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Chapter Five

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Knock. Knock. Knock.

Mrs. Stoppable: "Ron it's time to get up? C'mon Ron it's noon, I've let you sleep long enough."

In his bed a heavily sleeping Ron begins to stir a little bit. After a few more minutes of his mother knocking at his door Ron is able to get out of bed and sluggishly makes his way over to the door.

Ron: "Hi Mom."

Mrs. Stoppable: "Hi dear now get dressed and lunch or breakfast in your case will be ready in five minutes."

Ron: "Okay Mom."

Ron closes the door to his room and his mother turns around and heads down the hall to the stairs. As she descends to the first floor of the Stoppable house, his mother looks at a photo of Ron & Kim hanging on the wall. The photo is from when the kids were five and the two families took a vacation to California. They visited Sea World in San Diego and Disneyland in Anaheim but the best part was watching the children build sand castles along the beach. Beside this photo is one of the Stoppable family from last year's Fourth of July celebration and next to it is a picture of Ron & Rufus.

Mrs. Stoppable continues to descend the stairs and then makes her way into the kitchen. Back in his room Ron has once again fallen asleep on his bed. Rufus is trying to wake his friend but Ron is in a deep sleep. Still tired the mole rat takes a cue from his friend and goes back to sleep himself.

Roughly five minutes later knocking can once again be heard from Ron's door. His mother now growing impatient with her son opens the door ever so slightly and peeks into the room. Seeing Ron still asleep she leaves the room and goes downstairs. Moments later Mrs. Stoppable returns with a pitcher of ice cold water and proceeds to dump it on her son. This causes Ron to wake up. The boy looks at his mother in disbelief who simply tells him that lunch is ready before heading back downstairs.

Finally Ron and Rufus make it down to the kitchen for lunch. They sit down at or on the table depending on who they are and dig into the hotdogs in front of them. Not even taking time to chew and barely enough time to breathe Ron and Rufus finish their first two helpings of hotdogs and potato chips before either one of Ron's parents can finish their first.

Mrs. Stoppable: "You boys better slow down or you're going to get a tummy ache."

Mr. Stoppable: "Why do you two always eat like you're in such a hurry? You never really have anywhere to go or anything to do."

Mrs. Stoppable: "Perhaps he's going to visit his new girlfriend."

Mr. Stoppable: "Rufus got a new girlfriend?"

Mrs. Stoppable: "I was talking about Ron dear."

Ron: "Yeah dad I got a new girl... WHAT! Umm Mom you're not sick are you? Take any hallucinogenic drugs this morning?"

Mrs. Stoppable: "No dear I'm quite fine. I was talking about you and Kim."

Ron: "Me and Kim what makes you think we're dating?"

Mrs. Stoppable: "Well last night you two were awfully close."

Ron: "She just got dumped and was feeling sad. I was trying to comfort her. It's my duty as a loyal friend and sidekick. Kim gets to save the world and I lend her support."

Mrs. Stoppable: "Okay and I guess that kiss was just a friendly way of saying goodnight."

Ron: "Kiss what kiss?"

Mrs. Stoppable: "I may be getting old dear but I still know what a kiss looks like and that was definitely a passionate kiss that I saw last night."

Ron blushes deeply at this and looks away for a moment. He then finishes the last bite of his hot dog and tries to regain his composure.

Ron: "Well we're not dating. At least I don't think we are, I don't know. Now if your done embarrassing me for the time being I'm going to go take a shower and then I have a full schedule of TV watching and video game playing."

Ron gets up from the table and heads upstairs.

Back in the kitchen Mr. Stoppable reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his wallet. He removes a ten dollar bill from it and hands it to his wife.

Mr. Stoppable: "Looks like you were right."

Mrs. Stoppable: "A mother knows these things."

In the shower Ron can be heard singing to himself.

Ron: "...was your lips touching mine in the photo booth. And as the summer's ending the cold air will push your hard heart away. You were so condescending and this is all that's left. The empty bottles spent cigarettes. So pack a change of clothes cause it's time to move on... well somebody told me that you had a boyfriend that looked like a girlfriend that I had in February of last year. It's not confidential I've got potential. A rushing a rushing around."

With a 'wooo' and a loud clap Ron jumps out of the shower feeling awake and ready for a day of sheer laziness. He gets dressed and heads downstairs to the living room. There he finds Rufus already watching a rerun of 'Pals' and joins him. The show reminds him of Kim with it being her favorite show and all. This causes his mind to wonder about the events of the previous night. 'Does Kim really like me?' he thought to himself. 'Was she just in a really vulnerable place and I crossed a line I shouldn't have? What if Kim does like me and we start to date? What if she doesn't like me? Dating Kim would be great but I don't wanna ruin our friendship. If I make a move on her and she doesn't like me as a boyfriend then it will just ruin us.'

With too much on his mind to concentrate on the TV show Ron heads back up to his room. Rufus, wondering what his friend is so preoccupied with takes off after him. In his room Ron is pacing around talking to himself.

Ron: "How can she like me? I'm a total loser definitely not Kim's type at all. She likes the hotties and cool guys. I'm just her friend. But Kim's different from other girls. She sees past my goofy exterior and notices who I really am. Maybe Kim and I are supposed to be together. Then again Kim deserves a guy who can give her anything. I can't do that I can't do anything."

Rufus knows that Ron is talking to himself more than he is to the naked mole rat but still Rufus listens attentively. Wanting to help Rufus goes over to Ron's computer and jumps on the keyboard. Hoping around on the keys, Rufus is able to contact Wade who appears on Ron's monitor.

Wade: "What's up Ron?"

Ron who was unaware of Rufus's action is startled by Wade at first.

Ron: "Ohh hi Wade. Some mission come up or something?"

Wade: "No you contacted me."

Ron now notices Rufus who gives him a look and Ron realizes what has happened.

Ron: "Ohh yeah I need someone to talk to about something."

Wade: "What's on your mind?"

Ron: "Well it's about a girl."

Wade: "Sorry man but that's not my area of expertise."

Ron: "It's about Kim."

Wade: "Ohh what about her?"

Ron: "Well last night I kissed her and then she kissed me back."

Wade: "YOU GUYS WHAT? I thought Kim was going out with Josh?"

Ron: "He broke up with her."

Wade: "And I thought you had a date with Tara."

Ron: "I stood her up. This reminds me I owe her an apology."

Wade: "So are you guys now..."

Ron: "Me and Kim?"

Wade: "Yep."

Ron: "That's what I want someone to talk to about. I don't think we're going out. After the kiss she just snuggled against me for a while and then fell asleep. She was gone by the time I woke up today."

Wade: "Do you want to date Kim?"

Ron: "I'm not sure. Do I like Kim yes but what if she doesn't like me? What if last night she was vulnerable and was willing to kiss anybody. If I make a move on she doesn't see me that way it could ruin our friendship and I don't want to do that. On the other hand if she does like me then I definitely don't want to miss my opportunity. I just don't know what to do."

Wade: "The only thing to do really is talk to Kim. I'm sure she's having some of the same doubts that you are. So that's all I can say. Just talk to her okay."

Ron: "Alright thanks Wade."

Wade: "You're welcome. See you later."

Ron: "Bye."

Ron turns to Rufus and picks him up.

Ron: "Alright Rufus time to go make amends with Tara and then have the biggest talk of my life with Kim. You ready?"

Rufus: "Ready."

Ron: "Good at least one of us is."

Before heading out Ron grabs some flowers from the vase sitting on the table by the front door. He leaves the house and begins his walk towards Tara's house and then Kim's. Along the way he goes over his apology to Tara in his head. Not quite sure what to say he keeps changing his words around.

'Tara I just wanted to say that I'm sorry and I hope we can still be friends. No that's not it. Tara I know I hurt you last night and for that I'm sorry. I wish I could promise you that it won't ever happen again and that you mean the world to me but that would just be one big lie. I like you Tara but I'm in love with someone else. Ohh my gosh did I just say I'm in love with Kim. Alright alright back to the apology. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness but I hope you'll accept this flower and these movie tickets as a token of my deepest apologies. Once again I'm really sorry for hurting you. Yeah that's what I'll say if I can remember it.'

Without realizing it Ron has reached Tara's house and goes up to the front door. He rings the bell and moments later Tara answers the door.

Tara: "Ohh it's you."

Ron: "Tara I just wanted to say…. No wait let me start over. Tara I know I hurt you last night and for that I'm sorry. I wish I could promise you that it won't ever happen again and that you mean the world to me but that would just be one big lie. I like you Tara but there's someone else. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness but I hope you'll accept this flower and these movie tickets as a token of my deepest apologies."

Ron gives the flower and movie tickets to Tara.

Ron: "Once again I'm really sorry for hurting you. I'll see you later hopefully."

Tara: "Ron wait. It's okay. Last night I realized something. At first when I realized that you stood me up I was really mad but then when I saw Josh and Bonnie together I knew exactly where you were and I was okay with it. What you and Kim have is really special and I just hope that one day somebody will love me like you love Kim. I'm not mad at you but you still owe me a date. However I want you to find me a guy who will treat me right. Give him this movie ticket and tell him to meet me at the movies tomorrow night."

Ron: "Alright and Tara thanks for understanding and being a friend."

Tara: "Ron I'm not your friend I'm your good friend."

Ron: "Well I got something else I have to take care of so I'll see you later."

Tara: "Bye Ron."

Ron walks away as Tara closes the door. As Ron makes his way to Kim's house a new set of nervousness sets about him. Not even monkeys and bugs make him more uneasy then what is about to take place.

Ding Dong. The door opens and there she stands.

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Okay this episode is going a lot easier than I thought it would. Hopefully I'll be able to update again in the next few days.