The Trampoline
A/N-This one is dedicated to Lover-of-Sleep for her Tumblr prompt, I'm still trying to figure out how that happened in that video you know. Nathan Goldberg belongs to C2ndy2c1d.
It was early Friday evening, and the stands in the football field were already filling to capacity as Peach Creek High was about to face off against their long time rivals Lemon Brook Central High in their homecoming game, the dance to take place the following evening. Kevin, Nat and Ed sat in the locker room feeling the weight of the world upon their shoulders, more so for Nat who had already sent out invites to the victory party at his place through ever social media platform he had an account on. Finishing up with putting his protective gear on Kevin slips his jersey over his head then turns to Ed, "Hey big guy, you bringing for friends to the party tonight?" A simple question, but one that was filled with more nervous meanings for the quarterback and captain of the football team then he tried to let on.
"Yeah Kevin I'll make sure Double D is there," Edd said with a big oafish grin upon his face, "That is unless he is abducted by space aliens form plant Omicron Persei 8," A look of panic hit Ed's face and he rushes to Kevin grabbing his jersey with both hands, "Double D is going to be alright, isn't he?"
Kevin initially holds up his hands defensively but relaxes and simply pats him on the shoulder, "Yes big guy, I'm sure he will be fine."
Nat chuckles, "People of Earth I am Lrr," and laughs a little more at the big guy's statement. Kevin was a little shocked with Ed's statement, it was as though the boy was reading his mind about his intentions with Double D. The jock and the dork had become close friends last year after Edd came out of the closet and stepped into the light, and Kevin in a chivalrous act helped defend the boy from those that had an issue with the his sexuality. This friendship over time helped Kevin come to terms with his own bisexuality and a month before their sophomore year ended Kevin took the plunge and announced it to his friends, who to his surprise mostly welcomed him with open arms. For Kevin this friendship had begun to blossom into something more each time he hung out with the smartest of the Ed's, and he was bound and determined tonight to see if the dork shared his feelings.
Ed backing off a little from Kevin jokingly stated, "Remember Kevin its lip, lip, tongue, tongue." And Ed waged his brow and puckered his lips up teasing the QB.
Having enough of his friends at the moment Kevin picks up his helmet and heads toward the exit and to the field, "You two are insufferable."
Nat laughs again, "Looks like Double Decadent's vocabulary is rubbing off on you," Nat hurries past the QB and does a shoulder check as he passes him and calls back, "I'm sure that's not the only thing you want rubbing off on you." Shaking his head at the persistence of his friends, Kevin joins the team on the field and the game begins. The game was a battle of epic proportions, both sides of the field were electrified with the excitement, cheering for their teams and heckling the opposition. At the final moments of the game Peach Creek had the ball and both sides took their positions, the defensive line and offensive lines faced off, muttering taunts at each other, it was fourth and goal with only two yards to go and thirty seconds left on the clock Lemon Brook led by five points. Kevin takes his position and barks his cadence of commands at the team finishing with the hike. The ball was snapped and the lines crashed together, each team desperate to overpower the other, big Ed right in front of Kevin in the line keeping the enemy at the gate, Nat circles around dodging a few of the Lemon Brook team and was open for a few seconds. Kevin seeing this quickly draws back his hand and throws the ball releasing it in a perfect spiral landing in Nat's open arms as he was tackled to the ground and subsequently dog pilled by Lemon Brook. Everyone on the field and in the stands held their breaths as the referees sorted out the mess to see if Nat had fumbled the ball or if he had a hold of it making the goal good. A moment later the referees signaled the goal and the bleachers on the Peach Creek side erupts into a roar of victory and the blaring of the marching band as the crowd celebrated its victory.
As the three Edd's pulled up to Nat's house in the well to do part of town, the party was already in full swing. Double D decided to park his car a safe distance away from the house and exited the vehicle, "What are you thinking Sockhead, we're two blocks away." Eddy belted out as he got out of the car.
Crossing his arms and looking at his friend as though he should already know the answer to his own question, they had been friends for how long now. "Eddy do you know how unsanitary it would be for me to have to clean someone's vomit off my car, not to mention where my insurance rates would be if a window were to break or a door dented."
"No fighting," Ed roared at his friend, "It's a party, and Eddy said there will be chicks there," Flailing his hands a little, "I want to pet the chicks Eddy, can I please."
Grabbing his friend by the shirt collar he pulls him forward to start the long walk to the house, "Wrong kind of chicks lumpy." They arrived at the house ten minutes later and Eddy raises his hand and bangs on the door, the thump of the music and rambunctious nature of the teens inside could be heard through the door, getting no response Eddy bangs on the door again. The door swings open revealing a slightly inebriated Kevin, dressed in a black tank top and black loose fitting basketball shorts and his signature red hat upon his head. Eyeing Eddy with a sense of dread at what trouble the boy might cause, but deciding to keep his mouth shut as to keep the peace for Double D's sake, he then turns his gaze to the object of his affection and looks him in the eyes. "Hey, there you guys are, I was wondering when you would show up."
Eddy barges into the door not looking the jock in the eyes, "Mr. Paranoid over here had to park a hundred blocks away," and he disappears into the crowd to find the booze and some girls to flirt with.
"Kevin, see I got him here safe and sound, no alien abductions." Edd said eagerly with a look of a puppy that had done a good deed upon his face.
"Thank you Ed, I'm glad you avoid those aliens." Kevin smiled at his teammate and patted him on the shoulder as he walked on by. Turning to Double D Kevin could feel his throat go dry and a lump form within it, his palms were sweating and his nerves were on edge. "Hey D."
Edd smiled back at the jock, "Salutation Kevin," Stepping in and allowing the jock to close the door, "I do believe congratulations are in order, it was a most exciting game this evening."
"Thanks, so you made it after all." With the crowd Kevin wasn't able to see or hear the boy during the game, along with concentrating on winning he didn't need the extra distraction that his nerves would cause. But now that he knew Edd had been there his heart swelled even more with pride that his team had won.
Edd started heading for the Kitchen with Kevin in tow like a lost puppy, "Nazz was kind enough to sit with me and explain the finer points of the game."
"Cool," Kevin says with a little crack in his voice, he finishes off his drink to calm his nerves and wet his pallet. Upon entering the kitchen Edd sees a punch bowl sitting upon the kitchen islander and was beginning to serve himself a drink, "Dude, you'll want to steer clear of that, I brought you some bottled water, there in the fridge." Kevin points to the appliance.
Edd smiles and sets down the plastic cup turning around and retrieving a bottle, "That's very thoughtful of you Kevin, thank you." Kevin however needing more Dutch courage fills his cup again with the punch and takes a big swig from the liquid, feeling the burn of the alcohol as he swallows.
"Edd I was wondering," Kevin stammers off, trying to find the words and not make a fool out of himself.
"Yes Kevin." Edd looked eager to hear what the jock had to say, he was looking him in the eyes making Kevin even more nervous.
"Have you finished the history assignment yet, I need a little help with it." Kevin was kicking himself mentally for being so lame and wishing he could just spit it out already.
Looking a little let down at such a request Edd replies meekly, "I would be happy to assist you, Kevin, with whatever you need." Edd was a little frustrated with himself for his lack of courage for not opening his own mouth and asking the jock out, his self doubts and worry at ruining their friendship keeping him from pursuing the jock. But he couldn't shake this feeling that Kevin was in the same boat as himself, and having a hard time expressing his interests. With his drink in hand and feeling the house to be a little to stuffy for his taste at the moment Edd heads to the back door and out into the yard, Kevin hot on his heels. The back yard had a few drunken football players doing what a lot of teenage boys do, showing off to impress girls. Some were wrestling for fun and to assert their dominance, like rams clashing on a mountain side, others were simply smooth talking the girls trying to be the modern day Cyrano DE Bergerac.
As the boys stepped onto the patio and made their way down the stairs into the yard they were spotted by Eddy, who was also in the middle of that ancient game of courting a pretty girl but getting nowhere with her. An idea quickly entered his head spotting a trampoline by the shed, if he could out do the hero of the day he might be able to score a few points with the girl. Strutting over to where the two were and sticking a finger in Kevin's face, "Kevin I challenge you to a test of skill." Kevin cocks a brow thinking to himself oh this is going to be good. Pointing to the trampoline Eddy continues, "I bet you I can out do you in stunts using that trampoline."
Letting out a sigh of annoyance Kevin turns and started to walk away, "Not interested."
Eddy grabs him by the arm and pulls him in close to whisper, "Come on man I'm desperate," Motioning his head for Kevin to look over his shoulder at the girl, "Help a brother out man."
Looking at the girl then to Edd who was watching the exchange with a dreadful curiosity, Kevin groans out, "Fine, whatever." If it helps out one of D's friends it might score him some points with the dork, and hopefully make what he needed to do by the end of the night easier. Eddy was the first one on the trampoline, bouncing a few times to gain some height he flips backward landing on his hands and bounding off to land back on his feet. Impressed with himself he looks around and sees bored faces of the other boys and the not so impressed girl standing there watching the shenanigans. Now it was Kevin's turn positioning a crate Kevin runs toward it bounding off the crate into a forward flip landing on the edge of the trampoline and flipping once more to land on the other side. Readjusting the elastic of his shorts that had fallen a few inches from the first and second landings he looks around to take in the cheers from his teammates. Dismounting he allows Eddy his turn, the boy gains some height and flips backward landing then immediately flips forward and landing and on his third attempt tries to include a small spin but messes up and lands precariously on the mate, to loud laughter from the jocks, Kevin did his best to stifle his own laughs not wanting Edd to see him berating his friend.
Now a little goading was in order Eddy thought, as he dismounted he spoke to Kevin, "Bet you can't do a flip that will bounce you to the roof of the shed."
"You're on dork." Kevin takes his position and breathes in a few times then begins to gain height bouncing on the trampoline. Once he was satisfied he flips forward landing, but there is where it all went wrong, once his feet hit the mate to begin his ascension again, the hold of the elastic of his shorts proved to be too little and they and his underwear drop to his ankles thus snagging his feet and as he bounded forward due to the inertia he loses control and slams into the side of the shed landing sprawled on the ground with a loud "Shit" being heard. Edd and Half the group run over to where he lay, going red in the face Edd quickly grabbed the closest table cloth and positioned himself between Kevin and the group of on lookers.
"Kevin, you might want to make yourself decent." Edd said not looking at the jock, the memory of that perfect ass now scorched into his mind and causing his face to go an even darker shade of red.
A few seconds later Kevin had regained his composure and stood up fully clothed and places a hand on Edd's shoulder, "Thanks babe," is what his drunken embarrassed self said to the dork and then he stepped out from behind the make shift curtain to play off the moment and save face. Edd on the other hand felt his world rock at the pet name Kevin had just said, dropping the curtain he grabs the jocks hand and pulls him away from the crowd and toward the house and up the stairs to the second floor bathroom slamming the door behind them.
Seeing the look of confusion on the jocks face Edd starts rambling, "I'm going to go out on a limb here, because I have been getting mixed signals, I don't want to jeopardize our friendship but I don't want to keep pondering this, nothing ventured nothing gained they always say, and I have to take a chance or I will never know and could be kicking myself later on for not even trying."
"Woo Woo slow down dork, you're going a million miles a second there." Kevin said placing his hands on Edd's shoulders.
"Kevin, will you go out with me?" Edd blurted out and then kicked himself for doing so.
Kevin was taken aback, never did he think the dork had it in him, but here he was expressing the exact same thing Kevin has been trying to say all night, maybe a little awkwardly but in Kevin's eyes fearlessly. "Yes," is all he could say at that moment.
Edd's face lit up and a weight of worry was off his shoulders, "Really?" Still in disbelief as though he was going to wake up in his bed at any minute and discover it had all been a dream.
"Yes Edd, really." Kevin steps forward closing the gap between them a little more and caresses Edd's check with the back of his hand, "I've been trying to ask you to the dance since you got here," Kevin smiles nervously at his own admission, "So will you go with me? That is if you don't already have plans that is, since it is a last minute kind of thing you know and I wouldn't….." Edd cuts him off by clashing their lips together to give the jock his answer.
Easing into the gentle kiss, Kevin moaned softly and Edd breaks the kiss with a small nervous laugh, "I would love to Kevin."
Outside the door they heard Nat Yelling at the top of his lunges to the group that had formed downstairs, "The captain finally snagged Double Delicious."
Ed banged on the door yelling, "Double D, don't let him suck your brains out like the mutant zombies from outer space." Nat was heard gently pulling the giant away from the door and reassuring him no brain sucking would be done, sucking of another kind but not brain sucking. Both occupants just laughed at the antics of their friends and then continued to express their new found union as most teenagers do, with a lot of tongue action and a few dark marks placed discreetly upon collar bones. Both boys quickly made their exit from the party, Nat assuring Edd that he would take care of his friends, they made their way to the creek for a little more privacy and with the pretense of star gazing. The only star gazing that was done that night was through the reflection of the others eyes as they showed each other their affection for the other through action and words, forming the beginnings of the ties that would bind their hearts together that not only saw them through the remainder of their high school years but also well past their college carriers. Little did they know that with that one declaration they would get the high school sweet heart romance that most of us only dream of.