For the last three days, I've been busy preparing for an important history test for this Friday. I didn't have time to give Cartman any moral lessons as of lately. Mr. Garrison was reminding us of our test and lecturing on how it would end up on our next report card. We were glad when the bell finally rung and we could head to the cafeteria for lunch. It was there we could joke around with the guys and girls could catch up on their gossip.

I managed to catch up with my best friend Stan who seemed to be hiding himself these days. I'm not sure what it was, but he'd been quiet ever since I'd left him alone with Kenny in that hospital room. I wasn't sure what was going on, but I was becoming concerned all the same. And Stan wasn't the only one. Kenny was also behaving differently too. It was all so bizarre that finally I decided I had to know once and for all what was going on.

"Uh, earth to Stan? You're out of it again," I gave him a gentle nudge to wake him up. "So what's the deal with you and Kenny? Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you two acting funny towards each other?"

Putting down the chocolate-milk he was drinking, Stan lazily wiped his mouth on his sleeve while still looking lost in thought. "Huh? Did you say Kenny?" he said slowly. "Nothing's the matter. We're still cool."

My eyes weren't deceiving me. Stan was casting gloomy looks over at the next table over where Bridon and Wendy sat together and were chatting with each other nonstop. I had no idea what that was all about but I wish Stan would quit doing that. It was only going to make him sadder. I was about to say so when Stan suddenly looked away. He turned back to me and started talking again.

"It doesn't hurt me anymore whenever I see her with him," Stan admitted. "I've already accepted it. But still…it does make me wonder if I've ever did something to make Wendy want to leave in the first place. Is it really me that keeps making all the mistakes?"

"No Stan. You didn't do anything wrong. Wendy felt that she wasn't right for you and wanted to move on." It was the same conversation we've had countless times before.

Easy for me to say. Guess I'll never understand that kind of pain. I hope I never will. Stan and Wendy have been together since they were eight. As for me, I recalled one time having a crush on the brainy but socially awkward Rebecca Cotswold, but that didn't turn out the way I wanted it to. I was interested in Nichole once, but Cartman ruined that opportunity for me. And as for Leslie Meyers…well… I'm not touching that subject with a ten-foot pole… Since then, I've yet to find someone who was my type. Maybe I'm being too picky. Or maybe my type was geared toward bad-ass boys. This suddenly makes me think of Cartman… Stan hesitates for a moment before telling me what was really on his mind.

"Kenny thinks I'm worth it. He even told me what he really thinks about me." I didn't see what was so wrong until Stan elaborated. "I mean, in the way that he said it… I swear Kyle, it's almost like Kenny wanted me for himself."

Staring at Stan, I saw that he wasn't kidding. I didn't know what to say to that. Kenny had actually gone and said that to him? I didn't know what to make of it. So did this mean that I was right about my hunch? Did Kenny really have hidden feelings for Stan? Had Kenny almost confessed? If so, my best friend appeared very confused by it all. It seemed that Stan was trying to understand how he felt about it. After all, he's never been with a guy before…

"I don't get why Kenny would say that to me," Stan went on. "I wanted to comfort him and yet he ended up comforting me. How weird is that? Kenny can be a mysterious guy sometimes…"

I can't believe how oblivious Stan was about the whole matter. Has it ever occurred to him that it was a sign of a potential love interest? You'd think Stan would be more of a romantic expert after dating for such a long time. Or was it possible that Stan didn't reciprocate Kenny's feelings? If this was the case, I hate to think how crushed Kenny would be. Then I'd have two depressed guys on my hands. And speaking of which…

"Hey guys…did we miss anything?" Cartman arrived at our table with Kenny at his side.

"Nothing!" Stan and I answered at the same time.

Now it was the four of us again. I kept sneaking glances first at Stan, then over at Kenny. Once or twice, Kenny would look up in the hopes of catching Stan's eye but only to look away in disappointment. I know there was something going on between them. Then I happen to look over at Cartman and noticed something stranger. Cartman hardly ate much of his food which was a big surprise, but only because he appeared to be distracted by someone. Following his gaze, I saw to my bafflement that he was throwing unfriendly glares over at Damien Thorn who sat alone at a table to the far end.

I didn't like the way those two were eying each other with equal looks of loathing. It made me wonder what was up. I especially didn't like it when the Anti-Christ would look at me with those creepy red eyes which made me think of fire and damnation. Why was Damien looking at us like that anyway? Just what the hell was going on around here? Maybe I'm just overreacting… I was tired from all the studying for the test.

Two tables over, Pip sat alone at a table while receiving snickers and jeers from other kids passing by. It didn't bother him. Mindlessly poking his fork into his meat-loaf, every now and then he listened in on other people's conversations. As Pip's eyes wandered around the cafeteria in boredom, someone immediately caught his attention. Sitting alone at another table was the Anti-Christ himself, Damien Thorn. For a while, Pip watched the evil-looking boy from afar until at last he couldn't stand it. Picking up his tray, Pip began to make his way over to where the Anti-Christ kept to himself. But along the way, someone stuck out their foot and caused the poor British boy to trip. His tray clatters noisily to the floor and his food went flying. Wild laughter erupted from all around as Pip laid there in humiliation.

Damien looked up and narrowed his eyes disapprovingly at all the laughter and big hoots from the other students. Then he spotted the British boy lying on the ground and surprisingly got up from the table and started to make his way over to him. The taunting and laughter stopped right away when Damien approached the helpless Pip and bent down to help him back to his feet. No one would ever dare laugh at the Anti-Christ…

Soon enough, the other kids quickly lost interest and went back to eating their lunches. Damien secretly admired the way Pip stood with dignity and didn't care about being made fun-of. Now the two of them ended up sitting together at the same table without saying a word to each other. It was awkward at first until Pip muttered his thanks to the Anti-Christ sitting beside him. Damien threw him a wry grin.

"So what's your deal, Pip? You enjoy putting on a freak show for everyone?" Damien said mockingly.

The British boy blushed at this and felt hurt to hear even Damien snickering at him. With a tiny sniff, Pip looked away shamefully before admitting in a low voice. "I only wanted to come over and sit with you. You and I shouldn't have to sit alone no matter what."

The Anti-Christ hadn't been expecting this sentimental display of human emotion. Damien didn't know what to say. He was a demon at heart, the son of Satan and the heir to everlasting darkness. He didn't like to associate himself with the trivial troubles of the human world. But Pip's empathy for him…well…it was a curious thing. Something he'd like to explore and perhaps to understand.

"Explain it to me, Pip…," Damien said, he stopped snickering and his expression was serious. "Why do you waste your compassion and feelings upon me? I treat you no better than anyone else around here, yet you still choose to pity a soulless monster like me. Help me understand…"

As usual, Pip was modest like always. "In other words, you wish to know why I'm nice to you. Is it really that hard for you to understand? You and I have more common than you think. We may be outcasts but I could never bring myself to ostracize you, Damien. If I did, I'd be just as bad as the bullies who do. I will not put myself in the same category as them."

Pip was as noble as ever. He wasn't very good at sticking up for himself but he still wanted to remain good and kind. Damien's thoughts however were much more darker and wicked in contrast to Pip's way of thinking. It's way too boring for Pip Pirrup to be such a goody-goody all the time, Damien thought. But perhaps he would save corrupting an innocent soul for later because right now Damien felt strange to have the British boy sitting there beside him. For once, it made him feel at ease.