I Won't Give Up

"Ugh, this is like the suckiest thing we've had to suffer through in this school!" Eddy exclaimed in an annoyed tone, lifting his hands dramatically as he tilted his head against the back of his seat in the school auditorium.

Nazz laughed outright from her seat on Eddy's right and Edd giggled behind his hand from his spot on Eddy's left. "Oh, Eddy," Edd said, between his giggles. "There have been many other wretched instances here. This cannot be the worst one in our history of attending this school!"

"It's just a talent show, honey," Nazz said.

Rolf looked around Nazz at Eddy. "Surely, Eddy-boy, Rolf is enjoying the native talents of his mostly dead-brain fellow students."

"I'd enjoy it if these cretins had talent!" Eddy insisted. Two junior girls sat in front of the small group of friends and they turned around to glare at Eddy. "What?" he demanded of them. With small, annoyed huffs, they turned back look at the stage where the emcee had come out to announce the next act.

Eddy crossed his arms and grumbled, "There was more talent in the talent show I put on back when we were kids."

"You mean that miserable failure?" Nazz teased, getting a sour look from her boyfriend.

"I thought you said Kevin would be here," Ed spoke up from the other side of Edd. He had become quite attached to Kevin since Edd and Kevin began dating.

All of his friends looked at him with wide eyes. He had directed the question to Edd, but Nazz was the one who answered. "He said he'd be here. I've no idea where he is."

"I miss Kevin," Ed stated.

Before they could say anything, the emcee, a pep band member named Claire, spoke up on the mic. The previous act, a garage band that failed to impress the audience and had received lukewarm applause, had finally cleared their gear.

"Please go crazy and welcome our next act, Kevin Barr performing on the guitar!" Claire yelled into the microphone as she looked to the side of the stage.

Edd sat up a little straighter, his mouth dropping open a little. He knew perfectly well Kevin could play and sing – it was how Kevin had first told Edd he liked him – but Kevin hadn't mentioned entering the talent show.

"Did you know about this?" Eddy hissed in his ear. Edd merely shook his head.

Kevin strode out onto the stage, confident as always and smiling his hundred-watt smile. He cradled his guitar, with its Captain America strap slung over his shoulder, in his hands. Claire had placed the mic on its' stand in the middle of the stage. The students in their seats were screaming and clapping for Kevin. Edd could tell Kevin ate up the attention and loved it. He flashed a peace sign at everyone as he took his place. He looked so handsome to Edd with his cargo shorts, his Star Wars t-shirt, and his red hat perched on his head backward.

"ROCK IT KEVIN!"

"FREEEEEEBIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRD!"

Everyone laughed at the things shouted by what Edd assumed were Kevin's teammates from the baseball team. Kevin, who was adjusting the strings, also laughed and positioned his guitar in front of him, ready to play. He gave a thumbs up in the direction the voices came from and leaned forward slightly to speak into the mic in an amused tone of voice. "I'm actually going to slow it down a little. I'm dedicating this to someone special in my life. You know who you are." As he spoke, his eyes darted around the auditorium until he spotted Edd and locked eyes with his boyfriend. Kevin smiled, winked at Edd, then started the soft melody on the guitar.

Edd didn't recognize the song, though that wasn't a surprise to him. He wasn't as up on music as Kevin usually was. He felt himself lean forward eagerly to listen to the words. Kevin had proved very good at picking songs that meant something.

When I look into your eyes
It's like watching the night sky
Or a beautiful sunrise
Well, there's so much they hold

Edd heard the gasps from the other students as Kevin began singing. He assumed not everyone knew how well Kevin could sing, and Edd felt proud of his boyfriend.

Well, I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

Edd felt the tears smart in his eyes. He knew exactly why Kevin chose this song. They would have their difficulties in the future, had been through some difficulties already, and this was Kevin's assurance he would always be there.

Cause even the stars they burn
Some even fall to the earth
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it
No, I won't give up

With that verse, Kevin's voice expanded and became strong and forceful as the pace of the song picked up, which elicited loud applause from their fellow students. The emotion and passion he put into the words touched Edd deeply and he didn't even feel the nudge from Eddy's elbow, as he was so entranced with the vision of his boyfriend in front of him. The tone of the song changed.

And in the end, you're still my friend, at least we did intend
For us to work, we didn't break, we didn't burn
We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in
I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not and who I am

The long note held on the last word drove the crowd wild. Kevin sang the next two bits of the chorus with the same passion that had lit up the song from the middle.

Well, I won't give up on us
God knows I'm tough enough
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it

Kevin changed the tone of the song on the guitar. It became much softer and he only strummed a few notes as he sang the last chorus in a soft, though caressing, tone of voice.

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

When Kevin sang the line, 'giving you all my love', he pointed directly at Edd. And after he strummed the last chord, he lifted his left hand from the neck of the guitar, flashed the sign language sign for "I love you" and mouthed it. It took only a second before the audience erupted into applause. The female portion of the audience was the loudest and Edd could hear the speculation around them about whom Kevin was singing to.

Kevin gave a cocky grin to the audience as he bowed, then walked off the stage. Eddy was nudging Edd in the side and the boy finally turned to his best friend. "What, Eddy?"

Eddy's eyes darted to the girls in front of them, then back to Edd. "Watch your expression!" Eddy hissed at him and Edd realized he probably had a lovesick look in his eyes. He saw the girls were turned and looking behind them, though their focus was not on Edd or Eddy.

"He was pointing this way, I swear!" the blond said. "I know it! He stared this way the whole time!"

"Who the fuck though? I mean, Kevin doesn't date anyone! Who could he be in love with?" her friend asked.

"There's, like, twenty girls I can see. Shit, I thought he pointed at me for a minute! Dream come true, eh, Renee?" the blond giggled.

Renee rolled her eyes. "As if he'd like you, Tammy! Maybe it was me?"

"Pfft, not likely! He has no idea you exist!"

"Hey, maybe it was me!" Eddy exclaimed, leaning forward and putting a hand on each of their chair backs. "I am a pretty good catch, but I'm already spoken for, so Kevin's heart will be broken," he lamented.

The girls looked disgusted, as Nazz, Rolf, and the Eds laughed.

"Kevin likes boys!" Ed said.

Edd clutched at Ed's arm to make sure his friend didn't say anything more. Fortunately, those around the group found this funny and they all laughed at the girls who had been speculating. Before they could say anything else about it, Claire was out on the stage to announce the next act.


"Romantic enough for you, my little dork?" Kevin asked as they walked with Eddy, Nazz, Ed, and Rolf to the parking lot and their cars. Edd had taken to getting a ride with Nazz in her roomy SUV with Rolf and the other Eds. Kevin had practice after school today. Edd never went to watch the practices, though he wanted to. He didn't think it prudent because Kevin's teammates might be suspicious as to why the brainy genius would want to sit and watch.

Edd ached to throw his arms around Kevin and show his boyfriend his appreciation of the romantic gesture. Edd was touched to his core and felt incredibly loved. And frustrated he couldn't show it here in public. "Very much so, Kevin," he answered softly. "I cannot believe you did that. Thank you."

Kevin shot Edd a smug smile, able to see the frustration in Edd's expression. "I know our five-month is tomorrow, so I wanted to do something for you, Dee," he said in just as quiet a voice. Their classmates still surrounded them, many of whom would stop Kevin to rave about his performance. The group of friends, as a whole, would stop with Kevin basking in his brief fame. The girls asked to whom he sang, but he would only grin and shrug, turning on the charm even as he answered vaguely. "Oh, you know, someone special. We're keeping it quiet for now…" he would say, making the girls frustrated.

"It was rather reckless, though, Kevin," Edd stated, his tone low and disapproving.

"Oh come on, Dee, no one knew."

"Kevin, you stared at me the entire time you sang and pointed directly at me at the end," Edd protested.

"Yeah, and there were about fifty girls in that area it could have been."

"Now that the student population knows you have a love interest, however, they will be scrutinizing you much more closely. We will have to be extra careful to not show our affection for each other while we are here at school."

"We could just come out," Kevin suggested nonchalantly, then regretted it immediately seeing how Edd paled. "I know, Dee," he said contritely. "You're not ready."

Edd sighed, looking at the ground for a moment as they walked behind Nazz and Eddy, that feeling of uneasiness rising in his gut once again. "I wish I were ready, Kevin."

They didn't speak again until they were almost at Nazz's car. Edd felt the tension build, though Kevin kept his smile and didn't look particularly upset. Edd still felt, as he always did, he had given Kevin the wrong answer.

"See you after practice?" Edd asked.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

Edd didn't respond to the question. "Excellent, Kevin. I would like to show you my appreciation for your thoughtful and romantic gesture."

Kevin's face lit up as his smile morphed into an impish grin. "I look forward to that, Dee!" he said as he waved goodbye and turned to head back to the locker room while Edd got into Nazz's car with everyone else.