I hope you're still enjoying the read. I've had the idea for this chapter and also a chapter bringing Cartman into the story more for a while, I just need to work out how I'm going to word things and tie it in to the story. I also need a few more chapters to even things out, answer some more questions and tie p loose ends so hopefully theres at least another 6 chapters here. I'd love to pull this out to about 20 though so I'll give it my best
Stans PoV
I threw an evil look and a silent curse at my phone for going off at the worst moment possible. In truth, I could have left it for 5 minutes and the world probably wouldn't have ended. I think Kenny is probably more important than my mom wanting me home for dinner or even… well even Wendy sending a random "I love you" text. Right now all I wanted to focus on was Kenny. Kenny and Kyle. I wanted to comfort them both, to make them both ok and happy and, well the way things used to be.
I remember when Kyle first came to me about his sexuality. What he thought I'd do about it is still a mystery after all these years but I'm glad he did. Something like that I feel good knowing that he felt the need to tell me before anyone else. And – naturally – I shat bricks when he came out with it, because as selfish and big headed as it may sound I was expecting him to say he was in love with me. Do you blame me? We'd spent nearly every waking minute with each other since kindergarten! We'd been through so much together, knew so much about each other, it was only logical really. We were already closer than brothers and I think half the school expected things to go that way sooner or later. Needless to say when he told me he had feelings for Kenny I had a sense of relief and jealousy all in one. Why Kenny and not me? What was wrong with me that my best friend would pull away from? Then I came to my senses, realised that the day would never come that I would willingly take any length of meat up my ass and I moved on from that pretty quick.
From then I made it my mission to make sure Kenny and Kyle knew that this was ok, they had my full support and it wasn't going to change anything between any of us. God that one time 5 years ago really fucked my promise over. And the following three weeks of depressed and maniacal Kyle nearly fucked me over. I can see why so many people hated me when I turned 10. If I was anything like that then god I was the biggest dick to walk the planet!
I thought about my phone for a couple of seconds and after looking back down on Kenny I was pleased to see that I actually wasn't really needed. Kyle had Kenny's head buried deep into his chest and was rocking with him to calm him down. I took this as a sign that I could leave the next piece of healing to fate, and I could pick up where I left off tomorrow. With that I unravelled myself from Kenny and walked over to the sofa, grabbing my phone and groaning to myself when I noticed the id name that came with it. I came away from a perfect moment reconciling with a best friend… for Cartman.
Not that I actually mind Cartman much anymore. We've all kind of put aside most of Cartmans childhood mishaps – hey we were 4th Graders; teasing, ripping, pranking – it was all in our nature. OK giving Kyle AIDs may have been a step too far… but by and large, Kyle, Kenny and I have all pretty much moved on from that. We don't hang around him as much but at least interactions are friendly now. And unbeknownst to me, Cartman was once again about to lend a hand.
Fatass: Dude you gotta get to Wendy's now. And I'm not joking, the lights are all off but I just saw someone creep in through an upstairs window.
I re-read the text two or three times before things started to sink in. A knot overtook my stomach as I started to feel sick, angry and vengeful all at once. I had no idea if Wendy was in tonight. Actually thinking back on it I thought she was with Bebe so hopefully she won't be home while this is happening. But some motherfucker thinks they can steal from my girls house they got another thing coming!
"Guys…" I started as I pulled my coat and shoes on too quickly to allow them to actually fit comfortably. Kenny stayed close to Kyle, but tiled his head more towards me so I knew he was acknowledging him. Kyle looked up with worry in his eyes.
"I gotta get over to Wendy's. I'll explain tomorrow. Sorry for rushing out on you like this." I offer Kyle a warm smile, one that we both know the meaning behind, and he mouths thanks back to me.
"Stan…"
I feel guilty for leaving at the sound of my name through Kenny's sniffles. But I also felt a warmth at Kenny's tone. Soft and friendly – like old times. I continue heading towards the door, but turn back to hear the response before opening it
"If you see Cartman tonight, can you tell him I'm sorry? Don't tell him anything else. Just say I'm so sorry for everything?"
I haven't told either of them who the text was from, but I have a feeling that Cartman is the very person I'm about to see outside Wendy's – stalking whatever prey he claims to have seen
"Sure thing dude, don't worry."
I reassure my statement with a smile and Kenny tries his best to return it. I carry on out the door and close it softly behind me. As I walk away from the house I feel my cheeks flush as I look skyward and thank whatever force might be up there for bringing my friend back to me. I love Kenny nearly as much as Kyle and I threw up several times the day that he went maniac motherfucker on us. It really did cut me deep inside. I realised my smile was so wide it was aching my cheeks and that pulled me out of my thoughts of Kenny and back to my thought of Wendy. I broke into a sprint towards her house, praying I wasn't too late for whatever I would find there.
I looked around and slowed my pace as Wendy's house came into my sight. I checked my phone again but no more word from Cartman. A text lay there from Kyle but I did seriously need to ignore it for now. I looked up at Wendy's house and I could see through her bedroom window that the landing light was on. All others were off. I crept to the front door and gave it a quick try, but nothing – it was definitely locked. Before reaching for the spare key hidden under the door jamb I thought to check the back door. If the bastards got in they'll need a route out so somewhere must be open. To my surprise though the back door was still shut, and checking it confirmed it to be locked as well. With a puzzled look on my face I walked back round to the front door to retrieve the spare key and quietly let myself in.
Closing the door behind me I gave my eyes a few seconds to adjust to the dimness of the room. Scanning from left to right I couldn't make out anything that looked out of place at all so I moved to the bottom of the stairs. Listening closely I could definitely hear movement and what sounded like a man's voice coming from the landing. Looking back at the front door I grabbed the first thing I could find (a fucking umbrella – seriously!?) and readied it in baseball stance. Slowly climbing the stairs I could feel my heart beat deeper and faster with every step and I could have sworn the sound of my chest would give my presence away. As I topped the stairs I saw the only door open on this floor was Wendy's – and luckily it was the first and nearest door to my position. I hovered my hand over the landing light switch and as I flicked it off, dashed into Wendy's room and smashed the wall by her door to find the light switch there. I wish I hadn't.
I froze. I literally couldn't move. I couldn't speak, couldn't cry, couldn't even think about what my eyes were trying to grasp. After what seemed like days of standing there exchanging stares I finally dropped the umbrella (again, umbrella? Really?) and managed out the first break of silence.
"What. The. Fuck."
Nice and calm. Stay calm Stan. There's an explanation for this. Oh like fuck there is!
"Stan, please… I can explain…"
Wendy pleaded for a few minutes but I cut her off fairly quickly.
"How could you…?"
I had no words for the situation. I threw up on her floor and slammed the door behind me as I got the fuck out of there, tears streaming down my face and my breath caught between coming out and going in. I ran as far as I could before physically collapsing on the floor in a complete wreck. After a few minutes wallowing in the snow I pulled myself up onto a nearby bench in – wait a minute… Starks Pond? Man this place is just encoded into my blood or something. I clumsily reach for my cell phone and ten minutes later I manage to fire off a text to Kyle.
XXX
Kyle's PoV
Stan M: dude. U free? If so starks pond? Need talk
Oh dear – I guess that means Stan's drunk again. Why though? There's no party, no occasion to celebrate as such. I suppose we could toast Kenny's return to life as we know it but not him on his own? I fire him a quick reply and head out into the evening. As I walk I remember to also shoot a text in Kenny's direction.
Kyle x: Hey dude. If you need it there's a mattress and blanket set up on my floor. Back door keys are under the gnome next to the light. Parents are out for a couple of days so feel free J
I pocket the phone and quicken my pace towards Starks Pond. If Stan is drunk I'd say I have 15 minutes before he's trying to skinny dip through the ice. As I reach the entrance to the surrounding forest I feel the phone vibrate again and quickly glance at it to see Kenny's offered a quick thanks, and as I smile and pocket the phone once more I look up and see a very lonely poofball hat hovering over the nearby bench.
I could hear Stan's sobs from here so I approached slowly. Before I made a sound though, Stan had spotted my shadow in front of him and stood to almost crush me in a hug, crying into my shoulder. I slowly extended both arms out and wrapped them around his back, giving them a slow pat and expecting him to pull away soon and apologize for being slightly gay. To my surprise though he felt my arms close in round him and he pulled on me even tighter, wrapping as much of himself around me as possible. This can't be good. This must be something bad. Something to do with why he left so suddenly earlier. I coo into his hair and calmly whisper reassurances to him as I wait for him to collect himself before probing for answers.
We sit down on the bench and I pull him closer, wrapping an arm round his shoulder. He sniffs back tears and clears his throat.
"I got a text from Cartman earlier. He said he saw someone going into Wendy's house through a window and the lights were all off…"
I could hear the pain in his voice and I knew this wasn't going to end well. I had no idea where this was heading though.
"I got round there and couldn't see any doors open or anything so I used the spare key to get in the front door and a light was on upstairs. I thought maybe someone was robbing them or something so I went upstairs and Wendy's bedroom door was open, so I turned the landing light off and burst in there, flicking the light on. I was ready to beat the fuck out of someone and throw them out or something – I don't know. But… Wendy was there. And she's on the bed. And… it's fucking Token…"
Holy Fuck.
"I just froze. I didn't know what to do – I can't even understand what I saw now. Token fucking my girl man!"
He broke again. I sucked back my own tears that had formed for Stan as I again embraced him, trying to calm him.
"I can't believe it. I can't believe she was fucking someone else behind my back, let alone Token! I just, I can't deal with this shit!"
"Dude, don't take this the wrong way but are you sure you saw exactly what you saw?"
"KYLE!"
Yeah I thought that was a bad thing to say, but I needed confirmation that Stan knew what had gone on
"If Token's cock was any further in her it'd have been coming out of her mouth! Fucking slut, what did I do to deserve this?!"
I have nothing left to say. There was nothing I needed to say. I just needed to be there. As we sat there I heard a vibration coming from Stan's pocket. He didn't react at all, just sat there crying, so I reached around him and grabbed the phone from his pocket. I looked at the caller ID and it figures.
"Dude, it's Wendy"
Stan looked up at me, and I didn't need words – I knew that look. I pressed the call reject button and pulled up a blank message. I kept the phone facing Stan so he could see what I'd written.
Stan M: Wendy, its Kyle. You sick twisted whore how the fuck could you do this to him? I hope Token makes you happy, and by happy I mean I hope he gives you syphilis. Stan wants nothing more to do with you. You two are over.
I offer the phone to Stan and he reaches out with his left hand. With one quick press Stan hits the send button.
Another picture inspired moment that got this chapter going - www . tinyurl ccv3j62 - this time from inner-D. Possibly my current all time favourtie style picture (i know this story doesn't have style (and it probably wont other than friendship) but I do love a bit of style). I'm loving the way I can see a picture and write a whole chapter based around one single plot point. Hopefully the way I weave myself from beginning to picture plot point is good enough :)
