David Clark Allen, Shego Rocks!
Act II
THIRTEEN
Kim daydreamed.
She stood before her locker, mindlessly loading it with her textbooks before she headed to lunch. After Shego had humiliated Bonnie the day before, Kim knew that the special date with Josh was now within her grasp.
She leaned back against the bank of lockers and visualized herself as Homecoming Queen, wearing the golden tiara. In her dream, Kim wore a beautiful long formal dress of royal blue with gold trim, and she carried a single perfect red rose, which she received from the Homecoming King.
She then saw the Homecoming King approach: he, too, wore a crown and a luxurious blue robe, and he carried a gold scepter. Kim sighed deeply, a satisfied and dreamy expression upon her face, as she reveled in her romantic vision.
The Homecoming King came closer still, until she could discern his face . . . an oval face, topped with blond hair . . . and a face of freckles . . .
Freckles? Kim blinked twice. What was Ron doing in her daydream? Get out of my daydream, Ron!
Then she envisioned something even stranger. Rufus sat inside Ron's pocket, and he, too, was decked out in some sort of medieval-looking costume.
Okay, that's it! I'm ending this dream right now! This is getting way too weird.
Kim snapped out of her daydream and, with a sour look upon her face, continued with her business. She saw Ron out of the corner of her eye. "Quit spoiling my fun!" she barked at him, and she turned around in a huff, leaving behind a befuddled Ron scratching his head.
He called as he caught up with her. "Hey, K.P.! Bonnie is slipping in the polls. She's four points down, after what happened yesterday."
"And just how many people do you ask in your so-called polls? Two? Three?"
"K.P., I am a man who learns from his past mistakes. I read a book on statistics."
"And you actually understood it?"
"Well, it was the comic book version, but yeah, I got the gist of it. I telephoned one hundred random students. I used a pay phone and disguised my voice so they wouldn't hang up on me before I even got the question out. And I actually got real answers from all of them! The book says the margin of error is plus or minus eight percent. That part I don't get."
Kim looked surprised. "So you actually did scientific polls?" Then she slouched, downcast. "The margin of error means that Bonnie might actually be ahead." She sighed and clutched her notebook to her chest. "Oh, man. Two more weeks before I find out. Two more weeks." She looked up to him suddenly. "What about Josh?"
"Josh's closest competition is Brick Flagg, and Brick is thirty points behind. The voters see him as old hat."
"So Josh's lead is way outside the margin of error."
"Yeah, so unless Josh crashes and burns heinously next week, the crown is his."
Kim closed her eyes. Oh, please let it be true . . . please! she thought to herself.
They thought they heard music coming from down the hallway. They turned the corner and saw Shego playing a sweet, yet hauntingly sad piece at a concert grand piano on the stage in the school's auditorium. A handful of student admirers had gathered around the piano, some of them resting their heads upon their hands, absorbing the sound.
Ron grinned at Shego. "Classical music? You? Who'd a thunk?"
"What is that?" Kim asked Shego. "That's really beautiful."
Shego nodded. "It's the Chopin piece I told you about. Prelude in D-flat. Also known as the 'Raindrop Prelude.'"
The lilting emotion of the performance stirred Kim almost to tears. "My gosh, Shego, you would have just blown all of us away at the talent show."
A few more kids gathered around the piano, and a few others sat in the orchestra of the auditorium. Some of the girls looked dreamy-eyed while listening to the romantic piece.
"I think I'm going to cry," Ron said. He turned away, sobbing. Rufus shared a hankie with him.
"I really love this," Kim said. "But do you have anything more--"
Shego grinned. "I know just what you're thinking."
Shego shifted her posture and jammed a classic rock 'n' roll tune. The students in the auditorium suddenly perked up, beginning to dance to her music. Curious students from the halls began pouring into the auditorium, and the mood became quite festive. Even Ron and Rufus started to groove to the music. Kim considered joining in with them, but by now the entire student body was flooding into the auditorium, and people pushed themselves in front of Kim. She felt herself being swept away by a sea of bodies, and she lost sight of Ron. After struggling against the tide of people, Kim finally made it to the rear exit. By this time, five hundred kids had packed the place, spontaneously dancing to the beat.
Kim turned around to look back to the stage. Shego was still jamming on the piano. But more importantly, Kim saw Josh Mankey, seated right next to Shego, playing along with her. Josh and Shego laughed as they continued their duet. Kim couldn't remember an occasion when she had seen him have such a good time.
Kim sighed. "I have so got to win that date with Josh!"
Later in the day, Kim caught up with Shego on the way to class. "Your music was just amazing! I ought to take up piano, too."
Shego nodded. "Thanks. Although, if you remember, singing was more handy for you against Drakken. You can't break six feet of ice by playing a piano."
As the two passed in the hall, other students turned around and eagerly waved to them. "Hi, Kim. Oh, hi, Shego! Shego, how's it going?" Kim was amazed and happy at all the positive attention Shego was beginning to accumulate.
They came by Mr. Barkin. "Hi, Mister Barkin," they both greeted.
Mr. Barkin stopped in his tracks. "Why, if it isn't the perfect, straight-A model student . . ."
Kim glowed. "Why, thank you--"
Barkin scowled. "I didn't mean you, Possible." He turned to Shego. "I meant this glorious, gifted person right here. Shego, you've been the talk of the faculty ever since you first walked through the door. You're the greatest student here since Justine Flanner."
"Why thank you, Mister Barkin."
Barkin looked totally captivated by the black-haired girl. "Oh, you can just call me St . . . uh, Mister Barkin."
Kim fumed quietly while Shego flirted with Barkin. She told herself not to be too upset with Shego, for Shego had a huge head-start on her, and who could fault her for trying her best in class?
"Shego, would you do the honor of tutoring the study hall students?" Mr. Barkin asked.
"Sure, my pleasure." Shego turned to Kim. "Hey, I'll see you after school, okay?" Barkin escorted her away, leaving Kim standing alone in the hall. Kim held her books to her chest as she watched the two strut to study hall.
Kim dressed for cheerleading practice after school, and she carried her clipboard to the gym floor. She was more than mildly surprised to see Shego follow her out of the locker room. "Shego? Uh, what are you doing here?"
Shego was dressed in a Mad Dog cheerleader's outfit, and she carried a blue duffel bag and a pair of gold-colored pom-poms. She gave Kim a facetious scowl. "Well, thanks for the warm welcome. I thought it'd be cool to finally join a cheerleading squad. Missed it the first time around. And what better way to show up this Bonnie Rockwaller than for me to get on the cheer squad and team up with you? She'll be lost in no time, trust me."
Kim was incredulous. "Oh? Do you even know the first thing about cheerleading, Shego?"
"You could say I dabbled in it. I never made my high school squad, only because I had so much else going on. But I still remember a thing or two." She looked around the gym. "So, what do I need to do?"
"Endure Bonnie. Beyond that, act like you know what you're doing at all times. Impressions are everything."
Ron was about five minutes late, as was the norm, and he scrambled in. He struggled to get his arms into the sleeves of his blue mascot sweater while he carried the massive latex bulldog head under his arm. He tripped over himself and landed, sprawling, on the gymnasium floor. The mascot head landed squarely upon his own.
Bonnie frowned at him. The other cheerleaders giggled lightly, and Kim looked on in mild amusement. Kim went over to Ron and, in mock charity, squatted down and offered her hand. "May I have this dance, sir?"
Ron was slow to respond. He shook his masked head, groaning.
"If you're dead, Ron, just let me know."
Ron mumbled something unintelligible from within the thick mask. Kim couldn't tell if it was a heartfelt thank you or something sarcastic, but she helped him to his feet nonetheless.
Bonnie caught sight of Shego, and she rolled her eyes. "Kim, is this supposed to be a joke? Like, another one of your friends trying to get on the squad?"
"Well, uh . . . Shego has great potential. She deserves an audition, Bonnie." Kim sighed, knowing she was taking a huge risk. Shego was great at leaping, but beyond that, Kim had no idea if she was prepared for the rigors of cheerleading. And what just happened with Ron was embarrassing enough.
"Well, then, I'll handle her try-out. You'd just go easy on her, Kim, just to get her onto the team." Bonnie smirked. "All right, Shego amigo, I'd like to see your moves. Let's see if you can handle this: start over there. Do a flip-flop, double nine, front hurdler, toe touch, right side hurdler, toe touch, and aerial. Go to the opposite corner, and give me a cartwheel, toe touch, right side hurdler, left side hurdler, toe touch, and pike. Come back to center and do a round-off, whip right herkie, left herkie, toe touch, and layout. You got all that?"
Shego grinned and nodded. "Gotcha, chief."
Kim was amazed at Shego's coolness. Just one of those routines would make for an exhausting audition. Bonnie had assigned three.
Shego took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment, as if meditating. She then proceeded to do a series of leaps, back handsprings, and flips, with such amplitude that the entire cheer squad stared, agape. She concluded with a stylish pirouette, and landed, arms outstretched, with the grace of a ballerina.
Everyone was speechless.
Kim finally spoke. "Not only is she good enough to make the team, but I have to admit, she's better than any of us." She looked a little apprehensive. "But the school rule is clear: no more than eight on the varsity squad at a time. Which means that one of us will have to be cut."
Bonnie grinned devilishly. "Oh, are you volunteering?"
Kim folded her arms. "I don't think so, Bonnie. We'll . . . we'll have to take a vote on this." She sighed. "I'll get some paper . . ."
Shego put her hands on Kim's and Bonnie's shoulders. "Oh, don't worry about that now. I'm just happy to make the team. Why don't you wait until after homecoming to decide?"
Kim blinked. "Are you sure, Shego? I'd have thought you'd be anxious to get started."
"Oh, I insist. Everybody on the squad should give the matter a lot of thought, and then decide on the cut this time next week." Shego pulled Kim aside. "I kind of see what you mean about Bonnie, but she's not too bad. You just have to humor her. You know, stroke her ego."
Kim shrugged. "With an ego as big as hers, you'd need a garden rake."
When cheerleading practice concluded, Shego jubilantly waved to Kim and Ron as they left the school grounds. Shego looked around the schoolyard, noticing that the place was just about deserted, and she frowned, for her ride home was late.
Ten minutes later, a vehicle that looked more rocket ship than car pulled up next to her. Doctor Drakken got out of the car, and smiled to her sheepishly.
Shego fumed at Drakken. "Why were you late? You've got an X-L turbo, capable of one hundred ninety-seven miles per hour!"
"I got stopped by a train."
Shego rolled her eyes. "Maybe you could go around the train, next time? Or fly over it, or something?"
"You'll forgive me soon enough, Shego, when I show you what this baby can do. Get in, and fasten your seatbelt."
Shego plopped down in the passenger seat. Drakken jumped in, strapped on a pair of goggles, and grinned giddily. The side doors shut automatically, and the vehicle whined with a sound similar to a jet.
"Now, watch this," Drakken said. He pushed a red button on the dash panel. They heard a whirring sound, and the machine sprayed washer fluid all over the windshield.
Drakken grumbled. "No, I meant this one." He pressed a blue button nearby. That prompted the side windows to roll down, and then up again.
Shego yawned. "Just let me know when I'm supposed to get excited."
Drakken gnashed his teeth out of frustration. "Oh, now. Which one was it?" He pushed buttons wildly. The car alarm sounded, a toilet in the back seat flushed, and a rubber chicken fell into Shego's lap.
She glared at him. "Want me to drive?"
"Now, I'm in control, Shego." He pushed one last button, and the car took off. The two screamed, for the acceleration created a force of half a dozen Gs.
When they recovered, Shego shook her head. "Next time, we take the sports car, okay?"
"So, how do you like this new role you're playing? You know, as one of the dopey normal people."
Shego sighed. "Yeah, my new role. High school kid and rah-rah cheerleader and all. It stinks."
"But you're willing to live with it."
"For as long as necessary, Doctor D. For as long as necessary." She noticed his mirthful expression. "Oh, you're just loving this, aren't you? If you breathe a word of this to the villain magazines--"
"Oh, this is just too delicious!" Drakken looked at her with mock sympathy. "Poor, poor Shego. You have to do a lot of pretending, eh?"
Shego thought for a moment. "Yeah, there's a lot of pretending, but not as much as I once thought. Getting Kim Possible to open up wasn't too hard. I just talked about some of my stupid past, and she was like nothing ever happened. Yeah, she's pretty soft, given the right circumstances. And to be frank, I'm starting to get used to her." She looked out the window. "The big day is coming up fast, isn't it?"
"Well, only if you can make it happen, eh, Shego?"
She nodded. "Yeah. Things are starting to look up for me now."
The following day, the moment arrived that Kim had been anticipating--the announcement of the winners of the homecoming election. Last period was cancelled for all students, in favor of a homecoming pep rally--a huge assembly in the high school gym. Brick Flagg and all the other football players were announced and applauded. The King and Queen were next on the agenda.
The gym was packed. Several faculty members, including Mr. Barkin, sat upon a large platform placed in the center of the basketball court. Kim sat with Ron on the front row of the bleachers, right next to the platform. Monique sat just to Ron's right, Josh sat about fifteen yards off to the center, and Shego sat at a considerable distance behind all of them, looking somewhat bored with all of this. There was little room to spare, for the bleachers overflowed with students, all chattering in anticipation.
Bonnie strutted over to Kim. "Well, Kim, ready to face humiliating defeat?" She sniffed and tossed her hair.
Despite Bonnie's haughty façade, Kim could tell that she was in knots over the upcoming decision as well. "Well, Bonnie, we'll see what happens. Maybe I won't be the one who will lose face."
Since there was little other choice of seating, Bonnie rolled her eyes, and took a place next to her rival. Monique, Ron, Rufus, Kim, and Bonnie were packed tightly together, and the minutes crawled by, ever too slowly for the five of them.
Ron couldn't help but stare at the crowns resting upon miniature royal blue and gold pillows, lying on a table on the platform. "Whoa . . . look at those! One thing's for sure: they didn't just grab those up at Smarty Mart."
Everybody hushed as Mr. Barkin stood up to make the announcement. He held up the first envelope, and he looked to the crowd sternly. "All right. Listen up, people. Here is the winner of the Homecoming King election." He opened the envelope, and read the paper. "This year's Homecoming King will be . . . Josh Mankey!"
Kim's heart leaped. Josh won! Josh won! She felt herself involuntarily jumping for joy. She rejoiced to Ron below her, "He did it! He won!" She then noticed Bonnie was on her feet as well. They glared at each other for a moment and sat back down.
Amid cheers and whistles, Josh came down to the platform, where the title, crown, and royal cloak awaited him. Most guys thought it silly to wear a crown, but Josh didn't mind it a bit. It actually looked very stylish on him, and among peals of laughter from the student body, he hammed it up in his costume. Kim smiled broadly as she watched Josh show off, and she thought she even saw him wink at her.
It would be only a few moments now. The Queen's tiara still lay there on the table, without an owner. Kim's heart began to beat faster.
Mr. Barkin stepped up to the microphone again. He had in his hand the envelope with the name of the Homecoming Queen. He opened the envelope, and prepared to read the results.
"Oh, please, let it be Kim," Ron pleaded, under his breath. "Let it be Kim. Not Bonnie. Kim . . . Kim . . . Kim . . . oh, please!"
Rufus, waving a tiny pennant, jumped up and down on Ron's knee, chanting, "Kim! Kim! Kim!"
Monique held her breath, silent. She placed her hands over her face, peering between her fingers.
Kim sat, her heart pounding hard, suddenly terrified at the thought of Bonnie having that slow dance, the kiss, and the whole evening--with Josh. At the same time, the prospect of Kim having Josh all to herself for an entire night made her want to cry for joy. The suspense gnawed at her, and she felt as though her whole insides would burst. She looked over to Bonnie, who tried her best to keep her composure. But Kim could tell that Bonnie, too, was in agony from the suspense. It was impossible for them to make eye contact.
In what seemed like years to Kim, Mr. Barkin pulled the paper from the envelope. He unfolded it, and prepared to read the name.
Then, suddenly, Mr. Barkin stopped and stared at the paper. With a puzzled expression upon his face, he turned to some of the members of the faculty behind him. He whispered something to them, showing them the paper. Three of the faculty examined it, and they seemed to nod affirmatively at whatever it was Mr. Barkin was asking.
Kim's heart skipped a beat. What could have been wrong? Could she have been disqualified? Did something happen to Bonnie? What? What? What? Kim pleaded, in her mind.
Mr. Barkin returned to the microphone. "Uh, people . . . we have a historic decision here. For the first time ever, a write-in candidate has won the Homecoming Queen election. And that candidate is . . . Shego!"
The crowd in the gymnasium went wild, and in unison, the student body leaped to its feet. Whistles, cheers, and mad applause rocked the building. The students began chanting, "Shego rocks! Shego rocks!"
Kim, Ron, Rufus, Monique, and Bonnie just sat there, stunned, for five whole minutes.
Finally, Bonnie jumped up, and she burned with rage. "It's--it's not fair!" She threw her arms down, clenched her fists, and whipped around to bellow at Kim and her friends. "It's not fair!"
Kim was so lost in her own emotions, she never even heard Bonnie. Kim slowly bowed over, looked down, and pounded her fists into her forehead, stifling a scream. How could this happen?
The decision appeared to have caught Shego off-guard, as well. She looked up suddenly, as if she were awakened from slumber. She smiled sheepishly and waved, not sure what to do next, until Josh climbed the bleachers to her and offered his hand to escort her to the platform. Amid the deafening applause, she stood up slowly and walked down the steps, ever so gracefully, gripping the arm of her escort.
Tears rimmed Kim's eyes as she watched. She couldn't help but think that it could have been her on Josh's arm. By this time, Bonnie had thrown a tantrum and run out of the gym. Kim, however, decided to brave it out, even though her heart was now broken in pieces. Ron scarcely knew how to react, or what to say to Kim, for he had never seen his friend hurt so deeply. He thought it best to stay silent, but he gave Kim a gentle tap on the knee to let her know he was still with her.
Shego soon made it to the platform. She smiled gently as Josh received the tiara from Mr. Barkin and placed it upon her head. Then Josh and Shego turned, and arm-in-arm, and faced the bleachers. The crowd roared loudly. The sound reminded Kim and Ron of when the Mad Dogs upset Upperton High at the buzzer at last year's regional basketball semifinals.
Kim, overwhelmed, put her hands to her face and fell over into her lap. And tears began to escape from between her fingers.