Stan's POV
"Thanks for the support, guys. This is Stan Marsh, tuning out."
Well, that's the last recording for today. I still have to edit this before I can upload it. My throat feels kinda raspy and my fingers hurt, that's the last time I try to record 4 songs in a day. I put down my guitar and head to the kitchen. This is the first time since breakfast I left my recording room. I start listening back to my recordings on my phone, and they're starting to sound like shit again. I sigh and gulp down a glass of whiskey. My cynicism has gotten better since I was 10, I'm kinda used to it by now but nothing solves the problem like a little Jack Daniel's, I used to need like half a bottle just to function through the day, now can I get by with 2 glasses a day.
4.30 p.m., I noted the time displayed on my phone. Wendy will be home soon. I just find it hard to believe it. After 5 years away from South Park, I still can't get away from my old life and I started dating my old on-again-off-again girlfriend, Wendy Testaburger. She moved to Denver just before we started high school and we just clicked back together. We still have our on-and-off again moments but we've been together throughout high school, it's hard to believe we've been together for almost 3 years now.
Things have certainly changed since I left South Park. After my parents divorced, my mom, Shelly and I moved to Denver and I lost touch with my hometown. South Park reminded mom too much of the memories they had there. It was weird for a while, having a normal life. No killer fish from my Aunt Flo, no egg to protect from assassination, no mythical being from another dimension. I'm just a normal teenager in a normal high school, just like everyone else. Then I realised it was great not having to worry about the next day whether or not I'd get wrapped up in some epic adventure I could probably die in, I devoted my time to school, the football team, my family and my music.
Man, did that work in my favour. Thanks to all that time actually used for productive stuff instead of stopping a town of idiots from killing themselves, my grades have gotten better, not enough to beat Wendy but good enough that I could apply to any college or university I want. Football gave me an immense change, giving me a nicely toned yet not overly muscular physique and an extra growth spurt, now at 18 I'm 6'0". My onyx hair still reminding me of when I went emo the first time, for some reason my bangs decided swoop to the left side of my face, slightly covering one of my sapphire blue eyes. Kinda reminds me of Pete, one of the Goth kids with the red highlights.
Shortly after I finished Middle school, I started a YouTube channel to put up my music, I guess some of dad's influences are still on me. After a while, I started getting support from people who listened to me, who liked what I had to play and sing, I actually just hit 1 million subscribers this year and that makes me more determined than ever. I then realised I could make money off of it too. I started saving up that money, hoping to get my own apartment before I graduated high school. I reached that goal and now I'm sharing a 2 bedroom apartment with my girlfriend.
"Ay! Someone here?!" I hear an annoying screechy voice along with the sound of someone banging my front door knocking me out of my train of thought. I know it is and he annoys the heck out of me. Begrudgingly, I walk to the door and open it for my dear 'friend' and manager.
"About time you came and opened the damn door." says the rude boy at the door. He walks into my living room and we take a seat on the brown sofa in the middle of the room
"What do you want, Cartman? I finished my recordings and I don't have any gigs today." I say to him in an annoyed tune. Yup, Wendy wasn't the only one who moved out of South Park. The infamous Eric Cartman was also moved to Denver and attended at my high school. You'd think over half a decade apart and there'd be something different but nope, he hadn't changed a bit, still obnoxious, still racist and still the biggest fatass I've ever had the displeasure of knowing.
"Why, Stan? I'm hurt, can't I just come over to see my best friend?" he places his hand over the lump of meat where his heart should be and says in that oh-so-familiar fake voice of his. I really hate him sometimes.
"Ok. First, you are NOT my best friend." I scoff at him. "Second, you must have lost your brain in that gigantic fat bank of an ass if you think I'd believe for a second that you're just here because you 'care about' me. You and I both know that I let you be my manager because you have connections and you just want your share of the cut, so don't even try with the buddy act." I'll be honest, I lost it a bit when he even insinuates that he's my best friend. He's just my manager, even if he DID help me get my channel bigger than I could imagine in 3 years. He helped me get gigs through town, whether those methods are legal or not, is not my place to question.
"Geez, the best friend thing is still a touchy subject?! It's been years and you haven't even heard a word from that Jew rat." He rolls his eyes at me and props his double chin up with his hand.
"Do. Not. Talk. About. Him. Like that." I practically stand up and growl at him at this point. I don't talk about him anymore and I hate it when someone brings him up or in Cartman's case, insults him like he's here to bite back. So what if he abandoned me because of my cynicism? So what if I haven't heard from him in 8 years? So what if I couldn't find another best friend after him?!
Ok, I sound pretty pathetic right now but I'm not gonna let Cartman insult someone who isn't here to defend himself.
"Fine, whatever." He drops the subject completely now, I guess that's the one good thing about him being my manager. He keeps trying to stay on my good side so that our partnership stays in tact because as time goes by and now that I've found my footing, he needs me a lot more than I need him.
"What are you actually here for? I have to get ready for Boulder. Classes start next week if you forgot." I sit back down, now that I've regain my cool.
"Actually that's what I'm here for, I understand that both you AND that ho will be attending there?" I sigh, even after all these years, he still calls Wendy that. I don't even know why I'm still letting him in my house.
"Yeah, so?" I answer him in a disinterested tone.
"And I understand you'll both be commuting to the campus from here?"
"Uh, yeah. It's our home, we still pay rent for it and it saves time and money looking for another place." That's the truth though, the idea of property hunting again for a place we're only going to be living in for 3 years annoys the crap out of me and it only takes about 40 minutes between Denver and Boulder anyways. It just makes our lives easier.
"Well I'm going to Boulder too so I want a seat in the back."
"Wait, what?! You're going to Boulder too?" I'm honestly surprised, the fatass was just as bad in high school as he was when he was in South Park Elementary. How in the hell did he get into Boulder?!
"Why the fuck not? I applied and they accepted me." He says it so nonchalantly and I'm just standing there in shock.
"How did you…? Never mind." I shake my hands in front of him, I suddenly don't want to know what he could have done to get accepted. I don't know if you've noticed but Cartman is pretty fucked up. I mean he grounded some dude's parents into chill, just because the guy was a dick to him. "Why don't you just use your own car?"
"Why waste gas when I can just go with you guys?"
"And you call him the thrifty Jew?" I know I hate bringing him up but it just came out of my mouth so naturally.
"And weren't you the one who told me to shut up about Kahl?" Can't say I didn't see that respond coming but he didn't have to say his name, why the fuck did he have to say his name?!
"Fine, you want a ride, you've got it. Now get out." I growl at him again, he gets the hint and walks out of the apartment. I feel that hurt again, just like when he abandoned me when we were 10. I hate that he makes me feel like such a worthless piece of shit. 6.00 p.m., Wendy isn't home yet. Fuck this, I'm going out for a drive.
A/N: Now we know how Stan's life has been after the divorce, along with some other old friends. Next week it's back to Kyle's.
As always, feel free to check out the Korean drama this story is based, It's Okay That's Love by SBS.
I hope this is interesting so far, this is my first story and I'm open to any constructive comments you have.
Take care, loves.