Chapter 11 – He Likes Me!
At the door, Kevin held Edd close to him, reluctant to let the boy go. "I almost want to ask you to stay with me all night Edd," he whispered.
Edd smiled up at Kevin, a warmth spreading through him. He wished this too, though he knew it wouldn't be a good idea. "I almost would stay Kevin, but I do not want to rush this with you."
"Part of me agrees with you, but there's another part that just wants to hold you all night," Kevin said with a little sigh, though he pulled back and smiled down at Edd fondly. "But you're right, as always."
"I will be over at approximately noon tomorrow, Kevin. That shall give us plenty of time to make dinner for your parents." In one of the brief breaks they had while making out, they had made plans for Edd to come over the following day. Kevin mentioned that his parents would be home late in the afternoon and he was sure they wouldn't mind Edd joining them for takeout. Edd had then offered to make dinner and Kevin had asked if Edd could teach him how to cook something.
"Cooking for five hours, Edd? I thought you said you were showing me something simple!"
The sly expression in Edd's eyes was a delightful surprise to Kevin. He liked to see a mischievous side in Edd. "The dish I have chosen to show you requires approximately thirty minutes of prep time. Once complete, the sauce will simmer on the stove until it is time to serve, requiring nothing more than an occasional stirring. That will allow us an ample amount of time to partake in more interesting activities."
Kevin laughed, "Wow Edd, you are a devious one, aren't you?" he said, leaning down to kiss Edd one last time. "I look forward to our interesting activities tomorrow."
"As do I, Kevin," Edd said, grinning that gap-toothed grin. "Thank you for an enjoyable day."
"No, thank you. Good night," he said, opening the door for Edd so the smaller boy could scoot out. He watched Edd cross the cul-de-sac to his own home to make sure he returned home safely. At his own door, Edd unlocked it and stepped in, turned and waved to Kevin, then disappeared from sight. Kevin immediately shut his door and ran to the kitchen where he had left his phone.
"I had no idea this place was even here!" Nazz said as she and Eddy sat across from each other at a little romantic diner near the movie theater. They had just finished a double feature at the movies and were waiting for the sundaes they had ordered to come out. The place was a quaint little hole in the wall that Rolf had told him about. It was set up like a fifties diner and Rolf had assured Eddy that it would impress Nazz. The place had great ice cream and Nazz loved ice cream.
"I've heard really good things about it," Eddy said, a little nervously. He had asked Nazz out on Tuesday with little expectation that she would say yes to him. She floored him when she did, but he realized that despite his bravado to Ed and Double D, he had no idea how to talk to her or act with her. Nazz honestly intimidated him and she had never said yes before. "Sorry that I had to work late and didn't have time to take you to dinner before the movie," he apologized again.
"Oh, I don't mind at all!" she assured him. "We got to see that double feature and that was fun. This is a perfect idea for after the movies. I got hungry after our popcorn ran out, and I love ice cream," Nazz said with a smile, then looked away. He thought it was dismissive, but she was nervous too. She had known Eddy almost her whole life, but found she didn't know much about him and that she didn't know what to say to him. She felt awkward, which wasn't a feeling she was used to. Part of her also wanted to ask about Double D, but she would never dream of actually interfering with whatever was going on between Edd and Kevin.
Their waiter had given them water glasses and Eddy grabbed his to take a huge gulp. Nazz sipped hers more demurely and smiled at him again. She opened her mouth to say something, but a musical ding from her purse interrupted her.
"Oh that's a text!" Nazz said in her singsong voice. "It might be important," she added in apology as she dug into her bag.
Eddy watched as she looked at her phone, wondering at the little squeal she made and the excited expression that appeared.
"What…?" he started before his own phone pinged its text notice. A little annoyed, Eddy pulled his phone out of his pocket and looked down at it. Then he laughed and said, "Yes!"
When he looked at Nazz, she was grinning at him, her blue eyes sparkling. "I think we just got similar texts," she said, which made Eddy wonder what she knew.
"Show me yours and I'll show you mine," he suggested, wiggling his eyebrows at her.
Laughing she turned her phone to show him, as did he for her.
Kevin: HE LIKES ME!
Edd: He is fond of me, Eddy.
Nazz and Eddy both started laughing, and Eddy couldn't help but be dazzled by her and her pure happiness in what the texts from each of their friends suggested.
"Oh, I'm so happy," Nazz sighed, righting her phone and rereading the text.
"You knew?" Eddy asked.
Nazz nodded, looking up at him again. "I knew how Kevin felt. I didn't know what Double D felt. I hoped he would feel the same."
Eddy nodded, "And I knew how Double D felt. I've felt so bad for him the past couple of weeks. He's been so stressed out."
"Let's mess around with them a little," Nazz suggested wickedly. "Text Edd back and ask what happened. Let's get their perspectives and compare."
Eddy liked her style and agreed. Both of them texted back. "What happened?"
While they waited for the responses, Eddy asked, "When did Kevin start liking Double D?"
"I'm not really sure," Nazz replied thoughtfully. I think after the first week of tutoring."
"I think it was the same for Edd," Eddy said. "He said on that second Monday that Kevin told him he had a crush on someone, but Edd was confused by the way Kevin said it. He thought it sounded like Kevin was flirting with him, but Double D wasn't sure, because he doesn't have much experience with that." Eddy spun his phone around on the tabletop. "Edd didn't realize he, you know, liked guys until Kevin started that."
Nazz giggled, which got her an eyebrow raise from her date. "Kevin didn't know either until he started falling for Edd," she said. "He was quite put out when I told him that I always knew."
That amused Eddy a lot, and he was laughing when both of their phones went off at almost the same time. They each read their texts, then giggling like little kids, showed their phones to each other.
Kevin: I got the courage, Nazz. I don't know how. I let him know I liked him. He said he liked me. He is SUCH a great kisser. I'll tell you the whole story Monday.
Edd: Kevin performed a nice song for me, then told me he liked me. I informed him that I reciprocated his feelings in spite of how nervous I felt. I spent the remainder of the evening engaged in learning the proper technique of kissing. I will have to tell you everything on Monday.
"Oh my god I love how he expresses himself!" Nazz laughed, moving her phone out of the way so that the waiter could place her sundae in front of her. "Thank you," she said, smiling up at the man.
"Thanks!" Eddy said when his dish was put down. Once the waiter left, he picked up his spoon and grinned at Nazz, "Yeah, Edd has a way of talking, that's for sure."
"So we have to wait until Monday?" Nazz moaned, digging into the mix of ice cream and fudge topping. "That is way too long to wait!"
"Here, text this to Kevin," Eddy said, quickly typing into his phone "I'll come over tomorrow. I can't wait til Monday!". Nazz immediately typed it into hers and hit send. "This way we'll know if the lovebirds have plans for tomorrow," Eddy added with a wink at her.
"Oh, I like your deviousness, Eddy," she said, causing a thrill to go through him.
They showed each other the answers of their friends, laughing again.
Kevin: Nope! Got plans for more of the same tomorrow!
Edd: I am sorry Eddy, but I will be returning to Kevin's house tomorrow to spend the day with him.
"Well, looks like they're not spending the night with each other," Eddy quipped, putting his phone back in his pocket.
Nazz giggled, then said in a more serious tone, "That's good though. It's probably best that they don't move too fast. If what you said about Edd is true, and what Kevin said to me is, they are only just realizing this about themselves. It will take a lot of time for them to come to terms with it. I work with gay teens, Eddy, and it isn't an easy thing."
Eddy nodded, "I get that. I hope Double D knows that he's still my best friend, no matter what." After a moments thought, he confided to Nazz, "I know he was worried that Ed and I would hate him."
Nazz nodded sympathetically, "That is often the case. When did Edd tell you?"
"Last Saturday, before we all went to the movies."
"Is that why you were watching Kevin so closely at dinner?"
He nodded, "You noticed that?" he asked with a laugh. "I guess I'm not as subtle as I wish I was. When did you find out?"
"Kevin told me the next morning. I went over and asked him if he liked Double D. I saw how he acted on Saturday night and how attentive he was to Edd. What?" she asked when Eddy began to laugh.
"Double D got SO jealous that morning!"
"Jealous?"
"Edd saw you leaving. I guess you hugged Kevin and kissed his cheek and he kissed your forehead?" When she nodded, understanding dawning on her face, he said, "Edd was devastated."
"Oh no!"
"Yep, he moped for two days after that, though Ed and I didn't know why. I finally asked him on Wednesday what was up and he said that you and Kevin got together."
Nazz grimaced and shook her head, "The poor thing."
"I got mad at first, because just the day before you said yes to me to going out. Then I realized Double D must be imagining things, so I pressed him to tell us everything, which he did. It was Ed who pointed out to him that the kisses were friend-kisses, not lover-kisses."
"Ed said that?" Nazz asked, giggling again. "How cute. And accurate."
"Then I reminded him how Kevin acted all day Saturday and then dropped the bombshell on him that YOU had agreed to go out with ME just the day before, and I said that unless you were a liar and a cheater, I was positive you weren't with Kevin."
Nazz looked as if she couldn't decide to be offended or amused at what Eddy had said.
"Look, I didn't mean that in a derogatory way to you," Eddy explained, blushing. "The idea of you, of all people, Nazz, being that way is so absurd that I knew it would shock Edd into listening to me. And believing me, which was the most important thing."
Her smile relieved Eddy. "I'm not offended," she reassured him.
"The important thing is that Edd did believe me. He told me he acted more like himself that afternoon while they were studying and that Kevin seemed much happier after that. Though, Edd still didn't think Kevin liked him more than as a friend."
They ate the rest of their sundaes in friendly conversation, smiling at each other often, and each thinking happily about what had occurred between their closest friends. While waiting for the check, Eddy asked, while looking at the blond curiously. "Why did you finally say yes to me, Nazz?"
Nazz' eyebrows lifted as if she wasn't expecting the question. Then she smiled at him, "Because I finally saw the kind of person you really are, Eddy."
"Huh?"
She thought a moment, "All I ever really knew about you was that as a kid you were an annoying little schemer trying to get at money any way you could. I mean, I knew a lot of your anger and insecurity came from the issues with your brother, but I never saw any other side of you. I realized on Saturday, though, that you have a big heart. I liked that you were so protective of Double D. I realized that even when we were younger, you always protected him and always defended Ed as well. People don't remain close to you if you're actually a jerk, but your friendship with the other Eds is still strong after all these years. I guess I just wanted to give you a chance and see if you really are that good person underneath it all."
Eddy looked down at the table, awed at what Nazz had said. "Wow, Nazz. I think that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me," he said in a humbled tone.
"It doesn't hurt that you turned out pretty cute, too," she said teasingly, getting him to blush and look up at her with a grin.
"Come on, I'll take you home," Eddy said as he got up and came around the table to assist her in standing. As they walked out of the restaurant and headed to Eddy's car, he said, "This has been the best day. A date with a beautiful girl and my best friend hooking up with someone he really likes. I hope their next little date tomorrow goes well."
Nazz glowed from the compliment and tucked her arm into Eddy's, "Speaking of tomorrow, how would you like to come over and hang out at my place?"
Eddy's heart almost exploded, and he tried to keep his voice calm as he answered that yes, he would like that very much.
