"Heh, even the fake Pumpkin is stubborn."
"I promise you, I'm real!"
Double D's hand reached for the sweater that was still sprawled over the arm of the couch. Instead of the soft fabric, his hand was filled with cold leather.
"Liar."
Kevin's hand clasped his again.
"If I was an illusion, I wouldn't be able to hold your hand!"
"The human mind's ability to create false senses is truly amazing."
Double D closed his eyes and stretched out on the couch. He heard Kevin groan before silence filled the room.
A few minutes passed before the hand returned. He opened his eyes and looked to his side. Kevin was crouched next to him with a soft smile on his face. Double D waved his free hand through the boy's body.
"I knew it. You've driven me insane."
"Who are you talking to?"
Kevin suddenly appeared and knelt next to himself. Double D could feel tears prick his eyes as what little sanity remained slipped away.
"Heh...hehe. I'm insane. I'm really insane."
He stared at the boys in front of him. One wore a smile while the other a concerned frown. Both spoke in unison as they watched him laugh.
"What's wrong Eddward?"
His head suddenly began to pound. His vision blurred as he cried out in pain.
"Here, take this."
The frowning Kevin placed two pills in his mouth and held up a cup of water.
"It's okay Eddward."
The headache only seemed to worsen by the second. He reached through the grinning boy and held onto the concerned ginger's shoulder. His voice came out as a weak whisper.
"Pumpkin?"
"Do you believe me now?"
A blinding pain shot through his head causing him to grip the boy's shoulder even tighter. Kevin moved closer to him and held him close. He felt the stiff body slowly relax in his arms.
"It's alright Eddward."
*****************************************
Double D sat at the table still clutching his head. The pain had dulled down into a throbbing ache. He nibbled on a slice of bacon before throwing it back onto the plate.
"Your headache won't go away if you don't eat."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah."
Kevin scooted his chair closer to Double D and picked up the neglected fork sitting on his plate. He lifted a piece of fruit to the downturned mouth.
"Will you eat if I feed it to you?"
"No-mh!"
Kevin chuckled as he shoved the fork into the swimmer's mouth.
"That wasn't funny Loser."
He ignored the complaint and continued to feed the frowning boy until the food was gone.
"Why are you even here? You should be gone."
"Well... I'm going to be living with you until graduation."
"What?"
"Umm... Well... I kind of um.... told my mom about you and... she said that I could stay so I could be with you."
Double D stared blankly at the table. He racked his mind for something to say.
"You told her... about me?"
"Well... I may have elaborated a little."
Kevin's face became bright red as he uttered his confession. He nervously looked at the boy sitting next to him. A light blush had spread across his cheeks.
"Eddward?"
"What... do you mean...be with me?"
"U-um...well... I might have said that we were dating."
Double D could feel the heat on his face intensify.
"You...you...you..."
Kevin shut his eyes as he blurted out his words.
"I apologize Eddward! I didn't know what else to tell her! I-I was crying a-and she knew...she just...she knew that I was in love with someone!"