It was like my life began that day
I still remember what the jukebox started to play
And then we had to take it on the road
Start me up like a rolling stone
Kim had felt pressured by both of her parents to either become a doctor or a physicist. Both parents wanted her to uphold the Possible name by being one or the other, but eventually Kim's own interest in crime fighting and law gave way. What she was going to do with her criminology degree, she didn't know. So when this gorgeous stranger asked Kim to go with her to check out guitars, Kim couldn't resist. She always wanted to rebel against her parents; taking up criminology was a subtle way of doing that, but she wanted to do something more devious. Something that would get her in trouble. Or so she thought.
The day she followed Shego home was one of those days where she actually didn't get in as much trouble as she thought she would. Basically Kim ogled at every guitar Shego owned in her apartment until the green-skinned woman stuffed one of the guitars into Kim's hand.
"Play something for me," Shego commanded.
Kim blinked and stared at the guitar in her hand.
"Don't act stupid, Princess. You look like someone who can play."
"Princess?" squeaked Kim. If looks could kill, the stare that Shego was giving her would've sliced her in half.
"Got a problem with me calling you 'Princess'?" retorted Shego.
Regaining her composure, Kim strapped on the guitar carefully and simply shook her head. She strummed a few notes to make sure everything was ok and started playing a familiar tune.
Shego smirked seductively. "Really, Princess, you can't get no satisfaction?"
Kim stopped playing and blushed. "No, it's not that. It's just... I don't know what to do with my life..." She stopped talking. Why was she pouring out her soul to a stranger she met on the street?
Shego cocked her head to the side. "Not sure about where your life is heading, what kind of path you're walking, and what the destination will be?"
Kim nodded.
Shego's reply was blunt. "Fuck that shit, Princess, live in the now. Don't think too much about it. Do what you want to do. Worry later."
Kim frowned. "You don't understand. I didn't expect you to."
Shego crossed her arms. "Try me."
"First off, you tell me who you are and why you invited me over," Kim asked. It was only fair that she got something in exchange for divulging her fears to this stranger.
"Go by the name Shego, just call me that. And why? You have a pretty badass t-shirt and look like someone who can kick some ass," was the reply.
Kim chuckled softly. "Ok, Shego, I barely know you, but maybe you can give me some perspective. The name's Kim. I've pretty much been pulled apart in different directions as to what I should do with my future. I'm fresh out of college with a criminology degree mostly because it was expected of me to do something related to crime-fighting."
Shego grunted, "Why not be a cop?"
"That's the problem. That's expected of me... No one's bothered to ask me what I want to do."
"So what do you want to do?"
Kim blinked. No one asked her that question. Shego just did. Kim suddenly felt like the weight of the world was lifted off her shoulders when the question was asked. She didn't feel like she had to keep her dreams secret from the world and just stared at the floor blankly for a few minutes.
"Earth to Princess, still with me here? I asked you what you want to do with your life?"
Kim looked up to green eyes staring at her. It's like she's staring into my soul. Kim shook her head and just laughed.
"...I don't know."
"So. You have issues where you can't please everyone, not even yourself. You want to be happy with your life, but you don't know what you should do first."
Oddly enough, that was exactly what Kim was feeling. She tilted her head to the side and continued looking at Shego's green eyes.
Shego laughed. "Listen, kid, I've been there, done that. Look where I am now."
"I'm not a kid!" Kim retored. "Besides, I don't have that much money to spend on guitars and amps, so clearly I'm not following in your footsteps."
"I wasn't asking you to."
"Oh."
"Look, Kim. It's true that you can't please everyone in your life, but you should at least figure out what you want to do. For yourself. It might seem that you don't know where you'll end up or what will happen, but isn't that what makes life fun? The not-knowing part is worth your while to carve out your own path. You end up liking some things you do and sometimes you might regretting a few. Shit happens, Princess, so let loose."
Kim was silent for a few minutes. How could a complete stranger give her the best advice she's ever heard? She didn't want to be stuck in this perpetual cycle of pleasing her parents, her friends, her family, and, to an extent, the world. Who were they to decide how she had to lead her life and what she had to do to be happy?
Kim murmured a soft "Thanks, Shego" and unconsciously gripped the guitar in her hand.
Noting that Kim seemed to be a bit phased out with how their conversation turned out, Shego shrugged and picked up one of her bass guitars. She started strumming the "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" bass line, prompting Kim to pick up where she left off.
Making loud music
We're making loud music
We're making loud music
You and I
So loud, so (loud)
Before they both knew it, they had played classic songs for three hours straight. Suddenly an annoying ringtone brought them both out of their funk.
Beep beep beep beep.
Kim sheepishly smiled at Shego and answered her cell phone.
"Hi Mom. Oh? I'm over at friend's place..." She looked at her watch and then at Shego, and shrugged. It was close to midnight. "Uh, yeah, sorry, I should've called earlier." She scrunched up her face in thought when her mom asked her something and then looked back at Shego. "Actually, it's ok, I think can sleep over tonight." She mouthed 'please' at Shego, hoping that the green-skinned woman would let her. Shego gave her a curt nod. "Yeah, it's ok, Mom. I'll call you in the morning, ok? Thanks. Love you too."
Kim bit her lip. "Uh, sorry, my mom called... I think we both lost track of time..."
"It's cool, Princess, you can crash my place tonight." Shego shrugged.
"Are you sure? I mean, we barely know each other. Doesn't it bother you that you're letting a complete stranger stay the night?"
"Relax. If you weren't so talented with playing the guitar, I would've kicked your pretty little ass out ages ago." Shego smirked. "Been practising much?"
"I got a guitar as a high school graduation gift from my Uncle Slim," answered Kim. "I brought it with me when I went to college, and played every now and then."
"You're a bit sloppy when you're changing chords quickly, but with some practise, you'll get better."
Kim blushed. It wasn't every day that someone complimented her guitar playing, so she was grateful that Shego was much more appreciative than her usual audience: herself.
"So how long have you been playing guitar?"
"Hmm, fourteen, I'd say? My first guitar was a high school gift." Shego patted a nicely finished custom lime-green Gibson Hummingbird on her guitar rack. "Been playing since."
"You ever do gigs? You have so many different kinds of guitars, surely you've done some."
"Yeah, an odd one here and there. Not my thing, I don't like singing."
"Just because you play, doesn't mean you have to sing."
"That's true, but usually people want to hear some sort of vocals to back it up." Shego thought for a moment. "You sing, Princess?"
Kim paled. "Uh… I did. My voice isn't great."
Shego chuckled. "Why the scared look?"
"Thought of some embarrassing moments involving the talent show in high school."
Shego raised an eyebrow, but dropped her next question.
"Anyway, time to put this stuff away. Else your mommy's going to wonder why you got no sleep when she sees you tomorrow," Shego joked.
Kim chuckled. "There are other reasons why I'd be getting no sleep tonight anyway."
Shego looked at her with amusement. Before she knew it, Kim was scarlet. She stuttered, "I didn't mean it that way… I was just thinking that I'd probably not sleep well on the couch."
"Princesses usually don't have their mind in the gutters, do they?" chuckled Shego. "Besides, I have an extra futon, so you won't be sleeping on my oh-so-uncomfortable couch."
Kim smiled. She came to the realization that Shego's not as bad as her image portrays. She's pretty nice. And pretty.
The rest of the night was uneventful. Both had forgotten about dinner (their stomachs would reprimand them in the morning), so they both went straight to bed. Kim didn't bother asking Shego for a change of clothes since she was leaving in the morning anyway. After saying good night, Shego retreated to her room to reflect on her new 'friend'. Was Kim a friend? I mean, we only just met and pretty much jammed on the guitars for a while. It was pretty fun. The kid reminds me of myself when I was younger. With that thought in mind, Shego crawled onto her bed and quickly drifted off to sleep. Kim was quite comfortable sleeping on the futon, and before she knew it, she was out like a light.
Author's Notes: Please review and let me know what you think of the story so far. I'd greatly appreciate it. :) I'm posting this earlier than I wanted to since I'll be away this weekend and figured it was about time for an update.