A/N: This is probably the chapter I had the most difficulty writing but hopefully it was worth it. Hoping you're all liking the story so far, it feels great getting to write fanfiction again. So without further ado, enjoy Chapter Five!
Chapter Five: Chapter 4—Lying Through Your Teeth
"Cierra, there's hope for you yet." Cartman's words that afternoon echoed in Cierra's mind. It had been many hours since then, but remembering Cartman's delight with her work had helped Cierra get through the four hour petal to from Hell's Hospital to the South Park Inn. As soon as she came home, she dove for her bedroom. She now sat at a large desk and was dressed from head to toe in baggy clothing. The hoodie she wore slightly obscured her vision so she needed to habitually push it up just to see her homework. From corner to corner, every inch of the desk's top was covered in papers. Cierra had been home for over three hours but had barely made a dent in her homework as she was preoccupied.
"Hmm," said Cierra to herself. "Eric said my insults are lacking. Too lengthy." She picked up her how-to book from the floor and flipped though it to find some suggestions in the "Insults" chapter.
"A lot of these are racial slurs," she noted sadly.
She raised an eyebrow at a particular sentence: "When all else fails, use The Passion."
"That movie sucked," said Cierra. She pushed through a pile of papers and found a short pencil. She tapped the book with the pencil's dull point and began to chew on its eraser.
"Ohhh…" she sighed wearily. She slumped backwards into her swivel chair and then started tapping the pencil's eraser on her head. "This has always been the hardest part," Cierra muttered. She tossed the pencil back onto the desk. "But I can't be an asshole without some good insults."
Suddenly, Cierra heard a charm ringing in her apartment. Cierra peaked through her bedroom door and saw the living room clock just as the second hand had crept past the hour hand.
"4 AM?" she said softly. She closed the door quietly and rushed back to her desk. "I have to head to the bus stop in a few hours." She brought a pile of papers nearer to her and reclaimed her discarded pencil. "No point in BOTH of us failing," she said as she began. She rubbed her eyes fiercely as she began the work. "'Name'," she read out loud and in the sloppiest handwriting she could muster she scribbled, "Eric Cartman."
A few hours later, the three boys had gathered at the bus stop. Kenny and Stan stood with awestruck looks on their faces as Kyle told them the act he had witnessed the previous day.
"There is no. way. Dude," said Stan. "There's NO WAY."
"Really!" said Kyle. "I saw it! She jumped in front of the car and saved Ike!"
"But…why?" mumbled Kenny. "Why would she do that?"
"It's so…nice…Agh!" Stan held his head in pain. "I can't believe I'm even saying that in a sentence about CARTMAN'S relative."
"I know it's hard to believe, you guys, but it's true!" insisted Kyle. "Ok, yeah, she's a total jerk, but she's not…" he trailed off trying to find the word. "…Evil."
"Well…maybe that's just it," said Stan.
"What do you mean?" asked Kyle.
"She's a substitute, dude," said Stan. "You know? 'Not the real thing, but an incredible simulation'?"
Kyle's face fell a little.
"How do you know she wasn't trying to push Ike IN the way?" Stan suggested. "Or if she was only doing it to try to trick you again? Doesn't that sound like something Cartman would do?"
Kyle thought in silence for a while and eventually responded. "It does…" He turned away from his friend. "…But Cartman would never intentionally put his life in danger for me. Let alone my little brother."
Kyle looked in the distance and saw Cierra approaching the bus stop. She dragged her feet exhaustedly and held her head down as she gripped her backpack straps tightly.
"Move." She muttered flatly. She pushed Kyle aside to stand between him and Kenny all the while still looking to the ground. Stan indicated this to Kyle with a 'you see?' hand gesture while Kyle replied with an 'I don't know' shoulder shrug.
"Uh, morning, Cierra," said Kyle.
"Whatever," muttered Cierra irritably.
"I…never got to thank you for yesterday," continued Kyle.
"For what?" said Cierra. "Helping you come out of the closet, fag?"
Kyle's eyebrows slightly narrowed but he tried to keep his temper. "No…for saving Ike. My brother?"
Cierra finally looked from the ground to Kyle's face. "What the HELL are you talking about?"
Kyle turned to face Cierra. "Yesterday!" he shouted in disbelief. "Ike was about to be run over by a car and you saved him!"
"Wow…" Cierra gasped. "I knew that Jews were liars but I thought they were supposed to be GOOD liars."
"What?!" yelled Kyle losing his patience with Cierra. "I'm not lying!" He pointed to her. "You saved Ike from being run over by a speeding car!"
"I have no IDEA what you're talking about." Cierra turned away from Kyle as the bus began to approach. "Like I'd pass up letting a Jew die."
Kyle's jaw hit the ground. "Since when do YOU hate Jews?!"
"Why shouldn't I?" said Cierra turning to face Kyle again. "Not only was Eric right about them being liars, but I saw The Passion, Kyle! It's all YOUR people's fault that OUR Messiah is dead!"
"Oh, no," said Stan pinching the bridge of his nose. "Not this again."
"Do you even have any idea how old that movie is?!" Kyle shouted furiously. "The creator of that movie is nothing but a big wacko douche!"
"Don't taunt Mel Gibson, Kyle!" said Cierra her voice rising in tone. "Even if the movie sucks, it doesn't make what he said any less true!"
Before Kyle could come up with a retort, his angry expression began to take on one of worry. He noticed dark bags underneath Cierra's eyes and something odd about Cierra's tone. Before he could point it out, the bus arrived and Cierra gave him a smug smile.
"Figures you don't have a response," she said haughtily. "Maybe next time you'll think twice before making up stories about me, you no-good lying Jew!" And with that, she pulled her straps and stomped onto the bus in a huff.
Stan and Kenny came to Kyle's side.
"Dude, what happened?" asked Stan. "You totally could've taken her!"
"Stan…" Kyle stared after Cierra. "That wasn't Cartman."
"WHAT?!" Stan asked confused.
Later that day at recess, Cierra sat alone on a swing, shaking herself awake for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. As she tried as hard as she could to fight her eyelids constantly closing, she never even noticed the three pairs of eyes watching her from a distance.
"I don't understand, Kyle," said Stan on the merry-go-round. "What did you mean when you said 'That wasn't Cartman'?"
"I've been bullied by Eric Cartman my entire childhood, Stan," said Kyle. "And I know a monster when I see one and hear one." Kyle looked over at Cierra alone. "When she was arguing with me at the bus stop, it SOUNDED like Cartman but…something was…off."
"Off?" asked Kenny.
"I always felt that Cartman got this weird satisfaction from seeing me mad." He faced away from Stan and Kenny and walked a short distance from them. "The way he'd laugh, the way he'd smile;" he clenched his fists. "He thrives off of other people's misery." He released his fists, walked back to his friends and sat on the ground. "Cierra…I don't know." He looked over at Cierra again and stood. "There's something…off." He rested his face in his hands. "Something…hollow…" he continued, "…about the way she antagonizes me." He looked to Cierra one last time as the bell for recess's end rang. Stan and Kenny headed for the school doors but Kyle lingered behind and watched Cierra sluggishly head for the doors as well.
As the playground emptied, Cierra lost her balance and fell to her knees. Cierra began to brush the snow from her coat and face as she heard a voice nearby.
"Are you, OK?" asked Kyle.
"What's it to you, Jew boy?" asked Cierra bitterly.
"I saw you fall and wanted to see if you were alright."
"Why?" Cierra snapped at Kyle. "I'm not gonna pay you anything for your sympathies." Cierra rose to her feet. "Get a hand out somewhere else."
"I didn't want any money from you!" shouted Kyle.
"Really?" said Cierra mockingly. "The only reason any Jew does anything is for money."
Kyle stood taken aback for a moment but soon responded with, "You don't believe that."
"What?" said Cierra. "Yes I do!"
"No, you don't," said Kyle. "And I'm willing to bet that you don't think all Jews are liars either."
"Oh, a gambling Jew. Interesting!" Cierra said sarcastically.
"That's enough!" yelled Kyle. "I've been around Eric Cartman long enough to know a true monster when I see one, and you aren't it!"
A slightly worried look overtook Cierra's face. "W-what—what do you mean?"
"When I look into Eric Cartman's eyes, I don't see anything but hatred and pettiness. That isn't what I saw when I looked into your eyes this morning."
"W-what is this?" said Cierra defensively. "Some stupid soap opera?"
"I just don't get you, Cierra." Kyle began circling her. "You introduce yourself to us cheerfully, trip us on the bus, show shyness and amazing smarts in the classroom, make every girl in 4th grade hate you, call us "fags" over and over, save my brother's life and then deny it and call me a 'no good Jew' the very next day?" Cierra's face became increasingly narrow as Kyle listed her deeds. "You've acted like a jerk, alright, but you're no monster, Cierra," said Kyle shaking his head. Cierra's eyes flew open in shock. "You might act one, but there's no way in hell you could ever be one."
Cierra was shaking and gripping herself tightly, as though she was a bottle of soda about to explode.
"Why can't you just admit it, Cierra?!" Kyle yelled. "You will never be Eric Cartman!"
Cierra turned sharply to him. "WHY DON'T YOU JUST STEP THE FUCK OFF, YOU NOSEY-ASS KIKE!" she snarled making Kyle step back. "NO ONE ASKED YOU YOUR GODDAMNED OPINION!" She ran in a screaming huff and managed to drop something behind her: a book.
Kyle dusted the snow from the book and read the title in astonishment. "'How To Be An Asshole 101'?"
Cierra wiped a straying set of tears from her eyes. "He's nothing but a liar…" she muttered tearfully. "Just like Eric said…" She ran off into the school building not even realizing what she had left behind—her instruction manual and one very confused Jewish boy.
A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed this one because I sure as hell enjoyed writing it! :D Read and review, please! This story is entering the homestretch!
