Authors Note: So this is chapter 2! I'll probably post the last one Friday or Saturday, so see you then!

Disclaimer: I do not own South Park

Chapter 2: Fights, Dates and Other Things

Kyle had never been able to forget that night, no matter how much time had passed. He had never brought it up again and Stan had never asked. The next day, when Kyle's eyes had been red from crying, Stan had freaked out, thinking Cartman had done something again. Kenny had managed to calm him down, but it only hurt Kyle more. And now, after three years, they would be graduating in just a few months and Kyle still had never told Stan his feelings. Christmas break had arrived, and with it, the one college letter Kyle had been wanting.

Stan had somehow managed to get a full scholarship to LSU for football. It had one of the best football programs in the country, and Stan had been ecstatic when he had gotten the notice. Immediately going to Kyle, he had begged his best friend to apply to LSU as well. Sighing, Kyle had explained that he had already applied there, but that it all depended on what he could get in an academic scholarship.

Now the letter was finally there, and as he opened it, his heart began to race with anticipation.

Dear Mr. Broflovski,

Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you that, based on your many academic accomplishments, you have been accepted into Louisiana State University! We are proud to welcome you as a part of the Tigers family!

Scanning the acceptance letter and the rest of the documents, he found the part he wanted and a big smile crossed his face. The first thing he did was rush to Stan's house, throwing the door open and rushing to Stan's room. He yanked the door open - only to see the startled faces of Stan and Wendy, frozen mid kiss, staring back at him. His face quickly heated up to what he knew was a burning red, and shut the door, yelping a quick "Sorry!" to the two. He was halfway out the door when he felt a hand grab his wrist and he looked back to see Stan, out of breath, holding him. Wendy appeared behind him, clearly not happy. She glared at Kyle, who looked back helplessly.

"What is it?" Stan asked after he had caught his breath.

"I-it can wait. Really. Sorry for interrupting you two." He glanced at Wendy and flinched as her glare hardened. Stan looked back at Wendy, then back at Kyle, before sighing.

"Sorry," he said, and Kyle waited from him to tell him to leave. However, what Stan said was "Wendy can we hang out another time?" The girl's big gray eyes widen in surprise before narrowing again. She walks briskly past the two boys, not hesitating to run into Kyle.

"Sorry," she says, her voice dripping with venom. "It was an accident." Almost 100% positive it was definitely not an accident, Kyle glances at her as Stan pulls him back inside the house. He can't help but feel bad for her. It's obvious she likes Stan, at least a little bit. More than Stan likes her anyways.

"I really could come back later." Kyle says. "I feel bad for her."

"There's no need to. She's sleeping with Cartman anyway."

"I know but- wait what?!" Stan gives him a funny look.

"Well yeah. Remember that party a few years ago?" Kyle stiffens at the memor. Nodding his head shakily, Stan continues. "She took Cartman back to his house and then they, well… She called and told me about it the next day, while I was with Dad. She was crying and swearing it was just the alcohol and she doesn't actually feel anything for him and it was a mistake, but still. I was her boyfriend. And she cheated on me. With Cartman."

"Is that why you two didn't talk for a few months?"

"Yeah. We wound up making up though. But I still haven't forgiven her for that. She's probably still doing it too. Cartman hasn't said anything, but it's pretty clear by his attitude. He never could keep a secret well." Those particular words feel like a knife to Kyle, stabbing him deeper and deeper. Wendy didn't deserve Stan. And neither did he. Stan's hand shakes him out of his stupor and he blinks to find his friend staring at him curiously. "Dude, you okay?'

"Y-yeah. Sorry. Anyway," Kyle says, digging the letter out of his pocket. "I got in!" He watches as the wheels turn in Stan's head and a huge grin breaks out across the boy's face.

"No way! Really?! That's awesome!"

"I even got a partial scholarship! They'll pay for my books and living fees!"

"This is great, man! Best news I've heard in weeks! We're going to college together too now!" Kyle flinches when Stan says that, and for the first time, he wonders. How much longer can he keep hiding his emotions? They've already almost spilled over a few times, and he has no idea what Stan would do if he ever found out. Maybe going to school together wasn't the best idea after all.

"I'm not sure," he says, and Stan turns to look at him. "I-I mean what if I get a full scholarship somewhere else? That would be easier on my parents too. They've gotta send Ike too in a few years."

"Dude, your brother's a genius, I'm sure he'll get a full-ride. Why do you not want to go to college with me? I thought you'd be happy. I thought you'd want that."

"It's not that, I do, I just-"

"Just what, Kyle?!"

"I just don't know, okay! My dad's firm hasn't been doing great, and it's $25,000 just to get in! I'm not sure they'll pay that much! I'm not sure if I'll let them!"

"You're lying!" Stan's voice raises, anger exploding across his face. "You've never been worried about that before! What aren't you telling me?!"

"It's nothing!" Kyle yelled back, turning to leave. Before he could get through the door, Stan reaches past him and shuts it, grabbing Kyle's wrists in the process and pinning them to the wall. Flinching at the tight grip, Kyle whimpers "That hurts."

"It's not nothing! We're best friends! You can tell me anything, you know that! For a long time now, you've been acting weird! What's with you! You used to tell me everything and now you seem more and more restrained when you're with me!" Twisting in his grip, Kyle tries to leave, get away from Stan, go anywhere but where he is right now. Stan's words are withering to him, and he desperately wishes he'd stop talking, but he doesn't. "What happened, Kyle?! Why do you not want to go to college with me?! Why have you stopped confiding in me?! What aren't you telling me?! Kyle, you-"

"I said it hurts!" Kyle interrupts him, and for the first time, Stan looks at him. Tears have appeared on the corners of his eyes, and his face is a mask of anger and pain. Quickly letting go, Stan steps back, seeing the red marks he left on his friend's wrists.

"Shit. Kyle, I-"

"It's fine." The redhead says hurriedly, pulling the door open. "I need to go."

"Kyle wait-" he stops when his hand is slapped away.

"Stop it, Stan. I-I need to be alone." And with that, Kyle slips out the door and into the snowy landscape before him. And for a moment, Kyle is sure Stan will chase after him.

He doesn't.

…

Stan stifles the desire to sigh for the hundredth time as Wency continued to ramble on about some college she was interested in going to.

"Can you believe it?!" She cried, anger in her voice. "They rejected my request for a full scholarship! Me! They'll only give me a partial one! It's like they didn't even see my ACT scores! A 33! Do you have any idea how hard it is to even get a 30, let alone a 33?! It's completely unfair!"

Ah, yes. The ACTs. Those tests had been the bane of Stan Marsh's existence for the entire month leading up to them. He had discovered LSU required him to get at least a 26 on them for him to be eligible for the full scholarship, so for the next four weeks, he had had Kyle tutor him in everything. When they had finally gotten their scores back, Stan had insisted he and Kyle open them together.

"I'm sure you did fine." Kyle said, as Stan slowly ripped open the envelope. Studying the sheet, he had fist pumped the air multiple times before turning to Kyle.

"27! I got a 27! I did it!"

"Awesome!" Kyle had replied, highfiving him while Stan danced around his kitchen praising the sweet lord for helping him with this. Finally, he had turned to Kyle and asked how he had done on them.

"Oh, yeah." Kyle had said. "I think it's because I tutored you. Either way, I got a 34." Stan had just glared angrily at him, before pulling him into a headlock, complaining that Kyle got all the good brains in South Park and that it wasn't fair.

Back at City Wok, Stan snickered at the memory. Kyle had been a great tutor ever since elementary school, and Stan knew he probably wouldn't have done well enough if his friend hadn't agreed to help him. His laughter catches Wendy's attention and she stops mid-rant to look at him.

"What's so funny, Stan." She asks. "My failures?"

"N-No, of course not," Stan replied quickly. "Nothing like that. Just remembering something, that's all."

"You weren't even listening to me, were you?" Her brown eyes narrowed skeptically.

"Of course I was, it's just…"

"Just what, Stan?" He sighed, taking a deep breath as he prepared for what he was planning on doing.

"I just don't think this is working anymore."

"...What?"

"This. You and me. It was great for a long time, but ever since high school started, we've been fighting more and more, you're angry more often than you're happy, and I know I'm not giving you the attention you deserve."

"...Are you breaking up with me? Is that what this is?"

"Look, Wendy, I can't keep doing this. I can't keep getting back together with you over and over again. I don't want to. And there's no point in hiding it from me, I know you about you and Cartman already." Her face turns red with shock.

"...What? How do you…"

"It's not that big a secret. I can tell by how Cartman acts around me. You two are actually, dare I say it, good for each other. You balance each other's personalities really well. You should be with him, not me."

"But I like you, Stan! Not Cartman! I swear, there's nothing between us! We just hang out sometimes, that's all! I'm being serious, Stan! I don't want to break up!"

"Well I do. I'm sorry, Wendy, it's not you. It's me."

"Did you seriously just say that. Did you really do that." She hisses, eyes crinkling with angry tears. Stan just looks away, trying not to worsen the situation.

"You know what, Stan Marsh!" She yells at him, standing from the table. "It is you! I've always made time for you! I've always made up with you! I'm always the one taking the first step in this relationship! But no matter what I do, you won't look at me! You only have eyes for one person, and as much as I hate it, it's not me!" Grabbing her glass of water from the table, she dumps it on top of his head, before finishing.

"Why don't you learn what you really want, before you hurt more people like this!" And with that, she storms out of the restaurant, leaving a shocked Stan to wipe the water from his eyes. The other guests around him are whispering amongst themselves, as Mr. Kim walks over to Stan, and irritated expression on his face.

"I assume you won't be getting anything now, right sir?" He says. It's more of a statement than a question. "If so, please get out of my restaurant before you-" He's interrupted as someone places a hand on Stan's shoulder defensively.

"He's with us," Kenny says, gesturing to the table he and Butters occupied. "And he will be ordering something. That cool, man?" Mr. Kim looks at him for a few moments before throwing his hands up and walking away. Kenny turns back to Stan, a smile on his face.

"Damn, she got you good, bro." He says snickering. "That was hysterical to watch."

"Kenny, uh, don't say stuff like that." Butters says, having gotten up as well. "It's rude. C'mon Stan, you can come sit with us."

"Thank guys, but I don't want to interrupt you guys or anything."

"Nonsense!" Butters replies happily. "The more the merrier, right Ken?"

"Right. Come on, dude. You can sit with us and cry over your latest little heartbreak with Wendy. I, for one, am incredibly curious about what exactly happened."

Stan stares at their encouraging faces for a few moments before smiling and following them over to their table, wondering what he did to get such good friends.

...

A few days later, and Kyle and Stan still haven't talked, and Kenny was getting sick of it. Sure, he knew Stan had tried. But after Kyle dismissed him the first few times, it seemed he finally gave up. Kenny was only just now able to get the redhead to leave his bedroom, and now the two were back at Starks Pond, on the same bench they sat at three years ago.

"Y'know," Kenny says, moving back to stare up at the gray sky. "Stan's a complete mess without you. He can't do anything right. Can't deal with Wendy, can't argue with Cartman, can't be any fun. He even broke up with Wendy." This gets Kyle's attention. Seeing this, Kenny snickers before continuing. "It's true! I was at the same restaurant those two were at with Butters the other day-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You were with Butters? Butters?"

"Is that a problem?"

"No, I just… Butters?"

"Well while you and Stan were PMSing on and off these past few years, I needed someone to talk to. Butters is the type of guys who likes that. I started hanging out with him some, and one thing turned to another, and, long story short, I'm pretty sure we're dating now."

"...How much have I missed getting hung up on Stan?"

"A helluva lot, man. Craig and Tweek are together, though that ain't surprising. Anyone with half a brain coulda seen that. Token's back to dating Nichole. I'm pretty sure Red and Heidi got some lesbian thing going on. Oh, and Clyde and Bebe have a thing now. Have had a thing. They're more dysfunctional than Stan and Wendy. Speaking of those two, they were at City Wok for a date. Stan said something about how it just wasn't working anymore. That he couldn't keep getting back together with her, especially after what she did with Cartman. Then she said got really angry at him and yelled something about him just loving someone else and not her. Then she threw her drink at him and stormed out."

"...wow. Wait, she thinks he's in love with someone else?"

"That's what she said. And frankly, I agree with her."

"You do?! Well who is it?!" Kyle practically yells, grabbing Kenny's collar, who holds his hands up defensively.

"That ain't for me to say, dude."

"Of course it isn't." Kyle sighs, letting go, his hands falling to his sides defeatedly. "Is it bad I wish it was me?"

"Nope. Not bad at all." Kenny replies.

"I really really wish it was. I really wish he'd just notice it already. It would make things so much easier." Kenny stretches his hand out and pulls Kyle close to him as the redhead begins to shake. "He probably hates me now. I haven't talked to him in days."

"He doesn't hate you." Kenny says softly, consoling his friend. "He doesn't hate you at all."

Meanwhile, as the two talk by the lake, another person had arrived at the lake. As he listens to Kyle's confession of love to Stan, an evil grin crosses his face.

"Oh hell yes, Jew rat. This is great."

...

Kyle sighed as he walked down the dimly lit street, Kenny at his side, snow blowing around them.

"Why did I let you talk me into this? I don't want to go to a Christmas party. Not if Stan's gonna be there."

"That's exactly why you have to go. It's time you two made up. I don't want to keep comforting your depressed asses so you're going to the goddamn party, Kyle. You just gotta talk to him, that's all. He always forgives you anyway." Kyle doesn't respond, instead quickening his pace. He just wants to get there and get this over with so he can go back home.

Arriving at Craig's house, the two boys walk up the front steps and open the door - only to have everyone in the house, the entire senior class, turn and stare at them. No, at Kyle. What's going on? Kyle thinks, confused. Do I look weird or something? However, all questions are answered when Cartman appears, a huge smile on his face.

"There he is!" The boy crowed. "Mr. Fag himself!"

"...what?" Is all Kyle can say, completely confused.

"You here to have makeup sex with Stan, here?!" Cartman yells, laughing heartily, pulling Stan over to him. Stan, who's staring at Kyle as if he'd grown two-heads. "Oh wait, I forgot! You're the only one who's in love, right Mr. Faggy Jewboy?!"

And suddenly it all makes sense. There was only one way Cartman could have known about this "You didn't…" Kyle whispered, half asking, but already knowing the truth.

"Y'know, you really should be more careful about who you're telling that shit too and where! Not that I'm complaining, this is great!"

"Shut up, Cartman." Stan mutters, shoving him off of him, but Cartman doesn't, only laughing harder.

"Oh, this is rich! All these years I teased you about this and it's actually true! You seriously have a man-crush on Marsh! What kind of loser are you?! God, you're a total gaywad! I don't think I've ever been happier in my life!"

A few other kids at this point have started trying to drag Cartman away, others staring at Kyle in disgust, while some are pitying. But none of that matters. As Kenny leaps on Cartman, fists clenched tight, anger seething from every pore of his body, Kyle just stands there, in shock. He can feel himself start to shake, tears forming in his eyes. He doesn't care that everyone knows, or that Cartman just humiliated him. No. When the only thing, the only person he cares about takes a step towards him, Kyle turns and runs.

Ignoring Stan's cry after him, he tears from the house and into the street. His feet are slipping on the ice now, the snow pelting his face as he runs as fast as he can. Tears blur his vision, and suddenly they're streaming from his eyes, in torrents he didn't ever think he could have.

"Kyle!"

Looking behind him, he sees Stan chasing after him, his hand over his eyes so he can see through the snow. Kyle only runs faster. Why? Why is he following me? I don't want to hear what he has to say. I don't care anymore. Everything's ruined. Everything.