-this december-

-chapter 21-

December 4

No one POV

kyle sighed, kicking at small pebbles on the freshly shoveled sidewalk. despite being in high school, the kids took the same bus stop as they had in elementary. 

this whole stan issue was weighing heavily on kyle's chest. how long had he felt this way? did other people know? and most of all, did stan really love him? like the post said? these thoughts swim in his head, buzzing noisily in his ears. what if-

"KYLE!" a muffled voice pierces the silence of the cold, thursday morning. kyle turns his head to see kenny waving and walking toward him. kyle returns the wave.

"hey dude."

"hey," kenny unzips the part of his jacket that covers his face.

"where's butters?" kyle askes. he had noticed when kenny walked up that the other blond was absent.

"dunno," kenny shrugs, playing it casual, but concern is palpable on his face. "i waited at his house for a bit, but he didnt come out. maybe his mum is driving him?"

"probably."

kenny nods and looks forward, fidgeting in the cold. "is something wrong?" he asks. usually, kyle is a bit of a chatterbox when cartman isn't around and ready to jump down his throat at anything kyle says. maybe it's just 'cos stan is gone, but it's worth asking.

kyle narrows his eyes at the ground in deep thought.

"it's ok if you don't want to tell me, but, you know, we're friends and-"

"im gay."

kenny blinks. "what?"

kyle turns his head to the side. "i said im gay. is your hood muffling your hearing, too?" he sounds pissed, but kenny knows its just a cover for his anxiousness. 

"oh. i know."

kyle's head snaps toward kenny, eyes widening in suprise.

"WHAT?" 

kenny laughs. "i said i know," he mimickes kyle. "is that hat muffling your hearing?" he chuckles at his own joke. "anyway. yea, youre gay. big suprise. you like stan, right?"

that answers one of kyle's questions. "uh, yeah," he responds. 

"stan owes me 10 bucks then. nice."

"why would sta-"

kyle's interrupted by the school bus pulling up and the usual grumpy driver yells at them to get in. what a day.

-

kenny POV

i walk onto the school campus, searching for a mess of bleach blond hair. im shortish (taller than kyle) so i have to stand on my tippy-toes. 

suddenly, i spot butters. he notices me, and fear flashes in his eyes, and runs away. i follow him, sprinting after him. 

he accidentally corners himself at his locker and i step in his way. he turns towards me and-

a bruise. 

he has a dark bruise on his cheek.

i grab his face. "butters, what? wha-what happened??"

he bites his lip. "uh, well- wh-why dontcha come over after school and i'll explain it to ya?"

i nod, and the bell rings over head. he kisses me goodbye, and we go our separate ways.