Take Two
Fandom: South Park
Rating: Teen
Pairings: Revealed in time; only slight/hinted slash
Comments: Part of my transition from computer to internet. This one probably won't last long. D: This is a pretty…odd story. I kind of got the style from Slaughterhouse-Five (a favorite). So if the style makes the story as if it’s slow, it will pick up. It will have to, since I plan on going through till they are in adulthood. Oh, and I’m doing this as I go, so don’t expect much of anything great, because it’s not thought out as opposed to me planning the whole thing like I usually do. I kind of like it this way. It makes it seem like an adventure.
I haven’t watched a lot of South Park episodes compared to the next fan, but bear with me. I feel bad enough that I’m not even doing much research for the canon facts as much as I am for the school and location facts. I seriously did so much research on that. Haha.
Notes: Canon facts should be dismissed. Will have flashbacks and may be confusing.
Summary: Years pass. People change. Can their relationships last?
I do not reserve the rights to South Park or anything related. (So don’t sue, please. I have little money as it is.)
Take Two
By Ahhelga
Warnings: Foul language, nudity.
Chapter 1
Introduction
I never intended for this story to actually take place. I would never have known that as soon as I was onto Microsoft Word, my hands would gain a mind of their own and start typing this.
I can’t count the times I revised and rewrote what I typed. I was… am pretty unhappy with the way things are going. I remember sitting here thinking how terrible this is. I remember thinking that I would never, ever post this up anywhere. I remember thinking that I shouldn’t even bother.
I laugh to myself. I can’t believe I thought that. What’s the harm in writing a story? What’s the harm in doing what you want?
It seems that lately, nobody ever has time for anything, even to do something they want for themselves. …But I must say; I’m pretty much a hypocrite for saying that. I myself have been extremely busy. In fact, I should be doing something right now. I should be doing something productive. You know, it’s funny; every time I think of that aforementioned sentence, it follows up with the thought:
This is productivity to me.
And I feel inspired again.
The story starts here. It begins the same as the way it ends. Its first words are to be thought out carefully, because without the beginning, there is no end.
Part 1
Time is a funny thing. It sometimes goes fast. It sometimes goes slow. However, I must say, time is an illusion. In reality, there is no time. We as humans believe in time though. It’s sad in a way, but time is a handy little thing, it is. But then again, I’m only human.
Once a moment in time has passed, it’s still there, not disappeared or gone, it’s just been held off. However, the fact that that moment has passed by can change someone. Whether the moment is a year, or a second, it changes someone somewhere out there.
…
By the time the boys were in middle school, Stan had turned into a realist, if he wasn’t one already.
He’s the ‘take-no-crap’ kind of guy; hating the thought of silly supernatural things that the town wrapped their heads around on a daily basis, instead being a realist; feeling that in life if you didn’t work your hardest, you would never become anything. He’s stopped believing in God, for science is the only logical explanation; and now also believing that love and happily-ever-afters only belong in the movies. He also was starting to feel that real friendship couldn’t last long, that we are all just people who know each other, some knowing more about one person than others. In the future, it’s going to be his downfall.
There’s no need for real friends.
I think I should mention that this whole attitude all started to bloom when the boys moved onto sixth grade. This was a sad time for our four. Kyle had already moved during the end of fifth grade to a small charter school in Guffey, which, even if it wasn’t that far away, they were all mad about it. So it didn’t really help that Kenny (surprisingly) was admitted into Honors classes, leaving Stan alone with Cartman for a whole three years.
In those three years, Stan changed so, so much.
Having hung out with Cartman too much, he had to learn to find himself hating more things and people than he should, especially Cartman. Kenny was there to help him at first, but by mid-seventh grade, he was hanging around with his smarter friends and ditching Cartman and Stan during the school time. Stan eventually was starting to hate him too. When eighth grade came around, he grew to be virtually acquaintances with everyone. No friends.
“There’s no need for real friends.” He reminds himself everyday.
Even Cartman, who is still by his side (although unwanted most of the time), isn’t exactly friend material. But that is an obvious one. Whenever Kenny comes over after school, they usually just play video games or eat or do homework; things that require no speaking.
…
Kenny would sometimes joke around at Stan’s house how “the Honors kids are always so horny.”
Cartman’s snide reply: “Well I guess you fit in!”
In a muffled voice Kenny responds back: “Nuh-uh! I have much to learn from these guys!”
Stan would tune himself out.
A lot of the time, Stan won’t talk. He usually stares at ceilings and walls, or tap his toe to some beat going through his head. This happens to the point that both Cartman and Kenny leave his house right then, and he doesn’t even notice. Sometimes, it sucks being an almost-loner.
When he’d notice that he is all alone, he’d remind himself audibly:
“There’s no need for friends.”
...
One time, Kenny called him “emo”. Stan didn’t talk for three weeks. Kenny felt so guilty, that during lunch, he’d actually eat with him, trying to charm his way back into their friendship.
“Too late,” after three weeks time, these were the first words to be uttered by Stan. It was an almost-accident. There’s no need for friends.
That almost-friendship was long gone.
…
The last day of eighth grade comes along, and Stan found out that Kenny is not going to South Park High School, like everyone else in the class is going to. The feeling of guilt and sadness churned in his stomach. He is only human, after all. Then for the first time in a while, Stan started walking up to him.
“Hey, dude.”
Right in the middle of a conversation, the curious Kenny turned around to see who it was. His eyes lit up. That is all Stan could remember from that moment. He doesn’t even remember the hug that Kenny engulfed him in. Nor does he remember the boy who Kenny was talking with saying, “Oh, so you’re cheating on me now, Kenny?”
It was in that moment that Stan remembered the feeling of why there is a need for friends. As soon as Cartman started walking up to the two, the feeling disappeared.
…
Stan knew from the beginning that the summer would be the worst. He is right. Only, everything that goes through Stan’s mind is right (only flaw about it is that he’s the only one who realizes it). Although, I must say, his intentions are right most of the time; and especially if you look at it through his perspective, you would agree. He’s a logical a thinker, always has, always will be. Being distant from everybody doesn’t change the fact that he has good morals and values and beliefs. He’s got the smarts in his genes.
But getting back on topic… The summer is terrible. Graduation was a drag. That is the first sign about the bad summer for Stan. The second sign is the desire to take off his clothes. He likes wearing layers. You sweat bullets out there in layers though. And that kinda takes the whole fun out of it. Another sign is that he was wishing to swim. Nobody had a pool in his area, except for Token and Bebe (and last he heard Bebe moved). Token was just out of the question. They never talk. Never.
Then again, he never talks. Period.
The last sign for Stan was bidding Kenny good bye.
This was because he didn’t.
In fact, the last time he ever saw him again was on that last day of school, when Kenny wrapped his arms around him. He kinda wishes from time to time that they were there wrapping him again. He kinda wishes from time to time that anyone’s arms were there wrapping him.
…
Whenever Cartman seems to come over, it seems it is because it is out of boredom. And then he leaves early because he gets bored easily over there anyway.
Now it just seems he just never comes over.
Stan never bothers to call and ask why.
…
Stan is the kind of guy to just sit in his room, and basically do nothing. Sometimes he does some sit ups and push ups and other exercises to keep his heart pumping. Sometimes he listens to music (in fact, he is particularly fond of the Smashing Pumpkins and Sugar Ray, but he would never admit to the latter). Sometimes he reads. His favorite book is The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales. It’s interesting. He never watches TV.
His dad doesn’t know that though.
One day, during the seventh grade, he walked in to find a brand new television in his room. He soon found out that it was a birthday gift from his dad. I like to think that he forgot it was his birthday and he didn’t know why his dad gave it to him, but considering that Stan isn’t the type to forget something like that, I doubt he forgot. He just didn’t find the holiday special. That night, he watched sitcoms on his new TV with his dad, simply because he pitied the grown man who felt proud of himself for buying his son a new TV.
What his dad doesn’t know is that he never has watched that thing again.
Instead, Stan stares at it often, pretending that it’s on, pretending to be watching it. Maybe he could fool his dad that way, he thinks. Maybe his dad would realize that he didn’t want it, he thinks some more. Maybe his dad would learn to stop fantasizing about him and his future, he finishes thinking.
He could be hanging out with his friends. But, “there’s no need for friends.” Instead he’s just sitting there, staring at the TV. Right now, the dust on the TV screen is unbearable. He stands up, wipes it all away, and sits back down to stare at it some more.
Right now, he thinks he’s watching an ‘I Love Lucy’ rerun.
But that’s just silly.
…
As if the television for Stan wasn’t enough, for his fourteenth birthday, his parents got him his own telephone line. He never understood the point, because even before that, he never talked on the phone. So what was the point in buying a new personal phone?
It’s not as if anyone has ever called.
He isn’t even sure if Cartman or Kenny know the number. He doesn’t even know the number. He’s pretty sure his parents know the number, though, since they both have it programmed into their cell phones. He thought about getting a cell phone for a split second just because everyone else had one, but it went away, along with many other wasted thoughts of that day.
Stan looks at the calendar curiously. He lost track of the days. He lost track of time. But time isn’t real, so it doesn’t count. It’s the fifteenth of July. Around 3 o’clock. Still another month and a half till school life in South Park High School starts. Whoopee. Once Stan got started into thinking about it, he began thinking about what he’s going to do on the first few days. Figuring that Cartman isn’t exactly a close acquaintance anymore (as opposed to friend), he now has no one to be with. Kenny is gone. Kyle is-
He had been stopped.
As if everything, time, space, realization, it all came to him.
For the first time in the 269 days he had the phone, his phone rang.
Part 2
Sixth grade is a hard time for Kyle.
His father is having a struggle with work and family, leaving no time to be with them. His mother is always on Kyle’s back, making sure he did even the little things correctly or criticizing him in one way or another. He is even hard on himself, even when he shouldn’t be. Of course, that may very well just be me trying to develop his character into my story.
During the summer before sixth grade, he was packing and moving to nearby town Guffey. Guffey is a small town as well, like South Park. Out in the mountains, it is hidden. They were in to Guffey before the Fourth of July. Kyle didn’t celebrate the holiday.
…
A lot of moments pass, and Kyle starts feeling lonely. But he knows he will be just fine. More and more the days pass on; people keep going through their door welcoming them. Some of them turn their heads away because they are Jewish. A lot of others welcome them with open arms. I think they had more of a difficult time to accept Ike being Canadian than being the family being Jewish. The Broflovski’s didn’t want to hear it I guess.
But Ike’s a smart child. Starting the second grade was already tough enough when you’re two years younger than the rest of the class. But still. He’s a smart child. He knows his way around, the way a second grader’s mind works, the way his family thinks, the way Guffey’s people think. He knows that Canadians aren’t exactly the most welcomed thing in these parts. Maybe it was the way his mother influenced the nation with her anti-Canadian ideas which the feeling still lingered. Maybe it was the way their heads went up and down, like a bobble head or something. Maybe it was just…the prejudice. He didn’t care. He’s a smart child.
Now, this isn’t Ike’s time to shine. That comes later. Right now, we’re focused on Kyle. The reason Kyle’s brother is brought up is because Ike’s the reason he is still sane. Over the next three miserable years of Kyle’s middle school life, he would turn to his brother, and they would get closer. He’ll be just fine. As long as Ike is there.
…
Kyle would never forget the first day at his new school. It’s a small charter school with a view. It’s really small. Like, really, really small. There weren’t even grades, just one big class, where kids who should be from 1st grade to 8th grade are all put together. Kyle is still grateful that he was put with his brother.
On that first day, he met his classmates: a small, shy first grader, twin second graders, a bullying fourth grader, three fifth graders, an odd fellow sixth grader, and few seventh graders (all three of them, girls), and a tall eighth grader. With him and Ike included, there were fourteen kids in total. He was really surprised. That was then.
Now, the class seems big for him. But he will be fine.
…
When seventh grade came along, Kyle started seeing that all of them at Guffey Charter School are loners in a way. Probably the only ones that are actual friends with anyone are the eighth grade girls that are in a close knit-tight group. He was often aware of them when they would go off and have their own time. Fool around. Hang out. Go off. They often go into the school’s yard. He sometimes watches them play with toddlers on the days that there is day care at the school. Kyle would stare and stare. He likes to stare. Later on during the night he writes about what he sees into his journal. He likes to consider himself one of those scientists that have to observe his creatures in natural habitat. He likes science.
Watching them reminded him of his elementary school days. Then he’d forgotten about them and what they reminded him of as soon as they left for high school, when he was nearing the eighth grade.
In the end of seventh grade, he didn’t think of elementary school anymore. He’s more concerned with Guffey Charter School. He’s more concerned with the loners.
…
By the end of seventh grade, Kyle had moved on. If you asked him, by that time, who is his best friends, he would proudly say Ike, Crysta, and Bobby.
Bobby is the other odd kid in his grade. At first, Kyle didn’t really like the young boy, considering the fact that he’s weird and really likes dead things. But then, when they both had needed help with a school project, they turned to each other and started developing a friendship. Really they were both lonely. Kyle was tired of being jealous of the three girls, and Bobby was tired of being the weird one.
They both went looking for funny dead things in the forest and chuck ‘em at cars going by in the highway. They would do stupid stuff. Kyle loved it. It was a thrill. He even forgot all about the boys back in South Park. It’s alright. He’ll be just fine.
One day, while Bobby was over Kyle’s house, Ike brought his friend, Crysta. She was one of the twins in his grade. Bobby and Kyle both teased Ike for days with the immature “Ike and Crysta, sitting in a tree” song. For the longest time, Ike would blush and go on defending himself. Soon enough, he gave up and gave in. He admits that he had a crush on Crysta, but of course, since he later on becomes her boyfriend. Being content with Ike’s surrender, Bobby and Kyle invited Crysta to hang out with them.
After that, Crysta, Bobby, Ike, and Kyle would hang out nonstop.
…
Kyle and his parents never got along that well. They’d be involved, sure… Wait. His mom would be involved. I’m getting myself mixed up here. But yeah, his mom would be involved, his dad would be away at work, but he doesn’t get along with them.
He likes to pick fights with them for the littlest thing. I think the silliest thing he had fought with them for was for where the wall clock should be located. He had some pretty good arguments for the location, but they ended up putting the clock where his dad wanted it to be. He didn’t want to speak to them for days.
But Kyle’s a chatty one, so not speaking couldn’t be helped.
Yes, Kyle is quite the talker. Sure, the sixth grade was a pretty quiet time for him, but that was because he was emotional after leaving South Park. Hell, you would be different too after drastically moving somewhere else. Believe me, I know. But still. After that “quiet time” he overcame the silliness of not talking and started going back to his leader-big guy-chatty-loud-Jewish self.
He and Ike usually talk all night when they should be long asleep. He even talks with Bobby while a teacher’s lecturing during class. And trust me, being in a class with a dozen kids or so while talking isn’t exactly smart. You get picked out immediately and sent in the corner.
Kyle’s talking often gets him in trouble. He learned to talk back to adults, and that he shouldn’t be a pussy about it. In fact, you could say he got pretty manly with the way he talks back to people and stuff.
In a way, it got him to become a pretty mean guy.
But he’s still harmless.
I mean, he’s Kyle. Come on. Through all that tough guy stuff, he’s a pretty soft kind of guy if you think about it. Though, he knows how to take care of himself. He’ll be fine.
...
Eighth grade came and went quickly.
Nothing special he thinks.
He still considered the friends he had during that year the greatest.
…
One time, he eavesdropped onto a conversation that Ike and Crysta were having in his room.
He clearly remembers what they had said to each other in low voices.
“Crysta… we’ve been friends for a long time now…”
There was a pause, like Ike had said something really low.
Then… “Ike… you’re… a good friend. But damn it if I like two people.”
“Who else would you like?!”
“Your brother.”
Ike didn’t want to speak to Kyle for the rest of the year. Kyle doesn’t want to speak to Crysta for the rest of his life.
…
Kyle really does like his friends, even if he doesn’t want to speak to one of them. You could even say that he loves them in a brotherly way. He’s just a social guy, so what else needs to be said? Although, Kyle’s easily swayed by people, so it isn’t hard to believe that he’s got close friends. He can be manipulated into believing anything really. Though he’s a good leader, he doesn’t know when to stop when people don’t tell him anything. You could say this is what the reason is for Bobby dying on that one summer Friday night.
Oh yeah, heads up. Bobby dies. Just so you know.
When Bobby does die on that one summer Friday night, Kyle will go nuts. He loves his friends, just like I stated before.
…
Kyle and Bobby were out one summer Friday night, the first one since vacation started. Ike and Crysta were gone somewhere. Probably kissing or something. By the way, Ike and Crysta had finally gotten together. Crysta at first didn’t really want it, but Ike was practically begging when he asked. Soon enough, she found out that she liked the feel of someone else’s lips on hers, so she stayed with him. But anyway, I’m getting off topic.
Kyle and Bobby were out one summer Friday night, the first one since vacation started. They were fooling around, like usual. Picking up dead fetuses, throwing rocks, the usual. Well, they ended up going to a local burger joint, and just hung out there.
It was then that Kyle saw, by the parking lot across the street, the girls, the three girls he used to envy. They were just laughing and sitting on a bench under a street light. He smiled to himself, remembering his old feelings of jealousy of them. That moment, he remembered his old friends even.
“Hey man, remember those chicks?” he had heard himself saying.
Bobby turned around, just after eating his last fry. “Oh man. How could I forget? The redhead was hot.”
Kyle gave off a short laugh, munching on a fry. “Yeah.”
There was a long silence as Kyle ate some fries and Bobby watched the girls.
“I really liked her. I mean, really liked her.”
Kyle looked up to find Bobby with one of those glazed look in his eyes. It was the kind that makes you look like you’re remembering something. Kyle idly thought if he looks like that whenever he thinks about his younger days. It went away when he took a sip of his Coke.
“Do you still like her?”
“…No.” Pause. “I love her.”
The Jew bit his burger, and then took a moment to breathe. “Well… maybe you should tell her something…” Bobby looked up at him in an almost shocked expression. Kyle smirked.
“Y-you think?”
“Yeah, man! You guys have been at the same school for seven fucking years, and I bet you anything you haven’t even said anything more than the usual few words to her. Am I right?”
Bobby looked down in disgrace.
“Aw man, don’t act like that.” Kyle rubbed his forehead. “You just gotta go up to her and tell her something, like, ‘Hey girls’, strike up a conversation, and find the right moment to tell Jenna alone. At least it’s worth a shot.”
“No, no, I can’t do it.”
“Yes you can! It’s better to regret something you did, than to regret not doing something.”
Bobby laughed a bit, left with a lingering crooked smile. “You live in your twisted world, Broflovski.”
“Hey, look where I picked it up from.” Kyle smiled back. “…All I’m saying is… you should try it. Get it off your chest.”
Bobby started, “But…”
“It’s not like you guys are even going to the same high school. So if she says something mean or something to deflate your spirits, at least you can save yourself from the annoying meetings in the hallways at school.” There was silence.
“Kyle…” Bobby paused. “Why are you so good to me? I’m just a sick twisted fuck. And you still are my friend. Why?”
Kyle never answered, and never, ever will. At least, face-to-face with Bobby. He stared at the remaining half of his burger. He almost started eating it when Bobby slid himself off his seat. He looked up to see the boy with a determined look in his eyes. Bobby glanced over at Kyle, gave off his usual awkward smile, and then headed for the door. Kyle thought, ‘That’s m’boy’.
A moment passed. Kyle looked up.
He didn’t expect to see a Toyota truck and a body collided in the middle of the street.
‘He’ll be just fine,’ my ass.
…
Kyle has gone nuts for the next few weeks.
But not once has he cried.
Leave that part to Ike and Crysta. And of course Bobby’s family. But they don’t count in this story… perhaps some other time, when I’m up for spin-offs. (Never.) But anyway, Kyle didn’t cry. He will be just fine.
He learned from a slight case of OCD that it’s good to release bad energy through cleaning and organizing. Throughout the next few weeks, in a way of coping, he’d arrange and rearrange the entire house over and over again. His family had worried for his health and well-being. He doesn’t like to show emotion. And that may lead to some bad things. Kyle just replied, “I’m handling this all my way, and it is working.”
Ike does not agree, saying that Kyle whimpers in his sleep, moaning, and almost yelping. Kyle doesn’t believe him.
…
Kyle is once again cleaning his closet, when he finds a box he had missed earlier. Curiously, he opens it, and finds pictures and memorabilia of his South Park days.
Without thinking, he’s picked up the phone in his room.
…
“Hi Mr. Marsh, may I speak with Stan?”
“May I ask whose calling?”
“…Just someone he knows from South Park elementary.”
“Huh.” Pause. “You know, he’s got his own phone line now, and maybe you would like to call him there so he picks it up himself…”
“Oh… sure, I’d like that, thanks.”
Mr. Marsh gives him the phone number and Kyle hangs up.
The question now is: Should he call?
End Chapter 1
Rating: Teen
Pairings: Revealed in time; only slight/hinted slash
Comments: Part of my transition from computer to internet. This one probably won't last long. D: This is a pretty…odd story. I kind of got the style from Slaughterhouse-Five (a favorite). So if the style makes the story as if it’s slow, it will pick up. It will have to, since I plan on going through till they are in adulthood. Oh, and I’m doing this as I go, so don’t expect much of anything great, because it’s not thought out as opposed to me planning the whole thing like I usually do. I kind of like it this way. It makes it seem like an adventure.
I haven’t watched a lot of South Park episodes compared to the next fan, but bear with me. I feel bad enough that I’m not even doing much research for the canon facts as much as I am for the school and location facts. I seriously did so much research on that. Haha.
Notes: Canon facts should be dismissed. Will have flashbacks and may be confusing.
Summary: Years pass. People change. Can their relationships last?
I do not reserve the rights to South Park or anything related. (So don’t sue, please. I have little money as it is.)
Take Two
By Ahhelga
Warnings: Foul language, nudity.
Chapter 1
Introduction
I never intended for this story to actually take place. I would never have known that as soon as I was onto Microsoft Word, my hands would gain a mind of their own and start typing this.
I can’t count the times I revised and rewrote what I typed. I was… am pretty unhappy with the way things are going. I remember sitting here thinking how terrible this is. I remember thinking that I would never, ever post this up anywhere. I remember thinking that I shouldn’t even bother.
I laugh to myself. I can’t believe I thought that. What’s the harm in writing a story? What’s the harm in doing what you want?
It seems that lately, nobody ever has time for anything, even to do something they want for themselves. …But I must say; I’m pretty much a hypocrite for saying that. I myself have been extremely busy. In fact, I should be doing something right now. I should be doing something productive. You know, it’s funny; every time I think of that aforementioned sentence, it follows up with the thought:
This is productivity to me.
And I feel inspired again.
The story starts here. It begins the same as the way it ends. Its first words are to be thought out carefully, because without the beginning, there is no end.
Part 1
Time is a funny thing. It sometimes goes fast. It sometimes goes slow. However, I must say, time is an illusion. In reality, there is no time. We as humans believe in time though. It’s sad in a way, but time is a handy little thing, it is. But then again, I’m only human.
Once a moment in time has passed, it’s still there, not disappeared or gone, it’s just been held off. However, the fact that that moment has passed by can change someone. Whether the moment is a year, or a second, it changes someone somewhere out there.
…
By the time the boys were in middle school, Stan had turned into a realist, if he wasn’t one already.
He’s the ‘take-no-crap’ kind of guy; hating the thought of silly supernatural things that the town wrapped their heads around on a daily basis, instead being a realist; feeling that in life if you didn’t work your hardest, you would never become anything. He’s stopped believing in God, for science is the only logical explanation; and now also believing that love and happily-ever-afters only belong in the movies. He also was starting to feel that real friendship couldn’t last long, that we are all just people who know each other, some knowing more about one person than others. In the future, it’s going to be his downfall.
There’s no need for real friends.
I think I should mention that this whole attitude all started to bloom when the boys moved onto sixth grade. This was a sad time for our four. Kyle had already moved during the end of fifth grade to a small charter school in Guffey, which, even if it wasn’t that far away, they were all mad about it. So it didn’t really help that Kenny (surprisingly) was admitted into Honors classes, leaving Stan alone with Cartman for a whole three years.
In those three years, Stan changed so, so much.
Having hung out with Cartman too much, he had to learn to find himself hating more things and people than he should, especially Cartman. Kenny was there to help him at first, but by mid-seventh grade, he was hanging around with his smarter friends and ditching Cartman and Stan during the school time. Stan eventually was starting to hate him too. When eighth grade came around, he grew to be virtually acquaintances with everyone. No friends.
“There’s no need for real friends.” He reminds himself everyday.
Even Cartman, who is still by his side (although unwanted most of the time), isn’t exactly friend material. But that is an obvious one. Whenever Kenny comes over after school, they usually just play video games or eat or do homework; things that require no speaking.
…
Kenny would sometimes joke around at Stan’s house how “the Honors kids are always so horny.”
Cartman’s snide reply: “Well I guess you fit in!”
In a muffled voice Kenny responds back: “Nuh-uh! I have much to learn from these guys!”
Stan would tune himself out.
A lot of the time, Stan won’t talk. He usually stares at ceilings and walls, or tap his toe to some beat going through his head. This happens to the point that both Cartman and Kenny leave his house right then, and he doesn’t even notice. Sometimes, it sucks being an almost-loner.
When he’d notice that he is all alone, he’d remind himself audibly:
“There’s no need for friends.”
...
One time, Kenny called him “emo”. Stan didn’t talk for three weeks. Kenny felt so guilty, that during lunch, he’d actually eat with him, trying to charm his way back into their friendship.
“Too late,” after three weeks time, these were the first words to be uttered by Stan. It was an almost-accident. There’s no need for friends.
That almost-friendship was long gone.
…
The last day of eighth grade comes along, and Stan found out that Kenny is not going to South Park High School, like everyone else in the class is going to. The feeling of guilt and sadness churned in his stomach. He is only human, after all. Then for the first time in a while, Stan started walking up to him.
“Hey, dude.”
Right in the middle of a conversation, the curious Kenny turned around to see who it was. His eyes lit up. That is all Stan could remember from that moment. He doesn’t even remember the hug that Kenny engulfed him in. Nor does he remember the boy who Kenny was talking with saying, “Oh, so you’re cheating on me now, Kenny?”
It was in that moment that Stan remembered the feeling of why there is a need for friends. As soon as Cartman started walking up to the two, the feeling disappeared.
…
Stan knew from the beginning that the summer would be the worst. He is right. Only, everything that goes through Stan’s mind is right (only flaw about it is that he’s the only one who realizes it). Although, I must say, his intentions are right most of the time; and especially if you look at it through his perspective, you would agree. He’s a logical a thinker, always has, always will be. Being distant from everybody doesn’t change the fact that he has good morals and values and beliefs. He’s got the smarts in his genes.
But getting back on topic… The summer is terrible. Graduation was a drag. That is the first sign about the bad summer for Stan. The second sign is the desire to take off his clothes. He likes wearing layers. You sweat bullets out there in layers though. And that kinda takes the whole fun out of it. Another sign is that he was wishing to swim. Nobody had a pool in his area, except for Token and Bebe (and last he heard Bebe moved). Token was just out of the question. They never talk. Never.
Then again, he never talks. Period.
The last sign for Stan was bidding Kenny good bye.
This was because he didn’t.
In fact, the last time he ever saw him again was on that last day of school, when Kenny wrapped his arms around him. He kinda wishes from time to time that they were there wrapping him again. He kinda wishes from time to time that anyone’s arms were there wrapping him.
…
Whenever Cartman seems to come over, it seems it is because it is out of boredom. And then he leaves early because he gets bored easily over there anyway.
Now it just seems he just never comes over.
Stan never bothers to call and ask why.
…
Stan is the kind of guy to just sit in his room, and basically do nothing. Sometimes he does some sit ups and push ups and other exercises to keep his heart pumping. Sometimes he listens to music (in fact, he is particularly fond of the Smashing Pumpkins and Sugar Ray, but he would never admit to the latter). Sometimes he reads. His favorite book is The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales. It’s interesting. He never watches TV.
His dad doesn’t know that though.
One day, during the seventh grade, he walked in to find a brand new television in his room. He soon found out that it was a birthday gift from his dad. I like to think that he forgot it was his birthday and he didn’t know why his dad gave it to him, but considering that Stan isn’t the type to forget something like that, I doubt he forgot. He just didn’t find the holiday special. That night, he watched sitcoms on his new TV with his dad, simply because he pitied the grown man who felt proud of himself for buying his son a new TV.
What his dad doesn’t know is that he never has watched that thing again.
Instead, Stan stares at it often, pretending that it’s on, pretending to be watching it. Maybe he could fool his dad that way, he thinks. Maybe his dad would realize that he didn’t want it, he thinks some more. Maybe his dad would learn to stop fantasizing about him and his future, he finishes thinking.
He could be hanging out with his friends. But, “there’s no need for friends.” Instead he’s just sitting there, staring at the TV. Right now, the dust on the TV screen is unbearable. He stands up, wipes it all away, and sits back down to stare at it some more.
Right now, he thinks he’s watching an ‘I Love Lucy’ rerun.
But that’s just silly.
…
As if the television for Stan wasn’t enough, for his fourteenth birthday, his parents got him his own telephone line. He never understood the point, because even before that, he never talked on the phone. So what was the point in buying a new personal phone?
It’s not as if anyone has ever called.
He isn’t even sure if Cartman or Kenny know the number. He doesn’t even know the number. He’s pretty sure his parents know the number, though, since they both have it programmed into their cell phones. He thought about getting a cell phone for a split second just because everyone else had one, but it went away, along with many other wasted thoughts of that day.
Stan looks at the calendar curiously. He lost track of the days. He lost track of time. But time isn’t real, so it doesn’t count. It’s the fifteenth of July. Around 3 o’clock. Still another month and a half till school life in South Park High School starts. Whoopee. Once Stan got started into thinking about it, he began thinking about what he’s going to do on the first few days. Figuring that Cartman isn’t exactly a close acquaintance anymore (as opposed to friend), he now has no one to be with. Kenny is gone. Kyle is-
He had been stopped.
As if everything, time, space, realization, it all came to him.
For the first time in the 269 days he had the phone, his phone rang.
Part 2
Sixth grade is a hard time for Kyle.
His father is having a struggle with work and family, leaving no time to be with them. His mother is always on Kyle’s back, making sure he did even the little things correctly or criticizing him in one way or another. He is even hard on himself, even when he shouldn’t be. Of course, that may very well just be me trying to develop his character into my story.
During the summer before sixth grade, he was packing and moving to nearby town Guffey. Guffey is a small town as well, like South Park. Out in the mountains, it is hidden. They were in to Guffey before the Fourth of July. Kyle didn’t celebrate the holiday.
…
A lot of moments pass, and Kyle starts feeling lonely. But he knows he will be just fine. More and more the days pass on; people keep going through their door welcoming them. Some of them turn their heads away because they are Jewish. A lot of others welcome them with open arms. I think they had more of a difficult time to accept Ike being Canadian than being the family being Jewish. The Broflovski’s didn’t want to hear it I guess.
But Ike’s a smart child. Starting the second grade was already tough enough when you’re two years younger than the rest of the class. But still. He’s a smart child. He knows his way around, the way a second grader’s mind works, the way his family thinks, the way Guffey’s people think. He knows that Canadians aren’t exactly the most welcomed thing in these parts. Maybe it was the way his mother influenced the nation with her anti-Canadian ideas which the feeling still lingered. Maybe it was the way their heads went up and down, like a bobble head or something. Maybe it was just…the prejudice. He didn’t care. He’s a smart child.
Now, this isn’t Ike’s time to shine. That comes later. Right now, we’re focused on Kyle. The reason Kyle’s brother is brought up is because Ike’s the reason he is still sane. Over the next three miserable years of Kyle’s middle school life, he would turn to his brother, and they would get closer. He’ll be just fine. As long as Ike is there.
…
Kyle would never forget the first day at his new school. It’s a small charter school with a view. It’s really small. Like, really, really small. There weren’t even grades, just one big class, where kids who should be from 1st grade to 8th grade are all put together. Kyle is still grateful that he was put with his brother.
On that first day, he met his classmates: a small, shy first grader, twin second graders, a bullying fourth grader, three fifth graders, an odd fellow sixth grader, and few seventh graders (all three of them, girls), and a tall eighth grader. With him and Ike included, there were fourteen kids in total. He was really surprised. That was then.
Now, the class seems big for him. But he will be fine.
…
When seventh grade came along, Kyle started seeing that all of them at Guffey Charter School are loners in a way. Probably the only ones that are actual friends with anyone are the eighth grade girls that are in a close knit-tight group. He was often aware of them when they would go off and have their own time. Fool around. Hang out. Go off. They often go into the school’s yard. He sometimes watches them play with toddlers on the days that there is day care at the school. Kyle would stare and stare. He likes to stare. Later on during the night he writes about what he sees into his journal. He likes to consider himself one of those scientists that have to observe his creatures in natural habitat. He likes science.
Watching them reminded him of his elementary school days. Then he’d forgotten about them and what they reminded him of as soon as they left for high school, when he was nearing the eighth grade.
In the end of seventh grade, he didn’t think of elementary school anymore. He’s more concerned with Guffey Charter School. He’s more concerned with the loners.
…
By the end of seventh grade, Kyle had moved on. If you asked him, by that time, who is his best friends, he would proudly say Ike, Crysta, and Bobby.
Bobby is the other odd kid in his grade. At first, Kyle didn’t really like the young boy, considering the fact that he’s weird and really likes dead things. But then, when they both had needed help with a school project, they turned to each other and started developing a friendship. Really they were both lonely. Kyle was tired of being jealous of the three girls, and Bobby was tired of being the weird one.
They both went looking for funny dead things in the forest and chuck ‘em at cars going by in the highway. They would do stupid stuff. Kyle loved it. It was a thrill. He even forgot all about the boys back in South Park. It’s alright. He’ll be just fine.
One day, while Bobby was over Kyle’s house, Ike brought his friend, Crysta. She was one of the twins in his grade. Bobby and Kyle both teased Ike for days with the immature “Ike and Crysta, sitting in a tree” song. For the longest time, Ike would blush and go on defending himself. Soon enough, he gave up and gave in. He admits that he had a crush on Crysta, but of course, since he later on becomes her boyfriend. Being content with Ike’s surrender, Bobby and Kyle invited Crysta to hang out with them.
After that, Crysta, Bobby, Ike, and Kyle would hang out nonstop.
…
Kyle and his parents never got along that well. They’d be involved, sure… Wait. His mom would be involved. I’m getting myself mixed up here. But yeah, his mom would be involved, his dad would be away at work, but he doesn’t get along with them.
He likes to pick fights with them for the littlest thing. I think the silliest thing he had fought with them for was for where the wall clock should be located. He had some pretty good arguments for the location, but they ended up putting the clock where his dad wanted it to be. He didn’t want to speak to them for days.
But Kyle’s a chatty one, so not speaking couldn’t be helped.
Yes, Kyle is quite the talker. Sure, the sixth grade was a pretty quiet time for him, but that was because he was emotional after leaving South Park. Hell, you would be different too after drastically moving somewhere else. Believe me, I know. But still. After that “quiet time” he overcame the silliness of not talking and started going back to his leader-big guy-chatty-loud-Jewish self.
He and Ike usually talk all night when they should be long asleep. He even talks with Bobby while a teacher’s lecturing during class. And trust me, being in a class with a dozen kids or so while talking isn’t exactly smart. You get picked out immediately and sent in the corner.
Kyle’s talking often gets him in trouble. He learned to talk back to adults, and that he shouldn’t be a pussy about it. In fact, you could say he got pretty manly with the way he talks back to people and stuff.
In a way, it got him to become a pretty mean guy.
But he’s still harmless.
I mean, he’s Kyle. Come on. Through all that tough guy stuff, he’s a pretty soft kind of guy if you think about it. Though, he knows how to take care of himself. He’ll be fine.
...
Eighth grade came and went quickly.
Nothing special he thinks.
He still considered the friends he had during that year the greatest.
…
One time, he eavesdropped onto a conversation that Ike and Crysta were having in his room.
He clearly remembers what they had said to each other in low voices.
“Crysta… we’ve been friends for a long time now…”
There was a pause, like Ike had said something really low.
Then… “Ike… you’re… a good friend. But damn it if I like two people.”
“Who else would you like?!”
“Your brother.”
Ike didn’t want to speak to Kyle for the rest of the year. Kyle doesn’t want to speak to Crysta for the rest of his life.
…
Kyle really does like his friends, even if he doesn’t want to speak to one of them. You could even say that he loves them in a brotherly way. He’s just a social guy, so what else needs to be said? Although, Kyle’s easily swayed by people, so it isn’t hard to believe that he’s got close friends. He can be manipulated into believing anything really. Though he’s a good leader, he doesn’t know when to stop when people don’t tell him anything. You could say this is what the reason is for Bobby dying on that one summer Friday night.
Oh yeah, heads up. Bobby dies. Just so you know.
When Bobby does die on that one summer Friday night, Kyle will go nuts. He loves his friends, just like I stated before.
…
Kyle and Bobby were out one summer Friday night, the first one since vacation started. Ike and Crysta were gone somewhere. Probably kissing or something. By the way, Ike and Crysta had finally gotten together. Crysta at first didn’t really want it, but Ike was practically begging when he asked. Soon enough, she found out that she liked the feel of someone else’s lips on hers, so she stayed with him. But anyway, I’m getting off topic.
Kyle and Bobby were out one summer Friday night, the first one since vacation started. They were fooling around, like usual. Picking up dead fetuses, throwing rocks, the usual. Well, they ended up going to a local burger joint, and just hung out there.
It was then that Kyle saw, by the parking lot across the street, the girls, the three girls he used to envy. They were just laughing and sitting on a bench under a street light. He smiled to himself, remembering his old feelings of jealousy of them. That moment, he remembered his old friends even.
“Hey man, remember those chicks?” he had heard himself saying.
Bobby turned around, just after eating his last fry. “Oh man. How could I forget? The redhead was hot.”
Kyle gave off a short laugh, munching on a fry. “Yeah.”
There was a long silence as Kyle ate some fries and Bobby watched the girls.
“I really liked her. I mean, really liked her.”
Kyle looked up to find Bobby with one of those glazed look in his eyes. It was the kind that makes you look like you’re remembering something. Kyle idly thought if he looks like that whenever he thinks about his younger days. It went away when he took a sip of his Coke.
“Do you still like her?”
“…No.” Pause. “I love her.”
The Jew bit his burger, and then took a moment to breathe. “Well… maybe you should tell her something…” Bobby looked up at him in an almost shocked expression. Kyle smirked.
“Y-you think?”
“Yeah, man! You guys have been at the same school for seven fucking years, and I bet you anything you haven’t even said anything more than the usual few words to her. Am I right?”
Bobby looked down in disgrace.
“Aw man, don’t act like that.” Kyle rubbed his forehead. “You just gotta go up to her and tell her something, like, ‘Hey girls’, strike up a conversation, and find the right moment to tell Jenna alone. At least it’s worth a shot.”
“No, no, I can’t do it.”
“Yes you can! It’s better to regret something you did, than to regret not doing something.”
Bobby laughed a bit, left with a lingering crooked smile. “You live in your twisted world, Broflovski.”
“Hey, look where I picked it up from.” Kyle smiled back. “…All I’m saying is… you should try it. Get it off your chest.”
Bobby started, “But…”
“It’s not like you guys are even going to the same high school. So if she says something mean or something to deflate your spirits, at least you can save yourself from the annoying meetings in the hallways at school.” There was silence.
“Kyle…” Bobby paused. “Why are you so good to me? I’m just a sick twisted fuck. And you still are my friend. Why?”
Kyle never answered, and never, ever will. At least, face-to-face with Bobby. He stared at the remaining half of his burger. He almost started eating it when Bobby slid himself off his seat. He looked up to see the boy with a determined look in his eyes. Bobby glanced over at Kyle, gave off his usual awkward smile, and then headed for the door. Kyle thought, ‘That’s m’boy’.
A moment passed. Kyle looked up.
He didn’t expect to see a Toyota truck and a body collided in the middle of the street.
‘He’ll be just fine,’ my ass.
…
Kyle has gone nuts for the next few weeks.
But not once has he cried.
Leave that part to Ike and Crysta. And of course Bobby’s family. But they don’t count in this story… perhaps some other time, when I’m up for spin-offs. (Never.) But anyway, Kyle didn’t cry. He will be just fine.
He learned from a slight case of OCD that it’s good to release bad energy through cleaning and organizing. Throughout the next few weeks, in a way of coping, he’d arrange and rearrange the entire house over and over again. His family had worried for his health and well-being. He doesn’t like to show emotion. And that may lead to some bad things. Kyle just replied, “I’m handling this all my way, and it is working.”
Ike does not agree, saying that Kyle whimpers in his sleep, moaning, and almost yelping. Kyle doesn’t believe him.
…
Kyle is once again cleaning his closet, when he finds a box he had missed earlier. Curiously, he opens it, and finds pictures and memorabilia of his South Park days.
Without thinking, he’s picked up the phone in his room.
…
“Hi Mr. Marsh, may I speak with Stan?”
“May I ask whose calling?”
“…Just someone he knows from South Park elementary.”
“Huh.” Pause. “You know, he’s got his own phone line now, and maybe you would like to call him there so he picks it up himself…”
“Oh… sure, I’d like that, thanks.”
Mr. Marsh gives him the phone number and Kyle hangs up.
The question now is: Should he call?
End Chapter 1