Chapter Two – Male or Female

Pip sat hunched over on his bed, his head resting in his hands. He couldn't believe what was happening, that in an hour he was meeting his challenge. Pip breathed in deeply then sighed; he couldn't believe that he agreed to go out on a blind date with a complete stranger.

Pip, the quiet Englishboy who everyone hated. Pip who was the but of all their jokes since elementary school. Pip who had never fitted in with the rest of the boys. It was he who was taking on such a ridiculous challenge, to go on a blind date with someone he'd never even seen before.

He stood up slowly and walked over to his cupboard. He opened the door to reveal a nearly empty clothes rack and a small mirror. He looked into the mirror, at his reflection. He didn't look like himself, he looked… American.

Pip frowned at his reflection; he had never liked these clothes. He only wanted to be himself, but the clothes told the opposite. The clothes sent out a message that he was American, and Pip only wanted to be British, luckily his accent was still as strong as ever. Contrary to what most of the boy's in Pip's class believed, he didn't want to be American. In actual fact he preferred the fact that he was British.

A flutter went through his stomach and Pip realised that he was doing the opposite of what he had been told to do his whole life. By answering this ad, he was showing the boys in his year that he was going to stand up for himself. But would he be able to make the person he was about to meet fall in love with him? And wouldhe be able to dump them?

'God,' He thought to himself, running a hand through his feathery blonde hair. 'What have I gotten myself into?'

-

It was cold, but then it was always cold in South Park. Except for the single week where the snow melted to reveal the greenest grass ever seen. That was Pip's favourite week of the year; it was one of the few examples that beauty can be found anywhere. But of course that week was far off, and Pip was standing alone by the bench beside Stark's Pond.

The gently falling snow gave Pip no comfort as he clung to himself, trying to keep what little warmth he had. He was failing miserably, but that didn't bother him. No, what Pip was worried about was the dark figure in the distance that was slowly coming towards him.

"Hello?" He called out into the darkness. 'You stupid idiot Philip,' he scorned himself, rocking slightly from side to side. 'They could be a rapist.'

"Ay Frenchy!" A familiar voice cried back. "What are ya doin' out here bye yourself?"

"Hello Eric," He muttered, sitting down on the bench behind him. "I'm waiting for someone."

"Oh yeah," Cartman said, sitting down beside Pip. "That guy you're supposed to be going out on a date with."

Pip looked away, not wanting to talk to the larger older boy. But Cartman obviously didn't like that, he slid closer to Pip. He wrapped a large, podgy arm around Pip's slim waist.

"You know Pip," Cartman slurred into the smaller boy's ear. "There are other ways to become popular." He slid his arm towards Pip's lap. "As long as you know how to keep the right people happy-"

"What?" Pip squeaked, struggling against the grip.

"You know you want it Pip," Cartman snarled, softly kissing Pip's mouth. "You know you want me."

"Get off!" Pip shouted, hitting at the larger boy. "I don't want this!"

"That's a shit of a lie Pip," Cartman laughed, throwing Pip's hat on the ground. "Take it like the little whore you are."

Pip let out a shrill scream as Cartman grabbed his hair, holding his head in place. As Cartman left a trail of saliva on Pip's neck he shuddered. The wet kisses down Pip's neck, made him feel dirty.

"I believe he asked you to get off," A cool voice interrupted, causing Cartman to throw Pip on the ground.

"Who asked you?" Cartman said, forgetting about the fragile boy he had tossed aside.

"I believe he did," the stranger said, his eyes glowing. "Rectus Dominus," The strange boy began as the wind began to hum gently. "Exuro pinguis puer! Exuro him insquequo is fastidiosus amo sus sit!"

Suddenly, Cartman began to scream. He looked like he was melting, like his fat was melting off of him. Then Pip heard a loud crack and Cartman caught alight. Cartman's screams became worse, drawing a crowd out.

"Come on kid," the stranger hissed, pulling Pip to his feet. "You don't want to get caught here."

Pip looked into the stranger's eyes; they seemed to draw him in. Pip didn't know who the stranger was, but he did know that he didn't want to annoy him. But he had his date, and he couldn't lose that bet, not after what had just happened.

"Please sir," he said politely, brushing the snow off his clothes. "I'm supposed to be meeting someone here and-"

"That'd be me," The stranger said, jerking a thumb behind him. "Now come on, I'm not going to hurt you."

Pip raised an eyebrow at the stranger, but decided to follow him. Even if the stranger wasn't his date, he'd rather not have to hang around Stark's Pond. Especially since the police were currently trying to put out Cartman's flame encased body.

-

"Who are you?" Pip asked the strange man in front of him.

"I am the Son of the Prince of Darkness," the stranger laughed, baring eerily white teeth. "I'm actually surprised you don't remember me."

"Hello there, Damien! My name is Phillip," Pip said, introducing himself to the strange new boy that people seemed to hate. "But all the kids call me Pip, because they hate me."

"Then I shall call you Pip," Damien replied, his eyes glowing.

"Oh…" Pip trailed off, staring into the other boy's eyes. "Right-o, then."

The memory flashed through Pip's mind making him gasp. His blue eyes widened, meeting the deep brown eyes that belonged to the familiarboy in front of him. A familiar smile graced the lips of Damien, the heir to the underworld.

"You Bastard!" Pip cried knocking the dark headed boy to the ground. "You backstabbing son of a-"

"Whoa," Damien said, raising a hand and stopping Pip in thin air. "What's up with you?"

"Oh nothing," Pip replied sarcastically, struggling against the invisible hold Damien had on him. "Except for the fact that you conjured up a whirlwind of fire, which happened to contain daemons which raped me over and over again." Pip shouted, all of his anger aimed at the boy in front of him. "And you only did it to please the boys who tortured you. But what hurts me the most is the fact you were supposed to be my friend, and you betrayed me."

"Look Pip," Damien began, reaching out to touch the smaller boy. "I was nine ye-"

"Look Pip," Pip repeated, knocking back the hand. "I am sick of people like you. People who think they can torture me and think that I'll forgive them."

"What do you expect,' Damien retorted, glaring at the blonde boy. "You were always so… positive. And for a boy who had never had a positive moment in his life, he couldn't understand. I couldn't understand."

"What couldn't you understand?" Pip snapped back, feeling all the anger in him leave. "That I was a lonely boy that needed a friend?"

"No," Damien replied, his voice softening. "That someone who had been hurt so much could stay as… nice as you."

"Nice?" Pip questioned, letting a small, harshlaugh escape.

"For lack of a better word," Damien said, shrugging. "It still amazes me."

"What?"

"That someone who has been hurt, first by your parent's dying, then Estella-"

"You know about that?" Pip interrupted, his face going white.

"I did some research when I found out that Dad had organised a date between us," Damien said, grinning. "Estella was a mean little girl who used you, and your friend Pocket, who died." He paused, only to check that Pip was okay. "Then you moved over here and you weren't treated right. And when I came along, I only made things worse for you."

Damien walked over to Pip, and rested a hand on the smaller boy's shoulder. As his eyes met the smaller boy's deep aquamarine ones, he felt a jolt run through him. He licked his lips and smiled, knowing that everything was okay between them.

"You're an amazingly optimistic person Pip," Damien began, running a hand through his black hair. "I'm actually glad you exploded around me."

"What?'" Pip asked, surprised. "What do you mean?"

"At least I have to power to hold you back if I need to," Damien smirked, holding out a hand. "Now onto more important matters, we have a date."

"Damien," Pip said, taking his old friends hand.

"Hmmn."

"You really are a bastard."