Ron stomped into his room, slamming the door behind him. He'd probably hear a lecture later on about slamming the doors, especially just after his mom had put in that nice new paint job on all the frames. Like anyone cared about paint on a door frame. But he slammed it anyway, too distraught to care. He threw his take-out bag from the Bueno Nacho onto the bed, Rufus squeaking—being that he was inside the bag, and flopped down next to it.

Rufus crawled from the bag's opening, licking sticky cheese off of his whiskers.

Rufus didn't understand the full gravity of this situation. He couldn't. He was just a naked mole rat. True, he was the coolest little naked mole rat in the world and the best little friend anyone could ask for—even if he wasn't too good at attracting girls. But he was still a naked mole rat, and nothing would ever change that. No, he couldn't possibly understand.

"Rufus!" Ron moaned anyway. "How could this have happened? In all our life together, how could this have happened?"

Rufus gave an unintelligible little squeak and climbed up onto Ron's chest.

"It's just not fair!" He pounded the mattress, the pillow flopping to the floor. "Why?"

A knock came at the door. "Ronnie?" His mom.

He sighed. Maybe she would understand. "What?"

"You slammed the door," she called back. "Again. And I was wondering why you feel you have to do that?"

He sighed again, picked up Rufus, and sat up. "Mom, it's horrible."

"What's horrible?"

"Not only is the Bueno Nacho discontinuing the naco next month, it has both a low-carb and a vegetarian menu!" There. The most horrible thing in the world.

Silence. Perhaps she was still trying to take it all in.

"Icky," Rufus said in disgust.

Ron picked up his pillow and flung it back on the bed. "How could this have happened? The Bueno Nacho has gone to the dark side!"

More silence. Then the distinct sound of his mother groaning. "Oh. Okay. I'll call you when dinner's ready."

Ron listened for her footsteps to fade away down the stairs. Then he shook his head, almost in defeat. "She doesn't even understand!"

Rufus gave a sigh.

"It's just awful," Ron said, lying back down on the bed. "For years it's been the best place for fried Mexican food. They have no right to go low-carb or vegetarian! No! Or discontinue my naco!"

That's how it had been. That new Eric guy had actually gone up and ordered the naco—the super-sized meal deal, no less—and had returned to the booth with another dorky sigh of relief and the news that he had just heard that the naco was being discontinued. And when Ron had ran up in horror to check… well, that had been when he saw the new menus. How could they?

Well, at least Eric had seemed to like the naco. He seemed like an okay dude. Eric Ullman. Still a weird last name. Though, of course, who was he to talk? But Eric did seem nice. He might be fun to hang out with. Heck, Monique and Kim already liked him. The guy was already taking Kim to the dance.

Taking Kim to the dance. Hm. Nice of him. Especially since she was being so weird about going. Ron reached into the bag and pulled out one of the burritos and broke off a piece for Rufus. Yes. Burrito. Plenty of meat. So Eric liked Bueno Nacho. And Kim. That was really nice of him.

Kim seemed to like him, too.

That was cool. At least it wasn't Josh the Monkey. Ron had never really liked that guy anyway. Kim deserved better than Josh.

Maybe Eric would work. Yes, that could be good. Eric might be good for Kim. At least to take her to the junior prom. Because all girls, no matter what they would outwardly say, wanted to go to their prom. Kim was no different. She liked dances, stuff like that. So now Eric was taking her.

Though if Eric hadn't asked her, no doubt someone else would have. Except Josh Monkey. No Josh Monkey.

Ron took another bite of the burrito. He was probably going to get lectured for eating in his room. But it was his room. And his burrito. Hmm. He might have taken Kim, if Eric hadn't asked her. Kim probably would have made him take her. If it were the last minute, and she didn't have a date. He could imagine her showing up on his doorstep in a dress and yanking him out the door, all the while declaring it was so not a date. Yes, she would probably do something like that.

But that was okay now. Eric was taking her. So Ron wouldn't have to. No Kim dragging him off.

He shook his head. "Rufus, why do I keep thinking about this?"

Rufus stared at him blankly.

He shook his head again. It was just Kim. Just Kim and her date. The new guy Eric. She was probably just being nice. This wasn't his business to worry about. He shoved the rest of the burrito into his mouth and peered under his bed for a video game. Why did he care about who Kim went to the prom with? As long as it wasn't Josh.

But it wasn't leaving his brain. It was like his brain had been taken over by some psychotic mind control device.

He gave up on the search for a video game and grabbed the phone.

Felix picked up on the third ring. "Hey."

For a brief, wild moment Ron wondered why in the world he was calling Felix. But the dude was pretty smart. "Felix, Kim has a date." Did he really sound that whiny?

Felix paused. "Oh? Good for her. It's not with that Josh guy, is it?"

"No. Some new guy. I think his name is Eric or something."

"New guy? I didn't think the school liked to take new students this late in the year?"

"Eh, it's April. I dunno, maybe he's a military brat, or it fits under some law against discrimination or something against… moving. Or something."

"Hmm." Felix gave a yawn. "So you just called me up to tell me that Kim as a date? Dude, I didn't think you were a gossip."

"I'm not a gossip!"

Felix laughed. "Then why are you calling me about this?"

"That's an awfully good question." Ron pulled Rufus away from the Bueno Nacho bag. "And I haven't the slightest idea!"

"Well, when did he ask her out?"

"Today. Kim and I were hanging posters from the prom after school, and he wandered up, and I think he might have heard Kim complaining about the prom. I think she was mad because she didn't have a date. Or because Bonnie was taking a test and not helping us. You know how Kim is."

"Yeah." A long pause. "Well, if it bothers you so much, why didn't you just ask her to the prom?"

Ask Kim to the prom? It seemed to echo through the room. "What?"

"You know. You're her best friend. If she really wanted a date, you should have just offered to take her. Then she wouldn't have to go with a new guy, and you wouldn't be calling me up to gossip. Or—" He laughed again. "Maybe that wouldn't work, and you'd be calling me up to tell you that you're taking her to the prom."

"I should have asked Kim to the prom?" Ron's head hurt. Well, yeah, he might have done that. If she wanted to go that bad. "I… I guess you're right."

"Of course I am."

"But… what am I supposed to do now?"

Felix sighed. "Ron, it's just a dance. It's not like she's marrying him or anything. And why do you care? I mean, unless you like her or something."

Like her? Of course he liked Kim!

Felix continued. "Besides, he can't be any worse than Josh. You can't hate every guy that likes Kim."

"I know that."

"Listen, I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow, or something. We can… gossip tomorrow, if you want. Bye."

"Bye, Felix," Ron said with a sigh, and hung up the phone. "Rufus, he says I should have asked Kim out in the first place!"

Rufus didn't reply.

"Rufus?" He wasn't hiding again, was he? Then he saw the Bueno Nacho bag move. "Rufus, get out of there, that's mine!" He dove for the bag. Was he the only human on the face of the planet that had to fight over food with a naked mole rat?

The fight ended with the last burrito being split fifty/fifty. Good enough. Maybe his mom would make something good for dinner, anyway. Or he could go bug Kim's house.

Kim. Ask Kim to the prom.

That wasn't such bad advice, was it? Of course, weren't proms supposed to be dates? Even though Kim would insist it wasn't if she did show up and make him go? But, usually, proms were dates. He didn't go on dates with Kim. She was his friend. Unless you counted the whole carnival thing, but that shouldn't count. Considering it had been one of the more terrifying nights of his life.

But they didn't do dates. Best friends didn't do dates. Never, ever, ever.

But she certainly was allowed to go on a date with Eric. Maybe Eric really was nice.

Couldn't be worse than Josh, Felix was right about that.

Kim could go on a date, even the prom, with Eric. Yes. She couldn't go on a date with Ron. That's how it was.

A surprising trickle of anger ran into his fists. And what was so wrong with him that she couldn't go on a date with him?

He forced it away. This was ridiculous. He wasn't supposed to think so much on these kinds of things. Heck, he had been fine at the Bueno Nacho, right after the new guy had asked her out. Hadn't he been fine? Of course he had, he had just been surprised by the whole thing. And he certainly had been fine at the school. He had even been teasing Kim.

Why did he care about this?

Not unless he actually liked her… that way.

And he didn't. He did not.

Maybe he just needed to go for a ride or something. Get fresh air and clean out his mind.

After dinner, of course.


Aw, homework. Was it ridiculously sick that Kim found a certain satisfaction in completing her homework? She, of course, didn't enjoy doing it anymore than the next Middleton High student, but it was kind of nice to be able to hold up a sheet of finished homework and know with certainty that it was done on time and would probably receive a very respectable grade.

Even if it were Latin. But the Latin homework was finished, and she now had the rest of the night to herself.

The phone rang. She lunged for it, but not before it died mid-ring.

"Kimmy!" Her mom called up the stairs. "Phone!"

And that news was followed by distant giggling. "And it's a boy!"

Oh, lovely. The tweebs. They just had to hear her phone calls all the time.

She stopped, her hand on her phone. A boy. It wasn't Ron, was it? No, Ron didn't count as a boy at her home. Tim and Jim wouldn't be laughing about that.

So if it was a boy, and it wasn't Ron…

She grabbed the phone. "Hello?" Dang. Another squeak.

"Kim?" His voice was faint, very nervous. How cute.

Her heart gave a leap. "Oh! Eric! How are you?"

"Good." He gave a nervous laugh. "I can't believe you recognized my voice. I'm not.. I'm not that noticeable, are you?"

"Oh, no!" She leaned back on her bed, willing herself not to jump on it in excitement. Eric. She had never taking a liking to a boy this quickly before. Was she not pathetic? At least Monique approved. "I just… well, since I gave you my number today, I was expecting you might call." She could have slapped herself. Expecting? How dweebish did that sound?

"Really?"

He sounded flattered.

"I hope you don't mind me calling this soon," he continued. "I don't want you to think I'm a stalker or anything. But you're the first person I've met since coming here, so… please don't think less of me if I'm acting a little desperate."

"You're not acting desperate!"

He laughed, somewhat more confident. Oh, but shyness could be so adorable. "Then… then it wouldn't be too much if you wanted to do something tonight? You've probably had dinner…"

Why did she have to eat that night? "Well, yes, actually. Sorry."

"That's okay. I've already eaten, too. Then maybe you would want to go hang out at the playground tonight?"

"I'd love to!"

"Great! I'll meet you there in, say, twenty minutes?"

"Twenty minutes sounds great!" Too much enthusiasm. Too much enthusiasm. But she couldn't help herself.

After she had hung up the phone, she checked herself in the mirror. Casual. It was just a kiddy playground, she could go casual. But a shirt that wasn't so wrinkled from the day. One that he hadn't seen yet. She ran through her closet and grabbed one. Pink. She looked pretty good in pink. And it wasn't baby pink. So it counted as casual. Then she grabbed her new jacket and ran down the stairs.

"Bye, Mom, bye, Dad," she called as she grabbed the door handle.

Her dad peered up from behind his newspaper. "Exactly where are you off to?"

She paused, bringing up her best not-quite-a-lie voice. "Oh, just hanging out at the park with some friends."

"Any boys?"

She wasn't officially with Eric. "There's a new guy at school. But he's just that. He doesn't count as a boy."

He seemed to take that. "Okay, just as long as he doesn't become a boy. Have fun, Kimmy."

"I will." Oh, yes, she would. Then she was out the door and running as fast as she could down the street to the playground.

Eric was already there when she arrived. He looked so nervous, his pretty light brown hair pushed down with what had to have been a fresh wet comb. He was wearing a different outfit. Jeans, a button-down blue shirt. Casual, of course. "Hey. I thought you might have stood me up. Even though…" he glanced at his watch. "We weren't technically supposed to meet for another ten minutes."

She laughed, flipping her hair from her eyes. "I guess we're both just early birds."

"That's fine with me." He nodded at the swing set. "Wanna swing?"

"Swinging sounds fun."

"Yeah," he said. "Especially at sunset."

Silence.

"I didn't realize you were a poet," she said. Wow, was she lucky.

He shook his head. "Nah, I'm just dorky. I mean, you don't find this too babyish? Swing sets on a playground?"

"Actually," she replied, darting to the swing set. "I really do think it's fun. What's wrong with being immature every once in a while." She jumped onto a swing. "Look, I beat you."

"But I came in second place!" he cried, leaping into the one next to her.

"Never mind we were the only two racing."

"Never mind that you never announced we were racing."

"My fault," she said sweetly. "But it did work to my advantage. So, Eric, tell me about yourself?"

He blinked. "Myself? You're the interesting one. Always saving the world and fighting bad guys and all that. But… I play basketball. How's Middleton's team? I want to try out next year."

"Ooh, you'd be great for basketball. And I could cheer for you."

He laughed. "Would you? Hmm, what else can I say? Just moved here this week from Idaho. I have potatoes to give you, if you want some."

"Potatoes." She laughed. "You really know how to treat a girl."

"I'm just kidding. I've never seen a potato farm in my life. Have you?"

"I had to save one, once."

He shook his head, smiling. "You would have."

He was really opening up, Kim thought. This was fun.

"So what else do you do? Besides save the world and cheerlead?"

What else did she like to do? Suddenly her mind was blank. "Um, I usually just hang out with Ron. He's really fun. Sweet guy."

"He seems cool."

"I like to roller blade sometimes. Snowboard."

Eric whistled. "A girl who likes snowboarding. I'm impressed."

She shrugged. "It's fun."

"We should go roller blade sometime, then," he said. "Or snowboard. In winter. Kim, you really don't think I'm a stalker or anything?"

"No! Why would I think that?"

He met her eyes, still so blue in the dusk.

She had just met the guy today. Why was she feeling this way?

"I mean, I just met you today," he said. "And I already…" Suddenly the shy, nervous guy came back with a deep blush.

She choked back a giggle. "You what, Eric?"

"I think I already like you. I was so happy when you agreed to go to the prom with me."

"I was happy you asked me."

"But I can't be more interesting than all your adventures."

"Adventures?" She laughed. "Oh, those. Usually no big."

He laughed for a moment. His eyes were still on her.

Dang, but he was cute. She hadn't even felt this way about Josh. And she hadn't even known this guy an entire day! This was just… crazy. Crazy for her.

But that didn't matter.

Then, without another word, Eric learned over and kissed her.

Wow.


SHOUT OUTS!

Forlong: I'm so loving your fic, btw. Please don't think I'm copying you. I just wanted to do my own version and posted it before I saw yours. But here's some jealousy in this chapter from our dear Ron. And more will be on the way, I promise. I'm just going with the concept that Ron has no idea what he himself is actually feeling.

Frosty Pickle Juice: Hey, I didn't know you were a KP fan! But then I found your story! Thanks!

fryfan: Does Felix work for pointing it out? Well, when I was in high school, our prom was actually held in early March, sadly enough. But I do realize most schools hold it later on. But some distract laws really do have to let students in no matter what the time of the year. And besides… there's a reason Eric is suddenly the new student. ;)

Intrepidwarriors: I think Aussies will get to see the movie. Maybe just later than in the states. Or maybe note. Well, in the US, it's supposed to air April 8th. I'm most excited about it.

kimnronever: Your name is so cute! Thanks!

Smeagolandme: Thanks! Well, Eric is the name of Kim's boyfriend that really will be in the real So the Drama. And Ricky Ullman, who IS famous and whom you might have heard of (He's Phil on Phil of the Future), will be playing Eric's voice. So I just stole the last name.

xPussyWillowKittenx: Really? They're not OOC? Thanks! Means so much to know I did the characters right in at least that chapter!


If you guys are curious, here's the summary for the real So the Drama tv movie finale thing:

Drakken comes up with his greatest scheme yet, but it requires Kim Possible to surrender to him. Could the key to beating her be her new boyfriend, Eric? Meanwhile, Ron has to deal with Bueno Nacho falling to the "dark side" and the fact that he's developed stronger feelings for KP. Now, when Kim needs Ron more then ever, will she be able see him in a different light?

I probably won't be working directly with this idea, but it's somewhat inspiring.