Chapter 7: split loyalties

The next week went by, Ron continued to train hard, straight from school he would head to the academy and spend the rest of the afternoon and evening building himself up and preparing for his fight which was now just a couple of days away. His skipping record was going through the roof, he was coping well with the 100k bar and his jabbing and footwork were very efficient. In just over three weeks, Ron had gone from a regular teen guy who was hopelessly devoted to his girlfriend and little else, to being a battle ready fighter, with muscles and aggression... all his fears and insecurities he used to have were now gone and his number one priority above all else had become winning his first fight... a new competitive nature was no instilled in him. He had gone from seeing Boxing as a chance to improve himself physically and be more effective in aiding Kim in her missions, as well as improving his personal status and upholding Kim's, to now seeing Boxing as a potential career choice. He had made a new close friend in Taylor, who had helped him greatly over the past month or so, and made him realise there was more to him than some weedy loser who he felt sure everyone must think of him... even Kim perhaps deep down.

Kim on the other hand, was experiencing the opposite in her life, whilst Ron was gaining all, she felt as though she was losing everything she cared about, she needed Ron, he was everything to her, she loved him more than anything, even her own family, and having him dismiss her and seem so uncaring over the past few weeks had hit her hard... she wasn't sleeping, Wasn't eating properly, she was weak and was glad that missions had been scarce lately as she was in no shape to face anything strenuous, she missed the training with the cheer squad but knew with her mindset the way it was, she couldn't continue with it, the pressure and intensity was too high for someone so unfocussed.

It was now Thursday, just two days before Ron's fight. There had been the usual "awkierdness" of school, Ron was trying to be as normal as he could with Kim but was finding it increasingly difficult to keep it from her as Taylor had ordered, he did want it to be a surprise for her, but also didn't want to risk her possibly being mad at him for taking up such a physical sport, "chicks don't get it at first, but they soon love it when they see you perform" Taylor had told him. "So after school I'm going straight to the gym again KP, just getting my money's worth again. I'll either call you or pop round to see you later Kim if I get chance but I'm stepping it up a lot now, seeya after Biology" his tone was stern and plain, no hint of emotion or love in his voice and with a light kiss on her cheek, Ron was gone. Monique had been nearby and seen it all unfold. She had noticed how ill and pale Kim was looking lately and couldn't believe that Ron wasn't noticing... he used to be able to tell when Kim was tired, sick, tweaked, miserable or angry and would always find a way to make her feel better but now he seemed different. After Ron had kissed Kim goodbye she had seen the look of devastation on Kim's face, for weeks this had gone on, the greatest romance that she and the rest of Middleton had ever seen appeared to be officially on the rocks, and it was as though each of the parties were doing all they could to hide it but were acting as though they knew it was true. Or at least one of them was, strangely it seemed that Kim was the one hurting about it and Ron was seeming more and more bubbly when he was away from Kim... 5.9 on the weirdness scale.

"Heyyyyy guurrrrl... what's new?" exclaimed Monique as she wrapped her left arm around Kim. Kim looked sheepishly to her right and said "Oh... hey... nothing much... you?" "uh huh, uh huh... it doesn't look it to me girlfriend... I think you better give me the downlow. Are you and Ro..." Before Monique could continue she was cut off by the sound of sobbing coming from her best friend, "Oh girl... we have to talk... come on, let's go back to mine" It really hurt Monique to see her like that, she should have reacted sooner when she saw something was wrong, but looking at Kim this seemed beyond repair. Maybe she was too late. "I... I... Can't just... go... I have... c..class" Kim stammered out in between sobs, "you're in no state to learn anything girl, you need some serious R&R time wid ya GF, now let's get steppin'... I got some cocoa with your name on it." And the two girls wandered arm in arm out the school and headed for Monique's.

Kim was sitting with her knees up to her chest in Monique's softest armchair while Monique sat across from her on the sofa, two steaming cups of cocoa sat on the glass coffee table between them.

"so... what's going on Kim?" Monique began

Kim slowly and silently shook her head before beginning, "he's gone off me Mon. I've lost him... somehow I've pushed him away. The love of my life and now he doesn't seem to wanna know me anymore. I'm worked up, stressed, exhausted and for once, when I need him the most he's not there... and I know he has his own life and I'm glad he's found a new hobby but I don't know why we are suffering because of it. It's like he has no time for me, and a month ago, we were inseperable and I loved every minute..."

"I don't believe for one second he has gone off you Kim... but we'll come back to that in a second... what's his new hobby?" Monique asked in a sympathetic tone.

"Personal fitness, he's signed up as a member to some gym in south Middleton and his membership means he has to go six times a week... which seems wierd, but Ron seems really committed to it... It was ok at first, at least we still spoke well at school and he could give me a ride home and things before going but now he goes straight after school and I barely see him. I haven't hugged him in weeks and he doesn't seem to care at all... we hugged more when he was just a friend..."

"hmmmm... not meaning to be negative on your boy... but Ron has never struck me as a fitness fanatic and what's more, looking at him, that gym seems a real waste of his money, he looks no different!"

"well I..." Kim then paused. Monique was right. Ron had been going to that gym six times a week for the past 3 weeks and looked no different at all... if it was having no effect he wouldn't have kept on going, he loved fast food too much... then again, she thought he loved her too much to keep on going so often. "he doesn't look any different. Yet he keeps telling me he's going... where has he been going?"

Monique saw the look of distress in Kim's eyes... "woooah no girl, hold up... he is not having an affair... I know that look, you think hes cheatin' but believe me, I know Ron, you know Ron... he couldn't do that."

"I thought I knew him Monique... but I don't know him at all now... OH GOD HE'S SEEING SOMEONE ELSE!" and Kim soon became hysterical, she began beating on one of the seat cushions as she buried her head into the arm of the chair "NOOOOOO please NOOOOOO, how could he... how could I not see."

"Girl! Girl stop! Look at me... now!" Shouted Monique as Kim continued to cry but stopped assaulting the furniture, she slowly sat back in her seat and began biting her thumb nail. "we are talking about Ron here... best friend to you for 12 years, the boy who would do anything for you, lay down his life, confront all his biggest fears... give up nacho's... Ok maybe he wouldn't give up nacho's but you see what I'm saying huh?" Monique smiled

Kim continued to glare into the carpet and chewed her nail

"Girl, I've seen how he looks at you, when we were younger he would sit and jus gaze at you in classes, it was so cute, he was totally in awe of you girl, if you glanced his way he would immediately get back to looking at his work or the board, but you were all he could truly focus on. Personally I blame your looks for his bad grades... Kim he adores you, he's told me enough times what you mean to him, times when he has shown me b'day gifts he has for you to see if I think they will be ok, he wants things to be right for you all the time Kim. He knows what you two have is the most special most wonderful partnership ever... everyone knows it, girls and boys yearn to experience the love you two share... he wouldn't jeopardise that Kim he wouldn't"

Kim wiped her eyes and sat square in the soft embrace of the chair. "why won't he speak to me then Mon? Why does he dismiss me all the time now, he's pushing me away. How do I find out why when he won't let me near?"

"you gotta remind him what he has Kim... get him to your house, have a nice relaxed evening together, talk... do what you've always done, you always get things on track. Just be normal, tell him how the cheer squad is going and ask about his new hobbies and what he's been up to... Kim? Kim? What's up?"

Kim was looking down with her eyes closed. "I've quit the cheer squad Mon. I couldn't go on, all the problems that were going on in my private life were just too distracting... Ron had such a motivating presence when he was watching us practice, and when that stopped, so did my focus and I kept messing up and letting the girls down."

Monique said nothing, she didn't judge nor question, she simply picked up the kimmunicator and passed it to Kim... "you know what you gotta do GF... don't delay" Kim simply nodded.

Meanwhile back across town...

Ron had made his way to the academy, just two days to go before the fight and he was solely focussed on one thing... getting his right jab flowing. He entered the training area and headed for his skipping rope when a familiar hand touched his shoulder, "how ya feeling today champ?" Taylor asked. "I'm good... just wanting to get going... hey err Taylor, I wanted to say, thanks a lot for all your help with this, I feel better than ever" Taylor grinned from Ron's words, "It's cool my man, you just pay me back by getting that victory Saturday ya hear?" "sure... I'll do my best" Ron continued, "so how many fights have you won?" Taylor looked up to the ceiling and then back at Ron who was stropping on his rope holds... "around thirty... I was a junior state champ... worked my way up... I'm not in it for the success man, I do it for the bonuses, the academy, I'll own it one day, I'll make big bucks dude... and the ladies... oh the ladies will flock... they love a boxer man... and a boxing coach who owns his own academy... they'll flock!" Ron laughed "you really need to get a stable partner man... I tell you, its an amazing feeling to be in love... it turned me around..." "woahhhhh, you going all soft on me again Stoppable, no more of that. Women are not to love, they are to enjoy my friend... you get too attached and they just distract... you gotta get close but move on before you come attached... its way more fun that way!... now get to it, those multitude of chicks won't wait!" Ron got into position about to begin but Taylor's words had shook him 'not to love... to enjoy? What if you want to love? Girls arn't some possession to have fun with... a person should be cherished... a relationship should blossom and be special... Like me and Kim... Kim...' "STOPPABLE the watch is running, get going!" and Ron's mind was flicked back to the job at hand, thoughts of Kim bypassed again. '1, 2, 3, 4, 5...'

After his fifteen minutes on the rope, Ron made his way back to the changing area to collect his gloves ready for some sparring. As he got there, he noticed his cell phone display as it was sticking up out of his pants pocket, "1 missed call... voicemail message received... Kim... hear now?" Ron's mind immediately was back on Kim 'she tried to phone, this must be serious, perhaps its a misson... but Wade normally gets in touch about those...' he pressed accept and held the cell to his ear... "Hi Ron... it's me... erm, listen I really need to see you Ron, it seems so long since we had some intimate time together... please come Ron, even if it's late... I... I need to see you, please... I still love you Ron, please say you do too" Then the message ended. He could detect the sound of sobbing in her voice, she was low, she was depressed... his heart began to ache and he felt sure he could hear it crack... 'she needs me... I have to go... of course I love you KP... I'm coming angel' He quickly stuffed his boxing gear into his bag and got changed into his regular gear, he sprinted out of the changing room and into the main area where Taylor was waiting by the ring... "HEY... WHERE ARE YOU GOING? GET BACK HERE!" He shouted. Ron turned back "I have to go T I'm sorry... look I'll be back tomorrow, I'll be ready, right now Kim needs me" Taylor wasn't happy, he shot out the door after Ron "Ron wait, look I have to tell you something... about the fight" Ron stopped on his heels and spun to look at Taylor "Ok dude but hurry up..." "the fight... we can't afford for you to lose bro... if you lose, we lose the joint, all my future will be up in the air, if you win, we can start a franchise man... you can be a partner... I'll make you rich" Ron's mouth gaped open... his mind was all over the place... "If I lose... you lose RingKing?!... Hmmm, ye interesting... gee no pressure on me at all... WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!" "Ron I know it started out as just a fitness thing but it's become more than that, you're a great fighter, I need you to do this to show my dad I can train someone to be a fighter, and I've made you what you are Ron... you owe me..." "dude... i gotta go, look fine whatever, I'll miss school tomorrow and train all day to make up for now... we have to talk more about this tomorrow man, right now I gotta jet" Ron said. "Yeah ok man, but listen, you see your girl tonight, you can't let her distract you man, stay focussed, don't tell her anything, if she stops you both our goals are ruined... you dig?" Ron just nodded and walked away "Oh and tomorrow, you'll have to train alone, I can't miss school man, missed enough as it is..." Ron just waved an arm behind him in acknowledgement, he had somewhere to be.