A/N: This story is a slightly AU re-telling of the episode "Graduation." What would have happened if Kim hadn't been kidnapped by the Lowardians during her speech? What would she have said? How would she have handled the sitch between her and Ron? Was Ron right, was she headed for the stars while he was stuck here on earth? Also, how would they both cope in the aftermath of the Lowardian invasion? This is part one of a three part story.
Legal disclaimer: I don't own Disney's Kim Possible or any of the characters or any of the dialogue from the show. I am also in no way doing any of this for money.
Special thanks to DeucesWild for beta reading.
Now, with that out of the way...on with the story!
Graduation: Part 1
It was unseasonably warm that early June night in Middleton, Colorado. Felix Renton took off his mortarboard and wiped his brow as he stood in line to enter the Middleton High School football stadium. Wearing his good clothes—along with the cap and gown that all high school graduates were required to wear for the ceremony—was making him very uncomfortable.
Restlessly, he shifted his body around in his specially designed chair that allowed him almost as much mobility as a normal person, trying to beat the heat and deal with the butterflies that gnawed at his stomach. He wasn't normally a nervous person, but tonight he could be forgiven if he was feeling a bit wound up. Tonight it was his honor to speak as the class valedictorian of the 2006 graduation class of Middleton High School. Man, he thought to himself, who'd have thought that I'd have made it this far?
Indeed, there were times in his life that he didn't even want to come to school. After the accident that left him paralyzed, he had spent a number of lonely years in elementary and middle school. Almost all of his former friends had inexplicably shunned him after that terrible day nearly eight years ago, as if being in a wheelchair was some sort of disease that made them wary of being near him.
As a result, the normally outgoing Felix became sullen and withdrawn for a time. While his usually excellent grades never suffered (due to the fact that school work came easy for him), personally he suffered greatly. The whole ordeal felt like a burden on him and added to the normal turbulence of the teenage years. Through counseling and introspection he was finally able to make peace with himself and the world around him and his election as class valedictorian was very much a personal victory in his struggle.
This is where it all changed, he smiled to himself inside. Middleton High was the best thing to ever happen to me. This is where I found happiness and friendship. All the bad things seem worth it now that I've come this far.
Felix thought about the two most instrumental people in the change. One was a blonde-haired young man with a goofy smile and a laid back disposition. Ron Stoppable had befriended Felix in their first year of high school and the two had bonded over their mutual love of video games, computers and robotics.
Ron never judged Felix because of his appearance or disabilities; rather, he found it "badical"—as he liked to put it—that Felix had tricked out his chair to be able to climb steps or float in mid-air. Having a friend like Ron, who saw him as a person first and foremost, meant more to Felix than he could ever say. Of course, because they were both guys, talking about feelings towards each other wasn't really high on the list of priorities, not when you could spend that time bashing zombies or eating junk food instead.
Felix looked down the line behind him at the assembled graduates, knowing the ceremony would be beginning soon. Out of the assembled throng of students that would soon be leaving Middleton High for the adult world, Felix spied a girl with a slender figure and jet black hair. Almost on cue, she turned around to face him, a wide grin crossing her Latina features as she laid eyes on him. Zita Flores positively beamed at her boyfriend at the head of the line. Felix returned her smile with one almost as wide and a wave of the hand.
That right there is reason number two why this place was the best thing to ever happen to me, Felix thought to himself contentedly.
It was a little known fact that at the Junior Prom a little over a year ago there were actually two couples that hooked up officially. One was Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable; really more of a formality as least as far as the student body was concerned. Everyone was convinced that it was only a matter of time before the cheerleader turned world saving teen hero and her best friend/sidekick since pre-K would finally realize how they felt about each other. There had even been a secret pool going around the school and, even though he felt guilty about it, Felix had put some money into the pot, attempting to guess when the event would occur. Felix had guessed it would finally happen during the summer, so when Kim and Ron had walked through the doors of the gym holding hands, he was a little put off at not being the big winner. That honor had actually fallen on Brick Flagg of all people; he had guessed correctly that the two would finally get together the night of the prom. No wonder he seemed so happy that evening, Felix remembered. It wasn't because of his date that's for sure.
He chuckled a bit at how Brick had blown off Bonnie Rockwaller to hang out with Kim's friend Monique for a good portion of the evening following Kim and Ron's grand entrance. Felix knew that seeing her rival show up with two boyfriends in an evening—even though one wasn't a real person as it turned out—and then losing her date to her rival's best female friend must have driven Bonnie up a wall. Overall, it had still been a very good evening.
The lesser known couple to get together at the Junior Prom was he and Zita. She had gone as his date to the prom and afterwards, sitting on her porch in the cool spring night, they had both revealed their hopes, dreams, fears and most importantly, how they felt towards each other. He thought she was funny, smart and of course very pretty. She said that he was "hella" cute, had nice eyes, a great sense of humor, plus she really admired him for overcoming all the obstacles life had thrown at him. It didn't hurt either that they were both fans of the Everlot game, or when they weren't spending time together physically they spent it online battling their way through various quests together. Their relationship was nowhere near as "public" as his best friend's and Kim's; after all, neither he nor Zita were world-saving heroes constantly in the public eye but the student body knew that they were an item and certainly approved of their status as a couple.
"Renton!" A voice next to him barked, bringing Felix out of his reverie. He turned his head towards the source of the booming voice; none other than Steven Barkin, Middleton High's vice-principal and jack-of-all-trades school teacher. Beside him was Mrs. Whittler, the school principal; along with Mr. Dunbar, the English teacher who would be reading the names of the students as they climbed the stage to receive their diplomas.
"Are you ready Renton? The ceremony starts in three minutes," Barkin stated gruffly. Felix simply nodded his head yes.
Well, this is it; no backing out now. I suppose if Kim and Ron can do all the things that they do, I shouldn't have any problem giving a speech. Besides, if mine tanks I'll bet that Kim will knock hers out of the park.
Felix and Kim had both been nominated as class valedictorians, so a vote had been held by the graduating class to decide who would speak at the ceremony. When the final votes had been tallied, Felix had won, but only by a slim margin of five votes. Being the kind of person he was, Felix was touched by the support of his fellow classmates, but he also knew that Kim Possible carried some serious weight around the school. After all, if it weren't for some blatant—at least to him—cheating on the part of Bonnie, Kim would have become homecoming queen. So Felix approached Mrs. Whittler and Mr. Barkin to ask a favor of them and was pleased when they agreed with him. He then went to Kim and asked her if she wouldn't mind saying a few words at graduation after he had spoken. Kim was naturally taken aback, but with some encouragement from Ron, she agreed.
It was the least I could do for her, her and Ron should have been King and Queen. Felix thought about the famous teen couple and then about his own relationship. Who knows if Zita and I will still be together a year from now? Felix pondered. We're going to different schools; but they're both on the East Coast, so we won't be too far away from each other.
Felix looked back down the line to see if he could see Kim or Ron in the mass of lined up students, but because of where their names were alphabetically he was unable to catch of glimpse of either of them.
I know of two people, however, that will be together for a very long time. If they could they would stay with each other for all eternity, he thought with a smile as the first strains of "Pomp and Circumstance" began to play over the stadium's loudspeaker system, signaling the beginning of the graduation ceremony. Those two need each other more than life itself.
If Felix was a little nervous about what he was about to do, Ron Stoppable was absolutely petrified. On the surface it seemed like a totally irrational response, considering he was about to graduate and move on from the comfortable trappings of teenage life to adulthood. One would have thought he would have been overjoyed at the prospect of his graduation, but Ron was not that person.
He had not come to this point in an easy fashion, either. Being a lifelong slacker, there was a time when he was in real danger of actually being held back a grade because of his poor marks, but he'd managed to persevere when it mattered; a classic example of his "Ron in the clutch" abilities that had a very strange way of coming out of nowhere. Of course, there was still the nagging feeling in Ron's head that maybe, just maybe, Mr. Barkin would find some technicality that disallowed his graduation and he would be forced to spend another year—or at least summer school—being tormented by him. Although Kim refused to believe him, Ron was convinced that the teacher had it out for him since he first stepped into the halls of Middleton High and this would be a perfect opportunity to exact one last measure of revenge for the years of his non-conformist attitude that drove the ex-military man insane.
All told, his senior year had been wildly beyond any of his expectations. He was the surprise star running back of the football team and holder of the all-time school rushing record, a feat he attributed to his "mad running away" skills that he developed over the years as Kim's sidekick. His grades—while not spectacular—had vastly improved to the point where he was even able to achieve a couple of A's on his final report card and his SAT score was in the acceptable range. Then there was the absolute shock—to him at least—of not only being nominated, but voted Homecoming King and although he had to share that title with Bonnie, of all people; he was incredibly grateful that his peers had bestowed the honor upon him.
Finally, there was Kim; by far the most important aspect of his life. Never in his wildest dreams did he think that he would become the boyfriend of the world famous crime fighting teen superhero; not to mention head cheerleader and arguably the most popular girl in all of Middleton High. Being conditioned to constantly think that he was a loser had made him incredibly prone to bouts of low self-worth. When he had finally told her how he felt about her in the Bueno Nacho storage room during the Diablo incident, he expected that she would let him down gently. For all he knew he thought that she would want to be "just friends" and worse that it would wreck their friendship of twelve years and she wouldn't want to associate with him anymore. That possibility had frozen him to his core, but instead of all his terrible scenarios coming true the one scenario that he secretly longed for came to be. Not only did she not reject him outright, it turned out that she felt the same way for him!
This was proven when she took his hand after foiling Drakken's plot and they raced home on his scooter to put in an appearance at the Junior Prom. He wished that the ride home wouldn't end, it just felt so right holding on to her small frame as they rocketed back to Middleton. When they had entered the gym holding hands, the reaction they got from almost everyone in attendance was breathtaking. They approved of him and her! Even though it was a little over a year ago, Ron honestly couldn't remember the rest of the evening apart from their first dance and first kiss. What he did remember was being lost in the emerald green sea of his new girlfriend's eyes the entire evening and maybe walking her home the long way to enable them to spend as much time as possible with each other. They had probably broken Kim's overprotective father's curfew but oddly enough James Possible made no pressing issue of it.
Of course being Ron Stoppable meant being prone to mind numbing paranoia. Sure, Kim was his girlfriend, but part of him was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. After all, she was the Girl Who Could Do Anything, so why would she want to hang around with him? He knew that Kim was prone to shallowness—Eric the synthrodrone had proven that to be true—and, for a time, he constantly lived in fear that his new relationship would cause problems on missions, or worse; that Kim would decide one day that she could do better than him and leave him for someone who fit her personality and lifestyle better… not to mention someone who was better looking than him.
It did not help one bit the chance conversation he had with Mr. Barkin in the Smarty Mart stockroom the day before. Barkin had told him all about how he had been in the same position when he was in high school, how he had been the star of the football team, the Homecoming King, and dated the most popular girl in school. Then after he had graduated it all changed, and apparently not for the better. Everything changes, Stoppable, he'd said emphatically, the centre cannot hold!
Those words had almost scared Ron to death. He wondered if this was just Barkin messing with his head, but when he thought about it the words rang true… to an extent. Things would change after he left high school; it was the way of the world. To Ron, with his child-like wonderment, that meant that change; which was an incredibly scary thing.
For instance: Kim had gotten acceptance letters from universities across the globe; he hadn't even gotten a polite letter telling him to get lost from one of the few universities he had even applied to. In Ron's opinion, Kim was headed for the stars while he was stuck on earth; he had said as much to her no more than a few minutes before they were forced to line up in alphabetical order. In his mind, he was holding her back and if she felt the same way, then he would understand and step aside. If it actually came down to that, it would easily be the most painful thing he'd ever done; but he would also do it in a heartbeat because he loved her that much.
On top of his relationship fears there was something else gnawing at him. While washing his hands in the stadium bathroom after answering the call of nature, his sensei from Yamanouchi appeared before him as a vision. This occurrence was nothing new to Ron—after all, his sensei once contacted him using the mystery meat gravy from the school cafeteria—although it didn't stop him from freaking out as usual. He wanted to ask him numerous questions, especially concerning his upcoming graduation and Barkin's cryptic words about the centre not holding and change. Instead, the old man began speaking in riddles saying things like: You have the ferocity of the ancients within you. Never forget that.
Of course, this confused Ron to no end. He continued to be confused when he told him, you will soon discover, Stoppable-san; you will be ready.
He then disappeared into thin air, leaving Ron even more frightened than before. He also wasn't quite sure what to make of the wise old man mentioning disturbing signs occurring. It was pretty obvious—even to a dim-bulb like Ron—that he wasn't talking about his graduation. There had been odd things popping up for the past few days; strange symbols showing up across the world, unexplained power outages and communications being scrambled. Even Wade had been affected, which was saying something.
Ron sighed; he didn't really know what to do about that sitch so he decided it was best to deal with what was at hand. Feeling as ready as he could be, he exited the bathroom and retook his place in line with the rest of the students.
It was here that he now found himself, waiting nervously for the ceremony to start. Looking ahead four places, Ron saw the unmistakable red mane of Kim's hair. Almost as if she knew he was looking at her, she suddenly turned around and caught the eye of her boyfriend. Not wanting her to see how nervous he was, or how he was feeling about the whole sitch in general, Ron flashed her one of his trademark goofy grins and gave her the thumbs up sign. Have to keep up the appearances, KP, he thought, I can't let you see me this way; not with all that I'm feeling right now, tearing me up inside.
Kim Possible smiled back warmly at the goofy form of her best friend/boyfriend four places away, but inside she knew exactly what was going on. He's soo trying to overcompensate right now; she thought to herself, I've known him for so long I can tell exactly when he's scared to death of something and the mechanisms he uses to make me think he's fine when he's so not.
Kim turned towards the front of the line of soon-to-be graduates and pondered. She knew that it wasn't just graduation that had Ron in a knot and she found it hard to believe he would be unhappy to finally leave this place. She also refused to buy into his paranoia about Mr. Barkin finding a way to keep him here; heck, even if Ron was right she'd totally kick the vice-principals biscuit if that's what it took to graduate her man!
She also didn't think it had to do with the weird sitch going on with the strange symbols showing up around the world or communications suddenly becoming intermittent. No, it was definitely had something to do with the two of them.
Kim sighed to herself; before they had to line up alphabetically, Ron had essentially told her that he thought he was holding her back from her dreams. Before she had a chance to respond Barkin yelled at everyone to line up and they couldn't finish their conversation. It absolutely broke her heart, the way Ron criticized himself; there were countless times Kim wanted to slap him upside the head for being self-critical and in the next moment envelop him in her arms and tell him how much she meant to him.
She thought back to when they came together as a couple. He really had no idea just how he'd given her so much hope down in the Bueno Nacho storeroom when she felt totally defeated by Drakken and Shego and was seriously questioning why she hadn't just stuck to babysitting instead of saving the world. Although it was Rufus who had freed their bodies, Ron had freed her mind and soul and given her the strength to carry on and ultimately win the day against her two arch foes. Kim was so proud of Ron and how he fought against the synthrodrone, Eric; even though he was clearly outmatched by the thing. When he stood over Drakken's cowering form forcing him to finally say his name, Kim wanted to run over right then and kiss him in front of everyone to finally show her true feelings for him. Feelings that she had pushed deep down inside of her, preferring to rationalize how he wasn't handsome or cool enough, or how he wasn't high school "food chain" material.
Instead they had to wait until they made it back to the Junior Prom to show how they felt about each other. Kim would never forget that night for the rest of her life. How they walked in hand in hand, Bonnie's reaction to them and how they were taken aback by the cheers they received. Their first dance, their first kiss, the picture of them that now had a place of honor on her nightstand next to her bed. The look on Bonnie's face when she found out that she had been foiled yet again by Kim, people coming up to congratulate both of them, even Mr. Barkin had stopped by to wish them well before telling them to lay off the PDA or at least take it outside.
Then, of course, there was the long walk home after the dance and not wanting to leave each other at the end of the evening. They ended up replaying the scene from the gymnasium on her front steps, albeit a much more passionate rendition. The evening was topped off by getting soo busted by both her parents and Ron fearing that he'd be sent to the nearest black hole by her father.
To their credit, her 'rents hadn't freaked out too much; given the short explanation she had given them when she came back from the Diablo mission and announced she was heading back to the prom with Ron. Her mother seemed very pleased by this turn of events and even her father wasn't too upset with the breaking of his curfew.
Surprisingly, her mother managed to convince her father to let Ron sleep over on the couch instead of going home. Her brothers had set up a containment field over the hole in the roof and Ron and Kim spent the early morning hours cuddling together on the couch before both finally falling asleep with their arms wrapped around each other.
From their shining first days as a couple to their impending graduation, Kim wished she could tell him how much she loved him. Sure he was weird, but secretly she liked weird. When she had lost her memory earlier in the year he tried everything to get her to remember that they were a couple… ironically, it took him losing his pants to fully restore the memories of them together.
When I said I thought I loved him, it came out all wrong! What I meant to say was that I knew I loved him. I always have, from pre-K when he fought those bullies to the missions where he has no idea how many times he's stepped up in his own way, she thought fondly. He doesn't think he's attractive? Hah! Any woman that doesn't find him even the tiniest bit attractive has no idea what they're missing. Of course…maybe that's a good thing, that way I can keep him all to myself…
Kim allowed herself a tiny smile. Of course there were girls that found him attractive and it was her dumb luck that Ron had been almost completely clueless about their intentions; Tara and Yori both coming to her mind immediately.
Yori had definitely liked Ron—to the point where it was almost like there was a giant neon sign over her head—but Ron was completely clueless as usual. However, Yori seemed to ultimately accept that they were an item, although it probably bothered her more than she let on.
Tara, on the other hand, scared Kim a little bit. She knew that the blonde cheerleader would never try to openly steal Ron away from her but Kim wasn't stupid. She also knew how Tara really used to like Ron a couple of years ago but couldn't get him to see it. Tara also had a slightly annoying habit of hugging her male friends when she saw them, whether they were single or not. She had done that a few times right in front of Kim and it sometimes took incredible willpower on the redhead's part to not get severely tweaked at her. Her natural Kimness made her very protective of her man and she didn't quite believe that Tara was as innocent as everyone made her out to be.
Kim switched gears and started thinking about her and Ron's college situation, which had to be another thing bothering him to no end. She'd gotten a mountain of acceptance letters, while he hadn't heard anything back from the small group of colleges that he'd applied to. Even Middleton Community College hadn't responded yet, and they often took students with incomplete high school credits.
I know that I could go to college anywhere in the world, but as of right now I don't care where I go, as long as I'm with him. Even if he was only able to go to Middleton Community College, I would stay here with him. It would be tough being the way that I am, but on the other hand I think I could handle studying at one of my 'rents alma maters if it meant plenty of "study time" with my spankin' boyfriend. That last thought brought a huge grin to the redhead's face.
Just then the music began, signaling the start of the graduation ceremonies. Kim furrowed her brow as the line of students began to move into the stadium and to their assigned seating. She was going to tell him once and for all how she felt about him, and she would do it this evening no matter what.
Slowly, the graduating class of Middleton High made their way into the stadium in alphabetical order. Already looking down on them from the dais was Principal Whittler, Mr. Barkin, Felix, the district Superintendent and various dignitaries from the school board. Mister Barkin acted as Master of Ceremonies as Mr. Dunbar had suddenly fallen ill with laryngitis and was unable to speak. Upon hearing this Ron was fully convinced that there was a plot being hatched to get back at him.
The various VIPs on the dais each came forward one by one to offer remarks and congratulations to the assembled students. Admittedly, Kim wasn't really interested in all the speeches and chose instead to mentally go over in her head what she was going to say when it was her turn. Finally it was time for the valedictory address. Felix brought his chair forward to the podium and with a push of a button the chair rose off the ground completely, so he was perfectly in line with the microphone.
"Welcome, graduating seniors!" Felix exclaimed. He then began his speech as the assembled audience listened intently. Felix found that he was surprisingly relaxed speaking in front of a large group of people. Whenever he felt nervous or that the words weren't coming out right, he simply looked at Zita, who spurred him to continue by smiling or nodding her head at the points of the speech.
Halfway through the speech, Kim looked over to see how Ron was doing; not surprisingly he was only half-listening to Felix's speech. She knew that it was ferociously rude to attempt to talk to him now, but being the person she was she knew that she had to take action whenever it presented itself.
"Ron!" she whispered as loudly as possible.
"Huh?" Ron Rieger, who was seated next to Kim, said; as though she were talking to him.
"Not you, Rieger! My Ron!" the redhead snapped harshly.
"Huh?" Ron Stoppable looked around in a daze. "KP, is Rieger hitting on you?"
"Shh!" Bonnie, who was seated between the participants of this awkward conversation, spat with an icy glare at them.
"Ron!" Kim tried again. "Don't fear the future!"
"Yeah!" Rieger broke in. "It going to be great, everybody's going to have a robot!"
"Rieger!" Kim snapped at the boy next to her.
"What did you say Kim?" Ron strained to her what his girlfriend was trying to say to him.
"I…um…have a confession to make."
Just then applause broke out as Felix finished his speech.
Damn it! Kim raged silently. I have to tell him now!
"Now, ladies and gentlemen," Felix continued after the applause had died down, "I would like to introduce Kim Possible!" Kim gave a startled look to the stage as polite applause and some cheers rained down on her from the assembled crowd. Kim got up, squared her shoulders and strode down the aisle to the platform.
"Kim is a reminder to us all that we can do anything!"
In the stands, James Possible pressed the record button on the digital camera to capture his little Kimmie-cub's crowning achievement. Next to him, Anne Possible wiped a tear from her eye as she watched her only daughter make her way to the podium. Felix, meanwhile, simply gave her a nod as she passed him on the way to the microphone.
"Thank you Felix, for that most excellent speech," Kim acknowledged him as he retook his place amongst the VIPs. Kim then turned to face her audience. She felt a momentary twinge of nervousness, but quickly brushed it aside as she focused intently on the task at hand.
"Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, staff, students, graduates, family and friends," Kim began. "When Felix approached me and asked if I could say a few words this evening, I was slightly taken aback. After all, he had won the vote between us fair and square."
Kim looked directly at Bonnie when she said those words. The stunt that the brunette had pulled to rig the Homecoming Queen election was still very fresh in Kim's mind, not to mention her kissing Ron right in the middle of everyone at J.P. Bearymore's. Bonnie looked about nervously, trying to avoid the redhead's gaze. She knew that her rival was still somewhat tweaked about that incident; their mutual and longstanding dislike for each other notwithstanding. Luckily, the exchange only lasted a few moments before Kim focused her attention elsewhere.
"I hoped that he wasn't looking for someone to take the attention away from him if his speech happened to tank," she joked. A rumble of laughter rolled through the stadium and Kim could feel herself and the rest of the crowd relax.
"After thinking about it, though, I suspected—and his introduction just proved it—that he was allowing me a chance to speak to you all as someone who, over the years, has had experiences not quite within the realm of a normal high school student." More laughter rang out, as Kim's statement rang very true.
"I take it from your reaction those experiences are exactly what you'd all like to hear about." Kim smiled at the audience and paused to collect her thoughts.
"To be perfectly honest, I came by my extracurricular activities quite by accident. If not for a spelling mistake in typing a web address, it's quite possible that I would be standing here in front of you, simply as an ordinary girl about to graduate. Or, maybe I wouldn't be standing here at all; preferring instead to blend in with the crowd. But isn't that what life is about? Fate stepping in and making choices that ultimately define who you are? By answering that hit on my website I chose a path that over four years later has taken to places and given me the chance to see and do things that most people only dream about.
"Make no mistake; it wasn't as easy as it seemed for me to juggle all the responsibilities I had and still be a normal high school student. Between cheer practice, the swim team, all the various committees I was a part of, maintaining a strong academic record and then to be called away with Ron to Tokyo on a school night to stop yet another crazy Drakken and Shego scheme… at the end of the day, even though I tried to be normal, I guess I wasn't." Kim cast her gaze over towards Ron.
"Maybe you were right, Ron. Maybe it was a good idea to 'never be normal,' as you once told me when we were sophomores."
A number of eyes caste their gaze on the blonde haired boy who was Kim Possible's sidekick and significant other. Ron felt the attention of the stadium shift to him at the mention his name. He flashed a smile and tried hard not to look to nervous in the face of this unexpected attention.
That was for you baby, Kim thought warmly. People need to know that you're not invisible, that you're not a loser and we're a team. You've been as much a part of my success as anything I've done myself.
"Please don't think that I'm complaining or that I want anyone to feel sorry for me," she continued, turning back to the crowd. "As I said, I made my choices and if I had to do it all over again, I would do it in a heartbeat." She stopped for a moment and focused on the graduates in front of her. "If there's anything I've learned from either inside the walls of Middleton High or out there in the field it's this: follow your dreams. Don't let anyone tell you can't do something or that something is unattainable. Believe me, there were many times when people refused to take what I was doing seriously; sometimes even going as far as to tell me to stay home and let the professionals take care of it."
The contempt in her voice was evident as Kim thought momentarily about a certain "number one agent" who had a habit of saying that to her. She secretly loved the fact that she often took him down a peg or two in the field.
"Obviously I chose to ignore such sage advice. I must say that I've been extremely blessed with very understanding parents, as well as the teachers and administration here at Middleton. I'd like to thank all of them for letting Ron and I partake in our unusual activities during our time here, even though I'm sure that we drove Mr. Barkin nuts with our constant taking off during his classes." That earned a hearty laugh from the audience; even Mr. Barkin cracked a smile.
"At the end of the day, the best advice I can give to all of you is live you life how you want to and to the fullest. Spend time with your friends that you care for and who care for you. Do the things that you love doing. It hasn't always been easy, but I love what I do and I hope I can continue to make a difference, regardless how old I am or if I have to juggle it with a career or a family; it will always be a part of me.
"Make sure that you tell your parents that you love them and that you're incredibly grateful for them raising you properly. Annoy your little brothers… although to be fair, you should take them out for an ice cream afterwards for putting up with your shenanigans." Kim glanced over to where her parents and brothers were seated and smiled at them.
"Every day, do something that leaves the world a better place than how you found it… you don't have to save the world to be a hero; sometimes it only takes a simple act like cleaning up a park or helping an elderly person cross the street. I know that all of you have the power to be heroes in your own right."
Finally Kim locked eyes with Ron. When she spoke she did so in a quiet voice that almost didn't get picked up by the microphone.
"Most of all; make sure that you tell the people that hold a special place in your heart just how much you love and cherish them. Do it every day, because you may not get another chance." Ron looked on at his girlfriend in awe as she spoke these words. For her part Kim felt herself tearing up, but she managed to steady herself to finish what she started.
"All of you are like an extended family to me and I thank all of you who made my years here a most positive experience. I hope we can all stay in touch with each other as we embark on the next step in our lives; I also hope we can come back here in ten years or so and look back with fondness on what I believe was the best time of our lives. Thank you, congratulations to all of you, and good night."
The applause that rained down after she finished her speech caught Kim completely off guard. It was almost a replay of the Junior Prom when her and Ron walked in as a couple. The entire graduating class gave her a standing ovation as she walked back to her seat. Monique gave her a thumbs up sign as she passed, even Bonnie flashed a tiny smile as Kim sat down next to her. On stage, Felix couldn't contain the grin on his face that told everyone how he felt about the speech.
Just like I though she would. Give Kim Possible the right bat and she'll hit it out of the park every single time.
Slowly the each of the graduates climbed the stage to receive their diplomas as Mr. Barkin read off the names. It wasn't long before he came to Kim's place in the order.
"Kimberly Ann Possible."
Kim climbed the steps for the second time that evening, this time to accept her high school diploma. As she took it from Mr. Barkin, she proceeded to shock everyone in attendance by wrapping her arms around the big man in a hug.
"Thanks Mr. Barkin!" she whispered in his ear.
"Uh… well, yeah…" Clearly Barkin was taken aback, clearing his throat. "Well, things are going to be boring here without you Possible." he added sheepishly.
"You've still got the Tweebs," she replied with a wink as she made her way across the stage to shake hands with Mrs. Whittler. Barkin shuddered silently at the thought of three more years with two Possibles causing havoc at the school. He prayed to himself that they would skip another couple of grades and graduate early.
Barkin continued to read off the names of the graduates. "Ronald James Reiger. Felix Matthew Renton." Felix maneuvered his chair over to collect his diploma.
"Bonnie Marie Rockwaller."
"Finally!" The arrogant brunette stalked across the stage, clearly in a hurry to grab her diploma and leave high school behind for good.
"Wait a minute!" Barkin's words stopped Bonnie dead in her tracks. "You blew off all your classes the last week of school."
"Uh, yeah," she retorted haughtily, "nothing important happens in the last week."
"Except my pop quiz in homeroom, which you missed; thus you did not pass and that makes you one credit short," Barkin smiled cruelly at Bonnie.
"NOOOOO!" she cried out in surprise and embarrassment.
"See you in summer school," Barkin smirked at the tall brunette. Bonnie broke into tears and ran crying off the stage.
Right behind Bonnie in the order, Ron could not believe what just transpired. If Barkin could do that to Bonnie in front of the whole school, what was he planning for him?
"Ronald Dean Stoppable," the Vice-Principal barked out his name and glowered at him from the podium.
Ron's mouth immediately went dry and he felt his insides tighten up. He wanted to run away in fear like he always did, but something stopped him. In his mind he conjured up the one image that could take away all the fear, pain, and feeling like a loser: the smiling face of his girlfriend Kim Possible.
I'm not afraid anymore and I'm not going to run away. Kim stood up here on stage and gave the greatest speech ever and proved that she truly can do anything. If she can do that, I can face down Mr. Barkin.
Like a man facing the firing squad, Ron inhaled a deep breath and began to walk towards his Vice-Principal. As he got closer he tried to read the face of his tormentor, looking for any indication that Barkin would be trying to humiliate him like he had Bonnie moments ago. What he saw however, was a look in Mr. Barkin's eyes that almost looked like respect. It felt like hours, but Ron finally made it across the stage to where he was standing right in front of Barkin. Closing his eyes he held out his hand to receive his diploma, a small part of him bracing for a rejection.
Suddenly, he felt his grip tighten around a rolled piece of paper. Ron opened his eyes to the sight of his Vice-Principal, the man who had at times made his life at Middleton High a living hell, placing his diploma in his hand.
"Congratulations, Stoppable," Barkin's eyes darted around nervously and his voice was very quiet, almost to the point where it was difficult to hear. It was as if he couldn't believe the words coming out of his own mouth.
"Thanks Mr. B," Ron shook his teacher's hand then quickly blew through the line of VIP's, shaking all their hands before rushing down the stairs and back to his seat. He almost couldn't believe he had a diploma in his hand; he had done it! To be on the safe side, he wanted to make sure he was far enough away from Mr. Barkin in case he decided to change his mind.
As the last student collected their diploma and made their way off the stage Steve Barkin waited a moment. Then, in his usual booming voice, he made the proclamation that signaled the climax of the evening.
"Ladies and gentleman, I present to you the graduating class of Middleton High School for two thousand and six!"
Cheers rang out around the football stadium as three hundred students simultaneously threw their mortarboards into the air. Some cried with joy, others ran to their friends to celebrate with them. Ron surveyed the scene around him, still not believing that he was really a part of it all, when a red blur caught him completely off guard and enveloped him in a bear hug.
"We did it, baby!" the form that Ron came to recognize as his girlfriend spoke to him, the joy evident in her voice. Kim pulled back and brought her hand up to his face as she looked right into his eyes.
"You were great as usual, KP; that speech was incredible."
Sparks and passion flashed in each others eyes. This was their time; their moment and nothing would come between them to spoil it. As if they were both thinking the exact same thing, Kim and Ron brought their heads closer to each other to put into actions what their minds were screaming at them to do. Neither of them gave a damn about the PDA policy; after all they had just graduated.
"Alright people, LISTEN UP!" Barkin's voice boomed over the loudspeakers, bringing the student body crashing back to reality. "Even though you've all graduated we still have some housekeeping to take care of!"
A collective groan came from the assembled graduates. It appeared that they would not be free of Barkin's iron grip just yet. Kim and Ron looked at each other first with disappointment that their tender moment was so rudely interrupted, then with mischievous grins that indicated a desire to most definitely re-create that moment later on that evening. Their touch lingered a few seconds longer than normal as each returned to their seats.
"Alright people, the first order of business to take care of…" Mr. Barkin was interrupted a massive crashing sound followed by the scraping of metal on pavement. He looked over the far grandstand in horror as what appeared to be a giant metal insect with four legs rampaged its way through the stadium parking lot. On top of the legs was a red disc—similar to the old UFO's from the fifties—with a bright red beacon on top, its light pulsing eerily. As it moved its legs, Barkin could see cars in the lot being thrown around like toys, crashing to the ground loudly as they were flung in every direction. Beyond the far side of the stadium, another, identical machine stomped towards them, throwing dirt and debris with every step it took.
Steve Barkin, who had experienced the horrors of war—not to mention everything that went on in the halls of his school—stood there frozen in place until a part of his brain finally kicked into gear… unfortunately, it was the "flight" part. "Run, people!" he screamed in terror. "It's the end of the world!"
The entire stadium fell into panic and chaos. Parents and students each ran in a hundred different directions, trying to escape from the marauding machines. All except a blond-haired young man, who looked upon the scene unfolding in front of him with an expression of shock, awe and vindication on his face.
"Oh!" Ron screamed to no one in particular. "Am I the only one here who saw this coming?"
To be Continued...