Trying Too Hard [Bunny Love Story]

►Chapter Eight◄

There's a certain scent that comes with nightfall, one that I can't really place but have found myself deliberately going outside just to smell. I can't place it, but the air that gets blown around during late nights and early mornings was something that I've always sort of enjoyed, but at that moment I was appreciating it a lot more than I would have the night before. This could just be due to the fact that I wasn't being chased down, though. Instead, I felt like I was on a leisurely walk. And after having met up with my sketchbook once again made it all the better for me. I suppose you don't really realize how much you miss something until it's in front of you again, and you become overwhelmed with happiness and a sense of familiarity. Of course, I had no long lost friend that I was reuniting with. I never really had friends aside from the ones who used me for entertainment or company when no one else was able to fill their void. So instead, I found solace in a few blank pages.

Even after having walked several blocks and checking every alleyway I could find, I still hadn't found any sort of clue as to where Kenny could possibly be. I had forgotten my phone and therefore had no idea what time it was. Not that it really mattered at all, my parents don't normally wake up until six or seven and I think I'd know those times were approaching when the first hints of daylight swept South Park. The time was simply a detail that would satisfy my curiosity.

Once or twice I thought of just giving up and walking home, but then thoughts of those beautifully bright blue eyes flashed through my mind and immediately distinguished such a ludicrous suggestion. Despite my determination, I felt a bit hopeless about this whole thing. What if he was so angry that he just up and went home, erasing any previous thoughts of even looking my way?!

He's not like that.

Somehow managing to calm myself down, I decided to walk in the direction of his house. It was a shot in the dark, but if he was there then I'd surely be able to apologize for my stupidity. But when I got there and peaked through the windows of his living room, I only saw his father drinking the night away on the couch. I went around to where Kenny shared a room with his sister. Karen was sound asleep, but there was no sign of my orange-clad hero. I sighed and turned around to continue my search, thinking maybe he was on the complete opposite side of town and I had just missed him by heading over here.

Halfway down the street I was stopped by the voice of love. "Butters? What're you doing here?" asked Kenny. I spun around, face burning up, and stared at him. I sure was lucky he didn't catch me staring into his house like some creepy stalker.

But I am kind of on the creepy stalker side..

"Oh, uh, I was l-looking for you!" I told him with a small smile and a shrug as I took a step towards him. He made no move to neither leave or come closer. He simply raised an eyebrow. "Well, I mean, I kind of fell asleep and didn't wake up until one and when I got to our meeting spot yo-you weren't there.. I figured you were mad and went looking for you!" I tried to explain the best I could. There was a brief moment where Kenny gave me a confused look, but it wasn't long before he broke out into soft laughter.

Oh dear sugar cubes, his laugh could melt the snow!

"I'm not mad," he told me as his laughter died down and was replaced with a smile.

"That's a relief! I didn't think you'd ever talk to me again," I nodded and smiled at him.

"What? Why wouldn't I talk to you just because you overslept?" He raised an eyebrow at me, but something caught his eye. I had a feeling I knew what it was, and his next sentence only proved my suspicions. "Hey, where'd you find that?" he asked, coming up to me and taking his hands out of his pockets to pry the sketchbook out of my weak clutch.

"It was on the sidewalk down the street from South Park High," I stated nervously. "Why?"

"I've been looking for it," he explained as he opened the book and carefully turned the pages. His eyes lingered on one sketch that I couldn't see. "It's mine. I must've dropped it. Thanks Butters," he smiled and ruffled my hair.

Due to my daze of the physical contact, I simply smiled dumbly and nodded. "It was nothing, bud!" Then I paused and my eyes widened. Out of instinct I took a step back.

That's my sketchbook! It doesn't belong to you at all!

"You okay?" Kenny asked, taking note of my shocked expression. I gulped and shook my head. "Then let's start walking around some more. I've already scoped this area and the guy's nowhere to be seen."

"R-right.." I responded nervously, rubbing my knuckles together. Was he on to me?

No, Butters! There's no possible way he could have found out your identity already. He probably just didn't want to look bad in front of you by saying he had taken it from its original owner.

Figuring that must have been the case, I followed him as he began to walk down the street and head toward where I once was. I really wanted that sketchbook back, but there was no way I could just take it from him! He'd know!

Wait, I could turn this around.

"Hey, Ken?" I asked after a few minutes of silence had passed by.

He glanced at me. "Yeah?"

"Are you the graffiti artist?" I questioned him, trying to seem as suspicious as I could under the circumstances. I wasn't that great of an actor, but I tried.

There was a moment of hesitance before Kenny replied. "Why do you think that?"

"The sketchbook!" I quickly responded. "It's got drawings of the same graffiti that was put on your house and the school building!"

"You looked inside of it?" he glanced over at me. He seemed to be unsure of what he was going to say next, as if he wasn't expecting me to call him out on it. But anyone with any sort of common sense would have done so, right? I nodded in response to his question and he swallowed - a sign that he's feeling anxious. "Yeah. You found me out." I couldn't help but to gasp.

Why was he lying to me?