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The dark orange sunset painted in gentle shades of a roof of small houses. Small small streets with private houses, seemed uninhabited though in windows it was possible to notice the movement. Quietly and peaceful, all essence in small towns. It it to be pleasant to someone, and someone wanted bright and noisy life. Old BMW slowly moved on streets, slavlivy each hummock on cracked, from time, asphalt. The guy looked around, in search of the necessary house, and the girl did not tear off for a second of a look from the book nearby. To it it was simply uninteresting. The brother already passed the house necessary to them, now she waits when he notices. — I understand nothing — the guy muttered, carrying out by a hand on ideally laid back, to hair, and slightly struck with the second hand a wheel. Couple of small locks fell to it on eyes. Ideally gray eyes, as if the sky in cloudy weather. — You already passed it, Kev — at last, fair-haired tore off a look from the book, with loud cotton closing it. She waited for it to stop reading this senseless book. — Did not you what tell that earlier?! — the guy sharply turned the car, going in the opposite direction, still being in search. He already was here, but did not remember the road. Topographical cretinism. — Simply — the girl covered gray eyes, shrouding the consciousness in darkness. There was a wish to sleep, but in the car she will not fall asleep, kind of there was no wish. Kevin and Alex Becker, the brother and sister who bought the house in the small town under the name South park, the State of Colorado. Here it is cold and ugly. In New York from where they arrived, light and warmly. The main differences that were noticeable at once. And these differences not especially pleased the owner of light brown hair. There was a wish to return and last time to feel autumn sunshine that burned skin. And, it is not here. There is the cold sun which did not heat from a word absolutely. She wanted home, to New York where there was everything. Both school, and friends, and relatives, and entertainments. And what to do to it here? On a windshield the turned yellow leaf when the car stopped near the old beige house landed. This house was as if not live. Light was not in one window, and nearby did not smell of pastries, as at all. The house did not breathe, long nobody lived in it. It lost the beauty and life as will make also Bekkera. — At last we can come around — the guy told, leaving the car about a garage and taking out a key. The car died out, and the brother with the sister went outside. Cold wind got under the girl's clothes. It was dressed rather easily, not for weather of this town. And to Kevin it was similar to spit, he indifferently moved to a porch which steps creaked under its weight. Light white dress in a blue flower and a thin light jean jacket, ideally suitable clothes for New York, but not for South park. While they looked for the necessary street, the girl considered appearance of people whom was on streets a little. All of them were dressed in jackets, and some and caps. — To me only there would be a bed — actually is not present. Was fair-haired not all the same. She did not want to live in this town. Wanted to return to the native apartment in New Yoreke, but knew that to it not to be. Kevin will never leave from here any more. He does not want home and to him will be all the same on the sister's request. — Here is where to sleep — slightly laughing the guy answered, opening a door to the house. From an open door blew softly a smell of dust and dampness, inherent in old houses. The girl sneezed as soon as the mote got it into a nose. Couple of days ago, Kevin came here, placed things and put the house in order that the sister strongly did not strain. Though they helped crew to do repair quicker to move. — Do not forget, academic year begins tomorrow — he managed and to transfer it to local school. Too all quickly. From the moment of incident passed only three months. — Aha. Where my room? — she asked, squeezing the book in a hand. This house pressed on it from all directions or it was just the hostility. Hostility to walls, furniture, ledges and even to all nails. To everything. — The second floor, the second door at the left — Kevin passed on kitchen at once, checking whether the back door is closed. — though a billeting, go to shop, we should eat something that — having made sure that the door is closed, it returned to the sister. Alex hard exhaled, understanding that explanations where it, will not be. Now it is necessary to wander about the city, in search of this damn shop. She never understood logic of the brother and probably will not understand. — Do you suggest me to go and look for it? I did not see this damn shop while we went — the irritation overcame it. The car stands near the house why it cannot go? — On the neighboring street it. I will throw off the list the message — Kevin put it money which the girl immediately put in a pocket. — Fuck, — the girl in a whisper stretched and threw the book on a sofa. The brother did not love abuse, wafting from lips of the sister and not for the reason that she is a girl, and just exposed himself the good elder brother. Silently she left the house, shivering again from the cold. The phone was almost dead, which didn’t make her particularly happy. Although, listening to music would have been enough if the headphones had not been left in the car. *** Slowly intertwining her legs, Alex was in the clouds. She had no idea where she was or where the damn store was. Thoughts were confused in her head, jumping from one to another. This made my head hurt, but my thoughts didn’t go away. What awaits her in this town? Maybe she'll go crazy here? Or will she become happy? She didn't know, and no one knew. Only God himself could say about this, but he is not here. And does he exist at all? Would everything be different if father and mother were here? Or maybe moving them will improve their lives? Or maybe they will move from here to an even bigger hole. She didn’t know, but was just preparing herself mentally for everything. Although she knew very well that despite all her experiences, she would not be mentally prepared for anything. She was brought out of her thoughts by a notification that arrived on her phone. Kevin sent me a list of needed products. The list is small, which means you don’t have to carry a huge package. *** Walking slowly through the streets, Alex watched the sinking sun, which with its departure painted the sky orange, and on the other hand, the moon won, turning everything dark blue. The stars appeared in the clear sky. The city was located on a hill, from which the sky was clearly visible. Turning onto a busier street, Becker breathed a sigh of relief. A bright sign with the name of the store immediately caught her eye. And with the onset of dusk, there were more people on the street. A strange feeling that all other people's gazes were focused on her came over her. Anxiety. Lately, it has been quite difficult for her to be in public because of the incident in New York. Turning into some alley, the fair-haired one found herself in a dark, deserted place. It didn't smell very nice in here. The smell of fumes mixed with the smell of tobacco and something else. But even this was to her advantage. There are no people, which means no one will see her, her occupation, or her anxiety. With thin, shaky fingers, the girl took a pack of cigarettes out of her pocket. Cheap with some kind of chemical apple button that didn’t even look like an apple. There are only a couple of nicotine tubes left in the pack. I had to find a fake passport and buy another one. She seemed to have him with her, she doesn’t remember. Holding the cigarette between her lips and burning the end, she inhaled the acrid smoke that burned her throat and penetrated her lungs. Left a slight taste of chemical apple in my mouth and clouded my mind. Nicotine. The only salvation in recent months was nicotine. No psychologists could help her leave all thoughts. But, just one puff was enough for all worries to subside. At least a couple of minutes of calm was enough for her to feel like her old self. Smoking kills - Becker didn’t think so. Maybe by the time she’s thirty she’ll have lung cancer, but now she’ll be calm. — Will there be a cigarette? — a hoarse voice from behind brought the blonde back to the real world. She jumped on the spot, feeling her heart begin to beat at an incredible speed, bursting out of her chest. There was a guy standing behind her. An old, tattered orange parka was unbuttoned, revealing a white T-shirt. Blonde hair fell over the boy's blue eyes. He was serious, and there was nothing bad in his eyes. Eyes are the soul of a person. — It will be, —Alex took the same pack out of her pocket, handing it to the guy. He'll buy new ones now anyway. — Not local? —  the bass voice again, only without that hoarseness. The guy held a cigarette with his long fingers, the tip of which was already set on fire. When did he have time? — Yes. How did you understand? — Alex exhaled smoke, realizing that this is a small town and most likely everyone here knows each other. — It is seen. In South Park, no one dresses so lightly in September, —  he leaned against the brick wall, not afraid to get dirty. — It’s warm in New York now, — the ashes flew down, breaking on the asphalt. With every, even small, wind, goosebumps ran through her body. — That’s understandable, — the hood of the orange parka rested on the guy’s light-colored head. Throwing away the cigarette butt and stamping it with her foot, the girl left the alley without a word, leaving the stranger alone. Nothing will happen to him for sure. *** Opening the door to the house, Alex walked inside, leaving the package on the ottoman. It was completely dark outside the walls of the house, but inside it was even darker. The TV was playing quietly, and the elder Becker sat on the sofa with his feet up on the coffee table. They showed the football championship, which he never missed. — Have you returned? —Kevin didn’t even look at his sister as she walked into the kitchen, answering the question with a short “yes.” The conversation did not continue further. The girl took apart the bag of groceries and went into the room. Thanks to Kev for telling me where her room was, otherwise it wouldn’t have been very pleasant to look for it. While the house was being renovated, Alex was only on the first floor; she was not allowed on the second. Allergic to dust, she would suffocate from her own constant sneezes. Now for the first time the girl saw her room. Small and bright. A fairly large bed stood in the far corner, and next to it there was a nightstand. A door hiding a closet behind it.Desk and dressing table. There was approximately the same room in New York, but there were differences. And the main difference is the life and memories in this room. Here, her parents didn't read her bedtime stories and her brother didn't comfort her after nightmares. Here she neither cried nor laughed. There was nothing here. Alex kicked off her sneakers in the aisle and kicked the boxes of things. Kevin made the bed, but didn’t touch her things, and thank goodness for that. There was no strength to take them apart. She examined the boxes, finding signatures, and pulled out items from the ones she needed. Sleep overcame her. The long trip was taking its toll. As soon as Alex's head hit the pillow, her mind went away. She went to the country of Morpheus. So beautiful and bright. Now she could rest and not be in her mind. *** The sun's rays filled the room with light. Quiet snoring came from under the blanket, and long light brown hair was scattered across the pillow like a cobweb. Such a sweet dream was interrupted by a knock on the door. Loud and unexpected. — Lex, wake up! — Kevin always woke her up, even if he wasn’t at home. I kept calling until my sister answered the phone. Only he could wake her up, although he didn’t make much effort to do so. The eyelashes twitched, and then gray eyes opened, still clouded from sleep. It seemed that if she blinked now, she would fall asleep again, but this did not happen, no matter how much she wanted. — I got up... — the girl barely squeezed out in a hoarse voice. Behind the door, loud footsteps were heard from his brother, who heard what he needed. Getting out of bed was difficult, but the task was successfully completed. And when I got up, sleep almost disappeared. Now she will take a cool shower and will be ready and the bed will not lure her into its arms. After slowly wandering around the room and finding the bathroom accessories, Alex walked out into the corridor, shuffling her feet. Now I had to find a bathroom to clean myself up. *** Having returned from the shower already more cheerful, the blonde again began to look for the necessary boxes to find at least some things, she wouldn’t go in pajamas, although she didn’t care, Kevin simply wouldn’t let her out of the house. In one of the boxes she found blue jeans with a snow-white T-shirt, and in another her father’s dark green knitted sweater and also dug out a jacket, without which she would have frozen. The cosmetic bag was in the backpack and it didn’t take much time to find it. Becker knew she had a lot of work ahead of her this evening, sorting through the boxes that took up half of the already small room. After changing clothes and putting on light makeup, the girl, amid her brother’s screams, threw the necessary notebooks and the schedule that the director had given her into her backpack. She flew out of the room, simultaneously taking a couple of sprays of perfume, which then flew into her backpack, and she hurried to her brother. Kevin doesn't like being late, so she's always the reason to get ready quickly. *** The car stopped near the school. Shabby and small. Lex was already here when she took the entrance test. — Good luck, — Kevin smiled, which he had done quite rarely lately and this caused his sister’s surprise, which was never able to escape the city and remained somewhere deep in her chest. Getting out of the car, Alex looked around. The whistling sound of car wheels was heard behind us. Kevin drove away and the girl was overcome with fear. All the organs came together in a heap and were tied tightly with rope. Taking slow steps and looking at the teenagers who were going to class. They told others how their summer holidays went. There were also those who did not want to go to school and trudged along just as slowly. And there were those who had already quarreled. Four guys disagreed about something and shouted throughout the yard. A short and fat guy in a blue hat with a yellow pom-pom called a tall guy in a green hat with earflaps a “Jewish ass,” and the second one in response called him a “pole.” A guy in a blue hat and a red pompom tried to separate them, which turned out lousy, and the tallest of them stood to the side. Orange parka and blond hair. The guy is exactly like yesterday's stranger from the alley. — Damn... — she hissed quietly, lowering her gaze to the ground. Now she needs to speed up so that the guy doesn’t notice her. Did he think that yesterday's conversation was a signal for friendship? Having flown into the threshold of the school, Lex looked back, making sure that these four were not behind. Just when she thought that she was left alone, a girl in a purple beret flies up to her. Large brown eyes sparkled, and plump lips stretched into a smile. Her hair, black as salt, lay neatly on her shoulders. The girl was truly beautiful, and also smiling. — Are you Alex Becker? — she immediately asked Lex a question, putting her into a stupor. How does this girl know her name? And who is she anyway? — Yes... how do you know my name? — Alex raised a thin light eyebrow. — My name is Wendy Testaburger, I am the head of the class in which you will study. “I saw your personal file, — she took the girl by the arm and dragged her along the corridor. Lex was overcome by fear again. Fear that this girl has seen everything about her and now knows her story. The girl didn't want this more than anything. — Don't be afraid, I haven't read it. I saw only basic information. Your age, phone number, name and photograph, — at this point the blonde girl exhaled with relief. — I see, — Wendy smelled of sweet perfume and smelled of kindness. She led Alex down the corridor, explaining where and what was located, although Becker did not ask for this. Although it was nice that the head girl wasn't some stuck-up bitch. The bell rang, notifying the students that classes had begun and silently asking them to hurry up. The bell notifies about the beginning of hell at nine months with short breaks for rest. — And here is our class, — Wendy stopped in front of one of the doors and knocked on it. Without waiting for permission, the brunette opened the door and entered the classroom. “Mr. Garrison, I brought a new girl,” Alex followed Wendy into the classroom, looking around at her new classmates. — Thank you Wendy, — Testaburger smiled and sat down in her seat. - class, meet me. This is Alex Becker, your new classmate,” the man in the green jacket pointed to the girl who was standing in the aisle. “Sit down in any empty seat,” Lex looked around. There was only one place, somewhere in the back desk and you couldn’t see who was sitting next to you. — You can sit on my Dick! — the fat guy she saw near the school shouted a not very nice phrase. — Cartman, shut up, I’m tired of you, — the guy in the blue hat with a red pom-pom, who was separating that couple, shut up the pole. Alex overcame her fear and walked to an empty seat, again regretting that she had decided to smoke yesterday. The guy in the orange parka was sitting looking out the window. He flew in his thoughts, not noticing anything around him. Becker sat down next to him without asking, attracting his attention. Blue eyes looked over the girl, and then over the notebook that she took out from her backpack. — So you’re new, — he didn’t even ask. Apparently he confirmed his guesses in his head. Thinking out loud. — Yes. My name is Alex Becker, — Lex realized that the guy didn’t really listen to the teacher. — Kenneth McCormick, — Kenny answered dryly, looking out the window again. The girl didn't really want to communicate. She turned her attention to the teacher, fully hearing his words. Still, her studies came first for her; she didn’t want to get punished later by Kevin for bad grades. *** The first lesson ended quite quickly, although it seemed that time dragged on forever. Thanks to Wendy, Alex knew where the cafeteria was. The most important thing was what she needed right now. Becker didn’t have time to have breakfast, and it’s unlikely that Kevin cooked at all, so, scraping together some money in her backpack, Lex went to the dining room, her stomach growling as it asked for food. Not to say that the queue was large, but it was not small either. Having taken a seat, Alex began to look at the teenagers. They were different: goths, sweatpants, clowns. All types were in the same dining room and were not divided into groups. Everyone was sitting together. She was so engrossed that the replay pushed her when it was her turn. The girl came to her senses and took her portion, pouring money into his hand. There were few empty tables. One near the trash can, and one in the corner of the dining room. Sitting near a trash can meant that you were an outcast, and it was unpleasant there, so the girl moved to the far corner, continuing to watch everyone. — Now! — the guy shouted, without looking forward. He crashed into Becker, causing her tray to fall to the floor. The breakfast was spread out on the tiles and the cleaning lady started screaming. — Bitch, — the girl hissed, realizing that today she was left hungry and without money. — Damn, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, — the dark-skinned guy grabbed his head, examining the food, which could no longer be saved, and then the girl, for stains on her clothes. — Forget it, — Alex would have sworn at him in New York, but she’s in South Park. It’s better not to stand out, otherwise you’ll be considered an upstart. — Are you Alex? — he asked sharply and received a nod to his question. “I’m Token,” he raised the corners of his lips for a second. “I’ll be right back, go to the table for now,” he walked around the girl and left, leaving Alex in bewilderment. She slowly sat down at the table, not understanding why. Anyway, her breakfast was left on the floor; there was no point in her being here. — Here, — a tray of food appeared in front of her, and Token sat down next to her. His tray was also filled with food. It seemed like there was even more here than Alex bought for herself. — I’m sorry I ruined your food, — he smiled weakly, tilting his head to the side. — Come on, you bought a new one, — the girl shrugged, picking up the spoon. Ordinary, plastic, which bends at the slightest pressure on it. — Oh, are you left-handed? — he skipped the topic, looking at the spoon in Becker’s left hand. Many people ask her about this with such surprise, as if this is the eighth wonder of the world, although there are quite a lot of people whose main hand is their left. — Yeah, — Lex answered briefly, putting a spoonful of mashed potatoes into her mouth. Surprisingly, the breakfast turned out to be quite tasty, which is rare for school canteens. Yes, and what a breakfast it is. In the morning there should be a light but cheesy meal. And here, cutlet, mashed potatoes and the like, which is more like lunch or dinner. — Cool, — there was silence. It felt like Token wasn’t here at all and Alex was talking to herself and was now sitting alone. —Where did you move from? — the guy suddenly broke the silence again, reminding him of his existence. — From New York, what? — Alex turned her gaze from the food to the guy. Short-cropped curly hair and brown eyes, full lips and a hooked nose, the typical appearance of African Americans. — It’s just that new people rarely come to us, — he chuckled. Even in big cities, new students rarely come to class, but here in a small town, you will be lucky if at least one appears during the entire period of study. For the rest of the meal, both were silent, there was nothing to talk about, and they wanted to eat more. Token finished breakfast first and went to his friends, and then Alex, without finishing, threw out the contents and returned the tray. Half of the people from the cafeteria had already left for classes, and the other half remained sitting, mostly just talking. Alex checked the schedule and went to the right office. She was grateful to Testaburger for at least showing her around the school a little bit and for her not wandering around the hallways like a weirdo. Wendy, of course, did not go into depth with the girl about finding the cabinets; she simply explained their arrangement and showed the most necessary things. *** The lessons went surprisingly quickly. The teachers taught their subject in such a way that time flew by, but because of the constantly screaming classmates, it was impossible to hear half of the students from the last desk. During all the lessons, Kenny didn’t say a word, and Alex didn’t see the point. For what? If she wants, she will ask something, but for now she will do what he does not do - listen to the teacher. Throughout the day, she more or less learned the names of her classmates. There are even disabled guys, one of whom only says his name. For a small town, it seems like a common thing to send such children to regular schools rather than specialized ones. Or maybe the parents are not on friendly terms. Lex also heard some guys talking and found out where the local smoking room was. Quite useful information, because during the school day your brain begins to boil, and your thoughts begin to tear your head to pieces. Becker hasn't gone there yet and doesn't know the exact route, but is now diligently trying to find the entrance to the backyard of the school. Now she definitely seemed strange, because she walked from side to side, peering into every corner, like a drug addict looking for a dose. — What are searching for? — again an unexpected voice came from behind Lex. Just as rude as yesterday in the alley. And again Becker jumps in place, turning around sharply and noticing the orange parka belonging to McCormick. The girl exhaled, realizing that this was not a teacher and he definitely wouldn’t tell anyone, because he himself smokes. — I heard that there’s a smoking room in the backyard, so I’m looking for it, — the girl said without hesitation, raising her head slightly. In daylight, she may notice a difference in height. In her family, the father was tall and the mother was short. Kevin inherited his height from his father, and she was rewarded by her mother, for which she was laughed at in elementary school. — Let’s go, I’ll take you, — he nodded to the girl and turned on his heels and moved in the other direction. Becker looked down for a couple of seconds, doubting whether to follow him, but realized that if he was a maniac, he would have killed her yesterday. And so, even if he rocks the boat, once between his legs and run the hell out of there at breakneck speed. The best plan. Kenny led the girl into the backyard, where everything was strewn with cigarette butts. Apparently even the janitors didn’t come here, knowing that by the evening everything would be exactly the same, because teenagers are still such smokers. — You don’t have to be afraid, no one gives a damn what’s going on here. At least get fucked. They’ll also fit you a condom, —' he grinned and took a crumpled cigarette out of his pocket, apparently it had been there for a long time, carefully stored so that it wouldn’t break. He ran a match along the wall and lit a cigarette. — That’s good, — the girl took out cigarettes and, striking the lighter, set the end of the nicotine tube on fire. The tip glowed red, and a thin stream of smoke headed towards the sky. She was not destined to fly there, because the wind quickly picked her up and scattered her. — Yes, — the guy exhaled a cloud of gray smoke, which immediately began to dissipate in the wind. — By the way, Wendy asked me to tell you that today is a party at her house in honor of the beginning of the school year, — the guy leaned his shoulder against the wall, glaring at the girl with his blue eyes. Again he was not afraid to ruin his parka, although even just touching this wall with his finger is scary. McCormick said: “at least fuck.” — Yeah, I wish I knew where else to go, — the girl only knows the way to the store and to school, that’s all. Nothing else. — She will write to you, but she wanted you to find out right away, because you are a girl and you need to get ready, — with the last words, he seemed to begin to imitate Testaburger. He grimaced and tried to squeeze out a squeaky voice, but it turned out lousy due to his smoky, rude tone. — Yes, we are girls like that. We need to get ready, — Alex playfully straightened her hair, lifting her chin up. She never got ready for a long time, because then she would have to walk, because Kevin would leave without her. — Of course, you can’t go out without makeup, even to throw out the trash, — Kenny rolled his eyes. He tried to speak seriously and succeeded, but his eyes laughed. — Of course, what if we meet our fate near the trash can? — Lex threw her hair over her shoulder with a sharp turn of her head, parading the bitch from her previous class. I don’t know, maybe there’s a class where there won’t be an arrogant blonde. This is a classic. — For example, a homeless person? — McCormick raised his eyebrows meaningfully and grinned. This grimace did not last long; they both laughed. It was strange, because they hadn’t really spoken all day, but now they were laughing. Kenny is an interesting person for Becker, due to the fact that you don’t understand what he is like. Now he’s laughing, a second ago he was serious, and a second later he might start crying? Alex exhaled the last smoke and put out her cigarette against the wall, throwing the butt to the ground. Kenneth's phone vibrated and he picked it up. — Yes, she agreed, Wendy, — Testaburger could be heard chattering into the speaker of her phone, and the blond tried to make out the words. He frowned, taking in her endless stream of words. — Okay, I’ll tell you, — he hung up the call before Wendy started talking again, otherwise he’d be delayed for a long time. — Wendy and Stan will pick you up at six, she knows your address, — the guy threw away the cigarette butt, from which only one filter remained, and straightened up, putting the phone in the back pocket of his jeans. Testaburger said she only saw the name, age, number and photo. So she lied because she knows the address? — Okay, — Becker nodded and straightened her jacket. She already knew that she would go home closer to nine, because she would just have a drink, exchange a few phrases with someone and become invisible, and no one would even know about her leaving. — You will go? — she asked the question out of curiosity, although she didn’t want to ask it at all. — Of course, who would refuse free alcohol? — He put his hands in the pockets of his parka and hunched over, which made him a little shorter, but still remained taller than the girl. — And that’s True, — Alex barely shook her head, taking the phone out of her pocket. Kevin wrote that he was waiting for her near the school and if she didn’t show up in a couple of minutes, he would walk home. “Okay, I’ll see you at Wendy’s,” the girl waved her hand to her classmate and received the same thing in response from the guy. With long strides, she headed towards the exit from the so-called “smoking room”, simultaneously throwing cherry candy into her mouth and puffing on perfume to cover up the smell of tobacco. I didn’t want to receive moral beatings from my brother. *** The time was slowly approaching six. Alex was already collected and waiting for a call from the class leader. Usually such parties are held in a couple of days to prepare, but here on the very first day. Although the girl understood the meaning. The first day of school falls on Friday, and there are no classes on Saturday. Convenient and smart. A message came on the phone that Wendy had arrived and was waiting for the girl. Becker rose from the bed, walking around the boxes she hadn't managed to put away. She looked in the mirror for the last time, tucking the loose ends of her burgundy turtleneck into her black skirt and throwing on her jacket, she left the room, checking the cigarettes and candy in her pocket. Kevin already knew that his little sister was going to the party. After muttering a little, he still let her go, saying that if anything happened, he would come pick her up. Therefore, without fear, the girl left the house with her eyes fixed on the green jeep. Someone was already sitting in the back seat, and that someone turned out to be Kyle Broflovski, who was in the same class with Becker. He is one of the Kenneth Four. Sitting down next to the guy, Alex greeted everyone. Stan was driving, and Wendy was next to her, who immediately turned to look at the girl. It seemed like these two were in a relationship. The girl noticed this back at school and now confirmed her suspicions when Stan took the girl’s hand. It was as if he had read her thoughts. — That's it, can we go? — she asked, occasionally glancing at the guy driving. Kyle and Alex nodded and the car moved off, heading in the direction they wanted. — Who was released for how long? — Testaburger raised an eyebrow, watching Kyle and Alex through the rearview mirror. — I said I was going to Stan’s for the night, — the guy shrugged. Curly red strands stuck out from under the earflap hat, which the fair-haired girl noticed only now. Apparently the guy hides them well. — And I said that I’m going into the forest with Kyle, looking for all sorts of crap for the project, — Stan grinned, turning the mirror towards himself and depriving the brunette who looked at him displeasedly. — And you, Alex? — Kyle tilted his head to the side, observing Becker’s emotions, which were not there. She didn’t even lie to her brother, knowing that he would let her go. — Don't know. Maybe for an hour, or maybe overnight. As soon as my brother calls, I’ll go home, — Lex looked at the three. Wendy turned the mirror towards herself again, straightening her hair, Stan rolled his eyes in displeasure, and Kyle chuckled at that. They barely spoke the rest of the way, only Wendy was telling the guy behind the wheel something. Alex didn't pay much attention to this conversation, and from Broflovski's appearance she could tell that he wasn't particularly interested either. When the car stopped on the side of the road near Testaburger's house, the four went outside. Today was warmer than yesterday, but it would still be cold without a jacket. But apparently McCormick, who was sitting on the porch, was feeling very good. Although the hands in which he held the phone were quite red, as were his cheeks. — Oh, Kenny, — Stan waved his free hand to his friend, drawing his attention to him, with his other hand he held the palm of Wendy, who had her eyes buried in the phone, actively typing something. — Let's go, huh. It’s still cold, — Kyle put his hands in his jacket pockets, shifting from foot to foot. It seemed that he was not local, but came from a warm town and had not yet had time to get used to the climate of South Park. *** Loud music mixed with laughter and conversations of teenagers was reminiscent of parties in New York. They were just as noisy, only they were bigger there. There was a lot of alcohol, there were even drugs running around somewhere. Often, on the second, or third, floors of houses, female elephants could be heard, and half the doors were closed, but here everything was calmer. Some were already in a fairly cheerful state. Some even started dancing, while others were preparing to leave everyone. And only a couple of hours passed. Alex sat on the sofa in the corner of the room and watched everyone, like a maniac looking for a victim. She filled the plastic cup every fifteen minutes. Kenny had already hooked up with some girl, Kyle had a fight with Cartman, but there were no fights, and Stan went everywhere with Wendy. The rest of the classmates were drinking and talking among themselves. There was even a certain envy in Becker’s chest, because she wanted to laugh and have conversations just like everyone else. But even half of the class doesn’t know her name, and the rest are seeing her for the first time. — Why are you here alone? — the green hat with earflaps fell next to the girl, and then the red top of Kyle’s head. Drunken sparkles danced in the guy’s green eyes, and a smile stretched across his lips. — I’m new here, almost no one knows me, — Lex shrugged, finally looking away from the crowd and focusing it on one person. — And that’s true. But you still need to start a conversation with someone, otherwise you’ll be alone until you graduate from school, — Broflovski took a long sip from the glass, apparently finishing its contents. — I hope this doesn’t happen, otherwise Eric will laugh, — Becker laughed, and Kyle joined in. Although it seemed like she was just joking, what she said was true. Not only about Cartman, of course, but about everyone. — Don't pay attention to Cartman, he's an idiot. Because of his complexes, he tries to offend others, — the red-haired man instantly became serious, looking at his friend, who again called someone a name. — I don’t give a damn about him, if he says anything, I’ll cut out his tongue, — Lex finished the beer in her glass and rose from her seat. — Shall I pour you some? — she asked, using her free hand to lower her skirt, which had risen slightly. — A? Come on, — Broflovski held out his glass, throwing his head back on the back of the sofa and closing his eyes. Apparently the alcohol went through the blood even faster. *** The girl skirted other people and retreated to the kitchen, where there were bottles of alcohol. Some of them were already empty, lying chaotically on and around the table. Wendy will be tortured to clean up this mess tomorrow, but what can you do, she herself decided to throw a party at her home. Having uncorked a new bottle, Alex poured its contents into glasses and moved in the opposite direction. It seemed as if there were more people every minute, or everyone simply suddenly ran out of booze and they crowded out to get more. Having barely made it through this entire crowd and keeping the drink intact, Alex glanced at the sofa, where Cartman was already stretched out next to Kyle like a king. — Here, — without paying attention to Eric, Becker handed the glass to the redhead, who smiled gratefully and immediately took a sip. — Like a Jewish ass, he’s already found a mongrel to run errands for himself, — the fat guy grinned. — Has she already sucked you? — He elbowed Broflovski in the side. — Are you crazy, pig? — Kyle put the glass on the table, turning to Eric. Lex froze in silent shock. Either Cartman is that stupid, or in their town, helping is considered a sign that both of them are fucking. — What about me? You Jews are all like that, find yourself a whore and use her, — Eric sat contentedly on the sofa when the red-haired man jumped up from him. But Cartman's joy did not last long. Kyle's fist connected with Eric's cheekbone. — Are you crazy, fag? — the fat guy jumped up after him. In the eyes of the two, cheerful alcoholic sparkles were no longer shining, their gaze was blazing with anger. Alex finally snapped out of her shock only when the guys grabbed each other by the chests and the crowd started looking around. Thin fingers dropped the glass, the contents of which remained in a puddle on the floor. The gray-eyed one immediately stepped into this puddle, I put my hands forward and prepared to separate the guys. — You're fucked, Cartman. When will you wise up? At this rate, you’ll be left without friends and die of loneliness, — Kyle hissed, looking up at Eric. — But I will dance on your grave, because Jews don’t live long, — Cartman did not open his eyes from his friend. Everyone froze in anticipation that they would now disperse, but with every second the atmosphere became tense. The blonde scanned the crowd, trying to find either Stan or Kenny, who, as luck would have it, weren't there. As soon as he returned his gaze to Kyle and Eric, Cartman’s fist hit the redhead’s jaw. A scuffle ensued and girls in the crowd screamed. The guys didn’t even move, afraid of getting hurt by these two. — Stop it, both of you! — Becker shouted and climbed between the two, trying to separate them, but this was not the case. The guys didn't even notice her. She lowered her face down, using all her strength to spread them at least a little, but their anger did not allow her to do this. — What have you done here? — a familiar bass voice rang out throughout the room. Becker looked up, noticing McCormick quickly approaching them. Kyle didn't notice Lex and hit her in the nose with all his might. Something warm flowed over her lips, and then onto her chin. Her ears began to ring and only then did she realize that the fight was over. — Alex, I'm sorry! — Kyle took the girl by the shoulders, who slowly crawled to the floor, clutching his orange jacket, covering her nose with her hand. It was getting dark in her eyes, but the girl tried her best to control herself and not fall unconscious. — You idiots! — McCormick pushed his friend away, squatting next to the girl. Everyone froze in anticipation, even Eric shut up. Wendy's scream and Stan's curses were heard in the distance. — Alex, how are you? Can you hear me? — Kenny tried to look into her eyes, but it didn’t work. In response to his question, Alex only lowered the hand with which she was covering her nose. Everything was covered in blood that didn’t stop. There was so much blood that it felt as if her nose had been cut open with a knife. Although these are just weak capillaries that burst quite badly from the impact. — Fuck, — the guy picked up Becker, who was losing consciousness, and dragged her to the second floor. He tried to walk as quickly as possible, but Testaburger was chattering under his ear. —Wendy, go ahead and bring me a first aid kit, — the blond man commanded. The brunette nodded and overtook the guy, running into the room. Kenny carried the gray-eyed girl into the bathroom and carefully sat her down on the washing machine. Placing a large hand on her shoulder so that he could immediately notice if she decided to fall, he looked out into the corridor where Testaburger was already running. — Here’s the first aid kit, — Wendy ran into the room, handing the guy a small suitcase, which he put in the sink. — That’s it, I’m free, — the guy carefully pushed the hostess of the house out of the room and closed the door so that prying eyes wouldn’t see. While they were busy, a couple of drops of blood had already appeared near Becker’s feet, despite the fact that the girl barely held her hand under her nose, and the other clung to the guy’s hand, as if looking for salvation in him. Kenny kicked off his parka, throwing it on the toilet, which fortunately was closed. Having examined the girl’s face and realizing that due to the huge blood stain on her face, he would not be able to discern the damage, he immediately grabbed a snow-white towel from the hanger and removed the first aid kit from the sink. — Why the hell did you get into a fight? — he asked, turning on the tap, from which water immediately flowed. — I tried to separate them, — the girl barely squeezed out, opening her eyes slightly. This action was difficult for her, because her eyelids again decided to return to their original position. — Everything is okay? — McCormick turned off the water, leaving the towel in the sink. In response to his question, he received a weak kayak head from the girl. “You’re a walking problem,” he took out a bottle of ammonia from his suitcase. Tearing off some cotton wool, he soaked it in alcohol and brought it to the girl’s nose. A rare smell hit her nose, which immediately brought Alex to her senses, but the weakness did not go away. She continued to struggle to hold her arms up, and her nose hurt even more. — Is everything very bad? — the words came to Alex with great difficulty. Blood entered the mouth, leaving behind an unpleasant taste of iron. — How can I tell you... hope that you just have weak capillaries and Kyle didn’t break your nose, — Kenneth took the towel that he had wet earlier and began to carefully wipe the blood from the victim’s face. In some places, the stains have already dried, increasing the wiping time. Every movement of the blond was smooth and soft, as if he was afraid of hurting. But still, he knew what to do, as if this had happened more than once. Although, if you look at it from the other side, if Eric and Kyle constantly fight like that, then you can train. — what happened? — he asked, throwing the bloody towel into the corner of the bathroom. — I brought Kyle a drink, and Cartman began to say that he was a Jew and found himself a whore to run errands, — Becker spoke much more clearly and easily. — A damn racist with a perverted fantasy, — anger and kindness were mixed in his voice. He valued Eric, but he was also angry that he spoke unpleasantly towards others. — Has the blood stopped? — the blonde changed the topic, not feeling nasal at the word at all. — Yes. It's not broken. Apparently she prayed well, — Kenny grinned, wiping the remaining blood from his nose with cotton, trying to put less pressure on it, but still, Lex closed her eyes in pain, grabbing the guy’s wrist. — It hurts, — the girl hissed through her teeth, grabbing Kenny’s wrist, asking him to continue. — Be patient, there’s not much left, — he carefully moves the girl’s hand away and finishes wiping the blood from her nose. The cotton wool went into the trash bin, and the unused pieces of clean cotton wool went back into the box. There was silence. McCormick washed his hands from the blood, and the girl looked at the drops of blood that were clearly visible on the white tiles. These drops apparently were the last, because the blood quickly clotted. The silence seemed to last for an eternity, although in reality it was only a couple of minutes. Alex was ashamed. First day, and she's already gotten herself into some shit. She hated herself for constantly interfering in problems from which others had forced her out. But Kenny was just thinking. Because of this girl, he missed the chance to spend the night in the company of a lady who was not averse to being alone with him. And she's not the only one to blame. Blame Eric with his long tongue and Kyle with his temper. He did not believe in the best, because this best never found him or stopped him. Only probably in childhood, when he walked along the blade of a sharply sharpened knife, on one side of which there was death, and on the other, life. And he always fell on the side of life. Or maybe it was worth falling to the other side? — Thank you... — Becker was the first to break the silence, jumping off the machine and turning on the water in the tap. Her legs were still shaking, but Alex tried to hold on. It was embarrassing to even look the guy in the eyes. Why? She couldn't explain it to herself. This feeling just arose in her soul and apparently did not want to go away. — It’s nothing, — Kenny took the parka that was already lying sideways on the floor. He didn't want to get it dirty, because he would have to ask Stan or Kyle to wash it. — How did you learn to identify damage just by looking? — the main question that was spinning in her head after thoughts about shame. The water in the sink turned red. She didn't think that so much blood could come out of a simply broken nose. — He often flies from his father, — he was neither ashamed nor afraid. He didn't care. The whole city knew about this, so it would be better to say it himself than to hear it from left-wing people. Rumors in the city are a terrible thing, one will say that he just hit, and the second that he stabbed. — Oh... Sorry... — now she found at least some reason for her shame. If she knew about this, she would never have asked, because at least she would have guessed. — I’m telling you, it’s nothing, — he pronounced the last word syllable by syllable and pulled on his native orange parka. Still, a couple of drops of blood ended up on it, but you can just wash it and it will be clean. The main thing is that it is not a stain. — Let’s go, — McCormick did not button his outerwear. He left with the bathroom, waiting for Lex to dry his hands and follow him out. Both silently went down to the first floor, where the music was playing again and no one was panicking. It was as if nothing had happened. — Alex! — Kyle’s voice came out of nowhere. The guy ran up to the girl. It was clear from his face that all this time he could not find a place for himself, measuring the room with his steps. — how are you? Sorry, I didn’t mean to... — he could barely speak. My tongue was slurred, not because of the alcohol, but because of excitement. He sobered up immediately when he saw a girl with a bloody face. — It’s okay, calm down, — Becker smiled softly, which caused an unpleasant aching pain. McCormick decided not to disturb these two and walked towards the crowd, sitting down on the sofa. He was handed a glass of drink. Someone finally thought of bringing alcohol here so as not to have to run to the kitchen a million times. — How can I make amends? — the guy’s green eyes looked down at his feet, looking at the boots, battered by time and circumstances. they seemed so interesting now. — You don’t need anything, everything is fine, your nose is intact, it’s just that the capillaries are weak, — she reassuringly put her hand on his shoulder. — And not a word more, — she said when she noticed Broflovski’s desire to object. — Alex, is everything okay? — An equally concerned Testaburger approached the couple, looking at the girl’s face. — Yes, everything is fine, — she tilted her head to the side and put her hands behind her back. — Then great. We're going to play truth or dare, okay? — Wendy smiled broadly, looking first at Alex and then at Kyle. — Well, come on,— the uncertainty in the voice was clearly audible, but it didn’t stop Wendy. She stood between the guy and the girl, grabbed them by the arms and dragged them to the sofa, where most of those present were. — That's it, we can play! — the girl exclaimed, releasing Broflovski and Becker. The brunette walked towards Stan, sitting down on his lap. The guy apparently didn’t mind, or maybe he did, he just didn’t show it. He carefully placed his hand on her waist, looking around at those present. Lex sat down in an empty chair, pushing a glass of beer that had just been poured into it. Token got up from his seat and asked everyone to be silent, they even turned the music down. — I want to repeat the rules of the game. Everything that is heard and seen here remains here. Information does not turn into gossip and does not become a reason for ridicule, — he looked askance at Cartman. — if someone does not respond or perform an action, then he drinks a glass of alcohol in one gulp, but this is also prohibited all the time. Got it? — the group agreed in unison. It was Token who started it. — Tweak, truth or dare? — the guy who twitched at the pronunciation of his own name began to think. — True, — he answered briefly, twitching again. It seems to be called a nervous tic, when nerve cells are rebooted. — What's between you and Craig? — the crowd howled. Apparently this question interested many. — A lot of things, — he answered and it was counted, although the majority wanted to hear something completely different. — Kenny, — the guy twitched again, causing the last letter of the blond’s name to stretch out. McCormick royally turned his head towards the owner of the disheveled hair. — Truth or Dare? — Tweek twitched again. The others were apparently used to it, but Becker was surprised by his private tic. — Let’s start with something simple, really, — McCormick watched Tweek and showed the emotions on his face. The guy was thinking hard about what question to ask him. — How many girls did you have? — the crowd howled again, now Alex wondered why. Maybe the blond didn't have any girlfriends at all, and his classmates are wondering if she has appeared. Or maybe he’s a womanizer, and everyone was wondering if he was keeping count, and if so, how much. — I stopped counting at twenty-eighth six months ago, — the girl was now convinced. Local womanizer, which became logical. Cute face and behavior in company. In company, his charisma awoke, not like in private. In private, Sakkormik is quiet and calm, more serious. — It’s normal that you’re so upset, — Stan grinned, resting his cheek on Testaburger’s back. — No, well, why not, — the guy smiled widely. The game continued without Alex even getting into it. Crossing her legs, she took her phone out of her pocket, checking the messages she had received and trying to answer them. Kev didn't text or call, which meant he either forgot about his sister or fell asleep on the couch watching football. The game continued, but I didn’t want to play at all. Cartman tried to get Gray Eyes to lap up the milk like a pet, but Alex decided it would be better to drink it instead. The game continued again, asking Token some basic question, which immediately flew out of her head, Becker carefully rose from her seat. The glass seemed to have already stuck to her hand, so she left with it. It's cold and unpleasant outside. A little rain dripped onto the ground, crashing on the asphalt with a pleasant noise. The girl sat down on the still dry step, wrapping herself tighter in her jacket. She smelled of booze. The smell had already ingrained itself into the soft fabric and had no intention of dissipating. Taking out a pack of cigarettes from her pocket, still with the same chemical apple button, the fair-haired woman took out a cigarette with her thin fingers. It wasn’t that I wanted to smoke heavily, I just wanted to feel the emptiness in my head for at least a couple of minutes. Again she remembered that day and again thoughts enveloped her head. Alcohol in the blood only worsened this condition. I wanted to fall underground so that no one would see or remember her again. The flame from the lighter burned the tip of the already slightly wet cigarette. The smoke took over the space in the lungs, burning them. The taste of apple remained lump in my throat. She doesn't like apples, but buys apple-flavored cigarettes in hopes of quitting smoking. The door behind him creaked and heavy footsteps were heard. Alex wanted to turn around, but her body seemed not to obey, and after a couple of seconds she completely forgot about the unexpected person who stood behind her. The street smelled damp and something sweet, as if a crowd of girls had gathered here and began to smell their perfume. But it wasn't the same smell. It smelled of tobacco smoke and alcohol and exhaust fumes. The smell of cheap cologne also came from somewhere. She had already met him somewhere. Most likely, this smell belonged to the one who stood behind. — Why did you get up? — She slowly turned her head towards the observer. Still the same frayed jeans, orange parka and disheveled blond hair. — Yes, I’m thinking whether to ask for a cigarette or not, — he pulled away from the wall and sat down next to me. The step creaked and the girl’s jacket rustled. She took the pack out of her pocket and handed it to McCormick. — Here, I think you smoke these, — I immediately remembered that evening in the alley, where she gave him the same cigarettes. — I smoke everything that is smoked, — he said with a grin, taking out one cigarette and handing the pack back. — Take it, I’m going to quit anyway, — she’s been saying this for the second month now. She doesn't like smoking, but she might even like the process. McCormick shrugged and put the pack in his pocket. There is no need to repeat it to him, they said “take it”, which means there is no point in objecting. — Thank you, — he quietly squeezed out, as a sign of gratitude. He is neither pleased nor disgusted by the fact that he was simply given away the cigarettes. Alex finished smoking and threw the cigarette butt somewhere to the side, forgetting that this whole party was taking place in secret from Wendy's parents and that she could snatch it for it. These are her problems, she knew what she was doing. — Okay, tell everyone that I went home, — Becker stood up and shook off her skirt, afraid that she had stained it. — Will you go alone? — Kenny looked up. His eyes, in the light of the street lamps, seemed darker than they were. — How else? My brother is already asleep, — Bekeer shrugs his shoulders and puts his hands in his pockets. — It’s not particularly safe to walk alone in South Park at night, — Kenny did the same as the grey-eyed girl. He threw the cigarette butt aside and rose from the steps. — Let’s go, I’ll show him off, — he still has nothing to do. Sitting with friends is definitely fun, but it gets boring. They are together every day anyway. — No need, — Lex is definitely scared to go alone, but it’s even more scary to go with a stranger. If he doesn't rape, he'll find out the address. — I can tell you my address and write a note about your safety, — it was not difficult for him to escort someone, he might find a good interlocutor. But if a person doesn’t want to, he won’t force him, there’s no need, but if something happens, he will blame himself. — Okay, — the girl nodded toward the sidewalk and walked slowly, buttoning her jacket. My nose continued to hurt, but not as much as before. It was painful to move it or scratch it, but the rest of the time there was no hint of pain. — won't they lose you? — she asked when McCormick finally caught up with her. Alex did not mean his friends, but the girls in his arms with whom he sat. — It doesn’t matter, even if they lose, — the blond put on his hood and put his hands in his pockets. Both fell silent, not knowing what to say. Somehow I didn’t want to talk now, especially Becker. She felt sleepy. She hasn't had time to sleep lately. First things to do in New York, and then preparation for senior year. — Tell me about the class, — came out sharply from the girl’s lips. She didn’t even understand why she decided to speak. — Well, what can I tell you? — the guy thought for a bit. — Cartman is an arrogant, spoiled idiot. He has complexes and wants others to have complexes too, so he mocks everyone. Stan is a smart and calm guy who is madly in love with Wendy. Kyle is quick-tempered and smart. He is Stan's best friend. Where Stan is, there is Kyle, and vice versa. Wendy is our class president and head cheerleader. She is responsible and you can rely on her. Butters is a quiet guy. His parents are real tyrants, he is punished for every mistake, and tomorrow he will also be punished for going to the party. He is also gullible, which gets him into trouble. Token is the richest of us, but money does not spoil it. He helps everyone except Fatty. — He continued to talk briefly but clearly about each of the class. The distance to the Becker house kept getting smaller until they were near the path to the porch. — Okay, we’re here, — Alex interrupted McCormick mid-sentence. — Okay, — he nodded and the girl turned around and moved towards the entrance to the house. She didn't even have time to take a couple of steps when Kenneth grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him. Close, catastrophically close. Heavy hot breath was felt on her cheeks. Fear.