Chapter 1

"Eddy, wait up!"

It had been a couple of days, and Eddy still didn't talk to him. Double D knew that he took the forced Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation hard, but it was all a joke among friends. Why, Eddy himself had forcefully kissed Double D back in the summer just to hide the knowledge of his middle name.

"I'm not talking to you, Sockhead!"

"Come now, Eddy! It's been 2 days since the incident. Surely you understand Ed's performance of a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation was done with good intentions at heart!"

"Whales need air to breathe or they drown, Double D!" said Ed, who was oblivious to everything as always.

"What? You could've at least stopped him instead of giving him directions! How can you be so cruel!" retorted the shorter Ed.

"Now, now, let's not forget the times in which your schemes inflict harm upon us for your own gain…" Double D kindly scolded his friend.

"Aarrgh! Whatever…" yelled Eddy, unable to counterattack. At least now he was talking to his brainy friend. "It's all this stupid Valentine's day fault." Eddy concluded, then closed his locker to head for class.

"Eddy, why must you go and blame such a glorious celebration?" said Double D as he followed Eddy.

With those words, Eddy stopped in his tracks. It didn't take much longer for him to process the information. "You're right, it wasn't the Valentine's fault… it was yours! If you hadn't gone and fallen head over heels over a Kanker-and over that beaver tooth no less- none of this would've happened!"

Double D knew who Eddy was referring to and, while he shared the same aversion his best friends had for the three sisters, he couldn't help but to come out in her defense out of the goodness of his heart. "Please, Eddy. It is not nice of you to express yourself in such a way about May Kanker." Said Double D as they entered their first period class.

The bell ring was due to sound in a couple of minutes. Still, about half the students hadn't shown up yet. Nazz sat next to the window, reading a cosmetics magazine. Kevin sat next to her, trying to impress her about a certain feat he pulled with his bike, but she was none the wiser. Rolf was pestering and intimidating some random classmates over the atrocity that was the English language, seating by the other end of the classroom. Ed, Double D and Eddy sat down by the center on the first row, as that was the only place Double D wanted to sit down on to take better advantage of the lectures.

"Wow. Are you serious, Double D? You're protecting her?! So, you like her!"

"I do not, Eddy. I just cannot help but attempt to see the good in people, is all. Your calling of names towards her persona was simply uncalled for, nothing else." Double D defended himself.

"Oh really, then why is it you kept that piece of paper she gave you huh?" said Eddy, referring to the card May gave to him while they were in trance. Of all the people Double D had to fall for, Eddy could not possibly stomach the fact that it was a stupid Kanker, even under special circumstances. "You don't think I haven't noticed, do you?"

"…That has nothing to do with me liking her. I wanted to keep her card as a memento of the occasion. You must admit, it was rather cute of her to give me such a love note, it's something I have never received from someone of the opposite sex, and—"

This time, Eddy laughed out loud, interrupting Double D's soliloquy. "Mwa ha ha! You should listen to yourself, Sockhead!" But then, as suddenly as his laughter escaped his throat, his face became as serious as the situation demanded. "You're going soft on me, that girl's got a hold on you."

The bell rang almost after Eddy finished talking. Some students started to head into the classroom.

"I am not being controlled at all, Eddy", said Double D, a little annoyed. "And could you please cease with the teasing? I've already told you I appreciate the gesture, I don't like her in any way."

When it came to make others feel small, nothing escaped the sight of the short con artist. "That so? Why're you getting mad then? Looks to me you wanted to spend a little more time brainwashed!"

"I didn't. It really doesn't matter to me—"

"Then why are you getting mad? I've teased you about Sarah before, but you never got defensive before."

Double D stuttered a bit before replying. "That's because-because Sarah's way younger than me, nothing will ever happen."

Eddy decided to tangle Double D some more. "So you're saying that because May is older there could be a chance between you and her? Ed, get a load of this!" Eddy elbowed the big oaf sitting next to him, his mind wandering over a movie he saw the day before. "Double D wants to move in on your woman!"

"No Kanker for Ed, Eddy. I'm too young to die!" said Ed, more afraid for his own well-being at that moment.

Double D was starting to anger. No amount of teasing was worth raising false accusations on him. "I'm. not. moving in on anyone, Eddy…"

"Whoa, chill dude! You wanna be with her that badly I won't get in the—"

"I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH MAY KANKER, I NEVER EVEN LIKED HER!" That was the last straw. Double D became so furious that he spilled his emotions in the form of a scream. At last, he thought, I have shut Eddy up.

Unfortunately for him, his sudden raising of voice affected more than just his best friend. Ed stared dopily at him. Rolf and his friends stopped their conversation to look at what caused the commotion. Kevin made a face of disgust as he looked at Double Dork. Nazz stared at Double D wide eyed.

But she was not the only one wide-eyed.

Eddy's smugness disappeared as soon as he put his eyes on the door and was replaced by worry and fear. As if summoned, the Kankers stood towards the entrance. They were walking in right at the moment Double D decided to speak his mind.

If Lee's eyes were not covered, she could have been seen raising and eyebrow. Marie only huffed, still annoyed at the memory of her dumb-as-a-brick sister stealing her man. May, unlike her sisters, did not react indifferently. Her eyes were open wide, but she had no words to say. Her eyes met those of Double D.

Sockhead couldn't help but stare back. May Kanker heard him say his mind. She heard him express his dislike for her. He expressed his dislike for her right in front of her! As if awaiting punishment, the three guys flinched and brought their arms to their respective faces. Yet, as if nothing had happened, the three bullies most feared by the cul de sac passed the Eds by, not even saying anything to them.

Eddy sighed in relief, and whispered to Double D "Your big mouth almost got us killed, Sockhead! See what I tell you? Kankers are nothing but trouble." While Eddy's initial plan was to tease and keep teasing Double D about May to get him to express his dislike for the Kankers, it backfired. Double D didn't get mad enough to the point of discarding May's letter. Now, the only thing he thought he would get out of talking about the sisters would be black eyes and disgusting kisses.

"You gotta get rid of that poorly drawn paper before something bad happens, you hear me?" Eddy whispered again, but Double D barely listened. His mind was now a mix of emotions, from fear to guilt. He couldn't understand why May stared at him so surprised.