Routine
"Okay people, now let's just bend backwards, assume position, release the tension"
Eddward eased into the position to a steady pace, he just loved the sensation and experience yoga offered. It was a daily routine he had picked up ever since he got into highschool, along with a quite...considerable change to his character and obsessions.
Edd had always categorized himself as an OCD, but many of his childhood OCDs had...diminished in potency at the start of puberty. He was no longer a germ-o-fobic, nor did he stutter so much in his speaking. Actually, if anything, he had grown aware of 3 important things that defined him. First, he was really smart, a gift he had to treasure and exploit. Second, he had a nice slim, frail almost girly body frame which had actually helped some of the bullying stop at his highschool. He had always looked on this from the perspective that guys felt they were hitting a girl, which weighed on him, but, over time he had grown to accept and just ignore. Thirdly, he had a natural aesthetic taste which granted him not only ease and a seek of perfection in his work and projects, but also made him look quite stylish...it was this that actually turned him from being an invisible bug to a real person. One who even girls now sought to talk to.
Of course, at a start, the stuttering and shyness of Double D turned many girls to run away and to call him a freak, while others considered him cute, but ended up friendzoning him (a term he had little regard for). In the end, Double D slowly changed and grew, and when he once saw a yoga class in town (not far from the Cul-de-Sac) he marveled at how beautiful, flexible and aesthetic the bodies looked and bended. He was marveled at a scientific level, analyzing how each muscle was behaving, the tension it was withstanding, etc. And, he was marveled at a psychological level, the tranquility, the peace, the mental release it offered. Little did he know that being the only boy in the class would also open to him a grand opportunity and space to interact and chat to girls. It was here that Edd managed finally to overcome (slowly) his fear and shyness toward girls. This was of course back in highschool, freshmen, that was about 5 years ago.
Edd was now a college sophomore, and not just any sophomore, he had managed to graduate with high honors at highschool, which allowed him to reach out to many universities with quite substantial scholarships or investigation programs. In the end, Edd had chosen to go to a modest Ivy League college not far from home; it was the start of the desintegration of the Eds. As Edd was the first to choose a university far from home, each Ed chose his own path after highschool.
Ed was a simple person, he had always been, and school just wasn't really easy on him, nor did he enjoy it. In fact, he graduated practically owing it to Double D. Ed stayed home in the Cul-de-Sac, working with his Father at the company and tending the House and his little (now not so little) sister Sarah.
Eddy, on the other hand, though he graduated with his own effort, and some of Edd's help, he never gave up his scamming themes. His grades weren't good enough to enter Edd's college, but they were good enough to get into a college within driving distance, about 1 hour. Eddy had decided to study Business, which, to everyone's surprise was actually something he did really good and his grades had evolved from a mediocre level to exemplary in just one year. Scam plans were still on and about, still even asking Edd to help him out, and they had even grown to be quite plausible and grounded, but they never happened...as usual.
Edd, on the other hand, had decided to study Double Mayor Psychology and Medical Science. He had always been marveled at life, and how every organism worked and behaved. Taking up yoga and AP classes in highschool, he not only grew in such interest, in seeing what the body is capable of doing, but also of the unmeasured variable of the human mind, limits we impose ourselves and the way we analyze every action we live or make. This impulse and all these questions drove him to pick such a road in life where investigation and questions were always open to those hungry and ambitious enough to answer them. And, though he was sure of his decisions, despite the fact that his inseparable friends named just like him wouldn't be there anymore, he was quite surprised, thankful and uneasy of who was also going to his same univeristy from the Cul-de-Sac. After all, HE was the only one who still kept on teasing and mocking Edd throughout highschool and...the majority of his life.
Kevin.
God. WHY?! To Double D it seemed almost impossible for Kevin to get into an Ivy League by his grades, but once he learned that Kevin was offered a Sports Scholarship for Basketball, he found it logical for such an institution to be interested in him. Edd was initially mortified to still have his eternal bully in college with him. He was sure the mocking and teasing wouldn't stop, but they had, strangely enough. They had always been paired together, Edd was never allowed to escape.
In highschool they had become lab partners for all AP science classes. Whether it was chemistry or biology, they were always placed as a group, an idea Edd always regarded as...an annoyance. Though Kevin had shown sparks and flashes of brilliance, and that he was actually trying hard on his subjects, he frequently left most of the work to Double D, and-if anything- their relationship twisted as insults and bullying meshed with a bipolar friendliness and intimacy at the time of projects, exams or finals. Edd had expected to move past that in college, but he was soon proven wrong, and he was grateful for it.
Going alone to another place, knowing no one, and not being the most extrovert of the lot (actually very introvert and shy) Edd didn't manage to make friends right off the start. He was give a Dorm near the Investigation area, which eased his projects schedule, but also meant he had no roommate (which he discontented and thanked), and his Double Mayor Study plan kept him on an always studying agenda with diverse classes. This meant that Double D had little time for friends or to get to meet and greet all his different classmates. Add also the fact that Edd had to seek a quick job to help him stabilize his personal economy, and Eddy's scam projects were out of the question. Edd ended working in the in-campus coffee shop where he scaled to a professional barista in weeks (an additional prestige to the brand and college, but not to him). So, all in all, Kevin became quite the uncommon friend he needed at this start.
They had quite a heated and conflicting friendship. Kevin didn't stop the "bullying" despite they were together most of the time in freshmen year, but both knew (internally) it was nice to have someone familiar in such a new place...bigger than the Cul-de-Sac.
"That's it everybody, remember to stretch and we'll see each other during the week!"
Edd always found the yoga instructor too peppy and whimsy, but he didn't mind, he didn't think while doing yoga, he just enjoyed and relaxed and analyzed the behavior of his muscles as he flexed them. Edd did yoga out of pure joy and bodily maintenance, but he couldn't deny it was giving him perks. His slim and feminine frame benefited greatly from yoga; his thin and nerdy look of the past altered into a curvy body with thighs and legs well kept and nurtured. His body was flexible, his arms and shoulders curvaceous and toned. His abdomen was flat, and firm, not muscular. In fact he doubted any part of his body was sculpted, it was mostly all toned out, quite curvaceous and full, he even had a perky butt which he rarely noticed until girls complimented him and asked for his secret. He always answered in the same honest yet comical manner
"Well you could certainly try strapping 10kgs of weight in a messenger-bag around your body and make 2 hours of trips going up and down stairs."
This was always followed by laughter, but it was a fact for Edd. Between work shifts and classes he moved pretty much around campus. Work always started early, entering at 5, leaving at 12, which Edd always thanked and used to eat lunch, read notes and study. After that, classes ran for Edd straight from 2 to 7 or 8. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays Edd finished classes at 7 which gave him the time to attend yoga classes at the university's gym, finishing at 8. It was a self imposed routine Edd had arranged and he felt it was as necessary as any other priority in his agenda. Ending his days everyday at 8 takes a toll on everyone, that's why Edd followed 3 simple rules or necessities to stay healthy, sane and complete work and projects:
1. He bought his own barista coffee maker, which he used on long nights and he made his special recipes which emphasized from flavor, to espresso, to energy intake. Some personal formulas, which he considered good enough, were added to the coffee bar's menu as personal and special orders.
2. The already mentioned yoga sessions which stabilized and cleansed mind and body.
3. Edd always slept at 12, with a personal curfew of 11pm (in case he went to the library or the laboratories next door).
Today was Monday, start of the week, and midterms were coming around in 2 weeks, which meant Edd had less time than he normally did. As the class ended, Edd picked up his mat, and started chatting with some girls who asked him about his mayor, his name, his phone (which he never gave) and if he had some time during the week (which he never did) as he headed to the exit. That is maybe one of the things many girls never understood about Edd, he had never gone out with a girl (officially) in all his time there. To many, yoga would be the perfect place to pick up girls, but Double D had little regard for dating or the objectifying of women as sexual objects. He saw everyone the same way: friends, colleagues, acquaintances, boy, girl.
Those he considered friends tho, were few, and only these really knew about him... and he had to meet one in about an hour. That is why he took as little time as possible when he went to his personal locker to pick up his messenger bag with all his books and the sports bag where his protein drink and his day clothes were.
It was...routine. As Edd walked outside, it was almost dark, and he had a little...itch, to walk through campus grounds. As usual he took a longer way, through the illuminated walkways to his dorms, he had covered himself with a tight leather, furry jacket to keep him warm; he was always prepared. He carried each bag on opposite sides of him, distributing weight and relieving the load a bit. He was no jock and didn't want to be, he didn't like doing heavy work to build muscles and get ripped like other guys did. He felt it...unpractical.
As a gust of wind came and got Edd (making him stumble a bit) he shivered slightly, he never cared or minded his tights and the tight shirt he used for yoga, except for his chilling-self. If anything it made him feel free, and he felt it was a good and pleasant attire. The tights and shirt didn't go skin tight, but they seem to enhance the fact that Double D was no kid and took care of his body: long legs well formed and light, back was straight and flexible, long arms were toned and curvy. To Double D, changes in his body were never unaccounted for, another reason why he bought such attire, every night he would take strict measurements of his body to ensure and adapt his diet.
Medical Scientist and all, Edd always sought for the way to bring the most efficiency out of his body. To many, it would seem eccentric, an OCD aspect, or very high maintenance, but Edd didn't mind. There was only one thing Edd did mind, and that was hair; Edd made sure hair was never in any place but his head, an item he even kept hidden from the public eye with his fond and ever present black beanie. He never took it off, was never seen without it and he never allowed it being taken off. Within no time, Edd had reached his dorms, they were inside campus and quite large on the outside. Though simple in appearance and some light already fading, it was...ok, but Edd had little time to waste on a formal report for malfunctioning light. The report would have to wait, besides it would always be in the entrance counter. Edd quickly got his key out and entered his dorm, first floor, last to the right, a small cubicle loft. It could barely hold anything, but Edd was so space efficient he seemed to fit a world, his world, inside.
As he entered Double D set his messenger bag on the couch and proceeded to take out his dirty clothes and classify each into its own laundry bag, same with his yoga attire and his underwear, with the last, he entered his bathroom, not without taking his beanie off and placing the thing on the knob of his bathroom. Edd knew he had little time, he had arrived a quarter past 8, he had to bath, get a snack, and get to the basketball dome by 9, that meant he had to shower in 15 minutes and be out before a quarter to 9. Very methodical, He had no problem following his time restraints and was soon out the door. He carried his messenger bag, a coffee cup sealed and notebooks with him, and he had changed to a pair of tight jeans, nice white sneakers and a normal plain red top which fit him quite nicely, not too tight, not too loose, and over all he wore his furry jacket. This jacket he cared and carried so much was a gift from a...friend, but that was a memory Edd didn't wish to remember, the jacket was enough.
Clenching the jacket, and pulling a flashlight out, Edd moved onward through campus to the dome. He made sure he did not smell too much to cologne, his breath was clean and fresh, and that he had nothing in his teeth. The last always caused his tongue to dwell on the separation of his front teeth, it was always an annoyance, but it also triggered him into spacing out and his mind to dwell on daily matters, projects, formulas, experiments and god knew what went on in his mesh of brainstorms. This was no exception, and the topic was no different: "What will be tonight's topic? Did i come fully prepared? Will others join? Why am i so excited?" all these ran in a sort of Q&A in Edd's mind, and no A seemed fitting for the last question. It was in this last question that Edd pondered so hard he didn't realize at what moment he had reached inside the stadium and the top seats (where he would usually sit). Finally realising his location Double D took a sit in the front row, overlooking the whole court and trying to find the person he would meet tonight. It took him no time to his observant eyes; #34 Barbs, Kevin's last name.
