I got up after another bad night, though somewhat better than usual. At least I had Bonnie to take my mind off of her. Once again, I realized I had woken up too early but decided to head over to Bonnie's anyway to wait. To my surprise, she was already out waiting again and for some reason, she looked different today. She wore some tight jeans and a sweater, which was quite different from her usual outfits, though still very nice.
"Hey, Ron," she said getting in. Even her face looked different. I decided to ask her about it.
"Hey, Bon, you look kinda different today." Still sexy though.
"You think so? Do you like my new look?" How could anyone not like the way Bonnie looked.
"Of course, you're beautiful as always, no matter what style you choose." She smiled that full smile of hers, which just seemed to make her glow.
"I did some thinking last night, and I-I figured you were right. I shouldn't try so hard, so as a start, I decided to stop putting on so much makeup. You made me feel like a real person, and I realize now I don't need people to think I'm a goddess."
"Well, not putting on makeup doesn't exactly make you any less of a goddess," I said encouragingly. "If anything, it makes you even more appealing since you look so natural now." She once again smiled brightly.
"Thanks, Ron. You…you really are one in a million." Bonnie's compliment felt really good to me, especially since in all these years I didn't get them very often from Kim, despite giving so many; thus, I never realized just how nice it felt to receive them. "I'm really glad I got to know you, before it was too late."
"I'm just glad you're getting to know your true self Bonnie, before it was too late," I said. A moment of comfortable silence passed between us, and I could tell she was in deep thought.
"Ron, you've done a lot for me and, well, I've been wondering, do you want to hang out after school to, I dunno, just talk?"
"Um, sure. Where?"
"My place, Ron." Did Bonnie just invite you over to her house? For some reason, I had butterflies in my stomach. I guess I was just really nervous.
"I'd really like that," I said as we arrived at school. As I was getting out, I heard Bonnie say something in that melodious voice of hers.
"Um, Ron. I don't know what happened between you and Kim but I know it's deep. If you ever need someone to talk to, just know that I'm here for you, the same way you were there for me."
"T-t-thanks," I said, as we went inside. To my surprise, instead of going to join her friends Bonnie followed me to my locker.
"Bon, aren't you going to hang out with the other cheerleaders?" I asked, confused as to what was going on.
"Not today Ron. Whether you believe it or not, you've changed me." That was obvious. "You've made me realize I don't need to care about what other people think about me; it's what my friends think that matter. And, even though I'm probably not really your friend, you're my first real friend ever." I really needed to hear something like that; it was an oasis in the middle of the desert. I enjoyed her company for fifteen more minutes before we headed to our first period class. The morning crawled by uneventfully, and I headed towards lunch, surprised when I felt a hand on my shoulder.
"May I join you for lunch Onstoppable?" asked a very beautiful Bonnie. I cracked a smile at that comment.
"Sure thing, Bon," I said. For the first time since Kim left me, I didn't eat lunch alone. As we were talking, a few of the cheerleaders walked over.
"Like, what're you doing with the loser, Bonnie?" asked one of them. I sighed. No matter what I do, I can't escape the harsh realities of high school life. I then saw Bonnie look me in the eyes, before turning around to face the cheerleaders.
"He's not a loser," Bonnie said. "He's Ron Stoppable, a kind, loving, and extremely loyal human being. If you gals weren't being stuck-up bitches, maybe you'd realize just how rare and valuable someone like Ron is." Did I just hear what I thought I heard? The stunned expressions on the cheerleaders' faces were proof that I did. She just risked her own popularity to defend you, Ronny.
"Like, chill Bonnie. We just thought that you, like, thought he was the biggest loser in the world."
"Well, I was wrong, okay?!" said an exasperated Bonnie. I could tell she really hated having that aspect of her past drudged up. The cheerleaders, as stunned as I was, just walked away chatting amongst themselves.
"Bonnie, I—thanks." God, you have to stop being so surprised by Bonnie's actions. Just because she ditched you from time to time for her other friends doesn't mean Bonnie will.
"No problem, Ron. Now what were we talking about again? Oh, that's right, naked mole rats…" Lunch flew by quickly, and we realized we had to head to our next class. Ironically, Bonnie and I had almost all of our classes together, and Calculus was one of them. The only difference was she had an A, and I had a D-. We strolled down the hallway, talking about anything and everything. I could feel some my pain easing away, but I still felt the harsh wounds from her betrayal.
As the final bell rang, I headed straight towards my car to wait for Bonnie. Surprisingly, wait, why am I still surprised by anything? Anyway, Bonnie had arrived there first, just loyally waiting with a huge smile on her face.
"You were right Ron!" she said excitedly. "Normal people actually talked to me today and actually tried to get to know me, the real me."
"Normal people?" I asked, inquisitive.
"You know…those people who don't try to be super glamorous. Just those everyday people you find in school."
"See, Bonnie, I told you people would like you for who you are."
"Yea…and it's all thanks to you! I just realized I've probably said thanks to you at least a million times," she said. I smiled at that comment. One never gets tired of hearing sincere gratitude.
"How would you like to stop by Bueno Nacho first, Bon? I'm starving."
"Same here. It sounds great."
After I went to Bueno Nacho yesterday, I discovered that I could still enjoy the food as long as I had Bonnie to take my mind off of her. To be honest, I don't think I could live without their food. We walked in to Bueno Nacho, and Bonnie took a booth while I went to get food. When I found the booth she took, I realized it was our booth, the one we shared since children. A wave of nauseating emotions swept through me, and I visibly shuddered.
"Is everything okay?" Bonnie asked, with a worried expression on her face.
"Yea, everything's okay, Bonnie," I said, trying to do my best to sound normal. Bonnie once again showed her good character by not prying. We started on the food and, to my surprise (Why are you still surprised?) she made a Naco.
"You're right, this stuff is good," she said, finishing it off quickly. "You're very—" she broke off. I saw her eyes shift upwards, looking behind me. I turned around, and saw none other than her.
Time froze. Sixteen years of friendship flashed when I looked into those eyes. Why did things have to change? Why couldn't they have stayed the way they were? More importantly, why couldn't you? Why did you have to become shallow and get drowned by high school life?
"Hi, Kim," Bonnie said, lacking the usually condescending resentment. Remember, she's turning over a new leaf and being nice to her is part of the transformation. Besides, she still thinks that she is your best friend.
"Bonnie," she said icily. "What a surprise to see you here, and with Ron nonetheless. What's your vile plan this time?'"
"Jeez, Kim, you'd think you could cut me some slack here? I made some mistakes in the past and said things that I really regret. Besides, didn't you already get what you wanted by kicking me off the cheerleading team?"
"That wasn't just me," she said coldly. "Everyone wanted you off for being so shallow, immature, narcissistic—" I couldn't just sit here and let Bonnie be insulted like this.
"Kim, that's quite enough," I said quietly.
Kim's POV
I can't believe Bonnie. What does she take me for? And Ron…how could he just betray me like this? Consorting with the enemy?
"Kim, that's quite enough," I heard him say to me, cutting off my verbal assault on Bonnie.
"W-w-what?" This couldn't be Ron; he'd never betray me like this, no matter what I did.
"Kim, I said that's enough. If you don't have anything better to do except to insult Bonnie, then I'm going to have to ask you to leave us alone." I looked at him and noticed he refused to make eye contact. He was staring blankly at the ground. I turned to Bonnie.
"Look here, bitch, I don't know what you want with Ron, but I am not just going to sit here and let you manipulate him." This is a new low even for Bonnie, taking advantage of Ron just because…of what I did to him. The thought hit me hard.
"Listen Kim, I know we haven't always been the best of friends…" I glared at her. "Okay, maybe we've never even liked each other, but I'm willing to turn over a new leaf with you." Did she take me for a fool?
"Whatever, Bonnie. Just listen and listen clearly: STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM RON." Everyone in the restaurant turned to stare at me. "He's been through enough…" I said sadly. God Ron, I'm so sorry. I wish things could have been different.
"And who's fault is that?" said a bitter voice. Ron, how could you? Don't you see she's manipulating you, using you as a weapon against me? I was too stunned to move, and I found a pair of arms around me: Josh Mankey's. Oh God, this was awful timing.
"Come on Kimmy, I got the food." He looked down and saw a despondent Ron and a confused Bonnie. "Oh, um, hi Bonnie…Ron?" Yes, he was just as confused about it as I was, but I could tell he really didn't care that much.
"Yea, Kim, maybe you should go," I heard Ron say quietly. He seemed so sad, and it really hurt me. I walked away silently with Josh, hearing him tell me about something that I wasn't paying attention to. Whatever Bonnie does to him, it's your fault Kim. You drove him to this, strung him along and let him fall.
"KP, you okay?" For a split second I thought it was Ron, but I realized it was just Josh calling me by my initials. Do you honestly still expect Ron to come back to you?
"Yea, just…fine, Josh," I said, lying like crazy. We sat in silence for a few minutes before I excused myself to go to the restroom; the truth was, however, I had to see how Ron and Bonnie were doing. When I walked over to their booth, I found it empty; they had already left. I returned to my table, knowing I couldn't sit idly by; I couldn't just let Bonnie take advantage of such a vulnerable Ron. Funny, don't you remember why he's so vulnerable?
"Josh, I have to go. I'm not really feeling too well. I'll catch you at school tomorrow," I said, running out of the door to my car. I had to call Ron and make sure he was okay. What I did to him was unforgivable, true, but that didn't mean I could just let him go down this path.
Ron's POV
Kim walked away, leaving me with the bitter memories of that day. I could tell Bonnie was pretty confused as to what was going on, and I decided that she deserved to know.
"Come on Bonnie, let's go," I said to her quietly. She silently obeyed, following me to my car. It was a silent car ride back to Bonnie's mansion.
"Ron, you coming?" Oh yea, I told her I was going to her house after school.
"Yea, just let me park my car," I said, knowing that my voice must have sounded lifeless.
We went inside Bonnie's luxurious house, and she led me to the living room with a huge, flat-screen television.
"I'll get some snacks just in case, Ron," she said sweetly. True to her word, she returned with a few bags of chips and cookies. "Listen Ron, I'm sorry about what happened today; I just wish I could help you…"
"Bonnie, I think it's about time I told you what really happened," I started quietly. "You know, I've known Kim for sixteen years, but I guess I never really knew her…" As I went on with the story, trudging up hurtful memories of betrayal and solitude, I could feel tears trickle down my face. "And you know what? She never thanked me, not once for saving her life. I went down and trekked through the fucking Amazon, risking my life to save hers, while she's here risking her life to go out with Josh Mankey. Maybe if I had seen the signs earlier, it wouldn't have come to this…" Bonnie just sat there listening intently, sometimes stopping to chew silently on a cookie. She seemed really pissed off.
"Ron, I never knew…how could you up with that shit?" she yelled. "You've got to be one of the nicest and most loyal people alive, and she treats you like shit! Oh sorry, I'll let you finish your story…"
"So anyway, the trouble started to die down, so we didn't go on missions much. Basically, when summer came, I'd just sit around on the couch all day watching tv. Kim called a few times, but she was always busy with someone else. That was the point where I started to see that she was taking me for granted. I got the vibe that she didn't want me around anymore. Just as I was about to lose hope, she calls me up and invites me to go back to school shopping with her at the mall…" I went on to tell Bonnie about the event that set in motion the destruction of our friendship.
Bonnie's POV
I was seething inside, just hearing Ron tell me about what Kim did to him. How the Hell could she be so ungrateful? You'd think after knowing him for over sixteen years she'd realize just how rare he was; I guess not, since she just ditched him for Josh Mankey. God, she's shallower than I was; how did no one else notice? It's because you made him out to be a loser, Bonnie, and everyone else just tagged along with that statement. No one knew about Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable being more than friends, and no one knows about Kim just ditching Ron like excess luggage. He never had anyone to talk to. Well, that's about to change. Ron has me now, and I'm going to do my best to make him happy again.
"So, for the next few weeks I didn't talk to Kim at all; she acted as if I had never existed. Then, Monique comes up to me one day and tells me that Kim actually missed me and wanted to talk to me; I know it doesn't sound like much, but I really, really liked Kim. Just the thought that she missed me made me extremely happy, and her wanting to talk to me again just made all my anger melt away. I've known her for so long, Bon, and when you're that attached to someone and don't talk to them for a few weeks, any news from them is golden..."
"Ron, your relationship with her must have been...magical. I think your loyalty is the only thing that held it together for so long."
"Thanks," he said, proceeding to continue on with his story. How could you Kim? Even after all that, he still comes running to your side, and you ditch him again for Josh Mankey. He's cute and all...but did you realize what you risked losing? There's plenty of cute guys out there, Kim, but there's only one Ronald Stoppable. Even though I've only known him for a few days, I felt a sudden rage at the injustice of it all. Why did he, the kinder and more loyal half, have to suffer the most? Why did he try to hold together a dying and one-sided relationship? It's his loyalty, Bonnie, and his will to try to make things right and better for his friends.
"...and then Homecoming came. As it had been for the past two years, I didn't have a date. I went with Kim freshman year, but after that she, well, changed, and that's what hurt me most about homecoming. Not just being alone, but being without her. I really did love her Bonnie…"
Kim, you had it all, and you threw it away. Don't you see? If all your beauty, popularity, and happiness left you, Ron would still have been there by your side. Can you say that about anyone else? Can any of us?
"...so imagine my surprise when she showed up at my doorstep. I was really irritated at first because of all the things she had done, but when I saw her sobbing face I knew I had to take her in. That's when I told her I loved her..." The signs are obvious Ron. You trekked through the treacherous Amazon Jungle just go save her life. You've been through Hell for her, followed her more loyally than humanly possible. "And you know what? That was the day I thought I had become liberated. She said she loved me back, and she just slept there in my arms..." I stayed silent.
"...the happiness and bliss for the next two months were ineffable. I've never felt so happy in my life; then one day, she asked that we go out to Bueno Nacho. That started off as one of the best days of my life..." I heard him tell me about how many times they've been there together, carefree and chatting the days away. I felt even more envy and hatred towards Kim.
"...I-I-I don't love you Ron..." Oh my God. I felt such an intense hatred at that moment, that I had to hold my breath to keep from yelling. She just led him on for two straight months and then ditched him? How much lower can you get than that? Ron was close to tears now, I could tell. To be honest, I wanted to just reach out and cry with him.
"Bonnie, are—are you okay?" Even after all this, he's asking me if I'm okay. "Ron, I never knew...I'm so sorry," I said, finally allowing the tears to fall. "She, she had no right to do what she did. I'm just so sorry," I said, trying to prevent more tears from falling.
"I—thanks, Bonnie, for caring. I didn't think I could face all this alone this time." He was sobbing now. How could he not? He had just brought up the most painful memories of his life.
"I'm here for you, Ron, and I won't leave you. I'm not going to let you go through this alone." A few minutes of silence passed between us. There was nothing awkward about it, just a natural, comfortable silence where we both mulled over our thoughts. The ringing of the phone broke me out of my reverie.
"Hello?" I asked, trying to sound normal. I heard a yell from the other end.
"BONNIE, LET ME TALK TO RON, NOW!" It was none other than Kim Possible, the bitch who had betrayed her one of a kind best friend.
"Listen, I'm not going to let you hurt Ron anymore than you already have Kim." Who was she to have the right to demand to talk to Ron after what she did?
"You don't know anything, bitch," came the icy tone from the other end.
"You're right," I said. "I only know that you ditched Ron for Mankey because of his looks, and he still let you back into his life, which was probably the biggest mistake of his life. He treated you like a queen and you pushed him away, breaking his heart in the process because you were too shallow to realize just how priceless he really is." There was a stunned silence on the other end, before I heard some whimpering, followed by a click.