Our Place in the Food Chain: Part VIII

Kim stood at her locker, tapping her foot, looking at her watch. Please, please don't follow me back here she thought over and over as she waited for Ron. Seconds ticked by slowly, lunch period slipping away in tiny bits and pieces. She didn't know how she would react if Cary appeared once more. Maybe he got the message. Me, boyfriend, got. Would that even matter? What about her hesitation this morning? How would he interpret that? Would he see it as a challenge or would he simply move on. Was she reading more into this than she should? Maybe he was just making the rounds, asking lots of girls, he just happened to ask one he knew from TV.

Where was Ron? She thought he would have been there by now, especially since she was toting their food. That is, unless he went straight to the caf to sneak some mystery meat before eating the much healthier food her mother had prepared for them. He wouldn't do that, would he?

Come on, Ron. I need to see you right now. I need to look into your eyes so I'll know that it's you. I need to know this is all just what my eyes are telling me, not my heart.

There was a sharp 'thwack' sound quickly followed by a sharp pain on the back of her head. She spun around on Monique who was about ready the flick her on the skull once more. "Ow, what was that for?"

"Oh, you know what it's for. Girl, what were you thinking?" Monique had one eyebrow up, the rest of her face scowling.

She had a sinking feeling she knew where this was going, but tried to play it cool anyway. "Thinking? I haven't done anything."

"Oh, they why is everyone I talk to buzzing about Kim and some new bit of hotness named Cary? Girl, they have you doing everything from talking at your locker to playing tonsil hockey in the janitor's closet." She said, standing there with her hands on her hips as if she was correcting a small child.

"Ew, no. He just introduced himself to me and we've got first and third periods together, that's all." That was the honest truth, though it didn't include what had been going on in her mind at the time.

"Are you sure, cause I remember the look on your face the last time hotness like that showed up. Or need I remind you about another four-letter-word?"

"Don't even say it." She growled. "Besides, if I remember right you were just as taken with that thing as I was."

"Uh huh, so tell me. What did you do the moment he walked up to you. Were you like 'hey' like you are with anyone or did your eyes get big as saucers while you stammered before saying hi?"

"I…I…"

"I thought so. Girl, I know you've got it bad for Ron but you've got to reign it in when some pretty guy pays you some attention. You've got it pretty tight with the boy, but he doesn't have a track record with anyone but that Zita girl, if he even gets a hint you're crushing on somebody else he's going to be the one crushed." She said with emphasis.

"I'm not crushing on the new guy. I've got Ron and that's all I ever need."

"Glad to hear it. Just so you've got the heads up. Be glad your man doesn't have his ears to the ground like I do."

"I know Monique. I so don't want to spend the next week doing damage control."

"Well, be warned. There are a whole lot more eyes and ears on you than ever before and don't forget Rockwaller. She may not have said two words to you this year but you know it's coming."

The thought that something like this could get to Bonnie scared her, badly. "Yeah, I was kind of expecting that to start tomorrow at the first cheer practice. I've got a little reprieve from her since we don't have any classes together."

"Just be careful. Word is she's on the warpath since Brick never got back together with her. It'd be just like her to latch onto something like this to drive a wedge between you and your Ron."

"It's no big, Mon. Cary and I just said hello, nothing more. I wasn't holding his hand or letting him carry my books or playing hide the tongue with him." She cringed inwardly. A few months ago she would have been thinking of that very thing. She may not have kissed many boys before Ron, but that didn't stop her from thinking about it, fantasizing what it may be like to lock lips with such major hotness.

That was a stupid thing to think about. Ron could knock her socks off the way he kissed. If he asked for it, if he really, really wanted it, he could knock a whole lot more than her socks off. For now she was content to wait for such things, but all it would take was for them to decide the waiting was over and this time she wouldn't chicken out at the last possible moment. That wasn't going to happen. They were happy with where their relationship was right now. There wasn't any pressure to take it to another level they weren't really ready for.

"Uh huh. Well, here comes your main man now." Monique nodded in Ron's direction as he rounded the corner, moving slowly, his head hanging like he'd been punched in the gut. "You hanging at BN tonight?"

Kim frowned, watching her boyfriend's approach. Then she realized what she had been asked. "I don't know. I've already got a lot of homework to do. Might have to take a rain check on that"

Monique nodded and beat a hasty retreat as Ron wandered up. His head was low, looking like the rug had been pulled out from under him. It was a sharp contrast to his disposition this morning. She wondered what could have caused the shift until she remembered a certain faculty member making his way toward his first period class. Well, it had been a beautiful dream, if only for a day.

"Hey, Ron." Kim said as brightly as she could, trying to lift his spirits. She opened her locker, throwing her backpack into the voluminous bottom after unpacking their lunches. Ron half-heartedly did the same, not bothering to open his.

She glanced around. Most of the crowd had already headed for the cafeteria but they didn't have to go there. They might not have had the privilege of leaving campus for lunch as Seniors had before them, but they could still eat outside on the commons. It was a bright, warm day and the ground had more than twenty-four hours to dry after yesterday's rain. It was as close to a picnic as they could come, especially since they wouldn't have to wait in line to purchase the over-processed, over-cooked slop. That wasn't why she was looking around though.

The coast was clear, there were no teachers or other faculty to be seen. Holding the locker door open to screen them partially from view she grabbed Ron by the back of the neck, pulling him in for a very deep kiss, her mouth playing over his, her tongue exploring his mouth, her movements quick, voracious and hungry. It was a kiss that seemed to say she agreed with the naughty little suggestion Ron's hand gesture made earlier that morning.

Fear of incurring the wrath of the school administration aside, Ron eagerly gave into the surprise kiss, forgetting, at least for the moment, where they actually were. He found his hands on her hips, pulling her body close to his, his back leaning up against the frame of her locker. She was back in her usual white crop top with a pink heart, with matching pink capris, so it was her bare waist he was holding. Unconsciously his hands started edging just barely into the top band of her pants, causing them to ride slightly lower on her hips. He really appreciated the fact she wore her pants so loose sometimes. Her body pressed up against his as they lost themselves in the embrace. She could feel her chest mashed up against him, her stomach meeting his. For a fleeting moment she even considered unbuttoning the bowling shirt he had put back on at her house that morning. It didn't last long, but they were able to forget just where they were, reliving some of the better moments of their recently departed summer.

She broke it off finally, checking the hall around them in case anyone had turned a corner while their faces were mashed together. Her body was still leaning into his, her weight supported against him, her hips twitching back and forth ever so slightly. Only a few other students wandered by, some giving Ron the thumbs up. He didn't see them because his eyes were still firmly shut. Emboldened, she leaned against him even harder and kissed him again, one arm over his shoulder, the other hand gripping the back of his head, running through his short hair.

It was Ron who finally pulled away this time. "Whoa. Not that I'm complaining but what brought that on?"

She gave him two or three more quick kisses before putting her head on his shoulder. "Ronnie, I really need some alone time with you. I can't wait until Friday night." She whispered in his ear. She found herself wanting to kiss him even more, but they were already tempting fate. Word might actually get around to the teachers about what they had been up to. Of course, there were students who dared the PDA policy all the time, but it usually wasn't straight as an arrow Kim Possible doing it.

Then again maybe word getting around she was making out with Ron was a good thing. Something to counteract the mostly false rumors about her and Cary. No, that's not why she was kissing him. She just needed to reconnect with him, just to have some assurance that what happened to her this morning was nothing more than a reaction to something pretty, not the deep, abiding love she had for Ron. In a week they would have known each other for thirteen years. All that history couldn't be undone just by one look at a pretty boy, one she didn't know at all. For all she knew he could have a thing for stomping on kittens. He was nothing, just nice to look at, that's all.

"I don't know, KP. Barkin took over Trig this morning and he slam loaded us with homework. I've got to do all the problems in chapter 1 tonight."

"Please, Rondo. At least between school and dinner. Let's flake on the Spirit Week meeting and run get your bike."

"Sure, KP, anything for you. I just don't want to fall behind."

"You won't…hey, I just thought of something." She brightened, standing straight up, leaving Ron plastered to the locker as if he was numb all over.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Don't your parents still go to Denver every Tuesday?"

"Yeah, I thought it all had to do with the old Bueno Nacho deal, but they're still going. Maybe it has something to do with their regular jobs."

"Spankin. We'll make a quick appearance at the meeting then. Don't want Bon-bon slipping up and stealing the top spot on us do we?"

"Nuh, uh." He answered.

"Remember studying for exams?" She lightly touched his cheek with her finger.

"Booyah." He said softly, grinning. "We can do our homework…"

"…together." She finished for him. "With appropriate breaks in between. I'll just call my folks and tell them I'm having dinner with you."

"Cool. Maybe Barkin loading me up isn't going to be so bad if this is how we're going to do the work. I like the way you think, KP."

"I do know what's best for you and what you need is some natural Kimminess." She said as she shut and locked the door, turning down the hallway.

"That's not anything like natural Kimness, is it?" He said, grinning but cocking an eyebrow at her.

"No, Kimness is me being a bossy control freak. Kimminess just happened back at the locker."

"Just checking. Don't want the 'team' voting you out in favor of a banjo playing robotic bear."

"I'm not going to kiss a computer controlled stuffed bear. Now, let's get outside before we lose the whole lunch period. I'm willing to bet a certain someone is starving."

"Hrk! Oh yeah!" Squeaked Rufus from Ron's pocket. "Lunch!"

"Yeah, he's hungry too." Ron said, taking her hand as they headed out the door.

A modestly tall, blonde haired young man stood in the shadows not far from their locker and nodded, his mouth curling into a devilish smirk.

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