You know the drill, R&R! Enjoy!

Chapter 11

Cartman's POV

Once I came back from the prom, I took out my contacts and put my glasses back on. I also decided to put my old clothes back on since this is me. I have no desire to look or be like Stan Marsh. I might as well gain all that weight I lost back and remain the fat loser dorky slob I've always been.

I'm watching TV and eating cheesy poofs and chocolate cake, when mom comes in the door from work. "How was the prom hon?" She asks me.

"I don't want to talk about it..." I tell her as I continue to stuff my face.

"Is everything ok? You seem down."

"Again, I don't want to talk about it."

She pushes my hair back. "You're wearing your glasses again. You haven't worn them in weeks."

I shrug. "I'm tired of putting contacts in my eyes. It's a pain."

Mom sits down on the couch next to me and just stares. "What?" I ask her.

"I'm not leaving until you tell me what's wrong. You've been so happy for the last six weeks. You've been eating better, working out, and studying harder. You seemed more confident in yourself. Did something happen between you and Wendy?"

I can feel my blood boil and my heart shatter upon hearing that girl's name. "Mom, please let it go..." I start tearing up.

"I'm your mother, I can't let this go. Did you two have a fight?"

I shake my head. "She was using mom! I liked her and I thought maybe she liked me too." I look down. "I was only kidding myself..."

"Oh Eric dear, I'm so sorry!" She hugs me. "You're a handsome young man, you'll find someone who will return your feelings."

"You're my mom, you're supposed to say that..."

"I would feel the same way even if you weren't my son."

She's lying. "I don't think I'll ever trust another girl again."

"Don't say that…"

"I mean it. I really liked her and she was using me the whole time to get back at Stan. She was trying to turn me into him. I don't know why she even thought that was possible. I'll never be the man that Stan is! I'm nothing more than his cleaning lady's son."

A tear drops from mom's eye. "He said that to you?"

I nod. "He's right though. You clean houses for just about every student at my school, they all look down on me because of it. I can't wait to graduate from that stupid school!"

"I'm sorry Eric, I had no idea the kids were giving you a hard time. Maybe I should quit that job, I still have others."

I shake my head. "No mom, please don't. We need that money."

"What's this "we"?"

"Us. If you quit any of your jobs or I quit mine, we really would be struggling."

She raises her eyebrow. "Eric, I don't want you working to help support me. I'm your mom, it's my job to support you."

"We're a team! Besides, I'm 18, it's time I start pulling my own weight."

"What about college?"

"I got accepted to a community college. I'll work around my school schedule."

"No you won't, I want you to focus on school and get good grades."

"But what about the bills?"

"I'll take care of them." She smiles. "You can work during your breaks, let school be your focus now. I don't want you to struggle in school because you're busy working."

"But mom-"

"No buts Eric! I just want you to be successful…and happy!" She smiles.

"Thanks mom. I'll do my best."

"That's all I ask." She hugs me again. I try to force a smile, but I'm still feeling a little down. I know I'll get over it and her eventually, but for now…

Wendy's POV

"I still can't believe he's still not answering my calls or texts!" I tell Bebe and Nicole. The two of them are at my house listening to me rant and rave about Cartman.

"What did you expect Wendy?" Nicole asks. "You broke his heart!"

"I didn't mean to."

"I told you to call off this bet, but no, you were more interested in trying to beat Bebe!"

"Yeah, and you still lost!" Bebe adds in smirking.

I look at her. "Yeah, thanks a lot for telling Stan about the bet you jerk! I can't believe you told him and helped him win!"

She shrugs. "He would've won anyway!"

"Then you should've let it happen naturally instead of getting him involved!"

"Yeah, you're right I did cheat. So I guess you don't have to show up to graduation naked or make out with the principal."

I shudder as the thought of that sickens me. "Thank you! Now what am I going to do about Cartman?"

"Who cares about Cartman? He hates you! Just move on with your life! He's a pathetic loser!"

"He's a nice guy that didn't deserve to be treated like this by me or anyone else…"

"Fuck him!"

"Bebe stop! You know, maybe if you really took the time to get to know him, you wouldn't speak so harshly about him! You guys judge him just because he doesn't have a lot of money and that's not fair! Hell, your boyfriend is poorer than he is, so what's the difference?"

"Kenny's hot that's the difference! Cartman is fat and gross! I remember when we played basketball with him and his shirt was dripping in sweat! He looked like he went swimming in his clothes. I wanted to throw up!"

"That was the first time he worked out! He's gotten much better! You guys won't give him credit for anything! Sheesh!"

Bebe and Nicole look at each other then Bebe looks at me and raises her eyebrow. "Wendy…have you fallen for that dork?"

I turn away from them. "No…yes…I don't know." I look back at them. "I just wish people weren't so hard on him. He's made a lot of progress in 6 weeks."

Nicole puts her hand on my shoulder. "Girl, you've got it bad!"

"No I don't!"

"I agree with that. You didn't fall for Cartman, you fell for what you made him. Who was he before you started hanging out with him?"

"No one!" Bebe adds.

"Now you've made him the one…sort of. You tried to make him into another Stan."

I look down and start crying. "I know…and he's not Stan at all."

"That's right, he's Eric Cartman not Stan Marsh. Maybe if you try to get to know Cartman for who he really is, you still may think he's a great guy."

"Oh gross!" Bebe states. "We don't want her with Cartman, that's disgusting!"

"Stop it Bebe! His physical appearance isn't everything. The person he is on the inside is what matters." She looks at me. "Right Wendy?"

I nod. "If only he'll talk to me. He's not taking my calls."

"You know where he works."

"You're right! Thanks Nicole!" I hug her.

"You're welcome, now go get your man…if he's who you want!"

The next afternoon, I decide to go to Ruby Tuesday. I called and I was told Cartman would be there. I made sure to request that I'm seated in his section so that he's forced to speak to me. He comes over to my table. The first thing I notice is his back to wearing those God awful glasses. I'm not going to question him about that because he may think that's me trying to change him again.

"I'm Eric, I'll be your-" He looks at me. "Aw hell! I'll get you another waiter!"

"Eric, wait! I came here so you'll talk to me."

"I don't want to talk to you. Since I can't make you leave, I'll request another waiter for you."

"Listen, I'm sorry for what I did. I'm sorry about the bet, I'm sorry I tried to make you into another Stan. I shouldn't have tried to change you! You're great just the way you are."

"You've said all this before…"

"I'll say it a million more times until you forgive me!"

"If I say I forgive you, will you leave me alone?"

"Not if you don't mean it!" He sighs. "Can we just start over? I would like to get to know you, the real Eric Cartman."

"I can't. I've already told how badly you hurt me. I don't even want to be around you! I don't think I'll ever trust you or another girl ever again. Now let me get that other waiter." He turns away, but then turns back. "I will say thank you though."

"For what?"

"Even though you had a hidden agenda, you still helped me in many ways as far as school and just life in general. I even got accepted into community college."

"That's great! Congratulations!"

"Thanks. I know it's not much, but I still wouldn't have been able to do it without your help."

I stand up. "You really don't have to thank me. I'm really proud of you." I give him a kiss on the cheek and he blushes.

"I'll go get that other waiter. See you around…" He walks off. Damn, how disappointing. I was rejected again by Cartman. I guess I deserve it, I did him dirty and now I have to live the consequences. I guess we just weren't meant to be. I just hope that he ends up finding someone sometime down the line.

Preview

Stan and Cartman face off one last time after graduation.

A/N: I think the next chapter will be the last one. What do you guys think?