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Author of 14 Stories |
Author's Notes: This is my entry to Zaratan's 'Something Different, Something New' Contest. Basically it's an anything goes contest, execpt whoever enters a story must use a pairing they've never writen before. So here's my new pairing: Bonnie and...well, you'll see.
Disclaimer: After saying it so many times, you'd think Disney would accept the fact that I very much know I don't own Kim Possible or anything related to it, but nooooo.
Anyway! On to the story!
There was no other way to explain it.
What had happened to common sense? What had happened to the food chain? She had followed it so religiously; she was its most strict enforcer. Everyone had obeyed it and, by extension, herself. Sure Possible and Stoppable had always been a couple of loose strings, but she had been sure she’d be able to sort them out by sophomore year. Of course those plans had backfired come junior prom.
But never, in her wildest, darkest, most horrid nightmares did she imagine she would find herself treading along the same madcap path as her redheaded rival. It was unheard of! It made no sense! It was…
All Stoppable’s fault.
But try as she might, she could not stay mad at that blonde haired, freckle covered face. Not after that chance meeting any how. That moment seemed burnt into her memory: a memory that appalled her and yet elated her at the same time. Oh, it was so against everything the food chain (and she) stood for, but Bonnie Rockwaller so didn’t care.
It had been just another cheer practice. Little Miss Perfect had been reviewing the new cheer routine (so old school it would be a complete bust at Regionals) when that goofy sidekick of hers came waltzing in with three of his ‘posse.’ Oh what were their names? Monique, then that wheelchair kid (Fred was it?). But they didn’t matter. The only one who mattered was him.
Oh sure, at the time she had been tweaked that her cheer practice had been crashed (ever since Ron had managed to get onto the football team he only showed up occasionally for practices). Stoppable had had an open opportunity to show up, since it was a weekend practice (there were a hundred different things Bonnie would have rather spent her Saturday doing).
But it was after practice when it had happened.
She was the second last one out of the changing room, only Possible was still inside. Most likely that was the only reason he was still hanging around. Bonnie was busy getting a stray strand of her brunette hair into its perfect place when she suddenly found herself sitting on the ground. There was a soft thud as the person who had had the gall to get in her way fell to the ground as well.
With a quiet growl, Bonnie brushed her hair out of her face to see a hand in front of her.
“So sorry Bonnie. I really should watch where I’m going.” He chuckled, “Kim tells me I can be such a klutz sometimes.”
Bonnie ignored the offered hand and stood on her own. Flicking her hair over her shoulder, she pushed past him. “Move it or loose it loser,” she sniped crossly as she passed by.
“Wait! Let me at least make it up to you. I have a 20 percent off coupon for Club Banana…”
Bonnie paused, thinking. He was a loser: the lowest of the low on the chain. If anyone even caught her talking to him, her rep could be seriously damaged. But she did like Club Banana (even if Possible shopped there as well)...
Making up her mind she spun around to face the unbalanced loser, and gave him a scrutinizing glare.
“Well since you obviously have no sense of fashion, I guess it would be a shame to waste that coupon.”
“After school tomorrow then?”
“Whatever.”
“Great!” He suddenly seemed nervous. “Just don’t tell Kim, okay? I don’t think she’d be too thrilled.”
Bonnie gave another contemptuous flick of her hair in response and left the gymnasium without a backwards glance.
Looking back on past events, Bonnie realized that she really should have just kept on walking and ignored that loser. Somehow that shopping trip lasted much longer than just Club Banana. Despite his complete and utter lack of any fashion sense for himself, he had an uncanny knack for finding the most adorable outfits for her. And he would buy those same outfits for her himself.
Over the next couple months, one trip turned into two, then three, then four…
Then she found herself doing the unthinkable: engaging in pleasant conversation with someone much, much lower on the food chain than herself.
Of course, she never talked to him where her rep could be hurt. And she kept telling herself that it was only to get free clothing out of the sucker. But then why was she sitting at a booth at Bueno Nacho (such a degradable place for one such as herself) and talking about nerd-linger things such as the Fearless Ferret and Everlot…and actually (dare she say it) enjoying herself?
Oh, she never let on to anyone about her secret meetings and chats with her newfound acquaintance. At school she was her same old, queen bee self. It was only after cheer practice, when she met up with him, that she retracted her claws and eventually even began to loose the bitter derision that always laced her every word.
Her change was a slow and tedious process. So slow even Bonnie herself didn’t notice the tiny changes in her attitude. Nor did she realize that she was gradually thinking less about Junior and more about where and how she could meet up with her new friend without getting caught.
It was all just to make sure she got the most free stuff out of this nerd linger as she could. Yes, that was it. It had to be it. There was no other logical explanation. Relationships were solely to increase/flaunt one’s rank on the food chain (even if Possible insisted on believing that dubious blather about how relationships should be built off of personality and caring rather than looks and social status; as if!).
At the time Bonnie didn’t know it (or refused to admit it), but she was quickly falling into the same social trap Kim had months before.
Taking a cautious glance around the corner, a figure hidden by shadows quickly raced across the open space and into the next shadowed area. A vital message was carefully folded and waiting to be given to its receiver. Should the messenger be intercepted, and the message read by anyone but the intended recipient, disaster would be unleashed upon an unprepared population.
Using every scrap of skill he had ever acquired through years of missions, Ron Stoppable warily bolted past Mr. Barkin’s office. Only one last obstacle then he would have reached his goal.
That last hurtle?
Kim’s locker.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, the tow-headed teen turned around the corner and ran as fast as his legs would carry him.
“Hey Ron,” Kim called out pleasantly, waving, only to be greeted by a blonde blur and a mess of jumbled words.
“HiKPCan’!”
The cheer captain stared in stunned silence at the corridor where her BFBF had just disappeared. She realized her hand was still up in the waving position and quickly put it against her side. “That was…odd,” she managed after a few moments.
“What’s eating him?” she asked Monique, who was staring after her friend with the same look on her face.
“IDK, NDIWT,” the lithe fashion designer replied firmly.
“Ok, what?” Kim asked, shaking her head to sort out the letters.
“I don’t know, nor do I want to,” Monique translated.
As the last school bell of the day shrilled, Bonnie casually strolled up to her locker, followed by her usual posse. The other girls all began chattering about the latest gossip while their leader twisted her locker open. A hush fell over the usual incessant jabber when a small folded note fell out of Bonnie’s locker and into her hands.
“Ohhhh, looks like Bonnie had a secret admirer!” One of the girls cooed and was quickly joined by the others.
Bonnie rolled her eyes. “Oh please. Probably just some geeky loser that’s fawning over me.” The cheerleader tossed the carefully folded note into the trash without a second thought.
“I’m going to fix my makeup,” the brunette stated matter-of-factly and headed towards the bathroom. She spun around and snapped, “Alone.”
Immediately the half-a-dozen girls shadowing her froze in their tracks. Confused, they watched their leader stride into the girl’s room unaccompanied before milling about the general area, waiting for her return.
Bonnie checked over her reflection to make sure it was perfect (and of course it was; it always was) for a few minutes. Then, when another girl left the bathroom, she quickly slipped in behind her shadow so as not to be seen by her followers. With quick snap of her tanned arm, the teen managed to pluck the previously discarded note off of the top of the garbage pile and stuff it in her purse.
She twisted around in a move that could only be managed by those with years of intense ballet and cheerleading training so it appeared she had never neared the garbage can at all and motioned for her posse to fall in behind her. They gratefully obliged to be following her again, as it was clearly demanded by the all-powerful food chain.
With great self-control, Bonnie moved through the school halls at her usual pace, criticizing those who deserved it, and didn’t even glace at her purse. Finally, she reached the school exit and dismissed her clique. Managing her composure carefully until she had walked out of sight of any wandering eyes (oh how she loathed those two miniature Possible brats for wrecking her beautiful ride).
Finding a bench shaded by the overhanging branches of a broad-leafed tree on the side of Middleton Park closet to the library (no one she knew would be that near the library, so she didn’t fear discovery), Bonnie sifted through her purse until she found that pesky message.
Dear Bonnie,
Just wondering if you want to come to the release of Zombie Mayhem IV with me this Friday at the arcade. Zombiepalooza night. I know it’s not your thing, but Kim doesn’t like it, so she won’t be there.
Then we could check out Club Banana’s newest fall apparel. Kim was going on and on about it last Saturday night. I really shouldn’t be saying this, but if we go tonight, you’ll be able to get a few things before she does.
From, You Know Who
Bonnie skimmed the letter a second time. If anyone saw her at that Zombie Madness thing her prestigious rep would be shot. But being able to get those new fashions before Possible was tempting. True, she had enough money to buy just about anything she wanted herself, but if she didn’t have to spend it…
Yes, that’s the only reason I’m going, Bonnie told herself firmly, it has nothing to do with him.
Pleased with her excuse, the cheerleader carefully folded the note back into its original shape and sat it back in her purse before standing and continuing home.
The sound of an overcrowded arcade reached Bonnie’s ears even from the dimly lit parking lot she was currently crossing. Adjusting her large, dark tinted sunglasses, she skirted around the bright pool of yellow light that gleamed under a street light.
It wasn’t full dark just yet; the sun still burned a deep crimson just above the horizon. But it was late enough for the lengthening shadows to conceal the cheerleader’s form.
Catching a hint of movement out of the corner of her eye, Bonnie dove behind a nearby van. Peaking very cautiously around the vehicle’s hood, she forced herself to stifle a surprised gasp.
Striding across the parking lot was none other than Monique, accompanied by (Phillip?) that other friend of Stoppable’s. What was she doing here? As reluctant Bonnie was to admit it, there was no denying that Monique had potential to be one of those who were high ranking on the food chain (too bad Possible had gotten to her first).
Only after Monique and Felix (no that couldn’t be it; who names their kid that?) had entered the arcade did Bonnie slowly stand up. She was faced with quite a dilemma: Risk ruining her prestigious reputation, or pass up one of the few chances she had at being with her newfound comrade.
Wait, she didn’t care about him right?
She would be passing up one of the few chances to out shine Possible.
That had to it.
Yes, that was the only reason she was here.
Wasn’t it?
Of course it was!
Or maybe it really because of how nice he was…
No, it absolutely could not be because of any such absurdness like that! Popular kids didn’t mingle with the bottom feeders just because they were nice and kind and goofy and sweet and…
Agitated by her internal war, Bonnie slammed her fist down on the mini van’s opalescent hood. The sudden shrilling of its car alarm jarred her out of her thoughts and caused her to jump a few feet in shock.
The cheerleader scrambled up to the arcade entrance at light speed. Catching her breath, she readjusted her sunglasses and tightened her ponytail (she almost never did that to her hair, but desperate times called for desperate measures).
Taking another steadying breath, she opened the door and stepped cautiously inside. It was so dark inside that she was forced to take off her sunglasses. Bonnie waited for everything in the room to stop and her rep crumble before her eyes as she was recognized.
But no one paid her any heed.
A mixture of relief and insult flooded through her. She was shocked that by simply loosing the name brand clothes, accessories, and make-up she could seem like a whole new person. Of course, the arcade had extremely dim lights and every one in the room had their eyes glued to their atrocious monster game.
Wary, Bonnie weaved her way through the crowd until she saw him.
He was playing with Monique and Frank (yeah, maybe that was his name).
The screen flashed ‘game over’ and he gave the remote to Monique. When he looked up, Bonnie made sure she was in sight. Grinning broadly he excused himself from his two friends who merely shrugged, so intense was their focus.
“You came!” he yelled happily over the blaring noise of the game room.
“Yeah, well you know I can’t pass up an opportunity to shop,” Bonnie replied as indifferently as she could, but she felt her lips twist oddly. Before she could stop herself, she realized she was genuinely smiling.
A goofy grin answered her smile, and it was all Bonnie could do to not chuckle at her companion’s silly expression.
He’s a loser, remember? I should be miserable…
“So when are we leaving?” she asked abruptly, not liking the fact the Monique (who would identify her immediately) was only a few yards away.
“Don’t you want to play even one game first?”
“I don’t really do the whole video game…thing.”
He chuckled. “You sound like Kim now.”
There was a small pause where only the sounds of video games could be heard.
“You didn’t tell her about, you know, us, did you?” he asked, visibly worried even in the dim lit room.
For a second, Bonnie was tempted to retort that there was no such thing as an ‘us’ between them (in fact, everything she considered to true and just was screaming at her to precisely that) but she found she couldn’t.
“Of course not,” she snapped instead (at least she had managed to put some of her regular edge in her voice).
But he seemed unaffected by her tone. “Okay, that’s a relief. I’ve known her almost as long as her parents have, so I’m positive when I say she wouldn’t be thrilled with us hanging out.”
Bonnie tried to think of some harsh jibe to respond with, but found all her brain could think of was a dull, “Yeah.”
There was another pause.
“Oh, hey, I uh, got you something.”
Surprised, Bonnie looked at him. He held up a finger then hurried back to where his backpack was lying on the floor next to Monique. He quickly returned, holding something behind his back. He pulled his arm from behind his back, revealing a small necklace. Even in the faint light, the silver pendent shimmered. A thin string of silver wrapped many times around a dainty aquamarine gemstone, which glittered a deep blue-green color.
Wide-eyed, she carefully took the necklace from him.
“I saw this the other day, and just thought it sorta matched your eyes. I mean if you don’t like it…”
His nervous rambling was cut off when Bonnie gave him a quick kiss on his cheek.
Stunned by what had just happened both teens jumped back some.
What was that? What were you thinking? Do you know how horribly against the food chain that was? Bonnie’s mind ranted at her. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
A startled gasp stopped either teen from reflecting on Bonnie’s brash move any more. They looked over and locked eyes with a stunned Monique.
“You can’t tell Kim!” Both blurted out at the same time (though Bonnie’s plea was more of a command). They shot a glance at each other before quickly looking back at Monique.
“My rep would be ruined!”
“She would kill me!”
The young fashion designer shook her head in shocked confusion. “Okay, okay,” she said, holding up her hands.
“But this isn’t for you,” the dark skinned teen growled as she pointed at Bonnie. “As much as it kills me, I won’t rat out a friend.” She looked at over at the more terrified of the two. He looked like he expected the fiery teen hero to appear any minute and flay him to bits.
“But,” Monique warned, “If I were you, I’d sort things out with her sooner than later. She’ll find out eventually, one way or another.”
As Bonnie walked home that night, her mind was a whirlwind.
She peered up at the endless stretch of glittering stars. They all stared back at her, taunting her. The food chain didn’t matter to them. They were better than her, and all they had to do was be there and people would start to ooh and ahh over them.
Just like Possible.
Half sighing, half growling, Bonnie ripped her gaze from the stars. For the rest of her walk, she did her best to ignore the sky along with the chorus of night creatures’ song of chirps and cheeps. They sounded so cheerful: too cheerful for the miserable teen.
Finally, after what felt like forever, her house came in view.
Slipping past her mom, Bonnie hurriedly headed to her room.
She collapsed onto her bed, staring up at the blank ceiling. Feeling something poke her from her pocket, the cheerleader carefully extracted the gleaming trinket that had been given to her.
Junior had occasionally bought her jewelry, but it was more along the line of over-flashy and gaudy. Not that Bonnie didn’t like over-flashy and gaudy; but this necklace seemed to hold its own unique, dainty beauty.
Of course, Junior’s dad hadn’t been thrilled by his son dating the friend of Kim Possible, so connection had been virtually completely cut off between her and him.
Bonnie’s fist clenched around the silver chain.
If only Possible had been content to stay on the bottom of the food chain where she belonged, Bonnie would not have ran into that loser at cheer practice, and she would not be torn between popularity and hanging out with that nerd. And she’d still have Junior all to herself.
It’s not the first time you hung out with a loser, some tiny part of her mind peeped up.
Bonnie remembered the Homecoming disaster.
Ron hadn’t been that bad to hang out with… It had actually been kind of…fun then.
Sort of like now…
But then it hadn’t mattered if she was seen around him. Things were different now.
On her desk, her Homecoming Queen tiara glimmered.
Sighing, Bonnie closed her eyes. Before she knew it, she had drifted off into a restless sleep.
The next day at school everything went smoothly. Bonnie’s clique quickly fell in line behind her and she dished out the usual snide remarks and dark looks as if last night had never happened. If she dealt out a little fewer sneers than usual, she didn’t notice.
And if she avoided the halls that Kim frequented, no one else noticed.
Since no one challenged her place as the queen of the food chain, Bonnie could safely assume that Monique had kept to her word.
The school day dragged along at its usual slug-crawling-over-glue-paper pace until the last bell finally rang. Students poured out of the building or headed off to their after school clubs.
Stretching with the other cheerleaders, Bonnie waited anxiously for Kim’s reaction at seeing her (she had somehow miraculously managed to avoid the auburn haired teen all day), though she made sure she retained the semblance of her usual indifference.
When the head cheerleader arrived, she seemed a bit more distracted than usual. But since she didn’t send any suspicious glances Bonnie’s way, the brunette figured it was safe to send Kim the standard jeers and jibs. But she barely responded even in face of the sharpest slights.
The teen hero was so preoccupied by her thoughts she even misjudged the distance needed to land on top of the pyramid; and though she tried to twist mid-air to regain her balance, she ended up landing square on her rump. That gave Bonnie the perfect opening to take her rightful place on top of the pyramid.
As Bonnie reflected on that wonderful cheer practice on her way home, she nearly tripped over a large, flat box on her door step. Grumbling at how incompetent the mail carrier was, she picked up the box and saw her name on it. Opening it, she saw the most adorable skirt/shirt combo that was part of the new fall line at Club Banana.
A small note was perched on top of the clothes.
Dear Bon-Bon,
Sorry last night didn’t go quite as planned. It was even more embarrassing than episode 14 of the Fearless Ferret when Wonder Weasel switched bodies with that poodle.
But anyway, I had some time before I had to go home last night, and saw this in the display window at Club Banana and couldn’t help but think of you. Hope you like it.
Bonnie realized she was smiling again. And she didn’t care.
Closing her box, she balanced it on one hand while she opened the front door with her free hand. Inside, the house was quiet. She could do whatever she pleased with out having Connie or Lonnie sniping at her since they were off at college.
Life is good, thought Bonnie.
Life is gorchy, Kim thought.
For the past few weeks, Ron had suddenly begun to grow paranoid around her. Even a simple greeting would send him jumping sky high.
“I know he’s keeping something from me, but what,” Kim muttered, pacing beside the couch.
She plopped down on the cushions with a slight wince as she jarred her bruised tailbone and laid down, staring at the ceiling.
“What if it’s something I did? I mean, I don’t think I’ve done anything different, but after that whole quarterback incident…”
Unable to get comfortable, the fiery hero stood up again and stood by the window.
“He means so much to me…”
Sighing, she crossed the room a sat in a chair. Kim sipped at a bottle of water half heartedly, thinking hard. Still feeling too restless, she stood at sat the water on the coffee table before crossing the room and leaning on the wall, staring at a plastic plant next to her.
“What if he’s secretly seeing someone else?” she murmured worriedly.
Kim paced the room in silence for a few more moments before coming to a conclusion.
“There’s only one thing to do,” she said resolutely. “Secretly follow Ron.
“Thanks for the help Mr. Barkin,” the teen hero said gratefully to her teacher, who was sitting in his lounge chair, staring in stunned disbelief at yet another student that had found their way inside of his house.
“I really need to get a better security system,” the burly teacher muttered to himself as his student raced out of his home to find her boyfriend.
“Girl that’s just plain wack,” Monique rebuked as she watched her best friend pace around outside her locker.
“Is it Monique? Is it really?” Kim retorted, stopping her crazed walking long enough to glare at her best friend, apart from Ron of course.
The fashion designer took on a thoughtful look. “Uh, yeah! It is!”
Kim shot a glance at her Kimmunicator before folding her arms across her chest. She shot Monique a dubious look. “Example A.”
Right on cue Ron came walking down the hall (true, this wasn’t his normal route, but Kim was on to her BFBF’s little stunts and knew exactly when and where he would be; of course, Wade’s tracking chip helped as well).
“Hey Ron,” Kim greeted her life-long best friend with a light voice, still looking more at Monique than him.
Immediately, the blonde jumped and spun frantically in the cheer captain’s direction.
“Kim! I- You- Not usually here- I thought- Oh look! In the janitor’s closet! Uh, RUTABAGAS!”
Kim re-folded her arms and gave Monique an ‘I told you so’ look as her boyfriend raced out of the immediate vicinity.
Monique blinked a few times. “Dang, girl, I guess you weren’t trippin’ after all.”
Gasping for breath, Ron raced through the halls. That had been a close call. He felt horrible about sneaking around behind Kim’s back, but there was nothing he could do about this crazy sitch now.
He was so preoccupied in his own thoughts the blonde didn’t notice the opened locker door that was about to make contact with his face in 3…2…1…
CRASH!
After blinking away the circle of floating nacos above his eyes, the tow-headed teen looked up and saw a familiar brunette.
Looking both ways nervously to make sure they were alone in the hall, Bonnie reached out an arm to help the clumsy sidekick up. Ron gladly accepted the offered limb and managed to stagger to his feet.
“Thanks,” he puffed, still not fully recovered from his sprint.
“No prob,” Bonnie replied quietly, returning to sorting through her locker and fiddling with her dainty necklace with her free hand.
Ron rubbed the growing lump on his forehead, but shot the cheerleader his trademark grin.
“So, you still up for zombie smashing after school?”
She stared at him for a moment, in the process of retrieving a book, her face a carefully constructed mask, void any emotion. Ron saw through it, right to the internal war of amusement raging against contempt.
“I’m sorry, Bonnie-”
She looked either way again, but the halls were still empty; students had not stuck around after the last bell of the day longer than they had to. Sighing, she shook her head.
“It’s just this relationship is so…” she struggled for the right word.
“Awkweird?”
“Yeah…”
Ron gave her a reassuring smile. “You just have to give it a chance. I mean at first Kim-”
“I am not Kim!” Bonnie snarled suddenly, her free hand clenched. “I’m at the top of the food chain. I shouldn’t even mingle with those low as you, let alone spend this much time together!”
Shocked, Ron took an involuntary step back.
“I don’t know how she does it, but she can get away with anything and still remain ‘perfect.’” Bonnie was glowering at Ron, but her eyes swam with barely restrained tears.
“But the second I step out of line…” she shook her head.
“And here I am, snared in a relationship just like Possible. If anyone found out, I’d drop faster than a rock to the bottom. I’m sure Kim and the rest of the school would get a real good laugh if they found out.”
“You don’t know that,” Ron said meekly.
“Oh, like how Possible doesn’t know about what we’ve been doing behind her back?” Bonnie retorted bitterly.
Ron visibly winced.
Then, the unimaginable happened.
Bonnie suddenly looked…contrite. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but no sound came. Closing it, she bit her lip and looked away before trying again.
“Ron, I’m…
“I’m s-
“I’m sor-”
The sound of footsteps cut off Bonnie’s feeble attempts at an apology. With almost alarming alacrity, the cheerleader snapped back into her usual queen-bee self.
“Bonnie? What are you still doing here?” A member of her clique gave her a questioning look before she noticed Ron. “More importantly, what is he doing next to you?”
Sneering, the brunette shrugged. “No clue.”
For once, though, her cold attitude was not reflected in her aquamarine gaze.
Baby steps, thought the tow-headed teen as Bonnie and her follower roughly brushed past him. Baby steps.
“Kim, I don’t think we should be doing this…”
A pair of jade eyes flashed back in response. Monique held her ground, even under the scrutiny of her friend’s steely look.
“It just doesn’t feel right, spying on one of my BFFs,” the dark skinned teen persisted as she and Kim continued stealthily along the row of lockers in the abandoned hallway.
At Monique’s remark, the fiery cheer captain paused. “It’s not spying,” she replied, trying to make Monique believe her, as well as herself. “It’s secret following.”
Kim’s friend gave a dubious snort, but continued to follow her.
“Hey, when my best friend, who also happens to be my boyfriend, runs by screaming ‘rutabagas,’ I think drastic actions need to be taken.”
“Okay, you got me there girl,” Monique admitted.
They reached the end of the hall and Kim motioned for silence. Bonnie’s voice could be heard, though what exactly she was saying was lost. With utmost caution, the two teens inched closer until their high school rival’s words could be deciphered.
“I’m sure Kim and the rest of the school would get a real good laugh if they found out.”
Found out about what? The cheer captain thought at the sound of Bonnie’s voice.
“You don’t know that.”
Kim instantly recognized Ron’s voice. Why was he doing talking to Bonnie? She wondered silently.
“Oh, like how Possible doesn’t know what we’ve been doing behind her back?”
Bonnie’s words made Kim forget to breathe. The teen hero was grateful for the support of the lockers behind her, bearing her weight. What was that supposed to mean?
Images of Bonnie kissing Ron back during Homecoming flashed uninvited through her mind. But any hurt was swiftly rammed aside by a wave a fury.
Literally growling, Kim moved to confront those two now very much endangered teens. A hand around her wrist stopped her. Amazed, the fiery cheer captain spun around to face her friend and glowered at her; such a stare would make even Drakken cower in a corner instantly (not that that was saying too much).
Monique bravely glared back, unflinching.
The redhead opened her mouth, but Monique’s free hand quickly covered it.
Shock from her friend’s imprudent behavior was the only thing that kept Kim silent and rigid (and saved Monique from a grisly fate as well). The fashion designer uncovered Kim’s mouth and motioned for her to be quiet and to quickly retreat down the hall.
For a brief moment, the teen hero looked rebellious, until the sound of approaching footsteps distracted her enough for Monique to drag her away from the scene. The pair barely managed to dive into a nearby closet in time to avoid being seen by Bonnie and one of her posse.
Once they had vanished down the hall, Kim burst out of the cramped space.
“I can’t believe her!” the fiery teen ranted as Monique pulled a fallen mop off of her head and tossed it back into the closet.
“Kim, there’s something you should know…”
“When I get my hands on those two…” Kim clawed the air in front of her as if strangling an invisible opponent (or rival cheerleader), before she slammed her back against a nearby row of lockers and gave a frustrated screech.
Then she was stomping down the empty hall, dragging Monique along behind her.
“Uh, Kim, where are we going?”
“Where’re following Stoppable.”
Monique was brave.
She was also smart.
And she preferred her limbs to be attached to her body.
Therefore, the young fashion designer allowed her friend to lead her out of Middleton High without the slightest protest.
“Hey Bonnie! Here for some zombie smashing?”
The cheerful greeting broke the brooding girl’s thoughts. Looking up (or down rather), Bonnie saw Fitz (no, that wasn’t it…) smiling up at her from the doorway. His welcome had sounded pleasant, if a bit surprised, but not at all mocking.
True, Bonnie had not been thrilled in discovering he had found out about her bizarre relationship, but Felipe was close friends with both Monique and Ron. It had only been a matter of time before he found out.
Sighing, the brunette nodded and stepped into the house as Fernando steered his wheelchair into the game room.
“Is Ron here yet?”
“No not yet. He had to run home and grab his wireless controller,” Ferris called back to her over his shoulder. “Larry’s here though.”
The sound of the doorbell caused Felice to turn around and retrace his steps (or, wheel tracks). As he opened the door, a familiar tow-headed teen flew in.
“Hey! How’s it hangin’ my main zombie smashing man?”
Fergal grinned. “Pretty good! Larry is dying to try his new wireless, and Bonnie just showed up.”
Ron looked up at Bonnie and his smile broadened. “Nice to see you giving Zombie Mayhem a go Bon-Bon!”
Uncertain at how to react to such a warm greeting after expecting a much colder one, Bonnie gave a hesitant smile. After all, it had only been less than an hour since she had shouted at him. But the freckle faced teen seemed to have no recollection of that event.
Either way, Bonnie wasn’t going to bring it up. Apologizing was definitely not her thing.
All the commotion brought Larry to the doorway.
“Bonnie! When did you show up?”
This time the cheerleader’s grin was genuine, though not as prominent as Ron’s (hey, she was still unaccustomed to such kind-hearted smiles after all).
But before she could answer, the door blasted open, revealing an irate red head and her panicked accomplice.
“Ron, run! Run for your life!” Monique’s warning was quickly cut off by Kim's roar.
“RONALD DEAN STOPPABLE!”
The blonde looked like a deer trapped in the headlights of an eighteen-wheeler as his life long companion and more recently girlfriend stormed across the room towards him. Kim’s path was cut off abruptly by Monique, who placed herself firmly between the furious teen hero and her fear-stricken sidekick.
Seconds stretched on for what felt like eternity as sienna eyes stared back intently at blazing emerald ones.
No one moved.
No one made a sound.
“Monique,” Kim’s surprisingly quiet voice broke the silence. Though it was lacking volume, it was most certainly not lacking in menace. “Move.”
Monique did not budge.
“Not until you take a serious chill pill, girl, and start listening to me!” the dark skinned teen retorted.
“I listened to plenty already! Why else do you think I’m here?” Kim’s voice rose again, but there was a desperate note hidden under the fury.
“You’re here because you think Ron and Bonnie have something going on behind your back,” Monique’s voice was level as she stared at her best friend.
“What?!” Bonnie shrieked before she could stop herself. She instantly regretted it as Kim’s fierce glare was turned on her. She opened her mouth to snarl something at the queen bee, only to be cut off by Ron.
The blonde bravely moved around Monique to come face to face with his best friend. He no longer looked like her was about to faint in sheer terror.
“Kim, I could never do anything to hurt you. You mean the world to me…”
Some of the jade fire dimmed a bit from her eyes as she stared fixedly at her boyfriend, searching for the slightest trace of a lie. He returned her stare, desperate to prove he was telling the truth.
“Then what were you and Bonnie talking about today? And why have you been acting so strange around me this past month?”
There was no malice in Kim’s voice now. Only confusion and barely repressed hurt.
“I…I can’t tell you.” Ron looked back at Bonnie.
Silence deafened the small group.
“You can tell her.”
It took Kim a few moments to recognize the timid voice as her high school rival’s.
“You sure?”
“She’s sure,” Kim growled.
Ron took a deep breath. “You remember that cheer practice last month a few weeks before Regionals? When Monique, Felix, and Larry came with me to watch?”
No one noticed recognition flash across Bonnie’s face at the mention of Felix’s name.
“Vaguely,” the teen hero answered, but motioned for her boyfriend to continue.
“Well, a week or so after that, Bonnie came up to me and made me vow to never tell anyone, even you, well especially you, what happened at the end of practice when she came out of the changing room…”
“Which was…” Impatience flickered across Kim’s features, hastening Ron’s explanation.
“Well, it turns out Larry bumped into her on her way out. And well, I guess he took her shopping to make up for it. After a couple such shopping sprees, he asked me to deliver a message to her, since he goes to Upperton High and all…”
“Not to mention what happened at Zombiepalooza last week,” Monique muttered under her breath.
Kim stared blankly at her friends and Bonnie. It was her turn to be the deer caught in the headlights.
“Larry….and…Bonnie….together?!” she stammered at last.
“Great there goes what little was left of my dignity,” Bonnie growled bitterly.
Kim ignored Bonnie’s complaint. “And no one told me?!”
“Sorry, Kim, we promised her…” Felix explained feebly.
“Sure she’s Bonnie, but even she deserves some privacy if she wants it,” Monique pitched in. “And it was more for Larry than her anyway.”
“Wait, you two knew as well?” Kim rubbed the side of her head.
“You’re not going to tell, are you Cous’?” Larry spoke up timidly for the first time since his fiery cousin’s arrival. “I mean, I know Bonnie’s your rival and all, but…”
“Of course she’s going to tell!” the brunette cheerleader wailed. “This is what you must have been waiting for Possible. The perfect chance to permanently humiliate me.”
Kim shook her head. “If you don’t want me to tell, I won’t. I’m not like you Bonnie.”
When her rival still looked unconvinced, the teen hero held up a hand to silence any retorts.
“And if not for you, then for Larry.”
“Larry? Why would care about him?” Bonnie asked suspiciously.
“Well, he is my cousin,” Kim said as if it was common knowledge.
“What?!” Bonnie spun to face her unofficial and socially inept boyfriend. “You’re related to Possible and didn’t tell me?”
Larry shuffled his feet nervously. “Well, I figured I already had enough going against me. As said in episode 27, season 3, special edition, of Space Battles: ‘No need to give a glorknock any more snickles than it already has…”
Kim and Monique stared at Larry as if he had just sprouted a third arm, while Ron nodded in complete understanding.
“I so can’t believe this is happening,” Bonnie complained.
As Bonnie ranted on to her ‘secret’ BF about honesty, Kim slipped her arms around her own BF’s waist.
“I’m sorry, Ron. Can you forgive me for nearly shredding you to bits?”
The blonde teen grinned down at his abashed girlfriend. “Ah, but you didn’t shred me to bits, so there’s nothing to forgive.”
Kim returned his smile, and hugged him close.
“You still should have told me though,” she reprimanded a second later, pulling back some and frowning up at the blonde.
Monique grinned as she watched the two guys receive a thorough scolding from their girlfriends. Until a disturbing thought dawned on her.
“After all this, I’m still dateless!” the fashion designer wailed. “Even Larry got himself a girlfriend!”
“Hey, you’re not the only dateless one here,” Felix retorted good-naturedly.
The two teens looked at each other for a long moment…
“Hey, KP!” Ron piped up after the cheer captain had finally relented her in her admonishing. “You know what I just realized?”
Kim gave her BFBF a questioning glance and Bonnie paused in her rant to look at him as well.
“If Bonnie and Larry get married one day, you and Bonnie will be related! Isn’t that ironic?”
Ron’s only answer was a pair of thumps as the two cheerleaders simultaneously fainted in pure horror.
The End
Blame Zaratan! His crazy contest and that darned plot bunny resulting from it made me do it!
Unless you liked it. Then, by all means, you can leave a review.
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