Chapter four: Is it really you?
Oohhh... what's gonna happen in this chapter? Let's just find out :D!
The rest of the drive was silent. Stan wanted to say something to Kyle, but he wasn't entirely sure on what TO say. Kyle ignored him the rest of the drive anyways. He stared out the window, eyes still swollen from crying. Fuck, if Kyle could notice Cartman could notice. That fatass could spot out a needle in a haystack (Literally. He has a record of 45 seconds). Kyle tried to make himself look less upset, but failed.
"Fuck dude, I look like shit!" He yelled as he stepped out of the car.
"It isn't your fault, dude." Stan tried (and failed) to reassure.
"Fuck off." Stan felt like he was punched in the gut. He had never seen Kyle so mad at him before. He sighed and followed his friends into the hospital.
"Hey asshole how ya feeling?" Kenny joked as he walked into the hospital room. Cartman gave him a kind smile.
"Ah, hello my amazing friends! I am doing wonderfully thank you so much for asking!" He practically sang. Kenny, Kyle and Stan all exchanged worried glances. This can't be Cartman, could it?
"Uh, you're welcome." Kyle awkwardly responded. He wasn't really sure on what to say at that point. "Hey, Cartman?"
"Yes, my dear friend Kahl?" The small Jew practically gagged.
"Are you sure you're okay? I still feel bad about yesterday and-"
"Kahl, Kahl, Kahl. It's all in the past. I feel great! I get to get out of this place tomorrow, and see all of my amazing friends!"
"Really? That's what you're thinking of when you leave here? Friends? What about food and what you'll do before you return to school?"
"What's so great about food that I'll think about it over friends?"
Everyone in the room turned to the large brunette in shock.
"What did you just say?" Stan gasped.
"Food isn't that interesting? Why, did I say something wrong?"
Kyle felt sick. This wasn't Cartman. There was no way this was Cartman. Kyle completely altered his rival's personality, and he wasn't sure if he liked it or not. He wanted to be the one to change Eric Cartman, but this was not what he meant at all.
"Kahl? Kenneh? Stan? Answer me! Did I say something wrong?"
"Yes! You said something wrong!" Stan informed him frantically. "You are supposed to love food, and be a total asshole to everybody, especially us! You aren't supposed to act nice, or compliment us, or treat us with respect!"
"Why not?" Cartman was holding his head in confusion and pain. What the hell was his friend talking about? "Aren't we friends?"
"Yes, but this isn't you! You usually call me a faggot even though I'm straight! You rip on Kenny for being poor! And worst of all you rip on Kyle for being a Jew! Treating us like people is not in your nature, you treat us like dirt under your feet! All you care about is being fat, and thinking you're better than everyone! Seeing you act nice scares us! You aren't Eric Cartman, you're a poser!" Stan burst into tears as he stormed out the door. Kyle and Kenny ran after him, leaving a very sore and confused Cartman behind. The large boy held his head. Asshole? Poser? What was Stan talking about? Cartman doesn't recall much about his personality, but he did recall everything else. Hell, he could solve grade twelve pre cal, though he didn't show it. He tried thinking harder about himself, but that just made his head spin.
"Ugh." He needed water, but the nurse said he was bed ridden until the morning, and he was currently alone. He would have alerted the nurse, but he didn't want to waste her time with a glass of water. Thankfully his friends returned soon afterwards.
"Stan, remember what Chef said. We need to be patient with him." Kyle assured the still in tears Stan while they entered the room. Kenny looked at Cartman and immediately noticed something was off.
"Hey dude, you okay?"
Stan and Kyle's attention was then returned to their hospitalized friend, who was sitting up, looking quite queasy.
"I need water..." the boy choked out. He sounded like he was gonna puke.
Kenny quickly ran out of the room, returning a few minutes later with a glass of water and a sugar packet.
"Here. Add the sugar packet to make sure your blood sugar isn't too low."
Kyle rolled his eyes. He was the diabetic, not Cartman. But alas, the boy did what he was told, but looked like he was gonna gag.
"Too sweet."
Kenny stared in shock. Though he quickly shook the surprise off of his face and smiled apologetically. The guys at school will not believe this.
"Feel better, dude?" Kyle asked. He walked over and kneeled beside the boy's bed. Cartman shook his head.
"I'm so confused. Why do I remember everything but my own personality?"
Kyle looked sadly at his rival. He seemed so helpless and afraid at the moment. Kyle wanted to hug him, like he did when Kenny died of that terminal illness, or when he woke up yesterday, but he was afraid to.
"Just try to take it easy, okay?" he sighed, not entirely sure on what to say. "I'll be right back; I need to make a phone call."
Stan walked over to the boy's side while Kyle stepped out to call his mom saying he'll be late again.
"Sup dude?"
"Hey. You okay? Or do you still think I'm an asshole poser?" Cartman sounded hurt. Stan didn't mean things like that.
"I didn't mean that Cartman. It's just, *sigh*, I don't cope well with change, and you being nice is a really big fucking change. I didn't want to, or mean to, hurt your feelings. I'm just super frustrated." He responded honestly. Cartman felt bad for his friends. A stupid game of basketball had changed everything, and no one was sure if this change was good. He felt sick again, not from nausea, but from guilt. All of this stress was his fault.
"I'm back!" Kyle cheered quietly, making sure he didn't cause another headache for poor Cartman. "Here Carman, the vending machine has cheezy poofs. You love those!"
Cartman took the familiar food he was apparently fond of. He knew he ate them a lot, but to him at the moment, they didn't look appealing. He gingerly opened up the bag and ate one.
"Meh. Not that great."
"WHAT?!" Kenny stood up so fast the chair he was sitting on fell over. Cartman's eyes darted from his best friend, to the Jewish boy in front of him, to Stan on the other side of him. He knew by their faces he said something wrong.
"What?"
"You, not liking cheezy poofs? What the fuck?"
"There's nothing special about them Kenny."
"But they're your favorite!"
"Not at the moment."
"Oh my god, Kenny?" Kyle was in near panic.
"Yeah? What's up?"
"Do you remember what you said while we were leaving here yesterday?"
"'I think you might have knocked a thing or two loose, Kyle.' but I was only joking."
"I don't think it's a joke anymore..."
"Oh shit."
Cartman NOT liking cheezy poofs? Whaaaa? hang in ther folks it just gets better