One Week Before Prom, Thursday

It was the bottom of the 7th inning when Edd found himself at the game against Lemon Brook. Lemon Brook may consistently crush Peach Creek in football, but PCHS gets its revenge during baseball season, and judging by the roar of the crowd, the revenge was good.

Edd would have been here one or two innings earlier, but he decided to stay home a bit longer and look up the rules to baseball, so he can at least understand what was going on instead of ogling Kevin the whole time, provided he could even spot him on the field.

When they were retiring the sides for the start of the 8th inning, Edd finally noticed Kevin who had stopped walking to the dugout to wave. Edd returned the wave but froze at the next scene.

A slightly taller boy jogs up next to Kevin, and must have said something to him, because Kevin was now pointing at Edd. When the taller boy took off his hat, Edd realized it was Nathan, but that would have been obvious by his next move as well. As soon as Nathan noticed Edd, he picks Kevin up on his shoulders and starts waving more frantically than Kevin had been. He even started pointing up at Kevin and yelling, "Hey, Double Cutie! Look!" as if Edd and the rest of the audience hadn't already noticed his antics and were laughing. Coach started yelling at them to get off the field, and they rushed to comply.

Kevin did stop once more before heading into the dugout, to give one last slight wave to Edd.

Edd missed the next few minutes of the game while he hid his face under his hat.

The game ended in the middle of the 9th inning, with PCHS in a far lead. People were cheering in the stands, some were storming the field along with the rest of the players who were in the dugout. Edd waited for this initial mad rush of fans to get by before he cautiously made his way down the stands and around to the entrance to the field. It doesn't take long for him to find Kevin, who starts jogging towards him as soon as they make eye contact. When he was only a few feet away, Kevin outstretched his arms. Edd knows this move, thanks to Ed. Edd stopped walking, and braced for impact, expecting a hug. However, Kevin doesn't just hug him, he goes full Ed. He's picking up Double D and spinning him around. Edd couldn't help but laugh, even though deep down he knew that if this really was Ed, he would have demanded to be put down by now.

"I want in on this!" Edd hears Nathan yell, and sees a blur of white uniform and teal hair, before Kevin suddenly spins the other way, and jogs a few steps, apparently getting away from him.

Kevin then sets him down but keeps his hands on Edd. "Dude! You came!"

"I came…"

Kevin leaned in for another hug, a normal one, where Edd's feet stayed planted on the ground. "Thanks so much! This means a lot to me!"

Edd nodded into the hug, hoping Kevin could feel it so he would have to use his words. He didn't want to use his words. He was afraid he would just blurt out stuff he shouldn't. Namely in reference to going to prom. Both times Kevin hugged him, Edd had a sudden urge to say he's going to prom. He still hasn't decided but being with Kevin like this makes him want to just blurt it out and make it true after the fact.

Kevin lets go and leaned back, one hand still on Edd this time. He was grinning, and Edd couldn't take it anymore.

"Kevin, I thought about it, and… well, no I haven't… but I've decided that-"

"KEV!" Nazz yells before jumping on Kevin from behind. She plants a kiss on his cheek and says, "Dude! Great game! You crushed those sour-ass lemons!"

"Thanks, Nazz!" Kevin says, returning the awkward sideways hug she was giving him.

Nazz glances over and sees Edd, suddenly giving a surprised look. "Oh, shoot! Double D! You came to the game!?"

"It seems I did," Edd says meekly.

"Cool. Cool. Hey, I gotta borrow Kev here for a moment. I'll bring him back though, no worries," Nazz says, linking her fingers with Kevin and dragging him away from Edd.

Kevin allowed himself to be led away, and looked over his shoulder at Edd, shouting, "Don't move! I'll be right back!"

Edd doesn't listen. He turns to go and finds himself facing Nathan with hardly any space between the two. How did I not notice he was standing right behind me, and so close at that!?

"Double Delight! Where you going? Kevin said he would be right back."

"I, um I-I got homework to do."

"Don't give me that crap. You probably finished it all last week."

Edd rolled his eyes.

"So, Kevin told me you were on the fence about going to prom… why's that?"

"I just don't see the point." Edd had no clue why Kevin would talk to Nathan about this.

"The point is, my good man," Nat said putting an arm around Edd, walking him away from the crowd, "that this is prom. The prom. And everyone you care about is going to be there. And everyone who cares about you is going to be there. So, we would all, all of us, would like for you to show, man."

Edd shrugged, and Nathan squeezed his shoulders.

"I just don't know, Nathan."

"Ugh. Please, for like the millionth time, call me Nat."

Edd grinned wickedly at Nat, both boys knowing exactly why Edd refused to call him by his nickname.

"Trust me, as much pleasure as you get by saying the full 'Nathan' instead of just saying 'Nat,' prom is gonna be ten, no A HUNDRED times more awesome than that. Trust me."

"I trust you. I still don't think I should go."

Nathan considered him for a moment. "I don't think you do trust me… and I think there's something else holding you back… Double D."

Edd froze at the sound of his typical nickname, not one of those flirty nicknames Nat always uses.

"If you really do trust me on this, then you would go."

Edd nodded. "I promised Kevin I would consider it, and I still have a few days to do so. But for now, I have homework to do."

Nat spun Edd around and hugged him. "Cool. Thanks for coming out. Now go do your homework, man."

Edd nods and heads towards the exit of the field.

"But don't you dare forget to consider it, Double Delightful! Consider it until you say 'YES! YES! YES!' and then just DO IT!" Nat shouted after him.

Edd rubbed a hand down his face when he heard snickering, knowing full and well what those people assumed Nat was talking about.

Edd was almost back to the cul-de-sac, when his phone goes off. Edd answers without looking to see who's calling.

"DUDE! Where'd ya go!?"

Edd stopped in the middle of the sidewalk at the sound of Kevin's voice. "I-I-I had homework… so yeah…"

"So, you stopped in the middle of your homework to come to a baseball game?"

Edd nodded and was met by silence. He realized he should probably speak while on the phone instead of using nonverbal gestures. "Yes. I'd figured I could at least catch the last inning or two before returning to my school work."

There was a pause before Kevin said quietly, "Thanks for doing that. It means a lot to me."

Edd made some noncommittal sounds, or he hoped he did. Functioning was not his strong suit this past month.

Kevin's voice returned to his just-won-a-game excited register, "But you sure you got homework to do? Like, it needs to be done right now or whatever?"

"Yes, I am sure, right now," Edd replied with a sigh before starting his trek back home.

"That's a shame. We were about to go get shakes."

Stick to your guns, Eddward. Do not be tempted by pretty boys and their semi-frozen dairy treats!

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to miss out on that."

"Sucks. We'll just have to go get some ourselves some other time, then."

"I-I, I suppose so."

"Cool. And thanks again for coming to the game. It wasn't too boring for ya, was it?"

"No. It wasn't too bad. It was actually a bit enjoyable."

"Don't gotta lie to me, dork," Kevin laughed out loud, before Edd heard a few muffled sounds and Kevin mumbling, "Dude, Nat, get off."

After a few more muffled sounds, Kevin returned. "Sorry about that. But anyways, do you think we can practice tomorrow?"

"Certainly!" Edd said instantaneously, against his better judgment.

"Choice! Well, I'll see you then!"

"See you, Kevin," Edd replied, choosing to ignore the incessant "Tell Double Delight, Nat says 'Hi!'" that he could hear the in the background.

Edd hung up the phone as he entered his home. He went upstairs and stared at his already completed homework on his desk.

I should have gone to get shakes. It's just shakes. Celebratory shakes. I don't know why I'm letting that kiss from Nazz get to me like this.

But Edd knew why. He just didn't want to admit it. He groaned in frustration and laid his head on the desk for a few minutes, before calling Ed to see if he wanted to hang out.