AN: Thank you for the glowing reviews! Because of the kind words and how personal this story is for me, I've written another chapter. I do want this fic to be as realistic as possible and stay as true to the characters as possible, so the EddXEddy may come on slow. But, I will delve deeper into their relationship as well as Eddy's psyche as this fic continues.

If you want me to continue, please keep reviewing! Enjoy!

"OH OH OH! Oh Eddy! Eddy! EDDY!"

I raised a brow, maybe slightly amused at Ed jumping up and down in front of his locker.

"What, Ed?" I breathed, knowing he won't stop acting that way until I ask him. I shoved my algebra and American history books in my locker and grabbed the French.

"Revenge of the One-Eyed Godzilla Part 2 just came out!"

"Oh yeah?" I asked, trying to sound interested.

"Oh yeah Eddy!" Monobrow grinned from ear-to-ear. "And I have it! Wanna come over and watch it with me, Eddy?"

After putting my French book in my backpack I zipped it up. "Yeah sure, that sounds good," I was relieved, knowing that I had an after school plan for today and that I shouldn't get home until the rents would be home.

"Yay, Eddy! Yay!" With that, Lumpy bear-hugged me to a point where I couldn't breathe for a second. I also just put my backpack on my back, which squished my lungs more.

"Hey look, it's Dork and Dorky, totally having a DORK moment! Ha-ha!"

I rolled my eyes. "Mind your own beez-wax, Shovel-chin!" I snapped after catching my breath. My expression lifted when I saw Nazz, who wasn't too far behind Kevin. She giggled.

"Hey, Eddy!" She said after she stopped walking for a second. "Are you coming to class?"

"Class?" I asked, totally clueless. She has that effect on me.

"FRENCH class, DORK!" Shovelchin butts in. "Lemme guess…. You forgot that today there's a quiz, right?"

Oh….. Shit.

"HA HA!" The douchebag laughed. "I knew it!"

The blonde girl next to him grabbed his arm and started to nudge him in a forward direction. "We'd better get to class, Kev."

Shovelchin let Nazz lead him along. "I'll see ya there then, LOSER! Ha ha!"

"Don't worry Eddy," Lumpy said, smiling. "I fail quizzes all the time."

I didn't look at Monobrow because my eyes were fixated on Shovelchin and Nazz as they walked away. I growled.

"That stupid, no good, piece of sh—"

"Greetings, Eddy!"

A familiar voice from behind me interrupted me. Double D hurriedly got in between me and Ed, where his locker was, and worked the combination.

"My apologies for running a tad late, I had some questions regarding the upcoming test in Calculous for Professor Steinbacher after class," he explained, quickly putting up his AP Calculous book and carefully taking the French book.

"Eddy, you ARE aware that there is a quiz in French class today, correct?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah…."

"Good!" He chimed, zipping up his backpack. "And Eddy, you DID do the homework problems I gave you on the subjunctive, right?"

I looked at my feet. "Uh, sure….."

"Eddy!" Sockhead scolded. "I put together those exercises specifically for you and what I'd presume that Madame Bray is going to have on the quiz!"

"Oh oh, Double D?!" Lumpy interrupted Double D's scolding.

"Yes Ed?" Sockhead turned his head from me to Monobrow.

"Revenge of the One-Eyed Godzilla Part 2 just came out, and Eddy is coming over school to watch it with me!" He smiled from ear-to-ear again. "Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy!"

"Oh," Double D responded, as if he was taking in something serious. "Well, that's great to hear, Ed." Sockhead looked at me, almost kinda sad.

Why was he looking at me like that?
"In any case Ed, it's best that you not be late to your Spanish class. Come now Eddy," Double D continued. "Lest we be late to French class."

Ah good, it's multiple choice! When I don't know the answer Imma pretty good guesser!

I read the instructions at the beginning of the quiz:

Pour les phrases suivantes, choisissez la meilleure réponse.

"Il faut que tu _ raisonnable."

Est

Être

Sois

Soit

Aw fuck.

I played with my pencil in between my middle finger and ring finger. Feeling kinda bummed about the quiz, I looked out through the window. It was a nice October day, with all the trees all different, unique colors and the leaves falling. It was in the afternoon, so the sun was shining bright, slowly on it's way to setting. I then looked around the classroom. Kevin looked frustrated but determined, Nazz looked dumbfounded (as usual), and then there was Sockhead. Wearing that ugly orange-ass sweater, he was sitting upright and was circling his answers with ease and confidence. His face said it all, as usual. He'll get 100, and if there are bonus questions, he'll get those too. I kinda envy the guy. I wish everything came just as easy to me. I wish I enjoyed learning as much as he does. Not to mention, he's not a bad-looking guy. If anything, his personality and who he is as a person makes him almost as handsome as me. I know sometimes he wishes his parents were around more often. But shit, I'd take a non-existent family and talking through sticky notes over the miserable hell that I have for having a so-called "family".

"Class, keep your eyes on your own paper!"

Mrs. Bray snapped loudly, looking at me. Guess she thought I was trying to do cheat since I was looking around the classroom. What a bitch.

I mean yeah, I have cheated before on quizzes and tests, but not lately. I'm barely passing this class, but that's fine. In the past, my parents would've chewed my ass off for bad grades. Now they don't say nothing about it.

"Oh oh oh oh! This is the BEST, part Eddy!"

Lumpy leaned forward on his chair, already forgetting that he's already said that to me five times now.

"Oh yeah?" I said, kinda amused. And I was kinda amused at the crappy quality of the one-eyed Godzilla knocking down buildings that looked like they were made out of cardboard. Damn, why I didn't think about making money from making these stupid movies?

I turned around and looked at the clock on Ed's wall. 5:55. This movie should be over soon, at least I hope to God it is. That's good timing. Even if it did end too soon, Monobrow would let me stay longer, if nothing else to watch another God-awful movie.

"OH OH, did you see that Eddy?!" Lumpy asked. "This movie is so cool!"

"It sure is Lumpy," I agreed. Honestly, I was just happy to see Ed so happy. I always am. I really have the two best friends a guy could ask for. Sometimes I feel guilty because they're both really too good to me, but I would never say that gay shit.

Sockhead…

I wondered what he was doing right now? Wow, that's a dumb question. He's doing homework, duh. But what does he do after he's done with his homework, done with all the chores that are on the sticky notes, and he's finished getting everything ready for the next day, in his usual OCD way? Does he do anything for fun? Does he ever watch TV or movies, like me and Ed do? Does the guy ever let loose? Now that I think of it, I never hear him talking about girls anymore. He used to like Nazz growing up, but now whenever she comes by he talks to her with confidence. Me on the other hand, I still shake and freeze up, like a fucktard. Does Double D not like Nazz anymore? Maybe the guy has just gotten really confident and sure of himself. I'm the one who's still like a scared, little kid deep down… In more ways than one.

But he did look at me sad today when Ed told him I was going to watch the monster movie with him, at his house. Why'd he look sad? Probably because he wasn't included. I should've told Lumpy to invite him. I'm sure it slipped his already-empty mind, too. Oh well. Guess it wouldn't hurt for all three of us to hang out sometime.

I know the quiz is over and everything (and I'm sure I failed it), but damn, I kinda wished that I was having a study session with Sockhead right now. I'll come up with some reason to go over to his place tomorrow after school when I see him.

I left Ed's house right around 6:30. As usual, I slowly trudged back to my house. While it's great that I live so close to my pals, I kinda wish I didn't, for this reason. If they lived further, I would have a longer walk back to my house, and then I would return home later. Every minute counts.

When I got to the front doorstep and got my key out, I stood still for a sec.

"What gives you the right to do this?!" I heard my dad yell at the top of his lungs.

Oh Christ.

I took a deep breath and unlocked the door and gingerly opened it. I saw my brother sitting on the couch, lifeless while mom and dad were standing in front of him yelling.

"You can't just charge stuff to my credit card! And I expect every cent of it to be paid back!" Mom yelled.

So, Bro must've found mom's credit card and had a field-day. Wouldn't be the first time.

"Are you listening to me?" Dad yelled, as he turned around and unplugged the TV.

"Yeah." Bro answered lethargically, his expression apathetic. Obviously, he felt REAL bad for what he did.

"I'm sick and tired of your attitude and disrespect! If you don't get your act together…"

I started walking towards my room, my right hand placed on my backpack strap over my left shoulder. I'm sure dad threatened him with "we'll kick you out" or some shit like that, but geez, how many times have I've heard that before? I had no interest in listening to the rest of that pathetic confrontation. It's the same BS over and over. I'm over it.

I entered my room and locked the door behind me. I let my backpack fall right by the door. Lifelessly, I stalked over to my bed and laid down, on my stomach. I am so tired. Physically, emotionally, fucking everything. I turned to my side and rolled up my left sleeve, feeling an itch coming on. I scratched with my right hand, starting to pick at the scabs. My arm still hurt and felt numb from yesterday, but it felt good. Wish I could do it everyday, but that's probably a bad idea.

Well shit, why shouldn't I do it everyday?

I sat up on the side of my bed, contemplating. I mean, I try not to cut every single day. One reason is to give my wounds time to heal. I mean hell, I am running out of room. I've had to start cutting my right arm, but it sucks and I don't do it good since I'm right-handed. But maybe I'll get better if I keep practicing. Maybe I should—

Ring, ring, ring.

The phone pulled me from my thoughts. Without thinking, I picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Yes, Eddy?"

I exhale hearing the familiar, high-pitched voice.

"Sockhead," I said, smiling. Good thing he couldn't see me. "What's up?"

"Oh, just dilly-dallying and re-organizing my books Eddy," he explained. "I realized that they needed to be organized again I noticed that Pygmalion was BEFORE Pride and Prejudice!" He chuckled, embarrassed.

"You're slipping Double D," I laughed. "How can you look yourself in the mirror, knowing that your books aren't alphabetized right?"

"Oh PLEASE Eddy," he snapped back quickly. "At least I make an effort to be organized, unlike others."

"Are you saying I'm not organized, Double D?"I asked facetiously. "Oh, I am SO offended by that!" I laughed loudly.

"Oh hush,"

"So for real Sockhead," I said, stretching out on my bed. Suddenly, I felt totally comfortable. It's weird how a phone call can take me from a dark place to a good place so quickly. "What's going on?"

"I really just wanted to see how you were doing Eddy," he said.

"Oh yeah?" I lifted a brow. I kinda felt nervous, because I was wondering what he was insinuating.

"Indeed," he said.

"I mean, do I seem weird or different to you or anything?" I asked in a tone that would suggest that it was a crazy thing to think.

There was a pause.

"…No," Double D finally responded, but it sounded more like a question than an answer.

"Well good," I said quickly. "'Cause I'm fine," I lied. But really, I just wanted to change the subject.

"Good," he breathed. "I'm content to hear that Eddy."

"Yep."

There was another awkward pause.

"So, uhh…" I started, grasping for something to talk about. "That quiz in French today. You totally nailed it, didn't ya Double D?"

Whew.

"I suppose I did alright," he modestly responded. "And yourself Eddy? Did you even study the subjunctive?"

"Yeah, s-sure I did,"

"Please."

"Anyways Sockhead," I said, yawning. "I think I'm gonna hit the hay soon. Ya know, I'm tired from studying all that French," I chuckled.

"Very well Eddy," he said. "I shall see you tomorrow morning, then?"

"Yep," I yawned again. "Night Sockhead."

"Goodnight Eddy,"

While I was getting ready for bed, I couldn't help but smile at the irony of it all. Sockhead didn't know it, but he saved me tonight. He saved me from myself.