Author's Note: Sorry for the delay everyone! It has been a hectic week out here. Enjoy!

Chapter 10: Silence

Thursday morning had arrived and Edd stood outside the Honor's dorm. Despite the warmth, Edd was yet again wearing a long sleeved v-neck and his trademark beanie. He looked around, not wanting to have Nat chase after him again today. He made no concrete plans to meet with the teal-haired boy, but knew that if Nat intended to walk with him, he would. Edd also knew that if Nat did intend to walk to class with him and Edd didn't notice him again, Nat would again loudly mention that in front of a class.

He looked down the sidewalk towards the direction of Sycamore and could see Nat walking towards him. Edd quickly moved towards him.

"Morning Double Dude!" Nat yelled with a grin and wave.

Edd smiled and waved a little as he approached Nat, "salutations Nathan, how are you today?"

"I'm good," Nathan answered, elongating the vowels in his reply.

Edd chuckled. "I'm looking forward to class today. The readings were interesting and Dylan's teaching style is likely to really bring out some of the details."

"Dylan is fun, that's fair. But I can't say that the readings were that interesting. Seemed to drone on a bit for me."

Edd chuckled again and offered a defense of the readings, "but reading about history is a great way to understand the present. I was fascinated by the focus of the readings on various forms of sexuality throughout various historical contexts. I had previously read about Greece, but it was nice to read to about India and pre-colonial Uganda as well."

Nat laughed, "ok Double Dude. You would like the history readings."

"Did you do the readings?"

"Yes," Nat replied, again elongating the vowel in his response, "what are you, my mother?" Nat laughed loudly.

Edd chuckled again, "if I was your mother, I'd likely ask what your natural hair color was."

Nat smirked, "you should know it's teal." Nat laughed even more loudly as Edd joined in. "You missed out last night. You should have taken a break from studying."

Edd was unsure of what to say. He did have some reading to do last night, but was completely unsure of what Nat was referring too. "O-oh, you know me. In bed with my chemistry book," he offered in response with an awkward laugh.

"Yeah, Kevin said you told him you were studying. We met Nazz for dinner. It was great, you missed out. Alexa even joined in!"

"Sounds like you all had a great time." Edd blushed a bit. Kevin had never told him that people were getting together that evening, but had clearly lied to Nat about inviting Edd out with them.

It seemed that things had indeed returned to normal. Kevin, who he thought was trying to build a friendship with him, seemed to be avoiding him again. This was like the start of high school all over again, when Kevin avoided him for the sake of his popularity. Except now, Edd didn't have Eddy and Ed to be near. His bottom lip quivered a bit.

As the pair walked through campus, Nat continued to talk about the fun the group had without him last night. He also went on about Alexa - her smile, her attitude, her sense of style, and all things about their interesting new friend.

"Edd? You ok, Double Dude?"

Edd shook his Edd, he hadn't been paying much attention. "Y-yes. I'm fine Nathan. Why do you ask?"

"You just seemed in kind of a daze, Double Dude." The tone in his voice was one of concern, but reminded Edd of the awkward conversation in Nathan's car with Kevin.

"O-oh, I was just thinking."

"About class, no doubt. You think too much, Double Dude." Nat replied with a laugh. His tone seemed to be back to his normal jovial self.

Edd chuckled, "I'll think it over." The pair laughed together and walked inside Oelman Hall.

As they made their way to the classroom, a nearby elevator opened. Alexa and Dylan walked out of the elevator together. Nat ran to catch up with them, leaving Edd behind. Edd could hear the pair talking about a comic book character together. Edd was right, Alexa was clearly a favorite student of his.

Edd's focus shifted away from Dylan, Alexa, and Nat. He seemed lost inside his thoughts as he tried to come to terms with Kevin lying about contacting him to meet up with everyone.

The last time he saw Kevin was tough on both of them. Kevin was clearly upset and wanted to talk to him about the time he missed school. But that was years ago, it seemed strange to Edd that Kevin could harbor such strong feelings about an event that didn't even affect Kevin. As he thought of Kevin, his stomach began to tie itself in knots. The he remembered how good embracing Kevin felt. Edd's head began to hurt.

He walked into the classroom. He found a seat up front as Dylan was busily erasing notes from the board that another professor had left. He carefully searched his messenger bag for his notebook.

He was in a daze. His head hurt badly and he couldn't focus. He wanted to go back to his dorm room and snatch up his yoga mat. He wanted to yell at Kevin. His hands shook a little as Dylan's lecture began.

Before Edd knew it, the other students were standing up and heading out the door. He turned to see that Nat was also heading out the door with Alexa. He looked down at his notebook and saw that he had only written the date. As he stood, he placed his notebook neatly in his messenger bag and tried to pull himself out of his daze. His head was pounding.

"You know Edd, most students don't completely lose touch with reality until like the ninth week of the semester."

Edd shook his head, the voice made him anxious. He turned and saw a concerned, but smiling Dylan standing directly in front of him.

Edd nervously laughed. "I-I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize to me. I just hope you did the readings as those notes you didn't take certainly will not help you anytime soon." Dylan replied in a tone that wasn't meant to sound too serious.

"I'm sorry professor, I just wasn't thinking."

"I'd say that it looked like you were thinking." Dylan replied with a laugh as he walked out of the classroom.

Edd shook his head and followed Dylan out of the classroom. As he exited the room, Edd turned to the left to head towards his anthropology course. He felt a hand grab his arm. Startled, Edd turned to face Kevin.

"Hey dork, you walked right by me. Forget that I'd walk to class with you?" Kevin said with a smile.

As Edd faced Kevin, his stomach again tied itself in a tight knot. "O-oh, salutations Kevin. How are you today?"

Kevin let go of Edd's arm. "I'm all right," he answered with a shrug, "you ok?"

Edd forced a smile, "yes, I'm fine. I didn't know you were going to meet me after class, you startled me a bit."

Kevin scratched the back of his neck. "Well, I just figured that I would pass by your class anyway, so I might as well."

"Oh." Edd smiled quickly as he looked Kevin in the eyes, knowing that Dylan's class was not on the first floor and that Kevin had to decide to climb the stairs to meet him. He began to walk away.

Confused, Kevin took a few long strides to catch up with Edd. "Whoa, dork, what's the rush?"

"I don't want to be late for class."

"Yeah, Dr. Annisari seems like she wouldn't like that too much." Kevin laughed.

"Well, she is our instructor and we should be respectful by at least showing up on time." Edd replied with no humor in his voice.

"You sure, you're ok dork?"

"I'm fine. I guess I'm worn out from reading so much last night." Edd replied with an accusatory tone and a raised eyebrow.

"Sounds like you dork." Kevin said with a laugh, not understanding what Edd was driving at. "I had great time last night. Got to hang out with Nazz and Nat. Oh, and that girl from your class."

"Alexa." Edd added, clearly annoyed that Kevin didn't realize Edd knew about last night.

"Yeah, Alexa. Nat just seems to follow her around constantly. It's pretty funny actually."

"Yeah, I've noticed." Edd replied, still not looking at Kevin as the pair walked. "But you know me, I was apparently too busy studying to make it out with you all last night."

Kevin froze in his steps as Edd kept walking. Oh shit, he thought to himself as he nervously scratched the back of his neck. He ran to catch up with Edd and the pair walked in silence to their class.

They both sat down in their same seats. Edd pulled his notebook out of his bag and sighed. He turned to Kevin, "you know, if you don't want me around, you could just say something instead of giving me mixed signals."

The pair walked in silence across campus. Kevin finally spoke outside of the anthropology classroom.

"I'm sorry dork, it's just after the other night."

"You mean when you freaked out about something that happened years ago and then you hugged me and ran off? You know, something that sounds completely like a crazy person? Then you lie about me to Nat, Nazz, and Alexa."

"I didn't think you'd want to come."

"Maybe I would have, but I don't appreciate you lying to others about me. You could have asked me."

Before Kevin could respond, Dr. Annisari entered the room. As her lecture began Kevin began taking notes. His hands were shaking, but he knew that if he at least took notes he wouldn't have to look at Kevin.

As Dr. Annisari's lecture wrapped up, students began to file out of the classroom. Edd shoved his notebook into his bag and quickly tried to leave as he felt Kevin's hand grab his arm again.

Kevin stood, "look, I'm really sorry, dork."

"Funny that you can apologize and call me a dork in the same breathe." Edd smirked.

"I don't mean it as an insult."

"I know."

"But I am sorry."

"I know."

Kevin smiled and looked into Edd's eyes. His eyes seemed distant, he was hurt. He let go of Edd's arm, but stood in front of him as he put on his book bag to block Edd's path to the exit.

Edd crossed his arms over his chest. Kevin smiled at Edd. "Don't cross your arms like that, dork."

Edd raised an eyebrow. "Could you just move? Please? I want to go back to my dorm room."

"I'll walk you back."

"Kevin, though I appreciate the gesture, I am more than capable."

"I know." Kevin still blocked Edd's path.

"Well, can you move?"

"Not until you uncross your arms."

Edd relented, he'd have to play Kevin's little game. He'd be back in his dorm room soon. He could do a yoga workout and that would help his mood. As Edd uncrossed his arms, Kevin reached forward and took Edd's hand in his.

"W-what are you doing?"

"If I hold your hand, you won't run off." Kevin said with a laugh.

Edd tried to fight back, but Kevin wouldn't let go of his hand. "People are looking at us Kevin, I won't run off. Just let go of my hand."

Kevin started walking and pulled Edd along with him. Edd stopped fidgeting and walked along with him, hand-in-hand.

"See, this isn't so bad. Is it?" Kevin said with a smirk.

"Please let go of my hand. What right do you have to pull me along like this? Seriously, people are staring and your hand is likely covered in germs."

"Should I feel hurt by that?" Kevin laughed.

Edd was getting upset, he couldn't understand why Kevin would be doing this to him. Then he knew what to say. "Kevin, please, if you really care about me, you'll let go of my hand. You should know by now that I don't like being touched and having my personal space invaded."

"Promise you won't run off?"

"You could catch me anyway."

Kevin laughed and let go of Edd's hand. Edd immediately reached into the front pocket of his messenger bag and pulled out a hand wipe. Kevin laughed again.

"You weren't kidding, dork."

Edd threw out the wipe in a nearby trashcan and crossed his arms over his chest. The pair walked in silence the rest of the way to the Honor's dorm.

As they stood outside, Kevin broke the silence again. "I really am sorry, ok dork?" He scratched the back of his neck.

Edd looked him in the eyes. Edd was still hurt, but could see that Kevin was being sincere. "Ok."

"Still on for Saturday?"

"Sure thing, Kevin."

Kevin smiled and walked towards Sycamore. Edd quickly walked up to his room and pulled his yoga mat from underneath his bed.