Author's Note: Hey friends! Sorry for the delay in updating. This story is very personal to me and based off of something that has occurred in my life, and it takes a lot out of me, but I also have been waiting for inspiration to hit to start writing more. Hopefully I don't take a long break like that again, but my apologies if I do.
The way that the post works is that people submit replies, and you can post those replies publicly with your own addition, but nobody knows who submitted the reply. So while you are feeling over the moon about Kyle's reply, it begs the question of what to post along with it, if you should post anything at all. Would the offer of drinks make anybody think that there's more to it than there should be? People take other people out for drinks all the time with no hidden meaning. And so you sit on the edge of your bathtub, still dripping wet, and think about what would work best, without sounding too eager.
You add the post to your story with the words "I'm down. Seriously." Is that enough to make sure that Kyle knows that this means something to you more than drinks? Is it lacking just enough that nobody else can assume that you're moving on too quickly? But is it really moving on if you've spent months wondering how it feels to kiss Kyle, when Wendy was the one that was already on your lips? Nothing matters now but the promise of a night out with the one that you think you could love.
You finish getting ready, and try to avoid your phone as much as possible. Every minute that passes could mean another message from Kyle, and you do not want to seem to eager if you reply as soon as he sends something. However, when you get to school, there is still nothing waiting for you.
That is, until you go inside, and he's there beside your locker.
You can see him the second that you enter the doors. You know how many other people are standing around, and all of the know about the pain that you should be feeling. You know that they're all wondering what went down between you and Wendy. Did you cheat on her? Did she cheat on you? Was she a psycho bitch? Did you take advantage of her? You want to yell to the world that it's over, and it doesn't matter why. You want to say that it doesn't matter how little she loved you, because you loved someone else enough to make up for it. But, of course, you can't. So you look into Kyle's eyes as you walk down the hall, your heart beating louder with each footstep that you get closer.
"Hey, Stan." Kyle speaks so softly, his voice dripping with compassion for your "heart-break". He wraps his arms around you in a brief hug. Nobody would expect a thing. Afterall, you are best friends, and a best friend hugging another boy after a break-up is at least semi normal. Even Cartman wouldn't accuse you of being a faggot.
When your head is curled up to his neck you realize how hard it's going to be to pull away from the hug. How badly you just want to stay there and cry your eyes out. Not out of sadness, but out of desire, and how many emotions the little redhead makes you feel. But it has to end – you know it does, and so you break it off first before he can, because the idea of him pushing you away hurts more than anything Wendy could ever have made you feel.
When you are standing apart again, starting into his eyes, you have so much that you want to say. You know that you have to keep it from pouring out. You know that neither of you are ready. So instead, you ask,
"When are you taking me out for that drink?"