Kind of short, this one. Thank you all of you who leave reviews and send PMs, it's insanely appreciated! Hope you like your latest chapter :D
"Do you know who's doing scenery and stuff?"
"What?"
Stan was with Kyle at the ice-cream parlor once again, discussing the play. Kyle had been entertaining young girls and creating sugary masterpieces for about three hours now, hardly having a moment to spare for Stan. Not only did he have little time to spare, but it seemed he had little knowledge of the technical stuff behind their upcoming show.
"You know, like background and costumes and stuff…I mean, the whole cast is male, but…I mean…isn't the drama group mainly girls?"
Kyle topped a bowl of mint chocolate-chip ice-cream with whipped cream and a cherry before replying, "Well, I dunno. You should ask Ms. Thrunton. She's all over that stuff."
The bells at the top of the entrance doors sounded and their friends Kenny and Eric entered. They walked up to the two boys, Kenny immediately striking conversation with Kyle;
"Hey, I haven't seen you much."
Kyle smiled, "Jeez, you're right. How've you been?"
"Eh," Kenny replied, "poor and dying. Same old, same old."
Kyle chuckled, "Too bad."
Kenny just laughed, requesting, "Well, I think I'd like to see a menu. I always wanted a sexy Jewish slave to feed me whatever sugar-infected snack I wanted whenever I pleased."
Stan glared to the blonde boy as Kyle grinned, responding chidingly, "Yes, well, unfortunately I only make them, you'll have to feed yourself."
Kenny looked away, sighing, "It's not as hot that way."
Kyle laughed, "It's ice-cream. It's not supposed to be hot."
"OH HA-HA!" Cartman interjected.
Kyle scowled to the heavy boy, sneering, "God, you are such an attention-whore. Who invited your fat-ass anyway?"
"Shut up, I'm not fat, I'm just big-boned."
Kyle laughed, "Yeah; the day your mom's not South Park's whore."
"HEY! DON'T TALK ABOUT MAH MAHM!"
Kyle put his hands up in surrender, "Chill out, dude, you were asking for it."
Kenny snapped his boney fingers, reclaiming Kyle's attention, "Menu, garcon!"
The redhead turned around, picking up a menu from his work-station and handed it to Kenny. Kenny had come in without his sweater; he had grown a liking for turtleneck sweaters as of a few weeks ago. As Kyle reached in his back pocket for his favorite hand-rag, Cartman cleared his throat, but Kyle just continued on his business; clearing the silver surface of the bar as Cartman snorted,
"AHEM!"
Kyle looked up, resting his face in his palm as he inquired softly, "Can I help you?"
"Yeah, you can fuckin' help me; get me a fuckin' glass of water you fuckin' Jew."
Kyle rolled his eyes, turning around and pouring him his ordered drink. He looked to Kenny, imploring cutely, "Anything caught your fancy, Mr. McCormick?"
Kenny hummed as he rubbed his chin in thought, "Well…how rocky is your Rockin' Rock N' Roll Rocky Road? Because I like my ice-cream seventy-five percent rock and the rest artificial flavoring."
Kyle laughed, simply replying, "Do you want the Rocky Road?"
Kenny chuckled, handing the menu back, "Yeah."
Stan made eye-contact with Eric, triggering an insult of course;
"What's up, fag? Haven't seen you around much. Guess you're busy humping at drama all day?"
Stan glowered, "Haven't seen you much, either. I guess those hot girls are just all over you and your big ass. Cause, like you said, girls love fat asses. I mean, we all voted for Ruben Studdard, right? He's a hot slice of ass."
They could all see the anger rising in Cartman's face as he retorted, "Well, you would know, fag."
Kyle very suddenly spoke up, turning from his work station to hand Kenny his order, "Cartman, you wouldn't know heterosexuality if your balls dropped. Stan's more man than your half-dead brain can comprehend."
Kenny laughed, "Nice one, Kyle! You're growing up to be such a wonderful come-backer. You never cease to amaze me."
Kyle grinned, "Why, thank you, Kenny. For that, your order's on me."
Kenny smiled wide, looking to Cartman and Stan, "Damn! Thanks, dude! I always forget how awesome you are!"
Stan was still blushing at the protection in Kyle's voice. Stan of course knew that Kyle would stick up for him if he hadn't a defense, but Stan had never seen Kyle snap at the fat boy like that before. Sure, in the past Cartman has said things so insensitive and politically incorrect that Kyle has snarled at him, but not so quickly. Stan thought that perhaps Kyle was developing the slight case of homophobia that he seemed to be developing. Something about the situation had flattered Stan, though.
Stan's more man than your half-dead brain can comprehend
Kenny randomly mentioned, "Kyle, you're lookin' kinda thin…like…thinner than me…"
The boys looked to the redhead who blushed at all the eyes turning to him. He smiled, stammering, "U-uh, no, you must be seeing things. It's probably just track making me burn off calories."
"But like…you're mad thin."
Kyle looked away, still blushing which called forth Stan's concern. Kenny simply added, "You're totally the Clay Aiken to Cartman's Studdard."
Cartman snorted, "Yeah, totally flaming."
Kyle glared to Cartman, snapping, "I'm sorry, Eric, but it seems all the cellulite is crowding around your mouth, gargling your words."
Eric scowled, "Goddamn Jew."
Kyle smirked, waving to a group of entering girls as he replied nonchalantly, "You should keep to what you're good at, Eric; breathing and stuffing your face."
Stan was worried to see Kyle's eyes widen; a horrified open. Stan followed their shocked gaze and met his with those of Wendy Testaburger. The ebony-haired, lavender fairy princess waltzed to the bar where to Stan's frustrated surprise, Kyle seemed speechless.
"Come on, Broflovski, you're not going to flirt with me like all your other fangirls?"
The redhead blushed, stuttering, "S-sorry…I mean…uhm…you want anything, Wendy?"
"I'd like to talk to you privately."
Kyle blushed again, not sparing Stan even a glance as he muttered, "Well, I'll be here till closing so…"
"So I'll wait." Wendy replied as she walked to a booth out of ear-shot.
Kyle sighed, looking to Stan who still wore that frightened expression. Stan told him, "Don't relax just yet."
Kyle looked to where Stan's eyes landed; Adam had just entered.
"Kyle?"
"Adam?"
"Stan?"
"Adam?"
"Kenny?"
"..." Kyle looked to the blonde, "…are you okay?"
Kenny shrugged, "Everyone was doing it, I just wanted to be popular."
Kyle rolled his eyes, returning them to Adam's as the brunette approached the bar, inquiring,
"Since when do you work here?"
"I started working here about four months ago."
Adam smiled, "I gotta admit, Kyle, you work that uniform."
The freckly boy blushed as Cartman perked a brow.
"Uhm…can I get you anything, Adam?"
Adam grinned, "Yeah, a chocolate shake."
Kyle nodded and as he created the dessert all eyes were on the drama member. Cartman interrogated, "So I guess you're Kyle's new boyfriend?"
Stan bit his tongue; Cartman clearly had no idea who he was talking to. Stan noted the twitch of Kyle's shoulders as Adam replied,
"Oh, if only. He's become an infamous heartthrob among the drama members."
Kyle turned around, awkwardly handing him the glass without making eye-contact as he told Cartman while looking to the redhead, "Friendly and gentlemanly, just like his role, but unfortunately for me, unlike my role, he seems completely out of reach."
Kyle finally looked up to the boy; Stan's heart punched at his ribcage as he witnessed Kyle's eyes twinkle with a sign of regret and girlish infatuation. The brunette slid his bill on the table, the moment Kyle put his hand on the money, the boy told him,
"But…I haven't given up. There's hope for me yet."
With that, he sashayed off. Cartman looked to Kyle and the rest, announcing,
"Dang…that wasn't fun. He really was gay for you."
"An infamous heartthrob? Damn, Kyle. You're just hot wherever you go."
Stan growled a sigh, calling attention to him as Kyle inquired, "What's wrong?"
"What's wrong?!" Stan snapped. He lowered to an angry whisper, "What's wrong is that I fucking hate that kid and you just act all nonchalant about it all!"
"What?" Kenny and Kyle both asked, but Stan only heard Kyle's voice.
"He comes into your work hours, stalks you during rehearsal and throws himself all over you and you just act like some lovesick school girl!"
Kyle blushed, looking shocked at Stan as he replied coolly, "Whoa, Stan, I don't know what you're talking about-"
Stan raised his voice again, "Yes! Yes you do! You know exactly what I'm talking about! You're lying to me!"
The group of friends all looked to Stan and Kyle, Kyle had paled as he mumbled softly, "I'm…I don't…I uhm…"
"Exactly, Kyle! You don't know what the fuck you're doing cause you're just leading him on!"
On the same intimidated level of volume, Kyle stammered, "W-what? I am n-"
"You lied the same way when Wendy broke up with me! You pretended like you didn't know about that ass from North Park moving in on her and you lied! You lied! You lied to me!"
The group had all paled now; they never spoke of that situation. It had played out essentially how Stan had shouted. Wendy was slowly falling for another boy and Kyle saw them together on his track practices in North Park. Stan fell into an emo-daze for three months; didn't speak, eat or move. There were still fun-loving characteristics he had lost at that time he never seemed to gain back. None of them ever talked about Kyle's betrayal, seeing as Kyle had stayed by Stan's side so loyally while he was emo. Kyle had walked beside a deaf mute for those three months, but never let him be alone. He was a better friend than any of them had ever been to Stan, but still, no one mentioned how he had hid that information so consistently.
"I…I…" Kyle began to defend, but Stan shouted over him,
"No! Don't make up more of your stupid lies! You hide things from me! You're always hiding things from me!"
"I-I am not hiding things!" Kyle replied.
"DON'T LIE TO ME!"
The group looked to the charcoal-haired boy. He had rage burning in his indigo eyes; bottled anger was overflowing from him, this clearly was not about Adam.
"Stan…" Kyle tried to reach forward, tried to touch Stan's hand, but the boy pulled his limbs in and rose from his stool. He was glaring at the shocked redhead, snarling,
"Don't touch me."
They all froze for that moment; Stan was glowering at his supposed best friend, the redhead's arm was outstretched, reaching to the boy but it couldn't seem to pull back in the shock of his unfamiliar rejection. Kyle ventured,
"Stan…why are you doing this?"
Stan's head was pounding with angry and upset words, terrible things he wanted to scream and boil with. He wanted to insult the boy, he wanted to tear his hair out and rip that sad look off his face. He sneered,
"I don't know, Kyle. Maybe I should just go home."
"You don't know?" Kyle repeated.
"No, I don't. Maybe I'm just tired. I should just go home."
"You're not just tired, Stan, why did you say that to me?" Kyle pressed.
"I haven't got enough sleep, Kyle. We should just forget it."
"I can't forget that! This isn't about you needing a nap, Stan, why are you lying?" Kyle insisted.
"I'm lying?"
"You're lying!"
"Well." Stan turned on his heel, adding before he left, "Takes one to know one."
OOOOOOOOOO
"Oh Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; or, if thou wilt not be but sworn my love, and I will no longer be a Capulet."
Kyle glanced to the first row where Stan would normally sit and watch Kyle's scenes, but he hadn't shown up for an hour now. Kyle looked away, contemplating aloud,
"Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?"
Adam was standing behind their still-in-progress balcony, on a ladder as he recited,
"'Tis but thy name that is my enemy; thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, nor arm, nor face, nor any other part belonging to a man. Oh, be some other name! What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet; so Romeo would, were he not Romeo called, retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, and for that name which is no part of thee take all myself."
Kyle sharply turned to Adam, replying sweetly,
"I take thee at thy word; call me but love, and I'll be new baptized. Henceforth I never will be Romeo!"
"Adam, Kyle! I have your some of your costumes ready!"
Mrs. Herit sighed; she was clearly enthralled in the scene again. She turned to Ms. Thrunton and inquired,
"Which ones?"
"We have Romeo's get-up and Juliet's night gown."
"Oh! Perfect timing!" She looked to the boys on stage, insisting, "Go on, then! Go get your costumes!"
Adam was stepping off the ladder, and Kyle, being the gentleman he was, stopped by the ladder and helped Adam down by taking his hand for balance. Adam seemed hesitant to let Kyle's hand go at first, but Kyle was disturbed by Ms. Thrunton imploring,
"Ehm…did Stanley Marsh ever come into rehearsal?"
Mrs. Herit shrugged, shaking her head with a pout as she responded sadly, "Sorry, no. I thought he was backstage, but…I suppose he didn't come today."
Kyle sighed as he walked up the slanted walkway with Adam. He felt the brunette's eyes on him as he asked sensitively,
"I heard a bit of what you and Stan fought about…did I…I mean…"
"None of this is your fault." Kyle immediately told him.
Adam blushed, looking to Kyle as he added, "I'm not angry at you."
Adam looked away, inquiring, "But what about me?"
"What?" Kyle pressed.
"Are you angry about me? About me…just…shoving my face in your business and…being…stupid, I dunno."
Kyle smiled, placing a smooth hand on Adam's shoulder as he answered kindly,
"Of course not, Adam. You're really nice and you're really cool. You're funny and nice. I'm not angry about meeting you, Adam. If Stan's actually angry about you, which I don't think he actually is…then he needs to grow up and get used to it."
Adam looked a bit taken back, "But…I mean…he's your best friend, isn't he? Why would you…say something like that?"
Kyle took his hand back, muttering, "It's the truth. If he's angry because I like to hang out with you, then he's got a lot of growing up to do. I'm not going to stop being your friend because he doesn't like it."
Adam grinned, "I'm glad…you like to hang out with me?"
Kyle simpered, "Course I do."
They entered the changing room where Ms. Thrunton pointed to two costumes hanging on two of the four hooks by the end of the wall-mirror. She told them that the gown was for Adam and the other costume was for Kyle. She told Adam that last-minute changes were being made to the bead-work on his dress that would counter Kyle's outfit, but he would have it next rehearsal. Adam agreed and she left to their dressing and undressing. Kyle quickly assembled all of the pieces to his outfit; the dark blue tights, ballet-like shoes, his puffy pants that were hemmed with roles that had a pattern of gold-blue-gold-blue stripes. His top was the same way; puffy sleeves that were hemmed with the identical design and that design repeated around his waist and the collar of his top. Some of his silky curls hung over the pointed tops of his collar; where his puffy sleeves ended, underneath was another sleeve that ran down to his wrist. It was dark blue like the rest of the outfit, but as sealed as his tights.
Kyle looked behind him to see Adam in a white, silk gown that reached just below his knees. Kyle examined the boy's physique and noted that it was very lady-like. His legs were feminine, as were his arms. His hands weren't very boney or manly, but when you looked directly at his face you could see the signature of a boy's jaw-line. His hair was feathery like Stan's as his eyes were just as wide. Not quite as beautiful as Stan's, but certainly as charming.
"You're staring." Adam stated.
Kyle blushed, apologizing, "Sorry."
"Does it look weird?"
Kyle watched the boy turn to face the mirror, moving the white lace strap a little. Kyle replied softly,
"No. You look nice, actually."
"Nice? What does that mean?" Adam implored, distressed.
Kyle wondered a moment; this reminded him of something.
"Uh…it's fine, Kye…"
"F-fine? What does that mean? Was Cartman right? Do I have nothing there? Am I like a flat board?"
Suddenly, Kyle knew what Adam meant. He smiled to the brunette through the mirror, telling him,
"Cute. You look cute."
He watched the blood fill Adam's face; the boy tore his eyes away from Kyle's reflected ones and continued to fiddle with the lace strap of the opposite side. Kyle looked at Adam's back, noting that his back-buttons hadn't been secured correctly. He cleared his throat,
"Ehm…Adam, I'm gonna fix the back of your dress. It's a little…"
"Askew?" Adam offered in a funny accent.
"Yes," Kyle chuckled, "It's a little askew."
Kyle stepped forward, taking one of the buttons into his fingers he listened as Adam commented,
"You know…your blonde friend was right. You look mighty thin, Kyle."
Kyle ignored the statement, imploring suddenly, "Have you kissed a boy before, Adam?"
The redhead didn't look up to see what he was sure was Adam's face red as a cherry. The brunette stayed silent for a moment before replying,
"Yes, of course."
Everything fell silent again as Kyle fixed the button below that one. Adam broke the quiet,
"Have you?"
Kyle blushed, responding as he moved his chin more to his neck for better visual access to what he was doing. He told the brunette,
"No. I've never kissed anyone."
"You've never kissed someone?"
Kyle shook his head, "I never even kissed a girl who was supposed to be my girlfriend. Romance in general makes me really nervous."
Adam frowned, "That's sad."
"Why do you say that?"
"Well," Adam began, "I think a kiss is a wonderful thing. When it's with the right person, it feels perfect and it's such a random kind of gesture to symbolize love."
Kyle instantaneously defended, "No it's not. It's not random at all…I think…I think the person who first kissed the one they loved…well…they must have been the first person to fall in love. They must have felt that feeling that no one knows how to explain. There's no words to express it, so they called it love, but the word still wasn't enough. I think that because they couldn't form words, they gave their lips to the one that they loved to symbolize that no word or sound that they were capable of making could ever convey what they feel in their hearts…"
Adam flustered, "That's beautiful, Kyle. You're just like Romeo. But you're better, because you're for everyone."
"How do you mean?" Kyle interrogated.
"Well…you said you don't like romance cause it makes you nervous. You're funny, social, popular, good-looking, athletic and smart…you're talented in most everything you try and you're stealing hearts everywhere you go, but yours belongs to no one. You just let everyone around you have a sample of that perfection you so generously radiate. You love everyone, but…no one at the same time."
"Finished." Kyle stated.
"Thank you."
Kyle smiled, "Any time."