jao: I am so sorry this took so long to get out. Had trouble with grades and stuff.
Hover by TrustCompany from their album The Lonely Position of Neutral
Paragon
Chapter Four-"Hover"
"Kimmie, is everything ok?" Kim could only look at her clenched fists in her lap. "Ron seemed pretty worried. He stopped by, didn't he? Probably had something important to tell you." More silence followed as Mrs. Possible drove her and Kim home from Josh's. "Is Ron ok? Does he need a -."
"Mom!" Kim bit her lip. "Please…don't talk about Ron right now."
Some say the eyes are the windows to the soul. Only when we stop to look at them can we see the reflection of change—change in ourselves.
It was raining…a shiver spread across her already pale skin. Something weird was going on and it chilled her to the bone. Kim had never felt so scared, and not of Josh…but of Ron. He looked so desperate as if he'd stop at nothing to get what he wanted. No-it was something more than that. It was something in his eyes… They belonged to a different person now. This wasn't her Ron. Her Ron would support her, he'd never-
A tear slipped down Kim's face and Mrs. Possible tried not to notice.
What-what if she never got her Ron back?
Rain fell, as if to accent the pain in his heart. Ron's legs took him to an unknown destination. After the argument he had ran from the front lawn but now his legs barely moved at all.
"You're wrong, Ron. It's you who's changed. You're the one who's shallow. I think it's time for you to grow up and move on." He reached for a folded piece of cardboard in his rain soaked pants pocket. The cake and candles and corny joke remained but Kim's words had washed away…faded away. And—not only had she rejected his feelings for her in such an awful way, but also ended their friendship and put herself back into danger. She crumpled him…on his birthday when all he wanted to do was to save her.
And it was all so cold.
"Kim…why?" His mind raced. Wasn't he good enough? Hadn't he tried hard enough? Was it the way he dressed…or the things he said? Why couldn't she love him…why wouldn't she listen? Beep beep! Ron turned to see a familiar car. Monique waved from the front seat and Ron opened the passenger side. A forgotten birthday card floated aimlessly down the gutter.
"Hey Ron. I take it the trip to Bueno Nacho was a bust." Ron was silent which made Monique worry. Something was seriously wrong. And it wasn't just his silence, either; it was everything-the soaked bandages, the pale complexion, his posture and the lack of that glow of his. He was miserable and it radiated so deep into her…it was like he was dead. Heck, she couldn't even tell if he was breathing. He wasn't even shivering from the cold September rain. Whatever happened it must have been horrible and she had a feeling it had a lot to do with Kim.
The rain began to come down even harder now, impairing a lot of the view and with wet autumn leaves on the road she knew driving wasn't best right now. Monique would have to stop at whose ever house was the closest.
"Ron, you ok?" Her tone was soft; as if talking too loudly would surely harm him…he seemed so fragile and broken. Ron shifted and looked her way before bowing his head to stare at rain soaked sneakers.
"Do you think I'm crazy?" His voice was hushed.
"Crazy?" Ron was odd, that much was for sure and in her mind Monique had a nice joke about carrying rodents in his pants spelled sanity to her, but right now wasn't time for jokes. "No way, Ron. You're one of the most…interesting guys I know."
He looked out the window, squinting to see where they were. When they passed a familiar looking tree Ron's heart stopped.
"Why are we going this way?" Monique pulled up a driveway and turned off the car and if she thought Ron was pale before he was three times as worse by now.
"I can't drive in this rain, we'll just chill here at Josh's till we-." Ron was out of the car in an instant. "Ron-hey!"
Grabbing an umbrella Monique was out of the car. For someone who seemed to hardly breathe a moment ago he sure was moving now but it wasn't long before she caught up and spun the teen around.
"Ron, what the hell is going on?" His eyes moved from the ground to Monique's and she couldn't help but to blink in surprise. Light brown carefree eyes now were almost black and full of something…something almost primal.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." And with that he jerked away.
"Ron, I want you to tell me, and I want it right now." He stood there in the rain staring at Monique with one arm on her hip, the other holding the umbrella. She'd think he was crazy-just like Kim. Everyone loved Mankey. He turned on his heel and began to walk away only to feel her stop him. "I'm not going to ask you again." He didn't turn to face her; he didn't want to see her face.
"Mankey is going to kill Kim." Monique cocked an eyebrow.
"You mean Josh? Josh Mankey?" Ron slowly turned around and she felt herself step back. Swallowing, Monique replaced her hand on her hip. "Why would he do something like that?"
"I don't know, probably the same reason he killed his mother-who knows! All I know is I'm not going to stand around until it happens!" Did he just yell at her? One thing Monique could not stand was a raised voice. She stepped right up and, tho a bit hesitant at first, glared right back into those strange eyes.
"What do you plan to do about it?! If walking around in the rain is your plan then you're slower than I thought!" She bit her lip once Ron's eyes widened.
"Oh! Oh that's great!" He backed up a few steps. "Kim thinks I'm crazy, you think I'm slow- what next?"
"Ron, that's not what I meant-."
"Like hell it's not! Why don't you just-just stop pretending to care and leave already?!"
"Oh look at me! I'm poor Ron Stoppable and no one cares about me!" She walked right up, toe-to-toe with him. "I'm tired of you feeling sorry for yourself every time something doesn't go your way! You always let Kim make all your decisions you can't even make any of your own! If you want to protect her then protect her, but you better make damn sure that what you think is happening is really happening because if you're wrong and this is some jealous delusion even Kim might have a hard time trusting you again."
There was a silence as Monique's words washed upon Ron but she wouldn't give him the opportunity to respond. She turned, reached her car and left. But she was right. He had to do something and if he couldn't get Kim to open her eyes he'd have to stop Mankey himself. Narrowed eyes focused on the house in front of him.
"Oh, I'll do something alright."
"Here's your hot coco, dear." Mrs. Possible handed Kim the mug and sat next to her daughter on the couch. "Now, is there anything you want to talk about?" Kim sighed as she peered into the dark chocolate drink.
"It's Ron. I told him about me moving in with Josh-."
"You're moving in with Josh?"
"Mom, this is about Ron, remember? Anyway…" She trailed off and after a moment's pause took a sip of the coco. "He's…changed. I mean, before Ron was-was honest and caring. Now he's telling me Josh is trying to kill me and Ron's just acting weird-and then I found out that…" Mrs. Possible sighed and lifted Kim's chin.
"If you think whatever change Ron's going through is due to his feelings for you then you're wrong, Kimmie."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean Ron's liked you for years." Kim's eyes reflected her surprise. "He cares about you very much and if he thinks you're in danger then you should hear him out. He must have a reason."
"But he was delirious, mom!" Mrs. Possible placed a hand on her daughter's cheek in an attempt to sooth her.
"Then you should help him. If he is…changing like you say he is, then he'll need you now more than ever. After all, he'd do that much for you wouldn't he? He loves you Kimmie, and granted might be a little upset that doesn't mean you should fear him. You know Ron would never hurt you ever. What would you do in his shoes?"
That was all it took and in a way Kim knew something like this was going to happen. It was tradition to cry over a cup of coco. She placed the mug down and buried herself in her mother's shoulder.
"You're so right, mom," Kim managed between sobs. "The-the last thing I told him-the last thing I did-."
"It doesn't matter. What does matter is Ron needs your help and you still might have time to make things right." Kim nodded and stood and Mrs. Possible handed Kim her coat. "Be back soon."
The metal under hand was so cold. Ron didn't know what was behind this door, but one thing was for sure. He had to find out. Find out if he really was just imagining it or if Josh was just as evil as he thought he was. And if he were, Ron would have to stop Josh…no matter the cost. With a deep breath he opened the door and stepped inside.
Jao: I know this one was real short, and I'm so sorry that it took like a month to get it out here, but I was having trouble with grades and had my own 18th birthday and I've been DDRing more than a healthy amount. So yea. The next chapter will be out real soon, swear!
What will happen when Ron goes to confront Josh on his own? Will Kim be able to get there in time? What is Josh hiding?