"Are you excited?" Kenny asked his sister who was bouncing with excitement in the backseat of his truck.
"Yes!! I can't wait to meet her! Is she nice? Will she like what I wore?" Karen said, brushing her shirt down.
"Trust me, Karen, Marjorine is the sweetest thing you'll ever meet. She's gonna love you." Kenny said.
"Where are we going tonight?"
"I don't know. Somewhere in Denver, I know."
"Denver? Two hours away? That's the place with all the fancy restaurants!"
"Sure is.." Kenny mumbled, thinking about their finances at the moment.
They pulled into the driveway of the beautiful home.
Karen gasped. "This house is so big! And so pretty! She lives here?"
Kenny nodded his head. "Alright, let's go get her."
"Is her family rich?" Karen asked.
"Yep. One of the richest in town."
"Whoaaaa. I bet she buys wonderful birthday gifts."
The siblings walked up to the front door. Kenny let Karen ring the doorbell.The door opened up a few seconds later to reveal Marjorine. She instantly smiled at the sight of Kenny.
"Hey, Kenny!" She said and opened up the door for them.
"Whoa.." Karen gasped and looked up at the blonde girl, admiring her. Marjorine had on light makeup with glittery eyeshadow and glossy pink lipstick. Her hair was pulled back with pink hair clips. She was everything a small child wanted to be when they grew up, especially to Karen.
Marjorine looked down and gasped. "Is this your sister? Oh my goodness, she's adorable!"
Marjorine slightly bent down to the ten-year-old's height and smiled at her. "Hi! I'm Marjorine, and you must be Karen!"
Karen blushed at her kind words. "H-Hi, Marjorine." She said.
"You two wanna come in? My parents aren't home right now and I need to grab some more things real quick." Marjorine said and opened the door for them.
Karen slowly followed Kenny into the home, taking in every sight. Marjorine watched her eyes sparkle in amazement.
"Do you guys want some food?" Marjorine asked, stepping towards the kitchen.
"Marj, we're going to eat in just a sec,remember?" Kenny said with a laugh.
"Oh, right. I forgot!" Marjorine said. "In that case do you two wanna see my room?"
"Yes please!" Karen said.
Kenny watched the two girls race upstairs, following close behind.
"Your house is so pretty, Marjorine." Karen said as they walked down the upstairs hallway.
"Oh, it's nothing, really." Marjorine said.
"Marj, our entire house could probably fit in your living room. It's a big deal to us." Kenny explained and Marjorine's eyes opened wide.
"Really? Why didn't you tell me! Oh jeez, now I feel like I'm showing off." Marjorine gasped and bit her fingernail.
"No, no! It's not that at all, Marj. It's just very nice to be allowed on your home, that's all." Kenny said.
"Alright, I'm just making sure." Marjorine said and opened the door to her room.
Karen gasped and Kenny's mouth dropped open. Her bedroom was huge, with white walls and lacy curtains covering the large windows. A queen-sized bed stood out from one wall, a large white desk on another, a chest of drawers beside it, a closet with sliding mirror doors taking up half a wall, and door leading to a bathroom was in a corner of the room. Fluffy cream-colored carpet lined the entire floor. It was the biggest bedroom they'd ever seen in their life.
"Oh wow! Marjorine, this is all yours?" Karen said and stepped into the room, taking in every sight of the girly bedroom.
"Yep. Is it too much?" Marjorine asked, looking at Kenny for support.
"Marj, this is beautiful. It's so... you." Kenny said and smiled at her, making her blush.
"Kenny! She even has a TV!" Karen exclaimed and pointed out the flat screen on a wall opposite of the bed.
"Do we wanna watch a movie when we get back? I can make popcorn!" Marjorine suggested.
"Can we, Kenny? Please??" Karen begged.
"If we have time." Kenny said and Karen squealed.
"I've always wanted a room like this.." Karen said.
"Well, you're welcome to come by anytime you'd like as long as you get Kenny to text me first. I don't mind." Marjorine explained and ruffled Karen's dark, dirty-blonde hair. Karen gave her the biggest smile she ever had.
"Alright ladies, are we gonna go eat? I'm starving." Kenny said and leaned in the doorway.
"Fine, just give me a sec." Marjorine said and went over to her desk to grab her purse, shoving a few things inside.
"We ready?" She asked and Karen took her hand.
"Let's go! Where are we eating?" Karen asked as they walked downstairs.
"I don't know. Where do you want to eat, Karen?" Marjorine asked.
Karen gasped. "I get to choose? Is that alright?" She asked, looking back and forth between the two teenagers.
Marjorine nodded and Kenny gave her a supportive smile.
"Okay! I want Japanese, please!" Karen announced happily.
"Kare-Bear, you've never had Japanese food before. How do you know you'll like it?" Kenny asked, opening the door.
"Yes I have! Tricia gave me some of hers at lunch a few days ago! It was really good." Karen said. "Is it still okay?"
"Of course, Karen. I've been craving some too. We might want to get going, though." Marjorine said.
Karen ran to Kenny's truck and opened the door, crawling in as fast as she could.
Before Marjorine could open her door, Kenny stopped her.
"Um, Marj, I don't know how to tell Karen this.. but I don't have enough money for that kind of food. It's really expensive." Kenny explained, grabbing her hand.
"Oh! Kenny it's alright! You drive us there, and I'll pay for all of us." Marjorine explained.
"Marj, are you sure? That doesn't seem very fair." Kenny said.
"Don't worry, Kenny. Stan and Kyle told me about your situation with your family. I don't mind one bit paying for you and your sister. And besides," she giggled, "it's not even my money. My parents gave me enough for all of us."
"Oh great.. now I'm in debt to the Stotches." Kenny said and smiled.
"Let's just say they are repaying you for taking me to that party." Marjorine said and grinned, opening her door.
Kenny hopped into the driver's seat and they got on the road.
"Kenny your truck still smells weird." Karen said.
Kenny blushed and Marjorine covered up her smile with her hand.
"Kare-bear, you remember what we talked about. It's weed." Kenny said.
"I know. It just is a stronger smell than Mom and Dad's room, that's all." Karen said and looked out the window.
"It doesn't bother you, Marj?" Kenny asked.
"Oh no, don't worry. Believe it or not, me, Kyle, and Tweek got our hands on some when we were fifteen. I personally didn't like it. It made Tweek really, really paranoid and Kyle was stoned out of his mind for the next hour." Marjorine reminisced.
"You've smoked weed? I never would have guessed, Marj." Kenny said.
"It was only that once, and we all agreed to not touch it again after that night. We were- um... hanging out on the alley behind Tweak Bros." Marjorine quickly said.
"Well now I don't feel so bad." Kenny said.
"So what grade are you in, Karen?" Marjorine asked after a few minutes of silence.
"I'm in fourth grade." Karen said, leaning up in her seat. "Are you in high school?"
"Oh, no. I was homeschooled." Marjorine explained.
"Homeschool? What's that?"
"It's where either your parents teach you everything you need to know, or you do online school, which is just like regular school except it's done on a computer. I did online with my two friends." She explained.
"Oh wow. That sounds nice! I wish I could be homeschooled, but we don't have a computer." Karen explained.
"Do you not like regular school?" Marjorine asked, turning back to look at her.
"Well, I do... but I get bullied a lot." Karen said, looking down at her shoes.
Marjorine gasped. "Oh goodness! What on earth for?"
"Because we're poor. I only have one friend, and her name is Tricia." Karen explained.
"That's Craig's little sister." Kenny added.
"She's real nice and invites me over to her place, but I sometimes wish we weren't poor so I could have nice clothes and a big bedroom like you, Marjorine." Karen explained.
"Oh hamburgers... I'm real sorry Karen." Marjorine said.
"But tell her what I told you, Karen." Kenny said.
Karen's downturned face then lit up. "But Kenny told me when he's grown up and has his own place, I'm gonna get a room all to myself! And I can get whatever I want!"
Marjorine smiled at Kenny. "Well ain't that sweet of him?" Kenny blushed and grinned back at her.
"Are you gonna live with us too, Marjorine?" Karen asked.
"Oh! Um.." The two blushed and exchanged small glances. "I don't know, Karen. I-I might!"
"You might?" Kenny asked, looking at her.
Karen tilted her head. "Well aren't you two gonna get married one day? Don't people who go on dates with each other get married?"
Marjorine and Kenny's faces turned bright red. "Okay, Karen. You're thinking waaay to far ahead for us. This is only our second date, and we're not even official yet. I mean, it would be nice if.. ya know.." Kenny trailed off, becoming extremely flustered.
"We'll just have to see, Karen." Marjorine stepped in for him. "I do really like Kenny but planning for a future like that isn't something two teenagers need to worry about. We have to get through college first."
"Okay, I get it." Karen said and crossed her arms. "Teenagers are so unromantic." She grumbled.
The two laughed quietly.
"Speaking of college, what are you going for, Kenny?" Marjorine asked.
"Well, to be completely honest.." Kenny said, becoming flustered again. "I know this isn't quite manly but I was thinking about going into the science field."
"Oh? That sound interesting!" Marjorine exclaimed.
"Yeah, but don't tell anyone I said that. Everyone thinks I'm gonna be a mechanic since that's what my last job was and I'm pretty good at it, but I figured I could get a good job as a scientist somewhere around here or in Denver." Kenny explained.
"Sounds like you've planned this out already? Do have enough money saved up?"
"Hell no. But I've signed up for a load of scholarships recently. I want to get a head start even though I'm not a senior yet."
"That's very smart."
"So do you have a job, Marj? I know your parents are rich, I was just wondering if you lived rent free in a house like that." Kenny asked.
"Oh, in fact I do! I run a little clothing business online." Marjorine explained and Karen's ears poked up.
"Clothing? You make outfits?" She asked.
"Yes I do. Here." She pulled out her phone and went to her page online. "Take a look."
Karen gasped. "These are so cute! I love the dresses!"
"So you're a seamstress, hmm?" Kenny asked.
"Yeah, a little. Which one do you like the best?" She asked Karen.
Karen pondered over the clothing for a while. "I like this one." She said and pointed to a small blue and white dress.
"Oh! I think I may still have the materials for that. I'll just have to see when we get back to my place." Marjorine said.
Karen kicked her feet excitedly.
"Jeez, Marj, you're gonna spoil us." Kenny said.
"I don't mind, really! I've never made children-sized clothes, so this is a great opportunity to learn how. Karen can be my model!" Marjorine said.
"A model? Can I wear high heels?"
Marjorine giggled. "I think I have a pair that'll fit you."
"Whoaaa!" Karen exclaimed as she stared out the window. "I've never been in a city at night before! It's so pretty!"
"I love Denver at night. The only downsides are all the crazy people running around at this time." Marjorine said as she gathered her purse.
"We ain't gotta worry about them, tonight. I've got a conceal and carry permit along with a nice pistol in here if we need it." Kenny said and tapped the console with his hand. "So where is this restaurant at again?"
"It's just right up the road. You'll turn left in a minute." Marjorine pointed out.
"I didn't know you carried a gun with you." Karen said.
"I always do. So does Kevin." Kenny said.
"Even to school? That's pretty dangerous, wouldn't you get in a lot of trouble?" Marjorine asked.
"That's only if I get caught with it." Kenny pointed out and saw the turn.
"So is Kevin your other brother?" Marjorine asked as they pulled into the busy parking lot.
"Yep. He's the oldest of us three." Kenny explained.
"Is he nice?"
"He... can be."
Karen was out of the truck as soon as Kenny put it into park. Marjorine scrambled to get her purse, but Kenny quickly went around and opened the door for her.
"Thank you, Kenny." She said with a heartwarming smile.
As they walked to the front door of the restaurant, Kenny was still trying to get used to the sweet butterflies that took over his stomach whenever Marjorine smiled at him. The only time he could recall girls every smiling at him was to get his attention; her smiles were pure and genuine because she knew she had his attention from the start.
"Come on, you love bugs! I'm ready to eat!" Karen said and began dragging them faster to the door by their hands.
They walked into the restaurant, and Marjorine was hit by the familiar smell.
They were sat fairly quickly, and Karen immediately picked up the menu and began browsing. "What's the best thing here?" She asked Marjorine.
"Oh! Umm, I don't know if you'll like it. I personally really like sushi." She explained.
"Sushi? Isn't that raw fish?" Karen asked.
"Yes it is. How about I order a tray and you can have what you want off of it. I don't mind." She suggested.
"Okay." Karen said and continued to look at the menu.
"What are you gonna get, Kenny?" She asked the nervous boy next to her.
"I'm not sure." He leaned closer to her. "To be honest, I've never had Japanese food before either."
"Oh! I think I know what you'll like." She said. "Hibachi!"
Kenny watched as she opened the menu. "It's just your choice of meat, rice, and vegetables. It's really good."
Kenny smiled. "Well, if you say so."
"So do you eat here a lot, Marjorine?" Karen asked.
"Not anymore. Back when I was little my parents took me here all the time." Marjorine explained.
"Why did y'all stop?" Kenny asked.
"They just became busy with their business, and I just grew older with more responsibilities. We couldn't find the time to go anymore." She explained.
Karen looked down at the table. "Our parents never want to do anything with us." She said.
Marjorine's face grew concerned. "Why is that? Does their jobs keep them that busy?"
Kenny laughed. "Oh hell no. They don't have jobs. They're just lazy and refuse to spend time with their kids because they'd rather be watching TV or getting high."
"Oh goodness..." Marjorine whispered.
"That's why I bring Karen with me whenever I can. I don't want her to be exposed to that the way I was when I was little. Kevin can handle our parents and I just avoid them all together." Kenny continued.
"I still don't understand why they do those things. It's bad and it's hurting our relationships with them." Karen said.
"Karen, sometimes people do bad things, and don't realize they're hurting the people around them." Kenny sighed. "But don't worry. As soon as me and Kevin raise enough money we're getting you out of there."
"I like the sound of that." Karen said.
"She's out cold." Kenny said, motioning to Karen who was asleep, laid down across the backseats.
"Well I figured she'd rest after all she ate tonight. Goodness gracious, how does something so little eat so much?" Marjorine said, reminiscing how she ate her entire place of hibachi food and three of her sushi rolls.
"She's just a hungry, growing girl." Kenny said and smiled.
"So how'd you like your food?" Marjorine asked him.
"It was actually really good. Remind me to always trust your judgment for now on." He said.
She giggled and sat back in her seat.
"So are your parents really that bad?" She asked.
Kenny sighed. "It's a lot more complicated than that. When they're not drunk or high, they're moderate parents. They don't care enough, they don't care too much, and pretty much just let us do whatever we want. And they don't hit us, don't get that wrong. They fight each other whenever they are drunk, though. Like, fistfights, broken bottles, yelling obscenities, that sort of thing. That's when I usually step in and take Karen somewhere while Kevin tries to stop them."
Marjorine listened, nodding her head.
"And just like that, the next morning, it's like nothing happened. We just resume our lives as if they didn't try to kill each other the previous night. It's so... toxic." Kenny said.
"I'm sorry, Kenny." Marjorine said.
"Its not your fault. I'm sure there's nothing us three kids can do until we move out. But when I do, I was thinking I might sign up to be a legal guardian for Karen." Kenny explained.
"That's wonderful! Do you have to be eighteen?" Marjorine asked.
"Yes, but there is another problem. I have to have two signatures from another person who wants to be and qualifies as her guardian since I'm so young and the history behind our family is... rough." Kenny explained. "I'm not gonna ask Kevin to do it, since he's not the fatherly type. I was going to ask Stan, but he's got his own issues he needs to sort out, and I'm glad Kyle can be there for him. He likes to drink a lot, and I'm scared it might upset Karen."
"Kenny?" Marjorine asked. He looked at her.
"If you need someone, I'll do it." She said.
"Marj, you don't have to." Kenny began.
"Kenny, I want to. I love Karen, she's so sweet and energetic and is the cutest thing I've ever seen. I don't want her to grow up in a rough home. And I want to do anything I can do to help y'all." She paused.
"There's also another reason why." She mumbled.
"What is it?" Kenny asked.
"I know this is something I should have told you the first time we went on a date, but Kenny... I can't have kids...I'm not actually a girl." Marjorine said softly, avoiding eye contact.
"I know." Kenny said and smiled.
"You know? How?" She asked.
"Kyle told me. And Marj, that doesn't change a thing. I still think you're beautiful and sweet and I still want to date you." Kenny said.
Marjorine blushed. "Really? That doesn't bother you?"
Kenny shook his head.
"Oh, well, now I just feel bad for thinking you'd kick me out of the truck for telling you." She confessed.
"Damn, Marj! I would never do that!" Kenny exclaimed.
The two sat in silence for a bit.
"So when did you decide to be a girl?" Kenny asked.
"Around four years ago. I just didn't feel comfortable as a boy anymore. Everyone was always asking me if I was a girl because of how feminine I looked, and so I figured I might like being one." She explained.
"I gotta ask, what was your name before?" Kenny asked.
"Oh, hamburgers." Marjorine said and crossed her arms. "I hate my old name. It's so embarrassing."
"It can't be that bad." Kenny said.
Marjorine sighed. "Leopold Butters Stotch. You can laugh, I know it's bad."
Kenny couldn't hold in his laughter. "Gosh, do your parents hate you or something?"
"Probably. They like Marjorine a lot better though. My mom especially liked it."
"I like Marjorine too. It's such a unique name." Kenny complimented.
"Thank you. And Kenny, I have a question for you." She asked.
Kenny nodded.
"Why did everyone tell me not to date you?" She asked.
Kenny froze and paused for a few seconds. "It probably has to do with my and my family's reputation. Marj, do you know what a slut is?" He asked.
"Yes, I have." She said.
"Marj, I was a slut. A big time slut. I would.. hook up with a lot of girls in town, and some guys too. That led to a lot of people in town labeling me as 'untrustworthy' and 'a player' and stuff like that. Let me guess, was it Stan and Kyle who told you to be careful around me?" Kenny explained.
"Yes." Marjorine nodded.
"I don't blame them. They're just looking out for you, and I don't blame them for being protective. Marjorine, you're the prettiest and most perfect girl I've ever met. I don't want to mess things up with us." Kenny said.
"You really think so?" Marjorine said quietly.
"Yes I do. And, to be honest, I wouldn't mind you staying in my life. I'd love it actually." Kenny said as they both blushed.
"Are you saying that you'd like to marry me?" She asked.
"If we get to that point, yes. But let's take things slow. I mean, I haven't even asked you to be my girlfriend yet." Kenny said and chuckled nervously.
"Are you going to ask me?"
"Would you like for me to ask right now?"
"...Yes."
Kenny took in a deep breath. "Well then, Marjorine, would you like to be my girlfriend?"
"Yes, I'd love to."
They both smiled. Marjorine looked out her window and watched the stars in the sky. She couldn't believe what just happened, but she was happy it did.
They made small talk all the way back to South Park, where they stopped at Marjorine's house.
"Aren't you two going to watch a movie? I don't mind." Marjorine asked as she and Kenny walked up to her front door.
"We'll just come back another time. She's already asleep, so I'm not gonna wake her up. How about Friday?" Kenny asked.
"Sounds great!" She exclaimed.
They found themselves staring at each other in the dark, nothing but the sound of cicadas and frogs surrounding them.
"Well then, I'll text you when I get home." Kenny said, breaking the silence.
"Please do. Thank you for bringing Karen with you, Kenny." Marjorine said.
Kenny froze when Marjorine stood on her toes and reached up to hug him. He blushed, taking notice of how cold her hands were. He blushed even more when he felt Marjorine plant a small kiss on his cheek. It was so soft and gentle, unlike any kiss he'd ever received.
"Goodnight, Kenny." Marjorine said as she pulled away.
"Oh... g-goodnight." Kenny mumbled.
She smiled and walked back into her house, and Kenny slowly walked back to his truck.
He got in his truck and leaned his head against the headrest. He sighed loudly, smiling and still blushing.
"I saw that." Karen said, scaring him.
"Karen, don't scare me like that!" Kenny said and buckled up.
"I saw you. You love her, don't you? You wanna marry her." Karen said with a smile on her face.
"Yes. Yes I do."