Author's Note: We'll be getting to serious plot soon with this story. But here is the third chapter. Hope you enjoy.

Secrets Pt. 2- Words Are Deadly Weapons

The deafening silence was overbearing. The thirteen year old redhead stared pleadingly at his second best friend who remained quiet as he absorbed what had been said. The boy in the orange hooded sweatshirt, customized with his bedroom curtains to lengthen the sleeves as he grew, sighed heavily and looked at his friend. The older of the two boys blinked back tears as he waited for him to say anything, anything at all. Even if it were the last words he ever spoke to him.

"Kenny?" Kyle Broflovski asked weakly and feared any response from the shorter boy. The lanky ash blonde haired boy just raised an eyebrow.

"You actually think I'm going to care if you're gay?" Kenny asked and scoffed. The fact that one of his best friends since he could remember feared he wouldn't be his friend anymore because he was gay? That was absurd. He remembered having a similar conversation a year ago with him yet then it was "strictly hypothetical." But the way he ogled Stan… he made it too damn obvious.

"Well, yeah…" Kyle trailed off and ran a hand through his unruly red locks. He couldn't help it; no matter how hard he tried to weigh down the locks, they'd just stick up.

It wasn't important. To Kyle it was, but Kenny could care less about who people did. Besides, he had a lot more things to worry about; like when they next time he would eat would be. He didn't like to talk about his family life, everyone understood why, but by the time Kenny got home from detention or hanging out with his friends there wasn't any food for him. Mostly because of Kevin. His parents were now making meth for themselves more than for their "boss" and they hadn't had electricity for three weeks. His father had grown more abusive over the years and then Kevin started whaling on him every other night too due to being stoned, and Karen was starting to get in the crossfire as well, it was all too much.

He didn't want to be like his family. But his own violence was rising and the only thing to block out the shitfest at home was to get high and pass out at Stark's Pond. He hated it. But it was life and that was something he couldn't escape.

"So you don't hate me?" Kyle finally asked, breaking the silence. Kenny shook his head.

"You're like the last person I'd hate, dude." Kenny responded and patted Kyle on the shoulder. Instinctively, this caused the auburn haired teen to squeeze him in a tight hug and, saying "fuck it" to the other middle-schoolers passing by, he hugged back. "So does this mean I can now turn my advances to you?" Kenny asked jokingly, causing Kyle to blush and cover his face.

"No!"

The older boy just smiled and took a sip of water from his cup. He looked to the lunch line and saw Butters, Cartman, and Stan still waiting in line. Kyle was halfway finished with his sandwich and soda; Kenny had to look away or his stomach would growl. Kyle's eyes were fixated on something ahead of them both and Kenny was confused. He decided to follow his gaze and looked right at the Park County Middle School's first string quarterback.

"Something else you wanna tell me?" Kenny piped up, causing Kyle to jump and blush again before shaking his head. Kenny smirked mischievously, which could rival the Cheshire cat, and poked Kyle. "You've always liked him, haven't you?"

"W-what?! Stan? No way!" Kyle whisper-shouted, much to Kenny's amusement.

"I get it, I totally do. I mean, how can you not stare at those abs in the locker room? And the jeans he wears does not help the fact that he has the biggest ass I've ever seen on a guy, other than yours, 'course." Kenny replied nonchalantly, causing Kyle to choke on the Sprite he had taken a gulp of which caused the fizz to pour from his nose. He spluttered and coughed and Kenny patted his back forcefully.

"Dude!" Kyle gasped in between coughs. Kenny just grinned toothily. The gap in his teeth finally decided to close up some and now you couldn't tell he had a fake tooth so he tended to smile more. "Are you sure you're not gay or something?" Kenny just shrugged his shoulders and smiled even bigger.

"I mean, the way he walks, he's just asking for it, right? And his eyes… and his smile, that special one you have for each other. Come on, I've seen it, don't give me that look." Kyle rolled his eyes and was blushing now. "How long?"

"Years," Kyle whispered in admittance, lowering his eyes so Kenny could see his long lashes and he grimaced. "But don't… don't push it, okay? He's straight. I'm his Super Best Friend and it has to stay that way." Kenny nodded and took Kyle's hand. The red head met eyes with him and Kenny swore he saw tears. Yet before he could tell if they were they were blinked away and a smile replaced the frown.

"It's yours to tell, dude. I get it; it's safe with me. But no one in their right mind is gonna fucking hate you for it."

"Hate him for what?" Stan asked, looking at the two in concern as he approached the table. The blonde and red head quickly pulled their hands away from each other and Kyle shook his head.

"I just got the extra credit right on our science test."

"So he got a 100-fucking-three percent." Kenny grumbled and pulled his hood up before he could be questioned anymore. Stan rolled his eyes and sat over the split in the table just so he could sit next to Kyle. Kenny tuned them out as Stan assured him that "he deserved it and everyone else could go fuck off because they never try."

Kenny couldn't help but notice Kyle's full attention was spent on Stan. They sat too close to be friends, but maybe it was the "super best friend' thing that made it okay. The two had a weird relationship; they always had. Maybe it was the fact that they were practically next door neighbors and spent all of their time together all of the time. But it was his constant and it made him feel safe. Without Stan and Kyle and their infinite bond and loyalty… well Kenny didn't know what would happen. But he couldn't imagine his life without them. He loved that they were close enough to sit like Wendy and Token did… and maybe it made Kyle's year, he didn't know, but Stan looked too comfortable. He couldn't ignore the way the football player's arm was nonchalantly draped around the smaller red head. Or the way Stan craned his neck down so he could be eye level with Kyle.

"Move over, faggot." Kenny rolled his eyes and shoved Cartman away from the space on his right. The chubby teenager narrowed his eyebrows and shoved Kenny.

"You're too fucking fat, the entire table will turn into a catapult and Tweek would go splat." Actually, it would probably be him. Yet Tweek cried out nonetheless and quickly ran from the other end of the table; Craig flipped him off and ran after his friend.

"I'm not fucking fat, it's muscle!" Cartman cried and punched Kenny on the shoulder. He visibly winced and felt pain radiate through his body. Kyle looked at him curiously, yet Kenny was now glaring at Cartman.

"Oh no." Stan murmured and began to eat his hamburger.

Somehow down the line, Cartman's insults and bullying moved from Kyle to Kenny. Of course, Kyle still got shit for being a fucking Jew, but apparently Kenny was more fun to mess with.

"Is that why it shakes?" Kenny asked with his voice muffled by the cloth over his mouth.

"Dammit, you welfare whore, move!" Kenny remained silent and swirled the water in his cup.

"Knock it off, Cartman." Kyle warned and nudged Kenny, who just stared ahead of them all, at the wall. He was angry… no he was fucking pissed. But he had control and he had learned after beating up the fat lard and getting suspended he needed to use said control. He couldn't be like Kevin… or his dad. That wasn't in him.

"I wanna sit hyah." He whined and Kenny closed his eyes and balled his fists in the cuffs of his sleeve. "I'll give you my roll if you move, poor boy."

His eyes opened. Dammit. Play into the weakness he knows so well… he couldn't do it this time. He had to stop letting the douche bag get his way. Except it was food and he was pretty sure his stomach would literally eat him if he didn't get something to eat soon. Four days with only two pop tarts to eat was miserable and he could smell the warm bread from behind him.

"You can't bribe Kenny with food, fatass. Just sit over there." Damn.

"I don't want to sit by the fagmo!"

"Watch it," Kenny growled in warning; Cartman was now talking about Butters, who was walking over and whistling happily to himself.

"Oh no, I insulted Welfare Whore's boyfriend. C'mon. I'll give you a chicken strip too."

Chicken strips…. Kenny's mouth watered. That was it, he needed that food. Kenny moved to stand but he felt a hand on his arm. He looked up and saw Kyle's eyes locked on his and he shook his head. Apparently, his friends didn't understand the urgency of starvation. He could lose this fight today if he could just get a bite of that juicy, hot-

"Heya, fellas!" Butters chirped as he set down his tray. He smiled as he sat across from Kenny. "So, how'd you d-do on that science test? I got a 96!"

"92," Stan mumbled in between bites of his hamburger. Kenny's eyes fell to his tray; most of his food was long gone. That boy had the appetite of a whale.

"98," Cartman replied and shoved Kenny, "C'mon Keeeeeeeenny! Free food!"

"Dammit, Cartman!" Kyle cried and pushed his reading glasses back to settle on the bridge of his nose. "Just sit the fuck down, you asshole!" Then he turned to Butters, blushed, and said, "I got a 103."

"Oh neato, Kyle! Ken, what a-about you?" Kenny kept his eyes lowered and shrugged before holding up the three page long test with a red number written at the top. 81. He was smart, he really was… he just didn't have the time or ability to study like his friends. It hurt his head to read too much, literally; after about a half an hour of straining, he'd give up and watch television or porn until he passed out. "W-well that's a good score! A-and Ms. Bree is offering a re-take t-too. But that's a g-good score." Kenny shrugged his shoulders and folded it back up before placing it in his pocket. "H-hey Ken, the lunch lady gave me too many chicken nuggets… I had an awful b-big breakfast. Y-you want some? A-and I sure don't like crinkle cut fries. S-so you can have them." Kenny eyed them like a hawk but he shook his head. He couldn't do that to Butters, Cartman yeah, but Butters was different.

Speaking of Cartman. The fat fuck grabbed him from behind on the hood and pulled him to the edge of the table's bench. Kenny yelped as his meaty hand grabbed through the hood and onto his hair and he fell with a thud on the cafeteria floor. Stan and Kyle both stood up instantly, and Butters' jaw dropped in shock and confusion. Cartman sat down in the small blonde boy's spot, which caused the opposite end of the table to rise off of the ground.

"Dude!" Kyle cried and looked at Kenny who was now standing; he had fallen on his tailbone; the same spot where he had landed on the corner of their old coffee table after his dad through him. The old table had split under the impact.

"You piece of shit!" Stan cried and slugged Cartman before sitting down.

"I wanted my goddamn spot!" Cartman cried and smiled smugly. Kenny brushed Kyle off and slowly sat down next to Butters, who looked angry.

"That wasn't very nice, Eric," Butters scolded, causing the older, taller, and much heavier boy to laugh at the petite blonde across from him.

"I told Welfare Whore to move, fagmo. It's about fucking time all those poor people learn to-"

Kenny's jaw dropped as he watched Butters' fist slam right into Cartman's nose. Stan's fry fell from his mouth and Kyle's eyes nearly bugged out of his head as he heard a crunch next to him. Blood gushed from the chubby boy's nose. All eyes in the cafeteria were now on their table, if they weren't before, and Butters retracted his arm quickly and looked at his balled fist in awe.

"I-I'm sorry, Eric, I…" he trailed off, and shook his head as Cartman stood up, holding his nose. "N-no, I'm not s-sorry, you jerk. T-that's my best friend. S-so go tell the p-prinicpal or c-come at me, ya big pussy."

All was quiet as Cartman ran from the lunch room.

Kyle cleared his throat and Stan opened and shut his mouth a few times before giving up. Kenny stared in admiration at Butters, who hadn't taken his gaze from his hand. Suddenly, laughter roared from one of the tables ahead of them, and the four boys turned to see Token and Clyde laughing hysterically. More laughter filled the room and soon everyone was overtaken by giggles. Except two people. As Kyle and Stan applauded Butters and snickered, Kenny smiled softly at the taller boy and pulled his hoodie down a ways. Butters couldn't help but notice a scratch on his nose and a fat lip and he wondered if that's because of what Kenny had told him a couple of months ago.

"Thanks, Lee," Kenny whispered before pulling his hood back over his head. Butters shrugged and popped the knuckles in his fingers before picking up a chicken nugget. He slid the tray in between them and couldn't help but grin as Kenny hesitantly grabbed a handful of fries.

Kyle's laughter slowly died as he watched the two. He turned to Stan and noticed how close they sat, and slowly moved his eyes to Kenny and Butters as well; there was no space between them and they seemed to be communicating silently; as if they were telepathic. But Kyle understood. Because he knew the eyes Butters sent Kenny were the very same eyes he laid on Stan. So he turned and looked away.