Property Line

Chapter 2

Kevin shrugged as he took a seat at the table where his bag was. Edd's eyes widened.

"But we never had a proper agreement enclosed about this!"

Kevin shrugged again and sighed. He said, "Look, Naz was supposed to be my tutor, but she sucks at chem too, so she told me to ask you. Iunno." Edd stared at him for a while. "Well?"

"Pardon me Kevin, are you perhaps failing Chemistry in Mr. Woods's class?" Edd took a seat across the table and faced Kevin. Kevin pulled his hat down a bit to cover his eyes from embarrassment.

"Just like Mr. Woods said."

Edd leaned forward. "But school has just begun last month! How did you fail so suddenly?"

"That chem test last week killed me, dork. What else."

"Oh. My, I am truly sorry to hear that Kevin," Edd paused. "But I'm not quite sure if I have the ability to exchange the knowledge from one's mind to another." Kevin looked up.

"Dude, can you speak normally?"

Edd sighed. "I mean, I'm not sure how I'm going to tutor you."

Kevin shifted himself in his seat. "Well, every free period you just come and tutor me. Mr. Woods will count me coming to you and participating in class more as extra credit or something."

"Extra credit?" Edd sat back. "Is that even possible? Do the other students have the opportunity like this?"

"I don't know, I don't care. I just need to get my grade up. I am so screwed if I don't." Kevin leaned back. "Besides, I'm the only one failing his class with a 'D' anyways." Edd stood up and fixed his chair and surrounding. There was a silence from Edd thinking what he should do. How would he be able to tutor Kevin when he has science club and preparatory class? Then again, preparatory classes are not resuming for a while. But don't forget to mention, he's in charge of watering the plants the gardening club planted after school. Although, due to the weather getting colder, the gardening club moved the plants to the science room, where there are lamps that provide the plants heat and warmth. Maybe, just maybe, he does have the time to tutor Kevin. Edd sighed.

"Well, if you truly insist, I would be delighted to tutor you Kevin." Edd gave a smile after he said his words. Kevin looked at Edd and smirked in return.

"Dude, thanks."

Edd smile got bigger, exposing that gap between his teeth slightly. "No worries Kevin! We shall raise your grade in no time!"

Kevin chuckled and raised his hand, then made it into a fist, getting ready for a fist-bump. "Dude, I owe you one."

Edd stared down at Kevin's fist and took two steps back. "Uhm...It's no problem, Kevin." Edd pointed to Kevin's fist. "Why are you showing me your fist?"

Kevin stared at Edd blankly before breaking to a laugh. "Dude! You're supposed to fist-bump me!" Kevin laughed loudly, before grabbing Edd's hands and then molding his fingers to a fist. He made Edd's fist touch his fist before letting his wrist go. "Like that."

"Oh, I know what it is. But when we were younger, you would shake your fist at us due to your anger." Edd weakly smiled.

Kevin crossed his arms. "That was back then," Kevin scoffed. "And I was mostly aiming for Eddy, Double Dweeb."

Edd loosened the fist Kevin made with his hand before fixing his hat. "Oh, my, it has truly been a while."

"Yeah, I know. Didn't know we'd end up student and tutor." Kevin chuckled. Edd joined along and nodded.

"Just to think it was yesterday that you would chase the three of us around the cul-de-sac when we were young." Kevin started to laugh.

"Man, time flies by. I see you're not with the other dorks now?" Kevin looked around.

"Well, as time does fly by, I have preoccupied myself with gardening club and science club. Of course, Eddy would not have enjoyed me bringing him along, and Ed is quite destructive so putting him around my precious plants and-…"

"Yeah yeah I get it. The three of you are on all different paths."

"…Well, yes."

"Hm. Well, it's better this way." Kevin said as he unpacked his bag and removed his chemistry books. Edd blinked at him and then tilted his head.

"Is it really?"

"Don't you think so? I mean, you were always the different one with them. You were the smart, friendly, and sane one."

"Well, quite honestly I-"

"I mean, just in my opinion." Kevin stated before removing his pencils and placing them by his textbooks.

Edd stepped closer and looked down at his feet in guilt. "I understand that Eddy and Ed may have caused you much trouble, and on their behalf I do want to apologize."

"Don't sweat it. It's all in the past." Kevin smirked before petting Edd's hat playfully. Edd felt a bit shy as if Kevin was his older brother who was trying to comfort him. "Now, wanna help me with chem?"

"S-Sure." Edd stuttered, then cleared his throat. "I mean, yes, of course."

Edd finished writing up the phase diagram with the proper labels on the board. "And so, in conclusion, you would have to just remember this diagram."

Kevin finally finished copying the diagram and color coding the liquids, solids, and gases. "So solids are on the top left, liquids are in the middle, and gases are on the right and they all meet up at the triple point?"

"That is correct!" Edd smiled. "Make sure it looks like a slanted 'Y' and the tail of the 'Y' is at zero pressure and zero temperature."

"Oh crap, I got that completely wrong on the test." Kevin groaned.

"Do you remember what you put?" Edd started to erase the board as he was listening to Kevin.

"Well, I kind of made it with pressure on the x-axis and temperature on the y-axis." Kevin embarrassingly said.

Edd froze. "Kevin, that diagram is completely backwards." Kevin rested his head on his arm on the table.

"I know. It doesn't make sense. But I get it now! Everything starts at zero temp and zero press."

Edd closed the marker with their respective marker caps. "Yes, indeed. Zero temperature and zero pressure."

Kevin stood up and stretched. "Alright! I got this!" Then he yawned. "What time is it Double D?"

Edd looked at the clock on the wall before his eyes widened. "It's 6:00!" Edd looked outside the window where the sunset was shining through. "Did we really take that long?"

Kevin shrugged. "Guess so." Edd shot him a look. "Well, I guess it's time to go home, huh?" Kevin started to pack up his stuff, as well as Edd did. Edd took much slower though, as Kevin already left the room.

"He could at least say goodbye." Edd mumbled to himself. He slid his messenger bag around him and then walked out of the room, locking the door behind him with Mr. Woods's keys. Edd needed to drop off the keys at the main office before he left, but as he turned around, he was looking Kevin in the eyes.

"Are you ready yet?" Kevin asked. Edd's eyes widened and he jumped back.

"Y-You were waiting for me?" Edd's voice cracked a bit.

"Should I not?"

"It's not that. I am quite surprised you did, though. I thought you have already left." Edd composed himself neatly. "I have to drop these keys off to the main office, so you can go ahead if you may."

"Well, you thought wrong." Kevin smirked. "Nah, I'll wait for you. You live nearby anyway, so I mean, we can just walk together."

Edd was surprised at Kevin's suggestion, but decided to not waste time and debate about his choices. Kevin was right. The two of them were near each other, and actually, they lived across the street from each other. Luckily, they weren't on bad terms unlike Kevin and Eddy. That calmed Edd, since he doesn't have to worry about quarrels that might occur. Edd headed downstairs with Kevin following him. Edd opened the main office that was locked, but with the keys he had, Edd opened the main office and put the keys on the hook for Mr. Woods. Edd left the main office and saw Kevin waiting for him at the front door. "Thank you for waiting Kevin." Edd said as he walked towards Kevin.

"No sweat." Kevin put his hands in his pockets and started to head home. Edd followed along silently and thought how this was the first time he has ever walked home with Kevin since high school.

When they both reached the cul-de-sac, it was about 6:15. "See you tomorrow Kevin!" Edd waved, getting ready to separate from him.

"Alright. Tomorrow, why don't you just eat with me at lunch so we have lunch and free period to tutor and all." Kevin suggested. Edd was hesitant on deciding on agreeing, but since Kevin was eager to raise his grade, Edd accepted.

"I'm fine with that." Edd nodded then left Kevin to go to his house. Edd opened his door and entered his house, closing the door behind him.

A week has passed and the two have been studying non-stop. Kevin has been able to raise his grade slightly from a 'D' to a 'C-.' It was another lunch period that Edd was tutoring with Kevin. Eddy was surprised to see Kevin and Edd eating lunch together. Although Eddy has had a rough past with Kevin, they all did end up friends. But they still kept their groups after that. Ed, Edd, and Eddy as one group and the rest of the cul-de-sac in another group. Ever since high school has started, variety of friends and groups have been made, but Eddy would not have expected Edd, the nerd, would be hanging out with Kevin, the jock. It wasn't completely impossible, as he could see, but he at least expected the cul-de-sac group with be together and not just Kevin and Edd alone. The sports teams that Kevin was on was also shocked to see an athlete would be sitting everyday with some extraordinary student. Nazz didn't mind it, because she knew Edd was a cool person.

"And that concludes the section that we have learned so far in the year." Edd folded his hands. Kevin took a deep breath and relaxed his mind.

"Okay, so Mr. Woods allowed me to participate in practice again, but he said I can't fully be in games and competitions without raising it to a 'C+' because I need to have at least a 'C+' to be in them." Kevin complained.

"Well, over the week, you were able to raise your grade from a 'D' to a 'C-' and soon you will be able to achieve a 'C+' if you just continue doing what you are doing, Kevin." Edd smiled.

Kevin nodded in agreement. "True. Also, Mr. Woods is allowing me to re-take the test, so I think I'll pass."

"I'm certain you shall pass."

Kevin paused and looked at him. He kind of felt weird that someone was so certain for him. He smirked. "You're right, and it'll be thanks to you."

Edd stared at Kevin before clutching the ends of his shorts in embarrassment. "Oh, my, well thank you for the acknowledgement, Kevin. I couldn't have certainly done it without your cooperation." His cheeks slightly turned pink in color. Nazz was watching from afar and a little smile grew on her face.

"They would look cute together, don't you think?" Nazz asked one of the cheerleaders. In response, she got a weird face and laughed. Nazz shrugged. "Who knows." She thought, before continuing to eat her lunch.