Trying Too Hard [Bunny Love Story]

►Chapter Fourteen◄

When I was younger, I'd often be excited for school to start up after a weekend or summer or any sort of break. Even after school ended I practically couldn't wait for the next day, just so that I could hang out with my buds and whatnot. Aside from Eric and the rest of his gang, my only friends had ever really been Token and Pip. Even if I hardly ever really talked with them, it was still nice to see them and exchange greetings. As you've probably figured out by now, that is no longer my reaction when the day ends. I started to dread it, even if I did get to see his handsome face every time I attended. But the night before, I was excited all over again. I couldn't wait to see Kenny, because he had actually agreed to hang out with me. What were we going to do? Was he looking forward to it as much as I was?

I sure hope so.

That thought was quickly discarded when my eyes landed upon him first thing in the morning. He looked tired, with bags under his eyes and messy hair covered by his hood. He was staring out the window, sitting next to Eric who was talking on and on about something that I wasn't paying any mind to. I don't really think Kenny was listening either. I wish I knew what was wrong, so that maybe I could help him out a little bit.. The only problem is that I didn't want Eric to get mad at me for speaking or anything, so instead I took my usual seat behind them. Token sat down next to me when he arrived and like the good old days we drove to school in silence.

My next experience that day with my poor, tired Kenny was during lunch. He wasn't looking at the butts of anyone who passed by him, which was something that I found worrisome. Kenny always checked people out, so the fact that he wasn't doing what he normally would made me feel ten times worse.

What's the matter?

I continued to watch him throughout the day, as we passed by in halls or when he was at his locker. Sluggish and fatigued were his movements. Before I knew it, my thoughts of Kenny had caused for time to pass by fairly quickly and it was the end of the day. Him and I were supposed to hang out, but where was something that I still hadn't figured out. Getting onto the bus I noticed that for the first time all week, Stan and Kyle were with him.

"Seriously dude, something wrong with you," Stan urged him on.

Kyle  nodded. "Yeah, you know you can tell us if something's going on."

Smiling gratefully, Kenny took the seat in front of me with Stan sitting next to him and Kyle in front of them. The redhead turned to face the other two as Kenny spoke up. "I don't know what to say, I really am fine guys." Stan and Kyle exchanged glances. "Don't worry about it," Kenny finally continued, looking out the window as the bus drove on. When Kenny's stop arrived, he made no move to get up as the other two had.

"You coming or what?" Kyle asked when they noticed that Kenny had remained in his seat. He shook his head in response and again Kyle and his boyfriend glanced to one another. "Okay dude," sighed Kyle.

"Look, if you need us don't hesitate to call either one of our cellphones. We've got your back," Stan told him with a slightly worried expression.

"Note taken," Kenny responded, looking over at them as they got off. Once the doors were closed, Kenny stood up and took a seat next to me. "Hey," he sighed, leaning his head on the back of the bus chair and staring up.

"H-hi-a, Kenny.." I greeted nervously. He glanced over at me and I turned away.

"You okay?" he questioned after a moment of silence.

"Gee, fella, I think I should be the one asking you that," I stated. "You look awful tired."

He shrugged and let out another sigh. "Yeah, I couldn't really sleep last night." He told me, sitting up properly in his seat. "I guess I was just thinking too much."

"Well, about what?" I continued to ask him. "I hear if you get things off your chest, you won't really think much about them later on and they'll stop bothering ya!" I told him with a short nod. He smiled slightly over at me, but said nothing. Knocking my knuckles together, I glanced his way before looking down at my knees. "W-well, I'm not trying to force you in to telling me or nothing, I-I just thought that it could-"

"You," he interrupted. For a while, I had no idea what he was talking about so I just sort of stared at him curiously. "I was thinking about you," he explained.

Feeling my face heat up, I turned to look out the window. "O-oh.." I swallowed a lump in my throat before continuing, "Is that good or bad?" I could feel his eyes on me, and as the bus pulled up to my stop he finally answered.

"It's good," he said as the two of us stood up, "and bad."

We stepped onto the sidewalk together and I sort of just led him to my house, unsure of where else to go. "Well, how do you figure it's both?" I continued to ask, wanting desperately to keep a conversation flowing. I didn't want him to think that I was antisocial or something, even if I kind of was.

"It's bad because I couldn't stop thinking of what you said, the graffiti you did, and how we had known each other for so long yet I still missed the fact that you were right there," Kenny told me as we made our way down the sidewalk.

No doubt blushing madly by this point, I took in a shaky breath. "Th-then how is it good?" I watched him as he shrugged.

"I think it's good. If I had to stay up thinking of anyone, I'm glad that it was you," he told me. If my face could get any warmer I'd probably have a heat stroke. "I might be leading you on a little," he chuckled. "I like you, Butters. I just don't think it's anything romantic."

I nodded slowly and soon we stepped up to my front door. Opening it, the two of us walked in to find my mother repainting the walls for the second time that week. Honestly I'm just glad she chooses to let her frustration out over paint rather than something like alcohol.

"Hi Butters," she greeted, not even noticing that I was with Kenny as she stroked the paint brush up and down.

"H-hi, Mom. I have a friend over, if that's all right with you," I said nervously.

That time, she looked over at us. Smiling softly, she nodded, "Of course, just stay out of trouble and if he's spending the night stay up no later than ten."

I grinned. "Oh, goody!" I exclaimed. "Th-thanks, Mom!" with that, I grabbed hold of Kenny's wrist and drug him up the stairs.

"Wh-what do you wanna do first?!" I asked excitedly once we were inside and I had shut the door behind me.

Kenny slipped his backpack off of his shoulders and unzipped it. "Hold on." He told me while taking my beloved sketchbook out of his backpack. "Here, I think you're gonna want this back."