Chapter 7: Stop Getting in My Ed

In the tense few weeks awaiting the test results, both children and parents alike started to discuss more and more about which high schools to select over dinner conversation. Once their scores would arrive, it would show what programs the student would be eligible for in the high school, and what subjects they could skip in favor for the more advanced courses.

Edd had yet to receive any notice from his parents about what high school they were to apply to. In a rare instance, he had been able to catch his father before he left for work in the one night he came back home, and asked if he was going to attend a high school here in Peach Creek. To Double D's relief, his father nodded. Double D's mother usually would come back on school nights and take care of him, but lately she's been more and more absent than she already was. But Double D didn't mind terribly. He was used to it.

On the Monday back to Peach Creek Jr. High, Double D greeted Eddy and Ed on the walk there with a smile.

"Greetings! How are all you doing after the farewell party?"

"Like married pudding!" Ed replied happily. Double D chuckled.

"And you Eddy?"

Eddy stretched his arms. "Eh, could've been better. I was stuck in Kevin's stinking bedroom all day long." He grumbled.

"About that Eddy, I was hoping you could be a little more… raw about that with me?" Double D nudged. Eddy cocked his head.

"What're you trying to say?"

"Yeah Double D. Do you want to eat raw meat? Which kind? There's pork, beef, and fake chicken. But not real chickens. Chickens are good." Ed weighed in. Double D shook his head.

"No Eddy. I was wondering if you could maybe… explain what exactly you were doing in Kevin's room?"

"Didn't you hear Double Deaf? I already said it! I got stuck in there because I thought somebody broke in. Room was a total mess! Almost as bad as Ed's... Almost." Eddy huffed, poking at Double D's ribs.

Double D rolled his eyes. "Don't think I'm daft Eddy. Nobody would close the door behind them when investigating a room they thought somebody broke into. They'd only trap themselves in and inconvenience themselves." He glanced at Eddy, who was looking a tad anxious. He sighed, clear that Eddy wasn't going to respond.

"But let's say that you did indeed close the door for whatever reason. What did you do in there for the few hours you were stuck? I doubt you'd have the resilience to keep yelling for that long."

They kept walking for a minute in complete silence, as Double D patiently waited for a response. Eddy finally groaned.

"Why're you asking for anyway?"

"Just curious Eddy. I'd like my friends to be frank with me." Double D coughed. Eddy groused again.

"Alright, so maybe I DID jump on his bed a bit?" Double D stared at Eddy. "A-and snoop around his drawers to see if he still had any jawbreakers?"

Upon hearing the "snoop" admit, Double D believed it a bit more. "Jawbreakers Eddy?" He chuckled.

"What?" Eddy grinned, happy that Edd got off his case. "Old habits die hard."

Double D laughed. "For our sakes, I hope that isn't true. I suppose I lost my taste for it. It's been a while since we had a delectable jawbreaker. What about you Ed?" Ed was strangely silent throughout Double D's interrogation, but bounced back to his blabbing self in no time.

"Oh never Double D! Jawbreakers are the apple of my nose." He booped himself on said nose. On a completely different subject, "Double D, I think I got tuh, maybe a 73 on that big test last week."

"Really now?" Double D smiled. "Well, I'm sure you did decently. After all that work you put into it."
Ed nodded his head in a dog-like waggling manner.

"And what about your art portfolio? You'll need it ready if you want to apply to that art school you told me about."

"All done and ready. It's under my bed!"

"Yeah, that'll end well." Eddy grimaced. "Don't think I forgot what was under there."

"What's under there Eddy?" Ed asked genuinely. Eddy remained silent for a few seconds. Then he raised his arm, waving his hand enthusiastically at someone in the distance. They've reached the school, and Kevin was docking off his motorbike hybrid.

"Heya Kevin!" Eddy flashed a smile, waving his hand a bit too happily. Double D squinted at the gesture, but dropped it and joined.

"Kevin! How are you?" He called, Kevin's letdown over Rolf's upcoming leave still present in mind. Kevin's head flipped up at the trio with wide eyes. Then he looked a little angry.

I wonder why?
Double D worried. But he chalked it off over being sad over Rolf, and decided to not comment on it.

"Hey dorks." Kevin mumbled as the Eds came closer. Before he could say anything more, he snapped the lock on his motorbike and ran into the school.
Double D pulled his head back, bewildered. "Well, that was a bit abrupt." Eddy just sniggered.

"Aw, let it go Double D. Kevin's probably had a little potty issue." Double D doubted it was that, but nevertheless walked toward their homeroom together.

As they passed by in the hallway, waving at a few other friends (Eddy shot finger guns at any breathing female they passed), Kevin went and stayed in the restroom, but not for potty issues. He was looking into the mirror, half bitter and half embarrassed for having dusted them so quickly. He focused on scrubbing his hands clean, despite not having used a stall, and let his mind retrace back to the previous night.

That stupid, stupid Eddy. Kevin sighed.

When Kevin entered that room the other day, and saw Eddy hold his journal precariously over himself, hundreds of thoughts sped through his brain.

I can't believe he found it. My dumb journal. Kevin agonized mentally. He must've knocked it out into the open when he was searching for something to give Rolf. The journal was something his parents got him as a gift in Christmas, but he rarely used it. He only opened it and wrote random events from the week when he was trying to procrastinate from studying. They wanted him to write in it daily because it's "healthy" and whatnot.

Thank God I didn't write about what happened that day… with the whole "glitter" incident. That would've been so, so much worse…
The last Kevin wrote in it was when Double D worked on his bicycle and he finished reviewing for the test. Idle and bored, he pulled it out and wrote about the recent games, about Nazz's untimely transformation, and about… Double D.

He, regretfully, wrote about Double D a lot. Mainly in his rush of gratitude and excited anticipation for him upgrading his bike, but he also had put in speculations on Double D's changing behavior and their conversations together.

He had concluded in the journal, "So yeah. He's outside now making my motorcycle :D And I'm starting to like the dork better from before we all became pals. Maybe I missed his humor before, but now I'm… more than cool with him. He can be cool sometimes, when he isn't so… dorky? But even that I'm sorta getting used to."

Yeah, not the worst, but it was still kinda bad. Had anybody else read every single sentence Kevin wrote on Double D, they would've also assumed a blossoming crush too. But of course, Kevin didn't see it that way.

Eddy had spent hours giggling over its contents, his scheming making the time fly by rapidly. When he reached the last page, he exploded with all sorts of ideas, accidentally knocking over a lamp nearby.

After Kevin stepped inside and locked the door, Eddy's guffaws faded slowly. Kevin stayed silent, arms crossed. There was no point in grabbing his journal back, he knew Eddy had gone through every single word of it, twice.

"This was way too fun. Rich I tell you!" Eddy swiped a tear away.
Kevin finally lost it, rushed forward, and tackled Eddy onto the ground. He purposefully missed the bed because, come on, that would've been weird. The journal fell with a tumble as Eddy hit the ground with an "oof".

"Gimme one really good reason why I shouldn't just pummel you here right now." Kevin growled, hands around Eddy's neck.

"Whoa! Slow down there tiger, hold on!" Eddy tried to pry the trembling hands around his neck away.
"How about this: You don't kill me, and I won't tell Double D about your crush on him." Kevin's eyes nearly popped out his skull as he tried to comprehend what Eddy had just said.

"What… I- what the hell are you saying ya dork? I don't have a crush on Double D!" Kevin got off of Eddy.
"Why'd you even..? Dude, that's just crazy."

Eddy massaged his neck with a hearty eye roll. "Please, you wrote about him so much, it nearly made me sick. You even talked about him more than Nazz!" Kevin blinked. Had he?

"Dude, that doesn't matter! I only wrote about him because he was working on my bike."

"Sure." Eddy drawled. Kevin turned red with fury. Why doesn't he believe me? I don't have a crush on the double dork!
In a heap of denial of any slight feelings whatsoever, Kevin grabbed Eddy again, this time by the shirt.

"So what? Are you gonna try and bribe me? Huh? Because that's not gonna work! Since there's nothing for you to even bribe me about! Cause I don't like Double D. So there's no point. No poi-" Eddy shoved his hand in front of Kevin's mouth.

"Relax, I'm not gonna bribe you."

"You!… you're not?"

"Not now. But in case you DO ever admit it, I totally am!" He cackled. Kevin griped.

"Well good luck, because that's never gonna happen."

"Sure man." Eddy kept his snickers and simply walked out the door in stitches, leaving Kevin alone with his thoughts. Which was never, in his point of view, a good thing.

Once he heard Eddy leave through the front door, he swiped up his journal and flopped onto his bed.
Great. As if that "thing" with him earlier today wasn't bad enough. Now this.. I mean… No. No, it was nothing. It IS nothing. Ugh! Kevin sat up and rubbed his face.

After lying there for a few minutes, not being able to remain content with just rambling in his head, he had finally reduced himself to talking out loud.

"So what if I talk with him more now? Doesn't mean I got a stupid crush on him…" He preambled around his room a bit longer, before a new voice popped in his head. A voice that pushed against his denial.

So then why'd you feel like how you normally did with Nazz when Edd touched your face?
Kevin stood still at the unwelcome thought for a while, and successfully (miraculously) pushed off the thoughts and kept them at bay, not answering it.

"Whatever. Eddy's just trying to get into my head again… He hasn't changed that much. Double D and I are just a little bit closer than before, that's it."
At that small concession, the voice crawled back, and allowed Kevin to go under his red blanket. He turned the lights off, ready for a nap, hoping that Eddy would just let it go and free his conscience the next day.

Of course, that didn't happen. And Kevin was now holed up in the bathroom, wondering how he could get back at Eddy, without making it seem like it was him.

"I mean, he technically didn't do anything bad enough for a beating, other than read my journal.. but he didn't bribe me yet…" He jerked up.
"Argh, what am I saying? There's nothing for him to bribe! It wouldn't matter to me if he went and told Double D I had a crush on him right now!"

But as soon as he said that, his pulse started to bump it up a little faster. Would it?

Kevin shook his head. Kevin undeniably liked chicks, to the point where he thought it impossible for another guy to stir similar feelings in him.
"I'm not bi or nothing like that. This is just stupid. Getting to my head..."
The bell rang, forcing Kevin to be done with both his internal and now external monologue, and go to class. And so he did, his mind now having to pay attention to something else. Was the first time he appreciated classes, and was probably the first time he actually tried to absorb himself in his studies.
The day ticked by, and now came the time for lunch.

Kevin waited for Nazz outside her class as he usually did.

"Sup Nazz."

"Oh! Kev, what do you think of my makeup today? I've gotten a whole lot better, huh?" Nazz smiled, gesturing to her face. Sarah agreed enthusiastically in the back. Kevin merely blinked twice. Her skin was smooth, but Kevin couldn't see any other sign of makeup.

"What… makeup? You're wearing makeup right now?" Nazz scoffed.

"Um, yeah? Isn't it obvious? It's called 'natural' but it's also a hint of 'electric'!" Kevin blinked again.

"Riiight… let's just go and get some lunch." The three made their way to the cafeteria, inched along the crowded lines, and finally sat down at their usual table with a tray of school goop.
Double D greeted them, as he always did, and almost immediately began to go into a rant about the school food.

"Now haven't you noticed that the cafeteria food has been in decline? Ever since there was a sudden change in demand and number, they've gotten lazy! I mean, just look at this oozing atrocity!" Double D held up a spoonful of grey slop. It dripped slowly in a thick glop.

Almost instantly after he held it up, Ed dove in and chomped the spoon clean.

"Ed! Goodness, that's not very sanitary. You're lucky I haven't used the spoon yet. Here." He handed it to Ed.

"I think the cafeteria food got better!" He licked his chops, digging into more.
The whole time, Kevin was chuckling at Double D's cute little rave.

Cute? Kevin swiftly shoved that down, and continued to listen to Double D with a half smile. But as soon as he noticed Eddy staring at him from over Ed's shoulder, he stopped with a scowl.

"Looks like I'll have to start bringing my own lunch everyday. This is simply unacceptable!" Double D shoved the tray away, of which Ed's hands sneakily dragged away.

"Thankfully, I had brought some nutritious carrots as a snack. Care for some?" Double D offered a few sticks to Nazz and Kevin, who were sitting in front of him. Nazz took a handful.

"Thanks dude. The food is sorta sucky now." Double D grinned, and directed it to Kevin.

"Uhm…" Kevin reached out for one, but kept feeling as though Eddy was staring at him still. God, this sucks. That stupid Eddy, making me nervous for no reason.
Trying his best not to turn his head to where he thought Eddy was watching, he shakily grabbed two carrot sticks and gave a strained smile.

"Err.. thanks dork." Kevin chomped on them loudly. Double D raised a brow.

"Are you feeling alright Kevin?"

"Course! Never been better." Kevin laughed loudly, stealing a peek at where Eddy sat.

Dumbfounded, Eddy wasn't even paying attention to him to begin with. He was wiping off some slop off his arm where Ed had dribbled onto. Kevin sighed.

"Yep, yep. I'm good." He leaned back, rubbing his face. Double D reached out a hand and felt Kevin's forehead. If eyes could gawk in horror, that's what Kevin's were doing.

"Oh dear! It seems as though your temperature is rapidly rising! I could don my nursing equipment and take you to the nurses office before class resumes, if you want?"

"U-uh, no no no that's alright." Kevin stammered. He did feel hotter, but he knew it wasn't from any sort of ailment. He stole a glance at Eddy again, grateful that he still wasn't looking and instead was yelling at Ed. Kevin grabbed Double D's wrist and peeled it off his burning forehead.
Double D mumbled some concerns, but respected his wishes.

After a while, the bell rang again and Kevin dashed out of there, despite him always having walked with Ed and Double D to their next class together. Kevin never really interacted with Double D too much in the one and only class they shared together, mainly because their desks were at the opposite ends. Double D at the front, of course, and Kevin's at the back. But that doesn't mean they don't interact at all in that period.
Admittedly, now that the Cul-de-Sac group as a whole has gotten tighter, Kevin's eyes did go over to the back of Edd's beanie more often.

"But that doesn't mean anything." Kevin murmured out loud. A passing student looked at him weird, but moved on.

"It just means we're better friends. Friends look at each other in class more, duh." He reasoned with a voice that hasn't even spoken up yet, trying to smother the suggestions before they appear.

Double D, clueless to Kevin's internal mayhem behind, wrote notes down rapidly as he usually did.

"Eddward, could you please read passage four in a clear voice?" The teacher asked, knowing that Eddward most certainly would. Double D nodded and began reading.
Once done, he gave a wide grin to the teacher.

"What a fucking teacher's pet." A classmate near the back whispered to his friend, both of them agreeing with snickers. Kevin caught it and shot an unseen glare at the two, getting an unexpected flare of that usual dose of anger he has in his chest.

So what if he is? Kevin decided to respond to them telepathically. Any kid knows if you get on a teacher's bad side, they'll give ya a D.

At long last, the final bell rang and Kevin could not wait to get out of the school. After a whole day of battling his denial, he was 110% ready to take a nice, hot bath.
He sped down the hallway, whizzing by Jimmy and Sarah. He kicked open the double doors to freedom, but was caught off guard when he was faced with sheets of hard rain pouring down.
He looked around. There were several students who came prepared with umbrellas.

I mean, the news did say it might rain… but it was so sunny all day long? What the heck happened? Kevin gave an audible groan.

"Fucking great." He cursed.

"Now watch your tongue Kevin." Double D warned without much warning at all in his voice. Kevin jumped.

"Whoa! You sca- I mean, you surprised me." Kevin looked back. Double D held up his umbrella.
Of course he brought one.

"Summer rains." He sighed with a smile. "You can never predict them. I'd love to share the umbrella with you and help provide shelter from this dreadful weather… but I'm afraid I already told Ed and Eddy that I'd help cover them. I'm not sure if there'll be much space."

Kevin had actually entertained the thought for a millisecond, of him and Edd walking down the wet sidewalk, squished against each other under the umbrella.

I mean, he's pretty thin so it could- Agh! Stop. Thinking!

"Oh, no worries. I can just wait it out or something." Kevin shrugged, stuffing away his slight disappointment effectively.

Double D gave a sympathetic smile. "Oh! I know, take this key to the nurses office. I think I left an emergency umbrella in the corner of the room somewhere."

"Thanks man." Kevin took the key and made his way down the hallway. He took about ten steps before he turned his head back again to a sudden ruckus. It was Ed and Eddy rushing outside straight into the rain, and then dashing back inside with realization. Double D scolded them.

"I told you wait! Now look at you, you're all drenched!" He opened up the umbrella. "Come, let's get home. Hopefully this'll fit all three of us…" Ed shook his body like wet cat, and scooped up Edd with the umbrella.

"Oh my!" Double D gripped onto Ed, who now had a flailing Eddy under his left arm.

"Let go of me you dolt! You, you lump of-" Ed then charged outside with a "Whooo!", and the Eds soon disappeared into the cold fog outside. Kevin shook his head with a quiet laugh.

As dumb Ed can be, as much as I want to kill Eddy, and as nerdy Double D can get… they sure as hell can be entertaining sometimes.

Kevin walked down the now empty hallway to the nurses office, keys spinning on one finger.

At a much different pace, Ed bulldozed down the sidewalk, almost rippling the falling water around them. They eventually made it to the safety of Double D's home, as his was the nearest to the Cul-de-Sac's entrance.

Ed dropped the two boys onto the Welcome mat and shook himself off again.

"Ed, I swear if you do that again, you'll get a lot more than just some measly rain." Eddy snarled, rubbing his back. Double D shakily closed his umbrella with a sway.

"I fear I may be sick." He took in a deep breath. "Well gentlemen, this is where we depart."

"Uh, like hell it is." Eddy barged into Double D's home, and not for the first time, as Ed followed. Double D's nitpicky fingers twitched at the intrusion.

"Wait a minute! Your slippers!" He ran inside, closing the door.

Ed had already made himself comfortable by curling up on the couch. Eddy shoved him over to make room, and plopped down with the remote controller. Double D meticulously slipped on the fuzzy slippers onto their kicking feet.

"Pray tell what do you think you're doing? You know how I feel about invasions about my household." Double D sniffed, not having much fond memories about that topic.

"Take a look outside sockhead. I'm not gonna walk five feet in that!" Eddy clicked through the channels. Double D sighed and gave in.

"Oh alright, but don't touch anything else." He walked over to sit on a smaller sofa chair.

"I suppose you could stay here until the rain lets up a little."
After a few minutes of clicking, Eddy gave up and gave the controller to Ed, who then went to his favorite channel.

"Comics and Conspiracies!" Ed clapped.

"What a strangely fitting show for you Ed." Double D mused, shielding his eyes from the bright neon colors now on TV.

"Ugh, this sucks!" Eddy yelled in boredom. Then his brow raised up at an idea for entertainment. Eddy slithered across the couch and leaned in to where Double D sat.

"Hey Double D, what do you think of Kevin? I heard that you're getting real close now." He chortled slyly. If he had the chance to confirm possible blackmail on Kevin for the future, he would. Double D just gave a confused noise.

"Well, ever since that fiasco of a journey last year, we've all been getting closer don't you think?" He sipped on some tea he had brewed earlier. "Ouch, hot."

"Ok sure, but what about him specifically?" Eddy pried, trying to see if Double D knew anything of Kevin's growing fixation on him.

"If you think he's going to become a closer friend to me than you guys already are, then you can rest your worries, because he's not." Double D closed his eyes, blowing on the cup. Eddy slapped his face.

"No sockhead I'm- oh nevermind." Eddy slid down the cushions.
Guess not. Eddy blankly stared at the show Ed was so engrossed in.

Sure we've gotten closer, but Kevin's still a prick sometimes. It'd be nice to have some… insurance against him.

Eddy smirked. Yes, the Eds were now accepted as friends with the kids, but that doesn't mean Eddy was reborn. He'd just stopped with the scamming, as he only did that before to imitate his brother. But that hasn't gotten rid of his deep rooted greed, and he knew more than anybody that if done right, scams could earn you plenty, quick.

But not yet. Eddy reasoned. He enjoyed his new group of friends and feeling of acceptance for once, and didn't plan on starting his "business" again, unless some big change happened.

Unfortunately for Eddy, something big was right around the corner. It could be karma, or just righteous consequence, but the next day held a lot more than Eddy could bargain for.