Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with Kim Possible or Disney, only creative narratives or concepts used in this story.
Author's Update: I landed a new job for the past two years after starting to work out this story and posting chapters. It took an aggressive turn from working five days to working 6 – 7 days a week at the beginning of the following summer. (Still ongoing with the spread of Covid recently running through sections of the company's multiple departments)
Then after year one, I was offered another position, which would've meant being retrained all over again and working odd hours of the graveyard shift, plus the possibility of working on the weekends, leaving me with no extra time or energy to develop the story.
Another issue that I'm tackling; is after re-reading the posted chapters. I spotted too many grammar and spelling errors not being caught or detected with the editing software through Microsoft Word or even showing up on this website spellcheck. I installed some proper software and revised all the errors I could find, even some of the chapters I hadn't posted.
I'm also working out a more believable and engaging manner of dialogue between Ron and the other characters. Looking back, there wasn't much, if not any, so I'm rewriting the story from the start. It'll take some time to where this story feels more coherent and well-fleshed-out instead of the incoherent mess it once was to me.
Now, with a slightly less hectic work schedule coming up (supposedly), I'm diving back into writing again and will start posting with all my free time. Apologize for the shortstop. Future uploads will be spotty. Aiming for 2 - 3 weeks) at best, sadly. With that, on with the story!
This story's rated M +17 for the following:
Suggestive & Sexual Themes
Mild to Intense Violence & Mentions of Gore
Mild & Crude Language
[x-x-x-x]
Talking: "Ha, tell you I didn't do it!"
Thinking: 'You're so full of it!'
Spirit/Spawn Talking: "Welcome, mortal."
Sprit/ Spawn Thinking: 'Curse you, Guardian.'
RPG/Gamer Elements: [Abilities & Notifications!]
[x-x-x-x]
Unstoppable Roleplaying
Act 1:
A Friendly Proposal
4:08 p.m. Friday, Middleton High School
"Aww, c'mon, KP. You've been so busy lately; I can easily see the bags under your eyes." Ron ardently called out to his longtime best friend and walking companion. The friendly duo had just finished the team's scheduled practice for today, which consisted of their expected dance, stretching, and exercise drills, and they were now walking home together.
Ron took the trek as an opportunity to try and coax Kim into hanging out, but she hadn't been too keen on the idea.
The mentioned redheaded turned to face him with a sad sigh, "I appreciate your concern, and I wish I could, but all my spare time is seized up, Ron. As captain, I create the choreography and oversee the team's progress. I won't know until everyone goes through it if I have to rearrange or cut a maneuver or two."
Kim's voice was laced with an irritated tone, "Not to mention my hands are tied with trying to manage training with some members not showing up to practice on time," she finished with a scoff.
Ron nodded understandably at Kim's dilemma. At one point, she even tried pushing the team's scheduled training to later in the day, offering an optional timeframe, but that left other squad members in a difficult position who had planned appointments or engagements they couldn't reschedule and were at risk of missing or flat-out canceling them.
Everyone on the team knew a teammate or two who had other priorities outside of cheerleading; Ron and Kim themselves had part-time jobs, whereas it was rumored that a few of Bonnie's closest friends, or associates, were looking into part-time gigs this year. All Kim could do in the end was to advise anyone who was running late to contact her ahead of time so she and the squad could proceed with their training without further delay.
Kim reached for a loose strain of hair and tucked it behind her ear. "There's also my dance and karate lessons, the volunteer work for the student council I'm doing, and the store manager at Club Banana is holding a meeting that Monique says I have to attend here pretty soon," she divulged to the freckled blond.
"I also heard you wanna sign up for that new summer program at school, the Academic Fit-A-Long, or whatever it's being called." Ron eyed the overachieving cheer captain knowingly, "You're doing too much, KP."
Kim gave him a quizzical look, "I'm fairly sure it's not being called that, and I remember mentioning to you that we should both look into signing up. This new program is supposedly designed to increase our GPAs, and we could at least see each other a little more. Who knows, you might have fun and receive a decent grade in the end."
Kim had initially planned on using the upcoming program to help raise their grades, though she knew Ron needed it more than she did. He wasn't struggling with his grades per se; Ron just needed a bit of polishing, and his numerous mid to low test scores sure weren't helping his efforts.
"I dunno, KP. Mr. B's one of the headliners for this thing, which is already bad news for me, and no one even knew what the events even were," Ron reckoned as they rounded a nearby corner.
"If I show up, Barkin will probably question if I considered the responsibility of signing up. After convincing him that I have, he'll allow me a shot, then start shouting, "Come on now, Stoppable," when I start to struggle, and flat-out advised that I quit wasting his and my time and withdraw."
Ron expertly interpreted the inner workings of his favorite authoritative teacher. "Besides, from what the other students are saying, the whole thing's turning into a dog and pony show for all the popular kids anyway."
Kim looked miffed at the condescending remark but understood where it sprung from. The program didn't start until later in the year, towards the start of summer school, yet signing up for it in advance was available. Only a few snippets of tangible facts about it were made public. One was that your test results would be calculated toward your overall score percentage and significantly boost your grade point average.
How that worked, no one had any clue.
The other known fact was that the program's exhibitions were structured and designed after physically based occupations and were modified with an engaging, dynamic twist. Upon learning this, students from the football team, the disassembled soccer team, and even some cheer squad members decided to register. Of course, some students with no real athletic experience or background signed up, but the overall percentage who had was still substantially more significant.
It was unmistakably clear that almost all the athletic students were among the school's popular crowds. This made it somewhat awkward for the lesser-ranked students looking into enrolling or already had.
And then, the rumors started...and they spread from classroom to classroom and changed from person to person. It was assumed that there was a set prerequisite to be met inside the program that the other more 'esteemed' students already took themselves.
The very same program that wasn't even finalized or fully disclosed yet.
"Still, it doesn't change the fact that I'm too busy to hang. Maybe you should use your extra free time for something else useful besides chillin' in front of the TV all day."
"Hey, don't judge me, and I am very mindful of my time, Mom. I'm working alternate weekends at Bueno Nacho and Smarty Mart since business has been slow. Both had offered me half-shifts on the weekends so I could make up any lost hours," Ron said with a pointed finger. "It's not like we all can maintain a workaholic lifestyle, randomly volunteer in the blink of an eye, and still try to date like it's going out of style."
"Oh, shut up," a flushed Kim snapped back, resenting both the dating and workaholic quip. "Eric and I just started seeing each other a few months ago, and technically-" Kim caught Ron's sideways glance, a mischief glint in his eyes, and felt her blush deepen. "Don't say it."
"Hm, don't say what?"
"You were gonna say that I acted like a love-crazed schoolgirl when he asked me out." Even though Ron turned his head slightly, Kim could still feel his taunting gaze.
"Well, you are a female student, KP, which would make you a schoolgirl, and it's pretty wild how you can just claim to know what I'm thinking." Ron kidded sarcastically.
"You were thinking it, though," she accused.
"Oh? Then what am I thinkin' right now?" Ron challenged.
"I'm not a mind reader, Ron. I know you and know how your mind works...sometimes." Kim irritatingly confessed.
"Wow, that's some third-eye action you got." Ron sounded unimpressed, "But since I'm the greatest friend in the whole wide world, I'll gonna level with ya. You were more like a love-struck banshee. I swear I can still hear both you and Mon's girlish shrieks when blabbing on and on about it."
Without turning, Ron expertly sidestepped a punch aimed at his shoulder and craned his head to face his attacker. Kim eyed him warningly, her face burning with embarrassment. "Whoever said siding with a woman is the best thing for a guy obviously didn't know what they're talking about," the smirking mascot jested.
"Not when you immaturely tease them," Kim grumbled weakly.
"Sounds like someone's a little pent-up, maybe even overworked." Ron coyly slid out of Kim's reach and resumed walking, "You really should listen when I say you need to relax, KP, especially if a simple wisecrack's gonna rile ya up."
Kim narrowed her eyes at Ron's retreating form. She admittedly had felt overly burdened by her responsibilities recently but didn't feel or see it as an overall concern. Kim consistently attacked any school assignments or volunteered side projects with sheer determination, care, and focus, frequently succeeding or passing with excellence.
She learned at an early age that she possessed an exceptional work ethic and drive, thriving just as fiercely, if not more so, when facing a challenging situation.
And yet here was Ron, one of her longest and closest friends, who could tell with a glance that she was slowly reaching her wits end with everything she endured. Kim often maintained a calm demeanor under pressure, but Ron frequently bragged to her he had a sixth sense when it came to guaranteeing Kim wasn't blindly or entirely in over her head.
She couldn't have been more touched by his overly amiable fondness and, at the same time, just as mystified.
Ron could sometimes be one of the most oblivious people she knew, then as insightful as an adult a moment later, and unexpectedly proclaim he saw a flying monkey gunning for his head, all within the same day. Kim chalked his hyper randomness up to Ron's "Never Be Normal" mentality.
The redhead quickly caught up to the blond, purposely bumping his shoulder, and stuck her tongue out. "You know I'm gonna get you back for that, right?" she uttered. Ron chuckled at the meek threat and enjoyed the silent victory dance in his head as they continued onward.
As they made it closer to their homes, Ron's thoughts soon drifted toward Kim, specifically her boyfriend, Eric. Due to the redundant nature of their conversations, he was an almost constant topic, which wasn't always a pleasant exchange on Ron's end.
Initially, it wasn't a bother for him when Kim first tried her luck at the whole dating scene during middle school. However, things turned problematic when she and the newest high schooler, Eric, became a couple. Upon meeting him for the first time, Ron instinctively knew they had nothing, absolutely nothing, in common.
At best, Ron was a C+ student, a great mascot of his own accord, and a frequent gamer with mad skills too shocking to witness. He wasn't like Eric, who had primarily straight A's, was a jock, more athletic (hence being a jock), and was seen as positively handsome. Though that part was mainly in the general female students' shared opinion, Ron thought he was just meh, in terms of looks.
The one thing they did have in common was their relationship with Kim, which had caused some unwanted tension among the pair.
Ron would contact Kim on any of her days off from work or after the numerous extracurricular activities she took to see if she wanted to kick it, only to find out that Eric had beaten him to it. Kim would apologize, promising that they'd spend time together next time. The blond teen understood that Km was unfortunately caught in the middle and had the final say on whom she'd preferred to hang out with, and she had picked Eric more times than Ron would've expected.
Eric also had the occasional tendency to interrupt the two besties whenever possible. He'd show up early at Kim's house, offering her a ride to school or intruding on the pair during their lunch break. It was really infuriating when Kim and Ron were having a cram session in the school's library, and Eric would show up, greet the pair, and effectively pull Kim away from a resentful Ron.
The whole situation became quite frustrating, and Ron immediately expressed his misgivings to Kim. She, too, had noticed this but didn't seem to mind her boyfriend's excessive affection (name a girl that wouldn't) and determined that jealousy played a part on Ron's behalf.
He sighed audibly, "He's not even here, and I'm annoyed already," Ron scoffed at the injustice.
Kim heard this and caught the despaired look on Ron's face and skillfully put two and two together. "You're thinking about Eric, aren't you?"
"No," Ron replied quickly.
"Ron?" Kim pushed assertively.
Ron groaned, ultimately caving in. "It's not on purpose; he keeps popping into my head whenever I'm with you now, which sucks, by the way."
Kim let out an exasperated breath. She knew where Ron's dislike of her relationship with Eric came from and couldn't truthfully fault him for it. There were times when neither of them could have a decent conversation that didn't involve Eric being brought up or showing up in person, which usually caused Ron to clamp up or politely excuse himself if the couple were together.
"I'd wish you'd both figure out your problems with each other." Kim expressed, "It's a bit embarrassing and frustrating that my best friend and boyfriend can't seem to get along."
"You're exaggerating, KP."
"Oh, am I? I've never once seen you two talk to each other. You greet Eric, and he greets you." Kim pinched her nose, "I know you don't like me dating, but seeing you two like that is uncomfortable, especially since you both are important to me and help support the team."
"You sure you're not talking about yourself and Bonnie?" A mock gasp fled Ron's lips, "Maybe whatever you two have rubbed off on me. I can't say the same for Eric, though."
"I'm serious, Ron. I'd like for you two to attempt to get along better."
"Have you tried talking to Eric about this? He intrudes on us when we're spending time together, whereas I give you and him enough space to do whatever, no questions asked." Ron countered. He may not have liked Eric's company but respected Kim enough not to pry into their affairs or feel like a third wheel.
Kim was silent before replying, "I've talked to him about it, and he's confident that you're unwilling to hear him out or give talking to him a try."
"And how the hell would he know that? We don't talk to each other, remember? And let's not forget he's also friends with some of the jocks that like to bully other students, including me."
Kim became slightly irritated hearing Ron's point. "They're his teammates, Ron; you know that. Eric's not the type of a person who condones that behavior."
"I never said he was, but his so-called teammates would, and you know what they say about the company you keep." Ron could feel his irritability rise at the topic of conversation, even more so since he unintentionally brought it up in the first place.
This was the longest he and Kim had been able to talk without being separated or interrupted from one another. He didn't want to spend it talking about his disklike of Eric. "I know it's just me talking' here, but couldn't you wait to start dating after graduation?"
"No, Dad," Kim huffed at the suggestion. "I'm lucky to be well off to where my parents trust me enough to date with reasonable demands attached. Seriously though, this whole jealousy thing needs to stop, Ron."
"For the last freakin' time, I'm not jealous of Eric, and news flash, he's not jealous of me either. We're just too opposite to get along, period. This isn't like the time when you dated Josh and practically dropped everything whenever he popped into view." Ron noticed Kim's awkwardness from bringing up her past fling but ignored it. "The only one who didn't seem to mind you two dating was Bonnie. It allowed her to step back into leading the team during practice when you began arriving late."
Bonnie also commented that Kim must've been fully content finger-panting with her new boy toy to ignore her duties to the team. Ron and the squad members could see Bonnie practically chomping at the bit to take over as team captain, with Kim having a noticeable stumble or two. If it had come to it, the brunette would've likely held a team meeting and presented a vote for the group to reinstate her back as captain.
All the squad members had the power to voice any concerns or grievances on the team's behalf so any unfairness or favoritism wouldn't be at play when making a group decision. And while Bonnie wasn't a horrible choice as captain, Ron knew Kim wouldn't go down without a nasty fight.
Ron was grateful their relationship was so short-lived. After she and Josh had broken up, Ron admitted he was only slightly jealous, primarily out of fear, of being neglected or replaced by the more sophisticated, attractive student. Kim's words, not his.
Kim outright laughed at him, assuring Ron that nothing like that would ever happen between them. Though for the past few months, Eric's continuous pestering made it feel like it could honestly happen, which terrified him.
"Though I'm pretty sure Josh must've had a good laugh when he found out about the time I got shoved into the janitor's closet because a certain someone overreacted-"
"I said I was sorry! I even apologized to your parents, who didn't believe you," Kim interjected apologetically.
That incident happened to Ron when Josh had come to Middleton during the month of the upcoming Spring Dance. As the second first period started, the new artistic middle schooler had drawn damn near every female student's eyes. A week into his arrival, rumors were floating around that the young artist was thinking about asking one of the three girls, Kim, Bonnie, or Tara, out as his date/girlfriend for the upcoming dance.
Though these rumors held no shred of truth, Ron could see the giddy enthusiasm in both Kim and Bonnie during cheer practice and in the classroom. He did recall Tara being the least enthusiastic of the trio and seemed incompliant about attending the dance entirely for reasons unknown.
Josh eventually approached Kim and Ron by their lockers following the rumors. In her flustered state, Kim unexpectedly shoved Ron into the janitor's closet next to them, thinking he would embarrass her with his silly antics. Ron was locked in there for the remainder of the day and could only thank God that it happened after he had gone to the bathroom.
Thanks to Joe, the janitor, Ron was freed from the closet early Saturday morning, to his enormous joy. Joe had come in early to set up mouse traps in the cafeteria and heard Ron snoozing from inside. He retrieved his phone from his locker; Ron had put it there before gym class and called his parents to let them know what had happened to him.
"I know, and I'm not that mad at you." Ron turned his gaze toward the sky in retrospect, "Maybe I should see a professional or something. Being treated as a loser has been a little of a drag."
Ron wasn't stupid as some people would believe him to be. He understood the realities of both his and Kim's school lives. Whereas she was a popular A+ student with the looks and attitude to match and attract everyone, she met with her outstanding achievements, upbeat personality, and unmatched school spirit. Even with his connection with Kim, others didn't view Ron as someone ever to be affiliated with, period.
He wasn't an extraordinary or highly admired student to warrant any respect. Most merely judged him as an immature or irresponsible student due to his whimsical anecdotes or easy-going behavior, without knowing anything about Ron except word of mouth from other students who fleetingly interacted with him for the time.
He did have some popularity to his name as the Mad Dog mascot and even tried socializing with the other team members. He became friendly with Tara and Crystal and Hope, maybe. Ron wasn't too sure about those two.
They briefly shared a conversation when the two cheerleaders were chatting about a clothing line that Ron had insight into from his time shopping with Kim and Monique. He decided to chime in with his opinion, and since both the girls didn't tell him to beat it, he held his own in a surprisingly pleasant conversation. Crystal and Hope didn't seem too bothered by this and even had short and brief discussions with Ron when they initiated them.
Ron, at one point, found himself in front of Bonnie, who, on occasion (every time within earshot), barked rude comments about him or Kim. Most were aimed primarily at Kim for apparent reasons, and Ron thought better of talking to Bonnie, already knowing the outcome of approaching the snarking brunette. Any other attempts to mingle with anyone else on the team went down the drain the second Ron greeted himself.
He also sensed that the entire team only put up with him because of his affiliation with Kim, which was kind of depressing.
"Don't listen to anyone who says that crap! You're not a loser; you're a great guy and the best friend I could've ever asked for." Kim looked Ron straight in the eye, stopping directly in front of him before continuing, "You're incredibly creative, a hard worker, thoughtful of others-"
"You forgot devilishly good-looking."
"Don't interrupt me," Kim eyed him with a soft glare. "You never bail on your friends whenever we need help, and you're a total beast in the kitchen." Every word Kim expressed held a special place in Ron's heart, and he was grateful for it.
Releasing an unintentional breath, Ron jumped back to the main topic of discussion.
"Look, let's rewind. Back to what I was saying, you need a day to decompress and chill, as do I. And I'd rather spend my time with the most awesomeness, kickass, greatest person I know, just so long as Mrs. P. doesn't know I said any of that." Ron slyly threw in, hoping to charm the redhead.
Kim snorted at the buttering-up attempt but felt her lips curl upward against her willpower. "Alright, look. I'm not completely free, as Monique and I have plans tomorrow, but Mom and Dad have been asking about you. How about swinging by and catching up with my folks for dinner around seven? Maybe I'll convince Mom to make her famous meatloaf." Kim hoped this would please him.
"Hell yeah!" Ron's mood immediately exploded with joy as he jumped in exultation. "I'm so down for Saturday! Mrs. P and I will throw down in the kitchen together; I'll watch some wrestling with the boys and catch up with Mr. P. Who knows, maybe I'll give him a checklist of all the dudes who've been eyeing his precious little Kimmie-cub."
Kim reached over and smacked Ron's arm for using the nickname her father was so fond of using, much to her mortification. Ron shrugged off the hit and began laughing, and while she wasn't that amused, Kim soon found herself laughing alongside him.
Kim hadn't wanted to mention this aloud, but she reflected on how her present choices affected her friendship with Ron. With her current part-time job, new relationship, and cheerleading being held at an all-time focus, Kim practically lived exclusively for those aspects of her life.
They presented new opportunities and paths for her, and Kim was eager to discover what awaited her. Let it be an advantageous career that challenged her or a prestige scholar course only a select few receive. Kim focused solely on what she needed to do with a purpose or intent towards these goals consistently. This also meant declining to hang out with Ron multiple times, thinking it was a worthless and unnecessary justification to surrender any of her spare time.
Kim immediately felt horrible the second that belief manifested in her mind. It sickened her to consider labeling her friendship with Ron as such, yet her actions nowadays depict it as so.
So, looking across at the blond next to her, who was skipping and twirling in celebration still, and though she was initially persistent, Kim realized just how much she was looking forward to Ron's arrival, yearning for it just as much as Ron himself even did.
Said blond, pivoted around to face Kim, grinning like a madman. "Better leave room for dessert, KP. The Ron-Man's bringing over one of your favs to the party!" Ron overemphasis this by flexing his guns.
Snickering, Kim pushed the cheerful teenager. "Calm down there, stud. I don't think your kitchen can survive all that ego between your shoulders." She jokingly mocked Ron's confident poise.
"How dare you! One does not insult the greatness of my deliciousness!" Ron roared in a poorly, over-dramatic French accent and proceeded to march across the street towards his house when it came into view. He had just reached his front door when Kim yelled over to him.
"Hey, buddy! Better not skip on the goods, or I'll tell Dad about the time you kissed me on Christmas Eve." She threatened with a playful glare aimed at Ron's back.
"So, seven tomorrow sharp, got it, later!"
Ron rashly unlocked the front door, threw it open, and slammed it shut fluidly behind him, officially ending that conversation.
Kim laughed at his retreating figure, "Right back at ya." The Cheer captain began traveling home solo. Kim already apprehended that Ron wouldn't fall victim to her dad's overly protective nature regarding his only daughter.
Still, it never hurt to use that nugget of blackmail material to her leverage.
-XXXX-
A few minutes later, Kim finally saw her house come into view. The front door opened, approaching the house's leading walkway, revealing her mother, Ann Possible. Kim took notice of her mother's hospital attire, giving the impression that she'd just arrived from work.
"Hey, Mom. You just got home too?" Kim reached her mother and hugged her as she stepped into the doorway.
"Hi, sweetie. No, I've been home for a while now. I haven't had the chance to change after seeing your brother's mess in the garage that spilled over into the living room. Decided to tackle that before starting dinner." Ann let go of her daughter and then let out an exhausted yawn, "How was school? Nothing too tiring taxing happened, I hope."
"You sure I shouldn't be asking you that?" Kim observed the weariness on her mother's face, "Tougher day at work?"
"More or less," Ann guided her daughter inside the house, closing the door behind them. "I'm just ready to be done with spending every working hour assisting the new hires. I've been overseeing and correcting mistakes all day again, and I've begun seeing your brothers in a whole new light, believe it or not."
Kim laughed, following her mother into the kitchen. She went to the fridge and grabbed the milk carton while Ann washed up in the sink, preparing for tonight's dinner.
"I know you're a hard worker, Mom; we all love you for that, but dial it back a bit. You're just one person."
Ann gave Kim a sideways glance, watching her pour herself a glass of milk. "I believe your father and I both told you the same thing, young lady. Way before you attended the 4th grade."
Downing the milk quickly, Kim wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, holding her other up defensively. "Hey, it was just a suggestion. All I'm saying, if you keep this up, the bar you and Dad set will be way out of the rest of our reach," she joked wholeheartedly.
"Oh, I'm sure you've raised that bar plenty yourself, Ms. straight A's, and let's not forget your A honor roll status and team captain position. Also, don't you volunteer weekly for your school council and at local businesses like mine or your father's?"
Ann gave her daughter an amused grin as Kim bristled in her chair slightly, "I think you've taken the family motto too seriously, sweetie."
Kim rolled her eyes at that. Her parents always joked about her ambitious spirit and how it was born the second her father uttered the family motto.
Anything's possible for a Possible.
The motto stood as a motivator and, honestly, a catchy slogan. From the tender age of six, Kim energetically applied it to everything she could, including her brief time with the girl scouts when she took the saying to heart, believing it was a true statement once upon a time.
And over the years, Kim hadn't shown any signs of slowing down with the earned achievements and honors, always aiming for a hundred percent in whatever she undertook.
Her parents voiced their praise and underlined concern about their daughter's school and charitable work. Even Ron had given his two cents on the matter, quipping that Kim would turn into a version of Mr. Barkin with her own set of man arms if she didn't stop to smell the roses.
That comment earned him a painful punch to the arm.
Kim frequently assured him and her parents that she had everything managed but knew neither was utterly convinced, especially Ron. Not only did he voice his doubt to her face, but he also took it upon himself to prove a point to the stubborn high schooler.
A week later, following that conversation, Ron went around and secretly gathered Kim's assigned homework from all her classrooms. He copied all upcoming assigned reports, projects, and essays and stored them in a thick green folder. Toward the end of the week, Ron presented the folder to a bemused Kim during their lunch break. She took the folder with a curious look, glancing at Ron for an explanation.
He proudly disclosed his undercover intentions, and Kim was vastly annoyed than anything, thinking Ron was blowing this way out of proportion. Seeing how he went through all the trouble for her, after a friendly back-and-forth, Kim reluctantly took the folder and muttered a weak "thanks" before peeking inside.
She immediately noticed the sheer number of assignments (over twelve different projects) that Ron had accumulated. He also reminded her of the volunteer work she chose to do for the student council that week.
While it took some time, Kim painfully admitted her workload was grander than anticipated and could perhaps take her foot off the paddle a smidge. Ron just smiled at her, taking Kim's admission as a job well done. Knowing him, Kim knew Ron was perfectly content with proving he was right.
Kim hadn't noticed Ron looking at her when her expression became slightly melancholy and wisely remarked it wasn't a flaw to admit when you were way over your head or bit off more than you could chew.
And if Kim couldn't formulate that properly, Ron offered his service to support her ever-growing "Anything's possible for a Possible" list of accomplishments. His services would cost Kim the locked-in payment of $49.99 per day plus taxes.
Kim smiled fondly; she'd laughed hard at her best friend's selfless actions that day. She then remembered when Ron again demonstrated his unfiltered compassion in helping her when Kim had trouble performing her katas for her karate classes.
Ron had offered to help by becoming an active training partner, or what he proudly declared, "The secret master ninja with hands sharper than a thousand knives!" He proclaimed the only way to defeat him was to unleash her warrior spirit and beckoned for the young redheaded grasshopper to make her move.
To this day, Kim hadn't seen any "master" hit the ground with just one punch.
In her next karate class, Kim showed promising headway and aced her test thanks to Ron's assistance, earning her first-ranked belt. A slightly bruised Ron cheered alongside her parents from the sides of the matted arena with an icepack over his right eye.
Lost in memory, Kim quickly recovered and brought up the surprised guest coming for dinner. "By the way, Ron's coming over Saturday. He's been kinda lonely and missing the family, and I may have mentioned that your homemade meatloaf would be the main dish, you know, to help sweeten the deal."
Ann's face lit up, "That's wonderful! I swear, that boy. He's another one that's been too busy lately," Ann eyed her daughter mischievously, "Makes me think that someone's been a major influence on him."
"Hey, you know Ron's a hard worker when he wants to be," Kim defensively opposed. "Don't put that on me."
"Hm, I don't know. Ron's always been a free-spirited child. Perhaps an impulsive redheaded little girl who kept clinging to him when they were younger, dragging him all over this house, begging to have him sleep over every Friday night, likely affected his young mind more than we could've predicted."
"MOM!"
Ann laughed softly at her daughter's expression. She didn't think Kim could blush that hard. "You're too easy, sweetie," Ann went to place a kiss on her daughter's cheek.
"Can't help but notice you're enjoying this too much," Kim grumbled, her flush cheeks refusing to calm down.
"A bit," Ann smirked. "Onto more exciting news; what time's Ron coming over?"
"I told him seven," Kim answered after composing herself. "And he promised to bring over one of my favorites for dessert, so you don't have to worry about dessert. He's got that covered"
Ann caught her daughter's pleasant countenance and snickered to herself. If Ron married any girl, she knew they'd never let him leave the kitchen because of his unbelievable cooking skills.
"I'll make sure the boys and your father know about Ron coming over with your dessert tomorrow," Ann noted sarcastically.
"Thanks; we wouldn't want you to lose the twerps at such a young age, God forbid." Kim gave her mother a smug grin. Ann lightly bopped her on the head as she brushed past. "You love your brothers, so enough of that. Now, go wash up for dinner."
Kim stood from the kitchen counter and headed towards the bathroom, entertaining herself with the future thoughts of tomorrow as she prepared for dinner.
-XXXX-
5:30 p.m. Saturday, Smarty Mart Shopping District
Work for Ron continued at a usual quiet yet gentle pace. There weren't too many shoppers wandering inside the store, which gave him ample time to wrap up his remaining tasks. Ron had just finished restocking the men's and women's clothing aisles, took stock of the store's inventory of pet supplies, and swept the main entrances.
With the dinner with Kim's family still fresh on his mind, Ron's cheerful mood from yesterday hadn't lessened. He hummed an unherdable tune as he finished sweeping. Placing the broom aside, he checked his phone for the time.
"Alright! Got enough time to head home and change, and then it's off to KP's." Ron put the broom back in the supply closet and hurried to the employee lounge to punch out. He grabbed his backpack from his locker and took off his employee uniform/apron. Stuffing all his belongings inside, Ron zipped his bag shut and flung it over his shoulder while headed towards the exit, saying goodbye to another uneventful shift.
He paused; that wasn't entirely true.
Something undeniably eventful did happen during Ron's shift.
When Ron was busy rearranging the displays near the self-checkout, a pair of women walked into the store. Ron caught sight of them out of his peripheral and turned to greet them but instantly clamped up, fully taking in their presence.
There stood Mrs. Rockwaller standing alongside her youngest daughter, Bonnie Rockwaller.
Yes, THE Bonnie Rockwaller, the Queen B herself, Kim's archrival and one of the most popular, and dare Ron to say, hottest girls in school, was less than twenty feet from him inside of Smarty Mart.
Her skepticism and dislike of anything that wasn't high-end were well-known throughout the whole school, possibly the entire town, so seeing her here, of all places, was a monumental phenomenon no one would've believed, Ron included.
He stood there like a deer in headlights for several seconds before Mrs. Rockwaller noticed him and came over, asking for his assistance. Ron composed himself and made his way over with his best smile, never one to turn down a customer. He professionally asked the pair if there was anything he could assist them with, and Mrs. Rockwaller went into explaining their crisis.
Her two older daughters accidentally ruined one of Bonnie's outfits for a party meant for tonight and needed a suitable replacement. Bonnie quickly interjected with a pained expression, saying it wasn't an accident.
Mrs. Rockwaller calmly soothed her daughter and continued, stating that they couldn't return to the original store where Bonnie originally purchased the ensemble. They closed early on the weekends, and it would've been impossible to get an online order at the last minute.
Ron happily led them over to the women's clothing department. He was professional and asked if there was any specific design or brand they were hoping to find, and Ms. Rockwaller gladly gave him her daughter's favorite clothing styles and brands.
Meanwhile, Ron took notice of Bonnie's lack of snarky attitude and remarks during the exchange. She was almost a pleasant experience, even with the stern look glued to her face. It was likely due to her mother nearby that she held her tongue and stayed remotely quiet, though she did give out small snippets of her clothing sizes when Ron had asked for them.
Thanks to the grueling shopping experiences with Kim and Monique, Ron quickly found the exact outfit Bonnie had purchased elsewhere. Ron placed a pair of dark green capric shorts, a set of black stockings, and a black camo-styled tank with a v-cut at the top in Bonnie's hands.
With the younger brunette's stunned approval, Ron proposed a few variations of the same outfit so they'd have a few backups in case this one got ruined.
Mrs. Rockwaller was grateful for his help and couldn't have been happier for her daughter's sake. Ron then proceeded to hand her his employee's ID. She looked down at the card and then back to him dubiously. Ron told her to give it to the cashier. It would add an employee discount for their entire purchase.
Since they did stop here on a whim, he wanted to make their first visit to the store memorable. He could always retrieve his ID during lunch.
Mrs. Rockwaller praised him, stating she would return whenever she was in the area. Ron told her it was his pleasure and bid both mother and daughter a good day. Bonnie had stayed behind, standing next to Ron, while her mother purchased her new threads. Ron turned towards her and politely asked how her day was going, more precisely, what led her to make his day go from boring to mind-blowing in a matter of minutes.
Bonnie gave him her typical demeaning witticisms, with occasional "loser" barbs thrown into the mix. Ron taunted her, saying she could at least find something fresher to say to him. He was a fan of her classics, but not in huge dosage. The blond watched her grumble in annoyance, clearly against the idea of listening to him or making any small talk.
However, after enough pestering on his end, Bonnie surprisingly submitted to Ron and explained how all this occurred in a somewhat civilized manner.
She described how her sisters returned home in the morning and, at some point, barged into her room and noticed the outfit Bonnie had picked for tonight on her bed. One of their friends, who happened to tag along, saw the cute ensemble and wanted to try it on. She was considering purchasing the same outfit herself.
The three proceeded around the town's shopping districts, enjoying their time at a high-end health spa and a very exclusive restaurant in Uptown. After returning from a pleasant evening, their friend took off the outfit, and Bonnie's sisters carelessly deposited it back on Bonnie's bed upon their friend bidding them adieu.
Bonnie returned after her dance recital and went to change for the party and found what remained of her brand-new outfit. The evident stains and slightly stretched-out leggings were proof that someone had worn the outfit, and it went without saying that Bonnie was beyond furious. She was suspicious about who was responsible and stormed downstairs to find her sisters in the living room. She confronted them, seething to the gills.
Her sisters flat-out told her what happened, not thinking it was necessary, and after some shouting back and forth, they remarked that Bonnie could effortlessly replace it if it were so important to her. The store was within a ten-minute drive from their home.
Sadly, Bonnie and her mother learned about the store's early closing firsthand upon arriving, and Mrs. Rockwaller had the bright idea of stopping by Smarty Mart since it was within the area. Bonnie was absolutely against it, but she eventually conceded since she had no other option.
Ron held a sore look towards the brunette and queried why her sisters would do such a thing, knowing the outfit was hers. Bonnie being Bonnie, she finally lashed out, having enough of talking to Ron, and told him to forget everything that happened. She also demanded not to even imply to a living soul she was even within proximity of this store, or there'd be consequences.
Ron coyly jabbed at her reasoning, claiming who'd believe him of all people that the lovely Ms. Rockwaller made her presence known at Smarty Marty, loving the detested look on the brunette's face. He smiled and promised not to tell anyone. Ron even suggested that the entire day was getting to him, making him imagine some of his classmates were some of the customers.
Bonnie looked stunned but gave Ron her usual scowl and left the store with her mother in tow. Ron wasn't sure if this would please the cheerleader, but she wasn't going to say anything about what happened today either, so it was all good in his eyes.
Ron shook his head at the memory, and his gaze found the clock near the building's exit. The time was 5:43 p.m., and the freckled teen uttered a curse before high tailing out of there. He had a surprise dinner to get ready for.
-XXXX-
6:58 p.m., Possible Residence
Ron stood outside his best friend's home, slightly out of breath. The second he reached his house, the blond hurried and quickly dug into his closet to appropriately dress up for tonight. He had the perspective of preparing tonight's dessert at sunrise, a double German chocolate cake with coconut shavings, shaving off a substantial chunk of time he knew was needed after leaving Smarty Mart.
Standing outside, wearing a pair of navy-blue jeans, a clean white t-shirt with a long-sleeved black button-up, and his fanciest pair of dress shoes, Ron did a double-take to ensure he was presentable. He regrettably winced at his aching feet as he impatiently rang the doorbell. 'Running wasn't easy with these puppies on.'
The door soon opened, revealing Ann, who greeted him warmly. She wore an olive-colored fitted pullover sweater and white plaid pants that complimented her figure.
"Long time no see, Mrs. Dr. P! Dare I say you look just as stunning as ever." Ron praised the loving mother of three.
"Oh my, such devilish charm," Ann imitated a swooning gesture, fanning herself. "You must be fending women off on the regular Ron, or dare I say, Mr. Stoppable?" She teased.
"Please, madam, Mr. Stoppable is my father." Ron cleverly deviated, "and that's why I always carry a secret weapon when surrounded by someone of your mesmerizing stature." He then presented the rich, sugary cuisine, winking at the redheaded matriarch. Neither couldn't hold a straight face any longer and broke out in laughter.
Ann composed herself while admiring the young man before her. It didn't surprise her that this was the same little boy who had trouble making friends when he was little. Ron lacked any real self-confidence during his adolescence before befriending Kim. Over the years, he steadily grew more forthcoming and assertive when approaching others. Due to his unprejudiced upbringing, Ron viewed anyone as a potential friend, regardless of their social background.
Yet, when it came to gaining female companionship, whether romantic or pragmatic, he fumbled hard to express himself. Attempting to smooth-talk or haughtily boast about himself to gain their interest never suited him well; it wasn't in his nature to be overly pretentious. So, through trial and error, he redefined his best qualities (his sense of humor, genuine empathy, and quick wittiness) when intermingling with women his age and crafted this over-the-top playful yet charming persona to break the ice.
Ron even received pointers from James on the general concept of what women want from men. Ann could only pray he gave the youngster sound advice; her husband was a bit of a late bloomer when it came to being romantic. Ann moved toward the blond and wrapped him in a warm, loving hug. "I've missed you," Ron gently squeezed her in return, "Missed you more."
Ron hadn't been able to visit the rest of the Possible Clan for a long stretch due to his busy schedule and felt slightly ashamed. The Possibles became his second family after they moved to Middleton. They welcomed him into their home from day one and never looked back. Ron even volunteered at both Ann's and James's jobs. Kim unwillingly dragged him into it at first, but Ron enjoyed his time so much that he even volunteered on multiple occasions by himself.
Pulling apart, Ann began inspecting Ron with a defined observation. Ron smirked at this. It was either Ann's profession or motherly intuition, probably both, that drove her to appraise the health of Ron and her other children.
She'd check for recent signs of stress, undernourishment, and viable injuries, no matter how small. Ron bet Mr. Possible wasn't even safe from his wife's overbearing care at times, and he worked inside the second most protected facility in the city.
'She probably treats her patients the same way too.' Ron inwardly joked.
Ann ceased her examination and led Ron inside. "Come, dinner is almost ready. You can place the cake on the kitchen counter." She informed him. Ron followed behind her and placed the homemade dessert on the counter with the other prepared dishes for tonight's dinner.
"James and the boys are in the living room." Ron could see Mr. P sitting on the couch with the twins, Tim, and Jim, watching tonight's wrestling match, and James was cheerfully rimming his younger sons' favorite wrestler.
"Ha! What did I tell you, boys?! Tell me again how Pain King was gonna take down Steeled Toe!"
The twins franticly screamed at the TV screen, hopping off the couch as they watched Steeled Toe destroying King Pain in the ring.
"Stank Toed cheated! He took a shot below the belt!" Jim yelled at the TV.
"Come on, Ref! Do your job!" His brother Tim followed suit.
Ron grinned, watching the trio. Memories of them crowded around the TV, yelling at the top of their lungs at their favorite wrestlers or guns-blazing action movie heroes, were precious to him.
"Pain King might be my favorite, but Steel Toe isn't a pushover! This match is gonna go down as one for the ages! The Undefeated Heel of Steel vs. The Unrivaled King of Pain! Who'll reign victorious, and who'll taste defeat?!" Ron shouted over his shoulder, washing his hands.
"I hope you guys are recording this; I wanna see the whole thing from the beginning."
"You bet we are. Dad wanted to save this moment, so-
-He paid-per-viewed tonight's match so we could watch it later." Jim effortlessly completed Tim's sentence like always.
Ron still couldn't understand how the boys were able to do that. One could've started a discussion, and the other would have finished it without fault. 'Must be a special twin power,' he silently determined.
"Alright. All three of you, go wash up. Ron, would you mind helping me set the table?" Ann politely inquired as she addressed the members of her family.
"Didn't you know Mrs. P? I'm always up for the challenge." Ron placed the plates and silverware in their preferred spots around the dining room table.
"Aww, just when it was gettin' good!" Both the twins groaned, wanting to see more action.
"Now, boys. We wouldn't want to make both your mother and Ron wait. They'll probably fatten us up as a punishment if we diddy-daddled." James's joked as he guided the twins away from the TV.
"You know you love our mad cooking skills, Mr. P. It's worth the pair of sweatpants you'll eventually buy."
James laughed at Ron's witty retort as he headed upstairs with Tim and Jim in tow. As Ann and Ron finished arranging the table, the blond noticed that Kim hadn't come downstairs when he arrived. He figured she was upstairs in her room talking with Monique, chitchatting about their most gossiped topics. Hot boys, Club Banana's cutest clothes, or which celebs they'd both thought would make a perfect power couple.
"Hey, want me to go grab Kim, Mrs. P?" Ron eyed Ann taking out the infamous zombie brain meatloaf he adored, 'On second thought, maybe I'll just let Mr. P can go grab her.'
Ann placed the meatloaf in the center of the table and turned to face Ron. He noticed her expression became sour as she shook her head, "Goodness, this girl... she didn't call you at all, did she?" Ann's tone was soft and apologetic.
"Huh? KP needed to call me?"
From the sound of Ann's tone, Ron knew she had upsetting news for him. His excitement began to deflate within seconds as he mulled over Kim's questionable absence and apparent lack of contacting him before Ron headed over. A sinking feeling swelled within the pit of Ron's gut as he put two and two together.
"Do I even wanna know why she's not here?" Ron asked with a dissatisfying sigh.
"I'm sorry, Ron. Kimmy got a call from Eric not too long ago. He landed exclusive tickets to a surprise Oy Boyz concert tonight. A few football and cheer members decided to go as a group. Kim texted Monique for a quick ride, and they left here about an hour ago." Ann quietly stated, "She did say she was going to call you to let you know, but...it appears she didn't."
Ron slowly cast his gaze downwards to the table, discouraged. How could someone just up and ditch the plans they offered you for another without a second thought?
'Well, isn't this a kick to the damn teeth?'
His eyes caught Ann looking at him worryingly. He reassured her with a forced smile. "Oh well, her loss. I've been meaning to stop by for a while now, and KP's always off doing other things she deems more important or exciting," Ron then turned back towards the table, "seems to be her new norm." He muttered under his breath.
Ann was about to reply, but Ron called for the rest of the Possible men to come down and chow down. The boys and James came running down the stairs, and Ron turned to Ann and ushered her to an empty seat.
"Come on now, can't let your hard work go to waste," He grinned at her. Ann slowly nodded and smiled as she sat down. She blessed all seated, even those more interested in a particular wrestling match from their not-so-quiet whispered mentions.
All the while, Ron's face held a bleak expression, his mind fixed on Kim's bailing without notice, indicating to him the reprised happenings between the two. He sighed, pained by his best friend slowly losing interest in him, in their friendship. Ron realized too late that the worst thing he feared may have already happened.
-XXXX-
End of Act 1: A Friendly Proposal.