Chapter 4

Monday Morning at Peach Creek High School, started like any other Monday morning, but the school was soon abuzz with gossip, word had spread like wild fire through out the school. Especially when it was noticed that neither Edd or Kevin was at school. The little song bird who had sang this tale of woe was gloating over the fact that he had brought down his mortal enemy in one swoop. Never mind that he had destroyed his best friend in the process. "ya had to break some eggs to make an omelet" He had told the other Ed.

Ed looked at Eddy sadly, "You ruin two lives and thinks that's funny Eddy. I know Kevin hasn't always been good to us, but he never really did anything that warranted such evil. A punch in the nose, or maybe a good pounding would have sufficed, although you were way under Kevin's league in that aspect. But what did Double Dee do to you for you to hurt him that way?"

Eddy glared at Ed, the idiot was supposed to back him up and fall in line with his plans and schemes. He had always done so in the past. "Double Dee will get over it and come crawling back to me, when he realizes that I am the only one willing to be his friend. And with Kevin out of the way I have free access to Nazz. So it's a win-win situation for me"

"Gravy is always better when it is stirred with love, Eddy. I think I will go sit outside and have my lunch, something in the room smells." Ed stood up and walked out of the lunch room not even looking back once.

"Who needs ya anyways ya idiot." Eddy screamed at the retreating back.

Just then Eddy saw Nazz walk into the cafeteria and thought to himself, now's my chance, to beat the herd. He jumped up and ran over to the blonde and said. "Hey Babe, now that Kevin has been exposed for the fag that he is how about letting a real man into your life."

Cloudy blue eyes looked at Eddy and he felt a storm brewing and looked away. Although Nazz wanted to scratch his eyes out all she said was "Dude, not cool!" and walked away to the cool kids table and sat down. Eddy just stood there with his mouth agape and watched her walk away. The only thought running thru his head was She'll be mine soon.

Marie Kanker walked across the room and spoke to Nazz, "Hey Nazz, I see you've heard the rumors. I got some worse news. You know Kevin and Edd aren't either one in school today, but do you know why they are missing?"

"Oh hey Marie, have a seat." Nazz said as she scooted over to let the blue haired girl sit down. Sometime during her junior year in high school Marie had become accepted at the cool table and was friends with Nazz. The blonde looked over at the blue haired girl and said. "I figure they are just letting the embarrassment die down."

"nah, girl it's worse than that. Kevin's parents are enrolling him in a military school and Double Dee is being sent out west to a religious school."

"How'd you find that out?"

"I was working in the office when both parents came in and ordered their transcripts. They left this morning. Have you heard who started all this gossip."

Nazz looked across the lunch room at a certain short person sitting alone at the dork table. "yes, Marie I have, and the little rat bastard needs to be brought down a peg or two. I can see him stabbing Kevin in the back, but I thought Double Dee was his best friend."

"Where's Ed, I know he is in school today. Why isn't he sitting with the fink."

"I saw him earlier sitting out side eating his lunch looking so sad. So I guess there is trouble in Dorkville. I tried texting Kevin earlier and got no response, so I tried calling and it went straight to voicemail."

"Won't do any good, I heard Kevin's dad tell Edd's mom that he had destroyed his cell phone, and that she should do the same with Edd's"

"Hey Girls" said a tall blonde haired boy as he squeezed between the two. "Who have ever thought Kevin would get caught with a fag. The dork I could understand, but Kevin. No way man."

"Oh shut up Roger, I thought Kevin was your best friend." Nazz said with scorn in her voice.

"He was but dude..."

"He is still Kevin, no matter what. He jumped in and saved your ass when those Lemon Brook guys jumped you. It shouldn't matter if he liked goats, he is still your friend. You should have his back."

"But Nazz..."

"No buts, he's is still Kevin and those of us that really love him, and want him to be happy no matter what, have his back. We still consider him our friend. So if you can't do that then Fuck Off!"

Nazz stormed out of the lunch room and spent the rest of the day defending Edd and Kevin to everybody who dared speak to her of recent events.

Kevin's parents car headed East:

The red head sat looking glumly out the window watching nothing in particular and deep in his own thought that were getting him nowhere.

He felt his mother's hand on his knee and heard her say "I'm praying for you baby."

Kevin reached down an pushed her hand off his knee and said through clenched teeth. "Pray all you want to, but leave me out of it."

He father reached around and backhanded the green eyed boy saying "Respect your mother boy!"

"Whatever" and that was the last thing Kevin ever said to his parents. He sat and stared out of the window the rest of the trip.

Edd's Mother's SUV headed west:

"Eddward, I'm praying for you, I still love you." She said as she rubbed one hand on his knee.

Edd looked down at the hand and then up at his mother. "Mother, I think that before you pray for me, you need to pray for yourself first. I don't think this is true christian behavior."

"But, honey I want you to be happy."

"If that is the case, then leaving me alone would be your best option. You tore me away from the one I love and call that christian love. If that is the case then I want non of your religion. I will go to the school you have chosen. I will still study and make my grades and graduate in the top of my class. But I will never be truly happy."

"Time changes things Edd, you'll get over this phase and find a nice christian girl to marry."

"No mother it doesn't work that way. I am gay, I prefer men and have no interest in women what so ever. I have given my heart to the one I love and will never love another. I love Kevin with my whole being and always will."

"What if he finds a nice girl and gets married, you'll be all alone."

"If he does then good for him, whether he finds a girl or guy, I wish him all happiness. If he chooses to seek me out and renew our relationship, then good for me, whatever happens is none of your business either way. However I will continue to love him forever."

"But Eddward, it is a sin, it's immoral. Its sick and wrong..."

"Mother, if you wish to keep conversing with me then, I have said my last on this subject. I will speak with you on any other subject, but this conversation is finished."

"What a way to speak to your mother."

"What a hateful way to speak to your son."

From then on anytime she brought up the subject of Edd being gay he would just close up and not say a word until she changed the subject.

One year later, Edd is home from college visiting his mother. She is recovering from a heart attack and is lying on her bed. She is looking at her only son and thinking what a handsome man he had grown into. The only thing that mired his good looks was the sad look in his eyes. "Edd, honey why so sad?"

"You already know the answer to that question mother."

"Are you dating, or at least trying to find someone?"

"Careful, mother, I have already told you that this subject is closed.

"I just want you to be happy." Whined Edd's mother

"Well mother, you and the Barr's destroyed any hope of that ever happening. Both families over reacted to something that wasn't for you to interfere in."

"Yes, Edd, since I had this heart attack I have been thinking about things in my life and how my over zealous religion has chased away good things in my life. I hope someday you can find it in your heart to forgive me. In praying for your forgiveness I found that I needed it more than you ever would."

"You did what you thought was right at the time and I will forgive you, but it changes nothing in my life. I fell in love with someone and no matter how I try, I cannot love another. I have dated some but nothing ever comes of it. I just find that I am not interested in anyone."

"Oh, Edd, I am afraid that you will be so lonely."

"In all this I have found that I am my own best friend."

"Edd, Mrs. Barr told me the other day when she was over visiting that, that boy had found a girl and got married. So now honey you really need to try to find someone to fill his space. Yes, Edd I have come to terms with my son being gay, and want you to know I am so sorry for what I did to you."

"If he is happy then I will be happy for him, but I will never fill his place in my heart."

"Please tell me that you wont do what he has done to his parents Edd." Cried Mrs. Vincent.

"Am I supposed to guess what that was, how can I not do something I know nothing of."

"That boy hasn't spoken to his parents since the day we took you both away from here. It is so dreadful for Mrs. Barr, especially after her husband had that massive stroke and passed away. He didn't even come to the funeral."

"He must be speaking to someone if he sent an invitation to his wedding."

"He didn't his wife did about a week or so after the fact, oh by the way, one came for you too. From looking at the date on Mrs. Barr's invitation it actually came here before the wedding. I hadn't the heart to tell her that. So here it is do with it what ever you feel you must."

Dee opened the envelope and took out a standard off the shelf wedding invitation. It had the normal dates and times. But what Dee noticed was the hand written note enclosed.

Hi Double Dork

I am so lost without you. I never thought things would get so crazy so fast. I know I once told you that I wanted you and I needed you, but wasn't sure if I could love you. However that night after all the yelling, hitting and being banished to my room, I cried for me, I cried for you, I cried for us. I come to the realization that I did love you and always will. So even though in a moment of weakness I got with this girl.

I thought it was love, but soon found out that it was all on her part, she is now pregnant and I have to marry her. But I want you to know that my heart is still yours and your alone. If for any reason you ever need me just call me. She is nothing like you Dork, were you were warm and loving, she is cold and calculating and thinks of nothing but her own happiness. Please forgive me and I will always love you. I hope you have a happy life. Or at least be happy for me because I have now thrown it all away.

Good bye my precious love

Dee didn't say a word, he just got up and walked out of his mother's room and into his own and looked out the window towards the house across the street. The house looked so lonely sitting there. A single tear ran down Edd's cheek. He wiped away the tear with his sleeve and called to his mother that he was going out for a few minutes.

He walked out of the house, never once looking around the cul-de-sac. He walked down the street to the junk yard and walked through the yard till he was at the back most part. He walked up to a car that looked like it hadn't been touched for years. Inside he saw a neatly folded blanket, he reached in and took it out and laid it across his arm and continued on. He walked along the creek until he came to a certain well remembered spot and spread out the blanket. He sat down and looked around until his emotions overcame him and he fell back and wept. He cried until there were no tears left just dry sobs filled the air. After laying there for awhile and calming himself down, he sat up and looked around. Then he heard a quiet voice say "Dee, is that you?" He looked up and saw a tall willowy blonde girl with blue eyes and her hair in a pony tail looking down at him.

"Nazz, what are you doing here, and please forgive me for showing my emotions so easily." Edd said as the blonde knelt and wiped away the tears on his cheek. "I, I, never even thought how all this must have affected your life. You must hate me for causing you to lose your boyfriend in such a dramatic fashion."

"No, it wasn't like that Dee, Kevin and I were just friends. We tried dating for awhile but finally confessed to each other that it just wasn't meant to be. Kevin told me he had feelings for you and I told him how I felt about Marie. We were each others cover so to speak. You remember that note you once got about someone wanting you and needing you. I put it in your locker for Kevin."

"I always wondered about that. So tell me Nazz where is everybody?"

"Ed married May right after graduation, and Ed is working at the Zoo of all places. Jimmy and Sarah will graduate this year. Johnny has joined the army, and Rolf has gone back to wherever it is he came from to find a wife."

"I'm sure Eddy was best man at Ed's wedding."

"No Dee, they haven't spoken since the day all the shit hit the fan. You do know that Eddy is the one who caused all the drama. He swears that he did it in your own best interest. But everyone knows that isn't the case. By the time I got done at school that day, you would be surprised how many people were standing behind you and Kevin."

"Thanks Nazz, you were always such a sweet heart."

Edd got up and folded the blanket and placed it over his arm again. He looked sadly around and started off towards the Junk yard. Nazz walked by his side conversing about anything that popped into her head. They walked through the junkyard and kept going not even stopping to put the blanket back where Edd got it from. They walked down the street and up to Edd's driveway. Nazz pointed to the blanket and said, "that was Kevin's favorite blanket when he was younger. It was on his bed one day, then the next day it was gone. Edd walked over and put the blanket into the trunk of his car. He turned to Nazz and gave her a big hug, told her that he was going back to his campus the next day and most probably would not come back to the cul-de-sac, until he had finished his degree.