Kim walked into Bueno Nacho and looked around the all but deserted Tex-Mex eatery. She wasn't surprised by the lack of customers given the hour was 2:25 on a Saturday afternoon, not exactly prime burrito time. Still, this was when Ron had asked her to meet him and she was all too happy to comply with his request. She so wanted to thank him for what he'd done the previous night and buying him some nacos was the least she could do.
She waved to Ned, who was working behind the counter, then took a seat at the booth that she and Ron all but owned. A few minutes later, the door opened and Ron walked in.
Kim smiled and waved to her best friend, who came over and joined her.
"Hi, Ron," she said cheerfully as he sat down.
"Hey, KP," he replied.
"So, the usual?" she asked. "My treat."
"Nah," he said. "I'm not hungry."
Kim looked at Ron, surprised by his answer. "Not hungry" were words she couldn't ever recall hearing cross her best friend's lips.
"How about Rufus?" she inquired.
"He's at home playing Everlot," Ron explained, his voice even.
All too even, Kim thought. "Okay, Ron, what's the sitch?"
"So, was it worth it?" he asked sharply.
"Excuse me?" she replied, caught off guard by the question.
"Your date with Mankey," he said coolly. "Was it worth it?"
Kim blushed. "Well, to be honest, it was pretty spankin'."
"Uh huh," Ron said, his arms crossed. "I see."
"And I so want to thank you," she said continued. "I know I should have called you earlier but Mom and Dad insisted we visit Aunt June and Cousin Larry this morning."
Ron simply nodded. He said nothing in reply.
Kim sensed something was bothering him. "Okay, Ron, spill."
"You are the stupidest person I know," Ron declared.
"Excuse me?" Kim said, taken aback. "You so did not say—"
"Yeah, I did," Ron replied.
"Look, I don't know what your damage is but—"
Ron slammed his hands down on the table, shocking Kim and even Ned. The Assistant Manager didn't move when he saw the look on Ron's face.
"I'll tell you what the damage is," Ron exploded. "You and your Mankey fixation!"
"My what?" Kim couldn't believe what she'd just heard. "You are so flawed!"
"Am not," Ron replied angrily.
"You could fool me," she said.
"Look, KP, ever since you met Josh it's been the same: he shows up and you shut off your brain."
"Puh-leeze," Kim said with a dismissive wave of the hand.
"Don't 'puh-leeze' me, Kim," Ron said sharply. "Remember the janitor's closet?
"Well …"
"Of course, spending a few hours with cleaning supplies was okay when compared to being kidnapped by Duff Killigan after you lied to me and your parents."
Kim squirmed.
"Yet that's all chump change compared to last night," Ron said. "So, answer me: was it worth it?"
Kim sighed. "Look, I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to take you for granted. I know it must have been so the drama having to go find that flower last night."
"Kim, this isn't about me. We've both been kind of thoughtless around each other. Not really surprising since we've known each other since pre-K," he said with a maturity and honesty that caught her attention. "This is about you and Josh."
"Okay, so I wasn't thinking. But Josh is, is …"
"Is he worth dying for?" Ron asked.
"What?" Kim replied.
"Is he worth dying for?" Ron asked again. "Do you have any idea how lucky you were that you didn't just vanish last night? If just one thing had gone wrong – poof! – you'd be history."
"Melodramatic much?" Kim said.
"I don't think so," Ron said. "As it was, I got lucky coming home. If I'd missed the plane it would have been another four hours before the next flight …"
Four hours, Kim thought. Four hours and …
"… And, and I'd have lost my best friend," Ron said, his eyes tearing up.
"Oh, Ron," Kim said softly.
"It's one thing to jump out of an airplane or dodge death rays," he continued, tears now staining his freckled face. "Saving the world is what you do. I'm down with that, especially since I can have your back on missions. But what you did last night …"
Ron looked out the window and bit his lip while Kim sat quietly. Then he looked back at her.
"I know I've not always been excited about the whole Josh thing," Ron said. "But you're my bud and if he's the guy you like, that's cool."
"Thanks," Kim said, deeply grateful for Ron's words.
"But no guy is worth what you did, KP," he said forcefully.
Kim was about to protest. Josh was golden, he was a hottie, he, he … wasn't worth disappearing into oblivion.
"You could have called him and said you were sick," Ron said. "He'd have given you a rain check, right?"
Kim nodded.
"And if he didn't, he wouldn't be worth your time, would he?"
Kim shook her head. "No, he wouldn't."
Silence settled on the table as the two best friends looked at one another.
Ron wiped his eyes. Kim, who only then realized she'd been crying, too, did the same. She then rose from her seat, surprising Ron. He was about to ask where she was going when she slid in beside him and threw her arms around him, embracing him fiercely.
"Thanks for being my best friend," she murmured.
"My pleasure," Ron said as he returned the hug. "Wouldn't have it any other way, KP."
The two teens sat quietly, enjoying the comfort each derived from the other's presence. Then Ron's stomach grumbled.
Kim chuckled. "My offer still stands: the usual?"
"Yeah." Ron grinned. "That'd be badical."
"Spankin'," Kim said as she got up and went to place their order.
She was halfway to the counter when she turned, looked back at Ron, and smiled.
"Thanks again for having my back," she said.
"Always," he replied.
The End.
KP © Disney
Leave a review and I'll send a response.