Disclaimer: I don't own KP or any of the characters, and I don't earn anything with this story (except hopefully a few reviews).
AN: This one-shot takes place at the beginning of Kim's and Ron's senior year (that is to say after "So The Drama").
Enjoy, and please feel free (encouraged even!) to leave me some feedback!
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It was the first cheer practise of the new school year, but Kim Possible didn't really feel like cheering. Ron, her best-friend-turned-boyfriend, who also happened to be the mascot, couldn't participate due to a sprained ankle (a little souvenir from their last mission against Professor Dementor), and she would have preferred to spend the afternoon with her boyfriend. Normally, she wasn't one to fuss about Ron (too much), but she felt somewhat responsible for and guilty about his injury, as Ron had sprained his ankle when he saved her from the diminutive madman's latest weapon. She sighed.
The other girls of the cheer squad were already present and stretching when Kim entered.
Bonnie Rockwaller looked up with a malevolent sneer on her face. Ever since junior prom, she had been even more hostile and aggressive than before. "Hey, Kim, I can't see your boy-toy anywhere! Don't tell me you've finally had the clarity of mind to throw that loser out!"
Kim turned red with anger. "Don't you dare call him that, Bonnie! He's not my boy-toy and certainly no loser!"
"Of course not!" Bonnie shouted back ironically, her fury rising. "How about dweeb, dork or just plain idiot then?"
Kim felt like she'd burst any moment, but looking at the fuming brunette, she suddenly felt her calmness return. "No." She turned to the others. "Let's get started, girls."
But Bonnie was far from finished. "Sure, act all high and mighty, won't you! You're just as much of a loser as that buffoon with his freaky pet!"
Kim turned to Bonnie again. "Why do you have to insult Ron and me all the time? Why do you always have to pick fights with me?" she asked, the calmness never leaving her voice.
Bonnie's eyes widened. "What?!" she exclaimed.
The redhead nodded. "You heard me. Why, Bonnie?"
The brunette seemed ready to explode. "You wanna know why?!"
Kim just nodded silently.
"I can tell you why! Because I hate you! You and your damned nobility and heroism! You get everything the easy way! You don't have to work half as hard as I do and still get everything on a silver platter! Dating Stoppable should've been social suicide, but no! Now everyone adores how you stick to that loser! You get away with everything! Nothing you do is ever wrong! You don't even have to lift a finger, and everyone loves you! You always have to be the best at everything, and no matter how hard I try, I can't beat you! Cause you're too damn perfect! The freakin' girl who can do anything! How do you do that? Why can't I beat you just once? Why?" Bonnie was breaking down in sobs now. Everything that had built up inside her and that she had bottled up over the last months, possibly years, had come out in one gigantic fit of hysterics, and now the brunette was on the ground, completely spent, with desperate tears falling freely from her eyes.
Everyone stared at Bonnie in shock.
It was Kim who finally broke the silence and, in a shaky voice, uttered a single word. "Ron."
Bonnie looked up, instinctively wrapping her arms around herself. "What?" she croaked weakly.
Kim swallowed and answered in a surprisingly vulnerable voice. "Ron. The reason why I'm able to do the things I do. For as long as I can remember, Ron has always been there for me and had my back. He supports me in everything I do and always has complete faith in me and my abilities. He trusts me with his life when we are on missions. He's so afraid of so many things, but he overcomes all his fears, because he wants to help me, which makes him the most courageous person I have ever met. He makes me laugh when I feel sad and picks me up when I've fallen to the ground. He has never deserted me, although he had more than enough reasons to do so more than once. He's the most kind-hearted, loyal, selfless and faithful person I know. He would sacrifice anything and everything to help others without expecting anything in return, and he has sacrificed a lot to help me become the person I am today. He's saved my life more often than I can remember. When I get angry, he calms me down; when I feel down, he cheers me up; when I need someone to talk to, he listens; when I take things too seriously, he reminds me of how much fun life can be. He sees the good in everyone even when no one else can, and for that, I admire him deeply. He's my rock, my anchor and my hero; always has been, always will be. Without him, I'd be nothing."
Not a sound could be heard after this confession, and it took a moment before Kim could continue, now looking directly into Bonnie's eyes.
"That's why I can supposedly do anything, Bonnie. So it's true that I am very, very lucky… because I have him in my life." Tears were welling up in her eyes, and she looked down. "And when I think back on all the times I took him for granted and treated him badly, I know that I will never be able to make it up to him." Her face grew very determined. "But I swear I will try for the rest of my life. He deserves no less."
She took a shuddering breath and noticed that her hands were shaking. She hadn't planned to ever let anyone know all this, let alone the entire cheer squad, but now that she had done it, she felt as if a huge weight had been taken off her shoulders.
After a long silence, Bonnie finally managed to stand up again. For the first time, she had seen the true Kim Possible, and she couldn't help but feel great respect for her long-time rival. She slowly approached the trembling redhead and carefully extended her right hand. "I'm… I'm sorry, Kim."
Their gazes locked, and for once, Kim could see nothing but honesty in Bonnie's eyes. She took the brunette's hand. "I'm sorry, too."
- - - - -
No living soul ever found out what exactly had happened that afternoon at cheer practise, but the consequences were blatantly obvious for everyone to see.
Kim and Bonnie seemed to have found a certain respect for each other and stopped being the rivals they had been. Of course, Bonnie still wanted to be captain of the cheer squad, and they still disagreed on quite a number of things, but they both seemed to have lost some of their bite.
Even more obvious, though, was the way Ron was treated. When a bully tried to corner him the next day, Tara, Hope, Marcella and Bonnie of all people stepped in front of him and glared at the bully so menacingly that he decided to leave immediately and hurriedly. Ron was completely dumbfounded by this, and when he thanked the girls, they just blushed and dismissed it as "no big", which only added to his confusion.
He would often ask Kim what had brought about this change in attitude, but the only answer he would get from his girlfriend was a knowing smile, a loving kiss and "just a little girls talk, so not the drama."
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I know, we will never see that happen, but hey, one is allowed to dream, right? Anyway, I hope it wasn't too sappy for your taste.