Kim was on top of the world. She was floating through the halls on top of flattery and congratulations. Well, not literally but she sure felt like it. Everywhere she went it was, "Wow Kim, I can't believe you're Juliet!" or, "Great job! I heard you got the part!" Occasionally she'd hear some soft gossip among students pertaining to her. There was a small amount of them who strongly believed that Heather or Roxanne truly deserved the role. Some were even supporters of Bonnie or Justine. But none of this negativity was going to bring her down. Just thinking of opening night gave her the shivers.

'I'm going to give a breathtaking performance,' Kim promised herself, 'and then, Josh will take me in his arms and kiss me. Everything will be perfect.'

Kim was so lost in her own thoughts that she nearly plowed over Ron who was exiting the main office with his head in the clouds. He had a lopsided smile on his face. "Ron!" She gasped staring at him. Ron's attention snapped at Kim who had wide apologetic eyes. "I-I'm so sorry. I'm really zoned."

Ron didn't answer. He was zoned too. He was still thinking over what Mr. Barkin had said. It was so funny how a bit of popularity could guarantee you a cushy seat down the road of life.

"Ron?" Kim waved her hand in front of his face.

Ron turned his head to her and forced a smile, "Congrats on making Juliet."

Kim suddenly felt conspicuously uncomfortable. She shifted some strands of hair behind her ear and looked sympathetic, "Ron..."

"I wasn't finished." Ron said in an almost obnoxious way.

Kim was staggered. Ron had never spoken to her that way before. She felt really awkward right now.

"Your audition was phenomenal and you deserved it more than anyone. I can't wait to see how you're going to take this in rehearsals."

Kim paused and looked at him uncertainly. What was he talking about? If he wasn't in the cast... he couldn't attend rehearsals. Kim knew how Barkin would want things to operate. But maybe Ron didn't know this. Kim despondently thought, 'How am I going to lay this one down? This is going to take a lot of nacos.'

"I'm going to be an understudy." Ron announced very quietly.

Kim gasped and then enveloped him in a great big bear hug. "I'm so proud of you!"

Ron sniggered and uttered, "Yeah, I had a talk with Barkin."

"You did? What happened?"

Ron squinted his eyes, "It doesn't matter. What's important is... Bonnie is the understudy for Juliet."

Kim sighed and nodded accepting it. She was at fierce competition with Bonnie for everything, always. But this one she would have to put a lock and key on.

Kim breathed, "There's no way she's putting her five dollar acrylic nails on my man."

Ron grunted and was about to say something to her when the late bell rang. Kim shrieked and scrambled away. Ron laughed for a moment and then causally strolled behind her.

Kim made her seat just as the bell was about to stop ringing. She fished her hand into her bag and slammed her homework onto her desk as the teacher turned around to look at Kim with a sunny smile on her face. Bonnie glared at her, "Nice save."

"Shut it."

"Good morning class," The teacher said in a sing-song voice, "I trust you have all completed the worksheet I asked you to do last night."

Kim beamed as she indicated her completed paper to her teacher. The teacher took her paper and held it up. "I like how Ms. Possible's paper includes the formulas we're learning. That's very wise."

Students grumbled and Bonnie merely continued to glare. They were all tired of Kim's neverending praise for... everything. Ron swaggered into the room with his text book loosely under his arm. His face was completely lacking any expression at all.

'I wonder what's wrong.' Kim thought slightly worried.

The teacher handed him a tardy slip and indicated to an empty seat beside Kim which was usually reserved for him. Ron didn't say a word, not a single comeback. That had to be the first time Kim had ever seen Ron accept punishment without complaint. Ron slinked back in his chair and stared at his hands. Kim poked him and smiled. Ron barely glanced at her.

'Should I even bother with these rehearsals? I might not even get to perform! Kim wants me to... but does anyone really want me to? I'm sure no one will drop out...' Ron couldn't decide what to do. He had already signed up, but that didn't mean he wasn't having second thoughts.

Kim's concern for Ron came to a recess when someone placed a hand on her shoulder. Kim jumped up in her seat shocked. There was only one person who could have done that. She whipped around and stared straight into Josh's honey eyes. He grinned and handed her a note. Kim could have bet money that she saw a wink in his cute little eye as she turned back around to read the note.

Kim,

Congratulations on getting Juliet.

-Josh

She felt it again. Her stomach lurched and her throat felt dry. Kim could only stare for a moment and think, 'He sent me a note! Josh sent me a note!' She felt so overjoyed she could have squealed. Kim noticed that even his penmanship was clean and easy to read. Kim let her eyes wander from the note to Ron who was gawking at her. She rolled her eyes, 'So now he cares.' Kim winked at him and then thought of something:

'I-I have to write him back,' But then something else troubled her, 'or maybe that's too fast... I should...'

Kim couldn't understand why she felt so ridiculous around Josh. He was just a regular person behind his silky hair, gooey eyes, slim body, positive attitude, and...

"Kim Possible!"

The teacher was staring her straight in the eye with eyes like a vulture. Kim slouched back in her seat with flushed cheeks. Bonnie's Cheshire-cat-like smile looked bigger than ever.

"What?" Kim uttered quietly feeling a bit embaressed.

"Your lab report really looks splendid." The teacher said.

Kim nodded wordlessly. She didn't even thank the teacher. She looked at Bonnie whose smile was fading, she breathed with relief. 'I have to stop daydreaming about him.' She glanced back down at the note and grinned sheepishly. She fumbled around for a pen and wrote very leisurely:

Thank you.

-Kim

Kim looked at her hand. It was quavering, and her fingers felt like butter that might drop the pen at any moment. 'I have to smile.' She persuaded herself. She ran her fingers through her hair and turned back around to face Josh.

"Um...I-I... here." Kim shoved the note into his face smiling stupidly.

Josh laughed good-naturedly and accepted it from her. Kim was about to swing around again but Josh read it right there. Josh grinned at her and then whispered, "No problem."

Kim could have melted in her seat. They both watched each other for a good half minute before breaking eye contact. Josh had stopped to look up at the easel where the teacher had written down a homework assignment. He groaned and opened his agenda to write it down. It was just now that Kim realized she shouldn't be looking at him any more, she turned around again and decided it was time she paid attention. Josh could divert her from anything.

'I can't believe he wrote a note. Does this mean—' Kim drew a blank there. No, she was sure that Josh wasn't still interested in her. After all, they hadn't gone out on a single date and never on one again. 'He probably still is creeped out.' Kim thought cursing at Drakken for ruining her special night. He may not have ceased her existence but he sure could make her suffer. There was that kiss...

But Kim was almost positive it had been a gentleman-like act.

Kim shook her head. 'Stop it! This is Science class, not a mission against Drakken!' She scolded herself by slapping her arm. Kim looked at Ron who looked back to her.

"When are rehearsals?" He hissed.

"The first one is today..." Kim whispered.

Ron smiled at her and wrote it down on his arm. Kim couldn't help but giggle.

"...after school." She added.

Ron's smile dropped into a frown.

"Dang." was all he had to say.

The teacher suddenly was looking straight at Ron with ferocious eyes. Ron shrugged at her and offered her an innocent smile. She slowly grinned back and said, "Ron... why don't you come up and show us how experiment 6.8 is done."

Ron gulped as he got out of his seat nervously. He had no clue what experiment 6.8 was or how it was done.

Kim snickered as he passed. So typical of him not to know what he was doing.

As Ron made his way to the front of the room, Kim notice he was moving very slowly. She felt deflated. Kim's mind raced and she got an idea. When Ron looked at her Kim quickly pointed to the textbook on the table. Ron looked confused. Kim sighed and raised her hand, "Teacher?"

"Yes Ms. Possible?"

"What page is this assignment on?"

"626, you ought to know that." The teacher commented perkily.

"Um... what book?" Kim asked yet again. She looked at Ron for a split second who made a quick run to the textbook to look up the formula.

"We only have one textbook Ms. Possible." The teacher clued her in.This snippy remark was followed from some laughter from students.

"I don't know which one is our textbook. I have a lot more science books in my bag." Kim explained.

"What?"

"Yeah," Kim continued daring not to look at Ron, "My dad thinks I should educate myself to the fullest... let's see... I have Chemistry 101, biology textbook, the star constellations..."

"For goodness sake," The teacher was in disbelief, "only a true science patriot would own so many books."

Kim went on, "Oh yeah, I'm totally hip to science. It's the best class of the day."

"Well..." The teacher beamed, "The school would be a better place if more students worked as hard as you."

Kim noticed Ron scramble away from the book back to the table. She grinned,

"Oh ma'am! I'm so sorry! It looks like Ron's been ready for a while. I insist we get back to the experiment, it's all too interesting!"

Ron smiled at her slyly from the table but Kim dared not to return the favor with the teacher still looking at her.

"Alright..." The teacher was bewildered, "Mr. Stoppable... begin!"

Ron nodded and Kim had to try to hold her laughter in. It bothered her that she had helped Ron cheat but... no matter what Kim always wanted to have his back. That's what friends were for.

(Notes: People were bugging me to update this. It appears that this is a rather popular story and people miss it. Alright, I have a lot of incomplete stories right now... so I'm trying to update them all and get some more complete. My goal for the summer was to complete Cerulean. I guess I avoided all my other fanfics for a while. Sorry! I guess I'll update this again since it's become so popular. Thanks!)