Double D dressed for the first day of school with a large grin on his face. Before he moved away, school had always a haven of bountiful knowledge and fulling social interaction. And in terms of a public educational school system, he read that Peach Creek High School had one of the more developed curriculums in the state.
"Oh I can't wait to begin my advanced studies," Double D practically bounced with excitement. "Why, at my last school there wasn't even…"
His voice drifted off with the thought of his last high school but he quickly pushed the memory away.
"No need to sour my pleasant morning with unpleasant memories." He mumbled, finishing his tie.
Several beeps sounded from his phone, indicating that he had a new text message. Glancing at the screen, he saw that it was Eddy who, in all caps of course, demanded that he come down stairs immediately. Double D grabbed his backpack and headed downstairs to the kitchen. Eddy and Ed were waiting impatiently by the back door.
"Hurry up Sockhead!" Eddy yelled. "We're starving here! Did you make us some grub or what?"
"Patience Eddy," Double D said letting them inside, "I haven't even put the oatmeal on the stove yet. I was still getting dressed you see and it's unsafe to-"
"Oatmeal?" Eddy made a face of disgust and flopped down in a chair. "I thought you were fixing us some real grub not some gruel."
"Not even Rolf's pigs eat gruel, Double D." Ed chimed in.
Double D frown indignantly. "I'll have you know that my oatmeal is not gruel, gentlemen. It is a hearty and delicious mixture of various cooked oats, brown sugar, and fresh fruits. Why, even mother prefers it for breakfast over my father's eggs Florentine."
With that he turned his attention to the kitchen and began gathering the ingredients. Despite his outwardly attitude, Double D was inwardly jubilant to the point where tears began pricking behind his eyelids. It was almost as if he never left his best friends behind. Many mornings they had spent like this with Double D fixing them a meal while Ed and Eddy complained. And now it was like the past two years didn't matter and they could pick up right where they left off.
While he mixed the various oats and grains together, he stole glances at his best friends. Eddy hadn't grown a whole lot taller yet, but he was thickening around the arms and shoulders, developing firm muscles in those areas. His chin was also beginning to sprout a few coarse hairs. Ed had definitely grown taller, if that was even possible, but he had gotten leaner, and his hair was beginning to grow out some.
Double D set the nearly finished pot of oatmeal on a low simmer to finished cooking, and sat down at the table with Ed and Eddy.
"Now fellows," He smiled, "We have twenty minutes before we have to leave for school and five minutes until the oatmeal has finished cooking. Catch me up on what I missed during my, erm, absence?"
"Well school still sucks." Eddy cracked a huge yawn. "It starts even earlier than middle school."
"You know what they say Eddy," Double D smiled. "The early gets the worm. Starting school first thing in the morning ensures that your brain is functioning at its full capa-"
"School is boring!" Ed interrupted loudly. "Only May likes it."
Double D started in surprise. "M-May? How do you know she likes school, Ed?"
"Because he and his girlfriend have all of their classes together." Eddy snickered.
Ed sank back with a large blush on his face. "She's not my girlfriend, Eddy. We just read comics and stuff."
The pot made a loud gurgling noise, calling Double D's attention back to the cooking oatmeal. His mind was reeling though as he spooned the oatmeal into three separate bowls. Girlfriend? May as Ed's girlfriend? Sure he denied the accusation, but for Eddy to even make that accusation meant-
"Yo! Hurry up with that oatmeal Sockhead!" Eddy yelled impatiently.
Double D rolled his eyes. "Coming Eddy."
After they ate breakfast, the three of them rushed out the door and headed to school. Double D felt like he couldn't get there fast enough. On the way Eddy filled him in on what else had been going on while he was away. Nazz and Kevin were in an on again, off again relationship, Jimmy had graduated from head gear to braces, Sarah was less mean to Ed, but as loud mouthed as ever, and although Johnny no longer carried Plank around, he still web chatted with him via smart phone. And Rolf had expanded his farm, adding pig bride for his pig Wilfred and Victor's brother Larry. Everyone was a little older, but the cul de sac kids were still very much the cul de sac kids.
"I see that not much changed during my brief absence." Double D remarked as they reached the lockers and picked three together. "Tell me Eddy, are you still running those adolescent scams of yours or have you matured from them as well?"
"Not scams Sockhead, business ventures." Eddy gave him a sly grin. "I gotta evolve with my potential customers, you know."
"We charge more now." Ed translated.
Double D couldn't help but chuckle. It really was like he never left. "I see. Well, count me in to continue lending my engineering skills to your endeavors Eddy. I can't wait to pick up where we left off."
This time, Eddy looked mildly uncomfortable and looked at Ed. Ed, completely unfazed, got straight to the point.
"No thanks Double D," Ed said cheerily. "We got Marie to do that stuff now."
Again Double D was startled and his mind went back to yesterday. It had been so shocking to see Marie with Eddy and Ed that he just put the entire incident out of his mind.
"It's not like we replaced you or anything." Eddy raised his shoulders defensively. "It was just that… you were gone and turns out she was pretty handy with a tool. And it's not like I could rely on Lumpy here."
"Say no more, Eddy." Double D forced himself to smile. "I'm just, um… surprised that you two became acquainted with each other that's all."
"Eddy and Marie and chummy like May and me, Double D." Ed said.
"Quiet, Lumpy." Eddy elbowed him roughly. "Like I said, the chick is handy with a tool, that's all."
"Well, I for one am glad that you two are becoming friendlier with the Kanker sisters." Double D said cheerily. "It's about time we matured past our childish fear of them. Now if you'll excuse me, I don't want to be late for first period."
With that, he slammed his locker shut and hurried down the hallway. Despite his forced cheery demeanor around his friends, the thought of Ed and Eddy being friends with Marie and May made him feel vaguely uncomfortable. True he hoped they would eventually become civil towards one another, but friends?
Once he was inside of his classroom, Advanced Placement Literature, Double D breathed a sigh of relief. Classic novels and Shakespearean poetry were much easier to handle. He had just settled into a desk in the front when he received yet another shock. Mere seconds before the bell rang, Marie Kanker herself walked into the classroom. Yesterday, he had been so surprised to see her that he didn't really notice her appearance before. Now he definitely did.
Marie was taller now and had developed the preliminary curves of a woman. Her blue hair was shorter and cut straighter, with one heavy bang partially covering one eye. She wore dark green jeans instead of cargo pants, and a tight black tank top. Three piercing adorned each ear and a slight bulge in her top indicated a stomach piercing as well. Double D was so stunned that he didn't realize he had been outright staring at her until one of her hazel eyes landed on him and her lips turned up in a smirk.
"See something you like, Eddward?" She snickered, pausing at his desk.
"I-I- ahem," Double D cleared his throat, the heat rising to his face. "F-forgive me Marie, I didn't mean to stare. I, um, haven't seen you in so long, I was a bit surprised to see you."
"Sure you were." Marie winked and moved on, popping her gum loudly.
Double D tensed, expecting her to pick a seat either next to him, or immediately behind him. After all, Marie was always one to completely invade his personal space and harass him mercilessly. Even after their brief relationship she had still continued to chase him down for sport.
But Marie breezed right passed him and headed towards a desk in the back. Throughout class, Double D hazarded glances behind him, but Marie never once looked his way. Her notebook, the window, and (rarely) the teacher yes, but never at him. Double D should have been relieved, but instead he felt a strange sinking in his chest.
Perhaps some things have changed after all.
A/N- Just in case I didn't mention it before, they're in their junior year of high school
