AN: First off, thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far. I'll do the greetings on my tenth chapter.

Look at my profile for some neat stuff and info. Sometimes it doesn't change, but occasionally I go back and give story notes, sneak peaks, and stuff. Like last time, if anyone noticed, I added a note regarding Stan's detention...

I'm pretending Bebe's last name is Stevens (unless it really is). Fanfiction says Bebe S. and I think that Stevens sounds best.

I decided to post this anyways, despite my Saturday claim. So now, including the two reviews I've already received, every two reviews will make the update date one day earlier that Saturday (so thus, I'm currently set to re-update Friday).

And to the person who said I needed longer chapters... I'm working on it... they are sort of getting longer each time, no?

To my proofreader, I'm sorry I posted this before giving this to you. Rest assured though that your early-screening rights will resume after this chapter though :-D

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The perfect time of day, without a doubt, was when the whole town of South Park was fast asleep. South Park clearly wasn't New York; there was absolutely no nightlife in the town. No one bothered to commit any crimes in the night, mainly because the only officer in the town, though there were still detectives and such, was so stupid that he couldn't even distinguish a real crime during the day. All the kids were fast asleep, and all the parents were either asleep or still awake, but in both situations in their rooms.

South Park was dead in the nighttime, but it was the perfect time of reflection and peace. Anyone could retreat to their cloister of a room and think about things that needed thinking of. Or maybe a student needed that tranquil moment to study for the next day's test. Or maybe someone needed that moment to think of why he or she married.

Or maybe you didn't want the moment, but you ended up needing it for some unsaid reason.

It was two in the morning in the early hours of Friday, and Stan was still awake. He had been tossing in bed for ages, unable to get even a wink of sleep. He couldn't tell you why he couldn't sleep, though he could tell you that he wanted to. After hours upon hours of twisting in bed he decided to give up, and walked over to his table and sat down. The case with Kyle was really starting to get to him. Since when was declaring 'I don't like you' so hard to do. Unless, of course, Kenny was right...

"Kenny isn't right!" said Stan. Why was Kenny so persistent in thinking that he liked Kyle? Maybe he really saw happiness between the two of them. Or maybe, as the counsellor suggested, Kenny was expressing his own desires through a different character.

"But he already told me what he thought of the situation," said Stan. "He said he was pissed at me for being a jackass." But was he telling the truth? Stan began thinking about Kenny's case. Maybe he was lying to cover up his own situation. After all, Stan was lying about certain things too...

Stan's mind brought him back to that day at Stark's Pond, where it had begun. Kyle, lost for words, speaking to the group. It wasn't easy telling the group he was gay, as Stan had figured out, especially with a homophobe like Cartman. If he had known how hard it was to come out then, maybe he could've supported his friend a little more.

Stan had remembered his initial reaction to Kyle's statement, and how it might have been interpreted differently. "Kyle, are you sure?"

"I think," said Kyle. "I've been thinking about it for a while, and it seems logical when I look at it."

"You're not just supposed to think if you're gay or not based on logic!" snapped Cartman. "You're supposed to tell! You can't be all like 'hey! I like you, and so that makes me gay!" Nah, it doesn't work like that."

"Mmmph mmph!" said Kenny. Then he took his hood off, so that he could better be understood. "Yeah it can!"

"I've thought about it for the past few weeks," said Kyle defiantly. "I tried looking at girls; I tried looking at guys. And I liked guys better."

"You know," said Kenny, "there's always the bi option. What if you like both genders, but the male gender more?"

"No, I'm pretty sure." Stan could see that his friend was becoming saddened by this thought. "I knew I shouldn't have told you guys... now you're trying to convert me back or something, or even partially."

"Kyle, you know that's not true," said Stan. "We're just... trying to help you make sure that that's really who you are, and... stuff. I support you all the way, man."

"Yeah, me too!" piped in Kenny. Kyle smiled.

"Thanks guys, I knew I could trust you..." Stan gave his best friend a nice and long hug, only to be interrupted by fake sounds of puking.

"Aww, that's SICK!" yelled Cartman. "Cartman's a Jew, AND he's a fag!"

"Shut your fucking mouth, Cartman!" yelled Kyle and Stan at the same time.

"Aw, and the Jew already has his own boyfriend," said Cartman. "This seems like perfect blackmailto me."

"Fuck off, you stupid fat-fuck!" snapped Kyle. "I told the three of you because you were my friends. I should never have trusted you."

"Well, you know what guys?" said Cartman, "I don't hang out with double-damned kids. Screw you guys, I'm goin' home..."

"He's not double-damned, damnit!" yelled Stan. "How are you to say that Jewish people go to hell? Or homosexuals?"

"Because my mom took me to see-"

"WE KNOW YOU'VE FUCKING SEEN IT!" snapped Kyle. "Mel Gibson's a lying ass."

"Well my mom made me read the Bible, and it says there that men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error. Homos go to hell!"

"Just go already," said Stan. Cartman laughed in his usual manner before leaving the three boys at the pond. Stan stared at Kenny for a few seconds, unsure as to what to do. Before he could say anything though he felt a weight in his arms.

"I hate him, Stan,"Kyle said slowly, digging his face into Stan's chest. Stan didn't know how to take this, so he merely patted his friend on his back. "I don't know why I told him... now he's just going to ratt on me to the whole school... I hate him!"

"Kyle, I'm sure he won't. He may be a jackass but I think he still sees you as a friend. Let's just live this one out, okay?" Yeah, that definitely worked out 'okay'. Now the whole school's joining ANTIGSA, and Stan was sure that Kyle would be their first target...

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"I hope you all have had a wonderful day yesterday," said their English teacher, "especially to Stan, who completely skipped his detention."

"Sorry sir," said Stan apologetically.

"We'll talk about that later," said the teacher. "In advance I'd like to wish you a wonderful weekend as well. That being said, I am going to assign you all a project." The teacher earned a long wave of moans and groans from the students, which he had expected. "Since there are twelve of you, you'll be grouped into six groups of two. Any questions?" The teacher looked up and saw almost every hand up. Sighing, he pointed to the nearest student, Wendy Testaburger.

"Mr. Absenence, what is this project on?" About two other students yelled signs of agreement with her question.

"Well Wendy, it's going to be on famous poets. I'm sure you have some list of poets stashed in your mind. But more specifically, you are going to research how your assigned poet has contributed to the literary world. Any other questions?"

"When's it due?" asked Bebe Stevens.

"Your assignment is due Monday," said Mr. Absenence, gaining another wave of complaints. "You have the weekend to do your studying, and since this town is so small I assume that transportation is not an issue. Valid and reasonable medical emergencies will be excused, of course. Anything else?"

"Can we choose our own partners?" asked Butters Stotch.

"As much as I know you'd love to, your answer is no. My computer randomized some names, and that's how we'll play. Anything else?"

"If we get paired off with an ex-girlfriend," began Stan, making sure he glowered at Wendy, "can there be an exception?"

"That's very immature," said Mr. Absenence, "but we will see. And now we will see..." Stan waited patiently for his name to be called, and felt relieved when Wendy was paired off with Butters. "And that leaves Stan Marsh and Kyle Broflovski." Scratch relieved. Stan felt sad when Wendy was paired off with Butters. At least Stan and Wendy were in okay terms.

"Mr. Absenence, I object," said Cartman. The teacher looked at him quizzically.

"What's wrong with your partner, Bebe?"

"Absolutely nothing, sir," said Cartman. "I don't think Stan and Kahl should be together." Gulp. Not this. Not now.

"Eric, I think that your concerns should be left with your own group."

"But siiiiiir, I'm worried about their productivity," said Cartman, a sly smirk on his face. "I'm sure the two of them together will just have the making out the whole time instead of doing anything-"

"DAMNIT CARTMAN!" yelled Kyle. "SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!"

"Aw, he's piping up for his boyfriend," Cartman teased. Mr. Absenence made an attempt to halt the topic and moved on, but any attempts were hushed by Stan.

"Damnit Cartman, I am not gay!" yelled Stan. "Shut the fuck up before I-"

"All right, all right," muttered Cartman. "I don't hear the Jew defending himself though."

"He's not gay either," said Stan.

"Why can't he say it himself?" asked Cartman. "He's too fucking queer to admit it?"

"ALL RIGHT, NOW THAT'S ENOUGH!" The three boys stopped their speech at the angry tone of the teacher. In truth he wasn't really angry, but he needed to stop the subject somehow. Still, his intervening was too late. Stan and Cartman would've been at each others throats if Kyle hadn't been in tears. "Stan, can you walk your friend to the counsellor's office? I'll call ahead and tell them that your coming." Stan agreed, and helped his shaky friend out the door.

"Aw, Stan's helping his jewfag of a-"

"That'll do, Eric Cartman," said Mr. Absenence, continuing to his lesson and leaving a stunned class to only ponder at what had happened.

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"Never thought I'd be here again..." Stan said as he waited in the now familiar waiting room. He clearly recognized the lady at the desk, who must've thought he was a psychopath because he was here the second day in a row. The only difference now was that his best friend Kyle was leaning on his shoulder, still stiffling some tears. As he lay there Stan's mind was racing with ideas. Would now be a good time to talk to Kyle? No... Kyle's already gone through too much grief. But when would be the best time?

"I hate him," said Kyle. "Why is he-?"

"Shh, it's okay Kyle," Stan assured him. Was it really okay? Or was he lying again? Stan was now extremely confused, but he decided that he would worry about that later. As he was about to say something else Ms. Sagisak poked her head from her office.

"Kyle Broflovski?" Stan helped his friend up and walked him over to the lady. "Thanks Stan, I've got him from here."

"I can't come in?" asked Stan, but she shook her head.

"These are supposed to be confidential sessions, even if it's at school. I'm afraid you'll either have to wait or go back to class." With those words she shut the door in Stan's face. Stan most definitely didn't want to go to class, and so he hung around the reception room for a while He found a few magazines that had been lying around, and began reading.

"Plastic surgery, adoption, stem cell research..." Stan's eyes browsed through the many article titles, but none of them seemed to interest him. Of course, Stan wasn't the type to read magazines leisurely, but at least something should've interested him. What would they be talking about in there? What would she tell him about Cartman? About Kenny?

About him.

Stan's mind raced with ideas. Could Ms. Sagisak put two and two together? Would she realize that he had come in there not a day before to discuss the same issue? Stan hoped that Kyle was telling his problem hypothetically, or perhaps without saying names as Stan had done. Still, the same result seemed inevitable.

It seemed like forever (yet still within the same period) when Kyle had strode out of her office. He was in much better spirits, seemingly, but that was probably because he had had the chance to calm down. Stan smiled to greet his friend, and together they left that building.

"Stan?" said Kyle, turning to his friend. "About you yelling that you didn't care for me..."

"Kyle, I didn't-" began Stan but Kyle interrupted him.

"I know what you meant. You don't care for me in that way. And I'm okay with that." There was a silence between them, and neither boy seemed to want to ruin it. Still, Stan needed to get a few things across.

"You don't... mind?" said Stan. Kyle shook his head.

"In my heart, yes I do mind. I see you as the only person I could ever care for, perhaps the only person who would truly see me for who I am, and not a homosexual jewish boy with obnoxious red hair. But I'm also okay with you being as my best friend, someone I can still trust, and someone I can rely on when I need someone the most. That's really all I care about, and if you can't return the feelings I feel for you then I can still settle with friends." Stan couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was Kyle being serious? He was basically doing what Stan had wanted to do since... who knew now?

"Kyle, I-"

"So do we have a deal?" asked Kyle. Stan looked at his friend unbelievingly. There were so many things that Stan wanted to apologize for, so many things that Stan wanted to say. Instead, he restrained himself, and only had the heart to say,

"We have a deal... Kyle."

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No! Tis not the end! Of course not! The angst hasn't even started yet!

Expect some friendship betrayal, ANTIGSA intervention, self-realization, and other things to come into play.

Oh, and next chapter... Cartman vs. Marsh in a heated debate in American Government?