Happy Easter, my awesome readers! =D Here's chapter 2 of this fic. This chapter is a lot shorter than the last one by the way. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing but oh well XD Hope you enjoy!

And that is how I fell in love with Eric Theodore Cartman. And I've loved him ever since; my love for him becoming deeper every time he looks into my eyes, which happens a lot unintentionally.

I never did find out why he started that rumour in the first place. When did I ever make out that I liked Bebe Stevens? I never talked to her at all! It made no sense to why Cartman would start such a stupid rumour. Surely he knew Craig would want to kick my ass once he heard it. But then he came to protect me. It made no fucking sense!

Well then again, it is South Park. Nothing makes sense in this fucked up town!

I never asked him about the rumour after that day, though I wanted to. I just never found the right moment to ask him. It would be too awkward. Though maybe someday I'll ask… and hopefully he'll remember.

Speaking of the fatass, my phone suddenly starts beeping, indicating I got a text. I glance down at the screen and see it is from Cartman.

That's weird. He never texts me…

While my heart starts to race, I open the text, eager to see what he wants.

Hey Stan. I'm so bored and there's no one else to talk to so I decided to text you. So what's up, fag?

I blink slowly as I read the text a few more times, my heart thumping madly in my chest.

I don't know why but I suddenly feel the need to talk to him, to hear his voice. Just one thought of him makes me need to see or hear him! I'm strange like that…

I exit the text and scroll down through my contacts until I land on his name and number. My finger clicks the 'Call' button of its own accord and I press the phone to my ear nervously.

The phone rings twice before he picks up. "Hey, dude. I never said you had to call me," he says and I swallow loudly, hoping he didn't hear. "So what-"

"Cartman," I interrupt him, my voice coming out quite sharp, surprising even me.

He sounds taken aback, as I expected, as he speaks. "Damn, Stan, you sound… weird. What's up, hippie?"

"I need to ask you something, Cartman," I say, trying to make my voice come out softer. He doesn't answer and I guess that means he's waiting for me to go on. "You remember two years ago when you were protecting me from Craig after he heard that rumour that I was secretly dating Bebe that you supposedly started?" I ask.

I hear him let out a long sigh. "Stan, I was hoping you'd never mention that again. Why are you suddenly bringing it up again after two years?"

I shrug but then remember we're on the phone and he can't see me. "I don't know," I say. "Just answer this next question."

He sighs again and I take that as a cue to continue. "Why did you start the rumour?"

There's silence. A long silence, the only sound being the soft breathing coming from Cartman and the loud thumping of my heart against my chest.

After a few minutes, I start to think he's not going to answer, but he does finally and I listen up eagerly.

"Stan… I can't tell you," he says, and my shoulders slump, my excitement dropping. "I'm sorry. I just can't tell you. Can we talk about something else?"

I let out a long sigh of my own as I think deeply in my mind, thinking of something to do to make him tell me. I'm definitely not letting go of the subject that quickly.

I finally think of an idea, not the best one ever but still not a bad idea.

"Cartman, if I tell you my biggest secret ever, will you tell me what I want to know?" I ask.

He pauses again, probably thinking it over, before answering. "Are you seriously going to tell me your biggest secret ever, Stan?"

"Yes," I reply nodding, even though he can't see me. "I promise."

There's another pause and I hear him sigh quietly. "Alright fine. Deal."

A slow smile spreads across my face and I punch the air in triumph before I realize my situation and a nervous feeling swells in the pit of my stomach. I have to tell Cartman my biggest secret ever! Holy shit!

Is it really worth telling him my biggest secret just to know the reason he started that rumour two years ago?

The answer is…… yes… I think.

"Cartman, this is really hard for me to say so listen up 'cause I'm not repeating it." I clear my throat before continuing, feeling my heart thumping wildly in my chest again. "Cartman, ever since that day two years ago I've been feeling… different towards you."

There's another pause and I can almost see the puzzled look form on Cartman's face. "What do you mean, Stan?"

I sigh and continue. "I can't stop thinking about you, Cartman, and… whenever our eyes meet I nearly collapse."

"…Stan, where are you going with this?" he asks, and I can hear the suspicion in his voice.

I shut my eyes tightly as I speak the next words, making sure to say it loudly and clearly so as not having to repeat it. "I love you, Cartman. I love you so much. I just…I…"

I don't say anymore. I'm not sure what else to say. I wait nervously for his reply, begging with all my heart that he tells me he feels the same way. If he said those words… 'I love you' back to me, I would probably die with happiness!

There is a long silence, longer than any other silence there's been, and I have no idea what's running through his mind. My guesses are surprise, shock and (hopefully) delight.

Boy, I am so very wrong about the last one.

"WHAT?!" he cries, in a high-pitched tone, startling me and nearly making me drop my phone.

"C Cartman, what's wrong?" I ask, my voice coming out a little shaky.

"Don't you ever tell me stuff like that, Stan! Ever!" he yells. "It's not right! Don't you know that I hate you, Stan? Not as much as Kahl but I still hate you! I despise you! And you're meant to hate me, so don't say that you fucking love me, you fag!"

He pauses for breath and during that short pause I feel my heart pounding and being slowly ripped out of my chest and torn into two.

"Oh, and I'm not telling you the reason I started the rumour that day and then came to your rescue, faggot! So don't bother asking me again!" he adds. "But believe me, Stan, if you think it's 'cause I have any feelings for you, you're dead wrong! I hate you, Stan. I hate you so much!"

And he hangs up, before I can even say a word, leaving me to burst into floods of tears and clutch my chest where my broken heart is. I've never felt such serious agony before in my life, until this very moment.

Eric Cartman doesn't love you. Eric Cartman doesn't love you.

Those words keep swimming around in my head, repeating themselves over and over, no matter how hard I try to get rid of them. This must be what real agonizing pain feels like. Well if this is what it feels like, then I don't think I can bear any more of it…

----------- Cartman's POV

I feel terrible. I feel the worst I've ever felt in my life. I'm such a fucked up person for doing what I did. But I just had to do it… I had to.

Why did I do it, you ask? Because I had to break his heart. Now that it's broken it can never be broken again in the future. Not by me anyway.

I know that I made the right choice. If I'd told him I loved him back then we'd probably start dating and I'd end up breaking his heart more times than one, unintentionally of course. No matter how hard I'd try not to hurt him, I know I would… somehow. I'm Eric fucking Cartman. I'm the master of pain. I hurt others so many times, mostly on purpose but sometimes accidentally as well…

This is so much better. Stan's heart is strong. It will heal eventually and he can forget about me and get on with his life and hopefully fall in love with someone else, someone better than me. Someone who won't hurt him.

Then I can watch him from afar, watching him glow with happiness the way he does when he's in love. And I'll be protecting him secretly, not resting until I completely trust his new found lover and then I'll leave him alone completely, leaving him in the hands of his new lover, and hopefully everything will turn out alright.

But although he'll be happy, I won't be. As much as I'd love to say something like 'as long as he's happy, I'm happy' or something faggy like that, I can't, because it's not the truth… I love Stan Marsh with all my heart and soul, and he'll never know. He can't know.

And I can never tell him the reason I started that stupid rumour that day two years ago. He can never know.

…….

Ugh, well obviously you'd ask what it is, wouldn't you? Pft, typical… Alright I'll tell you. But I'm only telling you and then no one else, understand? Oh and if you tell anyone else I'll come after you and fucking kill you!

Alright now that you understand that, I'll tell you what you want to know.

The reason I started that rumour was because I knew Craig would threaten to beat Stan up once he heard it and I wanted to save Stan and say that I was the one who started the rumour. I knew that they'd both be curious and want to know why I would start a rumour and then go and protect Stan myself, and I was going to tell them the real reason I started it.

The real reason being that I loved Stan and wanted to show him I'd protect him always and never let anything bad happen to him. I wanted to tell him I loved him.

But I couldn't. I didn't. I wasn't able to.

I was annoyed at myself then because I wasn't strong enough to reveal the truth but I realize now that it's best I didn't. It's better this way. I would have hurt him. I'm not sure exactly how I'd hurt him, but I would. Like I said, I'm Eric Cartman, the master of pain and suffering.

Now I won't ever be able to hurt him, as long as I stay away from him and only protect him when he really needs me and as long as I keep my feelings completely under my control. I can't give him any hints that I might like him back or care for him at all, despite the fact I saved his ass that day. That would ruin everything.

Although I have to pretend I don't care about him in the slightest and I have to tell him occasionally that I hate him, that will never be true. My feelings for him will never change.

I love you, Stan Marsh, no matter what I tell you or how I act around you. I've always loved you, and I always will…

The end!

Wow, I'm actually quite proud of this story. I really enjoyed writing it and I really like the couple StanxCartman. It's cute! I think I might write some more fics with this couple in the future =D

What should the couple name be? Startman? Stanric? Cartstan? Ugh, it can be so hard choosing couple names! XD

Anyway I really hope you all enjoyed this, especially you Nikki-Fox, and please review telling me what you think of this fic and what you think the couple name should be. Or if there's already a couple name for them then tell me =D And constructive criticism is always welcome. Bye bye for now! =D

PS: If you review you get an Easter egg!! XD