Dark on Me [South Park Stenny Fanfic]

Welcome Back!

(New to Wattpad. Not sure I actually know what I'm doing here, but here goes nothing!)

(Shout-out to Eliathebear who provided the awesome cover art! Thanks again! You can also find them on tumblr at eliavictorian)

August had come quickly to the small yet growing mountain town of South Park. Golden and bright red leaves were starting to cover gutters and sidewalks. It was the first day of school for the students of South Park High School which included the seventh through twelfth grades. It wasn't ideal and a lot of parents disliked their seventh grade girls being around older male teenagers but budget cuts had caused many of the regular middle schools to close down. The halls were buzzing with activity. 

New students scrambled around trying to memorize the hallways, younger students nervously glancing around hoping hazing rumors were just that, teachers and other staff members frazzled with the stress of starting a new year and the many deadlines to meet before October. Stan and Kyle were among the students that were less frazzled and used to the usual routine as it was their sophomore year so they had become quite familiar with the school.

"What teacher do you have for homeroom?" Stan asked Kyle as they met each other in the cafeteria, standing in line to get some food for breakfast. The cafeteria had a lot to offer for lunch but breakfast was a different story. Only two places were ever open so the lines were usually long. 

Stan and Kyle had learned a long time ago to get there early, bring your breakfast, or eat at home. Both boys had grown and Stan was just slightly taller than his friend by maybe two inches almost reaching six feet. Stan was more muscular as he was on the track team and enjoyed running. His hair was short jet black and always a little messy. Kyle's hair was a red, curly afro that he still tried to hide under a hat. Kyle mostly kept to studies choosing to avoid sports which was no surprise to anyone that knew him. He had played basketball in the seventh and eighth grades, but last year during tryout season he'd caught the flu when he skipped out on the flu clinic to watch a game. His mother had not been happy, she'd forbidden him from trying out sophomore year so he'd thrown himself wholeheartedly into his studies.

Kyle glanced at his paper again as if he still wasn't sure he had read it right. "It says I have... Mr. Garrison..."

"What?" Stan asked, not quite sure he had heard right.

"It says Mr. Garrison. I guess he teaches high school now? He wasn't here last year."

Stan shrugged and shook his head a little, "I guess whatever works. I have some lady, uh, Mrs. Beltshower."

"That's a real name?"

"Yeah, sounds like a porn star name."

Kyle nodded, about to add something else but some activity caught his and Stan's attention before he could. Someone was waving frantically at them from across the cafeteria. "Butters?" Kyle said in surprise. The little blonde had always been excitable in the past, but he was practically bounding through the cafeteria. Butters had grown as well but still didn't quite reach Kyle's height. He still wore the same hairstyle he had in elementary and all his peers assumed that was his mother's doing.

Stan shared a confused look with Kyle. "I hope all that excitement is for you and not me," Stan said. "I don't have that kind of energy."

Before Kyle could retort, Butters rushed up to them, still bouncing on his heels excitedly. "Stan! Kyle! Did you hear?! Did you hear?!"

"No, what?" Stan asked. Neither him nor Kyle were prepared for their friend's answer. Both were stunned silent for several long moments.

"Kenny! It's Kenny, he's back!" Butters exclaimed. "He's back! Can you believe it?! I just heard from Eric. He's here at the school." Both stared wide eyed and open mouthed unable to form a response. None of them had heard or seen Kenny since sixth grade. It had been nearing the holidays when tragedy had struck South Park, more specifically Kenny's house. Someone had gone through and shot everyone in Kenny's house, no one had ever been arrested and no motive could be determined; nothing had been stolen.