AN: Greetings and Salutations! This is my first piece that I've ever published. So please be kind. (And remember to rewind your VHS tapes! If you don't get this joke...well, you're too young. Lol!) Anyway! Please enjoy and remember to leave a review!

Chapter One

I noticed the change in Edd when he came back from his vacation. Alone. It was 2 am when the cab dropped him off. I know this because I was awake and I noticed the head lights from the car swing across the walls of my room. My window faced out over the cul-de-sac. I couldn't sleep that night. I had been up thinking about the Dork again. I got up out of bed and walked to my window. I left my light off. I watched him get of the back of the cab. As he walked to his door, the cabbie got his single luggage out of the truck and walked it to the porch. Or the three stone steps that led to his door. He paid the driver and watched him drive away before collapsing onto the ground. He brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He lowered his head onto his arms. I couldn't tell from this distance, but he looked to be crying. His shoulders were shaking.

He went on a vacation with his parents to Paris. Why is he alone? Why…oh. Oh no. I remember thinking. His parents must have left him alone, again, at some point during the trip. Sigh. Some parents they are. I turned from the window and grabbed my lime green shirt. I headed downstairs and towards the front door. Slipping on my flip flops, I hesitated. What am I doing? Do I really want to go out there to comfort the dork? To hold him-Whoa! Where did that come from? I shook my head to clear it and that away. I opened my door and walked out, closing it behind me. The Dork looked up at the sound.

At the beginning of summer, after Double Dee had left, I had thought about him non-stop for two weeks. I confided in Nazz about it. She tried not to sound excited, but she failed. Miserably. Epically. When she didn't laugh, I was relieved. "Kev, if you like him, you should tell him." She had said. "He's not even here, Nazz. How the hell am I supposed to do that?" I asked, exasperated. She gave me a look that said 'are you stupid?' I kept staring at her, knowing what she was going to say next. "Well. Wait for him to come back from Paris and talk to him, Kev. It's not going to hurt anything." I knew she was right. So I waited.

I thought about all of this while I walked across the street to Double Dee's house. I didn't notice that he had put his head down again. I walked up to him, wondering what I should do next. When he didn't look up, I wondered if he might have fallen asleep right there on the stone steps. I sighed. I sat down next to him. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the kid. His parents always left him alone but I didn't think that they would leave him alone so soon after their vacation. I stayed put and stayed silent for a few more moments before he said anything. "Greetings, Kevin. To what do I owe this pleasure?" He asked. I stared at him. "Double Dee….it's two in the morning. I noticed you were just sitting here. What's up? Anything wrong?" I asked him in return. He didn't answer right away. When he still didn't answer, I began to wonder if he wasn't ever going to. Until he did.

"They left me."

"What?" They left him? Well that was obvious when he came home.

"They left me. In the middle of the vacation. We were in Paris. I thought we were having a good time. We went to The Louvre and the Eiffel Tower and various other places. I was alone for four days before I realized that they had left on some assignment. I hadn't noticed the sticky note they left for me. 'Dearest Eddward, we are so sorry to have left you like this. But we have been called away on business. We will see you soon. Love, Mother and Father.' That was 8 days ago. I realized that they weren't returning when I found their luggage missing and yet another note. Kevin…..they left me. Alone. In Paris. I was afraid and did not know what to do. So I came home." He started sniffling again. It started out low and quiet. Then it grew in intensity. He began to sob and I could see his tears start to fall down his soft, delicate face.

Before I knew what I was doing, I had draped my arm around his shoulders. He stiffened for just a minute, but he relaxed again. He moved closer to me and snuggled into my side. His head resting on my shoulder while my hand rubbed his bicep; a comforting motion that I had done with Nazz plenty of times before. I figured it would work with Double Dork. They left him alone in Paris. For four days. What kind of parents would do that? I thought, then answered my own question when I remembered who said parents belonged to.

"K-Kevin?"

"Hhmm?"

"I have to go in now."

I thought about this. I didn't want him to spend the night alone. Not in his state. I got up and dragged him along with me. "K-Kevin?! What are you doing?" He asked, exasperated. "Well. I intend to help you with your luggage. It looks bigger than you. Then, I plan to camp out on your couch or in the guest room. If you'll let me." I said. He didn't say anything as he turned around and unlocked his door. I grabbed his luggage and waited for him to open it. He still hadn't said a word when he walked in…..and left the door open. I took this as my cue. "Shoes off please. And then follow me upstairs. Oh, and please shut then lock the door behind you." He had said. I felt my cheeks redden at where my thoughts had turned. I shut the door and followed him upstairs.