-Sophomore Year
"Check it." Eddy held up his history test, an A minus circled in red at the top right corner.
"That's great, Eddy!" Double D beamed, taking the test in his hand to take a closer look.
Eddy shrugged his shoulders, playing nonchalance as he rubbed his curled fingers against his shirt, unable to hide his smugness.
"Double D! I got a smiley!" Ed looped under Eddy's legs, topping him over in a forced game of leapfrog. He held his own history test in his teeth.
"How wonderful. . ." He looked uneasily at the test at first, perturbed by Ed's way of showing it off to him. Hazel eyes rested on the very center of the test. It was blurry from all the drool but an unmistakable 100% was written in red ink next to a smiley face sticker. Double D wondered if Ed really worked hard more for the sticker than for the actual grade. Nevertheless, Double D was happy that his friends were a little more serious about school after they had repeated the eighth grade last year.
He knew they had missed him, and there was the shame in that compared to Double D, Ed and Eddy were freshmen. When they told him they were planning to go to summer school to catch up, Double D hadn't taken them seriously and had checked to make sure it wasn't April first. But it was true.
Eddy dusted his clothes as he rose, growling in the back of his throat in irritation. He resisted yelling at Ed, one of the telling ways that he was maturing. He saved the brunt of his annoyance for Sarah and occasionally Kevin. Kevin had started ignoring him when he flew into screaming fits (for the sake of his friendship with Double D), which ironically, made Eddy quit giving them. Yelling was pointless if no one paid attention to you.
"I see my tutoring sessions were beneficial." Edd said proudly, crossing his arms and nodding in satisfaction.
"Whatever," Eddy said. "Where's my jawbreaker?"
"Now, now, Eddy. Knowledge is its own reward," Double D teased then rifled through his bookbag.
Bribery hadn't been needed to make them hit the books, but Double D did believe in positive reinforcement. Offering jawbreakers as an incentive to finish homework and an hour of study had helped Ed and Eddy pull through what they felt was drudgery. To Edd, it was like going to Disney World to receive his reward.
He set a blue jawbreaker into his friend's eager hand. Ed simply spat out his test and lolled his tongue out. "Please make your deposit."
Edd cringed and reached in his back pocket for his handkerchief. He took Ed's hand within the safety of the cloth and dropped the candy orb into his hand.
"All right. Only one more class to go and we're free guys," Eddy said, slinging his arms around the two. "So we gotta celebrate. How abo-"
"Um, Eddy." Double D raised a finger to interrupt. "I have an important test to study for tomorrow."
Eddy's eyes narrowed. "Like you need to study. C'mon, Sockhead! Live a little. You've been busting your butt helping us and working on your own stuff."
Edd fiddled with his fingers, nervous at the thought of not studying the night before a test. "Very well. If you insist... but only an hour's worth of play. Then I must go home to prepare for my Anatomy and Physiology test."
"Dude. If I had that brain of yours I wouldn't study at all." Eddy poked Double D's head as he said this. As extra insurance, Edd gripped the edges of his hat, frowning.
"I can attest that my academic capabilities were borne mostly from dedication to the very studying you seem to abhor."
"Harbor!" Ed chimed in, rhyming the last word to his sentence.
"Whatever." Eddy shrugged, a usual punchline to anything he didn't understand or cared to discuss further.
The two minute bell rang.
"Remember. We meet at my house. We're going to party, guys." He pointed both fingers and waved them like pistols as he parted for Freshman Composition.
"Another day. Another dollar," Ed randomly contributed, running off.
"Wait, Ed!"
Ed stopped.
Edd pointed to the left. "You're going the wrong way."
He flew past him, now in the correct direction.
Edd sighed, and made the rest of the way to his Biology class which was only two doors down. Upon entering the room he saw that there were only seven students sitting at desks. As usual the rest of the class was conversing outside, waiting until the last minute.
He sat in the front per usual and meticulously took out his notes, class book, and a finely sharpened number two pencil. He set his desk as if it were a fancy dinner table, with everything in its proper place.
His pencil stirred when someone dropped their bag next to him. He raised his head, meeting Kevin's eyes as he sat down next to him.
This surprised Edd. Even though they were friends, Kevin never sat next to him. He said he hated sitting in the front row. It made him self-conscious. Edd knew the real reason- he was reading Sports Illustrated during the lecture, sneakily tucked into his Anatomy and Physiology book to trick the teacher. Edd wasn't sure if this actually worked or if the teacher didn't care.
"Salutations, Kevin. It's not often you sit in the front row."
"Felt like having some company." He arched a brow playfully. "You gotta problem with that?"
"Only if you insist on reading rather than paying attention to the teacher," he said, a little too seriously.
"About that," Kevin said, midway through taking out his magazine. He chose to tuck it back in and took out his textbook instead. "I came here to ask you something." He tossed his bag to the floor beside his chair. "I need you to help me study tonight."
"That's rather last minute of you." Edd said sardonically.
"I know."
Edd didn't like the last-minute notice, and not for the sake of his own schedule- he needed to study for the same test and having a study partner would be practical. He was merely annoyed that Kevin had taken so long to approach him. Why had he done this? Embarrassment? It could only be that, he of all people knew Edd was always willing to help.
The teacher stood up and the bell rang as a gaggle of students stumbled inside.
"I will be at your house at five," Edd promised.
"It'd probably be better if I come over to your place."
"I'll expect you at five then."
X
Eddy's idea of partying had been a night at the bowling alley and treating themselves to the hottest wings the bowling alley's tiny kitchen had to offer. Edd was certain he didn't have any taste buds to spare. No amount of milk had saved them as Eddy shoved another plate towards him. Ed had spent most of that night calling himself a fire-eater. It was accurate.
Inside his house, the clock read 4:56. He had very little time to himself until Kevin would show. He licked his lips and his tongue burned. He decided that with that time he had he would brush his teeth.
Of course, it was halfway through brushing that Kevin rang the doorbell. Edd hurriedly spat, rinsed, spat again and dabbed his mouth with a towel before descending the steps.
"Coming!" he assured, steps away from the door.
He opened it, trying to catch his breath. Kevin was in the doorway, finger at the ready to ring the doorbell again.
And he did.
A wicked smile played on his lips to an exasperated and out-of-breath Double D. Tucked under Kevin's arm was his text book. There was the notable absence of a magazine. Edd was glad he was serious about this.
"I apologize. I didn't have time to make refreshments." Edd let him in, heading towards the kitchen.
"It's all right. I just ate." He shrugged. "But a water would be nice."
Double D took two waters from the fridge and set them on the kitchen table. Ever prepared, his own textbook and notes were already on the table. Kevin sat down.
"Is there anything in particular that you are struggling with?"
"All of it?" Kevin forced a hopeless smile.
"Perhaps your problem lies in trying to memorize the facts rather than truly understanding them," Edd offered. Anatomy wasn't as technical of a class as Math- one could get by on memorization, but only so far.
"Since the test tomorrow is on the circulatory system we will concentrate on that. I suggest we meet twice a week henceforth so you will be better prepared for your final." Edd opened his book to the chapter, which showed a close-up picture of blood cells over bolded letters. Ed had once called the cells 'donuts.'
"Well, to start off, the circulatory system consists of three independent systems that work in conjunction with each other: the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and the systemic."
"¿Habla inglés?" Confusion marked the jock's strong features.
"As they are commonly called: the heart, lungs, and blood vessels, arteries, and veins. They all work together as a sort of. . . transportation system. Yes!" Edd's eyes lit up at the analogy. "Imagine it as a trading system within the body."
"Dude. You're getting a nerd boner."
Edd shushed him. "You asked me to tutor you, mister." The gap in his tooth showed prominently as he smiled wide. "The 'cargo' can be several things- nutrients, oxygen, hormones. . ."
He stopped, noticing Kevin was staring at him, cradling his face in his hand as he leaned on the table. The expression on his face was curious, confusing Edd. It was unlike the bored or frustrated looks Ed and Eddy gave him during their sessions. Kevin looked like he was daydreaming, yet it was undeniable that he was giving Edd his full attention. It looked eerily similar to the passion Kevin expressed when it came to his bike.
Double D turned red at the parallel.
He inwardly shook his head, it wasn't possible that Kevin liked him as much as his bike. Not even Nazz had reached that high on his level of affection.
He swallowed, his mouth turning to cotton, his lecture on the circulatory system going dry. He took the water bottle and chugged too conspicuously. Kevin blinked, eyes going from the water bottle to Edd's red face. "You all right?"
Edd took the final swallow and cleared his throat. "It appears you already know the course material." He coughed, deciding to test the waters. "Could you tell me the real reason you insisted on meeting me?"
Kevin never was good at admitting he wanted to hang out with Double D over something important. He clamped a hand over the back of his neck, suddenly feeling sweaty and clammy.
"Heh. Yeah. I'm not actually failing the class."
"Being smart is nothing to be ashamed of," Edd said. If his guess was right, the sentence would lance through Kevin's mask. "It's easier to be oneself."
"I just don't want anyone to call me an egghead."
Kevin was cracking.
"And you prefer the term 'dumb jock?'" Edd raised an eyebrow. "You're a very complex character, Kevin." He slipped into his doctor voice. "You care what others think about you, yet you're friends with someone who is openly gay."
Kevin laughed in the back of his throat. "Like anyone is going to accuse me of being gay just because we're friends. I mean, I'm on the football team."
Edd bit his lip, the words slowly meeting the edge of his mouth. He closed his eyes and released them, hoping they snared but didn't provoke. "You still haven't explained why you're here."
The room grew quiet and their eyes met, irises flickering with nerves.
How ironic that they were studying for a test on the circulatory system. Edd could feel all the chemicals rush through his body, his pulse quickening in his chest.
His only relief was the possibility that Kevin's circulatory system had also kicked into overdrive for the same reasons his had. His heart pulled, and he ached to ask him.
It wasn't fear of rejection that stopped him, or shyness. He watched the way the corner of Kevin's lip twitched and his shoulders squared, suddenly creating distance between them.
Kevin wasn't ready to come to terms with his reason for coming over. Edd's eyes drifted, releasing them both from their locked gaze. Kevin had thought he was ready, Edd thought, but he simply wasn't. Edd bit the inside of his cheek, his tongue toying with the inside seam of his cheek. Was it right for him to have not pushed him, should he wait until he was comfortable with his feelings? And would he ever?
But most importantly, Edd wanted to know if he was right.
He shuddered to think he was getting ahead of himself, much like Eddy tended to do with his schemes.
For now, he would retreat, back into schoolbooks and studying. "Did you know the average human has five to six quarts of blood pumping through their entire body?"
Gradually, Kevin eased back into their study session, and though longing and questions burned throughout his body, Edd didn't detour from the subject.
For the first time in his life, he hated studying.