Do You Even Care? / STYLE SOUTHPARK

☆ Chapter 27 ☆

...Kyle's POV...

My eyebrows furrow a little as I watch Stan. He swings back and forth slowly. "I thought you were going to stop," I comment, trying not to sound too confrontational.

I found out Stan was here 'cause Kenny called my mom asking to talk to me 'cause I'm still grounded. Then he told me that he was pretty sure Stan and Butters were drunk at the elementary school. Fun way to start a nice Thursday night.

He drops the can he's holding, letting the remaining liquid seep into the bark chips. "I said I'd try," he corrects me.

That's true. I guess you can't exactly expect addiction to be cured in one swoop. I look over at Kenny who is just hugging Butters. Butters is crying into his shoulder.

I sigh and pick up the cans. "Let's get you out of here," I tell him. I give Kenny a wave as Stan and I leave. I toss the cans in a trash can on the way out.

...

I take drunk Stan back to Sharon who promptly invites me in. She hands us both a water bottle and though I assure her I didn't drink she insists I drink water anyway and she sends Stan upstairs to clean himself up.

"Thanks for making sure he got home safely, Kyle," Sharon says as I take a sip of water. A gulp, really.

I nod, "oh it's nothing, Mrs.Marsh."

She smiles at me. She laughs softly, looking down at her lap. "You're such a sweet kid, you know," she comments.

"Oh, thank you," I reply, not exactly sure what to say.

Just then Stan comes back down, taking a seat next to me. He rests his head on my shoulder and wraps his arm around my waist. He's still clearly drunk, usually he isn't quite this touchy around other people.

"Well, Kyle, you should head home quickly but I'll give you two a moment. Good night boys," she says heading towards the stairs.

"Night Mom," Stan calls after her, his words pronunicated oddly long.

He sighs, hiding his face in my neck. Very clingy drunk. "Are you angry?" he asks. Same weirdly long syllables.

"I wouldn't say angry, disappointed, I guess," I tell him.

"You feel angry," he says, squeezing my waist for emphasis and sliding his thumb under the hem of my shirt to rub my bare skin.

I laugh lightly, running my hand through his hair. "What does that even mean, Dude?" I ask.

He hums, "I don't know, but that feels better."

I wish we could just stay like this. Really, it's peaceful and safe, but I know I should go home. So I slowly pull myself away from him. He sighs.

I stand up and start to head to the door. "Kyle?" he calls after me, "I'm sorry. I know, I suck."

I smile and feel my heart practically melt and break all at once in my chest. Part of me wants to stay right here with him, stay and comfort him until he is sober but I know I can't.

"It's ok Stan, I forgive you," I tell him, smiling softly.

...

Before I know it, it's Friday morning. We're so close to being done with the year that basically nothing new is being taught. There are lots of movies and intense rounds of Uno being played.

On my way out the door, I really miss my phone. I think to some extent we're all addicted to our phones and I resent that a little bit. I know I am though — blockblast and TikTok are way too addicting. Don't even get me started on the endless music available at my easy access, it's sick.

It's actually how I heard about this thing in a nearby town coming up. A music festival with a bunch of small artists, it's two weekends from now and only ten dollars a ticket. I want to go check it out.

Anyway, it doesn't matter right now. I approach the bus stop, Kenny and Butters are there, side by side as usual. "Morning, guys," I say in greeting.

"Hey," Kenny replies. Butters just nods his head at me.

The air feels dead after last night. I wonder if Kenny and Butters talked about it, kinda like me and Stan did even if it was a short conversation.

I shift around uncomfortably in the stagnant air. I'm glad when I see Stan. I'm glad we can just be.

"Hey," he smiles as he approaches.

Kenny and Butters give similar dry responses, I lean into his ear. "I don't think either of them are doing so good. We can talk about it on the bus," I whisper.

...

I forgot we're supposed to go to the Marsh's tonight for dinner. I think I'm excited, a little nervous too. I'm sitting around, ready to go and mainly waiting on my parents. My mom's taking forever with her hair as usual and I don't even know what my Dad's up to.

I sit quietly, thinking about the music festival again. I'm gonna ask. Tonight at dinner I'll bring the idea up to both of our parents. I can pay and Stan can drive, plus it could just be a day trip. I feel like my parents would say yes... maybe. Well, there's no harm in asking... unless there is. Oh well.

As of on cue my mom emerges from upstairs and my dad enters from the kitchen. "Alright! Let's go!" My dad announces. I hop up and make my way to the car. I sit in the back right-hand seat. My dad gets in the driver's seat and my mom in the passenger seat.

"Wait, where's Ike?" I ask as my dad starts the car.

"He didn't want to come," My mom says, "he went to a friend's house instead."

I roll my eyes, he always skips family things. Whatever. We make the short drive to Stan's house with some chatter and minimal weird comments.

Unashamedly, I run up to Stan when I see him, wrapping him in a hug. We both laugh for no real reason. I almost kiss him but it feels like too much with his parents watching from the door and my parents not far behind me. Instead, I let the hug linger longer than it needs to.

As we both head inside our parents catch up, yapping about whatever parents talk about when their two sons have just started dating.

Stan and I trail our parents out to the backyard where Mrs.Marsh has set up a table for food and a table for us to all sit at. The table with food has burgers and hotdogs as well as what looks like fruit and a potato salad. My parents set down a vegetable platter that I had no idea we brought.

My parents and Stan's mom are pretty much already lost in conversation and they've all made their way to seats at the little park table that's set up. It leaves Stan and I idly munching on food at the end of the food table.

"Why are they waiting to eat?" Stan wonders aloud.

I shrug. We both stare blankly at the adults, I'm unsure if I should go sit or grab a plate. I feel Stan's hand grab my wrist and then slide down to my hand. We both turn to look at eachother. He kisses the tip of my nose and I return his oddly sweet affection with a light peck on his lips.

He grins at me, mischief sparkling in his eyes. "C'mon," he says pulling me towards the house.

"Where are we going?" I ask skeptically, my feet moving slowly.

"To my room, to hang out," he says.

"To make out, you mean?" I joke.

Stan pauses his movement. "I mean if you wanna..." he trails off and keeps moving.

I pick up the pace, "I'm down."