Chapter 12

January 24th

Eric did his best to dodge everyone he had ever associated with. His mind was reeling with thoughts and processes; trying to digest everything that had happened that month. Hell, he had a hard time digesting everything that had happened just that week. He couldn't look Kenny in the eye, and ignored Kyle at all costs. He hadn't even insulted his red hair or his jewishness.

Everyone in the school knew that something huge had happened. But he would be damned if anyone knew exactly what.

Eric Cartman would die before he let anyone else figure out that he was not a hard pressed asshole. He could not, and certainly would not, suffer the reaction and pity that came with people knowing he had feelings. Or that they had hurt him...a lot.

But, life must go on.

So with his head bowed, he entered the hallways between classes. His eyes glanced about, but quickly flickered to the ground when he noticed a familiar orange hoodie. He jerked his shoulder back as they passed so they wouldn't touch. He pretended not to notice that hurt that flashed across Kenny's face.

His feet kept walking.

His world kept spinning.

He kept hating himself for the way things had turned out. If he could have just figured out a way to keep his feelings under lock and key, Kyle wouldn't know. If he hadn't gotten upset, and made Kenny thought..Thought what? He hadn't recalled ever leading Kenny on, or letting the blonde believe he was interested in anything that wasn't friendship. Sure, he had talked to him and gone to him whenever he needed someone who woud listen.

But maybe that was it. Maybe Kenny was a lot more like him than he thought. Maybe Kenny was just as desperate for someone's attention that he would take any cue to get an in. And that made Eric feel even worst about the whole situation. Had his friend desperately been needing him to realize something?

Shit, that was a part of his whole facade.

Eric Cartman noticed and knew everything about everyone. He had little bugs in everyone's house, and could sit in his room and watch it through his laptop. A lie, obviously, no one in South Park kept their shit bussiness to themselves. But no one thought they were being that loud.

So what was he to do?

He could entertain Kenny for a bit. Maybe he could get a good lay out of the blonde, ease some sexual tension that had been building up.

Nope.

That ball of guilt grew about ten times with that thought.

Fuck, why was feeling so hard?

Maybe he'd just get bitch ass wasted tonight. Let that clear his head—or really fog it up enough that he wouldn't be able to think about it properly.

Or maybe, he could actually give Kenny a try. Sure, his heart thudded in his chest for Kyle, but that had all been conditioned over time hadn't it? Couldn't he do the same thing for Kenny?

Would it be fair to both of them?

He wouldn't love Kenny...that would probably be too much to ask for. But if the blonde wanted someone to cuddle and snuggle up to...Eric wasn't exactly opposed.

"Eric?" A voice broke through the enclosure that was the brunette's thoughts. "Hey," A hand reached out and tugged on his jacket. The boy gave pause and turned, only to be met with black eyes and hair so dark it was annoying. Wendy fucking Testaburger. "You okay?" Her brows were furrowed in worry, and holy fuck. Why did everyone care?

"Fine," Eric snapped jerking his arm back from her grip. He wanted to be away from her, and everyone else in the god forsaken school.

"Don't lie," Wendy sighed stepping closer to the larger boy. "You're as broken a music player..." Her arms crossed over her chest. The oversized sweater was tugged in to hug her body just the slightest. "I think we need to talk."

"You can think all you want, bitch. It isn't going to make it happen any faster." He growled turning away from her. He really had never liked the raven haired bitch. In fact, when she hooked up with stan, he was pretty damn happy. It freed him up from any of her focus, so she couldn't berate him on how unethical he was.

Or perhaps he hated her because she could read between the lines. Much like Kyle could...when he actually wanted. For some reason, though, the redhead seemed to ignore every bit of information that Eric had slipped in between his own lines.

"No, Eric." Wendy followed the brunette down the hall towards his own class. "We need to talk. Meet me after school in the parking lot. I'm skipping my beta club tonight." Her lips pursed as she glowered at him.

No getting out of it then.

Eric shrugged non-comittaly and continued his strides down the hall. If she wanted to talk to him, she would have to meet him at his truck as soon as school let out. And even then, she would probably have to be a bit forceful. The brunette could be just as stubborn about avoiding everyone when he wanted to.

When school came to an end, Eric was very disappointed to see two people standing by his truck. Both had black hair, and one was visibly annoyed. Well, wasn't he about to ruin their day.

"Get the fuck away from my truck," Eric muttered as he rounded the vehicle. He paused momentarily when he spotted the red mark on Wendy's cheek, and lord help him. He saw red.

There were few things that Eric Cartman absolutely hated. Hitting women, even if they annoyed the shit out of him, was one of those things. He had witnessed the abuse of his mother often enough, that he knew the kind of men that rested behind the hand that dealt the blow. It disgusted him to no end; the type of disgust that made him want to send whoever hit a woman flying into an enternal abyss. Call him old fashioned, anti-feminism, or whatever you will. It was a peeve.

And before Eric could even get a grasp on the situation, he turned and flung his fist straight into the face of Stanley Marsh.

But he didn't stop there.

He followed the teenager down to the ground and laid into him. His rage from everything, the embarassment, the rejection, Kenny fucking kissing him, him just not knowing what to do. It was all Stan's fault in that moment, and the fucking bitch was going to know it.

"Eric!" Wendy screamed from somewhere behind him. But he didn't stop. He flung his fist into Stan's nose, then to his cheek. He wrapped a hand just under the teens chin and held him in place. Stan reached out with his own clenched fist. "Eric, stop!" Hands reached out to grab him.

That only enraged him more.

Eric Cartman was fucking done.

He rounded on the person who had grabbed him, hand ready for the attack.

And then he saw green eyes.

And shit, were they on fire.

Kyle Broflovski wasn't just angry.

He was livid.

And he was fucking beautiful.

Holy shit.

Eric paused, his breath caught in his throat as he stared down at the fierce eyes. He snorted out a puff of warm air as his adrenaline started coming down. The trembling started in his fist, which throbbed in a dull pain, before making its way to his shoulders.

"Get in the fucking car." Kyle whispered glaring heatedly at the brunette. "And give me your fucking keys." He held out his thin hand as if expecting the larger boy to drop the keys into it—like he was a trained pet. And god damnit, if he wasn't, then he was damn good at acting like it.