Kyle's Jeans

By AllzStar

Author's Note: Okay, I lied. This is the last chapter. I'm thinking of writing another Kyman story after this, but I'm gonna focus on the Krenny one I'm working on right now first. Anyways, enjoy. (If anyone has any suggestions for a Kyman story, please PM me. I'm fresh out of ideas lol)

Chapter Twenty-One – The Last Contagious Victim Of This

I don't know what I'm doing here. I really don't. I feel awkward and uncomfortable, like I'm doing something I know I shouldn't be doing. But really, what was wrong with standing on someone's doorstep?

...Really?

It takes a hell of a long time for me to actually work up the nerve to ring the bell, and a hell of a lot longer for someone to actually answer the damn door.

The door clicks and swings open, and there stands Ike Broflovski, bleary-eyed, wearing nothing but plaid pyjama bottoms and socks. He rubs his eye sleepily and peers down at me. Yes, down. I'm five ten, and this fourteen year old is taller than me. Fucking Canadians.

"What do you want?" he asks groggily.

"Kyle around?" I ask sheepishly, my hands deep in my pockets.

Ike looks over his shoulder and shrugs. "I dunno."

I give him a pointed look. "Can you check?"

"He might be sleeping. You wanna come by later?"

"I can't come later. Can you wake him up please? It's really important."

Ike rolls his eyes and grumbles as he wanders up the stairs.

I stand awkwardly in the doorway, the door ajar, not wanting to just walk into the house I used to just stroll into with a cocky grin and a jab about Jew smell on my tongue. I feel like an intruder now, on the threshold; in limbo between worlds. My life has become a false reality. I remember what I'm here for. To break out of all this shit. To get out and get on with my life while I'm still here. I'm not going to be the last contagious victim of this hellhole of a town, and I know I'm not the first, but I'm going to heal if I have to force myself to.

Kyle comes down a few minutes later. I almost burst into tears.

He's wearing those fucking stupid jeans.

And a tight polo shirt and there's a pencil behind his ear and he got a haircut. Short. Like, shorter than mine. His hair resides in tight curls cropped close to his head. He looks ridiculous.

But those jeans...

...those jeans...

...Don't do anything for me anymore.

"Hi, Kyle," I say, taking my hands out of my pockets.

"Hi," he says warmly, leaning against the doorframe. He said it like one of those soupy actresses in those awful romantic comedy movies. Blegh.

"Hi," I say again. "Listen—"

"No, let me," Kyle says. "I'm sorry, Eric. For everything that happened. It was a severe lack of communication on my part, and I'm sorry. And I hope you know that I never meant to hurt you."

I look at him, look straight into his eyes as if I can see right through him. And for the first time, I can. "Be as sorry as you want," I say. "It's not going to change the fact that you ripped me apart. I know I didn't handle the situation perfectly, either, and I'm not going to pretend like you're the only one in the wrong. In fact, I'm even angrier with myself for what happened. Because I let you walk all over me. And I will never let anybody have that effect on me ever again."

His face has fallen into one of surprise. He looks at me pleadingly. "Eric...I don't know what to..."

I hold up a hand to stop him. "Just don't say anything."

"I want to be with you," he cries, stepping forward into my arms and hugging me around the waist. "I sort of always did, but I didn't know how to approach you. It always felt so odd, since we were childhood enemies pretty much. But after that night with Craig...I realized you'd grown up. And I knew I had too."

As gently as I can, I grab his forearms and push him away from me. "No, Kyle," I say. "You're too disorganized for a relationship right now. You can't make up your mind. And I don't want to be your trial while you decide what you really want. I'm sorry, but I'm not sticking around for you to figure all that out." I laugh dryly. "No. You know what? I'm not sorry. I'm not sorry at all. You should be sorry for missing out. For blowing any chances you had with me. Because, you know what? I am a good person. And I would have been perfect for you and cared for you till we were old. But I know I could never expect the same from you, so why bother? You don't deserve me. Whatever there was here—if there ever was something here—is over. I just wish I could have stopped it from beginning."

And with that, I turn on my heel and stride away from Kyle, leaving him dumbfounded in the doorway.

And I leave all my problems and misery behind on that doorstep with Kyle's jeans.

It's dawn by the time I get to Stark's Pond. The sun is setting behind the mountains in pinks and oranges and all that shit.

I feel like I've lost twenty pounds. I feel light and free. I feel happy. It's an alien feeling, but I embrace it.

A truck pulls up in the sad excuse for a parking lot and a single figure gets out. The flare of a lighter erupts shortly before the familiar smoke from a cigarette is exhaled into the night. I don't move from my spot as the person approaches me and leans on the railing a few feet away.

"Hey, Cartman," Stan Marsh says, taking a drag on his cigarette.

"Hey," I say.

There's a silence, but it isn't awkward. Stan turns around and leans back on the railing, his gaze lingering curiously on me. After a very long moment in which we just enjoy the scenery in silence, I say quietly, "How's life treating you?"

"Like it always does," he says. "Like a bitch."

I laugh dryly because every word he said was true.

We stand in each-other's company for a good ten minutes. By now the sun has almost completely disappeared over the hills. "What about you?" he asks.

Another dry laugh. "Just like I always does. Like a bitch in heat."

"Wanna talk about it?"

I look at him, one eyebrow raised, and then I reach out. Stan hands me the cigarette and I take a long drag. "Yeah," I say, smiling at him. "Yeah, I do."

THE END.

Author's Note: Wow. I can't believe that's the end. I didn't know it would be till I started writing it. But guess what? I feel a sequel coming on! But I'm going to finish Colour Blind first; it's a short little thing, don't worry. Please read it! Craig and Kenny are sexy. :-) Please review! Thank you so much to everyone who have been reading this story since the beginning, and to all those who joined in later. Thanks to everyone who favourite and reviewed. You have no idea how much of a difference those reviews made. I never would have finished this story without you guys. I really hope you enjoyed it. Onwards and upwards!