Chapter 6 - Prom Night
Much to his surprise, Eddy woke up first the next morning. It took a moment for him to come to his senses and realize the feeling of something wrapped around his torso was Dea's arms, still clinging to him. He looked down to find his own arms wrapped securely around the sleeping girl. Content with this knowledge, he let himself relax again and think back to the previous night.
He had a hard time discerning what had really happened and what he had dreamed. It all seemed like it had happened ages ago, when in fact it hadn't been a full 24 hours yet. The thoughts disturbed him and he subconsciously hugged Dea closer, causing her to stir a little. Eddy looked down at her and smiled. He was some what fascinated that he had managed to sleep in the same bed with this beautiful being without...doin' stuff. He had been extremely tired though.
His thoughts were interrupted when Dea stirred again, this time waking up fully. She stretched and rolled over on her back. She looked up at Eddy blankly, still stuck in the haze of sleep.
"'Morning," Eddy said, propping himself up on his elbows.
"Hey," Dea mumbled, "what time is it?"
Eddy looked at his alarm clock, "10:42."
"Really? Wow, I actually slept for once."
Dea sat up and Eddy did too. All was quiet again as the couple shifted uncomfortably. As great as it had felt waking up in each other's arms, the two now found themselves in an unwanted awkwardness.
"I guess I should go take a shower or something," Dea said.
She got out of bed, grabbed her suitcase off the floor, and made for the bathroom. Eddy stopped her midway there by stepping directly into her path. Not knowing what to say, he grabbed her around the waist and kissed her deeply. Dea was a bit taken off guard by the sudden action, but quickly regained composure. She dropped her luggage by her side and kissed him back. When they broke apart, Eddy just gave her a slight smile and moved out of her way. Dea smiled back at him, still feeling a little blown away, and proceeded on to the bath room. Eddy stared at the closed door for a few minutes before he gathered up some clothes and went to the house's other bathroom. He made sure to be extra quiet as he passed by his parent's bedroom.
As time passed, the horrible events of the that night were forgotten. Eddy played it cool and avoided his father for the most part. Edd had started going out with Marty, and both Eddy and Dea had celebrated their 18th birthdays. Prom was the next big social event and the task at hand was finding a date for Ed.
It had taken quite a bit of persuading on Eddy's part to even get Dea to go. She had gone to Prom as a Sophomore and had vowed to never go again, saying Prom was the biggest waste of time and money she had ever seen. Eventually she had consented, however, and took it upon herself to arrange big Ed's date.
At the present moment, the three Eds sat in Ed's room, awaiting the arrival of their female companions.
"So, big guy, you excited about Prom this year?" Eddy asked, kicking back in Ed's big arm chair.
"I want to go, Eddy, but I don't have a date!"
"Don't you worry 'bout it, monobrow, Dea's taking care of that as we speak."
There was a knock outside of Ed's door.
"That's them." Eddy jumped up and opened the door. Dea and Marty entered the room, grinning.
"Ed, there's someone we'd like you to meet..." Dea began.
Ed sat on his bed, grinning like a fool. He loved meeting new people. Eddy settled back into the arm chair and Edd sat patiently on a metal folding chair.
"Ed, we'd like to introduce you to our friend, Amy," said Marty.
The two girls stepped aside and a third girl came to stand between them. She was taller than the other two and fairly skinny. Her hair was cut in a short bob and it was a brilliant purple color with a single red streak running through it. She wore baggy black pants with a red T-shirt.
"Nice to meet you, Amy," Edd said. He stood up and shook her hand. "My name is Eddward."
Amy shook his hand and looked around the room uncertainly. Dea sat down on the arm of the chair Eddy was sitting in and he wrapped his arms around her waist. Edd pulled a second folding chair from Ed's closet and Marty sat down beside him.
"You must be Ed, then," Amy said.
"Yep, that's me, alright," Ed said.
"So will you go to Prom with him or what?" Eddy asked.
Amy stumbled for an answer and Edd covered for her.
"Be patient, Eddy. Amy and Ed need time to get to know each other."
"Do you like chickens, Amy?" Ed asked.
"Um...I guess they're cool."
Amy hated being put on the spot. The way everyone was staring at her made her nervous. She wished Dea would step in and suggest they all go somewhere else or something.
"What about comic books?" Ed asked.
"Yeah, I like comics...Evil Tim is my favorite."
"Oh, mine too!"
"There, see, you've got something in common," Eddy said, "we'll just leave you two alone and let you get better acquainted."
He jumped up from the chair and pulled Dea up after him. Edd and Marty followed quietly behind. Amy stared at the closed door with wide eyes. How could her friends just abandon her like that? She turned back to Ed and stared blankly.
"Did you read that one issue where Evil Tim had to fight off the mutant cyborgs on planet Corinthia?" Ed questioned excitedly.
"Yeah, but my favorite was where he uses that curse to destroy the alien rebels."
"Do you want to see my action figures?"
"Sure."
Amy was slowing starting to relax. She sat beside Ed on the floor and continued to discuss Evil Tim as they sorted through a box of action figures. Amy discovered that Ed also liked to draw, much like herself, and that he too was a B-movie addict. Once again Dea had been right- she did like Ed.
Meanwhile, the other four were sitting up in Ed's living room talking. Marty was somewhat disturbed by the constant affection displayed between Dea and Eddy. It made her uncomfortable. In a way she wished her and Edd were like that, but at the same time she didn't feel she was bold enough. Fourteen-year-old Sarah entered the room and stared at the couples with distaste. She hadn't been on a date with anyone since Jimmy told her he was gay. Any and all aspects of romance now sickened her.
"What are you idiots doing here?" she demanded.
"What's it to ya, Sarah?" Eddy shot back.
"Why don't you losers get a room and stay out of my house?"
"It's Ed's house too, Sarah," Edd said.
"So where is he?"
"In his room with Amy," Dea answered.
Sarah blinked. "You people make me sick. I'm going out."
"Good! Good ridance!" Eddy shouted after her.
"Eddy, that wasn't very polite," Edd said.
"Ah, who gives? The squirt should learn to mind her own business."
A few minutes later Ed and Amy came upstairs to join the others. Edd, Eddy, Marty, and Dea all looked at them expectantly. Ed of course didn't notice and Amy looked creeped out.
"So?" Eddy prodded.
"So what?" Amy replied.
"You know what!" Dea said impatiently, "Prom! Yes or no?"
"Oh...um, yes."
"Good. You, me, and Marty will go dress shopping this weekend."
And they did. In fact, they had the guys go with them so they could coordinate their outfits. Dea picked out a slinky orange dress which Eddy complimented with a crisp white suit. Marty chose a conservative green dress and Edd picked a baby-blue suit. Amy purchased a black and red gown and big Ed got a classic black suit.
Eddy had bought his car by then - a '74 red mustang. He and Dea took it to the dance. Ed and Amy car pooled with Edd and Marty in Edd's forest green honda. The group went out to eat before the dance and surprisingly arrived on time with no misfortune.
The couple's differences in personality became evident at the dance. Edd and Marty would mostly slow dance, then go sit at a table. Ed and Amy danced only one time and ran around like children the rest of the night. Eddy and Dea, on the other hand, were on the dance floor almost non-stop. Their friends became near invisible to them, except for when Dea caught Marty staring at her wide-eyed, apparently shocked by the way her and Eddy were "dirty" dancing. Marty eventually shook it off and went to get a drink, the uncomfortable feeling had made itself known again.
After they had all grown bored of the dance, they went to Edd's house to hang out. There was much laughing and merriment, and a little bit of complaining on Eddy's part that no alcohol could be found in Edd's house. As always, Eddy was the life of the party that kept the rest of the group laughing. So they were left in a stange silence when he stopped cracking jokes to start kissing Dea, first on the lips and then down her neck. Marty tried to ignore it and make conversation with the other three, but soon she couldn't take it anymore.
"Why don't you guys get a room or something! Geeze!" She shouted.
Eddy and Dea stared and blinked at her slowly. They hadn't expected such an outburst from Marty.
"Chill out," Eddy said, then he turned to Dea, "hey, you wanna go to my house and get away from these boring puritans for a bit?"
"You know it," Dea said, blushing and looking a little giddy.
Marty watched the two exit Edd's house and remained quiet until she heard Eddy's car start and pull away.
"Well, I hope they at least use a condom," she snapped.
"Marty!" Edd responded indignantly.
"Well, it's true! That's what they're going to do! Dea's been talking about it for weeks!"
"You do need to chill out, Marty," Amy said, "Why are you so down on them anyway? What do you care of they want to screw around? It's their choice. Besides, it's not like Dea would do it with just anyone. Can't you see they're in love?"
Marty just crossed her arms and looked away.
"You're not jealous of them, are you?" Amy asked.
Marty's eyes popped wide open and she looked guilty as hell.
"Of course not!" she defended, "I just...don't think the amount of PDA they show is appropriate."
"Well, I think we should call it a night," Edd stepped in, "I've had a dandy time, but I think it's time we all went home."
"Awww," Ed whined.
He and Amy started to leave, until Amy remembered something and stopped in the doorway.
"Marty and I were supposed to stay the night at Dea's house," she said.
"I'm sure she'll be home later," Edd said, "why don't you and Ed go watch TV at his residence for a couple hours, I'm sure she'll be home by then."
Ed and Amy disappeared through the front door and down the street, leaving Edd and Marty alone. Marty plopped down on the sofa and crossed her arms again. Edd sat down next to her.
"Tell me what's wrong, Marty," he said, "I don't always approve of the way Eddy and Dea express their feelings for each other, but this is something else, isn't it?"
Marty acted like she wasn't going to answer him at first, but eventually Edd's patient and concerned gaze won her over.
"I guess so. I guess I am just a litte bit jealous of them. They make me uncomfortable. I was raised to belive that kind of behavior was wrong, but then I find myself wondering what it would be like to be Dea."
"I understand. I've often wondered what it would be like to be Eddy. Then I realized I'd rather not have his problems and be the one always taking the blame when something goes wrong. Kevin always beats him up over little mishaps that all three of us are responsible for."
"I guess you're right," Marty agreed, "I know what some of the other people in our school say about Dea and I really wouldn't want to be looked at that way. I think she knows too, but she denies it. That's why she's got such an attitude. She's gone beyond defensive to out right attacking people. Believe it or not, Dea did used to be a quiet, innocent girl."
Edd laughed, "I can't imagine that. Honestly, I thought Dea was Hell on wheels when I first met her."
"She's changed quite a bit, but I suppose we all have, in our own way."
They sat together in solemn silence. Edd surprised himself when he leaned over and kissed Marty on the cheek. She looked at him in surprise, but didn't speak.
"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me," Edd blushed.
"It's alright," Marty said.
Both leaned in and kissed each other softly on the lips.
Meanwhile, Dea was curled up next to Eddy in his bed.
"That was amazing," she said and kissed him again.
"You're amazing," Eddy replied.
Dea wrapped her arms around him and layed her head on his chest, sighing. She knew her friends would be waiting for her at her house, but she really didn't care. She just wanted to lay there in Eddy's arms forever.
"You'd better get home," Eddy said, although he didn't mean it, "Your mom will be wondering where you've been."
"Yeah. Marty and Amy are supposed to stay the night. I should go let them in. I just hope Marty doesn't bitch all night."
Dea got up and put her clothes back on. Eddy did the same and both of them stood in front of the mirror, trying to fix their disarrayed hair. Eddy grabbed his car keys off the dresser and Dea grabbed her handbag off the floor.
"Hey," Eddy stopped her before they went out the door, "I love you."
He held her close and kissed her deeply.
"I love you too," she said.
Later that night after Dea had gone home and showered, her and her two friends sat around her room in pajamas talking.
"So, how was it?" Amy asked with a smirk.
Dea smiled and blushed, "It was great, but I don't think you want to hear about it now, do you, Marty? Marty? What's wrong with her?"
Marty was sitting in a chair staring off into space dreamily. The other two girls stared at her for some time, but got no response.
"I don't know," Amy said, "but I bet I have a good idea. Double-D kissed you, didn't he, Marty?"
Marty seemed to snap out of her trance at the mention of Edd's name. She looked about wild-eyed.
"What?"
"Oh my god! He did!" Amy shouted.
Marty looked confused. Dea grinned at her deviously.
"So little Marty's tryin' to get some behind our backs," Dea teased, "hypocrit."
"What? That's not true! I mean, he kissed me, but that's all! I'd never go all the way! Not unless I'm married to him."
"Why not?" Amy asked.
"Because...it's not right."
Dea shook her head, "Girl, I can tell you from experience, there's nothing in the world that feels more right than waking up in your man's arms."
"I just want to be sure it's forever," Marty said.
"So do I, but even in marriage, it's a risk you take. Look at my parents! Look at Amy's parents!"
Marty was silent and resigned. She looked a little bit disturbed.
"Hey, you know we're just messin' with you, right?" Dea said, "Don't go doin' nothin' until you're good and ready. The man will wait- that's how you know its real."
Marty smiled weakly and crawled into her sleeping bag. She turned her back on the other two and pretended to be sleeping. Dea and Amy stared at her, then at each other. Finally, Dea got up and turned out the light. She climbed back into her bed and none of them said another word the rest of the night.
A/N: Marty has to have her moment in the spotlight, then it's Eddy's turn again...