How the Status Quo hurts me and You (Edmund Pevensie One shot)

You don’t know how the views and opinions of your peers really affect your actions until they really do.

As I walk down the hall arm-in-arm with Peter, I catch Edmund’s longing eyes. I quickly turn my head and lay it onto Peter’s shoulder.

Everyone talks about how we’re the perfect couple: Peter’s great at cricket, and I’m quiet and pretty. But we’re not; we lack one crucial thing for a perfect couple: something stronger than a mutual attraction.

I can feel Ed’s eyes burning a hole in my back: all because I chose not to go against the status quo. I’ve been regretting it ever since.

But I know how it would have looked if I went out with a boy physically younger than me. Since I’ve been going out with Peter, it’s only made it harder. There’s no way I can go out without ruining it for all of us: Peter, Edmund, me and Susan. Actually, if it didn’t hurt Peter and Ed so much, I would go out with Edmund. Susan is so used to the life of a popular kid that all four of us were emerged into this year.

Peter and Edmund are great athletes and Susan is incredibly brilliant. Me, on the other hand, I’m the quiet, pretty girl who’s got Peter’s heart.

I know how hard it’s been adjusting to our world for Peter and Edmund, but being popular has helped. It gives them a lesser sense of being rulers. I don’t want to ruin their adjustments.

Peter kisses my forehead as he hands me something.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Addy.”

He hands me a little stuffed bunny and a rose. Another reason I can’t break up with Peter: he knows that I can’t give him back the full passion he gives me, but he does it anyways.

As we walk to class, Susan is surrounded by boys literally throwing roses and chocolates and cards to her. She enjoys this. Every boy at school, save Peter and Ed, are falling head over heels for her. She’s the one that was most vocal about my decision to go out Peter. Perfect, logical, gorgeous Susan.

There’s a shrill scream: Ed gave a girl a peck on the forehead for giving him a stuff bunny, our favorite animal. He glances up at me and gives me a weak smile. He knows why I turned him down and said yes to Peter. Ed said he didn’t care, that the social fall wouldn’t hurt him that much, that he could take it, but I know how hard it is to be looked down upon by everyone.

Peter’s talking about a surprise he has for me today. I let go of his arm and grab his hand to distance us a slight bit.

I return Ed’s smile with one myself before turning away from him. I walk away from the one I want but can’t have, all to protect him and my boyfriend from social ridicule.