Forfeit

Chapter 8

Why did he have to do it? Why couldn't he stop himself? He knew he had ruined everything between them. And all it took was a simple little peck on the lips. She hadn't talked to him since the incident the day before. He had tried calling her house all day, but he got no response. How could their friendship be destroyed so easily? They had been friends since they were little. They had done everything together. They had played with dolls and action figures, played pretend together, slept over each others houses every other day, and they had even enjoyed picking on the Eds together on occasion. But that was all in the past now, all thanks to his lack of self-control. It was over. He knew she'd never be able to look at him the same again. He should've just kept his feelings to himself. He should've just pretended that he just wanted to be friends with her and that was all.

He should've, should've, should've, but he didn't listen to himself. Instead, he showed her everything he had been holding back, all the love for her, all the want for them to be more than friends in a single kiss. And that kiss was like an electric shock to their life-long friendship. It fried everything that had been to a crisp until all that was left was the smoking ashes of what once was. His head hung low as his feet dangled off the side of his bed. He felt dead. He and her never left each others side, save for when she wanted to hang out with Nazz or when he had Urban Rangers duty. Other than that, they were inseparable. Only on one other occasion had Sarah ever willingly left Jimmy's side, and that was...

"Double D," Jimmy whispered to himself as his eyes widened. That was it. He had been so blind. That was why Sarah rejected him. That had to be why. She still liked Edd. After four years, she still was harboring feelings for the sock-hatted Ed. It made Jimmy's blood boil. Jimmy had always been there for Sarah, always been by her side, and had always been there whenever she needed help with anything. Yet she was still hooked on the delusion that she and Edd were meant to be. Couldn't she see that Edd didn't like her, maybe even hated her, and that Jimmy was the one that she was meant to be with? Jimmy's fist balled up as an image of Edd's face swirled in Jimmy's mind, seeming to taunt him. It was all his fault. Jimmy had always tried to be nice to Edd. After all, he was the most likable of the Eds, at least to Jimmy. But now all that kindness and goodwill was replaced by a single thought: Edd will pay for keeping Sarah from being his.

Jonny sat in the middle of his backyard staring at Plank, who was propped up against a rock facing him. Jonny had promised himself that he would take a break from Plank; hell, he had even told Nazz that he was. But he couldn't resist going to see his best friend right after the conversation. Despite Nazz's comforting and soothing words, Eddy had instilled doubt in Jonny about Plank's friendship. Eddy accused Plank of lying about seeing him with the Kankers. Did Plank lie to Jonny? Why would he do that?

"He's the one who's lying, Jonny," Plank said to him as Jonny stared at him. Jonny perked up at Plank's words.

"How do you know, huh?" Jonny asked, wanting to hear an explanation for Plank's accusation.

"Come on, don't let that short little freak pull the wool over your eyes! He's just trying to mess up our friendship. Besides, I know what I saw. He was with the Kankers. And they weren't 'birdwatching' neither," Plank explained to Jonny who nodded, taking in every word as truth.

"But if they weren't birdwatching, then what were they..." Jonny trailed off as he felt his throat tighten a little. Jonny was a very innocent person; he tended to see the bright side of everything and paint over the bad parts of life. But he knew what Plank was talking about. Jonny started to get angry. "No, you're lying!"

"Why would I lie to you, Jonny? I'm your friend," Plank assured him, prompting Jonny to nod slowly.

"But... but why would Eddy do that? Doesn't he hate them?" Jonny asked, wanting Plank to explain everything to him.