Title: Third Time is the Charm
Author: Miarae
Summary: It's his last year of high school and Stan thinks an exchange trip would be fun. How do you randomly encounter someone that used to be your best friend? Style.
Disclaimer: I own nothing
A/N: My very first SP fic. I'm really excited about writing this. And all the reviews and story alerts made me so happy! Thank you all.
Stan had the same schedule every week. On Monday he had football practise after school. Tuesdays were spent with Kenny, hanging out at Starks Pond or somewhere else. They went to the movies sometimes, or bought liquor and sat outside watching the stars. Wednesday was a Family Night. No matter how much he pretended to detest it, it was actually fun to spend time with his parents now that Shelley had moved out. Thursday he spent catching up on his homework and Friday til Sunday was spent hanging out at Cartman's place or going into town. It was very predictable but he liked it that way. Stan loved spending time with his friends, especially since having Wendy as his girlfriend had meant lots of 'quality time' at her house, and not in the good way.
It was Friday today, and so he was on his way to Cartman's house, whistling absently. His mind was on the guy that would get to spend two weeks with him. He wondered if Kenny would like him. Kenneth 'Kenny' McCormick was his best friend, had been ever since Kyle had moved to San Francisco. The poor boy had been there for him through some tough times, like when his father had become an alcoholic yet again. Nobody understood what it was like to have to see your father losing the battle against booze. Nobody but Kenny.
So they'd grown closer, much to chagrin of Eric Cartman, but the three still spent a big part of their week together. Cartman had the games and the room to house all of them, Kenny had the booze and Stan...He'd like to think that bringing his company was enough, though he was aware of the fact that he actually didn't contribute much to their weekends. Making a mental note to bring it up sometime tonight, he rang the doorbell.
Hey,
Dude, I need a name. I keep having to refer to you as 'that one guy', or 'the guy who's going to stay at my house'. Honestly, your name -can't- be much longer than that, so help me out here?
So you asked about my life...prepare to be bored. I have a pretty strict schedule, though it sounds like you do too with your two jobs. It's hard, juggling everything, isn't it? The town pretty much expects me to get a scholarship based on my football career, but I hardly have time to train as it is. I run a lot though, especially when I can't wake up in the morning. Meaning that I'm late a lot. I hope you're more of a morning person than I am or my friends are going to kill us.
My parents are psyched as well. My sister recently moved out and they like the idea of having two teenagers back in the house. Don't ask me why, all me and her did was fight, but yea. If they start treating you like their surrogate daughter, run fast. Next thing you know you'll be wearing a skirt. Well who knows, you're gay, you might like it. Just kidding of course.
Your mom sounds like a cool person. I think my mom wouldn't mind too much if I were gay but she definitely wouldn't be trying to meddle in my love life. And I agree, it's not a good thing when moms do. I remember this one kid way back in the day (he used to be my best friend until he moved and cut off all ties), his mom was such a bitch. She kept ruining everything for us. Sometimes that was a good thing (dude, we did so much fucked up shit back then. Can you imagine, four eight year olds wreacking havoc onto the town? That was me and my group of friends. We were horrible), at other times she was just too pigheaded to consider anyone else's point of view.
Funny...I haven't actually thought of him in years. I used to check the mailbox every day, took me about two years to finally accept the fact that Kyle wasn't going to write me anymore. Kept his parents number on speeddial for another half year or so, then one day I called it, he picked up and I realised we had nothing in common anymore. I hung up without saying anything and erased the number from our phone. Odd isn't it? How you can be so close to someone and just...lose touch. I remember that he promised me we'd always be super best friends.
So yeah, that was random. Don't mind me, I'm in an odd mood today. Gotta go now, going to play videogames at a friends house.
-Stan
He'd sent out the message, wondering why on earth he was telling a random stranger about Kyle. It hadn't been completely true. He did think about his former best friend occasionally, mostly when he was drunk or upset in the first place. It always ended with him breaking something, whether it be a plate, vase or his hand. Somehow after all this time it still upset him. If he only knew why things had happened. Why Kyle Brovlofski had decided he didn't need Stan Marsh in his life anymore. Maybe if he knew he could move on and forget about his friend the way the other had done to him.
As Kenny opened the door and saw his face they both sighed, knowing that this would be one of those nights again. They'd get drunk enough to let down their walls and discuss the things that really bothered them. Or, preferably, they'd get Cartman so drunk he would pass out and then discuss the things that really mattered.
--
Meanwhile, in a different town, in a different house, Kyle Brovlofski opened the e-mail he'd gotten from the guy he'd be spending the better part of two weeks with soon. Music was playing in the background as he tapped a pencil on the paper over and over again, chewing on his bottom lip as he read the mail. Not even noticing the pressure that increased the further he got into the e-mail, only when the pencil snapped did he realise that his knuckles were white from the iron grip he'd held on it. Cursing loudly in Hebrew he got up from his chair, clenching his fists. Jesus Christ. Stan Marsh, of all people. Of all the goddamn people in the goddamn world his exchange partner had to be Stan Marsh.