As I made my way to Stark's Pond, I saw that Stan was there already. He was staring at the ground and fidgeting with his hands, sitting on a log that had fallen over. His backpack was laying against the log, open with some of the things nearly falling out. As I got closer, I noticed that one of the things that fell out was a half-empty carton of cigarettes, but I'll ignore that for now.
"Hey, Stan!" I yell out, a few feet away from him. His head jolts up like he was startled, but he smiles and waves back at me. "I thought I'd be the first one here, you're always late," I sit down next to him on the log, giggling. He put his head back down. Stan and I didn't really hang out much over the summer, partly because of how hectic our home lives tend to be, so this is the first time we've really hung out since school got out in June.
"So, how've things been Ky?" Stan says, looking up at me again.
"Pretty normal," I say, looking over at the pond in front of us while trying to find something interesting. "Oh, Ike got expelled or something at the end of last year so now he goes to Denver elementary."
"Shit, really? What'd he do?"
"No clue, nobody'll tell me," I look up at him. "What about you?"
"Eh, same shit as always." He stretches his arms and drops them back down by his side, "But I think my dad's whole drinking thing is getting worse. Sucks for me I guess," he laughs, though he sounded genuinely hurt about that.
"What about you and Wendy?" I ask, adjusting my ponytail and very obviously trying to change the subject. "Are you guys still, like, together?"
"Maybe? God, I don't know, dude. We hung out at her house a bit over the summer, but at school today it seemed like she was avoiding me?" He looked even more hurt now. Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up. "We've been doing this on-and-off shit since elementary school, and at this point I don't even think she likes me anymore. I think she just wants something to keep her occupied." His eyes were welling up with tears, it was obvious he was fighting them back. He really likes Wendy, and I don't think she's doing this to him on purpose (even though Stan is kind of an asshole). But, shit. "And over the summer things started fine, but then she asked to take a break. I didn't exactly know what she meant but she said she needed some time away from our relationship so we broke up again. And I get it, I'm not the best boyfriend, but we still hung out a bit after that. But now she's ignoring me and I don't know what I did." Stan started to cry.
I don't know how to deal with people's emotions, I can barely even deal with my own. But he sat there crying. I scooted closer to him on the log and wrapped my arms around him tightly. He buried his head in my neck and I could feel his tears on my skin. We just sat there for a while, even after he stopped crying. At least until we heard a certain somebody walking over and laughing.
Cartman walked over with Kenny standing close behind him. My guess that Kenny didn't wanna come all that much, but he'd rather not be home. I don't really blame him.
"Oh my god, are you fucking serious?" He says, standing next to the log we're sitting on and laughing. We pull away from each other, and look at him. "What? Is Kylie your little girlfriend or something? I fucking knew it, dude!"
"She's not my girlfriend, fatso. Have you ever seen somebody have friends before?" Stan says, annoyed.
"Were you fucking crying?" Cartman yells, in a 'joking' manner. "Holy shit, you were crying?" He bursts out into laughter again.
"Shut the fuck up, fatso," I say, standing up. "At least he has somebody who fucking cares about him. Can't say the same for you, can I?"
"Ky, it's fine, he always does this." Stan whispers, standing up behind me. I know he always does this, I'm always fucking there.
"Awe, you're standing up for him now?" Cartman says, laughing a little less than before. "Also what's with the name 'Ky'? It makes you sound like a dude. You're a chick, you know." Kenny punches his shoulder.
"Just fuck off and die already, dickface." I say in retaliation. "I'm a chick? Have you fucking seen the way you run away crying when I hit your arm?"
"Well, at least my best friend isn't a guy who needs a chick to stand up for him. I have Kenny." Cartman says, Kenny rolls his eyes. "Whatever, lame-asses. See you guys tomorrow I guess." He starts walking away, Kenny stays behind.
I'm the chick? Oh please.
"Hey, I think I'm gonna go back home now, Stan." I say and point behind me towards the road. His face fell, like he didn't want me to leave. But it was probably nothing.
"Well, see you at school I guess. Thanks for coming in the first place, Ky." He punches my arm gently and goes back to collect his things. Kenny waves and I start my walk home so that I can finally wind down after today.
I'm the chick? Huh.
