This chapter will be a tad shorter than the rest, but I didn't want to combine it with anything else.
By the way, did anyone see the music video they now have on the Disney Channel for the movie? My roomie and I saw it last night, and all we have to say is "Kim was cheating!"
Once again, thanks so much for all the great reviews and advice!
"I love you."
The words hung like stalactites before the entire cafeteria, which was suddenly much more crowded than Kim had previously thought. Every eye, including those of the little old lunch ladies who usually didn't concern themselves with high school drama, was upon her and Ron, waiting.
Well, she was waiting, too. Waiting for Ron to continue with a laugh and a wink and some excuse for this joke and a jubilant cry about how she had fell for it. So she stared back at him, praying against everything that this was not true. Not here, not now.
But Ron wasn't saying anything else, just standing there as a horrible look of nausea filled his face.
He was serious. And he looked as if he might fall down dead if he spoke another word.
And the cafeteria was still waiting.
This was an absolute nightmare.
Next to her, Eric allowed himself an awkward cough. "Kim, do you… want me to leave?"
That might be best. This didn't concern him. But then again, it did.
"Ron," she finally said. "What did you just say?"
His gaze dropped, and he mumbled something. "I…"
"Ron?" Couldn't this have waited? Why in front of everyone? "Please tell me you were joking."
Another eternity passed while she and everyone else waited for an answer. Then, almost unnoticeably, he shook his head.
No way. She felt a giant fist, invisible, of course, slam out of nowhere into her stomach. No way had she been witness to this. Ron did not love her. Ron did not just admit to… not joking. All these years…
"Ron!" She slammed the brownie back down onto her tray. "You can't just run in here and tell me that… in front of everyone!" She glanced back at Eric, who simply looked horrified.
Ron once again ventured to look at her. "But I-"
How could he do this to her? He was her best friend! Not her boyfriend! So they had all but made out once in the hallway much to the traumatizing of Wade. He knew what had been going on then. And he had been the one to end it almost immediately. It was clearly not supposed to be! If he had felt that way then… why was this happening now? She didn't want him, she wanted Eric! "I can't believe you! How could you do that to me?"
Ron stumbled backwards.
Her voice, the words, had been way too harsh. She realized that now, and not even from the sudden, small, and short burst of applause that sounded from somewhere and completely died three seconds later.
Why did he have to look at her like that? Like she had just hit him or something.
Ron took a deep breath, looking, momentarily, more courageous than she had ever seen him. "But Kim—" The courage didn't last even as long as the clap.
Her heart was pounding. "Ron, I can'tEric…" Dang. Her voice was still too cruel. She couldn't stop it, not keep any anger back. "This is insane." She couldn't look at him anymore. The tray of food was suddenly far more comforting.
He was still standing there, she could sense that much. Then, without a word, she heard him turn around and leave the cafeteria.
For about a minute the cafeteria was dead silent. Then slowly, some chatter started somewhere, and before long it was the same noisy place it always was.
But she couldn't join back into it. This was awful. Of all people, Ron. When she had thought him jealous… she had never thought him jealous… this way! How could he? Just because she had finally found someone who would pay more attention to her than Josh ever would, and someone she really liked, he had to go and decided that he was the only one for her. She pounded her fist onto the table, her tray jumping.
Eric slid his hand slowly over her fist, gently pressing it down. "Kim," he said. "I didn't… ruin anything, did I? I mean, I'm just the new guy, and just because I really like you doesn't mean I will come between… anything you and Ron have. I just…"
She shook her head, trying to smile, if that were possible. "No, Eric, you're fine. We don't have anything."
A familiar laugh rang behind her. Bonnie. Kim didn't bother to turn around. "Wow, Kim," she sang. "I actually feel sorry for you now. Imagine, being the object of Stoppable's affections. And that little drama there."
Kim had several nice retorts just waiting to jump out. Oh yes. And already fueled by the beast inside. But none were coming out. "Thanks, Bonnie," she said as dryly as she could.
Bonnie just laughed again. "Anytime, Kim. Anytime."
The cafeteria was far behind him now. Or least it had to be. Ron had been running for what seemed like hours, almost knocking over passing students and faculty in his mad dash to get as far from that room of torture as possible. He had to be safe now, didn't he? He at least had to be in Cancun by now. He finally dared look. Science hall. Yeah, that was about the opposite side of the building. The place where the architects had put tile instead of…
The bottom of his sneakers failed to catch the tile and instead kept going, throwing him a good ten feet to the opposite side of the hall and crashing into the wall. He sat there for a moment, unable to be more stunned than he already was. There was a prom poster above him, swinging precariously by one thumbtack.
That stupid prom. And stupid him. Why had he done that? "Why?"
Rufus crawled from his pocket, yawning.
Ron groaned. "Rufus, how come you got to sleep through all that?" He picked the naked mole rat up, bringing him to his face, where he blinked in confusion. "You just slept and let me make a fool of myself? You are no help at all!"
Rufus frowned. He was looking at him like…
Kim. Ron sighed and set Rufus down on his knee. "I'm sorry, buddy," he said, forcing his voice down two octaves. "It's not your fault. Just mine. Though there has to be a way to blame Monique for this."
No, that was impossible. Monique was going to kill him the moment she found out about this. That was hardly what she had meant at all. Now he had to fully realize that. Now, of all times!
The cafeteria scene was coming back like a bad dream. No, a nightmare. He still couldn't believe it was him, running in like that, saying that. No wonder she hated him now. He would hate himself, too. Wait, he already did hate himself.
"Ron Stoppable," he muttered aloud. "World's biggest idiot."
"Nuhuh," said Rufus, shaking his head and hopping up to give Ron a bag on the cheek.
It didn't help.
"Ron?" a voice called from around the corner. Then Felix appeared, wheeling himself carefully down the hall past a sign reading "Caution: Wet Floor" that apparently Ron had failed to notice on his turn down and looking very worried. "What the heck are you doing down here?"
Ron rolled his eyes. "Oh? Wouldn't you like to know?"
Felix pulled himself right up before Ron. Just so he could stare condescendingly down at him, Ron thought bitterly. "Actually," Felix said. "I already know. If you're talking about that stunt you just pulled in the lunch room. In fact, that one girl from the school newspaper is already planning an article about it."
Ron almost laughed. Then he realized that Felix was not joking. He dropped his head into his knees, almost knocking Rufus away. "She's really going to kill me now."
"Who is?" Felix asked.
Ron stared up at him past the cloth horizon of his knees. "Kim. I'm assuming you heard her."
Felix made a face. "That's true. Ron, I know I chewed you out about gossip… just yesterday, but I have to know: why, in the name of all that is good and holy, did you say that back there?"
Rufus chattered something, and Ron moaned. He felt so sick. Maybe he should run to the nearest men's room before the janitor needed to mop again. "I don't know!"
"This looks so pathetic," Felix muttered sympathetically. "Okay, let me try again. You told her, before a healthy percentage of the school, that you loved her."
"Please don't remind me."
"Well, is it true?"
"I—" Ron stared up at him. Suddenly it was back in full force, those words popping out from nowhere like a volcano and he was back there, right before Kim, telling her that he was in love with her. Where had that come from? "I—"
He fell back once again into the wall, and the thumbtack gave up the ghost and sent the poster crashing down into his lap. Prom
Felix gave a small laugh. "Are you okay?"
Ron stared at the poster, all the crepe paper and the remainders of balloons that people had pulled off and the glitter glue, all screaming at him with their eye popping colors. There was a message in there. There had to be. This… this horrible freak accident. No, not an accident. There was a reason for why he had said what he had said. A huge reason. He didn't just want to take Kim to the prom, he… She was his best friend. Ever since pre-k. All those little moments of jealousy, those fights, all the fun they had had together. They had to mean something. He had considered it all before, hadn't he? So what if it had never been seriously? The cafeteria scene was gone, replaced by that day in the hallway, when she had been under the moodulator. There had to be something real about that. He had enjoyed that!
Felix was still waiting. "Are you sure you're okay?"
For a moment Ron couldn't reply. "I love her," he whispered. "I really do love her."
Felix's face paled. "Ron?"
"No!" Ron jumped to his feet, barley managing to grab Rufus before he did and tossing the poster into Felix's lap. "Felix, I didn't talk crazy back in the cafeteria. I told the truth. I do love her!"
For a moment all the humiliation and pain of ten minutes before was gone. All he could think about was Kim. How pretty she was, how cool she was, how all-around amazing she was…
"Ron," he could imagine her saying. "Ron." She was becoming harsher with every word, but he didn't care.
"Ron!"
He snapped from his fantasy. It hadn't been Kim at all. Stupid imagination. Felix was glaring at him.
"Okay, then," Felix said. "So you love the girl. What are you going to do now?"
Ron paused, fist half way victoriously in the air, Rufus gasping for breath. "What do you mean?"
"Back in the cafeteria…"
It all came crashing back. "Oh no." He fell back against the wall. "I… I'm such an idiot."
"You're not an idiot." Felix knocked the poster to the floor.
"Yes I am!" he screamed. Amazing how the science hall echoed. "Do you have any idea what I just did? She was in there! She doesn't like me that, she likes Eric!"
"She just met Eric!"
"You're not helping, you know." Ron put Rufus on his shoulder. Now he really did feel sick. He had seen her face back there. Seen how she had reacted. Everything. "Felix, she probably hates me now."
Felix shook his head. "Ron, she does not hate you. Even though what you did… Dude, you have to fix this."
"And how do you suggest I do that?" He didn't mean to sound so accusing.
Felix didn't seem to mind, though the dejection was evident. "I haven't the slightest idea. Like I know anything about girls."
"See? You don't even know, and you're supposed to be smart!" He sighed and drove his foot into the fallen poster. Stupid, stupid prom. "She hates me now. I can't talk to her. I'd only make it worse for her. Besides…" It hurt. He didn't think it would ever hurt this bad. If you were hurt by that kind of thing, it only meant you were a pansy or something. Not tough. But it really did hurt. "She likes Eric."
Yes. Eric. Eric was probably tougher. What Kim needed. Not her obnoxious sidekick.
"Ron," Felix said.
But Ron just gave him a half-hearted wave and started down the hall.
SHOUT OUTS!
AngelTigerBlade: You heard Ron correctly.
Bratty: Thanks!
Classic Cowboy: Thanks! And no, Kim didn't take it well, did she?
Forlong: Wait until you see what Eric was thinking during that time. )
Frosty Pickle Juice: I'm trying not to delay it! )
fryfan: I had to end the chapter that way. I have an affinity for cliffhangers.
Great Detective: I fear for Ron's life as well. Yes, he was not that smart there.
Jamie McFly: Yes, I do have a life! (cries in denial) How dare you accuse me otherwise! I'm glad you came to the dark side of Kim/Ron-ness. Though I admit that the guy I'm assuming is Eric in the music video they did is pretty good looking for an animated dude. Oh, LJ Fan below wants to know if you want Eric.
LJ Fan: I'll see if Jamie wants him. Maybe we can clone Ron for you. We have to, anyway, because my friend Trish and I have decided that we also want Rons.
WWLAOS: I promise, you'll find out what Wade was referring to more clearly. As for the Sprite… I suppose I could have been wilder, but this is a G-rated fic and at my high school prom, we had bottles of Sprite in our limo—probably because our party was made up of good little Mormons, good little Christians, and a couple of staunch Pagans bent on purifying the body, so oh well. I can't believe I channeled my own prom into this. Which, by the way, was in an airport terminal. Dang, I need more ideas. Anyway, thanks!
xPussyWillowKittenx: Gasp! That's a great idea! The Rons United could be a fic! Would you wanna do it with me?
