/Good day, bitches! No, anyone taking time out of their day to read this story is too awesome to be a bitch. I love you all so much you don't even know. You're all fantastic. Don't worry, the chapter's title will make sense as you read. I hope.

South Park is the property of the insane Matt Stone and Trey Parker./

Kenny kept Butters in his arms the whole time as we boarded the bus, and beckoned me over to sit with them. He gave me a look that said 'He needs both of us right now', and the two of us squeezed the small boy in a loving comfort-sandwich while he cried. When the bus pulled up to the school, Kenny departed to take Butters straight to the nurse and I met Craig up by the door as per usual. He had a bandage up by his eye, a few bruises scattered about his face, and by the way he was holding his jaw I could tell his mouth was in pain.

"Sorry about yesterday." I said. Whether I was talking about screaming at him that morning or the fight I didn't even know for sure.

He didn't respond except to shrug dismissively. I realized it must hurt for him to speak, so I didn't bother him again, and we just stood together in silence. The bell rang in due time and as we made way to our lockers, I familiar mess of uncombed black hair stormed aggressively past us, slamming angrily into Craig.

"Piss off, Marsh!" Craig huffed, then grunted in pain and grabbed his jaw.

My eyes followed Stan as he stormed away. All I could see was his missing poofball hat, replaced instead by bandages wrapped around his head. Kyle ran past us, apologizing to Craig as he went.

"Knock it off, Stan!" He shouted.

I sighed, thinking to myself; Everything keeps falling to pieces. I wished everything could go back to the way it was. Stan and I were together, I didn't give a shit if Kenny was screwing in the bathroom all the time Craig didn't feel the need to defend me, and Butters was okay. Nothing would be as bad as it is. Life wouldn't be as hard. I like seeing Stan happy, I do. But if he hadn't come out, none of this would've happened. I wouldn't be conflicted over my feelings for Kenny and my guilt for even considering trying to sabotage Butters, the little sweetheart. Especially after what he's going through. At that moment, I came to a decision. Before I went any further on The Kenneth Project, I was going to have to start The Butters Project. Before I was ever going to help Kenny get Butters, no matter how I broke my own heart, I would have to fix Butters' abuse problem. And I would have to do it anonymously.

I spent all day with my notebook out, writing down possibilities of what to say to the police. If I had anything to say about it, Mr. and Mrs. Stotch would be in prison before the week was out.

Unfortunately, this was not what happened.

I left school with my finished 'script' and went to drop my book bag off at home, only to be stopped by my mother.

"Where are you off to, Wendy?" She asked.

Shit!

"Uh, Bebe's?" I said quickly.

"Weren't you just at Bebe's last night, dear?"

I forgot I'd called her to let her know I wouldn't be home that night.

"...Yes. I'm going back."

"You've been going out a lot lately, dear. And you're constantly locked in your room, on the phone." I could see where this was going. I needed an escape plan. "Your father and I miss you, Wendy. We want you to stay home tonight, spend some time with us."

I can't spend time with you, my friend needs my help! I screamed internally.

"But Mom, I really have to-"

"No buts, Wendy, you're staying here tonight."

Fuck! I sighed and trudged upstairs to hide my 'script' in my dresser, then returned back to the living room. I had no way to escape this, and knowing my mother, she was going to keep this up for a while. Whenever I become even the slightest bit distant, she freaks out and tries to keep me engaged with her at all times. I had finished my homework in study hall that day, so my parents kept me trapped in the living room all afternoon watching some stupid fucking movies. This is usually something rare that I would enjoy, because I actually quite like spending quality time with my parents, but all I wanted was to get out and down to the police station.

As I predicted, the next morning I was woken up early for a 'family breakfast', and I wasn't allowed to leave until everyone was finished. I ended up rushing out the door to just barely catch the bus after my mom shouting that she wanted me straight home after school.

"Morning, Wendy." Bebe said awkwardly. She knew I'd been ticked at her those two days ago.

"Morning, Bebe." I said cheerfully, to let her know I wasn't mad anymore. "Sorry I was a bitch on Tuesday."

"I was overbearing, it's okay. I know you like him, you know."

I balked.

"What?"

"I know you like Kenny. Why else would you be so pissed at me for getting it on with him?" She smirked. "But you don't need to keep it a secret. I can get him to bang you."

"I don't want him to bang me."

"You're the only girl in our grade who hasn't had sex yet, Wendy. I'm pretty sure you want him to bang you."

"No, I don't."

Of course I'm the only girl in our grade who hasn't had sex yet, you slut. Bebe could max out all the girls combined with all the sex she's had. The fucking slut.

"Oh, c'mon, Wendy. You know you want to." Bebe said snarkily.

"Give it a rest, Bebe." I said, pushing her off me.

"Fine, sheesh. You don't have to be so sore just because you're the only girl Kenny doesn't want to bang."

I lost it right there. I spun on my heel, teeth clenched, and punched that bitch square in the face. The force sent her lying on her back on the sidewalk.

"Piss off." I snarled, and gave her a prompt kick in the side, storming off.

I didn't meet Craig that day. I didn't talk to anyone that day. When I got home and my mom tried to start another stupid movie, I flipped her off and went straight to my room, where I answered my phone. It'd been ringing since school got out.

"Kenneth." I answered.

"What happened today?" Kenny demanded.

"None of your business, McCormick." I growled.

The line was silent for a few minutes.

"...Are you flipping off the receiver right now?"

I was.

"...No..."

"Yes you are."

"Oh, piss off."

"...You're spending too much time around Craig."

Was I? I went over a mental checklist in my head.

Flipping off my parents - Check.

Calling people by their last names - Check.

Flipping off everything - Check.

Being in a bad mood half the time - Check.

Shit, maybe I had been spending too much time around Craig. He was rubbing off on me. I shook my head and slapped myself. I made a mental note to distance myself. I didn't need to start being a dick to everyone.

"Sorry." I said.

"It's fine. Tell me what happened."

"Bebe was just being a bitch today." I confessed.

"Come over and you can vent. My phone's about to die."

My parents weren't going to let me leave. I considering climbing out the window, but my mom burst in suddenly. I dropped the phone.

"Wendy Testaburger!" She shouted angrily.

"H-hi, Mom..." I stammered. I was in for it now.

"You have the audacity to 'Hi, Mom' me, after blatantly flipping me off, young lady?" Mom raged.

"Sorry." I said quietly.

"Oh, you're sorry? Yes, that fixes everything! Young lady, I am not going to let you get off scott-free because of this! Saying sorry does not excuse such rude behavior! You are grounded, Missy!"

Jesus Christ, grounded? I've never been grounded before, but I know that when my parents ground, they go all-out. They've threatened it on me before. They're going to monitor the doors and take away my house key so I can't get out unless I really need to, they're going to lock my windows so there's no way I can get out, and to top it off they're going to take away my phone so I can't have contact to the outside world.

"G-grounded? For flipping you off?" I asked.

"Yes! Hand over the cell phone, Missy." Mom demanded, holding out her hand.

"I'm in the middle of a call!" I protested.

"I don't care! Hand it over now!"

I reluctantly handed over the phone, Kenny still on the other line. Mom storms out, but not before snatching my house key from my dresser. I cursed under my breath when she was out of the room.

I was grounded. I couldn't save Butters from his parents while I was grounded, and I couldn't help Kenny while I was grounded. I was trapped.

/This is a kind of bad chapter, isn't it? Or at least the second half. I'm not a huge fan of the way it turned out, and I couldn't think of anything else to capacitate Wendy from getting to the police until I got to where I wanted to go. But this is the only way I know of that would work sort of. I'm going to make up for it, though, in the coming chapters. I swear.

Prepare yourselves for a time jump in the next chapter./