Winged Cupid Painted Blind Chapter 16 – What Light Through Yonder Window Breaks?
Edd arrived home after an excruciatingly long bus ride, the bus getting stopped at the train tracks waiting on a passing train, then having to wait as a parent had a long conversation with the driver about her son getting bullied on her bus, all this put them way behind schedule. His only comfort was sitting with his two friends, chatting about the newest release of the X-men comics and all the twists and turns that had taken place within its latest story line. Entering his house he heads up to his room to do his homework before his two friends would inevitably come over to play video games or drag him somewhere to partake in whatever "adventure" they could get into. Finishing up his algebra 1 homework he begins his world history assignment when he hears the front door open and his mother's voice, "Eddward, are you home?"
Leaning back in his chair and facing the door he responds, "I'm upstairs doing my homework."
He hears her rummaging around at the base of the stairs as she put her coat up, "That's my good boy, I expect A's on your report card."
"Yes mother," Edd said quietly to himself and returns to his work. Twenty minutes later his father comes into the house and he hears his parents greeting each other in the hallway, then his father coming up the stairs.
Popping his head in the room he asks, "Getting it whipped sport?"
Edd sighed at the nickname then answered, "Yes father I am, as you say, whipping it."
His father leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed, "We're going out to eat and I was wondering if you cared to join us?"
Edd sits his pen down and turns his head slightly to face his father, "Actually I should probably finish this, I have a quiz in biology tomorrow."
Edd's father drops his arms and pushes off the door frame, "I understand sport," he comes over and pats his son on the shoulder, "Say hi to the boys for me," and he leaves the room and heads back down stairs.
"Is he not coming," Edd could hear his mother ask.
""He's at that age you know," his father replies and Edd could hear them getting ready to leave.
"Eddward, honey we'll bring you something back," his mother called up, "but if you get hungry before we come home there's lunch meat in the fridge, I love you." The door opens and he hears them walk out and the door close behind them.
Edd continues his homework for another twenty minutes before a knock at the door disturbed his concentration on his work. Closing his book he heads down the stairs and unlocks the door, opening it he is greeted by a big bear hug from Ed that sent the two of them tumbling to the ground. Regaining his composure after being knocked to the floor Edd pats his friend on the shoulder, "Greetings Ed, but could you please get off me."
Eddy just steps over the both of them and heads toward the kitchen, Ed slowly gets up off the floor and reaches out his hand to help his friend up, "I'm sorry Double D, I got carried away."
"No harm done Ed," brushing himself off he closes the door and heads toward the kitchen with his friend in tow to find Eddy already rummaging through his refrigerator for snacks. With sandwiches chips and drinks in hand the three friends return to the living room to sit down and watch The Howling 2, it had just enough T and A for Eddy's liking and the low budget horror film quality that the other two enjoyed, also having the talents of Christopher Lee in the movie was a big plus for the three Hammer House of Horror fans. They made their comments and jokes on each corny death scene and mocked the bad acting when it got absurdly bad and campy.
But the fun was short lived for the three friends as Edd's parents returned home midway through the film just in time to see the main villain, Stirba, popping some poor guy's eyes out of his head using her voice. His mother scrunching up her face in disgust states, "I don't think this is an appropriate movie for you young man."
"Mom," Edd whined, and his friends snickered a little that he was getting scolded for his movie choices.
"Don't mom me," She goes over to the VCR and shuts off the movie, removing the tape she asks, "Have you finished your homework yet?"
"I'm almost done," He replies knowing where this was going, his friends were already getting their things together and heading toward the door.
"You can see your friends tomorrow, now go eat your dinner then finish your homework," She said while handing him the carry out bag they brought for him. Edd had a feeling that she was only being a stickler about his homework now because he used it as an excuse to stay home and not go out to dinner with them.
Taking the bag from her he walks his friends to the door, "My apologies, maybe we can finish it tomorrow over at Ed's house."
"Sure Sockhead, whatever," Eddy replied and waved goodbye and headed down the road toward his house.
Ed had stayed behind for a few seconds, "Yeah just come over whenever you can tomorrow, and don't forget to bring that movie you borrowed with you, we can ditch sourpuss and watch it if you want."
"I will do my best to remember to bring it, though I feel bad about excluding Eddy," Edd could hear his mother calling from behind reminding him about his homework.
"Ah he'll get over it, well see ya Double D, you don't want to keep mommy dearest waiting," and with a small snicker Ed ran off to catch up with Eddy leaving Double D standing at the door. Going back inside he closes the door and marches up the stairs to his room closing the door behind him in hopes of not being disturbed. He sits and continues where he had left off studying for his biology test while picking at the food his parents brought him. Thirty minutes later and he is finished with the last of his homework, he checks the time and it was only a little after seven and he begins to wonder if his friends had finished that movie today and whether he should go over and see them.
Opening his bedroom door he was about to step out into the hallway when he hears Kevin's deep voice, "Good evening Ma'am," Edd stops in his tracks but perks up his ears.
"Hello…" Edd's mother paused as she searched for the boys name in her memories, Kevin seeing her struggle with it politely gives it to her again, "Oh yes of course."
"Is Edd here, ma'am?" Kevin asks and Edd's heart skips a beat, why was he looking for him, didn't he already make his intentions clear by ignoring him today.
"Yes he is but he is doing his homework right now," thank you mother for the save Edd thought to himself, "and unfortunately cannot have visitors until he is finished."
"Oh," Kevin's voice sounded a little defeated to Edd, "Can you give him this for me, he asked me to make it for him."
"Sure dear, I'll make sure he gets it."
"Thanks," Kevin pauses for a second, "Have a good evening ma'am."
"You too, Kevin," and the door closes, Edd hears his mother walking up the stairs and he rushes back over to his desk and opens his book. A quick couple knocks on his open door and she steps in, "Your friend brought this over for you," she places the cassette on his desk and retrieves the empty carry out bag. "We're going to watch Roseanne soon, if you want to come down and watch it with us."
"I'd like that, just let me finish up here first and I'll be down shortly," Edd replied as he picked up the tape and looked at the cover, it had one word on it, sorry.
"Do you want popcorn?"
"That would be nice."
"Butter?"
"Yes please."
She comes over and pushes back his beanie and kisses the top of his head, "I'm sorry I drove your friends off earlier."
"It's alright mother, I should have been studying," he was intently studying the tape wondering what could be on it, his curiosity was piqued with that one word on the cover.
"Well come down when you're ready," she straightens his beanie once again and exits the room heading back downstairs to make the popcorn.
Standing he closes the door to his room once again and opens the tape, putting it in his stereo he hits play and the song The Promise from When In Rome starts to play, being an 80's song it had the a typical sound of the decade and it kept with the theme that was written on the cover of the case. But the chorus was a little confusing,
"I'm sorry, but I'm just thinking of the right words to say. (I promise) I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be. (I promise) But if you wait around a while, I'll make you fall for me, I promise you, I promise you I will."
Was he apologizing and just trying to be friends again or was he wanting to be more than that, Edd wasn't sure if he wanted to take the risk and get hurt again. For what if this only meant friendship and he was taking the meaning the wrong way because he still had feelings for the red head. His mind was going in circles trying to ascertain the meaning of the tape, a small rock hits his window, but he didn't notice until the second one hit, he looks over to see if he was just imagining things when I third one hits. He walks over and pushes back the curtains and sees Kevin in mid throw standing in his back yard, and as he reaches down to open the window the second song on the cassette starts to play, Only You by Yaz.
"Looking from a window above, it's like a story of love, Can you hear me, Came back only yesterday, I'm moving further away, Want you near me"
Poking his head out he tries to say quietly, "What are you doing?"
Kevin answers softly trying to keep Edd's parents from noticing that he was there, "What does it look like I'm going?"
"All I needed was the love you gave, All I needed for another day, And all I ever knew, Only you."
"My parents are going to see you," It's not that he cared if his parents saw Kevin he just didn't know how to take this, "You should go."
"Let them see me, let them chase me away, it would only make me want to see you more," Kevin actually blushed that he was going to be this sappy about this, but he was thankful that it was dark out this early now and that Edd couldn't see his checks reddening.
"I don't know what cruel joke you're playing but it isn't funny."
"It's no joke I swear," He didn't blame Edd for being skeptical about his actions, "Do I have to go through all of Romeo's lines to get my point across?"
"It would cheapen your intent if you can't come up with your own words to speak your mind," Edd replied in a mildly harsh tone. Kevin pondered for a moment rubbing the back of his neck as he thought of something to say, "Goodnight Kevin," Edd said as he started to retreat back into his room.
"Your hair reminds me of the blackest night," Edd paused to see where this was going, "Your eyes the stars that adorn it, your smile is the moon so bright, your laugh is lovelier then a nightingale singing of true love, your kiss sweeter then the ripest berry, your love is the fire that warms me, and if you give me another chance I promise I will adore you." If Kevin's face could get any redder at this moment he would be a beacon that could be seen from space.
"Is that all you came to say," Edd was taken aback from the statement but didn't know if he should just put himself out there so easily, still fearful that Kevin might hurt him again.
"No," Kevin was desperate at this point, if Edd didn't get the point of what he was trying to say what more could he do to get it across to him. "I wanted to say I'm sorry, you're the first guy that I have ever fallen for."
Edd hears his mother call for him, letting him know the show was starting, "I'll be down in a minute," Edd called over his shoulder, "I need to get going."
"Wait just for a few more moments," he needed to get his point across now, or he would lose his chance, "I was an idiot, I let my concerns for what others would say cloud my judgment and influence my actions. You didn't deserve to be treated like that, and I hope you will understand that I regret how I acted."
"Your forgive Kevin but I really must go," Edd started to go back into his room again.
"Wait please," Edd could hear the desperation in Kevin's voice, "Can we try again," though it was dark Kevin could see the look on Edd's face, "Can you find it in your heart to give me a second chance?"
Edd took a moment to think about this, "Are you wanting to just be friends," even with the earlier statement he had to ask straight out, he was going to protect his heart this time at least as best he could, "Or are you wanting more than that?"
"I would like more than friendship, but will honor whatever choice you make, if you decide we should just stay friends, I won't lie it would hurt, but I will always be your friend."
Edd's mom calls to him again, Edd responds over his shoulder again, "Just a second," then turns back to Kevin, "I really should be going, talk to me tomorrow at school and we can discuss where we stand."
"Alright, I'll see you then," Kevin half heartedly smiled, "goodnight Edd." He didn't get a true answer but would wait as long as it took for Edd to make up his mind.
"Goodnight Kevin," Edd pulls his head back into his room and closes his window he turns off the radio and light then heads downstairs to watch TV with his parents.
Kevin watched the window until the light went out, then slowly walked to the gate and let himself out of the yard as quietly as he could and made his way home, parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.