Standing by the door, I let out a breath, watching some people giggling and shit.

School years starting dance. Why is this a thing? What the fuck gives the school the right to host a dance at a fucking school time. And totally deny same sex pairs! We have better things to do than to fucking go dancing!

"Hey Dude," Nichole says, coming to stand next to me.

"Hi Nichole," I say.

"Stupid shit, this dance thing," Nichole says.

"I swear! It'd be fine after school if you didn't need to attend. Hell no, I'd be 50 miles away from anywhere where we are supposed to dance but make it a part of the school program? For what? The fact the fucking school didn't explode this year?" I ask.

"Nobody was having kids, there are barely enough kids to make up the Freshmen this year, hell, it's one class of freshmen," Nichole states.

"Why is that something to celebrate?" I ask.

"It's not. Kyle, we're half of this school. A bit more. When we leave after this year, there are barely enough kids to call this a school. I guess they want to make the last two years special, considering those are the last years this shit stands," Nichole says.

"Oooh. That's bullshit," I say.

"I honestly thought you'd listen, Kyle," Nichole says.

"Dude. I was way too offended with 'no same sex pairs'. My gay heart shattered on the fucking floor," I say.

"I mean, Token is going with Red. Wanna come like, with me?" Nichole asks.

"I don't know which part of gay I need to spell out for you," I say.

"Yeah, yeah. I didn't mean it like that. I meant it as like, friends. You can't go with Kenny or Stan. Since they're with Wendy and Bebe and I wanted to go with those girls, it could be cool of us to change pairs mid way. Plus, you're not homoromantic, we could go," Nichole says.

"I would rather clean the stalls," I say.

"I'm offended," she says.

"No no no. It's nothing about you. I just- I still don't know how to dance. My official plan is to get the fuck out and go play on my phone in the bathroom for the whole thing, pretending that i'm sick," I say.

"Shit, that's a really good plan. But I mean, you could come with me, pretend to tell me and, I don't know, Kenny, that you're sick, then get the fuck out," Nichole says.

"Fine. See you in three days if not before," I say.

She nods. Kenny and Stan walk over to me about 2 minutes after.

"Hey dude," Stan says.

"Hey there," I say, facing down like i'd look at a kid.

"Fuck you. It's like 5 inches not a foot difference," Stan says.

"Yeah but you always made fun of me when I was short so... payback, bitch," I say.

"Why don't you look down at Kenny?" Stan asks.

"Because he is taller than you, little one," I say.

"It's five fucking inches!" Stan says.

Kenny laughs.

"That's the average length of a dick," he says.

I can't help chucking, Kenny looks almost proud of that fact.

"Fuckin' twelve year olds," Stan says.

"Laugh a little," Kenny says.

"Why?" Stan asks.

"Come on, don't act like it isn't funny," I say.

"I... I didn't think it was," Stan says.

"Calm down, dude. Your humor is just too mature for people that laugh every time they hear 'dick'," I say.

And as if we hadn't established the person I was talking about, Kenny... doesn't laugh?

"Dude... are you okay?" I ask.

"Yeah, just don't think saying dick is the funniest joke ever," Kenny says.

"Oh... okay," I say.

We stand there in silence before the bell rings.

"Lunch!" Kenny says.

I swear, ever since school food here became free (well, for him, I may help him a little. But like, barely the same amount of money as before. The little I do is barely anything, it doesn't even matter.) he has been either excited or terrified of lunch. Me, on the other hand, am always terrified of a huge place where I could fuck up and everyone could start laughing and I could become the social outcast and completely lose my opportunities in my life and- I'm overthinking again... aren't I?

"You coming?" Kenny asks.

He grabs me by the arm and drags me out after Stan, who catches up to a familiar blonde.

"Hey Buttercup, Butterfly, whatever you prefer. So. I just-well-Kenny and I thought that if you were lonely or something today you could hang out with us. Well, not could. I mean, like, it sounds like we think we are so much better than you. I-I just. I mean... if you'd like. You totally don't need to," Stan says, rambling like a fucking duck.

"Basically. Butterfly. You wanna hang?" Kenny asks.

"Yeah, Leo. We never finished the movie, remember? Wanna watch it?" I ask.

"You three just told me the same thing?" Leo asks.

"Well. Yeah. What do you say?" I ask.

"I mean, my dad wouldn't like it. I don't think he'd let me in in the evening," Leo says.

"You can totally stay at mine for the night," Stan says.

"So I'm left with Ken?" I ask.

"Yeah, pretty much," Stan says.

"Dude, you better take Kenny next time! This is the third time in a row that I take him on your turn!" I say.

"Am I that bad?" Kenny asks.

"No. But my mom is getting annoying about you. She keeps asking me if you have problems at home when you're at ours so often and shit," i say.

"I mean, Kevin takes Karen a lot and in our home, you do not want to be alone with the adults. Never!" Kenny says.

"Yeah, in that case, I can come," Leo says.

Stan groans.

"He's innocent, don't," Stan says, keeping me and Kenny in his eyesight.

"Whaaaat?" I ask, smiling innocently.

Kenny laughs slightly.

"Plus, dude, who protected Leo from all the dirty jokes from 5th to 7th grade?" I ask.