Author's Note: Hey! Sorry it took so long, but it's here now! And I hope this will make you feel better. . .I already started writing the next chapter and it should be up some time next week!

"Hey, Stan," Wendy greeted as she came up from behind him. "Hey, Kyle."

"Hi," Kyle said as he continued sketching, looking up only to greet her.

"Stan?" Wendy whispered, "We need to talk."

Stan looked at her and then turned in his chair. Kyle pretended not to pay attention as his pencil moved across the paper like he was still sketching. His head stayed bent down toward the paper, but his eyes looked up to catch a glimpse of Wendy and Stan. "We need to talk" weren't exactly good words anyone would like to hear put together, especially if it was coming from your girlfriend. . .or boyfriend, whatever struck your fancy.

"No, not now. After class," she said. Stan nodded and she smiled weakly at him. A smile of guilt. She kissed his cheek lightly and walked away. In her voice and in her face it was obvious that she was expressing some regret and guilt.

"Dude," Kyle began cautiously, "uh. . .things will be just fine between you two."

Stan turned in his seat toward Kyle. He stared down at his sketch. Was she really breaking up with him again?

"Do you think she knows?" Kyle asked, watching Stan carefully.

Stan looked at him. He shook his head when he realized what Kyle was talking about. "I didn't mention it to her," he said.

Kyle shrugged as Stan looked out the window. "Maybe it's something else then." He looked at Stan and waited for a response, but Stan didn't reply.

For some odd reason Stan didn't feel saddened by this. It was possible that Wendy would break up with him after class, but for a reason he did not know, this thought didn't seem to faze him. It didn't have any affect on him. He simply wouldn't really mind either way. He turned to Kyle and smiled genuinely and Kyle shook his head with a small grin.

"You don't seem very upset about it," Kyle commented.

Stan shrugged, the smile still on his face as he turned to look out the window again.

"Don't tell me it's someone else?"

"Maybe," was all Stan would say as he continued looking out the window.

"Hm."

There was a moment of silence between them and then Kyle said, "So who's this mystery girl then?" Stan didn't reply, but Kyle had been under the impression that Stan didn't want to share. "Fuck, dude," Kyle said as he looked up. There was no anger in his voice as he said it, just a hint of exasperation. "It's like everyone has a mystery person all their own. First, Kenny and then I over heard Butters talking to Pip during gym class this morning about a 'special someone' who he wouldn't fucking mention and now you. And now that I think about it-" He looked away from Stan and his expression was thoughtful as if he were remembering something. "-Bebe mentioned having someone too." His expression stayed thoughtful as he tried to remember if there was anyone else. He noticed Stan still looking out the window and his face went from thoughtful to confused.

"Stan," he called. "Are you listening to me?"

Stan pointed out the window. "I think I found Cartman," he said. Kyle turned and there he was. Cartman. . .squatted behind a bush, a camera in his hands. Kyle went to the window and Stan followed. "Is he drooling?"

"Ew!" A girl said. She had joined them at the window when she caught them looking outside. Soon the rest of the class moved to the window for a look.

Stan smiled to himself. "Maybe he found a Chocolate Eclair laying on the ground when he was recording who knows what," Stan commented. He and Kyle laughed.

"Or a twinky," Kyle said to which Stan laughed. "Or, you know what? No. Not a twinky."

"No twinky?" Stan asked.

"Nope," Kyle replied. "Knowing the fat ass that is Cartman, he probably really found some cheesy poofs or snacky cakes or something."

Stan laughed and Kyle soon joined him.

"Well," the teacher said. "Cartman has just won himself after school detention and a parent-teacher conference."

Stan and Kyle turned to each other, holding back a laugh. "So you're gonna have a talk with Mrs. Cartman?" Stan asked.

"Yes, Stan," Mr. Fink said. "That's what a parent-teacher conference is."

"There won't be any 'talking'," Kyle whispered. "Cartman's mom is a huge slut."

"I'm sure he knows that," Stan replied nodding to the teacher.

"He just wants someone to-"

Kyle's sentence was cut short. "I'd stop right there, Mr. Broflovski, you don't want to join Cartman for detention."

"But if I do get detention, no parent-teacher conference, right?" Kyle asked, he suddenly looked very nervous. He could hear his mother in his head and could just picture the round, plump woman. WH-WH-WHAT!

"No," Mr. Fink replied quickly with a look of disgust. "I've met your mother once before and she wasn't a very pleasant woman. She's not as generous and gentle as Mrs. Cartman is."

Stan bursted with laughter. "Dude! He slept with your mother!" a lone student exclaimed as he pointed a finger at Kyle. There were scattered reaction throughout the class as Kyle's jaw dropped. It was obvious that he had not been expecting that. Few people replied with "EW!" (preferably Bebe and Wendy) while some others (mainly boys) were whooping and cheering as the others gasped with disgust or surprise or possibly both and the rest just laughed (Stan and various others).

"Out, Mr. Merrick!" Mr. Fink shouted as he stood, pointing to the door. "NOW!"

Stan placed an arm around Kyle's shoulder and led him back to their table, holding back his laughter. "Come on, Kyle, just forget about that."

Butters walked silently back to class. He had acted as if it hadn't bothered him, but in reality it had. He wondered what it was he had done. Maybe he had been too clingy. Kenny had told him how much he didn't like it when they were in public and maybe that was how Cartman had gotten so suspicious and caused Kenny discomfort when they were together. But he didn't understand. Th-that's my problem! He said to himself. I-I never understand a-anything! He stopped. Was that Kenny's real reason for leaving him? Could it really have been because Butters simply understood very little?

"Butters?"

"Huh?" He looked up. "Uh, h-hi, Cartman."

"What's the matter?" Cartman asked, his hands behind his back as he leaned forward only a few inches. He sounded concerned, but there was something in his eyes that didn't seem right. Butters, though, ignored it or better yet, didn't notice it.

"Oh, n-nothing."

"You look a little down."

Butters shook his head. There was silence and then. . . "Cartman?" he asked.

"Yes," Cartman replied as he looked at the blonde boy.

"What do you do when, uh, a-a person you really like doesn't like you anymore?"

"Well," Cartman began, a knowing smirk on his face . "If I were to put myself in your shoes, I'd try to get him-I mean-"

"Gee, Cartman," Butters interrupted before Cartman could correct his mistake. "I didn't know you liked guys."

"I don't!" He shouted. "I'm no fag! I'm putting myself in your shoes!"

"But I didn't-"

"Shut up," Cartman replied, "and let me finish. Jesus Christ, Butters. You like guys don't you? I mean, you are talking about one, right?"

"Whoa!" Butters said, wide-eyed. "How'd you know?"

Cartman smiled and this time his smile reached his ears. "I just do."

"Wow," Butters responded in a whisper, completely amazed and mesmerized.

"Listen," Cartman began again, "What you have to do is, flaunt your love for him."

"Oh, we-well, he won't like that. He's very-"

"Just do as I say, goddamnit!"

Butters quickly closed his mouth and he stared at Cartman, waiting for his permission to speak. Butters watched him as he squeezed between his eyes, the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. That was when he noticed the digital camera in his other hand. He wondered what Cartman was doing with it, but thought nothing of it. Pr-probably a project, he thought. But he didn't know just how big a project the camera was being used for. He wanted to ask Cartman about it, but kept his mouth shut. Cartman's a-angry, he thought. He won't appreciate me asking him questions about his camera.

"Just. . .Listen," Cartman finally said.

Butters nodded.

Cartman took a deep breath. "Okay." He let a slow breath out. "To get this guy back, you're going to have to show him just how much you love him. Tell him how you feel. When you're alone with him or not. No, better yet, when you two are in public. He'll be so happy that you said it aloud because that way everyone will know about it and it'll show them that you're not afraid of your love and you're proud of it!"

"And that'll make him happy?"

Cartman nodded. "No fear."

"No fear?"

"No fear."

"No fear. . ."

"Just do it," Cartman urged. "He'll love you even more for it. Assuming, of course, he loves you now."

Butters looked at him, his eyes growing hopeful and happy as his mouth parted slightly. "Really?"

Cartman grinned as he nodded. The glint in his eye would've given him away to anyone else, but Butters was oblivious to it.

"Thanks, Cartman," he said before walking down the hall to his class.

"Pleasure to help."

He never saw it and if he had, it would've saved him all the trouble that was yet to come.

HEE! You like? I like! Lol! The only thing I don't like about this is that Kenny isn't in this chapter. He was originally, but I removed his part (Please, forgive me, Kenny) and put it in the next chapter to make more room for the Cartman and Butters thing. And you know what? It had originally been Stan who met up with Butters in the hall because he was the one who the teacher had sent out of the room, but then this came to me and I was like, "I have to fix it!" Oh, and sorry about the cliffhanger there at the end. Heehee! Later!

Jess