Drifted - Stan and Kyle

[Chapter 1]

Kyle's POV:

I never thought I'd see South Park again, so when my parents told me we were moving back, I couldn't help feeling sick to my stomach. We had left South Park about 5 years ago, to take care of my Grandpa back in New Jersey. I was so apprehensive about it, but now that I know I'm returning, I feel even more unsure.

South Park: 5 Years Ago

"Dude you're leaving?" Stan said, hurt filling his gaze. I looked down at my shoes.

"Yeah, after this school year ends I'm going to live in Jersey." I sighed, and then I felt Stan run into me. His hug was so tight but filled with devotion.

"I'm gonna miss you." Stan squeezed me tight and let go. "Stay in touch though,"

"I will" I laughed through the tears, "Super best friends forever."

South Park: Present Day

I stared at the engraving on my doorframe "S+K Super BFFs!" I touched it gently as I entered my old room for the first time. Old memories flooded in so quickly that they almost drowned me. The colors of my walls were still the same, there were the same stains on my carpets, and the same markings on my walls. It's like the house was taunting me. What if I had changed too much to come back here? I searched for a contact on my phone: Super BFF Stan. I smiled at the name, it was cheesy, but I had a feeling Stan had kept the matching name for me. I texted him. I didn't expect him to text back, it had been years since we'd contacted each other.

K: look out your window

I eagerly awaited his reply, hoping he was home, hoping he wasn't upset with me. If I were him I'd be so angry. Stan had gotten... odd... after I left. From what Kenny told me, he began hanging around those goth kids and distancing himself from our old friends. I was staring at my phone for what felt like hours. It was just a few days before the beginning of our junior year, so I assumed he was getting ready and would respond quickly.

S: No fucking way. Is that your dad's car?

S: Come over right now, it'll be like old times

I smiled at his text "Like old times" That was good, maybe he won't be upset because we drifted away. He was my best friend since I was old enough to remember. Hopefully, we just go back to that like nothing had happened. I pulled on my green trapper hat and tied my boots, running down the stairs. I ran next door and banged on Stan's front door. The door swung open and there he was.

I looked him up and down, he looked different. His hair was longer and darker than how he used to wear it. His ears were heavily pierced. His cheeks were somewhat sunken in. His eyes were tired but still an icy blue shade that glistened when he saw me. He was tall and lean, still, I was taller. He wore a dark shirt that read "Crimson Dawn", his jeans were dark and distressed, and he reeked of old cologne and cigarettes, but despite all of this he was still smiling at me.

"Dude, what the hell are you doing here?" He smiled at me, though I was still trying to take in all the changes in his appearance.

"We've moved back here! My grandpa finally kicked it and my dad's law firm wanted him back, so we've moved back." There was an awkward pause, it wasn't exactly like it used to be. He looked me up and down, I assume doing what I was doing: taking in all the changes I'd made, although I didn't think I was that different.

"You look different, Stan. You look... good." I said, smiling softly. I wanted to take the edge off before he said anything about our fallout.

"You too Kyle. It's been a while." Stan looked down at his feet. I felt awful, I was mistaken to think we could just go back to our old friendship, we both grew up and obviously, there would be some unresolved feelings of hurt.

"You... wanna come in?" He offered. I nodded. I was so excited to be back here, but so nervous he'd end up disliking the person I became. He grabbed a couple of chip bags, Doritos, my favorite. I wondered if he'd remembered or if it was just a coincidence. I followed him up to his room, and that is where I really saw how my best friend hadn't truly changed. His walls were a dark blue, plastered with posters. His T.V. shelf had a surplus of video games, comics piled up on his bedside table, clothes were thrown around his room and his laptop was sitting on his bed.

"Sick posters man, I didn't know you listened to the Cure too." I looked at him, he was frantically picking up the clothes on his floor.

"Sorry Ky, if I'd known you were coming over sooner I would've tidied up more. Why didn't you call me when you knew you were coming back?" Stan looked back at me, curiosity and a twinge of resentment were seen in his gaze. He ran his hands through his messy dark hair. As much as I liked his new look, he looked like shit.

"It was such a quick change, I had no idea if you would've ever texted back. It's been-"

"5 years." He finished my sentence for me. Awkward tension filled the air.

"Yeah it's just-" I started, but he quickly interrupted

"You got too busy for me dude, I get it." He looked away from me.

"Stan thats not it- I just- We-" I couldn't get the words out. I knew what I was trying to say, but being here, with him- with who he'd seemingly become- was too much for me to take in. I looked up at him, but he couldn't meet my gaze.

"Kyle," There was hurt in his voice, "When you left, you promised me we would stay in touch- you promised. I had lost my other half, Kyle. When I needed you most, you weren't there. You just weren't." Stan sat down on his bed next to me, his voice was shaky. I'd never seen him like this. Did I truly hurt him so terribly?

"Stan that's not true. You had drifted away from me, from Kenny- everyone who loved you. I tried to keep in touch dude, I really did, but you're right, I was busy. I had got so caught up in what I was doing I forgot to text you. Stan, you knew you could reach out whenever you needed to, I always made sure of it." I looked into his eyes, I could see tears. Was he really about to cry? Damn it.

"Stan-" I said softly, touching his shoulder, "I'm glad to see you again." He pulled me into a hug and I could feel him silently crying into my shoulder. "I missed you, Kyle." He spoke softly into my collarbones, those words stung my heart. I didn't think this talk would be happening so soon.

"Tell me everything, what have you been doing in Jersey?" He pulled off the hug and wiped his forming tears, Stan's words seemed genuine.

"Well, I got a couple of awards" I blushed, I didn't want to talk about it,

"Awards?" He punched my shoulder "So proud of you! For what?"

"Engineering competition- Robotics, Mathletes, stuff like that." Stan smiled at me, he seemed super interested in what I had to say. "What have you been up to?"
"Well I still have my band with Butters and Jimmy and Kenny, it's kind of a big deal." He scratched his arm.

"Sick dude, I hope I can see you guys perform. It's been so long since you created that band!!" I smiled brightly at him, I wanted Stan to know I really was interested and I wanted to make up for not talking to him. Stan seemed to get oddly... flustered? Embarrassed? and he looked away

"Yeah dude whatever." He got up from his bed and opened his bedroom door, "I assume you wanna see everyone else, so I'll leave you to it." I was confused. Stan is the only one, aside from Kenny, who I truly was looking forward to seeing, now he was ushering me out of his room. I sat up and began to walk out. I looked back at him but he didn't say anything so I just left.

The rest of my day was filled with reintroductions- Kenny hadn't changed much, he had become more hardworking but he was still kind of a slut, Cartman was the same bigoted asshole he had always been, Jimmy was still unfunnily funny as ever, Tolkien was great, so was Wendy. Everyone seemed to welcome me back happily except for Stan. Tolkien even invited me to a back-to-school party he was hosting Saturday night. He told me there would be alcohol, I wasn't really worried about myself, just if Stan were to be there.