It Finally Happened: Part X
Close to two weeks went by with Team Possible functioning at 'Code Red' emergency levels. Missions were put on hold, thoughts of subsequent dates were scrubbed. The importance of their task was simply too high. Even the ticking time bomb that was Bonnie Rockwaller was shoved on the back burner. They had no real idea how much or how little she actually knew, considering, according to Monique's report, most of the school was still trying to figure out what had set off the tiff.
Getting Ron to pass all his finals with a B or better was a tall order, but nothing seemed so insurmountable as the need to ace the Geometry test. It was only through intense tutoring he had pulled out a (barely) passing grade in algebra last year, especially considering the hit his grade took when the teacher found out some of his work had been done by Rufus while his brain was enhanced by the Phoebus Project.
Ron wasn't above calling in a favor for a quick trip to Iowa for his own quick zap from the device. It goes without saying the scowl that brought from Kim would freeze magma.
The difference this time? Ron had all the fundamentals he needed. There was no way of being certain whether it was the onset (finally) of maturity, teaching methods that managed to get through his mind or simply the effect Kim had on him, but his head was nowhere near as empty as it used to be. He finally understood mathematics to a certain degree. However, knowing enough to keep from failing and knowing enough to get an A were two completely different things.
The first order of business was to get him to calm down. Panic was setting it, even with just under two weeks to go. By lunch Ron was well on his way to hyperventilating. It was getting so bad that he was muttering to himself as they left third period. At least it couldn't be too bad, as he was muttering in fluent Latin. It might not have consisted of Salsa dancing, Salsa eating and a project involving Jennifer Lopez, but at least that was one good sign. If only he could bring those new language skills to fore under pressure.
It wasn't looking good. He had to settle down, especially if they were going to effectively prepare. It was too early for the high-powered studying and there were end-of-year projects to work on.
Kim, of course, had completed hers during the week of their grounding.
Ron had actually done some work on his and, by Kim's estimation, it was about sixty to seventy percent complete. It was doable, but only if she could get his head in the game. She needed something to break through to him, to take his mind off the pressure and the fear and put it back on the tasks at hand.
He was so miserable when they walked in to detention together that afternoon he didn't even look at her or offer to hold her hand. He pulled out his notes and poured over them feverishly. That at least seemed to please Barkin, who sat behind his desk wearing a slightly smug look, thinking how well he had done at making the boy apply himself. Kim knew better. Ron may have been trying to study, but nothing would stick. Too much self-doubt was clouding his mind, making him frantic.
Quietly, she got up and spoke with Barkin, who confirmed everything Ron had told her earlier in the day. "He's got a tough road ahead of him, Possible. He's come a long way in a short time, but he's going to have to gut this out if he ever wants to be anything more than just a goofy sidekick for the rest of his life."
"He's not my sidekick, he's my boyfriend, and even that word seems weak to describe how I feel about him now."
"I have to admit, you've been the most positive influence on him I've ever seen, but he's the one who has to come through in the clutch this time. He's got to do this alone if he ever wants to succeed."
"He may have to do this alone the day of the test, but he's not alone and never will be again." She replied as a plan started forming in her mind.
For some time, Ron's parents had started driving to Denver on Tuesdays. He wasn't sure why, as they never bothered to discuss it with him. They usually didn't return until well after midnight, leaving Ron, as usual, to fend for himself. Normally that meant an evening spent hanging out with Kim at Bueno Nacho or at her house watching satellite with the Tweebs.
This time, instead, Kim pronounced that they were going to hole up at his house and try to finish all his projects, in order to clear the way for finals preparation. Pizza was ordered (along with an extra pie so they would have enough left to eat after Rufus got done) and, after a quick stop at Kim's house, they got out all the things they would need. They set up in the living room, spreading everything out on the coffee table.
She was impressed with the progress he had made up to that point. The problem was his attitude. He simply stared at his work, not quite knowing how to proceed. His mind simply would not work. Every time he picked up a pen, a book or any of the tools he had laid out he simply froze up. He was so afraid of failing he was setting himself up to do just that.
Kim put a hand on his back, rubbing him gently in small circles. Her fingers glided easily over the light material of his bowling style shirt. She could feel the lumps of his backbone, the wiry muscles of his narrow back. He felt oddly cool to the touch. Probably due to the tension in his body. His whole back was wound up like a coiled spring. She kept up the slight backrub for a good half hour, amusing herself with the sight of Rufus eating twice his body weight in cheese pizza (they were careful to keep the pepperoni away from the little guy. He'd eat it like it was going out of style but it tended to have…unpleasant side effects on him.)
"Ronnie, why don't you take a little break."
"Can't KP. Like you said, we've got to get this done tonight."
"Honey, you're not going to get it done by banging your head on the table."
"Honey? I thought we talked about the nickname thing."
"Sorry, it just came out. Kinda feels natural to say it. Come on, lean back, close your eyes and forget about all this stuff for a moment." She shifted her hand to the small of his back, tracing the top edge of the board shorts he was wearing.
"No, Kim. I'm going to do this. If I can't pull my grades up far enough I'm going to either be kept apart from you for most of the summer or I'm going to be practically separated from you from now on. It's bad enough when we don't have at least half of our classes together and I know it's been extremely badical to have all our classes together this year, but if I'm held back a year we'll never have classes together again. You'll be off to college and I'll still be stuck here, graduating late and working at Bueno Nacho or Smarty Mart or something while you go off to work for GJ or something…"
"Ron, stop. Just stop. I am getting sick and tired of listening to you putting yourself down. Barkin didn't throw all of this at you so you could fail. He did it to warn you, he did it because he doesn't want you to fail any more than I do. He's proud of you and in his own gruff way he's trying to make sure his efforts aren't wasted."
"Gahrrrr." Ron put his hands to his temples, frustrated that he couldn't get his mind to work. "I don't know what's wrong with me, KP, I know I need my head in the game, but it just won't work. I know I'm not the brightest bulb in the pack, but at least I thought I knew how to do this."
"Ronnie, you do know how to do it. You're just too distracted."
"I guess so." He hung his head even lower. "It's probably better if you went on home and left me to this. I guess I can't think straight with you sitting here with me."
"Ron, I think that's the problem. I don't think you are thinking about me. I think you've gotten so wrapped up in the consequences you're not thinking straight." She hooked one finger in the back of his shorts, her free hand coming to rest on his thigh, giving it a light squeeze.
Leaning in, she kissed him on the neck. It was a quick peck at first, followed by a tender nuzzle behind his ear before she returned to his neck, her mouth opening, her tongue tasting his faint saltiness, tracing along the fine hairs. Teeth brushed against his skin, just hard enough to send an electric shudder through his body but gentle enough she would not leave a mark. Her hand traveled up his thigh, dangerously up, her fingers kneading the corded muscles of his quadriceps.
"Kim…I need…"
"Yes, Ron, you need this." She whispered to him, her hand reaching under his shirt, her fingers spreading out on his stomach, running up his chest. Then, grinning at him, she pushed him back on the couch, throwing one leg over his, all the while working on his neck. Her right hand remained pinned behind him as she switched to his lips.
Ron was valiantly trying to struggle, but Kim wouldn't let him up. She was still stronger than him and much more adept at keeping her opponent pinned when she wanted to. Still, he finally was able to pull away from her in order to get a word in edgewise.
"Kim, I like this, but if I don't get the project finished I'm never going to have time to study."
"Ronnie, I never had any intention of working on your project tonight. It's not due until Monday."
"Monday, yeah, but…"
"You said it yourself. Procrastination is one of the few skills you've mastered. I want you to show me how good you are at it."
"That's not what I meant, I…"
"Yes it is. Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow, only now that you've decided you have to get it done, you're panicking anyway and you want to know why?" She asked, running her hands through his hair.
"Huh?"
"You're panicking because you think you're going to fail." She put her cheek to his, continuing in a whisper. "You're so scared you're going to lose me if you don't do well, it's keeping you from even functioning."
She slid off him and kneeled in front of him, taking his hands. "Ron, I want you to know. I love you. I love you if you have to spend all of our summer in school. I love you if you have to spend another year as a Junior. I love you if you pass everything and we move on together. You are not going to lose me, I swear it. You are too important to me for me to lose everything simply because of a bump in the road like this."
"So all this doesn't matter?"
"It does matter. It matters a whole lot, but not because you're doing this for me or to be with me. You're going to be with me if it takes you five more years to finish high school, so put that thought out of your head for good. You're going to pass those tests. You're going to pass them so well that they're probably going to make you take one or two of them over just to prove you didn't' cheat and you're going to do it because it's what you want, what you need for you. You're almost there. Remember when you called yourself 'Potential boy?' Well, now you're about to become 'Realized Potential Boy.'"
She put her hand behind his head and pulled him to her for another kiss. Slowly she rose, pushing him back on the couch once more, lowering her body over his, straddling his lap as she pulled his hands around her waist. She leaned back slightly, looking at the wistful expression on his face.
It was time for the final stage of her plan for that evening, the reason they stopped at her house first. Reaching down, she grabbed the bottom of her teal t-shirt and pulled it up over her head. Ron gasped and almost averted his eyes at the unexpected move. He never mentioned it to her, but he was usually quite aware that she often went without a certain article of underclothing, depending on what kind of top she was wearing. She wasn't wearing one tonight either. Well, not exactly.
In all their years, Ron had only seen Kim wear one kind of bathing suit – a once piece. He made certain to go to all the swim team meets, mostly so he could see her in those suits. There was something bon-diggity about having a best friend who happened to be a girl…a very beautiful girl who looked badical in a bathing suit.
The bikini top she had on was the same lime green as her favorite tank top. It suited her fair, redhead's complexion. It also showed off more skin than he had ever seen her show. His expression changed from wistfulness to a wide, goofy grin as Kim unbuttoned his shirt. She didn't pull it off, but opened the front before crushing her body against his in a fierce hug.
As it turned out, Kim's plan worked perfectly. Just as she intended, by forcing his mind back to her, he was able to focus once more on the real task at hand. In a fit of productivity, Ron actually did manage to finish his project later that evening, fully enjoying doing the work with a girl wearing a skimpy bikini. He really didn't have that much left to do. They went up to his room to print the final draft of the report that went along with it on his computer, finding his tiny bed a little more comfortable for making out while the printer was busy.
Kim later whispered in his ear what was likely the dirtiest thing she'd ever said to him. "I'm going to make you study hard for the next week."