Alright, here we go – Chapter 2.

Note – there's been a small change. I've already corrected it in the first chapter, but in case you just read the original, I'm not making Butters the assistant-assistant-overseer. I just couldn't work it in with the plot – but he'll still have a part, be rest assured. :)

"Well, I did it," Stan announced to Kyle as he sat down beside him. "I signed up for Joseph – and, surprisingly enough, nobody else had already signed up for it. There's a pretty good chance I'll make it."

It was lunchtime and Kyle had been sitting by himself at their usual cafeteria table, writing down more "pageant plans" he had in mind. Fortunately for Kyle's sanity, Cartman was nowhere to be found – Kyle surmised that he might be pigging out somewhere in the lunch line.

"Hey, sweet!" Kyle said, putting his pencil down and closing his notebook. "Whatever part you want, Stan, you'll be guaranteed to get it – it helps to have your best friend as the official overseer of the pageant. I've already decided that auditions aren't necessary – basically, it'll be a first come, first serve basis. We don't have time for auditions. I've calculated it out how many days we have left till the pageant is scheduled to go on stage – December 20 – which gives us only 19 days to put this together. I figure rehearsal can go Monday-Thursday for three hours each day." Kyle stopped, pausing to take a breath, and was about to continue with his flow of ideas when he caught an amused look forming in Stan's eyes. "What?" he questioned.

"You must be really excited about this," Stan said, smiling. "You've already got about fifteen pages of notes there…"

Kyle smiled back, feeling a little embarrassed. "Yeah, I really am. It's surprising how much fun it is to plan this thing. And not only that, Stan, but as I'm writing down these ideas, I can't help but feel pride for them – I have a feeling that they're really going to work."

"Cool. I can't wait to hear about them," Stan said, opening up his container of vanilla pudding. "Did you talk to Cartman about this before planning it all out?"

"No," Kyle said in surprise. "I don't have to talk it over with fatass. I'm the overseer, he's the assistant overseer – whatever I want doesn't have to correspond with what he wants. Besides, who cares what that lump of fat thinks? He's only the assistant overseer because he likes pissing me off. Oh, and he's trying to steal the proceeds the pageant brings in, too. What a douche."

"Well, good luck working with him," Stan said. "You'll definitely need it…"

"Yeah. Hey, who else signed up for parts?" Kyle asked, trying not to sound too eager. Although he would never admit this to Stan, he was beginning to feel a little worried that perhaps nobody would sign up for it – true, Mr. Garrison was practically forcing them to participate, but what if everyone just signed up for scenery instead? Kyle didn't want to think how Cartman would gloat in his face about that. ('See, this is what happens when you get a Jew be in charge of a Christmas pageant – nobody wants to sign up for it!') It was almost amazing how determined Kyle was to make this pageant a success – he would prove to Cartman that is capable of completing such tasks!

So therefore, it was to his immense relief to see Stan nod. "Yeah – Tweek, Pip, and Butters want to be the three wisemen; Craig, Clyde, and Token want to be shepherds; Bebe wants to be Mary's sister – I think her name is Elizabeth – and... um… that's all I know so far."

"Nobody signed up for Mary?" Kyle asked in surprise. "That's odd…"

Stan squirmed in his seat, his pudding forgotten. "Well, um, no… somebody did sign up for it…" Looking anywhere but at Kyle, he quickly muttered to the tabletop, "Wendysignedupforitalready." His cheeks turned pink.

"What?" Kyle asked.

"I said Wendy signed up for it!" Stan said in a louder voice, his face reddening – if possible – to a deeper color. "But that wasn't why I signed up for Joseph," he hurriedly added, though Kyle had never asked for the reason. "I mean, it's obvious I'm over her. The reason I did it was because, um… I…"

Kyle waited for Stan to finish his sentence. However, Stan had stopped speaking, his eyes still cast downward and his mouth drooping. His face was still a bright red.

"You know, Stan," Kyle said gently. "If you still like her… that's okay."

Stan muttered something to the tabletop yet again, but before Kyle could ask for a translation, a piggish voice suddenly cut through the air, interrupting the two.

"Oh, hey, Kyle!" Cartman said in a falsely cheerful voice, plopping his fat body on the bench across from him. "Well, do I have some exciting news for you! Guess where I just was!" Without waiting for the flustered boy to answer, he continued happily, "Well, I went to see Father Maxi during the lunch break. A great idea had suddenly come to me during math class, but I couldn't tell you about it, because we weren't allowed to talk! I was afraid of getting you in trouble, you know what I mean?"

"Like hell you were, Cartman!" Kyle snarled, glaring with indescribable hate at the fatass sitting across from him. "What the hell did you tell Father Maxi?"

"Oh, nothing, except I was just talking to him about how Mr. Garrison was playing favorites when he elected the overseer for the pageant and how incredibly upset I was about being discriminated against because I'm fat. So Father Maxi then decided to appoint me overseer, and he said that you can have the privilege of being my assistant!" Cartman broke off then, smiling a huge, fake grin. "He said he'll talk it over with Mr. Garrison this afternoon, but no matter what Garrison said, I'll probably be the overseer – or so Father Maxi tells me. Boy, it sure helps to be a devoted Christian in his church, doesn't it?"

Kyle gaped at him in outraged disbelief. Before he could rant all the feelings surging through his mind at that instant, Stan spoke up on Kyle's behalf. "Mr. Garrison wasn't discriminating against you 'cause you're fat, you asshole! He did it because you're a stupid dumbfuck who can't even tie his own shoelace! Kyle'd be a much better overseer of this pageant and you know it!"

"Oh, but he wouldn't," Cartman continued in that same lazy tone of his. "Which is why Father Maxi agrees with me. You aren't too angry, are you, Kyle? No hard feelings, right?"

Kyle was still staring at Cartman, his cheeks reddening with anger, millions of thoughts and emotions coursing through his mind. He should've expected this from the boy who was always making his life hell – he should've expected this kind of behavior from a boy who always had to have his own way. Sure, he knew from past experience that Cartman might be difficult to get along with, especially after he had realized he'd be working under Kyle. But now… Kyle suddenly realized that he would now be working under Cartman. The thought was unbearable – and it made it even worse knowing Cartman had committed this deviously behind his back.

So now he wouldn't be able to contribute anything worthwhile to the pageant. It would be ruined – completely ruined. Kyle's hopes had been built up and now they were shattered – cold, heavy disappointment surged through his body, accompanied by hot anger.

Cartman was still sitting there, staring at Kyle with a triumphant and smug look in his beady eyes. Suddenly, that was all it took to push Kyle over the edge. Standing up so quickly he startled both Stan and Cartman, he yelled, "WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU DO THAT, CARTMAN? You always have to pull these little games, don't you! I'm so sick of this…" To his complete embarrassment, he felt hot tears prick the back of his eyelids, and his throat became constricted. Feeling the rush of tears pour down his cheeks, he suddenly turned and bolted from the cafeteria, determined not to look back.