I finally arrived at the school to find Kyle and Ike waiting with Van.
"Hey, kiddo," I said, grasping Van into a hug. "I'm sorry I'm late. How was school?"
"Good," He smiled.
"How about you?" I turned to Kyle.
"Um, it was alright," He said, looking down at his feet.
"Please don't tell me you're upset with me, too," I sighed.
He shrugged, "Not too much, just in shock. My mom said you were a girl but I didn't believe her. I guess we just didn't listen when you told us. It really sucks that the others are treating you weird, though. Me, Stan, and Kenny don't really mind though and Wendy feels really bad; I know you don't know her, but she wants to apologize to you. She said if she knew that they'd treat you bad, she would've let you tell everyone yourself."
"Listen, we've got to get going," I sighed. "Look, I'll be at Stan's tonight after dinner if you want to come; he thinks he can help, but it doesn't matter… see you."
Once we arrived home, I did my homework, helped Van with his, cleaned my bedroom up for brownie points, and made and cleaned up dinner. Afterwards, I put my dark burgundy coat on and went downstairs. Van and dad were watching Terrance and Phillip; I felt bad, but I had to interrupt their bonding time.
"Um, hey, dad," I said, pulling his attention from the screen.
"Yeah, sweetheart?"
"Can I go over Stan's for a little?" I asked. "I'll be back by ten."
He thought for a moment, "I don't know sweetie. It's a school night."
"Please," I sighed.
"Look, I just don't want you turning into a delinquent. After that stunt you pulled today, I don't know if I can trust you going out."
"His house is literally that way!" I pointed. "It's less than a two minute walk."
He sighed and was silent for a minute, "Do what you must. But next time you get in trouble, I won't be there to save you, got it?"
I groaned and stormed out of the house, frustrated. Maybe I wouldn't go home that night, who knows. I was so damn aggravated; life was getting better, finally. If I had a cell phone, I would've texted Stan, but I wasn't allowed to have one for another year. After getting a bit lost, I finally located his house and knocked on the door.
The girl from the afternoon opened the door and greeted me.
"Hi, I'm Shelly," Her voice was hindered from her braces, but nonetheless she seemed nice; anyways, she did help me in my time of need.
"Hi, I'm Emma," I greeted and she invited me in.
"Hey, Emma," Stan greeted, coming down the stairs. "Sorry, is Shelly bothering you?"
"Shut. Up. Twirp!" She huffed and left the room.
"What was that about?" I asked.
"Oh, you don't want to know," He shook his head. "Anyways, let's get up to my room before my dad finds us."
"Why–"
"Oh, hey Stan, who's your friend?" An older man wearing blue entered the room from what appeared to be their kitchen.
"Oh good lord," Stan sighed.
"Lorde?" The man said, surprised. "Lorde is a great singer, Stan, not just a good singer. You just don't know how to appreciate good music!"
"Randy!" A female voice yelled from the kitchen.
"Sorry, Sharon," He called back to her, dejectedly.
"Dad, listen we have to work on homework," He said, trying to slowly pull me upstairs.
"Okay, you two have fun," He sighed and sat on the sofa, pouting.
That's when we made our retreat upstairs and into his room. Kyle and Kenny were already there, in their pajamas. It seemed as if they were prepared to sleep over.
"Wendy is supposed to come over if her dad lets her out of the house," Kyle said, upon greeting me.
"Which probably won't happen," Stan said, in response.
"Mmmpph," Kenny said, still adorned in his coat.
"Kenny, take off your hood," Stan requested.
"Mmmphh! Mmmmpphhhh!"
"Sorry, jeez," Stan said.
"I don't understand a damned word you say with that hood on, Kenny," I sighed.
Hesitantly, he pulled it off but kept the coat on.
"Wow, you'll listen to a girl but not us," Kyle said.
There was a knock on Stan's door; he opened it to find Eric.
"Cartman, what the hell? I thought you were Wendy."
"Ew, I'm not a chick, asshole," He said and stormed in, taking a seat between me and Kyle. "So, you guys thought you could have a party without me?"
"Not a party, asshole," Stan said. "We're trying to comfort Emma."
"Emma?" Eric questioned. "You mean Em? Emma's a chick's name, dude."
I chuckled deeply and took off my hood. They'd seen me without my hood before but I didn't take my hair out of the knot for our sleepover; knotting my hair into a bun was so much easier, however I took it out and fluffed out my hair to its normal curly state and looked at him.
"Holy shit dude," Eric exclaimed. "Clyde was fuckin right… well either that, or you're a dirty ass hippie!"
I laughed again, this time for a solid thirty seconds.
"Cartman, you're such a dumbass," Kyle said.
"Hey shut up or I'm going to tell on you!" Eric whined.
"Its okay, Eric, chill," I said. "We're all friends here, get over it."
Eric stared at me, momentarily baffled, before he huffed and left.
"Damn," Kenny said.
"You made him leave," Stan said.
"Nice one," Kyle grinned.
We gossiped for another hour or two, before I looked up at a clock and saw that it was past ten.
"Shit, shit shit."
"What?" Kenny asked.
"I told my dad I would be home at ten and he's already pissed at me and hates me and," I started crying; I didn't mean to, but after the day I had I think it was well deserved.
"Hey, it's okay," Stan comforted.
"It's been a long day," Kyle said.
"Yeah it has," Stan agreed. "Why don't you stay here? It's supposed to blizzard tonight, anyways, so we might not even have school tomorrow."
"I don't know…" I thought about it. What else did I have to lose? "I mean, I guess…"
"Awesome," Kenny said, enthusiastically.
"Wow, Kenny, you seem overly happy," Stan commented in a weird way.
"Yeah. Kenny, ever since you found out she was a girl, you've been acting strange," Kyle grinned, playing into Stan's torment.
"Yeah, Kenny's what's that about?" Stan pressed.
"Whatever," Kenny huffed.
I yawned.
"Em's right, I need sleep," Kyle said, yawning as well.
Stan nodded in agreement.
We all outstretched on the ground with blankets and talked for a bit longer before Kyle and Stan fell asleep.
"So, Kenny, why do you hardly ever talk?" I asked.
He shrugged. Figures.
"I saw you outside the other day when I was with Tweek."
"What?"
"Yeah, he had to pick up something from your… neighbors?" I wasn't sure. "And, I saw you outside with your siblings."
"Oh."
"How do you do it?" I asked.
"Do what?"
"Live in a house that's almost fallen to the ground with a smile on your face."
He shrugged, "You do it for your family. My sister–" He stopped.
"She means the world to you, doesn't she?" I asked.
"My brother and my dad can fend for themselves and don't really care about the world, but my mom, my sister – they need someone who cares."
"I'd like to meet them one day," I said, a small smile forming on my face.
"Yeah, Karen would like that," He smiled; he didn't smile often unless he was laughing at Eric's expense. "She doesn't have many friends because people tease her for being dirty and quiet."
"You and her should come over for dinner some time, well you know… once my dad doesn't want to rip my head off… it might be a while, though…" I trailed off.
"You shouldn't worry about that," He sighed.
I yawned, my eyes drooping, "I have to. They're all I've got. I just feel like I do everything for them and all I get in return is shit. I thought things were getting better too; it seemed as if my dad was really being a dad finally, but… I don't know. He's closer with Van now, I guess, so that's all that matters."
"No, it isn't."
"Hmm?"
"You matter too, Em."
Not long after that I trailed off into a deep sleep; I'd assume Kenny did the same.
