Baby Blue

"I'm serious Monique. I thought you just wanted to hang out with me. But, if all you're going to talk about is my recent shopping experiences. I may as well just go home right now." Ron said, sounding rather hurt, as he began to stand.

"I'm sorry Ron. Topics of general interest from here on, I promise." Monique didn't want to change the subject, but she didn't want Ron to leave either. Not yet.

Satisfied, Ron sat back into the booth, "Thanks." A short moment of silence followed, Ron didn't really know what he should be doing, interpersonal communications weren't his specialty, especially when he was talking to a girl. "So anyways, the GWA is going to be in Upperton next Thursday. Are you going?"

"You know it. I wouldn't pass on an opportunity to see Pain King in person." Monique said with a smirk, knowing exactly how Ron would react.

"Phfft. Pain King…" Ron said dismissively, before exclaiming, "Steel Toe rules!"

Monique didn't respond to his outburst, she just sat there with a 'are-you-through-yet' look on her face.

"So can I get a ride from you?" Ron asked meekly.

The Lair

Dr. Drakken and his obedient henchman finally made their way into the lair's communications center. Drakken stopped in the middle of the room and stood silently tapping his toe. He was starting to have some doubts about his plan, first Shego quits for no reason whatsoever; and now the spy he has watching Team Possible is late calling in.

"Uh. Mr. Drakken, sir, what am I supposed to be doing?" The henchman asked stupidly.

"Firstly, its Dr. Drakken. I didn't go through six years of college to be addressed as Mr. Drakken. Secondly, I can't tell you what you will be doing until my contact calls in. They should have called by now, I mean, their night minutes start at seven, not nine."

Bueno Nacho

"I'll give you a ride, if you wear a Pain King shirt when you ask for Steel Toe's autograph." Ron thought Monique had to be kidding.

"No way. Steel Toe rules too much for that." Ron told her, there was absolutely no way that he would ever wear a Pain King shirt, "I won't do it."

Monique stood up from the booth, "Tell you what, you ponder walking, no better yet riding your moped, to Upperton Thursday. I've got to go freshen up, tell me your answer when I get back." With that Monique headed for the ladies room.

Ron was weighing his choices, "Pain King shirt…Riding my moped," when he noticed a familiar car pull up and park in front of the restaurant. A Volkswagen beetle convertible, in baby blue, Tara Mathews' car. 'I wonder what she is doing here on a Friday night?' Ron tried not to let himself stare at her as she walked in, she was wearing a pair of faded Levis and one of her brother's shirts. A long-sleeved white button-up with sky blue pinstripes, the top two buttons left undone.

She took a look around the near empty establishment, 'No one is here either, except Ron. Oh well.' She walked over to his booth, "Hi Ron." She said with a small smile, Ron wasn't exactly in her social circle; but he did save her, and all the other cheerleaders, from that freak Gill, at Camp Wannaweep.

"Hi Tara." Ron replied with a slight blush on his face. "I figured you'd be at Bobby Johnson's party."

"I didn't feel much like going…people are still talking about…" Tara's voice trailed off, and her eyes fell to focus on the ground at her feet, as she was taken back to the day after Brick came out. The teasing and gossip about her, it was overwhelming. Even Bonnie, her supposed friend, had spread some wild accusations. When she looked back up she noticed it, the look of understanding in Ron's eyes. He had been the focus of so many rumors at school, he knew exactly how she felt. He also knew enough not to mention it, when Tara was ready to talk about it, she would. There was no point in trying to force the issue. Tara gave him a smiled look that said 'thank-you-for-not-mentioning-it'.

She sat down in the booth across from him, "So, why aren't you at the party?"

"I wasn't invited." Ron said.

"Oh." Tara said sounding sort of apologetic.

"It's no big. I'm used to it." Ron told her as she smiled a relieved smile.