social media status and hashtagging everything. He would print off pictures and any status updates that he felt told his story every Friday.

And then he started to notice a pattern.

His friends were in plenty of his pictures. That went without saying. The Eds were a trio and a cord of three strands isn't easily broken.

But May and Lee Kanker were sneaking into more and more pictures of he and his friends. The few that had Marie in them made him a bit sad. He didn't feel for her what she had always felt for him and it showed. The pictures of he and Nazz, as she was the freshman class vice president and their student council rep so their interactions had gone up since they were kids, were a bit better and dare he say that they looked cute together.

And it seemed like Kevin was in the background of them all. He was actually in a few of the ones he took with Nazz as she and Kevin were dating. Kevin lived across the street so it stood to reason that he'd be in a few, but not everything.

He cropped the redhead out of as many and as he could, as this was his story, not Kevin's, and logged everything in a scrapbook to be presented along with his video essay during finals week senior year.

By spring break, it was evident to the genius that Kevin was photobombing him and doing it on purpose. It was mild teasing compared to the outright bullying he used to do when they were kids. But after facing an even bigger bully side by side, Kevin had changed. Matured. He and Edd had become pretty good acquaintances. They shared a few interests, but interactions, despite proximity and better blood between them, were still few. They had cemented their places in the cul-de-sac years ago and there they would stay.

Still, in an effort to minimize dealing with Kevin in all of his photos, he drug him into a few. When he would make updates to his video essay, he'd have Kevin play camera man when Ed wasn't around. Kevin was just as tall as his oafish friend, but had a steadier hand and a cleaner eye for shots. When he would go back to edit his photos and videos, Kevin seemed to be looking at him like Marie would. When compared to the photos of that included himself, the jock and Nazz, he noticed that the jealous look that he had always thought had been directed at him was instead directed at Nazz and he couldn't for the life of himself bring the question as to why Kevin would have such a look on his face and directed to his girlfriend no less out of his subconscious and to the forefront of his mind.

Over the summer between freshman and sophomore year, Kevin and Nazz broke up, but still remained close. And the free time that the redhead was once spending with Nazz, was now being spent with Edd. Edd was too polite to turn his offers to hang out down. And on the rare occasion that he absolutely had to, the look on Kevin's face almost broke his heart. When he tried to deepen his friendship with Nazz, her rejection stung and then Kevin didn't speak to him for two weeks.

When the jock started to come around again, Edd was wary. But at the same time he had to cut Kevin some slack. He did try to put the moves on Kevin's ex and best friend. But Nazz had turned him down, so Kevin couldn't be too upset, right?

Right?!

When school started back up in the fall, Kevin came out as gay. And Edd's subconscious suspicions were confirmed. The jock did get a hard time from a few people about it, but stood his ground. And Edd made it a point to let Kevin know that he was there for him, no judgment.

Eddy thought it would be a fantastic idea for Edd to step his game up with Nazz. Kevin was out of the picture for good and the girl only friendzoned him.

He still had a chance!

Edd mulled the idea over for days. Then he came up with a plan of his own. The fall homecoming dance was in a week. The last time he danced with Nazz, it was a disaster. Time for some redemption.

So he'd watch videos of various dance crazes on his laptop and practice them every chance he got. Whenever his mother was home, he'd practice basic ballroom steps with her. He would not screw this up again.

When the dance came, he and Marie played third wheel to his friends and her sisters. Kevin came with Nazz. When the redhead stepped out of the gym during a slow song, Edd pounced.

And Nazz was impressed, but unmoved. As a matter of fact, what she told the genius shook him so much, he left the dance early and went home.

"I'm not the one you need to be dancing with tonight, Double Dude."

"Oh? You're worried about Marie?," he asked as he gestured towards the bleachers where Marie was sitting as she talked to a few girls from the soccer team. "We're here just as friends," Edd grinned.

Nazz sighed and gave him a small smile.

"I can see why he likes you. You do have an adorable grin."

"He?! He who, Nazz?," Edd squeaked.

No one had a crush on him. Except Marie and that one was slowly but surely dying off. This huge news to Edd.

"Me."

Edd spun Nazz and himself around at the sound of that voice. It would boom across the football field and baseball diamond, but whisper dirty jokes to his friends when the teachers weren't paying attention, it would call him on the phone for help with homework and just to chat, its laugh made Edd feel warm inside, and the only person who's giggle would tickle him like that one's did was Nazz's. But now, it sounds unsure of itself and guilty. Of what Edd's too stunned to figure out as it has also rendered him speechless.

"Sorry, Kev. I kinda told him," Nazz said apologetically.

"It's ok," Kevin sighed, as he ran a hand through his hair. Then, taking in Edd's shocked expression, he asked, "Are you ok, Edd?"

He never called him Edd. Double D, Dork, Dweeb and various other doubled up monikers, all endearingly spoken, were assigned to him.

Til now.

"You called me, 'Edd,'" he whispered.

"That's your name isn't it?"

"Well, yes, but…."

Edd's once again without words as he stares into Kevin's face searching for something, anything to show that what Nazz and Kevin just told him was just an elaborate joke.

And all he saw was hope for acceptance and fear of rejection. And it terrified him.

"I have to go. Enjoy the rest of your evening."

And he practically ran out of the gym. Once he reached the outside of the school, he did run the six blocks home. And he didn't leave his room again until Monday morning. All of his devices were turned off. Nothing was hashtagged.

And he cried.

He cried because he was a coward and couldn't be as strong as Kevin was. He cried because once again, his hopes for some sense of normalcy were dashed because feelings weren't going to be returned on a level he needed them to be returned on. He cried because he knew that she knew and wasn't going to lie for him like she had apparently done for Kevin.

And ultimately, he cried because the one he liked, actually liked him back. And he had no clue as to where to go from here because of it.

He waited until what he knew to be the last minute to go to school. He didn't want to talk to or deal with anyone. He didn't have any classes with Kevin or Nazz on Mondays, and he skipped lunch to go hide in the library. After seeing him leave the dance in a such a shocked and near upset state, Ed and Eddy wanted to pry, but their girlfriends and Marie told them to give him space. Especially after Kevin told them why Edd was so upset. Nazz confirmed it. Kevin hadn't meant to upset him, but here they were. Eddy told him to give Double D some space until he talked to him himself.

After school, Eddy actually texted Edd to let him know he was coming over after he got off of work. Double D was ready for bed by the time Eddy showed up, but he let him in all the same.

"Some weekend, huh?," Eddy asked as he eyeballed Edd from his spot on the couch.

The genius was curled up in the easy chair, with his knees pulled up to his chest and his dainty chin resting on them.

"You have no idea."

"Care to clue me in?"

Edd sighed. Time to let the truth out.

"I….I-I'm gay, Eddy."

"And?"

Edd looked up at him in shock. Eddy just snickered as he shrugged.

"You started talking about guys like Lee talks about her favorite pro football players in eighth grade. I swear if I heard you describe some lunk as 'A fine specimen of a man,' one more time, I was gonna ask them out for you!"

Double D blushed. Was he really that obvious for so long?!

"And then you told Kevin at last year's homecoming dance that he looked amazing during the game."

"He did!"

"Dude, he's good, but he's not that good. There's a reason why he's the second string quarterback."

"It's because he's an underclassman, Eddy!"

"One, you just defended him again. Two, tell that to Lemon Brook, Apple Hill and Cherry Pines."

Edd groaned and Eddy laughed.

"Dude, if you like him, that's cool. If not, that's cool, too. But you need to talk to him," Eddy said as he got up to leave.

Double D walked him to the door. But he had a question for his best friend.

"Why are you defending him, Eddy?"

The former scam artist sighed.

"I have no idea. But I do know that you wouldn't be hiding unless you felt something for him, too. And I hate to see you hide. Especially when there's nothing to hide from."

With that, he opened the door, only to reveal Kevin standing there with his fist raised to knock on the door. He knocked on Eddy's head instead. The shortest Ed sputtered and batted his hands away.

"I did my part, Barr!," he said as he jabbed a pudgy finger into Kevin's solid chest. "Don't screw this up."

Turning to Edd he said, "No more hiding."

Double D nodded. As he walked away he threw some final words over his shoulder.

"Don't make me regret this!"

"You won't!," the jock and the nerd called back to him.

Then they looked at each other. Blushing cheeks and sparkling eyes mirrored each other under the dim light of the front porch.

"I'm sorry," they both said, speaking simultaneously again.

Then Edd giggled. And Kevin kissed him. It was a simple, gentle smooch, but Edd returned it with the same intensity it was given in. Still, he had to ask why Kevin just kissed him.

"Because you're so cute when you giggle and I couldn't resist," Kevin replied shyly as he scratched the back of his neck nervously. "Plus, you kissed me back!," he smirked as he booped Double D's nose.

Edd bowed his head shyly and even under the dim lighting of the front porch light, Kevin could see just how red Eddward's cheeks were.

"Look, why don't we have lunch together tomorrow? Just me and you. We can go to the courtyard or the football field and just hang out," Kevin said.

He knew Edd probably wouldn't be ready to face the student body just yet, despite the fact that the rumors swirling were true and he'd have to face them sooner or later. And Kevin knew that these things were better faced sooner than later. Thing is, he wanted to get to know Edd a bit better himself before putting them out there as a couple. It wouldn't do to have to defend him or them if he didn't know what he needed to defend and what he needed to let slide.

"That…that sounds nice actually," Edd said with bright eyes, a relieved sigh and a small smile.

"Choice!," Kevin grinned. "Want to meet at your locker then?

"S-Sure. It's….it's a….it's a date," Edd said quietly, with his head bowed down again as his blush deepened.

Kevin lifted his head with two fingers and gently kissed him again.

"Yes. Yes, it is."

That was two years ago. In that time, Kevin and Edd's senior class projects started to mirror each other. They were always in each other's photos and videos. They'd tag each other in everything on social media. And considering they used the same hashtags as well, tracking their progress wasn't all that difficult, but it was starting to get confusing.

To set himself apart, Edd stuck with his video updates and decided to take all of his social media updates and put them into a special folder that he would draw them out of as he edited the video for content.

He knew that his story would be different. He and Kevin were the first gay couple at Peach Creek High, but life and statistics being what they are, he knew they wouldn't be the last. He wanted to give anyone who came across his story a look at what living in the light can do.

*screen goes from black back to Edd's room*

"Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!," the boy grins.

*the heckler laughs*

"KEVIN!"

"What?!"

*Edd rolls his eyes*

"Get over here"

*Kevin squeals as he jumps from behind the camera to swoop Edd up in his arms and takes his place in Edd's chair, and then sitting the genius on his lap*

*Edd blushes fiercely at this, but smiles all the same*

"Your high school years are more than about learning what you need to know to get into a good college or even honing a few life skills to survive in today's world. It's more than having fun with your friends or whatever you plan to do with your social life while you're here," he says. "Sometimes, it's all about just stepping out of the darkness and living in the light. You don't have to hide. Especially when there's nothing to hide from."

"Yay!," Kevin cheers.

*Edd blushes again*

"Can we go out for ice cream now?," the redhead asks.

"Sure," Edd giggles.

*Kevin kisses him and the screen goes black*