Knock On Wood (BoyxBoy)

chapter twenty-eight.

As Jared straddled Edd's hips and punched his face with one hand, gripping tightly to the collar of Edd's shirt with the other, Edd could only imagine what it would feel like to not be getting beaten up right now, or not being held down by Donovan (as reluctant as he seemed, Donovan still helped Jared in the whole beating-up process, not wanting to spoil his reputation, of course). The fear that Edd had felt during the beginning of this session had slowly, but surely, dissipated into the air. After what felt like ages, Jared's flying fists stopped flying and the weight that was on his pelvis was soon lifted. Edd's face throbbed and as he sat up, his lip bled into his shirt.

"Alright, are you ready to spill?" Jared asks, wiping his bloodied fist on his black pants. It was just now that Edd had realized that Jared wasn't a vampire anymore. His hair was wavy and patted down with sweat, and his white make-up was blotchy and no longer caked on his face.

"What--was the--question...?" Edd could barely utter through his swollen cheeks.

"The question was the same as it has been for the last five minutes: are you gonna give up on this one-sided thing you have with Kevin?"

"Thing?" Edd asks.

Jared scoffs. "Yeah. We've been through this before, Edd, right? This crush you have for Kevin has gone to far. Kevin doesn't need you, so just back off."

Edd touches his bleeding lip (which has started to calm and is scabbing), and shakes his head. "I don't believe you."

"What?" He asks, sounding surprised and angry at the same time. "Don't you understand what you're saying? Just give up on him!"

"No," Edd says calmly, taking shuddering breaths. "I refuse--to listen to you--unless you have solid evidence--that Kevin doesn't--doesn't 'need' me."

"You don't think I have proof?!" Jared scoffs. "Have you heard what Kev has said about you in the locker room? He always complains about how you always follow him and how you stuck to him like glue ever since the game that he scored the winning field goal. Not to mention he says he only hangs around and studies with you because he feels bad for you."

Edd's heart dropped in his chest, and all of the air he didn't have was soon filling his lungs immensely. Did Kevin really think that way about him?

"No," Edd says, as if answering the question that replayed several times over and over in his head. "I-I don't believe you."

"What's not to believe?" Jared says, walking toward Edd again. Not wanting to make a habit of getting hit, Edd looked away from Jared's cruel gaze. Soon, though, Jared is standing in front of him, holding Edd's chin between his forefinger and his thumb, forcing Edd to look into his eyes.

"You're unneeded, Edd," Jared says very quietly--so quiet that it seems almost like a whisper. "Nobody needs you. We don't need you. Your friends don't need you. Your parents don't need you. And Kevin doesn't need you."

Jared jerked his hand away and stood up from his crouching position. Edd's head bows and his lip trembles.

"It's not true," he mumbles, his voice shaking. "It can't be..."

In a matter of seconds, Edd is being forced to the ground by Jared's foot. Edd's head hits the floor hard.

"You think so? Fine," Jared says, glaring at Edd, his foot in the center of Edd's chest. "Suit yourself. But don't act all upset when he tells you that he thinks you are a nuisance."

Suddenly, the door of the room slams open, causing Edd to flinch and Jared to shoot his gaze to the door quickly.

"Edd!"