Automatic

Chapter 2. Not Unwanted

Edd was absent from school the next couple days as he tried to figure out his next step. All the worries from his current situation kept him strung out, he hadn't slept a decent amount in days. His friends tried to help, Ed yammered on about Rolf's baby chicks and Eddy tried to be helpful, but after a few days the band of friends still had no plan of action. Edd had his sinking suspicions of what his logical options were; he could put his parents' house up for sale, get a job and save up for a small place, maybe if he was lucky one of his friends would let him stay over for a while.

However, Edd couldn't keep other dark thoughts from his mind. He wasn't quite an adult yet, he still had a month to go before his eighteenth birthday. All his extra time would go towards his future job. He needed all the extra money he could get so he could find a small apartment. Double D clutched his chest as he felt his college dreams slipping away before his very eyes. "How did it ever come to this?" he mumbled to himself in the dark living room of his lonely house. Edd's mind drifted towards his estranged parents and anger bubbled up into his chest from his gut. In a fit of rage he threw a nearby picture at a wall, and heaved as glass exploded everywhere. Edd felt a little better, but the heaviness and anger had planted itself deep within him.

The teen growled and picked up another portrait, this one held a photo of his parents at some awards ceremony. He threw it in the sink and sank down into a nearby chair, eyeing the tower of boxes and totes his friends had collected for him over the weekend.

Edd's eyebrows furrowed when the doorbell rang.

...

Kevin didn't know how he managed to gather up the nerve to go over to the Dork's house and confront him about everything. He stood on the doorstep with his hands shoved deep in his pockets. The red-haired teen was deep in thought when the door slowly opened to reveal an angry looking Double D before him. "Kevin, I wasn't expecting you."

"I know. I don't really know why I came over to be honest..." Kevin said as he rubbed the back of his neck. Double D narrowed his eyes at the taller boy before sighing and glancing back into the house. Usually he would never allow a guest into his home if it was ever anything but spotless- but this was no longer his home and he'd be packing everything up soon anyways. Kevin could be Edd's last real visitor before the house was out of his hands for good.

"Come in, and please excuse the mess." Double D said as he stepped to the side to let the other boy walk in. Kevin took a deep breath as he looked around. "Would you like a refreshment? I'm afraid I don't have much to choose from."

'Oh, uh, anything is fine 'D."

Double D handed him a bottle of water and they sat themselves down at the kitchen table. It was quiet for a moment before Double D decided to break the silence. "So have you decided as to what brings you over?"

Kevin stopped peeling the label off the bottle and set it to the side. "Listen, I know we're not close or anything. I get it. But I'm not gonna lie, something's goin' on with you and...I dunno..." Kevin trailed off, he didn't want to make himself sound sappy or anything. Maybe he just wanted to be nosey, or he genuinely wanted to help, Kevin wasn't exactly sure.

Double D stared hard at the table before sighing heavily through his nose. "While I appreciate your attempted honesty, I doubt you'd want to be a part of this."

Kevin frowned. "Hey, us cul-de-sac kids gotta stick together." Did he really just say that? "A-and while I'm at it, I'm sorry about yesterday. Nazz likes to get in on all the drama and gossip going on in Peach Creek. You probably already know that though." You're a freakin' genius. Of course you know. You know everything.

Double D looked away. "I'm selling my home. I cannot reside here any further."

Kevin nearly spit out his water. "What? Are you moving away? What about your parents?" he asked lowly. He noticed Edd's eyes harden at the mention of his parents.

"I believe I'm going to attempt to stay with Eddy, but I don't think I could ever live with Ed if my existence depended on it." the raven-haired teen confided. Kevin would have chuckled a little at Double D's slight disgust with Lumpy, but the light was not in his eyes.

"And your parents..?"

"They...my parents are gone." Double D admitted. He briefly debated on whether or not to tell Kevin the absolute truth but decided against it. Kevin sat quietly for a moment.

"You know my mom left like six years ago." Kevin admitted calmly. Edd's face snapped up to meet the red head's gaze.

"I had no idea." Double D said, playing with his fingers nervously.

Kevin shrugged. "It takes one to know one, y'know? Your situation is different than mine for sure, but it helps to have someone understand. Even just a little."

Double D bit his bottom lip and looked at Kevin with worry. "They left me with fifteen thousand dollars of debt. I-I don't know how, or where any of it came from. I have no money left..." his voice barely about a whisper. At this moment Kevin felt more for the boy in front of him than anyone else in his life. Poor kid...

Kevin abandoned his chair and walked over to gather Double D in his strong arms. Normally, Double D would have been repulsed by his childhood bully touching him, but he needed this right now. Double D held tight onto the athlete's arm.

Kevin ended up hanging around for a while. Surprisingly, he was turning out to be a really good friend. He helped Double D clean up the glass in the living room and make casual conversation in the meantime.

"So when you comin' back to school? It's not the same y'know." Kevin said, a secret blush dancing across his cheeks as his words got the better of him. Double D paused momentarily before taking more pictures off a wall and setting them gently in a box.

"I-I just need to acquire a job, I cannot focus anything else with this massive debt hanging over my head."

"So you're not going back? You're just gonna drop out?"

"Oh goodness no. I have no intention of 'dropping out' per say." Double D's eyes grew sad. "My education has been compromised due to my situation. I don't exactly have a plan, I believe the furthest I've gotten is to graduate high school and find a proper place for myself to live. It's not ideal but...its okay for now I suppose."

"You're gonna get through this dude. The other Dorks are helping you out right?" Kevin asked, Double D nodded. "Good. Plus, if you ever think of it, I'm here to help too."

"I appreciate it Kevin, I really do, but I still don't quite understand why you of all people decided to show up on my doorstep to try and assist me."

Kevin shrugged. "I guess I get where you're coming from 'D, but like I said. It takes one to know one. And besides, I always thought you were kinda cool with all those inventions you used to make. Super impressive believe me."

Double D hid his blushed face from the red-haired teen as he talked. No one had ever paid the boy such compliments, even if they weren't much. "Really?"

Kevin looked over at Double D from his spot on the ground and graced him with a small smile. "Yeah dude."

At that moment the jock finally looked at Edd. Not the dorky kid from his childhood, but the young man in front of him. He noticed how his jet-black hair really complimented his clear pale complexion, and how his little nose turned upwards in the most appealing way. Mostly though, Kevin never realized how his thick eyelashes that were as black as his hair rested on his round cheeks. Kevin blushed heavily but forgot to save his dignity by turning away. However Kevin couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that the little dweeb had finally grown up.

Luckily for him, Double D hadn't caught his lingering gaze and he lowered his head back down to the box he was trying to tape closed. His thoughts continued to wander. Sure, he liked Nazz, and there was that one girl in his math class who looked something like a Greek goddess, but there was something about the dork that had always seemed to catch Kevin's eye. Even when they were younger and Kevin used to beat on them, he'd used to catch himself staring, so he would beat them to chase away the thoughts his dad deeply frowned upon.

Kevin would never admit to anyone about his confusing feelings towards the opposite gender.