Jezrianna: Actually, it was Monique that triggered the comment, which is why she was staring over Bonnie's head. I had considered it while writing the first chapter, but decided to save it for something else. A secret project of sorts. And who is your least favorite person in the universe?
Desert Fox: It was weird, but it's sort of a filler, to close a gap in the storyline.
Fan Jimmy: I agree, she does. But like she said, it's part of her charm.
---
"Hey..." Ron yawned. "KP." Kim stared at him.
"What's with you?" She asked. He slept in class sometimes, but she'd never seen him yawn in school.
"Up late last night, and that mission at three in the morning didn't help." He replied.
"Sorry, guess Drakken never learned to tell time." Kim shrugged. "Ron?"
"Yeah?" He asked.
"Would you like to... Ummm..." She trailed off, becoming suddenly interested in the floor tiles.
"Would I like to..." He prompted.
"Go, out on a...." She trailed off again.
"Date?" He finished. She nodded.
"Yeah, one of those." Kim responded, and stared at him.
"Just one second." He leaned forwards, and checked her neck. "Yes, I would love to." He replied. She smiled, and kissed him. It wasn't unexpected this time, but he didn't want to jump the gun, so he didn't kiss back right away. When he did though, she came away a bit breathless.
"How did you?" Kim asked. Ron smiled mysteriously.
"Let's just say, that I took up an offer, that I just couldn't refuse." He grinned. "So, when should I pick you up?"
"How about we meet at the restuarant?" She suggested. "Tomorrow night, since it's a Saturday, about five? Bueno Nacho again."
"Sounds good. Any reason meeting there?" He asked, eyes dancing, since he was willing to make a good bet on the reason.
"My father." She replied. A small chime went off in his head, and a voice popped up. :Score one for the Ron man.:
"Ah, so, what'll you be wearing, just so I know what to look for." He grinned. She gave him a smile that was more mysterious than the one he had given her.
"You'll just have to wait and see." She replied. He sighed dramatically.
"Guess so, unless..." He trailed off. She gave him a flat stare. "I learn to see into the future between now and then." He changed the ending to the sentence hastily.
"Nice save." Monique complimented as she sat down. "You almost made a major mistake." She grinned a him. He nodded.
"I know." He winced. Kim laughed. "What?"
"Nothing." She shook her head.
---
"You still there?" Ron asked the computer.
"Where would I go?" Adam asked. "Now, tell me exactly what the problem is."
"It's KP." Ron replied. "I don't know..."
"How you feel about her?" Adam asked.
"Yeah. I mean, I like her, I always have, we go back to..."
"Pre-K, yes, I know, you said that seventy times yesterday. Go on." Adam waved his hand in a rolling motion.
"Anyway, she's my best friend, but she's never shown interest in me beyond that. She... she's always seemed aloof, out of reach. And interested in other people." Ron said, sighing.
"Like Josh Mankey." Adam put in. Ron nodded.
"But then she broke it off with him, and he took it up with Tara." Ron smiled at her name.
"Whom you took kissing lessons from." Adam commented. Ron blushed. Adam laughed, and waved a hand in dismissal. "At least you got lessons and tips, before trying the real thing. I had to learn as I went." He grinned. "And you would not believe how many went." He laughed again, and Ron joined him.
"You won't tell Kim, will you?" Ron asked. Adam just stared at him. "Oh, right. Cheerleader issues."
"After you've had them beat you up for the ninth time, it tends to make you avoid them." He replied.
"Good point." Ron grinned. "So, anyway, after that happened, she got hit with that chip. Now, she ummm...."
"She what?" Adam pressed, smiling, since he could guess.
"Wants to go out again. She asked me at lunch." Ron replied with a gulp. Adam mentally chalked one up.
"And you said?" Amusement laced his voice, he knew what Ron had said.
"Yes." Confirmation is always a wonderous thing. "She wants to meet at Bueno Nacho, to avoid problems with her father."
"Bueno Nacho? Please, tell me you have other plans?" Adam asked, clasping his hands and pretending to beg.
"Well..." Ron trailed off. There was a resounding slap from the other end of the line.
"Alright never mind, so what are you confused about?" Adam asked.
"Whether or not KP likes me as more than a friend, or whether or not I like her as a more than a friend." Ron answered. A thud.
"I would require meeting her to find out the former. Since I refuse to do that, I can't answer that question. Best estimate and the second date principal only says you like each other. You already know that. As for you liking her, as more than friends, you have to ask two things." Adam commented.
"Which are?" Ron queried.
"Do you want to take it that far? And if you do, will it destroy only your relationship, if something goes wrong, or will it destroy your friendship as well?" He asked. "I personally, have always answered no to the first question, so I can't help you with the second one. Just ask yourself, is it worth the risk?" There was a beeping noise across the line. "Excuse me a moment."
"Sure." Adam's photo vanished, he reappeared a moment later.
"Sorry. Go ahead." He apologized.
"I don't know the answers to those questions." Ron replied. "If I take it that far, is there anyway back? Can I live, with making a wrong choice? And I don't know if anything, is worth the risk to our friendship." Ron sighed.
"So think on it for now. There's no real rush, I mean, it's not like the date is tomorrow." Ron looked away from the screen. There was a strangled noise. "It is, isn't it?" Ron nodded. "Then go to plan B."
"What's plan B?" Ron asked.
"Ask Kim those same questions." Adam replied. The beeping noise again. "Excuse me again."
"Sure." Adam vanished, and reappeared a moment later.
"Can I call you back in the morning? It'll give you time to think, and I've got a mortal challenge to deal with. We'll hit it with fresh minds, how's that sound?" Adam asked.
"Sounds good. Be careful." Ron commented. Adam laughed.
"Why be careful, when you can be invincible!" He dramatically thrust a finger into the air. "See-ya."
"See-ya." Ron replied, and the link flickered out. "Rufus? What you think?" Rufus snored, and rolled over. "You're right, sounds good." Ron moved in a single, fluid motion from chair to bed.
---
"Come on, I'm telling you guys, that dress isn't what I want to wear." Kim commented. Monique and Bonnie just grinned. "It's to flimsy, and there's not enough there." Kim pointed out.
"That's the point." Bonnie replied, holding the dress up. "It's supposed to show off your curves. Or better points in your case." She snorted with laughter.
"He knows what my curves look like." Kim complained. Monique rolled her eyes.
"Listen girl, unless you want to wear that same black dress you wore last time, you don't have much choice." She explained calmly. Bonnie quirked an eye brow.
"I guess she could always go in her underwear." She offered. She was the only one not to blush at that notion.
"Alright, I'll try it on." Kim sighed, defeated. She took it from Bonnie, and vanished into the dressing room. Having not had much luck at Club banana, outside the matching T-shirts they were wearing, they had moved a bit further upscale. It was technically after hours, but Bonnie's parents knew the owner, so they were here late. He trusted them not to swipe anything, so it was just the three of them. Each had part of the alarm code, so they had to leave together, otherwise they couldn't unlock the doors. As she stepped out, the dress flowed with her movement, the knee length skirt swirling around, as she stepped out. The neck line was higher than it had first looked, and back lower, but it conformed very closely. A gold chain ran around the back, to hold it together, since it was strapless. Bonnie winked at Monique.
"Nah, she should just go in her underwear." She grinned. Kim flashed her a glare that made her laugh. Monique chuckled.
"You look stylin' girl." She grinned, giving it a double thumbs up.
"I have to agree." Bonnie nodded. "Now, if only we could do something with your... I know." She grinned, and vanished amongst the clothing. Kim glanced at Monique who shrugged.
"Not a clue." Came the response. Bonnie appeared a moment later with a long wide box. She opened it, and Kim closed her eyes. So did Monique, they had to. Light reflected off the choker in the box almost blindingly. Bonnie lifted it out. A massive piece of jewelry, it was platinum, a fine webbing of it, requiring three clasps to hold it closed. A single diamond sat in the center.
"A gift from my mother, I don't know why I brought it along, but something told me I should. I'm going to let you borrow it, but don't let it get ripped when you and Ronnie get down and funky." She grinned. Kim rolled her eyes.
"I have no intention of doing that. Not now anyway." Kim informed her. Bonnie smiled widely. Monique raised an eyebrow. "Bonnie seems to think, that there's more to Ron and I than there is."
"So why are you going on a second date with him?" Monique asked.
"To prove one way or the other whether she's right or not." Kim responded. Bonnie smiled at Monique.
"I know I'm right, just some people won't accept that." Monique stood, and pushed them apart.
"Play nice you're supposed to be friends." She pointed out. They looked at her, and then at each other, and shrugged.
"Old habits die hard." They answered in unison. Monique sighed. Kim changed back, and they paid for the dress. Monique muttered to herself the entire time.
"I could be worse you know." Bonnie commented as they stepped out of the store.
"What could?" Kim asked.
"Our... friendship." Bonnie replied.
"How so?" Came the next question.
"I could be pretending." Bonnie smiled.
"No, I've been watching for that." Monique smiled. "That's why I've insisted on coming with you when you go out. But I trust you now." Monique chuckled. "You'd have given yourself away by now."
---
"So?" The first voice asked. "Did she?"
"Yes." The second voice answered. "The targets will be in place right on time."
"Good." The first responded. "If all goes according to plan, they will be out of our hair, permanently."
"And if not, long enough for our plan to reach it's PNR, (point of no return)." The second added.
"Then we need only wait." Answered the first.