Week of Prom, Tuesday

As Kevin gets home from practice, he sees Nazz's car pull into the cul-de-sac. Typically, he wouldn't pay it any mind, wanting to get inside and get into the shower immediately, but he noticed that she didn't continue to the end of the cul-de-sac. Instead, she pulled into Edd's driveway.

Kevin stood at his door, house key in hand, watching Nazz's car. Soon, he sees Edd get out and open the back door. Edd pulls out his suit, the one Mrs. Fitzgerald fixed for him, and leans over to look through the passenger window. He hears Edd thank Nazz for the ride.

Kevin quickly headed inside his home, threw down his bags in his room, and raced for the shower. Afterwards, he rushed over to Edd's place, and rang the doorbell an obnoxious number of times.

Edd opened the door, wearing most of his prom outfit, aside from the jacket and shoes. He looked at Kevin blankly, and said, "I almost believed it was Nathan at the door."

Kevin just shrugged and said, "Fair."

Edd stepped back, allowing Kevin into his home, but immediately went upstairs without waiting on him. By the time Kevin crept into his room, Edd was slipping into his dress shoes. Kevin watches as Edd examines himself in the mirror, fiddling with his hat, his bowtie, his cufflinks, and anything else he could manipulate. Edd suddenly sighs and drops his head. Edd starts unbuttoning his jacket, shrugging it off, when he looks over at Kevin. "I'm getting undressed now."

Kevin froze for a second before saying, "I'll get everything set up downstairs."

Edd nodded as he removed his bowtie, "Thanks."

By the time Edd came downstairs, he sees that Kevin has already moved all the furniture aside, closed the blinds, has started playing music on his phone, and is mock dancing. When he spins around, he sees Edd and stops dancing. Edd was half-expecting him to be embarrassed, but instead, Kevin stood upright, bowed slightly, and said, "May I have this dance."

Edd simply nodded.

Kevin grins at him before jogging the few steps towards him, grabbing his hand, and leading him to the middle of the living room. Kevin carefully maneuvers their joined hands to a position more suitable for dancing, and then places his other hand on Edd's lower back. Then, they began to dance.

Edd may not have been too please with how he looked in his suit, but he soon found himself grinning uncontrollably as Kevin spun them around the room. This is probably the most enjoyable time of my life!

When the song changed to something more suitable for a tango, Kevin quickly adjusted their dancing style. In doing so, he pulls Edd closer to himself.

Edd was suddenly reminded of the first time they attempted to dance the tango together, at the senior center. Edd once again stared at the freckles across Kevin's face, making constellations of them. His hands, lower back, thighs, and anywhere else that was touching or too close to touching Kevin, it all felt hot.

He smelled some floral notes on Kevin, pondering their source for a minute. He soon concluded that if Kevin is the kind of guy who isn't concerned about shelling out money or coordinating colors for prom, he's probably not the kind of guy who's picky about body wash, and just uses whatever his mother purchases for him. Edd leans a little closer, trying to subtly get a better sniff, and confirms that vanilla and lavender is definitely a purchased-by-mom scent.

At the end of the song, Edd smiles softly at Kevin. "It's only been a month, but you've improved greatly."

"Really!?"

"Yes. Have you been practicing at home?"

"Yeah. Not those first few nights, but every night since then."

Edd found this quite commendable. As he found another song to dance to, he says, "It shows. You're quite the decent dancer now."

Edd chuckled as he saw Kevin fist pump the air, before grabbing ahold of Edd to start another waltz. "Man, that just made my day."

Edd waited through the next turn before replying with, "Oh, really?"

"Yeah… I can't wait to prove Nazz wrong. She's gonna totally be so impressed, dude."

Edd tried his hardest to keep dancing with Kevin, but he couldn't. His concentration was completely away from the dance floor after that last comment.

Edd broke off and backed away slowly. "I-I'm sorry… I just…"

He tries to run to his room, but feels an arm grab him as he reaches the stairs. Kevin spins him around, back towards him, as if they were still dancing.

"Dude, what the matter?"

"I… I don't think I want to go to prom anymore. I know you and Mrs. Fitzgerald have done so much for me to-"

"Hush. Don't even go there."

Edd clamps his mouth shut.

"Now, why don't you want to go anymore?"

Edd looks away, rubbing his free hand against the arm Kevin was still holding. "I just feel too awkward to go to prom."

Kevin steps closer to him, "What do you mean? Is it the dancing or what?"

"I… I just feel out of place… prom never seemed like an Eddward thing to do." Edd doesn't admit how he really feels. How he did want to go to prom when he was younger, but not now, not as a third wheel to Nazz and Kevin. Not while helping his crush get back with his ex. Not while being a good friend meant slowly breaking his own heart.

"Dude. Come on, now. It's this weekend. You're probably just all worked up from nerves. Trust me, that's been me on and off for about a month now."

Edd nods. "Perhaps you're right."

"And you need to go."

"Because you paid for the ticket?" Edd asks sheepishly.

"Psh. Whatever. That doesn't matter. You need to go because it will be fun. For both of us. Like I seriously don't think I'll have as good of a time if you don't show up. Likewise, I think you might regret it later if you came this close to going to prom with the rest of us, just to bail out the week of."

Edd rubs his eyes in frustration. "Fine, fine. I just… I think I am getting a bit worked up."

Kevin hugs him. "Seems that way. But don't worry. You're gonna have a blast. Nat will make sure of it."

Edd groaned loudly and Kevin tightened the hug in response.

"Kidding! Just kidding. But seriously, it'll be fun."

Edd finally reciprocated the hug. "I suppose you can be right."

"I am right, dork." Kevin steps back from the hug. "Maybe we should stop the dance practice here for tonight, in case it rattles your nerves some more."

"I'm sorry, we can just-"

"Nah, it's cool Edd, no worries. Just want to make sure you're okay. See you Thursday, though?"

Edd could see the hope in Kevin's eyes. "Yeah, see you then."

As Kevin leaves Edd's home, he looks back and see's Edd's concerned expression. "Dude. Seriously. Don't worry about it, okay? Just don't… don't flake out… please."

Edd nods before bidding him goodnight.

Edd went upstairs and sat at his desk. He glances out his window towards the Barr residence, noticing when Kevin's bedroom light turned on.

Edd laid his head in his arms on his desk. He felt just awful. He was really enjoying himself, getting to dance, and with someone he admires so much. He even started to get his hopes up about the dancing and prom, without realizing it.

Eddward, what has gotten into you? You just need to suck it up and enjoy this. You only have one last practice with him. It's your last dance. Don't let talks of Nazz and prom get in the way. Just enjoy it.

Edd took a few deep breaths after his pep-talk to himself, then stood up suddenly. He looks back over to the Barr's residence, and wonders just how gone he really is for Kevin, if he honestly believes he saw Kevin's bedroom curtains falling back into place.