"If only I could drive…" I thought to myself as I exited my new Colorado abode. "Then I wouldn't have to ride the flipping bus. I'm a junior for Christ's sake."

As I walked down De Los Mexicanos Avenue towards the bus stop the cold wind hit my lips. I hadn't expected it to be warm in September but I sure as hell didn't think it would be below freezing. I pulled down my black skirt in attempt to protect myself from the cold, but it barley reached my knees. My pink earmuffs weren't enough to keep heat from escaping my head. My hands (equipped with matching gloves) were shoved deep into the pockets of my blue coat while my back pack slugged off my shoulders. I found myself running to try to stay warm. As the red stop sign came closer in my sight of vision I swear I could hear someone screaming "Shut your God-damn Jew mouth." "What the fuck" I though to myself. Then I remembered I was now living in a white bread redneck untouched mountain town. I wanted more than anything to be back in California with my brother. I knew this was for the best though. Daniel can go off to collage while I look after Aunt Susan.

My mind trailed off with these thoughts while I reached the bus stop. I stood facing forward, avoiding any eye contact with the boys standing next to me. They were arguing about something. The obese one was shouting but I ignored him. Goose bumps ran from the top of my leg down to by tennis shoes. One of the boys must have noticed my shivering.

"Dude, aren't you cold?" He asked. I turned getting a good look at the boys I was standing next to for the first time. A boy with small clumps of jet black hair shooting out of a blue and red hat was looking in my direction. He had pale blue eyes and a strong build. The other three boys turned to me as well.

"Wha-?" I was a little surprised anyone decided to talk to me. I had expected to go though the entire school year unnoticed, then move back the California. "Oh yeah…" I replied. "I didn't think it would be this cold."

"It's only September dude," he replied.

"Yeah and it's only gonna get colder," this comment came from the fat one who had dark brown hair. He shot me a look of annoyance and I couldn't help but feel self conscious. For a split second however, I could see a look in his eye, a look of sadness. I only ever saw that look in a girls' eyes before. It was a look that screamed "Help me I wanna be accepted!" but then it was gone "Stupid bitch," he mumbled under his breath.

"You're just embarrassed because you have bigger tits that I do."

The other boys stared at me. The fat one just had his mouth gaping open. I covered my mouth. "Oh my god!" I thought to myself. "Did I REALLY just say that out loud?" This is it. They think I am a bitch. They're gonna tell everyone. I can see myself walking down the halls. People will be saying "hey there goes that bitch that picks on innocent fat kids." My life is over. I'll have to me home schooled by… AUNT SUSAN! Dear God help me!

"Woah duu!" I heard a muffled voice say. It came from a kid in an orange scuba parka. He was short… well… about as tall as me, but I skipped the seventh grade and started kindergarten when I was four.

"I- sorry" I said. I could feel my face turning bright red.

"You're alright dude," my attention turned to a boy a few inches taller than the one with black hair, only he was a lot bonier. His long curly brown-red hair stuck out of his green hat. He had a warm smirk on his face.

"SHUT UP KAHL!" the fat one screamed. "THE YOU'RE GOD DAMN JEW MOUTH!"

"Oh so you ARE Jewish!"

He shot me a look not knowing to be confused or insulted.

"I mean- uh…" why did I have to be so awkward with new people? "I heard… I heard tittie man screaming from down the block…"

I heard the orange parka kid laugh and say something I couldn't make out. The one with the blue and red hat laughed and playfully shoved his arm. I got nervous and smiled politely while crossing my arms. The silence that fell in afterwards felt too awkward for me. I stared down at my feet thinking of something relatively conversation worthy to say.

"So your name's Kyle?" WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT? "My name's Stephanie."

"Oh… yeah, and this is Stan," he said referring to the boy in the red and blue hat, "and-"

"Fellaaas! Feeellllllaaaaaas!" rang a voice from the distance. I turned to see another boy headed in our direction. He had about four inches of hair on the top of his head that flopped over covering most of his large forehead, but the sides had only peach fuzz. As he approached, I could see his details more clearly. He had big blue puppy dog eyes and flabby cheeks. He was in between the size of the Stan and the parka kid but he had such a baby face.

"What is it now Butters?" Stan said once he had reached the bus stop.

"Butters?" I unintentionally said out loud. What a strange name for a child. The boy (out of breath) looked me up and down, from my blond hair to brown shoes trying to catch his breath.

"Well…" he started rubbing his knuckles together. "Yo- You can call me Leopold." His cheeks turned bright red while he avoided eye contact and continued to rub his fists.

The fat one let out a sigh. "What do you want Butters?"

"Oh! Oh, right! So you're not gonna believe this!" he started out. "So you know how Mr. Garrison eloped with that Mexican last year?"

"What?" I thought this must've been some sort of joke.

"Well, well last month, Senior Jose divorced him and took all his money. So NOW, so now he was forced to move in with Big Gay Al and Mr. Slave, and he got a job teaching honors English!"

"WHAT?" Kyle exclaimed. His face grew pale.

"Is that bad?"

"Dude," Stan turned to me. "Mr. Garrison is the sickest teacher ever."

"He can't be that bad…"

"He was a homophobe," he said.

"Then homosexual," added Kyle.

"Thnn a wommn" I had a hard time making out the words the boy with the parka said.

"Did… did he just say a woman?" the boys nodded in unison.

"nnd that's nnt evnn the hlf uff it."

"That's what you get Kyle for being a fuckin smart ass," the fat on said.

Butters started rubbing his fists together again. "W- Well Eric… he's also student teaching eighth period gym."

"So?" he replied.

"Well Eri-"

"WE ALL HAVE EIGHTH PERIOD GYM!" Stan exclaimed as he came to the realization.

They all just stood there, mortified, and the bus arrived.

"Hey can I sit with you guys?" I asked, mostly directed towards Stan. He seemed the most open minded of the group.

"Dude ooo cnn sit unn me unn the bsss,"

"What's he say?"

"Uhh… nothing…" Stan replied.

"No what'd he say?"

Eric turned to me, "He said he wants you to give him a lap dance on the bus."

"WHAT?"

"Duu that's nnt what I said."

"Well it was close enough you perv."

I don't know if it was the excitement of making actual friends or the desperation to seem courageous at my new school but the orange parka kid took a window seat, I climbed over and sat across my lap. My legs were crossed over Butters lap while I faced Stan and Kyle (who were sitting across the isle). His lap was warm. A relief from the cold outside on my legs.

"Satisfied?"

"Hll yeah!"

I giggled. There was something about the mystery of this kid that turned me on. I wanted nothing more than to take of his hood. I wanted to see what he looked like. I wanted to hear his voice. But I could tell I was being awkward enough as it is. Butters sat there rubbing his knuckled again. He just kinda looked down at my calves in his lap. Kyle glanced over then whispered something to Stan. The bus lurched forward and I just barely stopped myself from falling of their laps.

"Where'd you say you were from again?" The green hatted boy asked.

"California."

"Cool!" Butters said looking up at me. He had the loveliest deep blue eyed. "My Aunt Nellie lives there!"

"Well that explains the bitches tan," I heard Eric say from the seat behind me.

"Is it really that noticeable?" People used to call me pale back in LA.

"Well here yeah…" Kyle supported.

"Onnly caus evrrynn hrr s a fucknn allbnno."

As we came to a stop I almost fell again. The kid put his arm around my hips squeezing me tightly to prevent me from falling on the floor. The force from the turn shoved me into his chest. His whole body felt like a warm blanket. He looked down at me and I gazed into his deep blue eyes. If only I could stay in his arms forever. I felt eyes on me and heard giggling. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Stan and Kyle whispering again. I shot up blushing. "Thanks," I said giving an embarrassed smile and brushing my hair behind my ear.

"Nno prrbllm."

"So why'd you move to South Park anyway?" Stan asked from across the isle.

That was a complicated question. "Well," I started. "My mom's nursing in Lybia and my older brother, he's 19, he went to Yale for a degree in astrophysics."

"So you're mom's a hippy and your brother's a smart ass," said Eric attempting to insult me. I just rolled my eyes. I figured he was still sore at me for what I said at the bus stop.

"Whadabbout yurr dad?"

I got nervous. I felt my blood boil and my palms grew sweaty. My heart was racing. They don't need to know the truth, but I'm such a horrible liar! "Well…" Oh Stephanie you better think of something soon!

"Dude!" Kyle cut me off. "You don't just-"

"No it's OK," I lied. Great now I have to make something up. "He… umm… he works… in a different country." All their eyes were on me. It felt like the bus grew silent. What am I talking about? "He umm… he sells… medicine to other countries." Oh my gosh, maybe I could make this work "He travels to… you know… third world countries and introduces break-throughs in… medicine and new, safer ways to perform surgery... it's kinda hard to explain, but he helps a lot of people," my heart rate returned to normal as my lie started to make sense in my head.

"That's pretty cool," Kyle said. "What college did he go to? I'm thinking about going into the medical field."

"California State University," it was the only thing I could think of.

"Nice."

"You got your own place?" Stan asked.

"Not really," I responded. "I'm staying with my aunt Susan, my dad's sister, but she's not home most of the time."

"Yeah 'cause she's always going to extended therapy for being a fuckin psychopath," Eric scoffed from behind me.

"She has schizophrenia," I said turning to him. No point in trying to lie about this one. "Is he always like this?" I asked the parka kid. He nodded rolling his eyes.

We came to the school and he held onto me tight. Butters slid out of his seat but the boy with the orange coat wouldn't let me go. He grabbed under my knee and lifted me up. I threw my arms around his neck and laughed. "Let me go!" I playfully teased.

"HmmMmm, Nope," his muffled voice replied.

I held on for dear life laughing, scared and amused as he carried me off the bus. I know people were staring, but I felt the whole thing charming. He let me go once we stepped off the white and blue public transportation vehicle.

"Thanks," I said crossing my arms. I stared into his eyes again. Though they weren't as dark or large as Leopold's, they were mesmerizing. I wish I could see his face. I knew he had to be smiling. He just had to be. I was. For once in a long time I felt accepted. I was able to ignore the cold. Inside, a warm light formed within me. There were butterflies in my stomach! All thanks to… to…

Oh my god I don't even know his name!