Trying Too Hard [Bunny Love Story]

►Chapter Fifteen◄

Looking back on it now, receiving my sketchbook probably wasn't even that big of a deal in all actuality. Even so, staring down at the thing in my hands at that moment was enough to bring tears to my eyes. I really had missed it so much, so I was grateful that he had actually given it back to me. I thanked him and flipped through the pages again. I stopped at one in particular, with a sticky note attached to it that I certainly hadn't put on the page. It wasn't something I had done for a future graffiti work, but rather it was a quick sketch that I had drawn after a certain dream one night sometime last year. On the page was the back of a man, who I had depicted as Kenny but you'd never be able to tell unless I told you, with big and beautiful angel wings sprouting from his back. The sticky note was yellow, and no words were written on it. Confused, I glanced over to the blonde, wondering if he knew that it was him.

"Oh, sorry.." he trailed off and allowed for his eyes to land on the drawing. "That was my favorite, so I marked it."

Smiling, I looked back down at it myself. "I actually really like it, too." Both of us just sort of looked at the sketch for a minute longer, not saying a single word. I think it was mostly due to the fact that we hadn't ever really hung out, at least not for the past several years, and therefore weren't sure on what to talk about. As I tried to conjure up a coherent sentence, there was a knock at my bedroom door. "Yeah?" I asked to whoever was on the other side.

"Hey, Butters," said my father as he opened the door, only to pause when he saw Kenny. "Oh, hello there," he greeted Kenny, who only nodded in response. "Anyway, I was wondering if you two would be fine staying home alone for a couple of hours. I kind of wanted to take your mom on a date since she's been feeling a little down lately," he explained to me.

Slowly, I closed the sketchbook and held it close. "S-sure, but only if Kenny's comfortable enough to.." I said, glancing over to him. He shrugged in response, giving a slight nod as well to tell me that he was fine with it. "Yeah, that'll be fine! Have fun!" I smiled over at him.

"Thanks Butters, you're a life saver," he grinned and left my room, leaving the door wide open. I could plainly hear him speaking with my mother about their date from my bedroom, but I don't think Kenny was aware of their conversation. My mother was hesitant to leave us home alone, and wanted to even call a babysitter. Eventually I think my dad talked her out of it, because soon they were out the door and driving off. All the while, Kenny and I were still in the slightly uncomfortable silence of my room.

"So," I started, not being able to take the lack of conversation anymore, "since we have the living room to ourselves why not go watch a movie?" was my lame suggestion. Nodding, he set his backpack on my bed and followed me out of the room. I was still holding onto my sketchbook, almost as if my life depended on it. When we made it to the living room and he had made himself at home sitting on the couch, I looked to the DVD collection that my parents had and opened the cabinet. "Wh-what'd you wanna watch?"

"Well, what do you have?" he asked.

I told him the titles as I went along and eventually he picked Transformers. Knowing him, I had a pretty good feeling that his opinion was swayed by the fact that Megan Fox was in it. After I had put it into the DVD player, I took a seat next to him and watched as the previews started. I was about to skip it when I stopped and turned to Kenny. "Did you want some popcorn?" I asked, setting the sketchbook down beside me.

Smiling, Kenny nodded slightly. "Sure." I grinned and got up to make us a bag of popcorn. When I came back, Kenny was once again looking at that same drawing. I approached him and sat down, setting the bag in between us. "Sorry," he chuckled, handing it back to me. I smiled shyly and took it back, only to stare at the display of emotions that I had put into it.

"Did you want it?" I eventually asked.

"What? No, it's fine dude. I'd lose it," he told me, shaking his head.

Looking from him to the page, I shrugged. "It's fine, I don't really look at it much anymore anyway."

Hesitating, Kenny looked back at me. "Seriously?"

"Of course!" I exclaimed, before ripping out the page and handing it to him. He reluctantly took it and just sort of looked between the page and I before smiling to himself and setting it the coffee table in front of us so as not to lose it or anything. Then his eyes turned back to the T.V. and I skipped the rest of the previews and started the actual movie.

That's where we sat for the majority of the night, sharing popcorn and watching some movie I'd already seen maybe ten times. But I'd watch it a million times more if it meant Kenny was sitting next to me. Sighing to myself, I glanced over at him. His eyes were glued to the screen and he was absentmindedly chewing on a handful of popcorn. When the bag was completely empty, I got up to throw it away and when I came back I leaned against his side.

"Butters," Kenny started. I looked up at him, urging for him to continue what he was trying to say to me. "This is a little awkward."

Blushing, I sat up straight and created a sort of distance between us, staring at the hands in my lap nervously. "S-sorry, fella.." He said nothing and resumed watching the movie.