Chapter Two

Kyle ignored the text.

And the next five that were of the same vein. He finally texted back: Don't Care. And Cartman left him alone; for now that is.

Kyle noticed a change in Kenny on Monday. His normally upbeat friend was withdrawn and pale, seemingly sleepwalking through his classes. After lunch, he asked him, "Dude, are you okay?"

Kenny mustered up a fake smile. "Sure, Kyle. Everything's fine."

Kyle winced at the way Kenny's voice cracked as he spoke. He stabbed at a green bean and said, "If this is about the secret Cartman keeps trying to tell me, don't worry about it. I won't believe it unless you tell me."

A little color returned to Kenny's cheeks at Kyle's pronouncement. "Cartman's trying to tell my secrets? He doesn't know shit." He spotted Cartman and glared at him as he gave Kenny a little wave. He turned back to Kyle and said, "Whatever that fat fuck thinks he knows is complete bullshit."

Kyle chewed his food as he nodded. "I know what you mean. Last year he had some of the freshman convinced Stan and I were gay lovers with Wendy as Stan's beard."

Kenny chuckled and shook his head. "I didn't know that was his work. I thought one of the girls had gotten jealous of their relationship and was spreading rumors to break them up."

"That's probably why it was repeated as often as it was." Kyle watched the far-away look enter Kenny's eyes again. "You know you can talk to me about anything that's bothering you, right?"

Kenny nodded, not bothering to fake a smile. "I know; I'm just not in the mood to talk about it."

"What're you being so serious for?"

Kyle looked up at Cartman, eager to wipe the grin off the other boy's face. "I was just telling Kenny about this awful blow job I got last week. Bitch was supposed to be good at it too."

Cartman caught the twinkle in Kenny's eye, but asked his question anyway. "So who is the bitch?" He shiftily looked around to make sure no one could hear him. "Don't want to get a bad blow job."

Building suspense, Kyle finished his lunch and gathered his tray. He rose and looked back at Cartman over his shoulder. "Your mom."

Both Kenny's laughter and Cartman's roar of fury could be heard throughout the cafeteria.

Kenny ditched school on Tuesday.

He showed up on Wednesday sporting a black eye. He waved it of saying he had gotten into a fight with Kevin and hadn't ducked in time. He didn't look Kyle in the eye as he told him the story, choosing to fiddle with the zipper of his hoodie instead.

Kyle didn't push. But Cartman did.

"That's bullshit," Cartman said as he pointed a fat finger at Kenny's eye. "Kevin hasn't been able to plant on on you since you hit puberty. If you said your dad did that, I might believe it since he can be pretty fucking fast when he wants to be."

Kenny took a bite of his sandwich and glared at Cartman. "Mind your own business, fat ass."

Cartman smiled with a glint in his eye, knowing he was starting to push buttons. "Oh, Kenny. Now's not the time to be bashful. I'm sure Kahl would just love to know what's going on."

Kyle raised an eyebrow. "Leave me out of this."

Cartman turned to Kyle, his voice turning sickeningly sweet. "Don't you think you have the right to know. I'm pretty sure it involves you." He turned back to Kenny, his smile turning feral. "Right, Kenny?"

"Fuck you." Kenny stood and walked out of the cafeteria, slamming the door behind him.

Kyle whirled around at Cartman. "What the fuck was that about?"

"Someone needed to help him get the sand out of his vagina." Cartman used his hands to make a shooing motion. "Now be a good little Jew and figure out what put the sand there."

Kyle flipped him off, but he went in search of his friend anyway. Frustrated when he couldn't find him before the bell rang, Kyle swore and kicked his locker.

He spent the rest of the school day worrying about Kenny. When the final bell rang, he bolted out of the classroom and resumed his search. Kyle could barely contain the sigh of relief that left him when he found him sitting in the bleachers, his knees drawn to his chest and gazing in the distance as if he was in deep thought. Kyle texted his mom to let her know where he was so she wouldn't worry, then climbed the bleachers and sat next to Kenny, settling in for a wait.

After sitting in silence for ten minutes, Kenny finally spoke up. "I'm not suicidal."

The breeze ruffled Kyle's hair, the late spring air filling him with a feeling of hope, making him think Kenny was ready to talk. "You never struck me as the type of person to contemplate it."

A watery chuckle escaped from Kenny's lips, surprising them both. "Good to know someone has faith in me." He dropped his forehead to his knees and mumbled, "My mom has breast cancer. Found out on Sunday."

In order to fight the urge to give Kenny a hug, Kyle sat on his hands and looked straight ahead. "That sucks."

"Yeah." Kenny turned his head to look at Kyle. "Cartman was right about the black eye, though. Kevin didn't give it to me." He sighed as he tried to hold back tears. "I stayed home with Karen on Tuesday then went looking for a fight."

Thinking back to his mother's own fight with breast cancer, Kyle chocked back tears of his own. "I know how you feel, but fighting doesn't help."

"I know, but it made me feel better for a little while." He stared off in to space, lost in his thoughts. "Did you ever feel like it was your fault?"

He thought for a minute and tried to remember how he had felt those first few weeks after hearing about his mother's diagnosis. Then about how he felt while she went through chemotherapy and Kyle nodded. "Yeah, I did."

"You understand then." Kenny looked over the football field and watched the light play over the grass.

They sat in silence a little while longer, both caught off guard when Kyle's cell phone dinged. "Sorry," Kyle said as he read the message from his mom. He smiled at the message inviting Kenny to dinner. "The way to get through it is one day at a time." He put his hand on Kenny's shoulder. "I'll be with you the whole way."

Kenny turned and looked at Kyle. "Thanks." He let his gaze wander before he asked, "What do I do now?"

"You come to my house for dinner."

Kenny frowned. "Kyle, I can't. It's such short notice..."

Kyle smiled back in an effort to lift Kenny's spirits. "my mom gave the invite. The rest of your family's coming too."

Sighing in defeat, Kenny rose from his seat and started climbing down the bleachers. When he reached the bottom, he looked at Kyle. "One day at a time?"

Kyle slung his arm around Kenny's shoulders and walked him toward his car. "One day at a time."

Ike and Karen were sitting on the floor while Kyle, Kenny, and Kevin sat on the sofa, watching a movie while Sheila and Karol were in the kitchen making dinner.

During the past two weeks this had become the routine for the Broflovski household. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Sheila would take Karol to chemo then to their support group. Then they would return to the Broflovski house and make dinner.

Stuart refused to come after the first get together, claiming they "didn't need no charity." And Kevin was busy with work and community college that tonight was only the second time he had been able to join. And since Karen and Ike were in the same grade, they would do homework together, leaving Kenny and Kyle with a lot of ime to talk.

But now the five of them were watching the latest Terrence and Phillip movie, glad to put worries behind them for a moment. Kyle took his eyes off the the screen and looked down at Karen and Ike, watching as Ike tried to scoot closer to Karen without anyone noticing. Kyle nudged Kenny and motioned towards the two on the floor.

Kenny snickered and turned his attention back to the movie, scooting a little closer to Kyle when Kevin stretched. He kept sneaking glances at Ike, silently cheering him on as he scooted ever so closer. When his fingers were millimeters away from Karen's, Kenny asked, "What're your guys plans for the weekend?"

Kyle watched as Ike stiffened when Karen's hand covered his own. "I was thinking we could play some basketball or something. Maybe get Stan and Cartman to join if we can pull them away from the girls long enough."

"Sounds like a plan." Kenny felt a little like his old self as he said, "So, what are you two lovebirds planning?" He laughed at the glare Ike shot at him.

Karen clasped Ike's hand a little tighter and said, "Don't think that's any of your business." She stuck her tongue out at him, then a mischievous grin similar to Kenny's crossed her face. "I don't ask you what you do with your boyfriend, so you can't ask me about mine."

Kenny felt himself blush—he never blushed—to keep from drawing too much attention to it, he bounced off the couch and landed on Ike. He clutched the teen to his chest and said, "My darling! She figured us out!"

Karol and Sheila watched from the doorway, smiling at the sight of the impromptu wrestling match. They turned back to finish dinner, with Karol saying, "It's god to see Kenny start to perk up again. He's been taking it hard."

Sheila gave the other woman a hug, glad that she could give some small comfort to the McCormicks. "Kyle's been a real help. I think he helped Kenny talk about it."

Karol looked back into the living room ad watched Kyle dive into the pile of bodies as her eldest laughed from his spot on the couch. And caught the half-wistful look thrown in the redhead's direction by her middle child. "I hope he'll continue to be there for him."

Sheila caught the same look Karol did, but also saw tan answering fire in her oldest's gaze. "I think you don't have anything to worry about."

Kyle ran after the ball, getting it and dribbling it to half-court. "Go ahead, dude."

Kenny blew some of his hair out of his face. "Promise me you won't laugh."

Kyle weaved around him and shot from the free throw line, sinking the basket. "I'm not Cartman."

"True." Kenny sat down in the grass by the fence. "I need to take a breather."

Kyle walked over to the grass and sat down beside Kenny. He looked up at the sky and watched the clouds go by. "What's the big idea?"

"I was thinking about growing my hair out so I could donate it to the group that makes wigs for cancer patients." Kenny studied the grass on the side of him that was the furthest from Kyle and plucked out a three leaf clover. He mumbled to the clover, "You don't think that's a stupid idea, do you?"

Kyle smiled and tapped the blond's knee. I think it's a good idea." He fluffed his hair with one of his hands, a little surprised by how long it had grown in the short time since he'd cut his hair last. "Any particular reason you thought about it?"

Still unable to meet Kyle's eyes, Kenny said, "My mom's hair started to fall out."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Kyle became swarmed with the memories of his mother's battle and remembered the feelings of helplessness over her condition. His hands went to his hair again. "I think I'll join you with that."

"Yeah?" Kenny turned and looked at Kyle's hair. He wound one of the bright red curls around his finger and admired the soft texture. He grinned and said, "You could make a killing in the wig business. How long ago did you cut it?"

"A few weeks ago," Kyle said as he watched Kenny play with the curl. He was struck by how fascinated the other boy seemed to be with his hair. He blurted out, "Do you think your mom would like my hair?"

Kenny pulled away as he spotted Stan and Cartman coming toward them. He stood up and looked down at Kyle. "I think she would love your hair." He turned and waved at the other two as Kyle rose. "I was starting to think I might have to give up on you two pussies ever showing up."

Stan rocked back on his heels as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "I woulda been by sooner, but I got roped into helping my mom clean the basement."

Cartman grinned. "Well, I was occupied in a much more pleasant manner."

Kyle snorted and spun the basketball on his index finger in a practiced move. "I'm sure you were busy eating something to rapturous to pull away from"

The heavier boy smirked. "Of course I was." He brought his hand up to his mouth, his index and middle fingers in the shape of a V, and licked at the empty space between.

Kenny rolled his eyes and stole the basketball away from Kyle. He dribbled the ball as he said, "And the real reason you two are dating."

"What the fucks that supposed to mean?!"

Kenny smirked at the confused look on Cartman's face. "You'd eat anything put in front of you, fat ass."

Cartman turned red with anger. "Take that back!" He chased after Kenny, calling out, "Take it back, you fucker!"

Kyle and Stan stood on the sidelines as Cartman screamed at and chased after Kenny, the other boy's laughter echoing over the basketball court. Feeling strangely perceptive, Stan said, "He's harassing Cartman so the fat ass is too busy to ask questions."

Kyle nodded. "I'm glad he's talking to me though."

Stan stayed quiet, deciding not to comment on the way Kyle lit up at the sound of Kenny's laughter.