Well, here's the second chapter! I'm trying my hardest to update just as soon as I can. I hate it when you start reading a story and you actually get into it and then the author never updates! It drives me crazy. Haha. Anyways, read on!

Since when did I care so much?

-Stan's POV-

Getting home and into bed was like heaven to me. Away from all those kids, egging on the fight … away from the principal's disapproving eyes. Just, away from it all.

My parents were pissed. It wasn't like me to have a random fist fight in school. I did get a long lecture before I was allowed to go to sleep.

I was their good little Stanley.

Lately, I wasn't myself. I never cared so much about all this shit. I never questioned God's reasoning for all that happened. Why did I care so much about how people treated others?

I don't care … I don't! Stop thinking, Stan. Sleep … sleep and you'll feel a whole hell of a lot better when you wake up.

Lying down, I closed my eyes and drifted into comforting darkness. My head throbbed, although I had taken two extra strength aspirin tablets, earlier. As tired as I was, I couldn't fall asleep. I had worries running through my mind and I began to feel slightly queasy. I sat up with a frustrated sigh, flicking on the lamp as I did.

To be honest, buried in the back of my mind was a thought that I knew was there but I didn't want to let out. Or, maybe I did want to let it out, I was just afraid of what may happen from there.

Kyle.

My best friend. The guy who had stuck by me through all these years. We had gotten in so much trouble throughout our childhood for stupid ideas, usually suggested by Cartman. I had shared an important part of my life with him. Try as I might, I couldn't get out of my head the way I had thought about him on the bus today. Why did I?

I'm not a fag.

Maybe, it was just because I was feeling a little rejected by him lately because of Madison. A girl really did come between a friendship.

Only I noticed this though. He'd ditch me for her. We'd have plans and he'd cancel out and go do something with her instead. I'm losing my best friend to a stupid whorey bitch …

Without warning, tears started sliding down my face. I wiped them away furiously with the sleeve of my pajamas. What right did she have to take Kyle away from me? I had known him my whole life. She knew him for, what, a couple of months?

I was starting to cry harder and I muffled my sobs into my pillowcase.

I'm seriously fucked up right now.

I let weariness take over me and soon I fell into the darkness I had been longing for.

I don't know how long I slept but I was awakened to my Mom knocking on the door.

"Stanley? Are you awake?"

I would've liked to ignore her so I could go back to sleeping but I knew she'd never leave me alone. She'd go as far as opening the door and checking my forehead to see if I had a fever. And I bet it wouldn't stop there either. I did have a fever. I knew it. My forehead was clammy and my hair was soaked with sweat around the edges.

So I answered instead, "yes, Mom. I'm awake."

She opened the door letting a sliver of light into my room. I was surprised to see she wasn't the only one there.

"Your little friend Kyle has come to see you."

I blushed and nodded at him, "hey, Dude."

He smiled and waved slightly.

"I'll leave you boys alone. Let me know if you need anything."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Thanks, Mrs. Marsh."

Kyle cautiously crossed my room and sat on the edge of my bed. I turned on the lamp so I could see him better and squinted as my eyes adjusted. He handed me a pile of Algebra homework.

"The teacher thought I should bring this over to you. I can explain it to you if you want. It's kind of hard. Fatass did it all in class and was bragging about how smart he was and when he showed it to the teacher, she said it was all wrong. Haha."

I cracked a smile. Cartman really was a dumbass

"Thanks, Dude. I don't know how much I'll do tonight. I'm really out of it. I think I've got a concussion but my Mom's convinced that it's just a "bump on the head"."

"You don't look all that good. That fight you had with Eli today was fucking sweet. Everyone was talking about it. I saw how that dipshit tripped you. He's such an asshole. You really put him in his place, Stan! It's all around the whole school!" Kyle grinned excitedly.

"Kyle, listen. I didn't mean to be the center of attention. I've just had enough of Eli's bullshit. I've wanted to do that for months but when he tripped me today for no reason … well, it just sent me over the edge. I mean, goddammit, he's such an asshole."

Kyle nodded understandingly.

"It's okay, Dude. You get fame and revenge. No problem."

This is what I meant about Kyle. He just didn't get it sometimes. Smart as he was, he really was stupid. He didn't understand. I didn't want to be famous. I just wanted people to pull their fucking heads out of their asses.

I smiled weakly. "I guess so."

It satisfied Kyle and he launched into the mission of explaining Algebra to me. I was only half listening. I was more focused on how close Kyle was to me. I appropriated it with a slight nod or grunt to show him that I understood when he asked a question.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

At one point, his hand brushed along mine as he reached for his pencil. It gave me the chills.

Kyle still looked a bit pale. More tired than anything though. And those bags under his eyes …

"Hey, Kyle …"

"Hm?"

"Are you feeling okay?"

He looked up slightly puzzled.

"Yeah … shouldn't I be?"

Great. Now I look stupid.

"You just look a little tired. That's all."

He looked away and any remaining color in his face drained.

"I-I'm fine. Just the homework. I haven't been having enough time to sleep because of it." He forced out.

I didn't believe him. I've known him long enough to know when he wasn't telling the complete truth. But I didn't push it.

"If you say so. Hey, do you want something to eat? I'm starving. I didn't get a chance to eat lunch today, obviously."

Kyle shook his head, still looking down. "I'm not really hungry."

He looked up suddenly and obviously forced a smile. "You go ahead though. I'll just finish up this homework. Do you want to play video games after? I have to be home by eight. My parents are letting me stay longer because I told them I had to explain this all to you. But I think we'll have a bit of time to hang out … if you want, of course."

I grinned and nodded. "Sure. I'll be right back."

I pushed myself off the bed and stepped over the mess of my room. I turned around and snuck a peak at Kyle.

His back was turned to me and he was busily scribbling down answers and murmuring to himself. A little habit of his he had acquired over the years.

I still didn't believe him. Kyle not hungry? He was usually the one to suggest eating. I shook it out of my head and headed down the stairs to the kitchen.

Well, that's the second chapter! I hope you all liked it. Stay tuned. There's more to come.