Chapter 10

The Kanker sisters left in a hurry to grab some food from the cafeteria. Double D just walked at a normal pace. As soon as he reached the doors, he had to move out of the way quickly. The sisters were running out, with their trays, towards the boiler room. The three of them bore expressions of seriousness.

Double D headed inside, formed a line to get food, when Johnny formed behind him, along with Kevin. As soon as it was his turn, the guys pressured him to hurry.

"Move it, Double Dweeb!"

"We wanna eat too!"

Double D grabbed whatever he could without the luxury of time: A turkey sandwich, a banana, and a bottle of water. "S-sorry!"

As he stepped away, he was tripped by Kevin. His food tray went to the floor along with him. As he fell, his water bottle suffered no damage, and the banana miraculously remained on the tray, but the sandwich went flying, landing on the floor. Double D wouldn't eat food off of the floor, but even if he did, it got accidentally stepped on by the crowd of children walking around.

Double D's misery could only grow exponentially as Kevin and Johnny laughed at him. Holding back tears, Double D picked up his tray and made his way out of the cafeteria. As he hurried out, he almost bumped into Ed's sister.

"Ah!" Expecting another attack, he backed to a side. "I-I'm sorry, go right ahead!"

"Gee, what's with you, Double D? I'm not gonna hurt you!"

"Ah… my apologies. I expected you would, seeing how the rest of the kids are angry with me…" Double lowered his gaze.

"What, you want me to start then?!"

"N-no! Please, that is not what I meant…"

Sarah stepped foot inside the cafeteria. "Maybe I should hit you, after how you left poor Jimmy." The door, closing behind her, concealed her from Double D's sight.

Double D thought it a miracle that Sarah didn't resort to violence for once. But the last words uttered by the girl brought out concern in him. Now that I think about it, I haven't seen Jimmy since Saturday. Realizing the frail child hadn't come to school the day before, he got even more depressed. Never did he intend to hurt an innocent soul with any of his inventions, and now, he had apparently hurt one.

He sat by himself on one of the benches nearby the outside of the cafeteria. He grabbed his banana, and looked at it pensively. He was afraid to return to the cafeteria in case Kevin or even Johnny decided to play any more games with him. He opened the fruit skin and ate it, chewing carefully and without any haste. He had to make it last.

How did it turn out like this? He thought. When I built the robots I thought they would be useful to the kids. I thought they would like them... sure, Eddy shouldn't have sold them when they were incomplete, but... I never meant to... hurt anyone...

Double D couldn't swallow properly at that moment. He felt a lump on his throat that also made his breathing difficult. His vision was blurry, his head was a mess of disappointment and regret. Despite all of his knowledge, he never knew a person could experience such an amount of pain.

"Hey, Double D!"

All of Sockhead's thoughts suddenly disintegrated at the unexpected calling of his name. He turned his head to see the blonde haired Kanker who was his friend.

"May..."

"What are you doing here? Are you by yourself?"

"Oh," he concluded, pessimistic. "Are you looking for Ed?"

"Not at all!" May replied, beaming.

Double D was surprised at the youngest Kanker's words. It was then that he realized his heart was racing again, a most strange reaction he remembered to experience before, when he talked to her. But he was under the impression that he had felt like that even before. He couldn't quite pinpoint it.

"Oh... um, I see. I... I thought I'd eat lunch here today..." He said, trying to hide his sadness.

"But just that?" May pointed to the half-eaten banana.

"I'm not really that hungry." He lied.

"Ah. But why are you by yourself?"

"Well, Ed has detention, and Eddy... you know."

"Yeah. But why don't you eat with any of the other kids? What about that Johnny, or... what's the little guy's name?"

"J-jimmy?"

May realized that Double D's eyes were watery. She frowned. "Double D, is everything alright?"

Double D cleared his throat, trying to get a hold of himself. "Why, yes, May. Everything is perfectly fine... everything... No, no it's not."

"It's not?"

"No..." Double D sighed. "Everybody's complaining about the robots. I mean, sure Eddy made us sell them incomplete, but I don't think he deserved to be hurt so badly. But now, everybody's so mad at me... maybe I shouldn't have built the robots... yeah, if I hadn't none of this would have happened..." Double D brought his knees to his face, covering himself.

May felt like crying the moment she saw Double D in such a saddened, helpless state. She didn't know how he would react, but the situation demanded it...

... So she put her hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently. Double D stiffened a bit upon sensing her touch, but he quickly relaxed, as he found solace in such a simple gesture.

"Cheer up, Double D. None of this is your fault. You seriously made a great job building those robots! And, how much did you guys charge for them?"

"Um, five bucks…"

May considered. "Well, that's more than just a quarter, but what can they expect for such an advanced robot? What they're doing is unfair…" she continued, her words filled with encouragement. "You can't let their words put you down like this, you gotta give them a good whack, and—"

Double D was wide-eyed, staring intently at the bully who tried her best to lift his spirits. "You know I don't behave like that…."

"Then, show them their displeasure doesn't affect you. Make them regret to ever refuse your genius… you have so many talents that are wasted on people like—"

Double D was flabbergasted, without any words to say. Yes, his eyes were watery, but now they were so due to a different reason.

May giggled, somewhat embarrassed. "Sorry, I-It's hard to express myself around Lee and Marie, so I guess I got a bit carried away…"

Double D regained enough confidence to speak. "No, no it's fine, May. What you said, what you just did for me… it really means a lot. T-thank you." He stuttered, blushing slightly.

May started to redden upon seeing him blush, and was about to say something, when a loud grumble broke the silence.

This time, Double D blushed, embarrassed. "Aah, sorry?"

May couldn't help it and guffawed. "That one's gotta break a record!" Double D, infected by her merriment, snickered along, his eyes closed.

When he opened them, a figurative epiphany manifested before him. May had dug through her pocket, and brought out a chicken sandwich, wrapped in plastic.

"Here, you can have it! I was keeping it for later, but I'm stuffed anyway." She handed Sockhead the food. "Now, I gotta go. If my sisters see me, they're gonna assume things. Please don't ever feel sad like that again," she said, in a serious manner. "Bye!"

And she ran off, leaving a Beanie hat wearing boy without words to say.

Double D couldn't explain it himself. Human nature, despite all discoveries made up to date, still puzzled him immensely. He couldn't understand how he, who was feeling miserable to the point of inconsolable grief, was now feeling so ecstatic, vivified, and confident!

He never expected the kindness May Kanker shared with him. Sure, he greatly appreciated her giving him something else to eat. But above all, her kind words, lively attitude, and her desire to see him well had moved him.

Double D felt his heart race, even long after May left, and a hint of nervousness as he remembered her smiley face, her blonde locks shiny with sunlight, and her tiny but charming frame, an image he wished forever to be stored in him.

Suddenly it hit him. He remembered, around the beginning of the year, when he was preparing to have his yearbook photo taken. He remembered, although not with the same intensity as now, that he would keep looking at Nazz as she posed for the camera, his heart beating fast and his forehead and palms sweaty, enthralled by her beauty. Such feelings were now directed towards another girl.

Eddward Marion could only conclude: He was in love. In love, with May Kanker.

Notes: Finally! Double D admits his feelings...

Although obviously the better way to cheer up a sulking friend involves a hug and reassurance things will be ok, let's consider that both May and Double D are too young, too shy, and too insecure. This however, should progress as their relationship deepens.