Kim's school day was going well, her classes had gone well, and now it was lunch time. She arrived in the cafeteria and took her usual seat with her friend Monique, she looked at Ron's empty chair, "I hope he's doing ok?" she thought.

Monique brought her out of thoughts, "So what you two going to do this weekend, big plans?" she asked conspiratorially.

Kim shook her head, "No I decided that me and Ron should just be friends, so I let him know last night after the mission." Kim said in a matter of fact tone.

Monique stared at her, "Are you sure you're not a blonde?" she said in an angry tone.

Kim looked bewildered, "What?" she said giving her friend a quizzical look.

Monique dropped her fork, "Girl how many shades of stupid are you? You finally get a decent guy who's crazy about you and you dump him." Monique was getting loud, and people were looking at their table.

Kim was looking around nervously, "I didn't dump him, I just decided things were going to fast is all." She said trying to calm her friend. Monique went into high tweak mode,

"Too fast? How long you guys have been friends, for better part of 12 years? Girl, he may not be the best looking guy but boys that loyal don't fall out of the sky." She said still talking loud enough for the whole cafeteria to hear.

Kim was shrinking into her seat from the embarrassment of the conversation. Monique looked at a couple of girls at another table, "What you looking at?" She said in menacing tone.

The two girls looked away. Monique nodded her head, "Yea, I didn't think you was looking at us, because we're having a private conversation." She was hollering now.

Kim was trying to calm Monique down, "It's not like that, Monique." Kim said desperately.

Monique froze her with a look, "Oh ain't it? Did Ron have a say in this?" she asked her brain damaged friend.

Kim looked blankly, "No, but I figured Ron would be ok with it." Kim said sheepishly.

Monique erupted, "OK, OK with it, maybe you should of talked to him first? Maybe he has an opinion? For a crime fighting cheerleader with perfect grades, you can be pretty thick sometimes." Monique said shaking her head in total disbelief at Kim.

Kim was getting ready to say something, when a couple of boys passed the table. She overheard them talking, "Told ya losers like Stoppable don't get cheerleaders, you owe me a buck." She winced as she heard them.

Monique looked at Kim and shook her heard, she too had overheard the conversation, "Poor Ron took a load of that on Monday for you, got a broke hand in the process. Ron deserved better, girl." Monique said shaking her head sadly.

Kim stared at Monique, "Ron comes back to school Monday." She said realizing what he was going to come back to.

Monique nodded her head sadly; "Yea" There was a long silence.

"So what are you going to do now?" Monique asked.

Kim shrugged, "Ron will call tonight, he always does." She said hopefully.

Monique shook her head that she understood, "Tell me Kim, what if he doesn't call?" Monique asked.

Kim hadn't given that any serious thought, "He'll call, he'll be ok." Kim said knowingly.

Monique looked at her friend, "So what do you think he'll do now?" She asked narrowing her eyes at her friend.

Kim started thinking, "Oh he'll probably pester me to death to change my mind, beg, you know how Ron is?" Kim told her friend.

Monique shook her head, "Has Ron ever had anything like this happen to him before?" She asked.

Kim looked at her food, "No" she said sadly.

Monique let out a heavy sigh, "So you think Ron is just going to sit around and wait for you? Girl, don't be surprised if that boy doesn't put his love up on no shelf and goes out and finds someone else to accept his charms." She told Kim sadly.

Kim gave a Monique a disbelieving glance, "Ron, oh come on now, were talking about Ron, Monique." Kim said confident that she knew her friend better than anyone else.

Monique looked at her friend and shrugged, "I guess you know Ron the friend better than anyone else Kim, but you never got to know Ron the boyfriend." She told Kim sadly.

Kim chuckled, "I've known Ron for years, he's a good guy and he'll understand why I did what I did." Kim said confident in her knowledge of Ron and all things Ron.

Monique just sat across from Kim shaking her head, "Kim love changes everything." Monique said quietly.

After the school day was over Kim, arrived home and started in on her school work. She was glad that there was only three weeks of school left. Seniors next year she thought, me and Ron are going to be seniors. It was hard to believe, they were almost grown up. She looked over at the phone, "I wonder why he hasn't called yet?" she wondered.

She knew he had the note because Kim saw the motor scooter wasn't in the front of the house when she came home. Kim felt uneasy, "What if Monique is right, what if he doesn't call?" she thought. Kim quit staring at the phone and went downstairs to see what was happening with the rest of the family.

Kim's mother was straightening up the living room after a no holds barred wrestling match with the twins, "Kim is Ron coming over tonight?" she asked.

Kim told she didn't know and walked outside; she looked up the street towards Ron's house but didn't see any activity. She looked at where the scooter was and saw her note laying there crumpled up into a little ball. Kim had that sinking feeling that Ron wouldn't be over tonight. Kim picked up the note and threw it into the trash can, "I'd better call him later and see if he's ok." She thought.

Kim went back inside and sat at the kitchen table; she put her elbows on the table and rested her head in her hands. She didn't want to think that Monique was right; she just needed time to sort through some things. Kim cringed, "I should have talked to Ron, I skunked him pretty bad." She thought with twinge of guilt.

Her mother was speaking to her and that snapped her back to reality, "What did you do now?" she asked Kim.

Kim looked at her mother, "what?" she said trying to sound convincing.

Her mother sat down beside her, "What happened now?" She asked her daughter not fooled for a second by her answer.

Kim shrugged, "Last night after we got back from a mission, I told Ron that I just wanted to be friends with him." Kim said.

Kim's mom shot up an eyebrow, "and what brought this one?" she asked.

Kim squirmed, "I don't know, I thought things were moving too fast, I don't know…I don't know what I want?" Kim said sadly.

Kim's mom nodded, "Have you talked to Ron today?" she asked in a concerned voice.

Kim shook her head no. She told her mom about the note she wrote and where she found it in the driveway.

Kim's mom nodded, "Sounds like you didn't do a good job letting the air out of the balloon? Maybe you should call Ron and see if he's ok." She advised.

Kim nodded her head in agreement, "Mom do you think I messed things up?" she asked, not sure if she really wanted to hear the answer.

Her mom didn't say anything right away, "It's your decision honey, only you can make that judgment." She told her trying to sound as reassuring as she could. In truth she had always liked Ron and was hoping he wasn't too hurt by Kim's rash actions.

Kim nodded, "I'll call him, I'm sure he's ok." She told her mom.

Kim's mother just gave her a questioning look, "I hope your right honey." She told her.

Kim went up to her room and called Ron, Ron's mother answered the phone and let Kim know that Ron hadn't been home all day and that he was in hot water and if he doesn't get home soon, he's going to have all of his cloths and possessions sitting on the porch.

Kim winced and said she'd let her know if she saw him. Kim shivered, "No wonder he tries to stay on her good side." She thought.

Kim sat in her room staring out the window, "Ron where are you?" she was worrying,

"Maybe Ron isn't all right with this?" she said to herself.