To start the second day, Stan didn't wake up early like he normally did. The lack of sleep he encountered always caused his body to be on full alert to wake up. Not for being ready in advance, for torture. Just a depression thing. Stan had gotten used to it. Sharon had to come in and wake up her son. "You are going today aren't you?" She watched as Stan turned on his side with open eyes. "Yeah." He got onto his feet and stepped a few paces toward his closet. Ever since Stan woke up, no thought of the boy he met yesterday rose into his brain to mess with him like yesterday. It was possible his brain was just showing him that Kyle could give him happiness. But it was just...so sudden and weird. It was possible that this wouldn't last forever. Stan had feeling it just might do the exact opposite.

To make things like yesterday, the ride was just about the same. Quiet. Peaceful. Except Stan had his earbuds in and had a song playing on just below full volume. Sharon pulled up to the drop off line at South Park High, "Have a good day." "Same to you, mom." Stan slung one of his backpack straps over his left shoulder and exited the vehicle. He pushed the earbud he'd taken out to say goodbye back into his ear. The halls looked just about the same. Not everyone was standing where they were yesterday obviously. Stan checked his schedule to see if he had any different classes today.
Turned out he had gym class every 3 days. Stan arrived at his locker. This time he was able to get the combination on the first try.

He thought back to how difficult it was back in the 6th grade when he was assigned his first locker. The struggle lasted 10 maybe 15 minutes tops. Stan's teacher was trying to help but the stubborn character trait Stan possessed stood out broadly. It didn't vary among many other traits at times. Any other average day Stan wouldn't of wanted help with his locker. But Kyle seemed to have a kind heart, a kind soul. The brief judgement that Kenny had stated in English class yesterday was a part of the ongoing, nonstop of Kyle. Kenny made him out to be the type of person who just goes in between people for sex. That couldn't of been true, could it? Stan had witnessed several girls who owned that personality. Not everyone had accompanied English class yet. Kenny noticed Stan and called him over, "Stan, over here." Stan took out both earbuds and swung them around his neck.

The black earbuds blended in with Stan's plain black t-shirt. He decided to wear a gray beanie today. "How was yesterday?" Kenny asked. "Not bad." Stan replied, killing the running apps in his phone. "Kyle thinks you're cute by the way." Kenny came near Stan closer so he could hear the quiet voice Kenny was speaking in. "Lately he's been kinda bummed out but after English class he was smiling the rest of the day. His boyfriend and him just broke up." Kenny explained to Stan. "That sucks." Stan said. "Eh not really, the guy kept taking Kyle away from us and then all of a sudden said he was sick of him." From what Kenny had said, Stan wondered what went through this guy for him to make the decision to break up with Kyle.

"He didn't say why he broke up with him?" Stan asked out of curiosity. Kenny shook his head, "Kyle? No, he and Danny got into a fight in the hallway. Kyle was upset and kept pushing him." "Does this Danny guy want to get back together with him?" "Nah, he's a ghost nowadays." Kenny glanced over at the door, watching Kyle walk in. Stan turned his head to see what Kenny was looking at. A bright plum-colored circle hung under Kyle's right eye. He was wearing a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a white t-shirt. His flat green sneakers covered his two feet. "What the hell happened?" Kenny came forward from leaning on the back room wall and approached the close friend of his. "Nothing," Kyle mumbled, "Hi Stan." He added softly. "Hey, what happened?" Stan asked, concerned. "Just a black eye forming, it's not a problem." That answer was a flat out lie. Kenny pulled Stan aside for a quick second, "Look I know you just met him yesterday but he seems comfortable around you, try getting him to talk, maybe? He can usually talk to us but I wonder if he'll tell you the truth." Kenny asked kindly of the darker haired boy.

"Uh...I'm not really good with talking to people." Stan admitted. "Just try?" Kenny pleaded with hope. "I don't know, I can try but I'm really not a good person to ask of this." Stan warned Kenny. Class didn't start for another 10 minutes or so. "Wanna go talk about it?" Stan asked Kyle. Kyle looked surprised that someone wanted to talk to him, "Sure, I know a good spot." He took Stan's hand with his own, linking their fingers together. Stan didn't like holding hands with anyone. Even with his ex Tommy, he didn't find it cute or fun. They arrived at the gym behind the bleachers. No classes were going on in the gym yet, it was completely vacant.

Kyle let go of Stan's hand and turned to look at him, "My ex, Danny, did this." For some reason, Stan was somewhat mad. "Why?" "Because he's an asshole." Kyle replied, crossing his arms across his chest. The boy with the gray beanie wasn't sure what to say to Kyle. He finally just said, "I'm sorry he did that." "It's not your fault." Kyle smiled a lighter smile than that beautiful one Stan's eyes met with yesterday. He missed it. Kyle's head lowered, he wiped his eye without the bright purple half ring and sniffled, "God I'm such an idiot. I'm sorry. I'm not a good person to be friends with." Kyle couldn't meet eyes with the boy standing across from him.

"Why not? You seem fine." Stan complimented. "I'm really not, all my boyfriends I've had in the past get sick of me after a few weeks to about 3 months." That seemed unlikely. Kyle's kindness was welcoming. It caused Stan to relax a little at South Park High. "That's ridiculous." Stan remarked. Kyle kept wiping tears away. It didn't look easy to stop crying. Stan knew it wasn't. He used to cry all the time when his depression first started. There were also times when he was little, but that was such a long time ago.

"Do you think it'd be okay if we hung out sometime?" Kyle finally got the tears to stay away from his eyes. Stan didn't start friendships this quickly. It was odd for someone to want to hang around him and with him. "We gotta do our project anyway." Stan reminded Kyle. "Oh yeah, right. I hope you don't think I'm being pushy or anything." Damn this guy really thinks less of himself, Stan thought. "No I don't think that." Stan admitted truthfully. He was fine with hanging out with Kyle, it was just weird to make a friend this soon. It was only the day after he'd met this boy and already he wanted to hang out with Stan.

It didn't have to be today and it didn't have to be tomorrow, Kyle said sometime, which didn't mean right away. If he wanted to hang out today, Stan would most likely say no just because that would be pushing it and going at a pace he wasn't comfortable going at. "If you don't want to hang out, I get it." Kyle said to Stan. "I'm not used to people wanting to hang out with me." Stan spoke truthfully, sliding his hands into his black jeans pockets. "Then they're stupid, you seem really cool." Kyle stated. Stan cleared his throat, "Thanks." "We better get to class, thanks for listening." Kyle gave Stan a light hug and began walking off to English.

Another thing Stan didn't really like was hugging. Short ones were fine, he had to put up with them at family get-togethers. Long, emotional ones he was not as exposed to. Him and Tommy never had a long, emotional hug. They kissed and did a few things but other than that there wasn't much of emotional hugging or talking or staring deep into each other's eyes. They cared about each other, but Stan knew it wouldn't last. Tommy was more attached to Stan than Stan was to Tommy. Stan followed Kyle back to English class.

Kenny immediately got up from his desk and approached Stan, "Well?" "Would he get mad if I told you?" "Nah probably not." Kenny waved it off. "Danny did it." Stan said. "What the fuck! Why?" Kenny asked appallingly. The blonde haired boy had a mixed facial expression of anger, confusion, and curiosity. "He didn't say why." Kyle was already at his desk by the time Stan and Kenny were done talking, he hadn't heard them speak of the conversation behind the bleachers. "I'm gonna kick his ass, guys get over here!" Kenny waved Clyde, Token, Craig, and Tweek over. Another boy came up with them. Stan hadn't met him. He noticed him talking with Kyle at one point during class yesterday but wasn't sure who he was.

"Danny gave Kyle that black eye. Oh yeah Token, this is Stan, just moved here." Kenny introduced the boys. "Hey dude." Token greeted. "Hey." Stan greeted back. "We're kicking his ass right?" Clyde asked Kenny. "Duh, who's got class with him next?" Kenny looked at his friend group for a response. "Not me." Everyone said, not in unison. "Stan, what about you?" Craig turned to the new boy. "Let us see your schedule." Kenny requested. Stan yanked out his phone gently from his back pocket and showed the guys his schedule. "I think you guys have History together 6th period." Tweek pointed out to Stan.

Stan didn't really feel like getting into a fist fight with this Danny guy. He did but didn't. It was only his second day at South Park High. These guys weren't afraid to include him and make friends with him. He appreciated it greatly on the inside because he was hardly ever included in anything at school. He wasn't a loner, he had friends. Stan didn't mind being a loner when his friends weren't around. It gave him space he needed, which was a lot. Depression carries negativities that don't like to negotiate terms that will come up with solutions of positivity. Negativity and positivity, they're antonyms, enemies.

The bell rang a few seconds later. Stan got to his seat when Mrs. Sawyer walked in the door with her travel mug of coffee. "Alright, let's pick up where we left off. We've got chapter three to read. I won't make you guys do the project over the weekend, unless you want to get a head start." Mrs. Sawyer explained. Was it already Friday? No, it was Tuesday. "The projects are due next Friday. I'm only having you guys do a project on the first five chapters because we have other things to do for the ones left remaining." Mrs. Sawyer started passing out the class set of the new book the class had begun yesterday.

Stan didn't mind the book, it just hadn't gotten that interesting yet. "Craig, why don't you start Chapter three for us? Just till the end of the page." Mrs. Sawyer suggested. Craig began reading, then Token went, then some boy with brown hair, then a girl with long blonde hair, and then... "Stan could you read till the end of the page please?" Mrs. Sawyer asked the new student in her class. Stan nodded silently and read the page. He wasn't a bad reader. Didn't stumble on a single word. His next class was study hall. It was quiet. The students were allowed to listen to music and have their phones out. Stan listened to music the whole time and thought about this Danny guy.

He was obviously abusive. Not a good match for someone sweet like Kyle. He most likely acted nice when they first started dating and then showed Kyle his true colors he'd been hiding ever so carefully. Right before English class dismissed, Kyle said he had a science class called Scientific Living second period. Stan didn't have that class. The entire time distance of study hall lasted in calm peace and quiet. Just a few murmuring voices of girls in the back row of seats were heard. Stan saw them talking but didn't hear them. All he could think about was going home. Not his new house in South Park, his house in North Carolina.

Never would he get to stay there permanently. Unless he moved back after graduating high school. The problem with that dream was the money. Stan didn't have a job. He only had one at a store in the Seaview Shore Mall in North Carolina. A lot of times when he wanted to get out of the house, Stan would head out to Seaview Shores to get away from it all. It was a white sand beach, pretty much always an empty beach. Not too many people went there anymore. After some kid drowned two summers before Stan's 15th birthday.

He had heard about it from a teacher of his at school who was the aunt of the kid. He'd never be back at Seaview Shores for awhile. Stan wanted to go back and visit as soon as possible. From the moment he was born, he immediately got used to the surroundings of his home. Leaving all that behind is never easy. This was his school now; these were his peers, and that house on that concrete street was where he'd live, hopefully not till death. Stan was forced into doing this. Not only did he want to go back to his hometown, but back to where he felt he could actually be a little more comfortable.