Gym
Breathing face first, drool pouring out of his mouth, Eddy slept soundly, small snores filled the intentionally retro bedroom, a single zebra patterned rug, kicked into a crescent shape the previous night by the troubled boy. Dreams transgressed, mainly sexual, each one contained Nazz, the sweetheart of the cul-de-sac. A sleep encrusted eye opened gradually, peering at the analogue hands ticking away, floating dredges coated a once, pale set of blinds, little sun let in. Luminescent bars crossed Eddy's solitude, forcing him up and over to his personal grooming area. A seldom cleaned sink appeared above his waist, disarranged spot creams, aftershaves, deodorants, a toothbrush and gels chaotically gathered all for Eddy. Applying, scraping, crafting took twenty minutes, ten less than he had time for. School started in fifteen, Eddy couldn't care less about the situation though and he'd gone through too much in the last couple of weeks. Pulling on the blinds, he became smothered by the light of only the second day of school; his appetite was already dissolved, grabbing his yellow t-shirt and pulling on denim jeans, Eddy trod on towards his destination.
Arriving at those dual doors proved tasking as Eddy opened the right sided entry before heading to the locker room. Kevin was first there, wrapped in a brand new towel, red strands of hair hung vertically, blowing them out of the way, he addressed Eddy.
"What you doing here 'tard?" Kevin's vocabulary had extended from junior high.
"I'm here for gym class, what else would I be here for?"
Kevin smirked, wanting an argument, "To see me, sneaking in to have a look."
Rolf appeared as Kevin burst into laughter, chortling with him.
"Say wasn't Rolf just in there with you?" Eddy replied, "And here's me thinking, shower time was private time."
The taller boys stopped laughing immediately, ignoring Eddy.
Entering the gym, it turned out that the coach was recovering from a bout of influenza, leaving a substitute, to register and go. Basketballs bounced from all ends, Jonny, Plank, Ed and Eddy at one end of the court, Rolf and Kevin at the other.
"Eddy, this game's really neat isn't it?" Jonny's voice grated on the short Ed's mind.
"Sure Jonny," he mumbled, "So fun." He threw the ball intending on scoring, it deflected violently, hitting the glossy canvas.
"Go get it Plank!" Jonny called to the seemingly inanimate piece of wood.
"Idiot," Eddy grumbled, "I'll get it."
Collecting the ball, Eddy spun into Rolf and Kevin.
"What do you two goons want?"
"Nothin' really..." Kevin nonchalantly said, "Just payback."
As Eddy hovered over the jock's words, Rolf's fist collided with his jaw. Eddy felt every knuckle as he flew face first to the ground.
"Told ya." Kevin's words were muffled to the fallen lump. As they laughed once again, Ed bounded at Rolf, smacking him in the temple.
"Don't you hit Eddy!" Ed growled, suddenly feeling a shoving motion from the shaven headed teenager. Kevin swung at Ed furiously, connecting each time yet to no avail, Ed absorbed each punch.
"Why...won't you...go...down?!" Kevin stammered, still striking.
Having ignored Eddy, pain struck the back of Kevin's head, Eddy's blow making him take three steps forward, and towards Plank. Picking 'him' up, Kevin rotated fast in order to take out the short guy, Eddy ducked quickly but Ed didn't.
"Ed!" Eddy twisted his head towards his old friend, not noticing Rolf picking himself up and staggering towards Kevin. The latter hit Eddy in the gut, before flooring him for the second time with an upper cut, cutting his lip.
"Ow..." he uttered a shadow casting over him.
"Dork." Kevin stated, leaving for the locker room with Rolf.
*****
Making their own way back, Eddy and Ed didn't speak, seeing through the window; Eddy noticed their clothes were gone. Rushing in, he searched the showers, finding soaked attire and Jonny tied up with jump rope being rinsed with freezing water. Plank was cracked and thrown near his best friend, Jonny shouting for 'him'. Eddy felt sick as Ed untied the captive Jonny.
*****
Double D wandered home once again pleased with his work for the day, at that time, Nazz called his name, smiling sweetly.
"You remember our arrangement?" Nazz fluttered those long eyelashes.
"Indubitably, our discussion at luncheon clearly established a time. 8 o'clock." Edd beamed widely.
Nazz giggled, "Oh Double D, you are silly. Check ya later." As Nazz walked away, Edd couldn't help himself watching her. Her golden hair, that physique, her lower bottom and slender legs made the usually mentally strong admirer go fragile. Turning the bronze key in its lock, satisfying clicks accompanied Edd's forever working mind, making his way past a jumbled assortment of notes, the glass table in the kitchen greeted him as did the pre-arranged snack he assembled earlier. Chomping on salt-less pretzels, a familiar figure passed on the pavement, it was a bruised Eddy.
"Oh my..." Edd mentioned to himself in awe. "I wonder what happened now."
Placing the circular plastic into his dishwasher, Double D climbed his stairs, noticing a sticky note worn out; he carried it to his well lit room, shredding it. Sighing heavily, his OCD tendency to begin his homework when he could kicked in and, as predicted, he once more worked on numbers and formulas.
Once more, he had finished under an hour, leaving him time to get ready for his pseudo date with Nazz. Familiar walls surrounded Edd, clambering into the shower and exiting, picking out a purple top and wearing a pair of jeans his parents bought recently. He felt confident, a feeling he had never experienced prior to witnessing her, possible developments between them happened in sequence, flowing through his brain. Expressing that familiar grin, he headed outward to his arrangement.
*****
Nazz could be seen perched on a chipped at wall, kicking her heels against the barricade and themselves. Boredom clouded her face; blonde hair touched her shoulders having grown over the summer, her blue eyes drilled the cement, a pink tongue licking red lips due to dryness. Discovering Double D strolling, Nazz jumped off the corroded bricks and widened her arms, inviting Double D into soft arms. Initially, the genius halted then let himself grasp her, she was warm, he could smell her perfume and it made his nostrils gape to take it in. Double D's cheeks reddened, she noticed but didn't let on, only a small giggle erupted and she walked him through the alleys of the cul-de-sac.
"C'mon Edd...her fingers slid into his moisturised palm, clasping it. Trees greeted him as they sat on a log, worn down by all the people who sat on it. He looked and saw pale moonlight casting through tens of wooden oaks; they simply sat and talked, nothing more. Words surrounded the two, school, friends, the cul-de-sac, relationships. It was personal and he felt comfortable with it. As she finished talking about her relationship with Kevin the year prior, Double D felt relieved to know he hadn't fulfilled her expectations, no dates, presents and all he wanted was sex, she finished him after three months. However, he dreaded what was coming.
"So, what about you Edd?"
His face reddened once more, "I...uh, haven't really had girlfriends."
He looked to his feet, "Listen," she took her hand and lifted his face, "It's fine, you're a sweet boy though." He smiled as they sat until the early hours, talking some more.