Chapter Text
One day you’re kids smoking behind the school. Or you’re playing football. You fight the bully, and five minutes later you’re all hanging out together.
Then, somehow, you’re in high school. The friends you spent every day with have grown up. They discover new interests. New styles. New friends.
Henrietta is with Kyle now. The two of them are always talking. His brown eyes light up whenever she smirks at one of his dry jokes. His once-unruly red hair hangs straight, and his clothes have turned almost entirely black with touches of deep crimson. Together, they rule South Park’s alternative scene with an iron fist.
Stan is with the academics. Nobody saw it coming their freshman year when he only wanted to focus on his future. He’s no longer with Wendy but they are best friends. But his eyes are always in Kyle’s direction.
Eric Cartman was with the jocks. He was still smug, racist, sexist, and so many other things but his talent on the field made him part of the elites.
Kenny? He’s with the former goth kids. Michael was lost. He didn’t seem to know who he was or who he wanted to become. Pete just wanted to fuck everything and get high. Finkle? Well, he’s along for the ride.
The blonde missed his friends. He wished he knew what happened. But it wasn’t going to change anything. Kenny didn’t have any direction. Purpose. He didn’t care to have one either.
Life’s a bitch and you die, right?
The hooded boy walked to his locker. He watched as Kyle and Henrietta stuck each other’s tongues down their throat. Why did he have to be stuck with them? Kyle pulled out. “I love you so much.” he said happily. He briefly stuck his tongue out where Kenny could see his ring.
Henrietta’s body got too close to his locker and Kenny moved. His eyes twitched. “I love you too, Ky. I can’t wait until we come together as one.” she said dramatically.
Kyle playfully wiggled around his ring. Henrietta grinned and played with his hair. “I gotta go, baby. Give the conformists hell for me.” she said.
Kyle’s brown eyes twinkled mischievously. “Don’t I always?”
The redhead looked at Kenny. “You need something? Cause you’re kind of being a creep.” he said bluntly.
The blonde got his textbook and walked away. That’s why he tried to get to his locker before Vampira and her simp boyfriend came in.
As soon as he came in he saw Stan. The preppy boy still took basic English Lit. Probably because he always hated English. The brunette boy gave a small wave. “Hey!” he said.
Kenny waved back. Stan gave a small smile and went back to his book. He liked that at least one of his friends at least pretended they cared.
Class ended. Lunch was where it really got shitty. He walked to his friends. “What’s up, assholes?” he said dryly.
Micheal flipped him off. Pete grinned. “Texting Bebe to see if she’s interested in a little play if you know what I mean.” he said lecherously.
Finkle pointed at the other side of the benches outside. “Watching the underdogs get fucked over.” he said with an eye roll.
The blonde watched. Eric Cartman was hassling Butters. Again. Kyle watched with disinterested eyes. Stan looked hesitant. He tried waving at Kyle. The redhead flipped him off. The brunette boy deflated. Wendy whispered something in his ear.
Same shit. Different day.
“Look, Eric, I’ll do your homework. Just leave me alone, please.” said Butters. He looked exhausted.
Eric grinned. “Thought you’d see it my way. See you later, Melvin.” he said as he walked away.
Stan went to Butters. “Hey. You wanna sit with us?” he asked politely. The blonde immediately perked up and sat down.
Kyle rolled his eyes. “People are so predictable,” he said boredly. He made his voice loud enough for everyone to hear.
Why was Kyle such a dick? Didn’t he remember that they used to be friends?
Then the incident happened. Kenny isn’t who started it. Maybe it was him. Or Eric. He’s inclined to blame Kyle though. But they all had detention on Saturday.
Like it’s freaking The Breakfast Club.
When they left the school Eric was scowling. “I can’t believe you assholes got me detention. I had shit to do.” he grumbled.
Kyle glared. “You pushed me, Fatass. Consider yourself lucky I didn’t do worse. I’m experienced with the dead, you know.” he said coldly.
Stan was smiling apologetically to all of them. “Look, guys, I don’t know what happened but maybe…it’s not the worst thing.” he said uncertainly.
The redhead huffed. He walked to his car. “God, Stan. When did you become such a lame ass?” he said condescendingly.
Stan’s face fell. He stayed quiet. Kenny glared at the redhead. “Lay off him. He was once your super best friend, if you remember.” he stated.
The redhead just flipped him off. He drove off in his car. Eric went in his expensive vehicle that he shouldn’t be able to afford and only they remained.
The brunette went to his car. “Bye, Kenny. I’ll see you tomorrow.” he murmured.
Kenny watched him go.
Fuck his life.
——————————————————-
Stan had his headphones in as he worked on his Chemistry homework. The music helped drown some of his negative thoughts. Wendy said he needed to tell more people to fuck off.
He knows she meant Kyle.
Detention wasn’t ideal. But he couldn’t stand seeing Butters or Kyle getting messed with. Some random guy was hassling them. He was walking out of his Algebra II class when he noticed. Kyle was yelling. “Get out of my fucking way you drugstore employee waiting to happen conformist!”
The guy stayed near the locker. “I don’t like your attitude. Think it’s my locker now.” he said.
Stan went up to the guy. “Leave him alone,” he said.
Kyle stared at him. “I don’t need your help.” he said.
The brunette ignored him. He stared hard. “Do you want to go?” he asked.
Then Eric came out of his computer class. Kenny came out of his Home Ec class. Eric was snickering. “Put the Jew in his place, Tim,” he said.
Kenny immediately went over. He didn’t say anything. The blonde just crossed his arms.
Kyle flipped off Cartman. “Screw you, Fatass! Go lick the quarterback’s asshole. That’s all you are good for, isn’t it? Kissing ass?” he sneered.
Cartman went over. He immediately punched Kyle. The redhead punched him back. They went on the ground. Tim stepped in and slammed the redhead against the wall. Stan tackled him. “Pick on someone your own size, asshole!” he yelled. Kenny jumped in. At that point, Stan wasn’t even sure who Kenny was swinging at.
Eventually they got separated. They were all bruised up pretty good. They had detention for a month. Every single Saturday.
He wanted his best friend back. Nothing made sense without him. Stan felt like he was going through the motions.
He felt like Henrietta completely corrupted his best friend. Before they got together their freshman year Kyle was fine. He could still be a dick. But the redhead didn’t think he was better than everyone else or treat everyone else like shit. Including teachers.
Stan wasn’t surprised about Cartman. He was an asshole no matter what. Kenny? He wasn’t sure what happened there. Maybe he should have tried to be closer to him.
He tried being friendly to Kenny. Stan wasn’t sure how else to bridge the gap. The blonde was friendly back but there was some sort of tension there he couldn’t figure out. What did he do?
The lyrics of Linkin Park kept blaring at him. He smiled. At least Stan could always rely on music.
Xxxxxxxxxxxx
Kyle hated everyone.
He listened as his mother screamed to stop blaring his music. Kyle ignored her. Why would he listen to her? She doesn’t understand shit.
Stan tries to pretend he’s such a nice guy. Model student. Helping out the little guy. He snorted. Then he waves at him and acts like they were cool. Stan, the fucking asshole, knew what he did.
Kenny was okay. But he’s weird. Why can’t he learn to ever use his fucking words for once? It isn’t hard.
Cartman can go fuck himself. Kyle had no interest in what he did. Conformist. Idiot. Psychopath.
He smiled as he read his messages. His girlfriend wanted to go to this writer's convention in Denver. Of course Kyle’s going. Even if he has to sneak out. That’s practically standard these days.
Ike banged on the door. “I’m trying to study. Can you be gloom and doom somewhere else?” he said loudly.
Kyle snickered. His little brother was such a nerd. He ignored his comments and made it louder. Ike screamed in frustration. Sucks to suck.
His parents hated his new attitude. They thought Kyle needed to hang with his old friends.
“What happened to Stan, bubbuleh?” asked his Ma. She looked at his lip piercing and cringed.
Kyle rolled his eyes. “Fuck Stan. I got better people around.” he said dismissively.
That was freshman year. His new friends were the best. Kyle had people who were happy talking about fucking over the regular people. Ordinary people. Stuck up conformists assholes.
Aside from dating Henrietta he’s not sure why the goth crowd suddenly follows him. But whatever, right? Kyle knew he used to be a stick in the mud and if they didn’t like him it would be harder to stay in the crowd.
Kyle wondered if he could kick Stan’s ass and then just get suspended. That’d be hell better than having detention with those assholes.
He’ll think about it in the morning.
Shit ain’t going anywhere.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Eric wanted to party.
Fuck this shit.
Why can’t he seem to get rid of those lame Melvin’s he used to hang around? Kyle was a gay goth kid, Stan was a nerd, and Kenny was a loser burnout.
His whole plan in high school was to move up the social ladder. Eric didn’t get anything out of hanging out with Stan and his band of fags. So he reinvented himself.
No more Fatass.
No more schemes.
Eric just wanted to party and fuck the hottest chicks in school. That’s not a crime, is it?
Of course Kyle had to ruin it. He couldn’t just let things go. There was a place for him in high school and it wasn’t on top. He should just act like it.
Stan had to get involved because Kyle was. Did he want to fuck the boy or something? Why was he always trying to get his attention? It’s pathetic.
Kenny. That’s a bigger mystery. Eric didn’t understand why he cared. People barely gave a shit about him when they were friends.
He didn’t deserve detention. Eric wasn’t sure if he should skip or fight Butters to get suspended.
One of the girls he was talking to sexted him.
Eric grinned.
Life is good.