Three weeks after spring break and Edd was exhausted. He'd completely overestimated his ability to juggle group tutoring sessions, Kevin's private tutoring sessions, his own studies, and his chores, not to mention the movie nights that Ed and Eddy demanded at least once a week. Twice now he'd fallen asleep in the middle of some low-budget thriller. His grades were slipping, not that he'd ever mention that to anyone; even Kevin would laugh to hear Edd complaining about an A- grade. One more week, he reminded himself. Just one, and then I can rest. Oh, but it was difficult. These athletes were utterly hopeless, more interested in teasing each other and throwing things across the room than studying. They expected some sort of miracle out of Edd with little to no effort on their part, and it was terrifying. He was sure to be pounded into a quivering mess when they all failed, as they inevitably would, all of them but Jennifer.
The brunette cheerleader, the tallest girl on the squad with a rebellious streak of hot pink behind her ear, had proven Edd incorrect again and again. Not only did she show up to multiple sessions a week, but she seemed to be making a genuine effort to apply herself. The progress she was making in her mathematics skills was utterly astonishing. She sat on the floor just in front of him and took careful notes. Edd loved her to death, the one silver lining to these rowdy and unproductive sessions. This week she'd signed up for an extra session and Edd was absolutely delighted. She took her regular place on the carpet in front of him, giving him a warm smile that he easily returned. He clapped his hands together to end the chatter and announced the beginning of the session. He was just flipping to the second page of notes on his clipboard when the front door opened again. Edd ignored it-latecomers were fairly common-until the room erupted with noise.
"Ohh! Kevin's here! Everybody look! Kev's here! What's up, Kev?"
Edd watched in confused silence as the redhead made his way across the room, grinning and bumping fists with his friends. He wedged himself in the space between the coffee table and the couch, just behind Jennifer. Edd caught his eye, and they looked at each other for a moment.
"Sorry I'm late. Carry on, dork."
Edd started, mumbled an apology, and began the lesson. He watched Kevin whenever he could. Something felt off. There was an emotion behind his boyfriend's eyes that he couldn't quite place. His mind raced, thinking back through the events of the last several weeks. Was there something that he'd forgotten? He couldn't think of anything, but it had to be something...
"Uh...Double D?"
"Huh?" Edd came to his senses and look around the room. Everyone was staring at him. He felt a blush creep up his cheeks. "W-What?"
"Dude, you were standing there muttering 'think, think, think' over and over."
"Was I? A-Anyway...who has an answer for question number fifteen?"
"...Twenty-two?"
"Four hundred?"
"Fifty!"
"Aw, man, you got fifty? That's what I got!"
Jennifer's hand shot straight up into the air. "Three hundred and fifty-seven?"
"Correct, as usual. Jennifer, I could kiss you," Edd sighed in relief.
"That could be arranged," she responded coyly. She turned her face so her cheek was to him, and he blushed. "Come on, dorky. Lay one on me! I bet you have the softest li-OW!"
"Oh, my god, I'm so sorry!" Kevin exclaimed. "I had this massive cramp in my leg and it just went out of control!"
"You kicked me in the ass!" she whined.
