Hey guys I'm sorry for the delay. I have distractions and interruptions in my life that is preventing me to update quickly. Also, I have other fanfictions I am trying to get done as well. Please bare with me okay?

Cheeks of Glitter

Chapter Eight

Eric's outburst during dance practice was barely a topic to spread rumors about, because it was very typical of the boy to act in such a way. Nobody was surprised, not even Heidi. However, during recess as she sat near the other girls who were chattering away, Heidi couldn't help but feel troubled by the situation.

Her heart ached in such a way it made her feel sad. However, she was sure it was because she hated seeing Stan getting shoved to the floor. The boy had brushed it off like it was nothing, which made Heidi smile slightly. Stan was sensitive yet strong in a way that made Heidi envy him. She liked him too much for that to become a problem, though.

Like? Heidi wondered. She couldn't lie to herself because she did like Stan. He was becoming to be a good friend to her, and somebody who she could share her love for animals with. Sure, there were other kids who cared, like Kyle for instance.

Kyle was nice, and Heidi remembered her first attempt to go out with him. She, however, knew it was only a way to hide the pain from breaking up with Eric in the first place. She wished she could have let it end there with Eric. Going back to him only made her a terrible person, and she had the choice to go out with Kyle. Instead, she chose Eric all over again.

Stan, who was Kyle's best friend, had always been slightly like him, yet somehow different. And after a couple years, Heidi had recently realized how different they have become.

"Heidi, is something wrong?" That came from Red, one of the cheerleaders on the cheer squad. Although Heidi sat near the girls, it surprised her that one of them approached her in a genuine way.

"Hey," Wendy said as she grinned over at Heidi. Her lips shimmered from the bright and shiny lip gloss she was wearing. It matched her glossy eyeshadow. "Would you like to rejoin the cheer squad?"

Heidi was stunned. Ever since her last relationship with Eric, all the girls refused to invite her to do anything. The only thing they would do together is wait at the bus stop, but that wasn't volunteer since they all lived on the same block.

The girl wasn't sure what to say. The thought of being a part of something exciting again thrilled her. Although, something was holding her back from giving them a direct answer. What they didn't know, is that she had her own exciting things to do.

Helping Stan with Stitch was one of them. We rescued Stitch, though, she thought. It's all taken care of. That thought saddened her. It was great that Stitch was being taken care of. Did that mean it was the end for her teamwork with Stan, though?

"Heidi?" Wendy said.

It was tempting, but Heidi just wasn't sure. "Can I let you know later?"

The girl's accepted Heidi's offer, and the thought stayed on her mind throughout the rest of the day. She didn't mention it to anyone. Not to her parents, and not to Stan.

Stan probably wouldn't have an opinion about it since he was somewhat easygoing. The boy remembered when Wendy did aggressive things to stand up for what she believed in, and he gladly let her do it. He would care less what Heidi did. Maybe.

His mother picked him up after school just ten minutes after the last bell rang. He was still planning on visiting Stitch, but he never officially got an answer from Heidi after inviting her to go with him. Still, he wished she would have showed up outside the school building to go with him.

Stan didn't see Heidi at all after last period, so she must have been in a hurry for something. Either that, or he was so distracted by his own thoughts he hadn't notice her swing by him.

"Just twenty minutes, okay?" his mother said as she drove down the street. "I need to get home and make dinner. I will drop you off at Kyle's before then."

"Okay," Stan replied. He had hoped that Kyle would have sent him a message or two during the day, but he got received nothing from his best friend. It concerned him, and he almost wanted to skip the shelter and go straight to Kyle's house.

However, Stan's mother agreed to pick him up and take him to the shelter, so he wasn't going to let that go to waste.

"Here we are," Stan's mother said just a few moments later, and pulled into the animal shelter parking lot. "I'll wait here for you. Remember, don't take long."

"Got it," the boy replied as he opened the passenger's door of the car and stepped out, leaving his backpack in the vehicle.

He stared at the slightly small building, where the sounds of barking came out of. He could hear so many different types of barks, it was remarkable how much he realized each dog was different.

The building was small, so there weren't that many animals, but it was almost filled up with what they had. As Stan opened the front door and stepped inside, he could smell wet down, and a brief scent of urine, which didn't bother him too much. He knew that they were lacking volunteers and employees and were doing the best they could.

"Can I help you, young man?" That came from the lady at the front desk, who had just hung up from a phone call.

"Uh, I'm here to see Stitch," Stan said in a questioning tone. "I brought him in this morning."

"Ah, the new dog. Yes, hold on. Could somebody come up here to assist a young man who is interested in seeing Stitch?" She was speaking over a headset, so Stan couldn't hear what the person said from the back. "Thank you."

Stan stuffed his hands in his pocket and waited patiently. He wondered how Stitch would look since he was brought in and cleaned up.

"Stan?" a familiar voice said.

Stan turned to the right and was stunned to see Heidi standing there in a volunteer T-shirt. He blinked in curiosity. "Heidi?"

Heidi looked just as shocked, but more so because she was embarrassed. Not that she wasn't happy to see him, but she wasn't sure what to think at this point.

"You work here?" Stan asked. "Since when?"

Heidi cleared her throat and waved him over so they could step into the back. She wanted to have a discussion, but only so nobody else could hear.

After the two walked back, they stopped in a hall, and Heidi turned to the boy. "I'm a volunteer. I have been for a month now."

Stan stared in awe silently for a few seconds. "Why didn't you tell me? Does anybody else know?"

Heidi perked up at the ceiling and sighed. "Just my parents. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to expect too much from me."

"Huh." Stan jerked his head away awkwardly before glancing back at the girl. "Well, you do know a lot. It's no wonder you knew so much about Stitch."

"I put up the fliers, too."

"That's pretty cool."

Heidi stepped closer to Stan. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. But it's not like you and I have been close friends. Until now, at least."

Stan watched her closely. He could tell that she was being sincere, and the girl was right. They hadn't had any type of relationship until now. He hadn't even given it some thought since she was the girl that Eric Cartman had gone out with. They had a close relationship, but it wasn't healthy.

Stan could remember the times Kyle ranted on about how Eric didn't treat Heidi well at all. Stan didn't really have any interest in butting into their relationship because it was none of his business. He knew, though, if it were Wendy instead of Heidi, Stan would have done something about it.

The boy was over Wendy, though. And looking at Heidi now gave him some confusing thoughts. Hearing her soft voice and cute giggle, as well as seeing her doing something she believed in made Stan's stomach turn.

But me and Heidi? Stan thought. I can't, it's impossible. Besides, it's not like she feels the same way. Stan gulped, wondering if he truly did like Heidi.

"So, you wanna see Stitch?" Heidi asked. Her smile was bag, and it looked like she was eager to bring the boy back.

"Yeah, I do," Stan replied. He followed Heidi through the hall and gave him a tour of the building. She started off by showing him the room that held all the bowls for feeding. There was a sink for washing, and a refrigerator for storing leftover wet food.

Next was the grooming room, where volunteers were cleaning up the left-over fur that was on the floor. Stan could smell shampoo and wet dog. He saw a bath and a grooming table.

Heidi and Stan came to two rooms across from each other. The lefts room was filled with cats, and Stan could see them in their comfortable crates through the big window. Most of the cats were sleeping.

"And right here are the dogs," Heidi said as she turned to the right and placed her hand on the knob before turning to Stan. "It's gonna be loud, okay?"

"Okay," Stan said. He could already hear the barking, but once Heidi opened the door, the volume increased. He followed her inside.

Most of the kennel was full, and Stan scanned through all the dogs as they walked by them. Big dogs and small dogs were yapping away, and a couple were hiding in the corner of their kennel. Stan couldn't help but feel incredibly sad.

"Hi, Stitch!" Heidi squealed as she stopped at one of the cages. She waved the boy over.

After Stan got there, he could see Stitch sitting in the middle of the cage not having any interest in Heidi. However, once he saw Stan, he began to wag his tail. Stan had never noticed him do that before. Another thing that stunned him was how the dog looked.

Stitch had been bathed, and his matts were shaved off. Is this really Stitch? He wondered. The only thing that didn't surprise the boy was seeing Stitch's bones, because he was still as skinny as a broom. He had a bowl that was half full of kibble, though, and that relieved Stan.

"He missed you," Heidi said with a giggle.

"Hey boy," Stan said as he knelt and stuck his hand between the bars. Stitch instantly knifed his fingers and began to pant happily. Stan was relieved to see new life and energy in him.

"See, he's doing alright," Heidi said with a grin. She couldn't help but feel delighted to see how happy the dog was and how Stan was reacting. She couldn't remember a time Eric was so kind and generous to an animal.

Stan suddenly glanced at his watch before standing back up. "I have to go now. My mom is waiting."

"I'll walk you out."

Stan suddenly felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest. He never felt so joyful and nervous. However, he was glad.

Together, Stan and Heidi walked back up to the front and out the front doors. "Stitch seems to really be adjusting, right?" Heidi said as she and the boy walked out to the parking lot.

"Yeah," Stan said. "I'm glad. Now I don't have to worry. Besides, knowing that you are taking care of him gives me home."

Heidi giggled and stared at the boy for a few seconds. Her heart was pounding so hart that her chest was hurting. She watched Stan's blue eyes glisten, and that's when she suddenly realized attractive, he was. The girl felt like doing something she hadn't done in a long time.

"Hey," she started, "if you're not doing anything this weekend, do you wanna-"

Stan gasped when he suddenly felt something wet and warm on his arm. It was as if somebody had squirted him with a liquid that stunk of something familiar. He sniffed his arm. Urine. "What the hell."

He got squired again and this time he leaped to the side. "This is pee!" More came, and he instantly dodged before Heidi suddenly got squirted as well. The girl screamed and backed up.

Stan suddenly saw a glimpse of somebody familiar running off. He knew right away that it was Eric, so he took off after him. It was easy for the boy to catch up to him, due to Eric's obesity.

"Cartman!" Stan exclaimed.

Eric stopped in his tracks and turned to his friend. He was holding a water gun and eying the boy down. His eyes were filled with hate and anger. "She's no good!" he cried.

Stan clenched his fists. "Cartman, everything you are saying is a lie! Heidi is kind and you are acting like a jackass!"

"Says the guy who was about to be asked out about my ex! It's against bro code to go out with your friend's ex-girlfriend!" He slammed the water gun down and marched off, leaving Stan.

Stan watched his friend leave and took those words hard. He hadn't even realized Heidi was going to ask him out, but that thought sent him chills. Chills of happiness. Still, was Eric, right? Was it really illegal for Stan to be going out with his friend's ex-girlfriend?

The boy pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He just didn't know what to think or what to do.

I was given permission from another author to let Heidi be a volunteer at an animal shelter, something this person added in their fanfiction.