Proper Care

by coldbutts

Summary:

Kim, too weary to endure their now customary exchange of barbs, tossed a, “just buzz off, Bonnie,” over her shoulder. "I already know–”
“What do you even see in him," Bonnie growled from behind her. Surprised, Kim met her gaze in the mirror hanging in her locker. Green eyes on hazel.
Confusion swirled with the exhaustion in Kim’s head. Huh? Not her usual flavor of retort. Not a retort at all. “. . . see in who??”

Chapter 1: The Locker Room

Kim approached her gym locker, moving to return her pom poms and trainers to their rightful place. She let loose a tired sigh. Today’d been particularly draining. Practice had run later than usual, which put more distance between her and her comfy bed at home. Kim frowned. Practice had run later because she just couldn't seem to get a handle on the new choreo. Her flips and tucks were way off. At least it was Friday. Between running around after Dr. Drakken all week trying to stop yet another of his schemes, mountains of homework, her shifts at Club Banana, and now a bad practice under her belt, this week had piled up on her shoulders. 

Her fatigued muscles were a small comfort to her. At least she was going to crash HARD. She looked at a nearby bench longingly. She gave her head a small shake. The faster I’m done here, the closer I am to my bed. The mental image of her cozy bed motivated her to move her tired body, put her gear away, and then finally begin her trek home to rest.

The locker room had blessedly emptied, the clamor of a dozen other girls–hopped up on endorphins and the lure of freedom that the weekend ahead promised–had clanged through the hard-tiled space and painfully rang inside her head. She took a moment to savor the silence blanketing the cavernous space. A shrill BEEP BEEP BEEP-BEEP  suddenly rang out, smashing the quiet spell. Automatically, she brought her Kimmunicator up to her face. With a click of a button, she answered, “What's the sitch?”

Ron’s “HEY KP!” pierced her eardrums before he launched into an excited rant about Bueno nacho. He wanted her to come straight over to try one of their new menu items. Kim had barely begun to explain that she’s too tired to join before Ron interjected, “You only get to taste the explosive new flavors of the blah blah blah for the first time once , KP . . . ” Her brain was too sluggish to process the details. She holds back a weary sigh, noting his excitement. Resigned, she agrees to join him, watching the distance between her and her bed stretching further and further in her mind’s eye. The weight of all her responsibilities pressed down on her shoulders causing them to contract, as if bracing under the heavy burden. Tendrils of this unfamiliar tension vined up her neck and rooted into the base of her skull.

After ending the call, she finally opens her locker. As she bends over to store her shoes, a tight pinching sensation in her upper trapezius stops her movement. Slowly returning to a standing position, she palms her shoulder, squeezing, trying to loosen the now hardened lump of muscle. Maybe some deep breaths will help? She’d learned the relaxing technique during that time she’d saved a Tibetan village from a hangry Yeti. Okay, deep breath in through the nose. She filled her lungs to maximum capacity. Hold it for 5 seconds. She visualized relaxation flowing like water through her veins and into the fibers of her muscles. Slow breath out through the mouth. Upon exhalation, the pinching started to ebb. 

A soft whooshing sound suddenly filled the space, announcing activation of the locker room’s air conditioning unit. A gentle breeze brushed at Kim’s back. As she began to inhale through her nose again, the soft air brought a strong smell of sweat mixed with a hint of faded apricot, juniper–Club Banana Secret’s Bombshell Eau de Parfum, obviously–and . . . something else she couldn’t quite identify. The scent was drawn deeply into her lungs before settling low in her belly as she held her breath. Suddenly, a displacement of the air behind her pricked goosebumps into the back of her neck. A flash of brown skin and brown hair appeared in the mirror hanging in her locker. Bonnie. I guess the room’s not so empty after all. She heard the slightly muffled thud of her rival leaning against the row of lockers at her back. Her heartbeat, which only moments before had drummed a low, steady rhythm, kicked up. Her hand squeezed harder. The muscles in her shoulder refused to loosen any further.

She probably just wants to get on my case about my sub-par performance . I don’t know why I had such a hard time landing that new choreo. The breath she’d been holding burst forth from behind her lips in a frustrated sigh. Kim, too weary to endure their now customary exchange of barbs, tossed a, “just buzz off, Bonnie,” over her shoulder. "I already know–” 

“What do you even see in him," Bonnie growled from behind her. Surprised, Kim met her gaze in the mirror hanging in her locker. Green eyes on hazel. 

Confusion swirled with the exhaustion in Kim’s head. Huh? Not her usual flavor of retort. Not a retort at all. “. . . see in who??” 

“That dork, Stoppable,” Bonnie huffed out, as if irritated at having to explain herself before getting her answer. Kim paused. This was unexpected. They’d veered off the path of their usual dynamic and were in uncharted territory. Why is she asking about Ron? Ever since she started dating her childhood best friend, Kim knew that Bonnie wouldn’t go after him. He was a safe choice. Bonnie reacted as if she had an allergy to people she deemed “dorks” and “losers.” With all the other boys she’d either dated or expressed a modicum of interest, Bonnie was always close by trying to stake her claim. A continuation of a dynamic that took root in middle school and had flourished in high school. Competition. Familiar. So why was Bonnie suddenly interested in Ron? Why did she even care at all? She had the captain of the football team, Brick Flagg, on her arm, securing her place at the top of Middleton High’s social “food chain.” Did Ron suddenly have some secret social capital Bonnie needed according to her twisted high school hierarchy calculus?

Unable to parse the strategy behind Bonnie’s question, Kim’s brow furrowed and an irritated sigh huffed past her lips. "Why do you even care, Bonnie?" she shot back to the mirror, not even bothering to face her fully. “What, tired of Brick? Let me guess, you’re looking to trade-up by– once again –going after what’s already mine,” rushed past Kim’s lips.  

"Ugh, as if," Bonnie scoffed but it was missing its usual mate, a dramatic eye-roll. Instead of turning upward, hazel eyes burned through long lashes, fixed on Kim’s in the mirror. 

“I know you can’t stand Ron, it’s not like you’d actually date him. So again, why do you even care?” The question sounded different this time, no longer accusatory. Her exhaustion and pain combined to steal the bite she’d tried to infuse it with. Confusion seeped through instead.  

“Ugh. Just. We, as cheerleaders, are role models, Kim. We’re at the top of the food chain. Whether you like it or not, people in this school are looking to us to set the bar. It’s bad enough that you’re dating him . But to let him treat you like that? Your crappy standards are a bad look for the team,” Bonnie shot back. 

“Crappy stand–?” Kim began.

“Do you really think yet another “date” under the fluorescent ”—she almost spat the word–“lights at Bueno Nacho where you end up paying for Ron’s completely heinous order because he lost his stupid coupon is the pinnacle of romance?” Bonnie continued, the words rushing out in a torrent, sweeping Kim’s attempted query away after rendering it unnecessary.

“How does what we do off-campus impact how the rest of the school sees the cheerleading squad, Bonnie? That doesn't even make sense.” Bonnie scoffed. Kim’s earlier weariness receded and annoyance stood in its wake. Kim pressed, “Again. Why. Do. You. Care.” Each word punctuated with a squeeze of her shoulder. The knotted muscles were now even tighter than they were before.

“Look, we have a big cheer competition coming up. The squad needs everyone to be in tip top shape. Your performance at practice totally sucked.”

Kim sputtered in confusion, struggling to follow along, “What does practice have to do with who I’m dating?”

“I could see the tension earlier, Kim; the new choreo requires you to be super, like, flexible and limber. You weren’t your usual bendy self, all super stiff most of practice and totally off your game. But your shoulders are even tighter now than they were earlier. I can practically see the migraine forming. Ron’s clearly not helping you relax or at least letting you rest. No! He’s making it worse. He’s not taking proper care of you and I don’t want to see you crash and burn.” 

A beat passed in near silence. The space filled only with the low hum of the air conditioner. 

Bonnie's mouth slightly gaped as she seemed to realize what she’d said. A blush bloomed across her brown cheeks and quickly rushed down her neck, staining the swath of skin above the hem of her uniform a deep russet brown. Bonnie slammed her jaw shut forcefully. “U-us crash and burn. The team, obviously,” she stammered. 

Another silent beat passed. 

“Ugh, I mean, I’m just not eager to lose any competitions because you’re not at your best–because of him ,” the excuse had to force its way between clenched teeth. Kim could almost hear her teeth grinding against each other.  

Her exhaustion was temporarily at bay; curiosity had won. As the hand on her shoulder moved its way upward towards her neck, trying to rub away the pain that had formed, Kim turned to face the brunette to see her more fully. Bonnie had pulled her arms across her chest tightly, as if they were the only things keeping her from moving forward. Her face was scrunched into its usual scowl, head tilted downward, hazel eyes burning through lowered, thick lashes. No, wait. This expression was different, an approximation. A slight difference in the lower half of her face. The bottom lip was pushed forward. A soft pout marked Bonnie’s full mouth in a way Kim had never seen before.

An auburn brow crept up Kim’s face. She didn’t know what to make of this softness. Didn’t know what to make of Bonnie paying such close attention to her. This was new. Unfamiliar. Fueled by equal parts curiosity and confusion, Kim pushed, “Proper care of me?” It’s almost like she ca–no . She’s just acting like she cares , she quickly rationalized.

But Bonnie flushed deeper, her neck moving with a sudden swallow, arms tightening around her middle. Still bewildered at the sight of what appeared to be a flustered Bonnie, Kim barely registered the distance between them shrinking as narrowed green eyes scanned her teammate, taking in the press of nails into the skin of her arms, the flush dusting across her clavicle, cataloging every minute difference in body language as if it held the key to translating why Bonnie was acting so totally off . Confusion had morphed into shock, causing Kim’s other brow to rise and join the first.

"Ugh, whatever, shut up," Bonnie muttered as she looked away. Kim squinted further before her eyes shut on their own accord as the headache that had been growing at the base of her skull announced its presence in the right side of her head. Her hand moved from her neck to her temple, fingers firmly pressing down to try to stop the pain. 

She slowly exhaled the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. The pain lessened with the steady pressure. When she opened her eyes, hazel ones had found hers again. Bonnie’s brow had slightly softened, downgrading her scowl into a concerned furrow. “. . . well I know he’s not supposed to be making you feel worse,” she mumbled. “And this is definitely worse,” she finished before pressing her lips into a thin line. Hazel eyes followed the ministrations of Kim’s fingers. Letting out a frustrated huff, she muttered, “Ugh, just–” Bonnie’s arms uncrossed and her hand shot forward, pushing Kim’s aside before slender fingers pressed into the base of Kim’s skull, exposed by her cheerleading regulation pony. Green eyes disappeared behind heavy lids as a stream of relief began to wash away the worst of the pain. 

Kim felt Bonnie’s forearm rest on her shoulder before her other hand moved upward and gently tugged the elastic band out of her hair. More relief trickled down her scalp. It increased to a steady stream when insistent fingers massaged through her hair. Kim suddenly found herself swaying forward. Her arm shot forward and steadied herself against the row of lockers at Bonnie’s back. The momentum brought Kim’s body into Bonnie’s, pushing her back slightly. Kim’s other arm quickly wrapped around the brunette’s waist, catching her before she bumped against the lockers. A soft inhale sounded near Kim’s face. A soft heat pressed into Kim’s arm where it looped around her teammate, midriff exposed in her uniform. She slowly exhaled through her nose as she opened her eyes halfway. 

A surprised but soft smile accompanies her “...hey.” Perfectly plucked brown eyebrows soften. The corner of Bonnie’s bottom lip disappears into her mouth. 

“Thanks,” she continued at a low whisper. “Where’d you learn to do this?” Bonnie inhales, preparing to answer–BEEP BEEP BEEP-BEEP shatters the air. It sends an icepick directly through Kim’s eye and into her skull. Hissing out a breath, the arm around Bonnie’s waist squeezes. Her hand shoots from its position on the lockers by Bonnie’s head towards Kim’s face and drives palm-first into her eye, desperate to staunch the torrent of pain. Before the device could go off again, Bonnie slips out of Kim’s grip and darts behind her. She suddenly heard the quiet chime of the device powering off. 

Then gentle hands were gripping her elbows, rotating her and guiding her a few steps backward. Something sturdy hit the back of her knees before she felt herself being lowered down into the seat. Awareness of her surroundings faded in and out. It was turning inward and focusing on the sharp pain behind her eye. She was standing up again. Her skull was being stabbed over and over to the rhythm of her heartbeat. A rush of air brushing her skin. Stab . The click of metal against metal. Stab . A gentle rustling. Stab . A soft chirping sound of a car being unlocked. At this most recent sound, Kim bravely opened her other eye by a fraction of a fraction of a millimeter. 

Bonnie had somehow guided Kim out of the locker room, through the gym, and out back to the parking lot to her car. “Where are you taking me?” Kim lets out groggily. Bonnie says nothing as she leads Kim to the passenger side. She’s silent as she gently guides Kim into the passenger seat and buckles her seatbelt. She’s quiet up until she’s settled into the driver’s seat and moves to insert her keys into the ignition. 

“...I’m taking you home with me.” 

 

—-END CHAPTER—-

Notes:

whew! i've never written fanfic (or fiction, for that matter) before, y'all. but this just flew out of me. idk if there even is a y'all. i hope somebody finds this and appreciates this as much as i do. i plan to continue it a bit more just to see where it takes me.

Chapter 2: Bonnie’s House

The engine hums to life. Kim presses herself deeper into the leather of the passenger seat and focuses on her breathing.

The drive was mercifully short. Kim’s car door opens and Bonnie coaxes her out. With an arm around her waist, Kim is guided into a building and through a set of doors. Unable to open her eyes to take in her surroundings, she senses the floor under her shoes, noting as it changes from hardwood to carpet. They slowly shuffle across the carpet for a few paces. Stopping, Bonnie turns her around and sits her down on a soft couch before gently prying Kim’s hand from her eye. Kim’s involuntary hiss of pain is met with a soothing, “... I know, I know, hang on.” A shuffling noise next to her.

Something heavy slips over her head and is gently tugged over her eyes. Some sort of weighted eye mask applies soothing pressure over her eyes. A hand at her shoulder gently pushes her until her back meets cushions. Something soft and heavy is pulled over her body. “Be right back,” Bonnie whispers before the sounds of her quick steps on the carpet recede.

After a few moments, Kim feels something small and round being pressed into her hand. “Painkiller,” Bonnie whispers as she presses a straw to Kim’s lips. Kim sips cool water, letting it sit in her mouth long enough to pop the proffered pill. After a few more sips, she leans back and settles into the cushions of the couch. Between the weight of the blanket and the compression around her skull, Kim finally lets herself relax and drifts off.

***

She’s not sure how much time has passed but she’s awakened by the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Slowly, she assesses her body. The knife in her eye is no longer there but a tenderness around her skull remains. She takes off the eye mask and is greeted by a darkened room. She turns to the side and sees Bonnie sitting next to her, curled up on the other side of the couch with a magazine, illuminated by the glow of a small, soft light. Kim slowly shifts into a more upright position. At the sound of her rustling, the brunette looks over. She then grabs a carafe from the table next to her and pours something into a mug.

Pushing the mug toward Kim, Bonnie whispers, “Here, drink.” Kim slowly brings the mug to her lips and takes a small sip. Warm coffee, bitter on her taste buds. Seeing her grimace, Bonnie grabs something else from the side table. Turning to Kim, she asks, “caramel or vanilla?” while holding up two different bottles of creamer. Kim gratefully reached for the caramel creamer and poured a generous amount into the mug, watching it turn from black to a light brown in the low light. A contented sigh escapes her throat after a generous swallow of the warm, sweet coffee made its way down into her belly.

After watching Kim long enough to ensure she continued drinking the coffee, Bonnie picked her magazine back up and continued reading.
This is so weird. They’d never shared space before without arguing. But the weirdest part was that the silence didn’t feel weird at all. As they continued to sit in what felt close to a companionable silence, Kim took the time to take in her surroundings. They were in what looked to be a home library. The walls were lined with floor to ceiling dark wooden bookshelves. Each bookshelf had a small light inside that provided enough light for Kim to make out a little more detail. Most were lined with what looked like encyclopedias, law books, and what looked to be fancy figurines. But one was filled to the brim with paperbacks. Underneath the bookshelves, the plush carpet was a dark green. The door on the other side of the room was ajar, showing a darkened hallway. The couch they were occupying was leather and buttery brown.
Halfway though her mug of coffee, the silence was interrupted by a loud gurgling sound. Kim’s hand pressed into her stomach as she winced. Bonnie let out a low huff and gave her a sideways glance. A laugh? Before Kim could apologize or say anything, really, Bonnie had set her magazine down and was halfway across the room. She disappeared through the door and around the corner. Huh. Back to being weird. With nothing else to do, Kim continued sipping. After finishing the coffee, she noticed that the tenderness around her skull had largely receded. Though her neck and shoulders still felt tight.

Bonnie suddenly returned to the room with a tray. “I ordered us pizza but it’ll take like 20 minutes before it gets here,” she says softly before setting the tray down next to Kim and quickly returning to her seat on the other side of the couch. Looking down, Kim noticed that the tray was filled with snacks: hummus, carrot sticks, pita chips, crackers, and grapes. Popping a grape into her mouth, she quietly thanks Bonnie. Bonnie stays silent, appearing intensely focused on the pages of the magazine. Confused but still hungry, Kim slowly ate her way through the snacks on the tray.
“Bonnie,” Kim softly calls to get her attention.

Bonnie glances at her out of the corner of her eye. “What?”

“Why–?”

Bonnie cuts off Kim’s query with a scoff. “Like I said, we have a championship coming up,” Bonnie mutters but refuses to meet Kim’s gaze.
Kim squints. Okaaayyy. Realizing she probably wouldn't get a straight answer, she shrugged and continued eating. Once the last of the hummus is scooped onto a carrot and popped into her mouth, Kim reaches her arms above her head and stretches. Still crunching, she rolls her neck from side to side, trying to work out the lingering stiffness.

“Ugh, here,” Bonnie suddenly moves the tray between them to the floor before shifting closer. Kim turns to give her a questioning look but Bonnie is already reaching her hands toward her and pushes her slightly forward. Her teammate slides behind her on the couch and rests both hands on her shoulders and kneads. A soft sigh escapes from Kim’s throat as the hardened muscles are pulled and stretched and pinched into submission. Bonnie’s hands work up her neck, pressing into the knots.

“Ohmygodthankyou,” rushes out in one breath as she closes her eyes and relaxes backward into Bonnie. Bonnie hums in acknowledgement of her thanks as her hands continue their ministrations. Kim feels herself slowly melting. Bonnie quickly shifts so that Kim is resting between her legs. Her mind now completely blank, Kim gives herself over to the sensations.

Later, though unsure of exactly how much time had passed, Kim slowly regained awareness. How long has she been massaging me? Seconds…minutes…hours…days? Her confusion disappeared as she suddenly became aware of something. Warmth.
Her back was pressed up against the girl’s front and her entire body felt deliciously warm. The tension that had frozen her muscles was finally gone. Her head lolls back and rests against Bonnie’s shoulder.

The brunette’s left hand dropped to her side as the right hand moved to her hair, lightly scratching and sending little zings of pleasure down Kim’s spine. She turns her head from its position on Bonnie’s shoulder. She licks her bottom lip and peeks out from beneath heavy lids to gaze up at Bonnie. She’s surprised to find that her teammate’s eyes are already on her face, locked on her mouth. Kim feels a zip of electricity as hazel eyes suddenly meet her own. Her breath quickens. In the low light, Bonnie’s normally hazel eyes are a darker brown, flecked with green.
Bonnie’s eyes drop back to her mouth. Her throat moves with a swallow before her bottom lip disappears behind her teeth. Kim’s eyes track the movement.

The hand in her hair hasn’t paused its movement. Goosebumps break out along Kim’s arms as fingers caress her scalp. Her eyes roll closed again as she sighs. Her head lists forward, closer to Bonnie’s face. Like a magnet, Kim is drawn closer and closer. Her forehead meets the girl's jaw, the skin heated. Placing her hand on Bonnie’s thigh for leverage, she shifts her body and opens her eyes. Eyes fluttering open and zeroing in on the softness of Bonnie’s lips, Kim’s mouth opens on a gentle inhale before she–DING-DONG!

Kim suddenly falls back into the cushions. Bonnie had shot straight up and was already across the room. Before Kim can even sit up, her teammate disappears into the darkened hall.

Gathering her bearings, Kim sits upright and stares ahead, unseeing. What is happening?? She runs her fingers through her hair, a pale comparison to the caress of Bonnie’s fingers from just moments before. Okay, I have to get a real answer. This is too weird. Steeling herself, she pushes off the couch and traces Bonnie’s steps around the corner.

At the end of a long dark hallway, light spills out from a doorway on the left like a beacon. The light illuminates the entryway to the house which showcases a grand wooden door framed by windows on each side and above it. Beyond the windows, the sky is a dark blue. Has the sun set already? Next to the front door sat her gym bag. Peeking out of the side pocket was the top of her Kimmunicator. Oh crap, Ron! She had completely forgotten that she’d agreed to meet Ron at Bueno Nacho after practice.

Moving quickly, she swiped the Kimmunicator out of the pocket and powered it on. Once it booted up, she shot Wade a quick message:

hey Wade plz let Ron know can’t make it tonight. too tired, went home, thx

She quickly switched the device to vibrate mode, afraid another loud notification might hurt like earlier. Replacing the device back in her bag, she turns toward the bright light and crosses the threshold of the doorway.

In the middle of a massive kitchen Bonnie is rummaging through a giant sub zero refrigerator. On the kitchen island at her back rests a large square cardboard box with a smaller cardboard box stacked on top. The smell of greasy, cheesy goodness wafts towards her and her feet automatically bring her closer to what must be heaven.

Turning around with two cans in her grasp, Bonnie suddenly froze, a small squeak leaving her lips. Her wide gaze locked onto Kim’s.

Realizing that her sudden appearance must have startled the girl, Kim lifted her hands, palms forward. “Sorry! I move pretty quietly. Important skill to have in my line of work,” she finished with a sheepish chuckle.

Still standing in front of the open fridge, Bonnie grumbled under her breath, “. . . need to put a fucking bell on you . . .” Seemingly recovered from her shock, she gestured towards the small stack of boxes on the counter, “Pizza’s here.” She placed the cans next to the boxes and opened the smaller box. “I’m usually pretty starved after–”

“OMG is that cheesy bread?!” Kim gushed. The corner of Bonnie’s mouth lifted as she slid the box towards Kim before turning around to shut the fridge. Kim was halfway through her first piece when the brunette returned carrying two plates. She placed the cans on top and carried her stack around the island.

Breezing past Kim, she ordered, “Grab the boxes,” and made her way toward the doorway that led to the hall. Moving quickly, Kim grabbed the stack of boxes and followed.

They seemed to be retracing their steps back to the library, but instead of turning into the softly lit room, Bonnie turned right and went through a different doorway. She hit a switch on the wall as Kim came up behind her. Sconces gently lit the perimeter of the room, illuminating a large couch, big enough to seat five or six people comfortably. Beyond it was a large screen television, bracketed by shelves lined entirely with DVDs. Woah, a movie room!

“I like to watch something while I eat,” Bonnie muttered as she set the plates on a low table in front of the couch. Instead of sitting on the couch, she plopped onto the floor in front of it, grabbing a pillow and placing it at her back. Kim followed, placed the pizza boxes on the table, and joined Bonnie on the floor.

“That’s fine with me,” Kim responded as she opened the boxes and began filling up a plate with slices of pizza and bread. Bonnie was fiddling with a large remote. In no time, the title card for a production company began playing on the screen. Kim handed Bonnie the full plate and one of the cans before she began making her own. “What are we watching?”

“It’s called Stick It, it came out last year.”
Upbeat music began to play and the girls sat back, eyes glued to the screen as they ate their food.

***

The girls were clutching their full bellies and giggling as the end credits rolled across the screen. Only a few slices remained of their food and the boxes had been pushed to the side next to empty soda cans and plates.

“That was so fun!” Kim gushed as she turned to look at Bonnie. “I don’t really have a lot of time to watch movies with everything I usually have going on.” She paused and took in the large DVD collection. How many of these movies have I been missing out on? How much of normal teenage life have I missed? She shook her head to clear away the somber thoughts. “So thank you for showing me,” she finished meekly.

Sobering, Bonnie’s eyes tracked her gaze to the shelves with a furrowed brow. “I can show you more movies? If you like?” She seemed almost hesitant.
“Really?” Kim’s eyes were wide as she looked at the brunette.

“Yeah,” Bonnie said with a soft smile. She suddenly straightened her spine and cleared her throat. A solitary brow rose on her forehead and a familiar haughtiness gleamed in her eye. “I mean, how else will you know what’s hot and what’s not?” A small laugh huffed past Kim’s lips. “Clearly, this aspect of your high-school education has been severely neglected and I–the upstanding student and citizen that I am–feel compelled to help.”

“Oof, that sounds like a lot of work, Bonnie,” Kim started with a tone of mock gravity. “But someone has to do it,” she added with a grin.

“Exactly” Bonnie exclaimed, with an exaggerated eye roll. “Plus, charity work will look really great on my transcripts,” she finished with a smirk. The girls collapsed in a heap of laughter, shoulders touching as they leaned into each other. Kim felt lighter than she had in a long time.

“Maybe not tonight, but definitely later,” Kim said after catching her breath. She let loose a sigh, “I should head out and get some rest.”

Bonnie’s lips disappeared into a thin line as she nodded. “I’ll take you home.”

The girls made quick work of the detritus of their dinner, cleaning up in a comfortable silence. After depositing the plates in the sink and the trash in a large can in the kitchen, they moved toward the entryway. Kim grabbed her bag as Bonnie opened the front door and led them outside to her car.
Ten minutes later, Bonnie put the car into park outside of Kim’s house. The interior light automatically came on. Neither girl moved. The brunette stared straight ahead. Kim took a deep breath, prepared to again ask what was going on. “Bonnie…” came out softly. Softer than she’d intended. No other words followed.

After a beat, Kim turned to look at the other girl. Her jaw was clenched as tightly as the hands on the wheel. Trying again, Kim took in another breath. “You’re kind of wonderful,” escaped her mouth on the tail end of a sigh. Wait, what?

The knuckles on Bonnie’s hands turned pale. Her brown cheeks looked slightly red in the low light of the car. Kim heard her swallow as she glanced back at her out of the corner of her eye.

“Thank you. For tonight, I mean.”

“Don’t mention it,” comes out in an almost squeak.

Kim smiles and lifts her hand to place it on Bonnie’s shoulder. But before she can make contact, Bonnie continues, “Seriously. Don’t mention it. Like, ever.” Kim’s hand retreats. Whiplash. This girl is giving me some serious whiplash.

“Okay… Well, bye.” Kim mutters before hopping out of the car. She slings her bag over her shoulder and walks into her house. As she opens the front door, she hears an engine start. She turns back toward the car and her eyes lock with Bonnie’s. Kim’s hand lifts up in an awkward wave. Bonnie breaks the eye contact and drives off.

“So totally weird,” she mumbled quietly to herself before trekking upstairs to her attic room. She dumps her bag on the floor before pitching face first into her mattress and promptly passes out.

—-END CHAPTER—-

Notes:

the world is on fire and i'm keeping my head above water by writing this lil fic lol. also im still figuring out formatting on AO3 so pls excuse any weirdness

Chapter 3: Saturday Shift

Sunlight streamed through the window and across Kim’s face. She let out a groan as she covered her eyes with her hand. Kim was unused to being awoken by the harsh brightness of the sun. She then lifted her head to peek at the alarm clock next to her bed. 11:03 AM. Woah. She hadn’t slept this late since…ever. For as long as she could remember, she always started her days–even on weekends–early enough to greet the soft glow of sunrise. She usually spent the quiet of the early hours doing her daily qigong routine–a practice she’d kept since her first martial arts class. Sometimes she even went for a light run to warm up her body. 

 

After shifting to an upright position, Kim realized that she was on top of her duvet. She looked down at herself. She was still in her dirty cheer uniform. In fact, she hadn’t even managed to take off her shoes, let alone get under the covers. After checking the clock again, she noted that she had less than an hour to get ready before her noon shift at Club Banana. Not at all enough time for her morning calisthenics. Still groggy, she made her way into the bathroom so she could wash up and finally get rid of an awful taste in her mouth. 

 

She took her toothbrush, pre-loaded with toothpaste, into the shower with her to save on time. Multitasking, she shoved the toothbrush into her mouth while squirting a healthy amount of shampoo into her hair before lathering. As she lathered shampoo into her scalp, the sensation quickly brought forth the memory of different fingers in her hair. Skilled fingers. Bonnie’s fingers. Snippets from last night flashed in her mind’s eye. The warmth of her teammate’s body pressed against her back. The breathlessness of shared laughter. The tenderness in Bonnie’s touch as she worked to relieve Kim’s pain. The iciness of their goodbye. What the hell was that? She found herself just as confused as she was the night before, but with time to dwell, she finished her shower. 

 

Moving quickly, she completed her morning ablutions and rushed out of the bathroom. After throwing on her signature look of cropped jeans and a green tank top, she made her way downstairs to find something to satiate the grumbling beast in her belly. She rounded the corner into the kitchen, calling out, “Hey, Mom, is there any coffee leftover from break–”

 

The kitchen was empty. Huh . Her shoulders fell slightly. A frown formed on her lips when she spotted a note taped to the refrigerator: 

 

Emergency surgery, don’t know when I’ll be back. Money for food by the door! Love, Mom. P.S. Your dad took the boys on a weekend trip to his alma mater for a robotics thing. 

 

Kim sighed as she resigned herself to a meal of frozen waffles and…she scanned the contents of the fridge…an energy drink. As she reached into the fridge, she heard the doorbell ring. She moved toward the front door, unsure of who it could be. Ron’s goofy grin greeted her though the window next to the front door. He waved at her cheerily. She quickly opened it. “Hey KP! I tried getting you on the Kimmunicator and your private line but you weren’t picking up.”

 

“Oh crap, Ron, I’m sorry! I slept like the dead,” she rushed to explain. 

 

“No worries! Wade told me you were tired last night so I figured you were just sleeping in. I wanted to catch you before you left for your shift,” he concluded while holding up a small brown paper bag and a lidded paper cup with one hand. 

 

The sweet smell of sugary cinnamon wafted towards Kim, causing her to salivate. “Is that–” 

 

“My mom’s famous, homemade apple cider donuts! And coffee,” he finished with a proud smile. He’s such a sweet guy . Kim took the proffered breakfast with a relieved and grateful grin before taking a much needed sip. Bitterness met her tongue. Hiding her grimace, she motioned for Ron to follow her into the house. They moved into the kitchen where Kim went straight to the fridge and grabbed the caramel creamer for her coffee. 

 

“You just saved me from a breakfast of frozen waffles,” she said around her first bite of donut. She pressed a hand over her heart in an exaggerated pose, “My hero ,” she finished with a laugh. 

 

Ron beamed at her before sobering. “I figured a good breakfast would help before I told you the news.” 

 

“What news,” Kim asked as she drank more of her now appropriately doctored coffee. 

 

He grimaced and rubbed at the back of his neck, “Well, I know we usually hang out on weekends and I really hate to disappoint you…” 

 

Kim’s eyes focused on Ron with concern. 

 

“KP, it’s awful . My parents are making me go to my cousin’s bat mitzvah,” he revealed. Oh. Wait…huh? “In Denver, ” he finished with a shudder. Realizing that nothing was actually wrong, her earlier concern evaporated. 

 

“...oh, the horror?” she responded bemusedly. She was well accustomed to Ron’s dramatics.

 

“Horror is right, Kim! Denver is infested with all these, these, vegetarian and, and vegan places. They’re on every corner,” he exclaimed with disgust. “Not a single, solitary Bueno Nacho in the entire city limits! What am I supposed to do? We’re staying overnight !” 

 

“Pack a lunch?” 

 

“... I guess,” Ron grumbled. “At least the bat mitzvah comes with a buffet after. Anyway, I wanted to see you before I left since I probably won’t see you until school on Monday. Drop you off at the mall?” he asked with a sweet smile and a shrug. 

 

Kim pressed a grateful kiss to his cheek after she downed the last of her coffee and washed away the last of the donut, “Yes, please.”

 

***

Kim couldn’t remember the last time she had ever felt so utterly defeated. Fighting off DNAmy’s mutant monsters? So not the drama. Defeating homicidal robots with super speed? Didn’t even chip a nail. Acrobatically avoiding the heat lasers of the world’s most sophisticated security system? Not a hair was singed. She could do it again in her sleep. But retail? Retail was hands-down the hardest job she’d ever done. The last time she had someone screaming in her face, she’d handled it with a swift kick to the kilt. But it wasn’t Duff Killigan wailing about honoring an expired coupon before her. No, it was a valued customer. Which meant she couldn’t kick or punch or even backflip her way out of this one. Lucky me. After yet another attempt to calmly explain the store policy was interrupted by shouting, Kim reached deep within herself to find a shred of an iota of a shit to give . . . and came up empty. “Look lady, this expired two years ago. Not happening,” she said brusquely. 

 

The middle-aged woman before her went apoplectic. “Manager!” The cry pierced Kim’s eardrums. 

 

A fortifying hand gripped Kim’s shoulder. “It’s ok, girl, I got this. Go restock the back,” Monique murmured into her ear. Her friend gently hip-bumped her before increasing her volume to address the customer, who now resembled an overly ripe tomato. 

 

“Restock the back” was their code for sitting in the store room to hide. A drab but much needed respite from her shift from hell. One of the many perks of working with one of her best friends was that she could spend the rest of her shift back there. She only had an hour left. On slow days, she and Monique essentially got paid to hang out and gossip. But today was definitely not a slow day. With the launch of a new collection for the upcoming autumn season, the Middleton Mall Club Banana had been overrun with demanding customer after demanding customer. Their desperation to stay on trend had outweighed their ability to treat the staff with any human decency and Kim had been pushed beyond her limit. 

 

After about 35 minutes of alternating between flipping through Monique’s hidden stash of magazines and playing Snake on the Kimmunicator, Kim peered around the door of the store room to see if the coast had cleared. She was positive she couldn’t handle another customer interaction and manage to keep her part-time job. Thankfully, the store had all but one customer left, only the top of their head visible above a rack of clothes. They look like they know what they’re doing, I can just start the closing. Maybe my luck has turned . Relieved to not have to interact with anyone else, she moved to refold a stack of sweaters that had been disheveled. 

 

“Excuuuuse me, Retail Worker,” called out in a haughty, sing-song voice. Not so lucky after all . Kim took in a deep breath, as if the extra oxygen could fill her with the patience required to deal with yet another heaping dose of entitlement.

 

She began to turn, schooling her features into her perfect customer service mask. God forbid I forget to smile while being abused . She had to work to force the practiced phrase out from behind her clenched teeth, “Hi, how can I help–”

 

Familiar hazel eyes shocked her into a momentary silence. No, not another red-faced, entitled customer from hell. “Bonnie? …Hey,” she finished with a slight smile. 

 

Bonnie rolled her eyes, “Hey yourself.” 

 

Kim’s brow furrowed at the dismissive response. None of the softness from last night was present, none of the warmth, none of the ease. It was like last night had never even happened. I guess this is what she meant by not mentioning it . She huffed out a breath and shook her head to clear it. “Did you actually need retail assistance? Or are you just messing with me,” she asked.

 

“Little of column A, little of column B,” the brunette quipped. “I was looking for that new trench coat–you know, page twelve in the catalog–but I can’t find my size in navy blue. Check the back for me,” she demanded with a flick of her fingers. Well, maybe “entitled” was still an accurate descriptor.

 

Without moving, Kim responded dryly, “So sorry, fresh out.”

 

Bonnie pursed her lips in annoyance but not before Kim saw the corners twitch upward slightly. “Cute,” she deadpanned. “Now shoo, go check,” she punctuated her order with another flick of her fingers. 

 

Okay, maybe “from hell” was also an appropriate description. Bonnie being a jerk is just the perfect cherry on this shit-sundae of a shift. Kim quickly walked to the store room, spun around in place once, and walked back out. “Yep. Still fresh out,” she reported flatly. 

 

“Wow, the quality of service here has really taken a nose-dive since they added you to the staff,” Bonnie replied. “Although, I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised you’re not a great brand representative. You know, considering your…” she waved her hand in the air between them, indicating Kim’s outfit, “... taste levels.”

 

Kim pursed her lips in annoyance at the familiar insult.

 

Bonnie continued, “You know, if this is how a valued customer is being treated, maybe I should just take my business elsewhere?” 

 

“Oh no, not that, Bonnie. Never that. I am so, so sorry,” Kim replied with an exaggeratedly apologetic tone. “Is there anything I could possibly do to make your Club Banana shopping experience better?” She heard a muffled laugh from nearby and glimpsed the cloud of coils that was Monique’s afro puff above a rack of clothes. Bonnie’s eyes narrowed into a scowl at Kim’s dramatics. 

 

Kim placed cupped hands in front of her, in mock pleading. “What can I do, Bonnie? Shall I organize your other items by color for you? After I ring them up, shall I individually wrap each one with a little bow from the gift wrap store across the mall? Shall I carry them to your car for you?” She stepped closer to the girl.

 

“Ugh, you’re so weird,” Bonnie scoffed with an eye-roll.

 

“Shall I carry you to your car? Take you home? Maybe tuck you into bed, Bonnie?” At this, crimson broke out across the brunette’s cheeks and her jaw went lax. Kim watched as the redness creeped down Bonnie’s neck and dusted her clavicle. Let’s see…entitled? Check. From hell? Double check. Red-faced? Triple check. Ding, ding, ding! We're three for three. That's a hat trick! 

 

“Club Banana would hate to see such a valued customer like you leave us,” she finished with a satisfied grin, now buoyed by her small victory. Wait… Kim studied the girl’s face more carefully. This wasn’t the crimson of a thwarted coupon crusader. Bonnie’s eyes weren’t narrowed in anger. Those hazel eyes had only gotten wider. Is she…blushing? Kim’s head tilted in confusion. 

 

After a moment, Bonnie snapped her mouth shut and gave her head a small shake. A perfectly arched brow rose as she tilted her chin upward. “Ooohh, turndown service? Maybe I’ll stick with you after all.” The brunette leaned forward suddenly and squinted at Kim’s face. “Although, judging by the bags under your eyes, you need the turndown service more than me.” Something unfamiliar flashed in Bonnie’s eyes as her brow furrowed. “You look exhausted,” she murmured. “Did you sleep okay?” 

 

Before Kim could make anything of this sudden pivot, a familiar shade of green flashed in the corner of her eye. “Shego?!” 

 

Her nemesis, who was rifling through a rack lined with dresses on the other side of the store, froze at her call. “Kimmie?” She turned and locked eyes with the red-head.

 

“What are you up to,” Kim demanded through gritted teeth as she stomped her way toward the virescent villain. 

 

“Shopping. I’m clearly shopping,” Shego replied while gesturing at the rack. “Wait, why are you here?”

 

“I work here,” Kim responded firmly while jabbing a thumb at her name-tag. 

 

“Retail?” Shego tsked. “What, getting in my way’s not keeping little Kimmie in bon-bons,” she asked with an exaggerated pout. 

 

“Yeah, stopping criminals is more of a passion project of mine,” Kim retorted while crossing her arms across her chest. 

 

“Well, there’s nothing criminal about buying a dress.” Shego resumed her perusal of the clothes. “Run along now, Kimmie,” she added distractedly. She selected a couple of dresses from the rack and began to compare the two. She spun to the mounted mirror behind her and began holding each dress against her frame, studying her reflection. “Actually, I’ve got a hot date tonight aaand…” she glanced at the watch on the interior of her wrist. “ Mother –I’m really short on time. Option one? Or option two? C’mon, help a girl out.”

 

“Yeah right, Shego. You’re never not up to something nefarious,” she grumbled.

 

“That second one really makes your eyes pop,” came from behind Kim. She’d been so focused on Shego that she didn’t notice Bonnie following her. “Maybe wiiiiith…” Bonnie let the word draw out as she scanned the accessory display next to the racks. “This!” she proclaimed while grabbing a delicate, silk, floral-patterned scarf. Bonnie moved closer to the woman and held the scarf against the second dress. 

 

Shego slowly nodded while studying her image in the mirror. “Oh this is just perfect ,” she gushed. “Thanks, doll!” She tossed Bonnie a wink. “And Kimmie? You were almost right. The only thing nefarious about tonight is how absolutely lethal I’ll look. Someone should arrest me for being a walking health hazard,” Shego practically purred as she admired her reflection with Bonnie’s selections from different angles. She then snapped off the tags  and tossed them at Kim along with a handful of folded bills. “Keep the change, Kimmie. Maybe buy something for your little friend here.” She blew Kim a kiss, wiggled her fingers at Bonnie, and sauntered out of the store with the clothes dangling over her shoulder. 

 

She was probably just here as a distraction. But from what? After ringing up the transaction, Kim pocketed the change and pulled out the Kimmunicator. “Wade! Shego spotted at work, I think she’s up to something. Can you track her for me? I’ll pick up her tail, I just need to clock out.”

 

“You got it Kim. Accessing satellite footage of Middleton Mall now,” Wade said with a salute before furiously typing at his supercomputer. 

 

After ending the call, Kim stretched onto her toes to look for her friend. “Hey, Mo! All good for me to clock out,” she asked when she spotted her. 

 

“All good! Ring you tomorrow,” Monique replied with a wave. 

 

Kim started toward the hallway where the store room was located. The employee entrance was only a few feet away from it. Before she could push the back door open, a hand caught her wrist. Kim simply reacted. She spun quickly, breaking the hold, and rushed her attacker, pressing them against the wall to limit their ability to move. Her instinct had been honed by years of martial arts training and real life combat. When the haze of adrenaline faded to the just edges of her vision, green eyes looked down and saw her pale, muscular forearm pressed against the soft brown skin of a collarbone. As her gaze rose, she noted that the column of throat above her forearm moved with a swallow. 

 

“K-Kim?” Bonnie stuttered with her hands outstretched, palms forward. Green eyes met Bonnie’s. Those wide hazel eyes were almost black with how dilated her pupils were. They were both breathing heavily.

 

“Shit, Bonnie. I thought–” she broke off as she lowered her arm away from the smaller girl. Kim gave her head a quick shake. “I–don’t–just don’t grab me like that,” she finished as she lowered her gaze. Her face felt uncomfortably hot. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” 

 

“You didn’t,” the other girl replied breathlessly.

 

Kim’s eyes darted back to Bonnie’s. 

 

“Scare me, I mean. Like, I was definitely startled. But…you don’t scare me, Kim,” the girl clarified. 

 

“Oh. Good. Okay, then.” Kim replied haltingly. She shook out her limbs to get rid of the excess adrenaline and started toward the exit door. 

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Kim froze mid-step. She turned back to the other girl with a confused expression. “Uh, leaving? I’m kind of in a rush.”

 

“Why? Because you’re about to chase after that green woman?”

 

Confused at Bonnie’s sudden interest in her extra-curricular activities, Kim shrugged. “Well, yeah.” 

 

“Kim, you’re supposed to be resting ,” her teammate implored. 

 

Kim scoffed, “There’s no time for me to rest right now, Bonnie. I have to move fast. If I don’t stay on top of this, who else is gonna stop her?" 

 

"...The cops? Or, like, any adult? You're literally a teenager, Kim.” Bonnie crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. “You need rest. Go home.” Much quieter, she added, “Please.”

 

“I…can’t promise that.”

 

Bonnie threw her hands into the air in exasperation. “Fine! Then I’m going to pick you up tomorrow.”

 

“What? Why?” 

 

Because iIt seems the only way I can make sure you rest is if I’m there to make you,” Bonnie replied with steel in her voice. She pushed off the wall and began walking away. 

“Besides,” she tossed over her shoulder, “that green woman gave you a thick wad of cash and told you to spend it on me. I’m definitely following up on that.”

 

And with that, Bonnie sauntered away, leaving Kim off-balance in the slightly dusty hallway of the employee section of the Middleton Mall Club Banana. 

 

—-END CHAPTER—-

Notes:

i had a lot of fun writing the banter!

Chapter 4: Mistaken Mission

Kim grabbed her bag from where it was hanging off the hook outside of the store room. After a few unexpected run-ins with villains, she’d started keeping her mission gear with her almost everywhere she went. She quickly changed into her mission outfit in the darkened hallway, replacing her cropped jeans with her signature green cargo pants, and pulling her mock turtleneck over her tank. She was bent over and pulling on her shoes when Monique approached her. 

 

“Hey Kim, where are you headed?” the girl asked as she munched on a granola bar.

 

“Um, great question, hold on,” Kim replied as she grabbed her discarded jeans. She pulled the Kimmunicator out of its pocket and called Wade back. “Wade, what’s the sitch?”

 

“I’ve tracked Shego. She’s walking into the Upperton Gallery of Modern Art. It’s 15 minutes until it closes, I can’t imagine she’s there to view the art with that timing.” 

 

“Upperton? How far is that from here?”

 

“Only 10 miles away from Middleton Mall. You should be there in no time, even on Ron’s tired, old scooter.”

 

“Ron’s out of town, Wade! I don’t have a ride!”

“Ahhh… let me see,” Wade began typing furiously as Kim finished tying her shoelaces. “…hang on… okay! I’ve arranged transport, it’ll be ready for you outside.”

 

Kim stood up and her vision blurred. Feeling lightheaded, she braced against the wall for balance. 

 

“Kim!” Monique stepped in front of her and peered up into her face with concern. “Are you good?” She pressed the back of her hand to Kim’s forehead. 

 

Kim inhaled a deep breath when her vision cleared. “Um, yeah. I think so. Must have just stood up too fast.”

 

“Mmm,” Monique hummed as she examined Kim’s eyes and face, unconvinced. “Well, you don’t have a temperature,” she murmured. She dropped her hand but stayed close. “All set for your mission?” she asked. 

 

“Almost,” Kim said distractedly, while eyeing the granola bar in her friend’s hand. Her stomach rumbled loudly as she tried to remember the last time she ate. “Hey, uh, could I?” Kim gestured towards the granola bar. 

 

“Oh, hungry?” Monique took a small, final bite from the bar before handing the rest to Kim. She watched as Kim took a large bite and crunched. “Now that I think about it, I don’t remember you eating anything during your shift today.” She grabbed her tote off the hook and rummaged through her bag. “Ah-ha,” she exclaimed while holding up another two granola bars. “I keep these in case of an emergency and I think going off to fight crime on an empty stomach qualifies as an emergency.” She pressed the extra bars into Kim’s chest. 

 

“You’re the best, Mo,” Kim managed to get out around a mouth full of granola and dried fruit. She fastened her utility belt as she popped the last bit of granola into her mouth before pocketing the other granola bars.

 

The girls stepped through the employee door and outside into the parking lot. A guy around middle-age wearing khaki pants and a polo shirt stood a few yards away next to a large metal box. “Is one of you a Miss Kimberly Ann Possible?”

 

“Yep, that’s me.”

 

As Kim stepped closer, she noticed a logo on the guy’s shirt for Benny’s Custom Bike Shop. Benny’s had a location in the mall. Underneath the logo was a name tag reading “Larry.” Larry had a crew cut and an entirely too serious vibe. He held out a clipboard and a pen. “Please sign here,” and tapped the pen on a dotted line at the bottom of a paper. Kim took the pen and signed. 

 

“Great, so what–”

 

“And initial here,” he continued after flipping the page. Kim added her initials. “And sign here again.” She signed again. “And initial here.”

 

“Anything else I gotta sign?” she asked exasperatedly as she scribbled her initials onto yet another page.

 

“Nope, here ya go,” he said as he tapped a button on the large box. The sides of the box receded into its base and revealed a bicycle with a few more wires than expected. He moved the bike, picked up the metal base, and began walking away. “Oh, and here, don’t forget this,” he said while tossing a helmet at Kim. 

 

As Kim caught the helmet, Wade began speaking again on the Kimmunicator in Kim’s hand. “This is my latest project. A rechargeable Pedelec,” he explained proudly. 

 

“A-what-now?” Monique inquired. 

 

“Looks like a bike to me, Wade,” Kim added, just as confused.

 

“Pedelec! It means ‘pedal electric cycle.’ It’s got a small, rechargeable, electric motor that’ll assist your pedaling so you don’t have to use as much effort as a regular bike. This baby can go up to 28 miles per hour. It’s still in the prototype phase, so the battery only has 30 minutes of power but I have plans to increase that and the power of the motor so it’ll be able to reach speeds of–”

 

“Wade, I hate to cut off your nerd-genius rant but aren’t we short on time?” Kim interrupted. “How do I use this thing?”

 

“Right! Just like a regular bike. Should be faster than you on a regular bike, but not like, car speeds. It was the only transport I could think of on such short notice. Just let me know how she handles? I’m sending you a GPS route to the museum in Upperton,” he finished before ending the call. The device immediately lit up with the promised route. 

 

Kim placed the helmet on her head and tried to fasten it under her chin but the buckles kept missing each other. After her second failed attempt, Monique stepped forward and fastened it for her. “Kim, your hands are looking a little shaky there.”

 

“I’m fine,” she dismissed her friend’s concerns. “Thanks, Mo. I’ll talk to you tomorrow?” she said as she straddled the bike, preparing to take off. 

 

“Uh-uh, Kim.” Monique reached into Kim’s cargo pocket and pulled out one of the granola bars. “Eat another one now. Can’t fight crime on an empty stomach, especially after biking all the way to said crime.” 

 

“You heard Wade, the bike’s got some sort of motor in it, it’s not like I’m about to do the Tour de France.” Monique fixed her with an unimpressed look. “Okay, okay, I’m eating,” she caved and grabbed the bar. She opened it and polished it off after a few large bites. 

 

Appearing somewhat satisfied but no less concerned, her friend playfully shoved her shoulder. “Call me when you get home, okay?”

 

“I don’t know how late I’ll be,” Kim replied. “I don’t want to wake you up.”

 

“I don’t care, I’ll wait up,” her friend insisted. “Okay?” At Kim’s nod, Monique turned around and headed back into the mall. Kim smiled and, after glancing at the route on her Kimmunicator, pocketed the device and took off. 

 

***

It took Kim just over 21 minutes to arrive at the Upperton Gallery of Modern Art. The motor had definitely given her pedaling an extra boost but the physical activity had still taken a lot out of her. Panting, she hopped off the bike and gazed up at the building. 

 

Much like the art it showcased, the Upperton Gallery of Modern Art was a tremendous work of modern art itself. Boasting large windows and steel beams, it stood out with its asymmetrical lines against the plain, box-shaped buildings on the skyline behind it. 

 

Kim steered the bike toward the side of the large building, parked it at a nearby rack, and then approached the building’s entrance. She dialed Wade on the Kimmunicator and slipped an earpiece into her ear. “Wade, I just pulled up, where is she?”

 

“I’m working on gaining access to the museum security camera network. It’s a pretty advanced system–not state of the art, but still no joke–it’ll take some time before I can crack it. But I did a bit of digging while you were on your bike ride. Thought I’d try to figure out what Shego’s after, right?”

 

“Right,” Kim prodded eagerly.

 

“Well, I looked through a bunch of the staff’s emails and learned that they actually have a rare and expensive collection set to debut. They’ve got it stored in a controlled environment. No one has seen it yet except for the artist and a select few staff here at the museum. It’s super hush-hush but the rumor is that it’s currently valued at one million dollars.”

“An art heist? That doesn’t sound like one of Dr. Drakken’s usual plots but it does sound like Shego. How many people on staff have access to the collection?”

 

“Three. The head curator and two assistant curators.”

 

“And how many of them are still at the museum? Have you cracked the security network yet?”

“Almost, I have access to the alarms and to the security badge system but still no cameras. The security badges are equipped with microchips that track the badges’ locations. The only staff badge still in the building is the head curator’s.”

“Then that’s where Shego’s probably headed.”

 

“Head curator’s office is…” Rapid typing comes through the earpiece. “Second floor, east wing. Through the sculpture section.”

 

“On it.” Kim quickly dashed up the grand stairway at the center of the museum. As she approached the landing, a flash of movement caught her eye. She quickly turned toward the motion and saw a woman concealed in shadows on the edge of the room. She was in a stylishly cut dress with a large bag on her arm. The woman was too far away and in insufficient light for Kim to make out any features. She watched the woman slink along the wall, nimbly avoiding the gaze of the security cameras and a lone security guard. Kim watched as the woman approached a large, heavy door marked “RESTRICTED.” After the woman fiddled with a box by the door, a soft click sounded. She pulled the door slightly open and slipped through. The end of a familiar floral patterned scarf trailed behind her. Shego . 

 

She relayed what she saw to Wade through her earpiece. “That must be where they’re keeping the collection! I’m pulling up the museum schematics now.” 

 

Kim stealthily approached the door. She didn’t want to alert the museum security and gift the villain with the perfect commotion to slip away. 

 

“Yep, behind that door is a staff-only area,” Wade continued. “The schematics show that access to the door is controlled via keypad. Woah, this is some pretty serious tech, Kim. We don’t have the code but if you hold the Kimminicator next to it, I should be able to work my magic,” Wade finished as he cracked his knuckles. Kim pressed the device next to the keypad. Her friend’s face disappeared and was replaced with a screen lit up with a bunch of ones and zeroes and before long, she heard the same soft click from earlier. “Booyeah!” Wade cheered in triumph as Kim quickly slipped through the unlocked door. 

 

She found herself in a half-lit hallway lined with offices and small labs. Moving quietly, she followed the sound of heels lightly tapping on the floor down the hallway until she spotted the villain. Shego approached an office with a name plate and silently slipped inside the cracked door. Most of the offices were darkened but this office was still lit. Kim moved closer to the door until she could read a nameplate affixed to the wall next to it. It read: Yvette Porter, Head Curator. 

 

She relayed the information to Wade in a whisper. 

 

“Yeah she’d be the one who would know about all of the security on the new collection,” he confirmed. 

 

“Got it, I’m going in, I don’t want the curator to get hurt.” Kim began moving closer toward the door before Wade spoke again. 

 

“Hold on, Kim!” Kim froze. “The security system here is top notch, really advanced stuff. I was able to crack the keypad because I’m, well, me. But Shego isn’t that tech savvy. At least not at the level to be able to hack this system. We can’t rule out that someone on the inside gave her the door code. The employee files indicate that the curator has only been working at the museum for a month, she could be working with Shego for an inside job. Approach with caution.” Kim tip-toed closer to the door and peered through the crack. 

 

She saw Shego quietly set her bag onto the floor before approaching a tall woman who had her back to the door. The woman was bent over, looking at something on a desk. Kim watched as Shego grew closer, raised her arms, and lunged. 

 

Kim burst into the office, calling out, “Caught you red-handed, Shego! I knew you were lying about that hot date.”

 

“Kimmie?!” Shego and the head curator whirled around to face Kim. Both of their mouths gaped open in shock. Shego sped across the room toward the girl. “ Why are you here ?” She asked through gritted teeth.

 

“Shego, honey, what’s going on?” The other woman, who must be the head curator named Yvette, called across the room. She took a step toward Kim and Shego. Kim eyed the woman. Oh she’s stunning. She was tall, even without the stylish stilettos that completed her ensemble. She had long, thin locs that were currently twisted into an intricate updo. Gold jewelry adorned mahogany skin, going up and down her lobes, around her throat in a choker necklace. Her sable eyes were narrowed in confusion as she looked between the pair of interlopers. 

 

Her throat suddenly dry, Kim swallowed. She quickly shook her head to bring herself out of her stupor. “Wait, you know her? Are you working together?!” Kim barked at Shego. “That’s it!” She pointed her finger at the curator, “You’re her inside man–uh, woman, sorry–on this museum heist!” 

 

The pair stared blankly back at Kim. “Heist? What heist?” Shego and Yvette shared a confused look. 

 

“I know all about the special collection!” The women still looked dumbfounded. “…I saw you sneaking through the museum, Shego!”

 

“...I was sneaking because no one but employees are supposed to be back here. Vette hasn’t been working at the museum very long,” Shego answered.

 

“I wanted to give her a sneak peek of the special collection and getting caught bringing someone into the restricted section isn’t exactly the impression I want to make with my new employers,” Vette added. 

 

“You mean…you’re really here to just… look at art? Not take it?” Kim asked Shego. 

 

“Well…yes? I mean, not just look at art,” Shego gave Vette an uncharacteristically soft look. “I brought some wine–your favorite, Vette–and cheese and crackers.”

 

“Oh,” Kim scoffed. “You didn’t have to lie and say you had a hot date, Shego, there’s nothing nefarious about hanging out with a friend.”

 

Shego’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Kimmie, I wasn’t lying about my hot date.”

 

“Oh? Is it like, later tonight after you’re done here?”

 

Shego shifted uncomfortably. “No it’s not.” Shego huffed an exasperated breath and ran her fingers through her hair. “Kimmie…when two women–hold on. You know I went to a women’s college, right?”

 

“Um, no? But what’s that got to do with anything?”

 

“Jesus, you’re not making this easy on me, kid.” Shego’s hand scrubbed at her forehead before her fingers pinched the bridge of her nose. Yvette’s shoulders moved with suppressed laughter as she watched them. “Kimmie, we are on a date. She is my date.”

 

Kim’s brows furrowed in confusion as her head tilted to the side. “Uh–” 

 

“Oh my god, I’m gay,” Shego blurted. “We’re lesbians.”

 

“Oh.” Kim’s face burned and nearly turned the same shade has her hair as realization crashed into her. Lesbians! Her mind replayed Yvette calling Shego “honey” just moments before. They’re lesbians! I’m such an idiot! “Oh! O-gay–kay! I mean okay!” She quickly shook her head. “I am so sorry I interrupted. And made assumptions! And said ‘o-gay’ just now. Sorry, I’ll just leave! And leave you to it!” Kim began backing toward the door. “Sorry, again!”

 

“Uh-uh, hold on.” Yvette called out and raised her palm toward Kim. Kim halted her retreat. “Shego, who is this? What’s going on?”

 

“Oh, right, uh. Well. Kimmie here is my…uh,” Shego nudged Kim in the ribs. She muttered out of the side of her mouth in a voice too low to carry to Yvette, “help me out here, she doesn’t know about my day job and I really like her.”

 

Determined to make up for her blundering that ruined their lesbian date, Kim’s mind worked quickly. “She’s my big sister,” Kim blurted. Shego’s eyes almost bugged out of her head. 

 

Yvette’s eyes widened as she pressed her hands over her chest. “Shego, you just came out to your baby sister? That’s so sweet!” A beatific smile revealed a small gap between her top two front teeth. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she began scanning their faces. “You also don’t really favor each other. I’d have never guessed you were related.”

 

“Oh, not like, my sister sister,” Kim quickly added. “She’s–you ever hear of the Big Sister-Little Sister program?” Yvette nodded. “Well, Shego is my Big Sister and I was…uh. Worried. I worry a lot. It’s one of the things she helps me with. So I followed her here and accidentally crashed your date. Because I was so worried,” she finished lamely.    

 

Shego recovered pretty quickly and threw her arm around Kim’s shoulder in a side hug. “Right, my Little Sister just got super worried about me and jumped to conclusions again. She does that. She’s got quite the imagination in there.” She punctuated this with a few taps to Kim’s temple. “ Art heist , Kimmie? Honestly, the way your brain works is incredible!” Kim forced an awkward chuckle. “Anywho, as we just heard, she’s very sorry–”

 

“Extremely sorry!” Kim interjected. 

 

 “–for crashing our date,” Shego finished as she began steering Kim toward the door. 

 

“Wait,” Yvette interrupted. “What do you mean you were worried so you followed her here?”

 

“Oh well uh, Kimmie has um…abandonment issues! And needs a lot of…structure in her teenage life.” Shego seemed to grasp the thread of the narrative she was weaving and began speaking more confidently, “We usually hang out on Saturdays but today I had to reschedule for our date.”

 

“Yep, yep, I do need a lot of structure,” Kim nodded along enthusiastically. “I was worried she was blowing me off in my time of need because of the, uh, abandonment issues. And I needed to talk to her about stuff. Teenager stuff. Shego gives the best advice on all the stuff I deal with. As a, uh… teen.” 

 

Shego poked her in the ribs and shot her a look. “ Real convincing, Kimmie,” she muttered under her breath.

 

Kim rolled her eyes and dug her elbow into Shego’s side, “I’m trying ," she whisper-yelled back through clenched teeth. 

 

“Wow, it seems like you two have really bonded, you’re acting just like my older sister and me,” Vette said with a chuckle. “I can’t believe you’re able to make time to volunteer, Shego.” Vette looked impressed. “I thought that all that work you do with Dr. Drakken would be too exhausting.”

 

“Yeah–wait, you know about Dr. Drakken?!”

 

“Oh, I know all about your day job. I ran a background check, baby. You have quite the rap sheet.” Yvette sauntered closer. 

 

“How long have you known?”

 

“Since our first date,” Yvette replied with a smirk.

 

“Oh, uh. Wasn’t expecting this. Usually when civilians find out about me, they…end things…” Shego trailed off. 

 

“Don’t worry, it doesn’t bother me. I’ve always had a… thing for bad girls,” Vette responded with a wink and a raised brow.  

 

Shego flushed and let out a sort of strangled noise. “Okay, well. Now that you already know everything, I don’t volunteer with any youth programs.” Kimmie isn’t actually my Little Sister.” She paused to clear her throat. “She’s my…nemesis.”

 

A beat passed in complete silence. 

 

“...Your nemesis is a teenage girl?”

 

“She’s really good, okay?!” Shego said defensively with a pout. 

 

“I mean, I kind of am,” Kim piped in with a shy smile, attempting to be helpful. “I’ve put dozens of villains behind bars.”

 

“Huh.” 

 

“Now that this mishap has been cleared up, Kimmie, could you please scram so we can get back to our date?” Shego asked pointedly. She grabbed her large bag and began pulling out a box of crackers. At the sight of food, Kim’s stomach let out a growl that was embarrassingly amplified in the enclosed office space. Crap, I really need to eat . 

 

Shego shot her a look, sucked her teeth, and handed a sleeve of crackers to the girl. Vette looked at the other woman curiously. “What? She’s looking pretty pale, even for a ginger,” Shego responded with a shrug before continuing to pull out cheese cubes, grapes, and a bottle of wine. 

 

“Thanks, I haven’t eaten much today and then I biked here,” Kim said softly as she shoved a few crackers into her mouth. 

 

“Jesus, Kimmie, what was the plan here? You were gonna fight me on an empty stomach?!” Shego scolded as she handed the girl a bundle of grapes. “Eat all of this before you leave.”

 

“You fight this teenage girl?” Vette exclaimed in horror. 

 

“She’s an elite hand-to-hand combatant–”

 

“I’m trained in sixteen different types of Kung-Fu–”

 

“She can knock people out in a single blow!” 

 

The look on Vette’s face morphed into something close to adoration. “For nemeses, you are really sweet with her.” 

 

Shego scoffed and rolled her eyes. “If she passed out from starvation, that would really put a damper on our plans this evening. More so than our little interloper already has. I’m doing this for us .” But a flush was creeping up the woman’s neck. 

 

“Yeah okay, sure,” Vette responded with a soft smile. She moved forward and placed a tender kiss on Shego’s cheek before grabbing the bottle of wine. Kim felt her heart jolt at the casual affection. “Corkscrew?”

 

“It’s in here somewhere,” Shego replied and began pulling items out of the bag in her search. A bundle of rope landed on the desk right before Shego found the corkscrew and passed it to the other woman. 

 

Wait, rope?? Kim grabbed the bundle. “Um. Shego? If your intentions here are romantic and not villainous, why did you bring rope?” Kim asked as she held up the bundle. 

 

Shego’s cheeks and neck immediately darkened with a flush and she refused to make eye contact with the girl. “Um… they’re for me. For, uh…for later,” she muttered before snatching the bundle from Kim’s hand. 

 

“Oh! Right! I’m just gonna go ahead and head out,” Kim almost squealed. She began backing out of the room quickly. “I’ll leave you to it! Sorry for crashing again!” 

 

“Just use the back exit to avoid the security cameras. Nice meeting you, Kim,” Vette called after her with a chuckle. 

 

Kim raced out of the building in record time. She returned to where she left the bike and sat next to it on the ground as she finished eating the snacks Shego gave her. 

 

“So…” squawked in her earpiece. Oh my god I forgot about Wade!

 

“Did you hear all that?”

 

“Yep. Talk about awkward.”

 

“So, totally awkward,” she said with a grimace. “Can we just pretend this never happened?”

 

“You got it, Kim.”

 

She disconnected the call, mounted the bike, and pushed off, heading back the way she came. 

***

The ride home took much longer than the 21 minute ride to the museum. Partly because the little motor attached to the bike ran out of juice a few minutes into her ride, forcing her to carry on without the extra boost. Ordinarily, this wouldn’t have been an issue for Kim. Her remarkable athletic prowess meant that she was able to cycle at near-professional cyclist speeds. 

 

Under normal circumstances, Kim would have been able to pedal the remainder of the 10 miles home fairly quickly. Under normal circumstances, Kim would have woken up early enough this morning to complete her customary calisthenics and would have therefore been limber enough for a twenty mile bike ride. Under normal circumstances, Kim would have eaten more than a few apple cider donuts, one-point-five granola bars, a sleeve of crackers, and a handful of grapes by eight p.m. But these were not normal circumstances. Kim had done none of these things and her body was paying for it. 

 

A dull pain had formed on the side of her right knee during the last half mile to her house. Kim reduced her speed to a snail’s pace to contend with the discomfort. When she finally arrived home, Kim wearily dropped the bike off in the garage. She limped into the kitchen and grabbed an entire loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, some strawberry preserves, an entire carton of apple juice, and a butter knife and dragged herself upstairs. She collapsed onto her bed with her bounty and dialed Monique’s number on her private line. As she waited, she sloppily assembled her first sandwich and shoved it into her mouth. 

 

Monique picked up after three rings, “Hey, girl, you made it home in one piece?”

 

“Mmmff,” came out from behind her sticky mouthful of dinner. 

 

“Huh?”

 

Kim quickly chugged a bit of juice to wash down the bite sandwich. “Sorry, eating a sandwich.”

 

The other girl’s laugh carried over the line and made Kim smile. “Glad to hear you’re having more than just my emergency granola bars.”

 

“Ha ha. But yeah, I made it home. Don’t know about in one piece though.” Kim quickly recounted the events of the day’s “mission” to her best friend. “I feel like such a moron, Mo. It was so embarrassing! Like, I know about gay people, why did I short circuit like that…” she trailed off before stuffing another bite of sandwich into her mouth and chewing despondently. 

 

“Give yourself a break, Kim, you clearly don’t have all cylinders firing right now,” Monique soothed over the phone. 

 

Kim made a distressed noise in response. “Tell you what,” Monique continued, “I’ll come over tomorrow and we’ll have a girls’ day and I’ll tell you alllll about how I reacted when I accidentally walked in on my Uncle Noah and his boyfriend. Would that help?”

 

“Would you?” Kim asked in a small voice.

 

“Of course! We’ll order so much take out and just rot in your room, okay? You’ve had a rough day and I want to make sure you’re taking care of yourself,” Monique insisted. 

 

Kim’s heart warmed at her friend’s concern. “Okay. Thanks for–” her voice caught in her throat. She took in a deep breath and continued softly, “thanks, Mo. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Monique blew her a kiss over the phone before hanging up. 

 

Kim ate three more sandwiches and chugged half the container of juice. She quickly cleared the bed of her food detritus and then, for the second time in as many days, pitched face-forward into her duvet.

 

—-END CHAPTER—-

Notes:

these chapters just keep getting longer and longer lol

Chapter 5: An Unholy Alliance

Kim found herself in a dimly lit hallway lined with offices and small labs. Moving quietly, she followed the sound of heels lightly tapping on the floor down the hallway until she spotted the woman she was tracking. Shego approached a slightly cracked door of the only illuminated office. Kim watched as she slipped through the door and entered the room. 

She tip-toed closer to the door, peered through the crack, and watched as Shego quietly approached a tall woman who had her back to the door. The woman was bent over, looking at something on a desk. Kim watched as Shego grew closer, raised her arms, and lunged. Shego’s arms wrapped around the woman’s waist before brushing down her sides to rest at her hips.Yvette turned around and draped her arms around Shego’s shoulders, smiling. She then cupped the back of the shorter woman’s head and pressed their lips together. 

Soft moans of pleasure escaped from the pair as the kiss intensified. Kim watched as fingers tangled in hair, hands squeezed soft skin, and moans were plucked from mouths. A green hand moved to work the zipper on the side of Yvette’s dress. Kim’s eyes locked on the small movement of metal, drinking in every bit of brown skin revealed as the garment opened. The dress, finally opened, fell to the floor and puddled at stilettoed feet. Black lace encased the generous swell of Yvette’s chest. Her back arched as Shego’s mouth journeyed its way from her lips to her neck to her clavicle. Shego returned her lips to Yvette’s for an open mouthed kiss before burying her face in her breasts.  

Suddenly, a hand caught at her wrist. Kim simply reacted. She spun quickly, breaking the hold, and rushed her attacker, pressing them against the wall. She looked down and saw her pale, muscular forearm pressed against the soft brown skin of a collarbone. As her gaze rose, she noted that the column of throat above her forearm moved with a swallow. 

“Kim,” Bonnie breathed her name in a sigh. Hazel eyes, flecked with gold, burned beneath long lashes. Their bodies close, almost pressed together, and heaving with labored breath. Bonnie’s head fell back to rest on the wall as one of her hands found purchase on the exposed skin above Kim’s hips. The other hand reached up and rested on top of Kim’s forearm, still at Bonnie’s clavicle. The hand at her hip squeezed and sent a shiver through Kim. Her eyes dropped to Bonnie’s mouth. A distant ringing sounded in her ears as plump lips parted to allow a pink tongue to dart out and wet the bottom lip. 

The hand at her hip moved to grip her gear belt. Kim felt a tug at her waist before their bodies were flush, the skin of their bare midriffs finally meeting. Kim’s eyelids fluttered at the explosion of heat, starting at around her navel and continuing lower.  

“Kim,” Bonnie repeated softly. “Please,” she breathed out as her eyes lowered to Kim’s lips. Kim felt her heartbeat trip into double time as her other hand wandered across the thin skin over Bonnie’s lower rib cage, exposed by the midriff top of her cheer uniform. At her touch, Bonnie gasped. The noise sent a shockwave through Kim and she shuddered. The pounding of her heartbeat echoed in her head. The ringing in her ears intensified.

A hand reached up and cupped the back of Kim’s neck. A gentle pressure moved her closer and closer and closer until their foreheads touched. The ringing and pounding in her ears grew louder and louder still. Warm breath washed over her face as her eyelids grew heavy. She listed forward and began to close the scant distance between their lips– DING-DONG!

Kim was ripped from her dream by the incessant sounds at her front door. She laid there, face still smushed against her duvet, heartbeat pounding, and throat dry as she tried to hold on to the last threads of her dream. She almost drifted back into a light sleep and back into the waiting arms of Dream Bonnie before more pounding at the door brought her back to reality. She sat up, groggy, slightly sweaty, and stiff. The doorbell clanged again. Kim rolled out of bed and went to her window, searching for who could be banging at her door on a Sunday. She spotted Monique’s cute little jeep parked in front of her house next to a slightly familiar baby blue sedan just as her phone rang. Oh right, a girl’s day. The doorbell rang again, accompanied by more banging. She picked up the phone on the second ring, but not before she noticed that she had a few missed calls. 

“Alright, already, I’m up. Gimme a minute,” she grumbled into the receiver. Her voice was still hoarse with sleep. 

“Damn, girl, you must sleep like the dead,” her friend greeted her. “We’ve been here for, like, ten minutes.”

“Yeah, yeah, down in a second,” she replied before hanging up. She stumbled out of her attic room and limped down the two sets of stairs to the front door. 

She began to open the door to let in her best friend. “Hey, Mo. Sorry, I overslept. I was having the wildest dream–” two sets of eyes greeted her. One brown, one hazel. She blinked. “Bonnie?” she managed to get out in a husky whisper. Kim felt her face heat as her mind flashed back to her interrupted dream. Am I still dreaming? Kim rubbed her eyes. When she opened them again, Bonnie was still there. 

“I can’t believe you went and double-booked on me,” her teammate replied with an affronted scoff and a hand on her hip. Nope, no longer dreaming . She was wearing one of her usual mini skirts and a cropped pink t-shirt that was about two sizes too big for her frame. The collar of the shirt was large enough for Bonnie to expose a fashionable amount of the skin on her left shoulder. Kim wondered if it would feel as soft as it looked. Wait, what? She rubbed at her face in an attempt to clear her head, feeling the pattern of her duvet pressed into her cheek. 

“Wait, so y’all actually had plans?” Monique asked, head swiveling back and forth between the two girls in confusion.

“Yes! Ugh, I already told you!” Bonnie shot back. “I don’t understand why you think I’m lying.” The corner of Kim’s mouth lifted as she watched Bonnie’s foot do the world’s tiniest stomp. She looked up and saw that the girl’s mouth was fixed in one of her usual pouts. Kim couldn’t take her eyes off of the slightly protruding bottom lip. It had a bit of sheen. Gloss, no doubt. I wonder what flavor she uses . 

“Uh, maybe because y’all have never hung out before?” Monique replied.

At this, Kim’s mind flashed back to Friday evening. She remembered the sensation of soft yet firm thighs bracketing her hips as she sat between them. She remembered the nimbleness of the girl’s fingers as they massaged her shoulders and neck. She remembered the heat rolling off Bonnie’s body where it met her back. “We’ve…” she paused to clear her throat, her voice no longer hoarse from sleep but made scratchy by the relieved memory. “We’ve hung out,” Kim finished softly. 

Her best friend’s eyes snapped to hers in shock, brows raised. “You have?” Monique cocked her head to the side and studied Kim. “I didn’t… wait. Kim, why are you still in your mission outfit?”

Kim looked down at herself and saw yesterday’s clothes, “Oh. Uh, whoops.” Monique tsked as she brushed past Kim into the house with two tote bags on her arm. Bonnie still stood at the door, brow furrowed as her eyes slowly scanned Kim.

“Go wash up, I brought some stuff for brunch,” she gestured toward the staircase with her chin. Kim nodded and began moving back toward the staircase.

“Are you limping ?!” screeched out and echoed in the entryway of the house. Kim turned and watched as Bonnie stepped inside and turned to the other girl, “Monique, why is she limping?” She spun to face Kim and leveled her with a scowl. “ Why are you limping?” 

Startled, Kim rushed to explain, “Relax, Bonnie, it’s just a strain.” Her attempt to mollify the girl only seemed to make it worse. 

“Relax?!” Bonnie’s voice was now shrill. “I told you to rest , Kim!” She began moving closer to Kim, finger pointing accusingly. “I can’t believe –”

“Bonnie! Take a beat! Damn,” Monique cut in, halting Bonnie’s tirade. Bonnie let out a frustrated growl and angrily crossed her arms but didn’t continue. Monique side-eyed the brunette for a second before she continued, “Kim, go wash up.” Kim, relieved to escape from Bonnie’s accusing stare, turned and moved up the stairs as swiftly as she could with the pain in her knee that had begun to migrate up to her hip. 

As Kim stepped onto the landing, she overhead Bonnie muttering in a lowered voice. “Whatever it is you have for brunch, we’re taking it upstairs, she can’t keep going up and down those stairs on that leg.” 

“What do you mean, ‘we?’” 

A small, confused, huff of a laugh escaped from Kim as she began her ascent into her attic bedroom. 

***

Kim felt a bit more like a real person after she finished showering. She’d brushed her teeth before shampooing to get rid of the dried sweat from yesterday’s bike ride. She began towel-drying her hair as she stepped out of the en-suite bathroom and towards her closet in search of clothes. 

“Your room’s not as much of a trainwreck as I thought it’d be.” 

Kim yelped as she spun around, quickly moving her towel to cover her very naked body. Bonnie was lounging on top of her bed, flipping through a fashion magazine. “I mean, it’s still a mess,” she gestured to the overflowing laundry hamper and the scattered school supplies around the room, “but at least the bed is made.”

Kim elected not to tell her that the only reason her bed was made was because she hadn’t even gotten in it. She elected to not respond at all and focused on making sure her towel didn’t reveal too much as she sidled her way to her closet. Luckily, it was a walk-in so she was able to escape the other girl’s line of vision. She quickly pulled on some underwear and a pair of baggy sweatpants but struggled for a minute with her sports bra. Her skin was still damp from the shower and made dealing with the garment difficult. The fabric stuck to her skin and required an unusual amount of force to pull down. She wiggled, making slow progress before banging her elbow on the rack. “Ow!” 

“Kim?”

“Uh, yeah, Bonnie?” She maneuvered a bit more and then finally got the bra in place with an accidental snap of the elastic. “Ouch!” She heard a sudden rustling before Bonnie’s concerned face peered around the doorway.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just a slight wardrobe malfunction but I’ve got it under control,” she replied with an awkward chuckle. She grabbed a zip-up hoodie off of the rack and began removing it from its hanger before glancing up. Bonnie hadn’t moved away from the closet door. Her eyes had gone a bit glassy and her gaze seemed fixed on Kim’s midsection. Kim looked down at herself and noticed a few drops of water still remained from her shower. She grabbed her damp towel from where she’d dropped it on the floor and moved the cloth over the hardened ridges of muscle to wipe the remnants away. She looked back up and caught Bonnie’s eyes moving over her body. They paused at her biceps, which were slightly flexed as she held the towel and hoodie in her hands. Kim looked down at her arms, trying to see what had caught Bonnie’s attention. “Um, did I miss another spot or something?” 

Bonnie’s eyes widened as they snapped to hers. Her face flushed as she averted her eyes before she gave her head a slight shake. “Oh, uh, no,” she paused to clear her throat. “You’re good,” she finished meekly before disappearing from the doorway. 

Kim stood in the closet for a few moments, confused. She looked back down at herself once more, running the towel over her arms and chest to make sure her skin was dry. She tugged on the hoodie and zipped it up as she left the closet. 

“Kim?” 

The redhead looked over at her teammate. Bonnie had regained her relaxed position on the bed. She was lying belly down on top of the green duvet and had her feet kicked up in the air behind her. Her chin rested in the palm of her hand. The sun filtered in through the blinds of her window strips of light made her eyes almost glow. Kim took a moment and realized how much she liked the sight of the girl on her bed before responding, “Hmm?”

“Just a quick q,” the girl continued, “do you often sleep with sandwich ingredients?” She pointed to the half empty bag of bread and jars of condiments on the nightstand. “Or is it more like an occasional thing?”

Kim tried to bite back her laugh but it escaped in a snort before she responded, “I didn’t sleep with the food!” She adopted a mock scandalized tone of voice as she continued, “I slept next to the food.” She waved her hand to indicate the space between the nightstand and the bed. “Exhibit A: You can clearly see that I moved the food off of the bed before I passed out,” she added with a grin.  

“Soooo, just the orange juice, then?” The brunette lifted a pillow from the bed and revealed a half empty plastic bottle. 

Kim paused at the sight of the bottle, mouth agape and almost at a loss for words. “...That’s apple juice, so no,” Kim replied with a smirk.  

Bonnie gave her an exasperated eye roll but couldn’t mask her smile. She shook her head at Kim as she laughed. “You are such a disaster, Kim Possible. How are you even cheer captain?”

“Angling for my position, Bonnie? Again?” Kim grabbed an elastic band off of her dresser and began gathering her hair into a low ponytail. “Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. You. Lost. Fair and square.” 

Bonnie narrowed her eyes. “I’m serious, Kim. How can you possibly keep up with everything?” Her tone lost all of its earlier levity. “Cheerleading, school, your job, and not to mention your whole side-gig. First a migraine and now you’re limping? You’re clearly not taking care of yourself.”

Kim sat down on the edge of her bed with a sigh. “I’ll be fine, just a rough couple of days.” 

Bonnie’s brow lifted as she fixed her with an unimpressed look. Before she could respond, they heard Monique calling Bonnie from downstairs. Bonnie rose from the bed and made her way toward the attic stairs. She paused with her back to Kim just before she began her descent. “I’m worried about you,” she said softly. 

She was gone before Kim could respond. 

***

Kim flopped backward onto her bed, mind reeling. What is going on with me? Her mind wandered back to snippets of her dream. Her face heated as her brain replayed her hallway tangle with Bonnie. She felt a flutter in her abdomen as she recalled the girl’s glassy stare at her half-dressed form from just minutes ago. Did she…enjoy it?

A red blinking light in the corner of her vision caught her attention. Her phone had a new message on the answering machine. She leaned over and listened to the recorded message. Her mother had called to let her know that her surgery went long and that she planned to stay overnight to monitor her patient. Kim put her phone down before rolling onto her back on the bed. 

With two genius parents at the top of their respective fields, Kim was used to the house being empty. It was one of the main reasons she started her babysitting website. She’d needed a way to keep busy so she wouldn’t feel so lonely all the time. That it had quickly snowballed into crime-fighting only helped even more. She didn’t have time to feel the loneliness when she was traveling halfway across the world to stop one villain after the next. Having Ron around used to help her feel less alone but lately it hadn’t felt like enough. Her mind flashed back to Friday and how he’d insisted over her protestations that she drop everything just to meet him at Bueno Nacho. Spending time with him felt more and more like an obligation. Not to mention the amount of time she spent on missions saving his ass and fixing his mistakes. 

The sound of clanging pots and pans made its way upstairs and interrupted Kim’s morose musings. She smiled. At least she wasn’t alone today. Despite Bonnie’s confusing hot-and-cold treatment, she still showed up. By some strange, cosmic turn of events, she had two people in her house who were there for her . Who cared enough about her to actually try to take care of her. 

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Who the hell else is here? Bonnie called out, “Got it!” Confused as to how her family home had become so popular, she strained to listen to the commotion downstairs. 

“Oh, hey! It’s Little Miss Fashionista from the mall! Is Kimme around?” Shego?! She shot out the bed and hobbled her way down the attic stairs. She stopped at the landing and peered down into the entryway. “Um, hello?! Shego, what hell are you doing here?”

“Wow, language, Kimmie.” Shego craned her neck upward to look at the girl. 

Kim braced herself on the banister and leaned forward. “The question still stands, Shego!”

“Ooohh, am I interrupting something?” she asked with a mischievous smile and looked back and forth between Kim and Bonnie. “See, it’s not so fun having your plans being crashed by an interloper, is it, Kimmie?” She continued with a cackle. “You’ve just been interloped!” 

“...Did you come all this way for that? You came all the way to my house just to get me back for that?” Kim asked in disbelief. “I said I was sorry,” she exclaimed.

Bonnie looked back and forth between the two nemeses. “Are we in, like, danger or something?” She asked confusedly. She turned to Shego, “You’re a bad guy, right?”

“Ah, I’m just messing with Kimmie. I come in peace, or whatever.” Shego shrugged before looking back up at Kim. “I actually just wanted to check up on you after last night.” She looked a bit uncertain.

“Oh, I’m totally fine with you being gay, Shego,” she rushed to reassure the woman. “It’s not a problem at all.” 

“What? I’m not talking about that. You told me you barely ate yesterday and then you biked to and from Upperton. I just wanted to make sure you made it back okay and are actually eating something today.”

Bonnie whirled around and looked up at Kim. “You biked all the way to Upperton ?! And on an empty stomach ?!” Kim began to make her way toward the stairs so they could continue the conversation at a normal volume.“Stop!! Don’t you dare take another step, Kim.” Kim froze. Bonnie looked furious.

Shego looked back and forth between the girls with an expression of confused alarm. 

“All this movement will make your leg worse, you idiot,” Bonnie continued through clenched teeth. 

“What’s going on with her leg?” Shego asked.

“She’s limping .” 

The woman’s mouth dropped open. “You’re limping , Kimmie?” Shego asked incredulously. 

“It’s fine ,” Kim began. “It’s not that big of a deal–”

“Kimmie, I’ve never known you to limp. Ever. My hits always just sort of roll off you and you always bounce back. You limping is kind of a deal! Maybe not a big one, but it’s definitely a medium-sized deal.” 

Exasperated, Kim sighed, “It’s just a strain, I swear–”

Bonnie turned to Shego and completely ignored Kim. “Could you help me get her back to bed?”

“Sure, hold on.” Shego dashed up the stairs, taking two at a time and quickly moved toward Kim. She paused and tilted her head to the side, thinking. “How do we do this?”

“I can walk just fine , thank you,” Kim began before Shego cut her off with a raised palm. 

“Don’t wanna hear it, kid.” She paused for a few seconds, seeming to do some calculations in her head. “Mmm…fireman. Yep. Hang on, I’m lifting you.” She bent forward and scooped Kim over her shoulders in a fireman’s carry. 

“Ohmygod, this is so not necessary.” Kim dangled impotently around the woman’s neck. 

“Just let it happen, kid,” Shego responded as she readjusted her hold. “Which way are we going?”

“Ugh. Fine. Hang a left and then go up the stairs at the end of the hall,” she responded resignedly. Shego carted her all the way up to her bedroom before tossing her onto the bed. She grabbed a pillow and paused to ask, “Which knee is it?” Kim rolled her eyes, grabbed the pillow, and placed it under her right knee. 

“You need to rest that and…what else, what else…ice! You need to ice it, okay? Hang on a sec.” Before she could protest, Shego went back to the top of the attic stairs and called down, “Yo, fashionista! Grab an ice pack or something!” She then moved back toward Kim and sort of hovered over her, lips pressed into a thin line, hands on hips. “You gotta start taking better care of yourself, kid.” 

“Yeah, I know. Bonnie already read me the riot act,” she muttered in response. 

Shego slowly nodded, “Hmm. Okay, I guess you’re in good hands. Take it easy, kid, I’m heading back to Vette’s.” She waved as she turned to move towards the stairs. 

An idea struck Kim at the mention of the statuesque woman from last night. “Wait!” Kim called out. Shego looked back at Kim over her shoulder. “I have kind of a…personal question? To ask you?” 

Shego turned around fully with her brow furrowed. “...Yeah?”  

Kim focused her gaze on the duvet, eyes tracing the chevron pattern as gathered the courage to ask her question. “How do you know if you…like girls?” Kim felt her face burn. She braved a quick glance at the woman before immediately averting her eyes. She took in a deep breath to finish, “Like. Like -like girls?" 

A beat passed in silence. 

“Oh.” 

Kim chanced another quick glance at the woman. Her eyes had gone wide and her brow was raised. Kim looked away again as she felt her face get even hotter. 

“ Oh . Ummm. Well?” The woman took a deep breath before blowing it all out. “Okay, I guess we’re doing this.” She retraced her steps and perched on the corner of the bed. “I guess…for me, I realized it when I couldn’t stop thinking about the TA for my intro to Women’s Studies class. I found myself wanting to be around her a lot and I couldn’t stop thinking about her. She was so smart and confident. She made me feel…how do I keep this PG… She made me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside,” she said flippantly. “I wanted to kiss her and–I don’t know–hold hands.”

“...Shego, I’m seventeen, not a toddler.” Kim responded dryly. 

“Fine! I wanted to rip her clothes off, okay? I wanted her body on my body. She was so fucking hot. It all was very… heated and primal . I don’t know how to describe it.” She broke off in frustration. “I felt…out of control around her. Like, I wanted to be out of control with her. Around her, I just stopped thinking so much and started feeling, you know?” 

Kim gulped as her mind flashed to Bonnie. How it felt when they were in her home library. The zip of electricity that bolted through her when their eyes met. How warm her entire body felt with her head resting on the girl’s shoulder. How her heart fluttered in anticipation as the distance between them grew narrower. Her mind then turned to her dream. Uh oh.  

“I’d dated tons of guys before but I never really got why my friends were all crazy about them. The could be nice or whatever, but I didn’t get the obsession.” Shego’s complexion had darkened slightly with a flush. “After the class, I ran into her at a house party and we kissed and it all just…clicked into place. ” She grinned to herself before continuing, “I finally understood what my friends were going on about, when they talked about their boyfriends. Except it was a girl. And it felt right. It felt perfect.” She glanced at Kim out of the corner of her eye. “Is any of this making sense?”

Kim cleared her throat and whispered, “Yeah. I-it makes a lot of sense.” Her mind began running through all of her interactions with Ron after they started dating. How it felt almost the same as before, just hanging out with her friend, but with a few kisses and some hand holding. Her mind then returned to all of those moments with Bonnie and how different they felt. How different she felt. She blew out a breath and flopped backward into her pillows. “I think I’m in trouble,” she said weakly.

Before Shego could respond, Bonnie and Monique entered the room, each carrying a wooden tray loaded with dishes. “Hey, Kim! I made us some pancakes!” Monique called out cheerfully. She paused when she saw Shego sitting next to Kim on the bed. “Oh, um. Hi, green lady from the mall?”

Shego snorted. “Hello, teen from Club Banana. It’s Shego, by the way.”

“...Monique,” her best friend responded reluctantly as she brought her tray to the bed. She flopped down next to Kim and grabbed a piece of fruit. She leaned over and whispered to Kim, “Isn’t she a bad guy?”

Shego overheard and sighed dramatically, “Oh my god, I come in peace, okay?” After seeing Kim’s nod, Monique shrugged and then bit into her fruit. “Also, ‘bad guy’ is such a relative term anyway,” Shego grumbled. “What even is ‘bad?’” she continued. “I like to think of myself as simply… creative with the law and other people’s property.” 

“You’re describing crime, Shego.” Kim responded tersely. 

“Meh, what do you know, you’re just a kid,” Shego brushed her off. 

Bonnie set her tray down, too. She placed a bag of frozen peas on Kim’s knee before handing her a mug of coffee. Kim took a tentative sip and smiled as wonderfully caramel flavored coffee hit her taste buds. She turned to thank Bonnie and caught her already watching her carefully. Kim gave her a soft, “Thanks,” in appreciation. 

Bonnie’s cheeks reddened as she quickly looked away and murmured, “Yeah, sure, whatever,” before she moved away from the bed. Kim watched as she grabbed the magazine from earlier, walked across her room, dropped into her desk chair, and buried her face in the magazine. Kim’s brow furrowed in confusion. Again with the whiplash?

She turned to see both Shego and Monique looking between her and Bonnie. Monique had a ponderous look on her face as she chewed her fruit. Shego’s eyebrows had crept all the way up her forehead and her lips were lifted in a surprised smile. She gave Kim a subtle nod and a thumbs-up. Kim felt her face heat as she rolled her eyes and mouthed, “Shut up.” The woman raised her palms in acquiescence, still smiling. Next to them, Monique looked between them in silent consideration. “Welp, I guess I’d better head out.” Shego snatched a pancake off of the tray and began tearing off bite-sized pieces and popping them into her mouth. “Later, Kimmie. See ya, Fashionista. Thanks for the pancake, Monique,” she wiggled her fingers in a wave and then left the room. 

Monique and Kim ate their brunch in relative silence before Monique cleared her throat. “Uh, Bonnie?” She caught Bonnie’s attention and gave her a pointed look. Bonnie nodded and joined them on the bed. Both girls turned to face Kim. “So, Bee and I were talking…”

“What the hell, Mo? You cook one breakfast together and she gets a nickname?” Kim pretended to pout. “You never gave me a nickname, Mo. What kind of best friend are you?” 

“‘Bee’ is short for Beelzebub, so be careful what you wish for, girl,” her friend replied with a cackle. Kim let out a belly-laugh. 

“Hey!” Bonnie cried out in protest. Then her face cracked and she joined them in laughter. “Not the worst thing I’ve been called,” she added with a shrug. 

“What are you, friends now?” Kim asked in amused disbelief.

Sobering, the girls shared a look between themselves. “We’ve formed…an alliance, of sorts,” Bonnie replied vaguely.  

“Kim, we’re worried about you,” her best friend said with a pleading look on her face. 

The amusement left Kim’s body. Her gaze fell to her hands as she nodded. “Yeah, I know. I just. I don’t know what to do. I think I…I think I have too much on my plate.” She shot a quick glance up at the girls before looking back down at her hands. 

“Well, Bee and I were talking downstairs and we had an idea.” Kim looked up at Monique expectantly. “I think you should take some time off from Club Banana. One of the benefits of being assistant manager–besides the discount–is running the shift schedule. I can take you off of it for a week or two to give you a break.” 

“And I can take over as cheerleading captain,” Bonnie declared.

“That is not what we discussed,” Monique shot back. 

“Ugh, fine . Co-captain,” she amended with an eye roll. “We can split captain duties so you don’t have to do as much.” 

Kim grew silent as she pondered the suggestions. She blew out a deep breath before responding, “Okay.” She looked around her room in thought. But just me and an empty house again? The thought was terrifying. “But what do I do with all the free time?” 

“Just be a normal teenager,” Bonnie replied while Monique nodded in agreement. 

“But that’s the thing. I’m not a normal teenager. I’m Kim Possible. I’ve been fighting crime since I was a preteen. I’ve always been doing something . I… I don’t think I know how to be a normal teenager.” 

The two girls shared a glance before looking back at Kim in sympathy. Monique shifted on the bed until her side was flush with Kim’s. She slung her arm over the redhead’s shoulder. “That’s okay, Kim,” her friend replied gently.

“We’ll teach you,” Bonnie added with finality in her tone.  

The girls spent the next several hours lounging around Kim’s room, watching TV, listening to music, and exchanging both celebrity and high school gossip. For dinner, they ordered Chinese takeout and watched some movie that came on the TV. Kim felt strangely light. She had people who seemed determined to care for her and who had finally convinced Kim to start taking care of herself. 

By the time dusk had fallen, her knee and hip were a bit stiff but no longer painful. She and the girls gathered their food detritus from around her room and brought them downstairs to the kitchen. After placing the last container of food into the fridge, Bonnie stretched and announced her intent to leave. “I’ll walk you out,” Kim replied and followed the girl to the entryway. 

They stood awkwardly by the front door for a few moments before Kim spoke up. “I know we’re not really friends but…” she trailed off as she rubbed the back of her neck in discomfort. “Thanks, Bonnie. For giving enough of a shit about me to give me shit,” she said, her chuckle and gaze aimed at her feet. 

“...we can be friends, or whatever,” her teammate replied softly. Kim looked up, stunned. Bonnie lifted her shoulders in a half shrug and averted her gaze. 

“Oh. Okay, then.” Kim’s face broke into a grin. “Friends.” The scent of juniper and apricot suddenly flooded her nostrils as Bonnie dashed forward and embraced her. Kim didn’t even have time to lift her arms to return the hug before Bonnie let go and went through the front door. She felt a flutter in her stomach as she watched the girl walk quickly to her car. Once she reached her vehicle, she spun around and yelled, “Don’t think I forgot about that cash, Kim! Friendship does not stop me from collecting outstanding debts!” A laugh bubbled out of Kim as she watched Bonnie hop into her car and take off into the night. 

Kim closed the front door and leaned against it with her eyes closed, mind reeling. She opened her eyes and saw her friend a few feet away from her. Monique was leaning on the doorway marking the entry to the kitchen and gazing at her almost knowingly. 

“Hey, Mo? I think I might be gay.” 

The corners of her friend’s mouth lifted in a sympathetic and reassuring smile. “Yeah, I know, girl.” 

A surprised laugh huffed out of Kim, followed by a distressed groan as she let her head thud back against the closed door. I’m definitely in trouble . 

—-END CHAPTER—-

Notes:

happy new year! and thank you for the comments :)

Chapter 6: Breaking Point

“What do you mean you know? How could you possibly know? I only, like, just figured it out.”

“I have eyes, dummy. I mean, you have this whole…Sporty Spice thing going for you. And …there is just no possible heterosexual explanation for the way you were looking at Bonnie.”

Kim let out a distressed groan and buried her face in her hands before mumbling. 

“Huh?” Monique stepped closer and pulled Kim’s hands away from her face. 

“I said, is it that obvious?”

“To me? Yes,” Monique began before Kim let out an even louder groan. She thumped the back of her head against the door again. Her friend gently grabbed her face and lowered her head until their eyes met. “Yes, because I’m your friend . And I know you and I love you. So I think I have an unfair advantage. I don’t think a stranger would be able to guess, though. Only someone who’s been paying attention.” She pulled Kim into a hug, her arms encircled Kim’s waist tightly, as if they were the only thing keeping her together. Kim rested her head on top of her friend’s and let her familiar scent of shea butter and coconut oil soothe her. When they pulled apart a few minutes later, Kim’s vision had gone watery. 

“Thanks,” she sniffled, pathetically. 

Monique hummed in response as she brushed her fingers against Kim’s wet cheeks. Soft brown eyes watched her carefully for a moment before the girl nodded, as if deciding something. She pulled out her flip-phone and shot off a text message before she looked back up at Kim. “Okay, let’s go pack your bag, you’re coming with me.” 

“What?” 

“Kim, you just had a really, really big realization about yourself! I’m not gonna leave you here in this big, empty house to deal with it alone. You’re sleeping over at mine tonight, okay?” Kim had to take a deep breath to stop more tears from escaping but she nodded in relief. 

After a fifteen minute drive, the girls pulled up to a cute little bungalow-style house. It was on the smaller side but the yard overflowed with greenery and flowers. The houses in Kim’s neighborhood all looked like something out of Architectural Digest and had neatly manicured grass lawns. But this house was almost the polar opposite. Instead of looking like a piece of modern art with precise landscaping, it looked like a comfortable home. A place where people lived and laughed and cried and loved . The front lawn had different kinds of flower bushes, ferns, and even what looked to be the largest aloe vera she’d ever seen as the centerpiece. A little stone path lined with small lights led the way to the covered front porch. 

“I can’t believe I’ve never been here before.” She murmured, mostly to herself. Kim reached into the back of the Jeep and grabbed their bags with one hand. 

Monique shrugged as she started up the stone path. “You’re here now,” she responded breezily.  

As they ascended the few steps leading to the front door, Kim’s eyes drank in every detail she could see. Twin lights on both sides of the front door, which was painted a deep plum, illuminated the area. The porch held a double-seated bench, suspended by chains that were anchored into a ceiling that was painted light blue-green. On the other side sat two well-worn rocking chairs. Hanging ferns dangled above the wooden railing and a bit of ivy crept up the wooden paneling of the house.  

Monique’s keys jingled as she unlocked the purple door before she ushered Kim inside. The aroma of fresh herbs greeted her nostrils as soon as she crossed the threshold into the house. The house was too small for a foyer but the space in front of the door managed to fit a large mirror, side table, a coat rack, and more plants lining the small area than Kim had ever seen outside of the Botanical Gardens. She immediately felt comforted by how lived-in and homey the space seemed. 

“Mama, Uncle Noah, I’m back!” Monique called as soon as she set her keys down on the table under the mirror. 

Kim heard a distant, “In the kitchen, baby,” answer from down the hall. 

“Shoes off,” Monique instructed as she kicked off her sneakers and placed them on a low rack. Kim shucked her shoes and followed the girl down the hallway. 

It was like stepping into the sun. The kitchen was painted a lovely goldenrod that made the room feel like a bright summer day. At a small kitchen table near a bay window sat a woman in a black and white block-patterned kaftan, hemmed with gold. She nursed a cup of tea and had a deck of tarot cards in her hand. Kim stopped for a moment and almost rubbed her eyes. The woman was a carbon-copy of her best friend, except her hair, currently styled in twin braids tucked on either side of her head, was sprinkled with a few strands of gray. 

“Perfect timing, Nikki,” a beautiful man with Monique’s dimples and sparkling brown eyes stood at the kitchen island, using a butter knife to spread white icing on a dark red cake. He was wearing a frilly pink apron and his halo of coiled, kinky hair was held back from his face with a headband. 

“You must be Kim,” the woman stood up from the table and moved toward the girls. 

“Hi, Mrs. Rollins. It’s really nice to meet you. You have a lovely home,” Kim responded with a polite smile.

“Ha! My last name is Nicholson, but there’s no need to be so formal, baby,” she pulled Kim down into a firm hug. “Just call me Miss Rochelle. Monique’s told me so much about you, I feel like I know you already!” Kim’s initial surprise at the hug was quickly replaced with a feeling of ease blossoming in her chest as the woman’s arms squeezed her. She smelled of mint tea. 

“And I…am her Uncle Noah,” the man announced with a bright smile while flourishing the butter knife as if it were a scepter. “Give me just a second to finish with this,” he indicated the cake in front of him, “and we can all sit down with a slice.”

Monique guided Kim over to the cabinets behind Noah and started grabbing plates and cutlery and piling them in Kim’s hands. She then grabbed four cups and a pitcher of lemonade from the fridge before they went to the table. 

“So Kim,” Noah started as he began carrying the finished cake to the table, “I’ve only heard bits and pieces about you. Tell me about yourself?” His face held a warm smile that reached his kind brown eyes.

Kim took a deep breath. “Oh, you know, just the usual. I’m a senior with Monique at Middleton High, we also work together at Club Banana. I’m head cheerleader, I’ve traveled the world fighting crime, I babysit…” she trailed off. 

“Oh, wow, that’s a lot of accomplishments.” He began cutting the cake into even slices. “What did you two get up to today?”

“Just regular teenage stuff,” Monique replied cheekily. “We had brunch and hung out at her place,” 

Kim piped in, “Watched some TV–”

“Gossiped–”

“Realized I’m gay–”

The table went silent. Monique’s gaze shot to hers, mouth opened slightly in surprise. When her own words finally registered with her brain, she immediately braced herself and squeezed her eyes shut. Oh god, why did I say that? It had just sort of fell out of her mouth. Though she was still in shock, a small part of her noted how it settled in her chest. I’m gay. It was her first time saying it out loud and saying it that definitively. 

She only had her eyes shut for about a few seconds before noises of excitement broke out around her. Slightly startled, she looked around at three beaming faces. Miss Rochelle rubbed her back soothingly as she looked into her eyes. “Congratulations, Kim! And thank you for letting us know you.” She then gently patted Kim’s cheek before she reached for the butter knife and began slicing up the cake.

Noah circled the small table, put his hand on her shoulder, and squeezed gently as he cheered, “Congratulations! And welcome to the family!” At Kim’s surprised expression, he added, “Everyone in this room is some flavor of queer, cutie. You’re in excellent company.” Kim looked around at everyone before her eyes landed on her best friend who simply pressed her hands against her cheeks and smiled cherubically. 

Kim hadn’t even noticed the pit in her stomach until she felt it disappear. Her eyes stung as she took her first bite of the best cake she’d ever tasted. 

Most of the cake had disappeared by the time the adults were ready for bed. It was easily the best and strangest Sunday evening she’d ever had. Monique’s little family had seemed to actually want to spend time together. To talk and actually listen. To actually share who they were as people, and not just what they did for work. Kim soaked up every minute detail, relishing in the sense of closeness and ease.

When Kim had complimented the plants and the front garden, Miss Rochelle had shared how much she regretted having to leave the garden she’d had back in Georgia. How, even though it would never compete with her granny’s garden while she was growing up in Birmingham, it had been a labor of love that she’d worked many years to cultivate. After her divorce, she’d wanted to get her and Monique as far away from her ex-husband as possible, so much so that she’d moved to a different climate and biome. She shared how she’d brought clippings with her from some of her favorite plants–which were currently propagating–but she was still figuring out what kinds of flora worked best here in Colorado. 

When Kim had complimented the cake, Noah gushed about how it was his best friend’s recipe. It quickly spiraled into stories about some of the antics he and his found family got up to in Los Angeles as four Black, gay men in their twenties. “Even though I miss them like crazy, they all understood that I had to be here for my big sis and my favorite niece.” He’d sprinkled the top of Monique’s head with kisses as he moved to collect the dishes. “Plus, I can write a screenplay from anywhere, I don’t have to be in L.A.”

Everyone seemed to understand that Kim felt a little overwhelmed at her unexpected revelation and didn’t bombard her with questions. But they made sure she had more cake and that her glass was full. 

“Okay girls, my shift tomorrow at the Med Spa starts early so I’m turning in.” Miss Rochelle stood and pressed a kiss to each girl’s forehead. “I’m gonna need all my beauty rest if I’m gonna deal with entitled WASPS who are petrified of aging,” she said with an eye roll. “Don’t stay up too late, it’s a school night,” she finished before leaving the kitchen with another cup of tea. 

Kim rose to gather the dishes but Noah brushed her hand away. “You can get it next time.” He blew them a kiss goodnight after he loaded their dishes into the dishwasher. He’d had a burst of inspiration and wanted to start writing while he still had it. 

Monique led Kim back to her bedroom after showing her where the bathroom was located. The room was painted lilac and different shades of purple popped throughout the room in the decor. String lights adorned the headboard of the full sized bed that was tucked into the corner of the room. The entire room had a cozy yet playful feel, reflecting exactly how she felt around her friend.

The girls did their nightly ablutions before changing into their pajamas. After they had curled up next to each other under the covers, Kim turned to face her friend in the lowered light. 

“So…what flavor of queer are you?”

“Ha! I was wondering when you’d get around to that,” her friend said with a grin. “I’m probably bisexual,” she explained with a shrug.

“Probably?”

Monique’s expression turned wistful. “Right before we moved, there was this girl,” she began. “Nothing happened, but…I think I wanted something to happen, you know?” Kim nodded, silently encouraging her to continue. “I still don’t know if I like girls or if it was a Just Her thing. I mean, I haven’t dated much since I moved here. The dating scene is a little too… pale for my tastes.” Kim cackled. “I mean, Colorado’s a white-ass state.”

Kim, still laughing, nodded in agreement, “It is extremely pale.” 

“But, anyway. I’m not really in a rush to try to date anyone. I figure I can really cut loose once I’m in college.

“Sounds like a solid plan,” Kim said with a smile. She then let out a contented sigh and rolled onto her back. “I’m so very glad that, of all the places she could have picked, your mom picked white-ass Middelton, Colorado.” 

Monique laced their fingers together under the covers. “I’m glad, too.” 

Kim felt a wave of pleasant exhaustion wash over her and let it carry her into a deep, restful sleep. 

***

She awoke the next day feeling more refreshed than she had in days. The stiffness in her hip had all but dissipated but her right knee felt achey. 

The girls went into the kitchen to grab breakfast to-go before heading to campus. Her hosts were tea-people, so Kim had to go without her usual hit of caffeine since she declined Miss Rochelle’s homemade herbal breakfast blend. Monique tossed her two granola bars and two bananas before she filled a to-go cup with water, still hot from the kettle on the stove. She then filled a little metal strainer with a scoop of dried leaves from a mason jar and dunked it into the cup.

Miss Rochelle swept into the kitchen wearing dark blue scrubs. After seeing Kim’s slight limp, she gave her an ibuprofen and told her to continue to rest it as much as possible. “But I have cheer practice,” Kim complained with a pout.

“If you’re so eager to get back to practice, it’s better you rest it now, before you make it worse. It’ll take longer to recover,” she explained, pointedly. “I may work at the Med Spa but I’m still very much a nurse, okay?” Kim nodded in acquiescence and promised to sit-out from the physical activity during practice that afternoon. Appearing satisfied, the woman wished the girls goodbye and left. 

The girls piled into Monique’s Jeep and took off with the windows down and the radio blasting an upbeat pop song. “There’s a coffee shop close to the school. We have enough time to swing by and feed your coffee addiction before first period.”

“You are an actual angel, Mo,” Kim gushed in relief. 

They pulled into a parking lot outside of A Brewed Awakening and Kim hopped out of the car. She looked around the cafe’s lot and noticed a significant number of Middleton Mad Dogs decals slapped on different bumpers. Must be a popular pre-class hangout . 

“Need anything?” Kim asked as she shut the Jeep door. Monique shook her head and lifted her travel mug of tea, still dancing in the driver’s seat along with the radio. Kim turned and stepped inside the coffee shop. The addictive smell of freshly roasted beans almost made her salivate. 

As she queued up to place her order, she gave a distracted wave toward a table of students who’d called out a cheery greeting. She focused on trying to make sense of the lengthy menu, artfully scribbled in white on a black chalkboard above the register. 

The line crept forward, and Kim began to move with it, still working to decipher the menu. She looked down in time to come to an abrupt stop and avoided colliding into the person in front of her. The person behind her, however, did not share her remarkable reflexes and 

slammed into her back. With her solid build, she barely moved. But the person behind let out a small yelp as they bounced off of her. Kim whirled around, arm outstretched, and caught the girl around the waist before she fell to the ground. “Are you okay?” she asked as she returned them to an upright position. 

Wide amber eyes looked up at her from behind large, circular lenses. Kim kept her arm around the girl to make sure she’d regained her balance. One of her hands was clutching Kim’s tricep and the other tightly gripped her shirt where it covered her abdomen. “Y-yeah. Sorry,” she squeaked in reply. A blush colored her cheeks, mingling with the dusting of light freckles across and around her nose. 

The glasses were resting crookedly on the girl’s face and one of the arms was snagged on a few strands of hair from her dark bangs. Kim reached up and gently untangled the glasses before straightening them on the girl’s face. “There you go,” she said softly. She looked down at the hand still gripping her shirt. “You wanna let go?”

The girl blushed even harder as she dropped her hands like she’d been zapped with electricity. “Sorry!” She began moving backward and away from Kim quickly. Kim’s hand shot out and snagged her by the fabric of her top and tugged her forward to narrowly stop her from bumping into the person behind her. The girl gasped silently and stared up at Kim. “ OhmygodI’msosorry ,” suddenly rushed out. Kim dropped her hand and shrugged away the apology.

The girl still seemed a bit startled, so Kim gave her a reassuring smile before asking, “Do you know what’s good here? The menu’s a bit overwhelming.”

“Oh. Um. I guess it…depends on what you like?” The end of the girl’s sentence ended on an upward inflection, although it wasn’t really a question. 

“Well…I like coffee, but that’s not really helpful, is it?” she responded, feeling the corner of her mouth lift into a crooked smile. The girl let out a slight giggle as she shook her head in agreement. “But I do love caramel. Better?” The line had moved up and Kim was next to place her order. 

The girl’s smile brightened. “Yeah! They have a ton of caramel flavored–”

Suddenly, someone bodily pushed between Kim and the clumsy girl and stood in front of the cashier. “I’ll have a small iced espresso.” Bonnie had pushed her way to the front of the line and now stood there, arms folded. 

“Bonnie–” Kim began, begrudgingly amused.

The brunette glanced back over her shoulder at Kim and met her eye, brow aloft, the picture of haughty in profile. She promptly turned back around and added, “And she’ll have a medium caramel latte, hot, extra whip.” The barista punched in the order.

“You can’t just cut in line–”

“Ugh, please. You were holding up the line. And it’s not like you stopped me,” her teammate replied with a hair flip. She turned back to the barista and added, “She’s paying,” before gracefully flouncing to the side to await their order. Kim bit back a laugh at the antics and shrugged an apology to the girl next to her.

“Anything else?” the barista inquired.

“Yeah, a chocolate chip muffin and,” she turned to the girl she’d saved from falling. “What are you having?”

The girl looked up in surprise, “Oh, you don’t have to do that.” At Kim’s encouraging nod, she placed her order of an iced-something-or-other. She didn’t understand half the words coming out of the girl’s mouth. Kim paid for the order and moved to join Bonnie. 

“You are so rude,” she muttered once she reached Bonnie’s side. Her words were strong but her tone belied her amusement. 

“Am I rude? Or am I simply efficient?” The brunette gazed up at Kim with a smug smile.  

“Is it efficient if I don’t even like the drink you ordered? I’d have to go aaall the way back in line and order something else.” 

Bonnie pursed her lips and squinted at the redhead. “You’ll like it.” 

Kim shook her head and leaned back against the wall behind them. Her clumsy companion from earlier stood nearby. After about a minute, their order was called. Kim walked up, grabbed the drink tray and her muffin, and returned to the girls. She glanced down at the assortment of cups, “I’m not sure which is which–”

Bonnie interrupted her by grabbing a small cup filled with dark brown liquid. She stabbed a plastic straw through the lid before bringing the small tube of plastic to her lips. Kim watched as she took a long pull, transfixed by pink, puckered lips. Yep, definitely gay. Bonnie’s eyes locked with hers as she held the straw between her teeth and gently bit down. “This one is yours.” She maintained eye contact and plucked a blue, lidded cup from the tray and held it up to Kim’s lips. “Go ahead, take a sip. And then tell me I was right.”

Kim’s lashes fluttered slightly but she held Bonnie’s gaze as she opened her mouth and took a small sip, tilting her head back so the coffee could make its way through the whipped cream and into her mouth. Her eyes rolled closed as the delicious beverage met her tongue. She let out a contented hum as she swallowed. When she opened her eyes, Bonnie was looking up at her smugly, eyes sparkling, single brow arched. “Okay. You were right. That’s fucking delicious.” 

“I know,” she replied smugly, looking like the cat that ate the canary. She then handed Kim the cup before plucking off a piece of the muffin and popping it into her mouth. Kim watched as her pink tongue swiped an errant morsel of chocolate off of her bottom lip.

The redhead tore her eyes away from Bonnie’s mouth and looked down at the tray before turning toward Clumsy Girl. She picked up the last cup, a tall clear one filled with a very light brown froth. “This must be yours,” she said as she passed on the drink. Kim tossed the drink tray into the trash before grabbing a straw. As she handed it to the girl, her eyes caught on the lanyard dangling from the girl’s keys in her hand. “Oh, you go to Middleton High, too?”

“Y-yeah,” the girl stuttered. “We actually have a class together?” Again, her statement ended up sounding more like a question. Kim’s brows rose. She did not recognize this girl, but she also didn’t spend much time socializing in class, having needed to dip out to deal with villains on a sporadic basis. 

Before she could follow up, Bonnie cut in with an annoyed groan. “Ugh, this is taking too long, let’s goooo,” she put a hand on Kim’s lower back and shoved her toward the exit. Kim was pretty heavy, given the sheer density of her muscles, but the girl was determined and put her lower body into it. And Kim kind of enjoyed being handled by Bonnie. 

Kim tossed an apologetic smile over her shoulder and called, “See you in class,” before letting herself be pushed outside. They reached the Jeep and Bonnie tossed Monique a quick “hey” before she turned back to Kim. “I’m not even close to being finished with you, Kim.” Kim had to work hard to mask her reaction. “This,” she held up her drink, “is but a teensy tiny dent into that wad of cash.”

A strangled laugh escaped Kim. “Duly noted, Bonnie,” she murmured after she recovered. She was ready to buy the girl almost anything she wanted.

“I feel like I should get a prize for selecting your new favorite drink, too.” She tapped the straw of her drink against her lips thoughtfully. “Haven’t decided what, but I’ll think of something,” she added with a mischevious smirk before strutting to her car. Kim’s eyes followed the girl across the parking lot, roving over the smooth skin of her legs, exposed by very short shorts. Monique cleared her throat very pointedly, jolting Kim out of her trance. She hopped into the passenger seat and buckled her belt before taking another sip of the delicious coffee. She could see her friend beaming out of the corner of her eye. 

“So very gay.”

“Shut up,” she mumbled with a furious blush and a small smile. 

***

When they pulled into the school parking lot, she heard the familiar, sputtering sounds of Ron’s old moped.

Ah shit, I have to break up with Ron . “Oh, fuck,” she muttered under her breath. At her friend’s questioning glance, she explained, “I haven't seen or spoken to Ron since before my…awakening.”  

“ Oh . Fuck.” Monique grimaced in sympathy. Kim pressed a hand to her stomach, feeling the sweet coffee drink and muffin roiling inside. Tension crept up her shoulders and clenched her jaw. 

“I…need to break up with him. Shit. I’ve never broken up with anyone before.” Her breathing turned rapid and shallow. “What do I say? How am I supposed to–”

Gentle hands grabbed hers and squeezed reassuringly. “Deep breaths, Kim.” Kim inhaled deeply through her nose, held it for five seconds, and then exhaled slowly through her mouth. The roiling of her stomach lessened. She met her friend’s warm brown eyes and held her gaze, feeling her jaw begin to unclench. “First of all, he’s your oldest friend.” Kim nodded along. “Notice how I said ‘oldest’ and not ‘best?’” Kim cracked a smile. “I think I’ve got that position on lock, but that’s neither here nor there.” Her definitely-best friend continued, “Do you still want to be friends with him?” At Kim’s nod, she instructed, “Just tell him that. That you really cherish his friendship, and want to focus on that. Does that help?”

Kim let out a deep sigh and nodded. Steeling herself, she hopped out of the Jeep and made her way to Ron’s moped. “Hey, Ron. Got a minute?”

***

Breaking up with someone you still care about is awful . He was just so sad. His usually bright brown eyes were muted. Kim almost took it back. But that would have been unfair. Unfair to both her and to him. He was her first friend. Her oldest friend. But she’d never be able to give him what he wanted in a romantic relationship and she couldn’t lie to herself. He said he’d understood, but needed some time and a little bit of distance. Ron squeezed her tight and she squeezed him back even tighter. “I’m so sorry, Ron.”

He shook his head, eyes downcast, “Don’t be.” He buckled his helmet and started his moped. He just wanted to go home. “Catch you later, KP.” She pressed a light kiss to his cheek and watched him drive away. Why does this feel like goodbye?  

“Trouble in paradise?”

She turned and saw Bonnie leaning against the driver’s side door of her little blue sedan, still sipping her drink. Kim blew out a deep breath before responding, “Yeah, something like that.” 

“That was bound to happen.” The girl rattled the ice around in her cup and took another long sip. “I’ve been telling you, you’re way out of his league–”

“We broke up.” 

Surprise widened hazel eyes as the straw fell from her lips. “Oh.” The straw found its way back to Bonnie’s mouth and she began chewing on it as she watched Kim with an unreadable expression. “Are you…okay?”

Kim shoved her hands into her pockets and shuffled closer to the girl. “No,” she breathed out with a heavy sigh. She leaned against the car next to Bonnie before craning her neck back to look at the sky. Wisps of white clouds floated against a sea of brilliant blue as the morning sun gently warmed her face. Her eyes tracked the movement of a lone bird, circling in the air above. A light scuff of sneakers on concrete and the familiar scent of shea butter and coconut oil announced her best friend’s arrival. The car against her back gently rocked as Monique joined them against the blue sedan. Heat radiated from her friend’s body, warming her side and warming her heart as she remembered their time around her family’s kitchen table. “But I will be.” 

***

English Composition and Literature was her final class of the day. She’d already finished the assigned reading a few weeks ago during a particularly long flight to a remote, private island to stop Señor Senior, Senior and Señor Senior, Junior from yet another villainous plot. So she headed to the back of the classroom to wind down the last minutes of the school day before preparing for cheer practice. 

She doodled in her notebook as the desks around her slowly filled with her classmates. One student entered the room, sipping loudly from a cup. At the sight of the straw, her mind drifted back to the coffee shop. Even, white teeth peeking from behind soft lips as they crushed the thin plastic of the straw. It felt a little wrong to be thinking about things like that when she’d only just broken up with Ron. But try as she might, the image kept coming back, so she relented and let her mind run with it. She thought of Bonnie’s legs, almost impossibly long, and wondered how they’d feel around her waist. She knew they were soft. She remembered that from when they bracketed her on Bonnie’s couch. But they were just resting against her then. How would they feel wrapped around her? Locking her in place?

A sharp yelp broke her out of her reverie. She looked up in time to see a brunette girl with her foot caught in the strap of someone’s bag. Kim moved without thinking, rushing forward and catching the girl before she fell. The momentum caused the girl’s opened bag to swing forward and empty its contents onto the floor. She looked up and Kim took in the familiar face behind circular glasses. “Twice in one day, huh? That’s gotta be some kind of record,” she teased with a half smile. 

Clumsy Girl flushed before stammering out an apology. Kim released her from her grip and she began gathering her fallen supplies. A copy of Pride and Prejudice had hit the floor and slid next to Kim’s desk. As she reached down to pick it up, the front cover flopped open and on the inside read: Property of Amanda Ryerson. Guess I should stop calling her ‘Clumsy Girl.’

She straightened and went back to reunite it with its owner, who was now kneeling on the floor, stuffing highlighters into her bag. Kim crouched down and held out the book. “Amanda?” Wide eyes looked up at her. “I think you might need this,” she said with a reassuring smile. The girl took the book with a sheepish smile. Kim stood and helped Amanda stand up. 

As she began moving toward her desk, she heard a soft voice say, “It’s Mandy, by the way.” At Kim’s questioning look, she repeated, “I go by Mandy.” Kim nodded with a soft smile before returning to her seat as the bell rang, signalling the start of class. 

***

With the school day finally over, Kim headed to the gym for cheer practice. As she crossed the threshold to the locker room to change, the Kimmunicator rang out with its signature ring. Her jaw clenched at the sound. She pulled out the device and looked at the urgent message from Wade. Dr. Drakken was up to no good. Wade had sent details about his latest plot but the details didn’t matter. The exhaustion of the unexpected emotional day weighed heavily on her shoulders, adding to the already hefty weight of her responsibilities and obligations. Same shit, different day . She went to her locker and, instead of grabbing her cheer uniform, grabbed a spare mission outfit. 

After changing, she rushed out of the locker room, moving as quickly as she could despite the unusual heaviness in her body. As she rounded the corner, she ran right into Bonnie, almost colliding with her. The brunette’s eyes scanned her, taking in her clothes. Her lips pursed and her brow furrowed. “Is there any point in me fighting you on this?” the girl asked with her arms wrapped around her middle. At Kim’s head shake, she took a deep breath before sighing. “Fine. I’ll handle practice. Go do your thing, or whatever.” Kim could practically feel the disappointment radiating off her teammate. She nodded, eyes downcast to avoid her gaze.

The ride wasn’t terribly long. Dr. Drakken had taken over a research center a few towns over and Wade was able to arrange a ride with Tina–of Tina’s Trucking Company–by cashing in on a favor for some work she’d done a while back. She’d spent the ride in silence, staring blankly out the window. She’d only gone on a handful of missions without Ron. Those times, it was because of some sort of scheduling conflict or to rescue him. But not today. She was the reason he wasn’t there with her. Something inside her chest cracked and splintered and embedded into her heart and lungs. She pushed it down to focus on the mission.

Infiltration was a blur. Her body was on autopilot, as her mind remained steeped in fog. The next thing she knew, she was in a large room with sensitive equipment sending off sparks and shooting bolts of energy into the atmosphere. Dr. Drakken was fiddling with some sort of control panel while his minions moved about the room. I’m just gonna punch him and be done with it . She stepped out of the shadows of the room and into the glowing light of the machinery. 

“Oh look, Kimmie’s here! I’ve been craving a good fight,” Shego quipped from behind Dr. Drakken as she cracked the knuckles in her fingers. She hopped down from the platform and rushed the redhead, leading with her arm cocked back for her usual starting move of a haymaker punch. Kim could easily dodge it. She’d done it hundreds of times before. Kim should have easily dodged it. She didn’t. Her body felt like she was moving through molasses. Her arms, too heavy to move into a block. Her feet, too slow to pivot into a dodge. She took the punch straight on into her solar plexus and went down hard . The air escaped her lungs as her diaphragm seized. The muscle was frozen and refused to contract to move her lungs to take in more oxygen. A primal panic took over Kim’s brain. She couldn’t breathe. She curled up into a ball on the floor of the lab, clutching her midsection, tears welling in her eyes. 

“Easy, easy, just a few seconds and it’ll stop.” Strong arms pulled her upright before a hand began rubbing her back in firm circles. A shuddering gasp brought fresh oxygen into Kim’s lungs as her diaphragm kicked back into gear. She gulped lungfuls of precious air as tears streamed down her face. “Slow breaths, kid. You’ll give yourself a panic attack.” Shego warned gently, still rubbing circles into her back. “You always dodge that, Kimmie, why didn’t you dodge that?” She muttered frantically, panic coloring her voice. “Shit, shit shit.” Kim struggled, but managed a few slow, deep breaths of air. “Okay, that’s it, deep breaths,” the woman purposely slowed down her breathing for Kim to match. They sat there together, breathing in harmony. 

After a few minutes, Shego stopped rubbing circles and simply rested her hand on Kim’s back. “Better?” she asked with wide green eyes. Kim nodded mutely before shaking her head, fresh tears blurring her vision. Something inside her crumpled. She collapsed into herself and fell onto the floor of the lab, eyes pointed upward, but unseeing. She felt Shego leave her side. Heard faint fragments of conversation. 

“Yo, Doctor D! I’m taking my sabbatical.” 

“Really?! Now, Shego? But I’m so close to…you can’t leave now!

“I’m taking it. There’s something I gotta do.”

“B-but Shego…Okay, okay! I-I-I’ll let Cheryl in HR know to process the paperwork.”

Kim felt Shego return to her side but couldn’t summon the energy to move. Or care. Awareness of her surroundings faded in and out. She was lifted off the floor. The slight scent of ozone filled her nostrils, a byproduct of the meteor powers humming in Shego’s veins. She was buckled into the seat of a vehicle she didn’t recognize. Her Kimmunicator beeped and she blindly passed it to Shego. She couldn’t make out individual words, only heard the voices of Shego and Wade. Her forehead pressed against the cool glass of the vehicle’s window. Her eyes drifted shut. 

When she came to, they were parked outside her house and night had fallen. Shego silently passed her a cup. “Sip.” She sipped. Strawberry milkshake. A surprised laugh escaped. The corner of Shego’s mouth lifted with a smile. “Drink up, kid. Milkshakes don’t fix everything, but they sure as hell don’t make things worse,” she gently ordered before sipping from her own cup. They drank their shakes in silence for a few minutes. When she reached the bottom of her cup, Shego set hers down and turned slightly to face her. “What’s going on, Kimmie?”

Kim let her head drop back onto the headrest. “Rough week.”

“...Kimmie,” Shego began cautiously. “It’s Monday.” 

At this, Kim let out a defeated groan. “I need a break. I can’t…I can’t keep…I can’t…”

“Okay. I’ll take care of it.” At Kim’s confused look, Shego simply shrugged. “A lot of people owe me a lot of favors. I’m calling them in. I’m telling the usual suspects that I’m placing a…moratorium on malfeasance. Strongly encouraging them to take vacations from villany. I’ll take care of it.” 

She didn’t quite know why, but she trusted the woman. I don’t have to do this anymore. I can take a break . Relief slowly trickled over her shoulders, loosening them. She got out of the vehicle and walked to her front door. She turned and gave a small wave and caught a brief flash of determination in the woman’s eye before she drove off into the night. 

The house was empty. Again. She didn’t even bother to look for the usual note on the fridge. She already knew the gist. Something came up. Work, or a convention, or a conference, it didn't matter anymore. Something else was important. Something else was always more important. More important than her. Unwilling to sit in the deafening silence, she grabbed the house phone from its cradle and dialed a number she knew by heart. When it picked up, she sniffled. “Hey, Mo, can you come get me?”

While she waited, she went upstairs, grabbed an old Middleton High Swim Team duffle bag, and tossed in clothes, her toothbrush, and a few school notebooks. Bag stuffed, she went back downstairs and waited on the front steps of the house. 

Her friend arrived in record time. Kim was up and tossing her bag in the trunk before she put the Jeep in park. She breathed out a sign of relief when she settled into the passenger seat. Monique reached over, laced her fingers with Kim’s, and drove them home. 

—-END CHAPTER—-

Notes:

this is supposed to be a rom-com

Chapter 7: An Accidental Announcement

Kim awoke the next day with satin on her face. She had been craving physical affection after her aborted mission and Monique had no qualms about holding her best friend while they chatted idly until sleep claimed them. They had apparently flipped in their sleep and Kim was now spooning the shorter girl and the fabric of her satin bonnet tickled her nose. After giving Monique a light squeeze, she quietly disentangled herself and went to wash up. 

It was a bit earlier than she needed to be up for school, so she moved quietly through the kitchen and through the door leading to the back of the house. The soft golden light of sunrise streamed through scattered clouds and warmed her face. She breathed in the morning air and let the stillness wash over her. 

Kim took advantage of the quiet to do her usual qigong routine, modifying it to let her knee rest. It was still a bit stiff, but getting better each day. By the time she finished, Miss Rochelle was up and moving in the kitchen. She called a quiet “good morning” as she entered the room. 

The woman turned and greeted Kim with a warm smile. “Morning, Kim. Noah made granola last night and there should be some yogurt in the fridge.” Kim gratefully prepared herself some breakfast after putting the kettle on the stove to boil for Miss Rochelle’s tea. She joined Kim at the small kitchen table with her beverage and waited as it steeped. “Was that some kind of yoga you were doing out there?” They chatted about Kim’s martial arts background for a bit. The older woman had the same gently comforting aura as her daughter and Kim found herself opening up.

“I’ve always been more of a physical person than the rest of my family. I do well in school because I work hard at it, but… I’m just completely lost at home. I never know what to say when my parents talk about their work. It’s all they ever seem interested in talking about. But I don’t know how to properly calibrate a super collider for a rocket ship, or how to remove a brain tumor. I’m surrounded by geniuses; even my little brothers are always making gadgets and tinkering,” she drifted off, staring at the pattern of the wood grain of the table. Miss Rochelle sat with her in the silence, waiting patiently while she sipped her tea. 

“Martial arts and sports and even crime fighting just make sense in all the ways that sciencey stuff doesn't. I know the exact amount of force I need to use to knock someone out. I can figure out how much speed is needed to get a good running start to scale a wall. I can strategize and figure out the best way to infiltrate an advanced security system. But my family just doesn’t get it. They don’t get me .” 

She paused to blow out a heavy sigh. “I guess that’s why I pushed myself so hard. Notable achievements, the kinds that come with certificates and awards, are something they can understand. Every time I brought home a trophy, they’d be so proud. But now? Now that I can’t keep pushing myself like that? I don’t… I don’t know how I fit in with them.” Her voice trembled on the last few words. She bit her lip to fight back tears but they escaped anyway.  

Miss Rochelle passed her a napkin before extending a hand and gently rubbing Kim’s back. “I know how you feel.” Kim’s surprised gaze shot to hers and was met with a slight smile. “I’m a bit of a black sheep with the rest of my family. Never really seemed to fit in either, no matter how hard I tried.” She trailed off, appearing lost in memory. “I got so caught up in trying to be what they wanted me to be that I almost lost myself .” 

She gave her head a slight shake, bringing her back to the present. “But Noah helped me find my way back.” A smile spread across her face and crinkled the skin at the corners of her eyes. “He reminded me to never let anyone dim my light.” A soft, warm brown hand covered Kim’s scarred and calloused one. “I know it can be hard and downright terrifying, but you have to figure out who you are outside of who you think they want you to be. It sounds like you’ve already taken the first steps,” she said with a reassuring smile. Kim wiped her wet cheeks and nodded. Yeah, I think I am . 

“But I’ll tell you this, Kim. Family doesn’t have to be who you’re related to by blood. It can be the people who get you. It can be the people who care about you , and not just what you can do or achieve.” Kim thought of Monique, of Bonnie, and even Shego. She thought of how all three of them seemed to care about how she was, and not what she could do. She took a deep breath and let it center herself. 

The older woman drained the last of her tea before continuing, “It goes without saying but I’ll say it anyway: you’re welcome here anytime you want, okay? Standing invitation.” 

Kim felt the backs of her eyes prickle again as she let the words settle into her chest. “Besides,” she continued as Monique entered the kitchen, “we’re used to a big family, it’s nice having more people in the house.” With a final pat on Kim’s hand, she rose from the table and began gathering her things to leave. “I’m off to work, girls. Make good choices!” 

After the woman left, Kim helped her friend prepare a travel mug for her morning tea. While it steeped, she pulled Monique into a hug and rested her cheek on top of the girl’s head, inhaling. “Thanks for coming to get me last night. Thanks for being my friend.” 

Monique squeezed her in response. “Any time. Now let’s go get you some coffee.”

***

The parking lot of A Brewed Awakening was nearly full but Monique was able to pull into a recently vacated spot toward the back. “Grab me something sweet,” Monique called as she turned up the volume of the radio. Kim hopped out of the Jeep and headed inside. 

She nodded to a table of students that greeted her as she joined the queue. When she was a few people away from the register, the door chimed, announcing the arrival of a new customer. Kim turned and saw Bonnie enter the cafe, sunglasses on and looking down at her phone. She joined the line with about five people separating them. Kim didn’t have to wrack her brain to remember the girl’s order from yesterday. The line progressed until she stopped in front of the cashier. “A medium caramel latte, hot, extra whip, two chocolate chip muffins, and a small iced espresso,” she ordered before paying and moving to the hand-off area. 

As she leaned against the wall to wait with other customers, she noticed familiar glasses underneath dark, overgrown bangs. Mandy had her face buried in a book as she waited for her order. Kim leaned closer to the girl, “Finished Pride and Prejudice already?” Amber eyes darted up from the pages. “Hey, Mandy,” Kim greeted with a smile. 

“Hi, Kim,” the smaller girl gave her a shy smile before placing a rainbow patterned bookmark between the pages. “No, I just needed a break from 19th century England,” she said, nose scrunched cutely in distaste.

“Ha! I know exactly what you mean. The only reason I finished it was because I had literally nothing else to do on a very long helicopter ride.” At this, Mandy let out a bubbly laugh. Their orders were called right after the other so Kim offered to grab hers. After handing the drink, Kim removed her own blue lidded cup from the carrier and tapped it against Mandy’s clear one. “Here’s hoping the next assigned reading is less stuffy.” Mandy smiled up at her as she took a sip. Kim looked back at the line and saw Bonnie only one person away from the register. “Later, Mandy,” she called over her shoulder as she approached the other girl. 

She held out the small, clear cup and a straw in front of the brunette. “I think I got your order right.” 

Bonnie looked down at the cup in front of her, then back at Kim. Her eyes weren’t fully visible through the tinted lenses, but Kim could see that her brow was furrowed. “I wanted a medium, but whatever,” the girl almost snatched the drink and then turned and exited the building. 

Baffled, Kim stood rooted in the same spot for a few seconds before chasing after her. What the hell? She caught up with Bonnie just in time to hear the chirp-chirp of her car unlocking. “Bonnie, wait up!” The girl didn’t stop, just kept moving toward her car. Kim followed close behind. “Could you just stop for a second?”

Bonnie reached her car before whirling around to face her. “What?” she asked sharply. 

“Why are you so– wait. Are you mad at me?”

“Yep,” she responded, popping the ‘p.’

Kim’s head tilted to the side, “Because I got your order wrong? I’m sorry, I can go back–”

“No, not because of the stupid coffee,” Bonnie snapped as she pushed her sunglasses up and into her hair. Her eyes, more golden than green in the morning light, narrowed at Kim accusingly. She inhaled sharply, preparing to say something before she seemed to think better of it and then scoffed. “Ugh, whatever, forget it,” she rolled her eyes and opened the door to her car. 

“I thought we were supposed to be friends,” Kim said softly. Bonnie froze with her back to Kim. “Friends tell each other what’s bothering them. I don’t want you to be mad at me but I can’t fix it if you don’t talk to me.” 

Closing the door, Bonnie turned and leaned back against it, glaring at Kim. “Fine. I’m fucking pissed at you Kim.” Kim had to fight the urge to recoil at the intensity in her tone. “You bailed on practice yesterday and I had no way of knowing you were okay. The last time you went off like that, you came back limping. After I spent the entire weekend worried about you, you bailed on practice and I had no way of knowing you made it back in one piece. No way of knowing if you were injured–more injured–than when you left!” 

Oh . “Shit, I’m sorry, Bonnie. I didn’t think,” she trailed off before letting out a sigh. “I’m sorry I worried you.”

Bonnie refused to make eye contact as she shrugged. “Yeah, whatever.” 

“No, not whatever.” She stepped closer, ducking down a bit to try to meet her gaze. “You’re right. It was shitty of me, and I’m sorry.” Bonnie crossed her arms over her midsection, gaze still averted, but nodded. Kim shuffled her feet, using the toe of her shoe to trace the white line of the parking space. “I’m, uh. Actually taking a break from, uh, missions and stuff.” Bonnie’s gaze snapped to hers and Kim met it with a sheepish smile. “You were right, I’ve had way too much on my plate for too long. It all sort of caught up to me yesterday. So I’m taking a break.” 

“Oh. Good.” Bonnie’s posture relaxed before she glanced at Kim from the corner of her eye. “...I’m not apologizing for yelling at you.” Kim laughed as Bonnie slid her shades back into place. 

“Wouldn’t recognize you if you did,” she shot back with a smile. 

Bonnie took a long pull from her drink before chewing on the straw. The corner of her mouth lifted into a smirk and Kim’s stomach fluttered at the sight. “‘Bout time you started listening to me. I could get used to hearing you say that I’m right. Twice in one conversation.”

“Alert the media, it’s a new personal record,” she quipped. “Also. I don’t even have your number,” she said with a shrug. “So, I’m not sure how I was supposed to let you know I made it back in one piece. Did you want me to swing by your house or something? Let you know via smoke signals? Courier pigeon?” 

Bonnie rolled her eyes before reaching into her car. She popped back up with a sharpie, grabbed Kim’s coffee cup, and wrote something on it. “There. Now you’re out of excuses” Kim glanced down and saw seven bold, black numbers in stark relief against the cerulean of the cup. “So just text me next time.”

“I don’t have a cell phone but I’m sure I can ask Wade to figure something out with the Kimmunicator.”

“Ugh, whatever, bye.” The girl slid her sunglasses back onto her face before hopping into her car and driving off. Kim chuckled to herself and made her way back to Monique’s Jeep. 

During the short ride to campus, Kim contacted Wade about upgrading the Kimmunicator. Luckily, the upgrade only took a few minutes to download and install so she ate her muffin while she waited. By the time they pulled into Monique’s usual parking spot, Kim had already carefully typed Bonnie’s number into Wade’s proprietary texting platform. 

Kim : srry i got ur order wrong :(

She only had to wait a minute for a response. 

Bonnie : whatever, dork

Grinning, she replied. 

Kim : does that mean u forgive me?

Bonnie : nope

Kim : :’( 

Bonnie : buy me lunch and i’ll think about it

Kim : deal :D 

Kim : meet u at ur locker after 3rd period?

“What’s got you smiling at your Kimmunicator like that? Wade say something funny?” Monique asked, leaning over to see the screen. Kim quickly turned the device away but it was too late. Her friend settled back into her seat with a shit-eating grin and wiggled her eyebrows at her, “Oooohh, Kim’s got a lunch date–”

“Shut the fuck up,” she cut her off in a sing-song voice. 

But her best friend was persistent and began singing back, “Kim and Bonnie, sittin’ in a tree, K-I-S–”

Kim grabbed the remaining chocolate chip muffin and held it as far away from Monique as possible, dangling it out of the open window above the asphalt. “You shut up right now or the muffin gets it.” 

Her friend’s eyes went wide before she started scrambling to reach the muffin. After a few seconds of struggling, her shorter arms coming nowhere close enough to reach the pastry, the girl simply gave up. “Okay, fine !” she huffed. “Now unhand my breakfast.” Kim grinned in victory before handing the muffin over. After settling down, she glanced back at the device. She had two new messages. 

Bonnie : k

Bonnie : btw, an apology lunch does NOT count toward your outstanding debt :P

Kim : understood [laughing emoji]

Kim practically skipped her way to homeroom. 

***

Kim had a hard time keeping her head out of the clouds during class. She vaguely listened to the morning announcement of a new school guidance counselor as she doodled in her notebook. She had to stop herself from writing ‘BR + KP’ surrounded by a giant heart. Instead, she settled for tiny stars and hearts around the page. 

Her daydreaming was interrupted by another announcement over the loudspeaker. “Kim Possible, please report to the vice principal’s office.” She gathered her things amongst a chorus of juvenile “oooohs” from her classmates and made her way to the front office. 

As she approached the door to the vice principal’s office, it swung open. Mr. Barkin, with his usual glower, ushered her into the room. Nothing could have prepared her for what was inside. Just inside the room, standing directly in front of the VP’s large desk, stood Shego. “Thanks, Steve, be a dear and give us the room.” Mr. Barkin grumbled but closed the office door behind him. 

“Shego?! The fuck are you doing here?”

“Language, Kimmie,” she tutted. “As your new guidance counselor, I’m going to counsel you to use age-appropriate language. At least while on campus,” the woman admonished. But her stern affect was immediately broken by a grin. 

“ How are you the new guidance counselor?” Kim asked incredulously. “Did you hack something?”

“Hack?” Shego scoffed in offence. “I mean, I did have to get creative with the school’s system to add me on such short notice, but! I’ll have you know that I’m fully credentialed in child development, Kimmie.” At Kim’s surprised expression, she added, “There was a time before all this happened, you know,” she raised her hand and activated her green energy power. “I had big plans, wanted to become a teacher. And then wham, bam, meteor strike and now I can glow in the dark.” She chuckled. 

“Huh. I guess I didn’t know that. But that still doesn’t explain why you’re here? At my school?”

Extinguishing the glow, Shego continued, “I…wanted to keep a closer eye on you.” She hopped to sit on top of the desk behind her. As she landed, a loud squawk of feedback sounded just outside the room. Startled, the woman stood back up and looked toward the door in confusion. 

“Oh, I think you hit the intercom,” Kim pointed to a small button embedded into the desk next to the phone. 

“Whoops. Anyway, like I was saying. You kinda freaked me out last night. Luckily, I only knocked the wind out of you but you could have gotten really hurt, Kimmie. So, this is how I’m spending my sabbatical. I promise I won’t do anything nefarious while I’m here, okay?” At Kim’s dubious expression, she held up her right hand with her three middle fingers raised. “Scout’s honor.”  

Kim’s eyes narrowed at the gesture, “I bet you weren’t even a Girl Scout.”

“Ugh, okay, fine , I wasn’t in Girl Scouts but I’m being for real, here. No villany, no plots, just looking out for you.”

Kim took in the woman’s expression. She looked as serious as she’d ever seen her. “Okay. And thanks…” She gave her a smile that started soft before turning mischievous. “...for being such a stalker .” 

“Hey! If anything, you're the one who stalks me .” She jabbed a finger at Kim before crossing her arms and muttering, “Always showing up wherever I am, crashing dates, interfering with my job.” 

“And yet here you are. At my school. For the foreseeable future,” Kim smiled prettily. “I don’t know Shego, it’s starting to look like you might like me, or something.” Neon green eyes raised to the ceiling as Kim started doing a silly dance. “You liiiiike me. You caare about me. You wanna be my frieeeeend,” she sang.  

“Keep it up, Kimmie, and I’ll give you detention. For a week,” she deadpanned. 

Kim immediately stopped. “Can…can you do that? Can guidance counselors give out detentions?”

Shego paused, turning thoughtful. “You know what? I don’t actually know. Hang on.” She strode to the door and popped her head out. “Hey, Steve, can I give out detentions?” Mr. Barkin’s gravelly voice was too low for his answer to carry but Shego’s expression as she turned to face Kim told the girl all she needed to know. 

She’d only gotten one detention before in her entire life and wasn’t too eager to double that number. She refused to let another stain marr her academic record. “Alright, fine, I’ll stop,” she acquiesced, palms raised in surrender. 

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Shego shot back before they both descended into laughter. 

As their laughter died down, Kim looked at the woman. This was her nemesis . A person she’d gone up against and fought–literally fought–hundreds of times since she was a preteen. And yet she’d dropped everything, put her criminal career on pause, just to look after her. “Thanks. For real this time.” 

Shego gave her a fond smile. “Don’t mention it. Door’s open if you need me, kid. I’m sharing the big lug’s office until they can get mine squared away.” She fixed her face into a look of mock severity, “Now, scram! Get back to class!” Kim laughed and exited the room to do just that. 

***

Her classes seemed to drag on as she counted down the minutes to lunch. As soon as the bell rang, Kim was out of her seat like a bullet. She was the first one through the door while her classmates were still gathering their materials. After quickly dropping her materials off at her locker, she made her way down the hall to Bonnie’s. The other girl wasn’t there yet so she just waited, idly chatting with some of the girls from the cheer squad who had neighboring lockers. 

“Oh em gee, do you see the two of them right now?!” Tara squealed. She was petite, blonde, and bubbly, which made her perfect for the role of flyer on their squad.  

Jessica, another blonde and spotter for the squad, responded with equal glee. “I do! They’re so cute together,” she gushed.

“See who?” Kim inquired. The girls simultaneously pointed over her shoulder and down the hall. Her gaze followed and landed on Bonnie…and Brick. They were huddled together at the end of the hall. The brunette’s back was to her but she could see the cocky smirk on Brick’s face as he leaned toward the girl. They looked… cozy . Kim felt the floor drop out beneath her. “I thought,” her voice came out scratchy around the lump in her throat. She cleared it before starting again. “I thought they were broken up?”

“Yeah, but maybe they’re getting back together,” Jessica exclaimed hopefully. Fuck . Jessica sighed. “He’s so dreamyyyy.” It was all Kim could do to keep herself from openly gagging. 

“God, I hope they do,” Tara piped in. “You weren’t at practice yesterday, Kim, but Bonnie had such a stick up her ass. Maybe Brick can help remove it,” she said, snickering behind her hand. 

She needed to leave. She needed to leave as quickly as possible. Forcing a strained smile onto her face, she muttered, “Yeah, maybe. I gotta run, see you at practice.” Unfortunately, her only escape route took her right by the cute couple . She walked as quickly as she could without drawing too much attention to herself. Unfortunately, she had to pass close by the couple to squeeze around a throng of students. Unfortunately, she was forced to hear part of their conversation. 

“Please, Bon-Bon.” Yuck . Kim tried not to roll her eyes at the sickeningly patronizing pet-name. “At least think about it? I really need you.” Was he asking her out? Shit, just say no, please just say no. 

“Ugh, fine, I’ll think about it.” 

The large boy beamed with relief. Fuck, I’m so stupid . Kim berated herself for getting her hopes up. Bonnie had never given her any indication that she was anything but straight. She kept her eyes on the ground as she passed them. Before she was able to move further down the hall, a warm hand encircled her bicep. She stopped walking and let Bonnie pull her closer. 

“Oh, hey, Kim.” 

She had to stop her upper lip from curling before she grunted out, “Brick.”  

“Go away now, Brick,” Bonnie ordered, hand lightly squeezing Kim’s arm.

He gave the brunette another stupid , cocky smile as he pushed at a stupid lock of blonde hair that had fallen onto his stupid forehead before he left with a “Don’t keep me waiting too long, Bon-Bon.” Stupid idiot with an even stupider name . 

Bonnie rolled her eyes at his back before turning to Kim, hand still gripping her arm. “Lunch?” 

Her traitorous heart lurched at the continued feeling of soft skin on skin. She couldn’t have lunch with her. Not right now. “Actually, could we raincheck?” Kim couldn’t even force herself to meet her eyes. She felt more than she saw Bonnie’s disappointment as the hand on her arm finally dropped away. Kim mourned its loss. 

“Yeah…we can raincheck. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah! Everything’s great!” She may have overdone it with the faux enthusiasm because it didn’t sound anywhere near natural. It sounded almost manic and a quick glance at Bonnie confirmed that it wasn’t convincing. “I just have to…” She wracked her brain for a plausible way out of this. “...meet with the new guidance counselor.” That actually sounds like a good idea, Shego could probably help. 

“Oh. Okay.” She felt hazel eyes watching her carefully. 

Kim waved goodbye and headed toward the front office. “See you at practice,” she called over her shoulder.

For the second time that day, Kim knocked on the door to the Vice Principal’s office. The door opened and she was met with the imposing figure of Mr. Barkin. “Hi, I’m in need of some guidance?” 

Shego appeared from behind the large man and clapped his shoulder. “Gonna need the room again, big guy.” Mr. Barkin scowled and muttered something about it being his office but left the room. Kim shut the door and stood next to it awkwardly. Shego leaned back against the large wooden desk and watched her carefully. “What’s going on, kid?”

“Um, you remember our talk?”

“From this morning?”

“Ah, no. From…from Sunday?” Kim flushed as recognition flashed in the woman’s eyes. She nodded, encouraging her to continue. “Um. What do you do if…if you have a crush on a straight girl?”

“Oh wow, gay for two seconds and you’ve already hit a major milestone,” Shego said with a cackle. At Kim’s stricken expression, she sobered and continued, “Relax, you’re fitting in perfectly. A hopeless crush on a straight girl is practically a lesbian rite of passage. Kudos to you for diving in with both feet, kid.”

“Thanks,” she replied sardonically. “It definitely doesn’t feel like something to celebrate. It feels…really shitty, actually.”

“Yeah, they don’t call it a ‘crush’ for nothing. And crushing on a straight girl is straight-up devastating,” she commiserated. She gave Kim a sympathetic look. “Best way to get over a straight girl is to get under an actually-gay chick. Wait…that might not be school-appropriate. Eh, whatever, I’ll work on my delivery later. The point still stands: go find an actual queer chick. Find someone who can actually want you back . Way easier that way.”

“How do I find another gay girl, Shego? I don’t even know where to look,” she groaned with exasperation. 

“Pshht, that’s easy, kid. Just look around campus, there’s hundreds of girls here.” At Kim’s dubious look, she hopped up onto the desk and continued, “Trust me. I can almost guarantee that you’re not the only gay kid at this school, Kimmie. You’ll find a date in no time.”

Suddenly, the door to the office burst open and Mr. Barkin stood in the doorway, pointing at the desk. “The intercom!” 

Horror stricken, Shego leapt off the desk and stared down at the button. They stood in paralyzed silence for a few moments. 

“Uh,” Shego broke the silence. “How much of our very private conversation did I just broadcast?” Kim held her breath, hoping against all hope that nothing had actually been broadcast. Maybe it was just some feedback like earlier? She looked at the large man but he refused to meet her eye. His silence roared in her ears. No, no, no, no, no . She sank into the chair in front of the desk and buried her face in her hands. 

“Give us the room again, Steve. And after, we need to have a very important conversation about some of the design choices in this room. Like maybe, the intercom button shouldn't be something you can accidentally hit.” She practically pushed the man out of the room before shutting the door. Crossing the room, she sat heavily in the chair next to Kim. “What did I even say?” Green-hued fingers entangled in jet black hair. “Maybe…maybe it’s not that bad?”

Kim, face still buried in her palms, muttered, “You said that you can almost guarantee that I’m not the only gay kid at this school. And then you said my name.”

“Fuck. Fuck . Well–Kim’s a pretty common name, right? I bet there’s a ton of Kims here,” she scrambled, desperately. 

The Yearbook Committee had included a fun tally of all the different first names at the school in last year’s edition. There were quite a few Katies and Kates, plenty of Kellys, a handful of Kelseys, and even a couple of Kendalls. But this campus only had one Kim. Well, technically one of the lunch ladies was a Kimberly, but there was no way anyone would believe that the septuagenarian who served up the tater tots was looking for a date, much less a gay one. “Nope.” Kim’s hands dropped into her lap. 

“Fuck . I am so sorry, kid.” Kim turned to face the older woman and met her gaze. “It’s absolutely your right to choose if, when, and how you want to come out, and I ruined that for you. I’m so sorry.” 

They sat in silence for a few minutes as Kim let her mind process. Like Shego said, she’d only been gay–or at least known that she was gay–for like, two days. She hadn’t even thought about coming out. With Monique, she was just sharing with her friend. With Monique’s family…well, she’d just blurted that out by accident. But telling other people? Hadn’t even crossed her mind. She took the time to think how it could have happened, best case scenario. Images of her and Bonnie holding hands as they walked down the hallways of the school flashed in her mind. Them going to the school dance together. Sharing a quick kiss at her locker. But she’s straight, so none of that is real . So what is real?

What’s real is that Kim has never been one to live quietly. She has never been afraid to take up space. Even as a freelance vigilante, she was never covert. In fact, she was the opposite, often announcing her name proudly to the villains she thwarted. In a way, it was almost fitting that this was how it got out at school. A bold declaration. So what if it wasn’t her declaration? She was confident, assertive, and she could do anything . And right now, “anything” included walking through the halls of the school with her chin up and her shoulders back. As a matter of fact, at that very moment, Kim committed to being the best goddamn gay that Middleton High had ever seen. 

She took a deep breath and rose from the chair, standing tall. “Actually, it’s all good, Shego.” 

“Uh, what?” The woman blinked up at her from her seat.

Kim shrugged. “It’s all good. I’m gonna own it. You know, out with a bang.” 

Shego stared up at her for a moment before a smile broke out across her face, lighting up her eyes. “ Attagirl .” She had never seen the woman look so impressed. 

Kim moved to the office door but before she opened it, she paused. “Um, how do I find other gay girls at this school?”

“Oh, uh, good question. Things are a bit different since I was in high school…plus I came out in undergrad so I’m not actually sure. Maybe look for a rainbow?” At Kim’s puzzled expression, she clarified, “Rainbow, like the Pride flag.” 

Her mind flashed to the little strip of rainbow patterned paper she saw earlier between the pages of a book. Mandy? Maybe? She let out a thoughtful hum as she started to open the door. 

“Anyone gives you any shit, let me know, okay? I’ll take care of it.”

Kim grinned at the woman, “You know I can look after myself.” 

“Yeah, yeah, I do but…it’s the least I can do.” 

“I’ll let you know if I need backup.” She inhaled and straightened her spine. “Time to face the music.” Unable to help herself, she began humming the chorus to the Diana Ross classic. 

Shego cackled and stood to open the door. “Remind me to give you some of my CDs. Gotta get you listening to some good dyke music.”

Kim gave Shego one last grin and then left the room with her head held high.

***

Kim left the front office with a lollipop in her hand. The receptionist had given her a kind and sympathetic look before she’d held out the glass jar that sat on her desk. A whispered, “My older sister is gay,” brought a smile to the girl’s face as she accepted the sugary offering.  

As she strode into the hallway, the first thing she saw was her best friend, doubled over with her hands resting on her knees and gasping for breath. 

Kim rushed to her with concern. Heat radiated off the girl’s body. “Mo, are you okay?” After a few more gulps of air, Monique straightened and moved her hands to her hips. 

Sweat glistened on her forehead, causing the fine hairs at the edges of her temple to curl away from luminous brown skin. Kim gently guided her hands from her hips to the top of her head so her lungs could achieve maximum expansion.

“Heard. Announcement. Ran. Here. Not. A runner.” Puffs of breath punctuated her sentence. 

Before Kim could respond, the sharp squeak of rubber hitting linoleum flooring announced Bonnie’s arrival. She was not out of breath but her face was flushed from a light jogging pace. Wide hazel eyes met Kim’s before they landed on Monique fanning herself with her hands. Her gaze slid back to Kim. “Is she okay?”

“Yeah, just catching her breath. Apparently she ran all the way here,” she said with a half smile. 

“Yeah, I did, too. From the cafeteria,” Bonnie replied as she looked at Monique. “Where’d you come from?”

“Library.”

“...Monique that’s literally just down the hall. How are you this out of breath?”

“Oh, screw you, you skinny bitch,” Monique huffed as she collapsed against the wall, still fanning. “Not all of us can be track stars.” Kim threw her head back and laughed before reaching into her bag and passing a bottle of water to her friend. 

“I’m guessing you both heard the big announcement?”

“Uh, yeah. And so did the entire cafeteria.” Bonnie gave her an assessing look. 

“Library, too,” Monique added in between sips of water. “Probably the entire school. Are you okay? Nothing about how that went down could possibly be okay but…you’re laughing? Are you in shock?”

“No, I am okay. It’s not ideal but, just like I told Shego, I’m just gonna own it. Heh. At least I got a sucker out of it.” She held up the candy. 

“Wait, that was Shego ?” Monique asked as her brows shot up to her hairline. 

“That green lady is the new guidance counselor?” Bonnie shared a confused look with Monique before looking back at Kim.

“Yep. Shego’s our new guidance counselor and the entire school knows I’m gay. Now everybody’s up to speed,” she replied airily. 

“Huh.” 

“And you’re looking for someone to date,” Bonnie added softly. 

Kim looked down and fiddled with the lollipop in her hand as she nodded, convinced that she wouldn't be able to hide how she felt if she met those hazel eyes. “Well, I am single now. Why? Got any good leads?”

Before Bonnie could respond, the bell announcing the end of the lunch period rang. The sound of lockers clanging open sounded throughout the halls. Her stomach strained to join the clamor with its sudden gurgling. “Ah, shit, I didn’t actually get to have lunch.” She looked down at the candy in her hand. At least it’s something . 

“I got you, girl,” Monique dug into her backpack and produced three granola bars. “I started carrying extra.”

“ Bless you, Mo,” Kim gushed as she grabbed the bars almost reverently. Her morning muffin had left her stomach hours ago. She ripped into one as they started walking down the hall towards their lockers. They had about fifteen minutes before the tardy bell rang so Kim had enough time to eat her snack. 

As they walked the halls, Kim noticed something strange happening. The looks were expected. People at the edges of her vision talking in small huddles while looking at her was to be expected. But what she was not expecting were the smiles throughout the throng of students. She was not expecting any of the shy waves or the scattered, “Hi, Kim”s as she made her way closer to her locker. She managed to awkwardly wave back at some of the girls as they passed by. “What is happening right now?” she whispered. 

“What was the lunch special today? It’s Tuesday, right? Maybe something was wrong with the tacos? Got everybody acting funny?” Monique muttered next to her. As they pulled up to her locker, they were swarmed by a gaggle of girls, all chattering at once. 

“Oh my god, Kim, hi!”

“You’re looking so good today, Kim!”

“Kim, do you maybe want to go see that new movie with me this weekend?” 

At this, Bonnie jolted forward. “Are you even gay , Trisha?!” 

“Oh–well–”

Bonnie ignored her sputtering and turned to the next girl, “And Brittany. Aren’t you dating Josh Mankey?”

“I mean, it’s not, like, serious–”

Another girl elbowed her way forward, “Kim! I’ve got two tickets to the Oh Boyz concert this Saturday, do you want to–”

“She’s gay , Katie, why would she want to go see a boy band?!” Yet another girl interrupted.

“Well I didn’t realize that being gay meant she can’t appreciate good music , Savannah!” Katie shot back. 

As the girls devolved into bickering, the trio slowly backed away and made their escape around the corner. 

“What. Is. Happening ?” Kim muttered as she leaned back against a wall of lockers. She’d never been more frazzled. Her fingers began fiddling with the wrapper of the lollipop, needing to do something with her body but having to settle with toying with the candy. 

Monique shrugged, equally bewildered. “Girl, I don’t know. Maybe we should revisit the tainted tacos theory.”

Bonnie stepped forward and faced the girls. “The head cheerleader, future class valedictorian, and teen vigilante hero just came out as gay, that’s what’s happening,” Bonnie said, her tone slightly tinged with exasperation. 

“Yeah,” Monique began, “we were all there for that, but that doesn’t explain–”

Bonnie cut her off, “They all want a piece.”

Kim looked back and forth between her friends. “But… why ?” Her fingers finally peeled back the plastic wrapper and revealed bright red candy. 

“Well…” Kim felt Bonnie’s eyes drift over her body as an almost physical caress. “There’s that hair, for starters… not to mention those muscles.” A single brow rose as her gaze pinned Kim in place. Without breaking eye contact, Bonnie lazily reached forward and plucked the sucker from her hand. “Face it, Kim.” Green eyes dropped down, watching, enraptured, as the cherry red candy rose to rest against pillowy, pink lips. “You’re hot.” The lollipop disappeared as even, white teeth closed down on its stem. The corner of her mouth lifted into a smirk before she spun on her heel and walked away. 

An offended scoff sounded next to her. “Bitch just stole your candy.”

 

—-END CHAPTER—-

Notes:

looks like comedy’s back on the menu, boys!

Chapter 8: Operation: Get Over Bonnie

The pounding of her heartbeat was the only sound in Kim’s ears as she watched Bonnie saunter away, still rooted in place against a wall of lockers. She thinks I’m hot? She thinks I’m hot. Ohmygod she thinks I’m hot. The corner of her mouth lifted into a pleased smirk as her mind slipped into fantasies involving her teammate. Her daydreaming was  interrupted by a shadow falling over her. She looked up and saw Brick Flagg looming over her, blocking the fluorescent light of the hallway. Oh, right . She’s straight. Operation Get Over Bonnie was off to an abysmal start. 

“Hey, Kim, could you move over a bit? You’re kinda blocking my locker.” He gave her a smile that was supposed to be charming. Too bad she hated his guts right now. Nodding stiffly, she moved to the side and started to head off until he kept talking. “By the way, I think it’s awesome that you’re gay,” he began as he fiddled with the dial on the lock. 

“Ew, don’t be creepy, Brick,” Monique shot back from her side. 

Brick’s smile dropped as he looked back and forth between the girls, face aghast. “Oh, no, it’s not like that! My baby sister is gay. I just thought it was great that she now has someone as cool as you to look up to, you know?”

“Oh, um, thanks, I guess,” Kim mumbled, determined to stay mad at him. “See you around.” 

She peered around the corner and made sure the coast was clear before heading to her locker. As she opened the metal door, several folded slips of paper fell out onto the floor. Monique reached down and helped her pick them up. “Ooooh, this one has a heart on it,” she said as Kim looked over her shoulder. 

“This one has ‘xoxo’ on it…do I even know any of these people?” she asked as she read through a few notes, all asking her out on a date. 

“This one is from Brittany, didn’t Bonnie say she was dating Josh?”

Before Kim could answer, the tardy bell rang. Monique cursed, “Now we’re gonna get detention.” She turned to head off to her class. 

Kim called out after her as an idea struck, “Wait! We’ll just get permission slips from Shego, come with me.” She stuffed the notes into her pocket, grabbed her textbook, and took off.

They rushed back to the front office and caught Shego chatting with the receptionist. The woman readily agreed, still feeling guilty from earlier. As she began filling out the forms, she turned to Monique. “I probably shouldn't write down ‘Pancake’ but for the life of me I can’t remember your name. Excellent pancake, though.”

“It’s Monique. Rollins.” She then proceeded to spell out her name as Shego wrote it onto the tiny slip. 

“Got it, got it. Sorry, I’m just not great with names. Just ask What’s-his-face.” She turned to Kim for help. “His pants are always falling down?”

“Ron?”

A green finger moved to tap against the woman’s chin. “No, it’s not Ron. I wanna say…Rudy? Rufus?”

“No, it’s definitely Ron.”

“ Really ? Huh! Looks more like a Rudy to me…or maybe a Ralph. Anyway, Monique, was it? I’ll do my best but I can’t make any promises.” She handed them the permission slips and walked them to the door. 

“You don’t seem to have an issue remembering Kim’s name,” her friend retorted.

“Well yeah, that’s because it’s pretty memorable having your ass handed to you by a fuh–” Shego turned and saw the receptionist’s sticken face before she pivoted. “Freakin’ thirteen-year-old. Talk about humiliating. The other one just kind of bumped into things and got captured.” At this, the receptionist gave Shego a horrified look. Shego seemed to realize how inappropriate having a history of fighting children would come off to her new coworker and she rushed to explain it away. “I…teach martial arts down at the Y, which is a totally normal thing for a guidance counselor to do in her spare time. Kimmie here is a black belt!”

Kim gave the receptionist a thumbs up and a goofy grin in agreement before she and Monique rushed off to class.

***

The rest of the day crawled by, minute by agonizing minute. Just because Kim decided to own being outed to the entire school didn’t mean she was comfortable with the heightened attention. She could have endured the stares and obvious whispering but what she couldn’t handle were the random girls she’d never even seen before, let alone spoken to, ambushing her in the hallways. 

She managed to dodge another group of girls by launching herself into the room for her final class of the day. Kim was the first to arrive, since she’d avoided going to her locker. She headed to the back of the room and was content to just wait for the day to be over. 

When she opened her notebook, tiny hearts and stars greeted her. This morning felt like a lifetime ago. Kim had drawn them as she thought of Bonnie, excitedly awaiting their lunch date. She sighed internally. She said I’m hot but it doesn’t matter . Because she’d said it like an objective fact, not that she was attracted to Kim. Like, head cheerleader plus red hair plus good grades equals objectively hot. Bonnie wouldn’t be actually attracted to Kim because she was straight and getting back together with Brick. 

As the teacher droned on at the front of the class, Kim remained lost in her thoughts while absently doodling. She was going to have to work hard to get over her crush. What was it that Shego said? The best way to get over a crush on a straight girl was to get under an actual queer chick. Determined, Kim pulled out the handful of notes from her locker to look over them for a lead. After discarding the one from Brittany–she was not going to end up in some twisted love triangle with her former freshman crush, Josh Mankey–she made her way through the pile. The next note was from someone she knew to be currently involved with a boy on the soccer team. Kim couldn’t seem to shake the feeling of being a shiny trophy these girls were trying to win. 

She didn’t have a lot of dating experience. In fact, she’d only ever seriously dated Ron. As she thought about it, she realized she’d only started dating him because he wanted to and all the people around them just sort of expected them to date, including her parents.  

Her mind flashed back to how Shego was with Yvette. How the two women smiled at each other, how the normally forever sarcastic, cocky villain had gone mushy around the other woman. Kim wanted that . She wanted the butterflies and the spark. Yes, she wanted to get over her crush on Bonnie but the only way that could happen was if she found someone she could connect with, someone who wanted to get to know her, not just be seen on her arm because she was popular. Resolved, she decided to ignore the notes from her locker and start her search for a date from scratch. 

When the bell finally rang, Kim hopped up and dumped the notes in the trash as her classmates made their hasty exit toward freedom. 

“Um, Kim?” She turned around and was met with concerned amber eyes, blinking up at her behind circular lenses. Mandy stood there, looking up at Kim and holding out her notebook. “You seemed kinda checked out in class, which makes sense with everything that just happened. So, I thought you might want to borrow my notes? To make sure you didn’t miss anything?” 

“Oh,” Kim’s mouth lifted in a surprised smile as she took the notebook. “That’s really sweet of you, Mandy. Thank you.” 

A flush broke out around freckled cheeks as Mandy gave her a bashful smile. “Um, are you okay? Oh, stupid question, sorry.” She blew her bangs out of her face before she kept rambling. “I mean, of course you’re not okay. I know I wouldn’t be if I just got outed to the entire school but you’re not me, I mean, you’re Kim Possible, so–” 

“I’m okay, Mandy,” Kim said, gently cutting off the nervous ramble. She looked down and saw that the girl’s arms were clutching a book with a tiny rainbow bookmark poking out. Follow the rainbow and at the end of it is an actual queer girl, or whatever Shego said . Is Mandy gay?

As Kim wracked her brain, trying to come up with a non-weird way to ask Mandy her sexual orientation, a loud commotion outside the classroom caught her attention.

Peeking around the corner of the classroom, she saw several of the girls who’d ambushed her earlier searching the hallway. “Shit, I gotta run. I’ll get this back to you tomorrow!” she called over her shoulder before joining the fray of students to make her escape.  

***

Kim managed to make it out to Monique’s Jeep in the parking lot without any more run-ins. She’d had to slip into the open trunk to hide from a few other girls. If I had my own car, I’d have been gone by now , she thought as she lay in the cramped space. Luckily, Monique didn’t take too long to get to the Jeep after Kim texted her. 

“I feel like a getaway driver,” her friend giggled as she drove off with Kim still in the trunk. 

Once they got to a red light, Kim climbed into the passenger seat. “What would I do without you, Mo.”

“Get torn limb from limb, apparently,” her friend snickered. “Seriously, girl, that was wild.”

“Tell me about it! I never thought I’d have to use my evasion skills at school! They were practically rabid.” The redhead rolled her head from side to side. She’d only been in the trunk for a few minutes but her neck was already paying from the tight squeeze. “I have got to get my own ride, I could have slipped out the back and left much faster.” Her hand rubbed at the muscles in her neck. “Plus, I’m sure you’re tired of chauffeuring me around.”

“Puh-leeze, I do not care.” Monique came to a stop in front of Kim’s house. “But I do have a shift at Club Banana today and you have practice tomorrow, so I’m not exactly reliable transportation.” 

Kim looked up and noticed both her parents’ cars in the driveway. Huh, they’re actually home . “No time like the present, I’m gonna go ask for a car since they’re here.” Monique blew her a kiss and wished her luck before driving off. 

For the first time in weeks, Kim walked into a full house. Her parents were in the den, her mom reviewing a scientific article with a red pen, her dad on the couch next to her, looking over some schematics while tinkering with a small metallic object. And, if the loud noises coming from upstairs were any indication, the twins were in their room and up to no good. 

Well, now’s as good a time as any . “Mom? Dad? Can I talk to you about something?” 

“What’s on your mind, Kimmie?” Her mom asked, glanced at her briefly before returning her gaze to the article she was editing. Her dad didn’t even look up. 

“I, uh, need a car. I can’t keep relying on Monique to cart me around everywhere.” 

“Monique? I thought Ron gave you rides to school.” Her mother replied distractedly as she added another red scribble onto the white, glossy page. 

Kim took a deep breath. “Ron and I broke up.”

At this, Ann Possible finally looked up. “Aww, what a shame. He’s such a sweet boy. Oh, I remember when you two met in Pre-K. You’ve been inseparable since.” She sighed and gave Kim a pitying look. “Don’t worry, Kimmie, every relationship has its ups and downs. Your father and I broke up a few times before we got married. Isn’t that right, James?”

Her dad was still fiddling with what looked to be an engine part. “What’s that, honey?”

Ann nudged him with her elbow, “I was telling Kim about how we broke up a few times before we got married.”

James laughed and gave his wife a fond smile before resuming his tinkering. “We sure did, honey. Those breakups were the wake up call I needed. I just needed to get my head out of those rocket boosters and spend less time around all that jet fuel to realize what a bone-head I was. ”

Ann turned back to Kim. “I imagine you kids will be back together soon, don’t worry, sweetheart.”

“I doubt it,” she mumbled through clenched teeth. Tension crept up her spine, tightening the muscles in her shoulders. 

“What’s that?” Her mom had picked up her red pen again.

“I said, I still need a ride, Mom.”

“Maybe try asking another cute boy at school for a ride. Make Ron a little jealous, in the meantime,” she laughed. 

“I dumped Ron because I’m gay,” she murmured. 

Suddenly, her brothers crashed into the room, talking over each other as they started rummaging around. 

“That’s nice, Kimmie-cub. Have any of you seen my micro spanner? Looks like a little screwdriver,” her father finally put down the metal thingy and began looking around. Kim rolled her eyes. Typical . 

“Oh, I think it’s in our room,” Tim responded. 

“Boys, what did I tell you about taking your father’s equipment?” Ann scolded. 

“We were just borrowing it!” Jim piped up.

“You need to ask first, son. I’ve been looking everywhere for that thing.” James stood up with his hands on his hips and fixed the boys with a stern look. 

“But we needed it!” Jim or Tim called.

“Hmm, what were you boys working on anyway?”

“We found this weird bicycle in the garage,” Jim began. 

Kim’s gaze shot up. “What did you do with it?” she demanded. 

“Just upgrading it from super lame to super awesome,” Tim high-fived his twin. “When we’re done with it, it’ll go way faster for way longer.”

“And we’ll get rid of those stupid pedals–”

“That’s not yours , it’s Wade’s!” The tension migrated upwards, stiffening the muscles in her neck. “He let me borrow–”

“I thought I recognized his soldering in the battery housing,” Jim interrupted. 

“Maybe we should call him, we’ve been having some trouble figuring out the power relay–” 

“Power relay?” James interrupted with an interested look. “You boys know that was my undergraduate thesis, right? I could take a look…”

The excited babbling faded to a static as Kim felt the beginning throb of a migraine at the base of her skull. She had just come out to her family, but no one was listening. The walls seemed to close in around her, making the space too tight, too constricting for her to breathe. She had to get out. 

Kim rushed back through the front door and collapsed down on the front stoop. Inhaling deeply, she began massaging at her tight shoulders as she waited to calm down. A dull ache throbbed at the side of her head and behind her left eye. A sudden buzzing vibrated against her leg. She grabbed the Kimmunicator and, using only one eye, read the notification of a new message from Bonnie. 

Bonnie : did u make it home in one piece or did they eat u alive

Despite the burgeoning pain in her skull, Kim felt a weak smile lift her cheeks.

Kim : made it home. don’t know about one piece tho

Bonnie : ??

Kim : think i’m getting another migraine

Bonnie : hang on, omw

A few minutes later, Kim heard the sound of a car rolling to a stop in front of her house. She looked up and, through squinted eyes, saw Bonnie walking toward her. The dull throbbing in her head receded as the muscles in her jaw relaxed at the sight of her crush. The early evening sun cast a golden hue behind her, giving her brown skin and hair an almost ethereal quality. Her heart skipped a beat as she made out the flecks of gold in the sea of moss in Bonnie’s eyes when she came to a stop in front of her. 

“You didn’t have to–”

“Shut up, and get in,” Bonnie whispered before slipping a pair of sunglasses over Kim’s eyes and guiding her to her car.

***

A while later, Kim found herself pain free, sitting on the brown leather sofa in Bonnie’s home library, sipping a mug of caramel flavored coffee. Her headache had disappeared as soon as she’d stepped over the threshold of the large house and most of the tension had melted away shortly after. They’d sat in companionable silence, Bonnie flipping through a magazine and Kim simply appreciating the calm respite after the chaos of the day. 

At the sound of the ceramic mug hitting the wood coffee table, Bonnie looked up from the glossy pages. “Any better?”

“Much better,” Kim gave her a grateful smile. “I think I just needed to get away from there,” she trailed off as she remembered how small and trapped she’d felt at her house. “It’s much quieter here.” Kim stood and began moving around the room, looking closer at the books on the shelves surrounding them. A displaced book caught her eye and she stopped to inspect it. She picked up a well worn and faded copy of The Return of the King . Kim’s brows rose as she turned to face Bonnie. “Are you a secret nerd, Bonnie?” At Bonnie’s confused look, she waved the book. 

Bonnie quickly stood and took the book from Kim’s hands, holding it almost reverently. Her hands brushed over the embossed letters of the title before her fingers rubbed the edges of the pages. “It was my dad’s,” she said softly, still gazing at the cover. Cracking the spine, the pages fell open around a small Polaroid that had been slipped into the middle. The brunette picked it up and gazed at it for a long moment before passing it to Kim. 

The picture was of a younger Bonnie, beaming at the camera while wearing a long green dress with a silver circlet over her hair and a fake sword in her hand. Next to her and smiling just as wide was a tall, fair-skinned Black man with eyes the color of honey. He was wearing a cheap, light blonde wig that was askew over his dark curls, a dark green cloak, and holding a bow and arrow. Despite the costumes, the resemblance was uncanny. They had the exact same smile, the exact same chin, and the exact same sparkle in their eyes. Below the image, written in black sharpie, read “Halloween 2003.” 

Kim looked up from the bright hazel eyes of the pint-sized Bonnie and met the more muted ones of the older girl in front of her. She gave Kim a sad smile, “Return of the King was the last movie we saw together before he died. He was a huge nerd.” 

She’d never seen Bonnie look like this. At school, she was mostly sharp edges and witty remarks. Here, she seemed so soft and vulnerable. “You look just like him.” 

Bonnie huffed out a small laugh, “He used to call me his mini-me.” 

“When did he…?” Kim asked tentatively. 

“Right before freshman year,” Bonnie answered as she took back the Polaroid. She gazed at the photo for a few quiet beats. “He used to get migraines, too,” she said softly before placing the picture back into the book, and returning it to its place on the shelf. The movement brought Bonnie into Kim’s space. Her heart fluttered as the smell of juniper and apricot invaded her senses. 

“Tell me about him?” Kim asked gently. 

Bonnie gave her a tremulous smile before she plucked another book off the shelf. The Two Towers revealed another Polaroid between its pages. This one showed an even younger Bonnie wearing a pink leotard and an even pinker tutu, beaming at the camera as her dad held her in his arms. A bouquet of roses was smushed between them. Below, in the same black scrawl read: Swan Lake, 2000. “Not only was he a huge nerd, he also loved art. All kinds. Music, movies, photography, painting, poetry, dance, you name it and he had an opinion to share about it.” A brown finger traced the frozen image of her father as she trailed off. 

“He was the reason I did ballet for so long.” Bonnie’s quiet confession tore Kim’s gaze from the image. The brunette still gazed at the picture longingly. “I started classes when I was three, the same age Lonnie and Connie started. Mother insisted. I was pretty damn good at it, too, but…ballet is fucking hostile. It didn’t matter how good I was, I still had to–did you know that they don’t even make ballet slippers in my skin tone? Do you know what it’s like being the only girl in the entire troupe who had to dye her slippers? Everyone else could just put them on right out of the box. It’s hard to stay in love with an art form when you’re constantly reminded that it doesn’t love you back. That you don’t belong .” 

Without conscious thought, Kim moved until her body was pressed against Bonnie’s side, silently offering comfort. Bonnie leaned into her before continuing, “But he would be right there with me, helping me dye my slippers. And every time, he’d tell me the same story about how he saw Alvin Ailey’s Revelations when he was younger and how life-changing it was to see Black dancers performing choreography made for us, by us. He’d say that there was absolutely a place for us in all forms of art. He went to every recital, every performance. Even when he was so overworked and stressed, he still made it. His face would just light up when he saw me dance. And then he went and fucking died on me.” Bonnie put the Polaroid back between the pages and snapped the book shut. “I kept it up for a few more years but eventually I just couldn’t. I looked out at the audience and he wasn’t there, so what was the point?” 

Kim felt the loss of warmth as Bonnie moved away to replace the book on the shelf. “I remember your performance at the school talent show.” The girl turned until their eyes met. “You danced beautifully,” Kim finished in a whisper. “I’m so sorry you lost him.”

The brunette was quiet as she gazed at Kim for several long moments. She looked lost, unmoored. Kims arms moved of their own volition. They wrapped around the smaller girl and pulled her in close. Bonnie’s forehead rested against Kim’s clavicle for a long moment before she felt her arms wrap around her waist. The girls embraced for what could have been either seconds or an eternity, Kim wasn’t sure. She only knew that she was content to hold her as long as she needed. 

When she felt Bonnie’s grip around her waist loosen, Kim took a half step back to give her space. “Stay,” Bonnie said softly, the quiet command halting Kim’s movement. “For dinner, I mean.” 

Kim nodded and followed her out of the room.

A short while later, the girls were gathered in the movie room, Bonnie, spreading take out across the coffee table while Kim perused the extensive DVD collection. Her fingers ran over the numerous titles, pausing for a moment when they brushed over a boxed set of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. 

“You know, I’ve never actually seen these movies.” 

“And you’re not going to see them tonight, that’s a nine hour commitment, minimum. Twelve if we do the extended editions,” Bonnie replied from the floor.  

“Wow, I guess we’ll have to make a whole day of it, then.” Bonnie glanced up from the food and gave her an unreadable look. “But not tonight,” she added before moving on. The search paused when she came upon something unexpected. 

“ Pride and Prejudice is a movie?!” 

Bonnie rolled her eyes as she moved food from a container onto her plate. “Clearly,” she deadpanned.

“You mean I could have watched this instead of suffering through two hundred plus pages?”

Bonnie gave her a bemused look, “Uh, yeah. That’s what I did.” At Kim’s face, Bonnie laughed. “Go ahead and put it on, it’s actually pretty good. For a hetero romance, I mean.” Kim did as she was told before joining Bonnie on the floor with their food. 

***

Two hours and nine minutes later, Kim sat back against the couch, belly full, and in disbelief as the credits rolled across the screen. “They got that from the book? But it was so romantic!”

“I told you,” Bonnie said with a smirk as she pushed her empty plate onto the table. 

“I got none of that from what I read. It was so stuffy!” Kim shook her head in disbelief before turning to look at the other girl. 

“And I’m guessing having Kira Knightly to look at made it more interesting, huh?” Bonnie teased. 

Kim’s stomach fluttered at the knowing smirk. “Well…that definitely didn’t hurt,” she laughed shyly. 

Bonnie snickered as they began gathering their food detritus. The girls chatted easily about the movie through the clean up and all through the short ride back to Kim’s house. “I’m definitely coming to you first for any future reading assignments. So you can tell me if there’s a movie version before I waste my time. You know, save myself the agony.”   

“Deal.”

The girls sat in Bonnie’s sedan in a companionable silence before Kim turned and looked up at her house. Her time with Bonnie made her forget the disastrous conversation from earlier. She sighed, unwilling to let go of the sliver of peace she’d found. “I tried to come out to them earlier.” She felt Bonnie’s gaze on her as she continued looking at the house. “They didn’t even hear me.”

A sharp exhale sounded in the cabin of the car before a warm hand slipped into hers. Kim looked down and saw brown fingers lace between her paler ones. “I’m sorry.” 

“I don’t know what I expected.” Her mind flashed back to the small kitchen table in Monique’s kitchen. She remembered the warmth of Miss Rochelle and Noah as they congratulated and welcomed her. Was that what she expected from her own family? No. But it was what she needed, what she craved. Her head dropped back against the headrest. “I came out and they immediately started talking about some project my brothers have been working on; they weren’t even listening.” A heavy sigh escaped her lungs as the hand in hers gave a small squeeze. “I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised, we never talk about real shit, anyway, just their work and not much else. I feel like such an alien around them.” 

Bonnie squeezed her hand again before speaking softly. “I know what you mean. I don’t fit in with my family either.” She gave Kim a small, sad smile when she looked over at her. “I’m the black sheep. Like, literally.” A humorless laugh filled the space before she continued. “After my dad died, I’m the only Black person in my family. He was an only child and his parents died when I was little.”

Kim’s brow furrowed in confusion, “I thought you had sisters–”

“ Half -sisters. They made sure I never forgot the ‘half.’” Bonnie seemed lost in thought so Kim gave her hand a gentle squeeze until she looked back up at her. “Yeah. So. I get it, not fitting in with your family. It’s not the same, but I get it, Kim. And I’m sorry. Because it fucking sucks .” 

“It really fucking sucks,” she agreed. “I’m sorry, too. About your dad. About your family.” They sat there in silence for several long moments before Kim gently extricated her hand and unbuckled her seatbelt. “See you tomorrow?

“See you tomorrow.” Bonnie waited until Kim waved from the front door before driving away. Her hand still tingled from Bonnie’s touch. Yeah, her crush was not going away anytime soon. Operation Get Over Bonnie just got more difficult. 

When she walked inside, she was immediately bombarded by her brothers. They corralled her into the garage where they proudly presented Wade’s Pedelec bike. 

“Oh, so you put it back the way you found it? That doesn’t make up for stealing it in the first place,” she scowled. 

“We made it better!”

“Yeah, we suped it up for you!” Jim grinned as he clicked the button on a small fob. Suddenly, the bike shifted. The pedals retracted, the handlebars extended, and the body and seat lengthened until it looked less like a bicycle and more like an off-road motocross bike. “Pedaling is super lame so we added Super Awesome Mode. We consulted with Wade and turned it into a fully electric motorbike. He said you can keep it.” Kim caught the fob as he tossed it to her. 

Before she could respond, her dad came from around the corner and added, “Pretty interesting tech, you’ve got here Kimmie-cub. Had to take the boys to the auto store for a few parts but we managed to get the battery processor functioning optimally.” 

Ann poked her head into the garage, “Well, look at that, Kimmie. Now you have your own ride to school. And who knows? Maybe you can race Ron on his moped and rekindle the romance.” She winked before disappearing out of the doorway. 

“Safety first, sweetheart,” James reminded as he passed her a helmet before leaving the garage, Tim hot on his heels, babbling on about adding a booster system to the bike. 

“Um…thanks?” She said as she looked at her new transportation. Jim started to head back inside before he suddenly stopped and grabbed something out of his pocket. He walked back over to Kim, took the fob and fiddled with it for a moment before pressing it back into her hand. She looked down and saw a small rainbow keychain attached to the fob. When she looked back up, the garage was empty, save for herself and her new ride. 

***

Kim rolled to a stop in a space next to Bonnie’s light blue car in the lot in front of A Brewed Awakening. The rumbling of the motor ceased when she killed the engine. 

“Jesus Christ , Kim, is that a motorcycle?” Bonnie asked as she launched herself out of her car to examine the new ride. 

Kim paused with her hands on the strap of her helmet. “Well, technically no, it’s an electric–”

“Yeah, yeah, not the point,” Bonnie cut her off. “You’re gonna give half the student population a fucking heart attack,” she continued as she watched Kim remove her helmet and shake out her hair. 

“Why’s that? Because everyone else drives a car?” Kim asked as she attached the helmet to the bike. 

Bonnie rolled her eyes, “Ugh, this again, Kim. How you have gone through life for seventeen years being this clueless is beyond me.” She fell into step with Kim as they headed inside. “Speaking of, have you found a date yet?”

Kim felt the tips of her ears burn as she averted her eyes. “Um, no. Not yet.”  

Bonnie looked at her sidelong. “You know that’s,” she nodded at a table of eagerly waving girls, “not gonna stop until you actually pick someone, right? What’s taking you so long?

She gave the table an awkward little wave as she joined the line to place her order, “First of all, it’s barely been a day. And second…it’s just…a little overwhelming.” 

“Oh, trying to figure out who’s after you just for your status and who’s legit?”

“Something like that, yeah,” Kim agreed as she stuffed her fists into her pockets. “Most of those girls are complete strangers. I want a girl who’s actually into me , you know? And I want to be into her, too. But I don’t even know how to begin figuring that out.” 

Bonnie nodded and gave her a thoughtful look. “What’s your type? You could start there.” 

“Uh…” You . But that’s not helpful. The whole point was to get over her hopeless crush. She couldn’t say she liked girls with hazel eyes, soft brown skin, girls who were mean with a superiority complex and a killer smirk. Operation Get Over Bonnie would be a bust and her cover would be blown. “I don’t actually know,” she finished feebly.  

“You don’t know.” 

“I don’t know.” Kim kept her eyes ahead as she felt Bonnie’s incredulous look bore into the side of her face. The line inched forward a few times before Kim broke, “This whole thing has been very sudden…” I just found out I was gay a few days ago, jeeze, gimme a break. 

“So, like, tall? Short? Skinny? Curvy? Blonde? Brunette–”

“Brunette.” Kim felt her face flush as she very suddenly became engrossed with the chalkboard menu behind the counter. Thankfully, she was spared further embarrassment as they stepped up to the register. Bonnie quickly placed their order before shooting Kim a pointed look when the barista announced the total. Kim happily paid before following Bonnie to the hand-off area. 

A soft, “Hi, Kim,” caused her to stop and look over near the milk station. Mandy gave her a small wave when Kim met her eye. 

“Hey, Mandy,” Kim greeted with a half smile. “Oh! I have your notes, hang on.” She reached into her backpack and pulled out the borrowed notebook. “Thanks again, by the way.” 

“Anytime,” Mandy smiled up at her as she took back her notes. 

“Did you know that book’s a movie?” At Mandy’s confused look, she clarified, “Pride and Prejudice, it’s a movie! Just watched it last night. ” 

Mandy laughed before tucking some hair behind her ear, “How was it?”

“It’s actually pretty good, way better than the book.”Kim leaned in conspiratorially, “Do yourself a favor, put the book down and just watch the movie instead. 

“Really? Middleton’s straight-A student is encouraging her peers not to read? What kind message does that send to the student population?”

“I don’t know about the rest of the student body but I feel compelled to save your butt from continued boredom. You know, after you saved mine from falling behind in class.” She shrugged, “It’s the least I can do.” 

“My hero,” Mandy’s bottom lip disappeared behind her teeth as she pretended to swoon. “I’ll have to check it out. Do you have a copy I can borrow? Maybe we could watch it together?” 

“Bonnie has a copy on DVD, I can ask if you can borrow it, if you want.”

Mandy’s face fell a split second before she plastered on a smile. “Oh, that’s okay! I can probably rent it from somewhere. Um, thanks for the tip!” She finished doctoring her drink before she waved goodbye and joined the table of girls near the door. 

Kim joined Bonnie where she stood waiting for their order. “Oh my god, Kim. You are so embarrassing,” Bonnie hissed. 

Startled, Kim looked down at her, “What?” Unfortunately, she was forced to wait because their order was called. Kim grabbed their drinks and her muffin before following Bonnie out to the parking lot. “What happened?”

Bonnie scoffed, “She clearly wanted you to ask her out.”

“What? No she didn’t, we were just talking about school stuff.”

Bonnie gaped up at her. “You are clueless when it comes to girls.”  

“Um, hello?! I am a girl.”

“But you’ve clearly never dated one.” 

Kim blushed furiously at the reminder of her inexperience. “Okay, okay, point taken.”

The brunette sighed dramatically before grabbing her iced espresso from Kim and taking a long pull on the straw. “You are going to single handedly ruin the reputation of the squad, Kim. You’re super visible right now–I mean, you’ve always been pretty visible but you’re, like, especially visible after yesterday. You saw those girls in there, they were all watching you. You have to be cooler than this. Otherwise, the entire school will think that the head cheerleader is just some dork. And if the head cheerleader is a dork, everyone who wears the uniform will be dorks by association! And the next thing you know, we’ll be at the bottom of the school’s food chain, forced to eat lunch all the way by the trash cans with the chess club! The. Chess. Club!” She punctuated her tirade with another long pull from her drink. 

About halfway through Bonnie’s rant, Kim’s jaw dropped open. “Um…okay. That’s insane. Have you considered maybe laying off the caffeine?” She tentatively reached forward to grab the cup from the girl’s hand. Bonnie snatched the cup away and glared at her before popping off the lid and downing the rest of her espresso. When nothing but ice remained, she pushed it into Kim’s chest. The redhead grabbed it while biting back a laugh, she had the sneaking suspicion that Bonnie would not be able to see the humor. She decided it was safer to just sip her coffee and let the girl tire herself out. 

“First of all, try to separate me from my espresso again and I’ll bite you. And then I’ll sue you. And then I’ll bite you again.” Kim lost the battle and barked out a laugh. “Secondly, it is not insane. What’s insane is the fact that you don’t even seem to care about this! Ugh!” She let out another frustrated noise and stomped her foot before she held up a hand to stop Kim’s response. She took a deep breath and gathered herself before continuing. “Fine, whatever, I guess it falls to me. Because unlike you, I happen to take my duties as co-captain seriously.”

“What falls to you? What are you talking about?”

“I obviously have to teach you about girls! How to tell when she’s flirting with you, how to pick up on her very obvious signals that she’s waiting for you to ask her out, and–oh my god,” she gasped as she studied Kim. “You’ve never been on a proper date, either. 

The redhead bristled, “Woah, hang on, I’ve been on–”

“Nope! Hitting up Bueno Nacho with Ron is not a date, Kim, I’ve told you this! Ugh, I have my work cut out for me. It’s one thing, teaching you how to get a date, it’s another thing entirely to make sure the date goes well . I can’t have you running around school taking girls on terrible dates!” She paused to let out another exasperated groan. “It’s fine, it’s fine , everybody calm down, we’ll just…we’ll do a practice run!”

Kim almost choked on her drink. “A practice run?”

“A practice run,” Bonnie said definitively. “Yes! Just like how we study for standardized tests! We’ll use it to establish a baseline, see where you’re at in the romance department and go from there. We already know you’re shit at picking up signals so that’s definitely in the lesson plan. But after the practice run, I’ll be able to figure out what else you need tutoring on.” Her eyes scanned Kim up and down. “Probably wardrobe, too…”

Kim managed to get out a weak “hey” in protest before Bonnie cut her off again. 

“Ugh, honestly, Kim, cropped jeans? Still?” She looked at the offending garment as if it had personally insulted her. “Change that ‘probably’ to a ‘definitely’ for wardrobe.” Bonnie clapped her hands with a frightening determination that rivaled the way DNAmy looked at her pet projects. “Okay, here’s the plan: you’re coming over to my house after practice today. Seven o’clock, sharp. That gives you enough time to shower and change into…literally anything other than those pants. Then I’ll see what you’re working with so I can better tailor the lesson plan. I’ll tutor you, turn you into everyone’s dream girl–well, you’re already everyone’s dream girl, I’ll just make sure the dream can match up with reality–you’ll be a killer date, the team’s reputation will remain intact, and nobody has to sit anywhere near the chess club. Okay?” 

She said that whole thing in one breath. How the girl managed to not pass out, Kim would never know. “O-okay.” 

“Okay!” The girl snatched Kim’s cup, drained the rest of the coffee, and hopped into her car. Kim stood next to her bike, mouth agape, as she watched Bonnie drive off. Was she about to go on a pretend date with her straight crush? Uh oh . 

***

The school day and cheer practice had practically flown by. Her stomach was a mess of nervous anticipation and dread. On the one hand, a small part–well, a large part–of her was excited to spend more time with her crush. On the other hand, it was probably definitely going to suck, having her crush push her off onto other girls, when the one she actually wanted was right there. On the third hand–foot, maybe?–in some twisted way, this might help Kim get over her unfortunate crush on a straight girl, once and for all. That was the ultimate goal…right?

Freshly showered and clean from the grime of a full day of school plus bench-warming at practice, Kim stood in her closet, brow furrowed as she considered her options. She’d never dressed up for any of her dates with Ron. But they hadn’t actually been dates, either. She let out a frustrated groan before deciding on a more familiar, comfortable outfit. The Kimmunicator buzzed as she pulled clothes from a hanger. 

Bonnie : reminder, 7pm SHARP, and dress to impress

Kim anxiously looked at her selected outfit, chewing her bottom lip before the device buzzed again.  

Bonnie : u know what? i don’t trust u, send pic of what you have

Kim laughed at the girl’s antics as she complied. Suddenly, the device rang out, instead of buzzing. Bonnie was calling. Kim braced herself and answered. 

“Oh my god, you did not just show me the same outfit you wore earlier! Dress to impress, Kim!”

“Okay first of all, these are an entirely different set of clothes. And second, I didn’t realize you were that serious.”

“Of course I’m serious! You don’t show up to a practice test without having studied first! No! You try to do your best so you can figure out the problem areas! If you’re not going to take this seriously, so help me god, Kim I will stage fucking coup and get you kicked off the squad.” 

“Okay! I’ll just–I’ll pick something else–”

“Mmmm, wear something green. It’ll make your eyes pop.” The call disconnected before Kim could respond. 

Ten minutes later, Kim slid on a pair of dark washed and decidedly un -cropped jeans, and a dark green tank top. She assessed her image in the mirror. It was comfortable yet the dark jeans lended her outfit a more serious quality. And the green did make her eyes pop. “Not too shabby,” she murmured to herself. She decided to keep her hair down, since she’d have to wear her helmet. What else do you do for a date? An idea suddenly sparked into her head. She quickly checked the alarm clock on her nightstand and confirmed that she had enough time to make an extra stop on the way to Bonnie’s. 

***

Kim rang the doorbell of Bonnie’s large house at seven o’clock on the dot. She knew because she had stood by the door staring at her wristwatch, waiting for the tiny green numbers to change. 

The door opened a full minute later and revealed Bonnie wearing a soft, worn t-shirt and comfortable looking shorts. “Is that what you wear on dates?” Kim asked in confusion.

“No.” At Kim’s bewildered look, she added, “I’m not the one doing a practice run, you are.” 

“Wait, but, practice tests are given under regular testing conditions, how do you know this won’t skew the data?”

Bonnie sighed exasperatedly, “Fucking nerd, okay, fine . We’ll do another practice run after I’ve taught you everything. I’ll pull out all the stops then, but for right now, this is all you get.” Kim had to hide a gulp as she imagined Bonnie with all of the stops pulled. She immediately had to hide another swallow as the girl’s gaze swept down her body. “Yep, the green was a perfect choice with your eyes…the jeans are a nice touch, too–” Her hazel eyes stopped moving when they saw what Kim had in her hand. They looked up in surprise. “You got me flowers?”

Slightly embarrassed, Kim blushed as she explained, “Well, yeah, you said best attempt for the practice run. So, here.” Kim thrust the arrangement forward. 

“...Right,” Bonnie took the bouquet of wildflowers and brought them to her nose. Brow slightly furrowed, she nibbled her bottom lip as she looked down at the colorful arrangement. 

Now uncertain, Kim asked, “Is this not okay? Are flowers not okay for a first date?”

“No, no, it’s…good. It’s perfect, actually,” she muttered, almost to herself. “I just wasn’t expecting it.” 

Relief was a balm to her frayed nerves. “Oh good. Glad to hear that some of my instincts are correct.” Her heart tripped into a staccato as eyes, now more golden than green in the early evening sunlight, looked up at her over the bouquet. No! Fake date! She scolded the offending organ. Fake date with a straight girl!   “You said to take it seriously. Can’t have you staging a coup, I like being head cheerleader too much.” 

It worked, the spell was broken as Bonnie moved backward and ushered Kim into the house. “You’re off to a decent start.” 

Kim did a tiny fist pump and laughed as Bonnie rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry, I’m deducting those from that wad of cash I’m supposed to spend on you.” 

Bonnie squinted up at her before shrugging. “I’ll allow it.” 

“By the way, is there some sort of rubric?”

“A rubric?” 

“Yeah, a rubric.” Bonnie looked at her as if she’d suddenly grown two heads. “What? You said to take it seriously, this is me taking it seriously! How am I supposed to get an A plus in… I don’t know, Bonnie’s School of How to be the Hottest Lesbian at Middleton High–no, that’s too long…The Academy of Lesbian Arts–no, that sounds like a women’s college…” Bonnie let out a snort and Kim flashed her a pleased grin before she continued. “Bonnie’s Dream Girl Academy? Yes! That’s the one. How am I supposed to get an A plus in Dream Girl Academy if I don’t have a rubric?”

Bonnie managed to stop laughing long enough to huff out, “Oh my god, you’re such a fucking nerd!”

“This fucking nerd’s got a perfect GPA for a reason! And that reason is rubrics.”

“Okay!” Bonnie held up a hand as the other clutched her stomach in laughter. “Okay, I’ll make a damn rubric after tonight.” 

“Good. Now, what’s next?”

Once Bonnie settled down, she looked at Kim thoughtfully. “Well, we’ve seen what your instincts tell you about how to start a date. Let’s…see what they say about how to end a date.”

“What, no middle? Just skip to the end?”

“Well, yeah.” Bonnie moved into the kitchen and grabbed a vase for the flowers. “A lot of the middle part depends on who you’re with. Like, what each girl is into and what she’s like will affect the actual date part. You need to tailor each date to the girl, you can’t just copy paste, one size fits all with this.”

“Hmm. Okay, I guess that makes sense.”

“Good. Now show me.”

“Show you?”

Bonnie nodded. “Show me how you’d end the date, Kim.”

Her heart skipped a beat as she wracked her brain, trying to figure out a way forward that would leave the stupidly hopeful organ unscathed. I’ll just make it quick and keep it platonic . She steeled herself and moved forward. Standing directly in front of the other girl, a few inches away, she said, “I had a really nice time on our date.” She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her in a brief hug before pulling back. “I hope you’ll call me or beep me. You know, if you want to reach me.” Kim stepped back and waited for Bonnie’s reaction. 

“Was this a date or were you saying goodbye to your fucking grandma, Kim?” Bonnie asked, unimpressed. “How would you actually end the date?”

“Uh, hopefully with a kiss?” She shrugged and averted her gaze.

“Okay, show me.” 

Kim blanched. “Wh-what?”

“I’m serious. C’mon,” she walked back to the foyer and stood by the front door. When Kim joined her, she continued, “Okay, you’ve walked me to my front door, now what?”

“Uh, okay–” she paused to clear her throat and stepped closer to her teammate. “Um, I had a great time on our date–”

Bonnie cut her off with an eye roll. “Just do it already, enough with the stalling–” 

Kim leaned forward, gently cupped Bonnie’s face in her hand, and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. The delicate skin of her lips tingled where they met the soft curve of skin and something squeezed in her chest. She quickly dropped her hand and took a step back. 

Bonnie appeared to soften momentarily before her brows shot upward and her mouth dropped open. “…The cheek? That’s it?! What is this, the 1950s? Did we just get back from the malt shop after hitting up the drive-in theater? Do we need to hold hands first, or is that too forward?” 

Kim felt her face flush as Bonnie continued her tirade, prickling with embarrassment. “Do you have to wait until she’s wearing your varsity pin before you’ll kiss a girl on the lips? C’mon, Kim, you can do better than that.” 

Bonnie was playing with fire and Kim was about to be burned. Kim stared at her for a few seconds, bristling at the challenge. She took a deliberately slow step forward and closed in on the other girl’s space until there was only a few inches between them. Her hand returned to the angle of Bonnie’s jaw, thumb pressed against the soft skin of her cheek. Kim ducked down and pressed forward, brushing her lips against Bonnie’s soft, plump bottom lip. A peck. A swift meeting of lips. Kim reveled in the brief contact before immediately pulling away. She let out a shaky breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding as she awaited the verdict. 

Dark lashes fluttered as hazel eyes looked up into Kim’s. A single, perfectly arched brow rose as those magnetic eyes narrowed. “You call that a kiss?”

Kim’s mouth dropped open as she stared in a mix of flustered disbelief and offense. “Yes! My lips touched your lips! Ipso, facto, a kiss…o.” 

Bonnie rolled her eyes, “You’re a nerd and that wasn’t a kiss.”

“Yes, it was!” 

“ No , it wasn’t.” 

“How is that not a kiss? Explain it to me then, because I’m confused.”

“Ugh, it’s something I can just explain–”

“Then show me,” Kim challenged. 

The air crackled with tension as they stared at each other. Kim watched as Bonnie’s eyes dropped down to her mouth. “Fine.” The girl reached forward, slipping her hand under flaming red hair to cup the base of Kim’s skull. She tugged her forward and kissed her. 

Their mouths almost crashed together. Bonnie’s lips were even softer than they looked, softer than Kim had imagined.

Kim’s hands lifted to cradle Bonnie’s waist as the smaller girl tilted her head for a better angle, sliding her mouth along Kim’s until she captured her bottom lip. Kim responded immediately, her mouth opening to pull Bonnie’s top lip between her own. The fingers in her hair tugged slightly and Kim felt her eyes roll to the back of her head at the sensation. Her arms moved until they wrapped around the other girl, pulling until their bodies were flush. Heat exploded everywhere they touched yet Kim still shivered. 

A gentle nip at her bottom lip had Kim slipping a hand under the hem of the worn t-shirt until the tips of her fingers caressed the warm, silken skin of Bonnie’s waist. A sharp inhale sounded at the contact, stilling her fingers’ motion. 

She pulled back slightly, lips still tingling, chest slightly heaving, mind fuzzy from the lack of oxygen. When her eyes finally opened, they met Bonnies’. They were nearly black, her pupils swallowing the gold-flecked green. She watched as Bonnie’s tongue flicked out over her bottom lip before her mouth lifted into a smirk. 

“ That was a kiss.” 

Operation Get Over Bonnie was an epic failure. 

—-END CHAPTER—-

 

Notes:

aaaahhhhhhhh!!!!

P. S. I responded to all of your comments in my head. Did you get it? Did you get my telepathic responses?

Chapter 9: Elephants and Chickens and Girls, Oh My!

“Why are we here again?” Kim asked as she sat down with her cheesesteak and fries. The mall food court was crowded that Saturday afternoon so she and Bonnie perched on a bench one floor above it, looking down on the masses. 

“Because,” Bonnie began as she stole a fry, “it’s the best place to observe other people. It’s not enough for me to tell you what flirting looks like, you need to see it for yourself.” Bonnie popped the fry into her mouth before taking a sip from Kim’s drink to wash it down. Kim nodded before taking a large bite from her sandwich. 

“Case in point. You see that girl at the pretzel stand?”

Kim’s eyes followed Bonnie’s gaze until she saw a girl next to the stand chatting with a guy. Her upper body was angled toward his as she flipped her hair and gazed up at him. “Uh, yeah?”

“You see how she’s playing with her hair? And now she’s leaning in super close? Flirting.” She grabbed the other half of Kim’s sandwich and took a delicate bite. 

“Huh,” Kim replied before taking a sip from her drink. 

Several moments later, Bonnie pointed to the other side of the court. “Now look over there. Girl in the fugly red skirt.”

Kim’s eyes scanned the crowd, searching for a red skirt. “What, next to the guy handing out free samples?”

“Ugh, no, over there .” Bonnie grabbed Kim’s chin and turned her head until her gaze landed on a girl with a bright red and orange horizontal striped skirt. She was talking to a guy who was running one of those ubiquitous kiosks that sold everything from phone accessories to beauty products. But that random girl only had about three percent of Kim’s attention. The other ninety-seven percent was dedicated to masking her reaction to Bonnie. The skin along her jaw and chin tingled where Bonnie had just touched. The entire left side of her body where Bonnie was pressed against her flushed with heat. Electricity zipped up her spine when she leaned in close to Kim’s ear to make sure she could be heard over the noise of the crowd, her breath tickling the sensitive skin. 

Bonnie’s new role as her romance tutor was sweet torture. All of it was a reminder of that night. That kiss . They’d kissed. Holy shit, they’d kissed. It was all Kim could think about. The memory of soft lips caressing hers was the first thing on her mind when she woke up and the last thing she thought of before she fell asleep at night. It even followed her into her dreams. And now, with the memory of their kiss at the forefront of her mind, the girl was pressed up against her, murmuring in her ear, her perfume fogging her senses. Kim had no reprieve. She had to fight her desire to lean into the touch, to wrap her arm around her, to pull her into another kiss. 

“Okay, you see how she’s touching his arm for no reason?” Kim nodded, unable to trust her voice not to crack. “Flirting.” 

The girls got up and headed downstairs after Kim tossed her trash. She was still peckish after her meal because Bonnie had stolen a third of her sandwich, half her fries, and most of her drink, even though she’d declined Kim’s offer to get her food because she “wasn’t hungry.” Kim made a mental note to get extra food when Bonnie was around as they headed to the pretzel stand. “Why’d you get so many?” Bonnie asked as she grabbed one of the three bags filled with pretzels, already tearing off a piece. 

“One for me, one for you, and one for Mo.” Kim glanced down at her wrist watch. “Her shift should be ending soon and Saturdays can be pretty rough.” 

Together, they walked toward Club Banana and caught her best friend just as she was heading to the employee exit. Monique’s normally radiant brown eyes were muted, evidence of a hectic shift. They brightened considerably when she saw Kim and even more when she saw the light blue bag from the pretzel kiosk.

“Have I told you lately how much I love you?” Monique gushed before taking a large bite of the cinnamon flavored bread. Suddenly, her phone buzzed loudly from her purse. Monique looked at the screen and sighed heavily before declining the call and slumping back against the wall. 

“Don’t worry about it.” Kim joined her against the wall. “Was the shift that bad?”

“No, the shift was whatever. A little busy but fine–” another vibrating phone call interrupted. Monique let out a frustrated noise before she rejected the call and snapped the phone shut. At Kim’s quizzical look, she took a breath to speak but stopped herself when she saw Bonnie perusing a nearby clothing rack and murmured, “I’ll tell you later.” 

“Okay,” Kim was no less concerned but it seemed private and her two friends only tolerated each other. They wouldn’t be having any heart-to-hearts anytime soon. “You look like you could use a pick-me-up. Chai latte?” she asked as she slung an arm over her friend’s shoulder. At Monique’s relieved nod, Kim grabbed the keys to her Jeep from her purse and looked up at Bonnie. “I'll drive her. Meet you at the cafe?”

***

Kim dropped the loaded drink tray onto the metal table on the outdoor patio of A Brewed Awakening. As she passed out the drinks, a garishly girlish giggle sounded loudly from a nearby table. Bonnie smirked and gave Kim a pointed look as she accepted her iced espresso. 

“What? Laughing is somehow flirting, too? Mo was just laughing at something I said on the way over and I’m extremely confident she wasn’t flirting.”

Monique lowered her latte from her mouth and pulled a face. “Definitely not flirting.”

Bonnie’s eyes rolled as she shook her head. “Notice how loud she’s laughing. I can guarantee whatever that douche nozzle said was not that funny.”

Kim’s head tilted to the side as she watched the table. “How do you know that? He could be a stand-up comedian for all we know.”

“Because there’s four other people at that table and no one else is laughing.”

“...Ohhh.” 

“What are y’all talking about?” Monique asked.

“I am single-handedly ensuring the reputation of the cheer squad remains intact,” Bonnie announced.

At Monique’s confused look, Kim clarified, “She’s appointed herself my dating coach-slash tutor. Apparently, I’m bad at girl stuff–”

“Atrocious, Monique. Simply atrocious,” Bonnie cut in. “I had to watch this girl throw herself at Kim and she completely fumbled it. She practically had a sign on her forehead flashing ‘please date me’ in neon and Kim was all, ‘oh, uh, we were just talking about homework.’ Ugh, embarrassing.” 

Kim murmured out of the side of her mouth, “I’m just going along with it, she can get a little…intense. It’s basically a hostage situation.” Monique’s shoulders shook with laughter. 

“You wish. I’m doing you a huge fucking favor, Kim. My advice is golden , you’re lucky I’m not charging you,” Bonnie replied with a scowl before her face shifted to a more thoughtful expression. “Wait, do you think I could get something for this?” Bonnie mused out loud. “I mean, I am definitely doing my job as co-captain, making sure the team’s rep is intact, but I’m also helping all the girls of Middleton High. I feel like that should at least get me an award or something. What do they usually give out for community service?”

“Community service means you don’t actually get anything out of it, that would kinda defeat the purpose.” Monique deadpanned.

“Right, right… extra credit, maybe?” Bonnie refocused on Kim. “Well, you still have to pass this training so let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s review. What have you learned so far about flirting?”

Kim pulled out her Kimmunicator and typed into her notes. “Let me see if I got this straight–well, poor wording.” Monique snickered and Bonnie rolled her eyes while unsuccessfully hiding a grin. “So, girls flirt by playing with their hair, encroaching on personal space, unnecessary touching, and gratuitous laughter?”

“Okay ‘gratuitous!’ Flexing that perfect SAT score!” Monique interjected and gave Kim a fist bump. 

“‘Gratuitous’ is not that fancy, you’re just easily impressed by a multisyllabic word,” Bonnie replied acerbically. In a patronizing tone, she continued, “Oh, ‘multisyllabic’ means–”

“Stuff it, you supercilious bitch. How’s that for multisyllabic?” Monique shot back. “Oh,” Monique began in the same patronizing tone, “it means–”

“I know what it means,” Bonnie interrupted with a glare. 

“Hmm, yeah whatever. There’s a reason I got top scores on the reading and writing sections of my SATs, so don’t play with me,” Monique finished, defiantly. “Just don’t ask me about the math section,” she muttered under her breath to Kim. 

Kim gave Bonnie a disapproving look. “You’re being rude.” When Bonnie shrugged dismissively, the redhead narrowed her eyes. “I’m not just going to sit here and let you be rude to my best friend.”

“I’m rude to everybody.”

“Yeah, I know. Asking you to not be rude would be like asking Mr. Barkin to crack a smile: never gonna happen.” Kim looked at her thoughtfully. “Instead, I think you can just try to cancel it out. Yeah, for every rude thing you say to Mo, just say something nice.”

“Um, why would I do that?” Bonnie asked haughtily as she took a sip of her drink. 

“Because she’s my best friend. And I’m your friend.” Seeing Bonnie’s shoulders lift in yet another imperious shrug, Kim rolled her eyes. “Because it’s the right thing to do?” she tried. Bonnie simply chewed her straw in silence. 

“Appeals to morality only works if the person has a conscience, Kim,” Monique chimed in. “Save your breath.”

Suddenly inspired, Kim nabbed Bonnie's half-empty cup and held it away from the other girl. “Say something nice or I’ll dump your drink.” She easily dodged Bonnie’s desperately grabbing hand and popped the lid off the cup. “Ah-ah-ah, careful. I might spill,” Kim teased while Monique stifled her laughter. Bonnie flopped back into her chair and pouted furiously, crossing her arms in a huff. It was adorable but Kim held her ground, tilting the cup until a drop splashed onto the concrete. “It’d be a real shame if you had to pay for your own coffee because I’m definitely not getting you a replacement,” she taunted. 

Bonnie let out a frustrated huff as Kim tilted the cup again. “Fine, ugh!” She turned to Monique, “I guess your fashion sense isn’t terrible. Unlike someone else at this table.”

When Kim gave her an unimpressed look and began tilting the cup again, Bonnie pouted even harder. “Okay, okay! Your outfit looks really nice and you have an inspired grasp of jewel tones,” she rushed out through gritted teeth.  

Kim met her best friend’s eye and awaited her verdict. Monique’s head tilted from side to side in brief consideration before nodding with a shrug. “I’ll take it.”

“She’ll take it! That wasn’t so hard, was it?” she teased as she held the cup out toward her teammate. 

Bonnie harrumphed as she snatched the cup and drained its contents before sticking her tongue out. “I’m gonna need another one if I gotta come up with more compliments.” 

Kim laughed and watched as she hopped up from her chair and flounced back inside the cafe. Once she was gone, Kim turned and saw her friend watching her carefully. “Flirting lessons, huh? Girl, what are you doing? I’ve seen the way you look at her.”

Kim blew out a heavy sigh and shrugged. “I know, I know. It’s…it’s actually part of the reason I’m in this whole mess. Shego said the best way to get over a crush on a straight girl is to date someone else and I’m extremely out of my depth. So, her teaching me will help me get over it. Over her.” Moninque’s raised brow broadcasted her doubt. “Eventually…probably…hopefully.” 

“Yeah and how’s that going so far?”

“Wonderfully,” Kim deadpanned. “I’ve only had about twenty heart attacks today, way down from earlier this week.” 

“What happened earlier this week?”

“Uh,” Kim’s voice cracked a bit. “Nothing, just, you know. Exposure therapy’s always toughest in the beginning.” It wasn’t that she didn’t want to tell Monique about the kiss. It was just that it was really nice to have this little secret thing that was just hers. A little memory to play on repeat, over and over, unsullied by anyone else’s opinions or thoughts. Just hers. 

“How do you know she’s straight, by the way? She tell you that?”

“She didn’t have to,” Kim muttered as fiddled with the cardboard wrapped around her coffee cup. “She’s getting back together with Brick.” 

Monique hummed thoughtfully but didn’t otherwise respond. Their contemplative silence was interrupted by loud buzzing from Monique’s phone against the patio table. A quick glance at the display showed someone named “Asshole” was calling. Her friend let out an exasperated sound as she grabbed her phone and powered it off before snapping it shut. 

“Okay, why is someone named ‘Asshole’ blowing up your phone?”

Her friend sighed heavily before looking up at Kim. “My dad.”

Kim’s brows rose as she looked at her friend. “Shit. Really?” In their years of friendship, Kim hadn’t heard Monique talk about her dad once. She’d kind of filled in the blanks and guessed from what her mom had mentioned that it wasn’t a good relationship, if there was one at all. 

“Whatever he has to say, I don’t want to hear it.” She shook her head firmly. “If it were, like, three years ago, I would have answered in a heartbeat. Maybe. But now? After all the  missed birthdays and unreturned calls? After seeing how much happier my mom is without him? Absolutely not. We’ve been perfectly fine without him. I’ve been perfectly fine without him.” Monique’s normally bright and sparking demeanor had changed, like someone had turned the wattage on a light bulb all the way down.  

Kim might not have been able to fully understand her best friend’s relationship with her dad, but she was entirely certain that anyone who dared to dim the absolute ray of sunshine that was Monique Rollins was an utterly irredeemable piece of shit. She scooted her chair closer and wrapped her arm around the girl’s shoulder and pressed her forehead to her temple. “Did you know that an elephant poops about 165 pounds a day?”

Her friend let out a startled laugh, pulling back to look at Kim. “Girl, what?”

“Yep. A few years ago, Duff Killigan got the bright idea to have a safari themed mini golf course. And what does a safari themed mini golf course need? Elephants. Of course, you can’t just pop down to your local shelter to adopt a three ton giant mammal so he kidnapped–elephant-napped?–a few from the Dublin Zoo and transported them all the way to Scotland.”

Monique looked at her, utterly befuddled but still listening. “Anyway, the director of the zoo was super freaked out and contacted us. Long story short, Ron and I managed to stop the maniacal mini golfer and we had to help transport the elephants back to the zoo using these, like, special transport vehicles because you can’t exactly put them on a plane. They were massive 18-wheelers. It took like two days and you wouldn’t believe how much poop there was! I mean, it was almost an entire elephant's worth.”

“Um, okay?” Her friend giggled. “What was the point of that story?”

“The point is: I know a guy with access to a literal metric ton of elephant shit. And that guy owes me a favor. All it would take is one teeny tiny phone call and your dad would be dealing with a mountain of shit like the asshole he is.” Kim’s shoulder lifted in a nonchalant shrug. 

Monique threw her head back and laughed hard enough that a few tears escaped. Kim pulled out her Kimmunicator and her thumb hovered over the button to dial Wade. “Just say the word, Mo.”

“That would be a biohazard and my old neighbors don’t deserve that,” she declined through fits of giggles while wiping her eyes. 

“Ah, well. Want me to get Wade to block his number?”

Monique gave her a small smile and shook her head. “Nah. But if he keeps buggin’, I might take you up on it.”

“Take you up on what?” Bonnie interrupted as she dropped down into her chair with a fresh cup of iced espresso. 

Kim quickly covered for her friend, knowing she wouldn't want Bonnie to know her business. “I offered to let her, uh, refresh my wardrobe.” Yeah, Kim’s fashion was a topic Bonnie would immediately grab onto. “I’ve been meaning to switch it up since some people have made complaints.”

Bonnie gasped dramatically and turned to Monique. “God, please say yes. I’ve been trying to get her to retire those cropped jeans for forever .”

Monique shot Kim a grateful look before she played along. “We get a nice employee discount at Club Banana, it’s about time she used it.”

“Hey!” Kim interjected. “I use it!”

“Sure…to buy seventeen pairs of the exact same green cargo pants and black mock-neck crop top,” Monique grimaced. “It’s time to branch out, babe. Expand those fashion horizons.” 

Kim pouted, “I go through a lot of mission outfits, okay?” 

Bonnie gaped at her. “You buy the exact same clothes and never get anything new?”

“I’d honestly settle for black cargo pants and a green mock-neck crop top at this point,” Monique added. 

“I’ve gotten other stuff,” Kim muttered defensively. 

Hazel eyes ran down Kim’s body, taking in her usual tank and cropped jeans before looking back up with a haughty brow raised. “Did you get that?”

“…Yes?”

Monique stage-whispered across the table, “Yeah, there’s a reason she’s not in charge of styling the mannequins, anymore.” 

Bonnie and Monique both laughed as Kim slid down in her seat, crossing her arms. She was happy they were getting along but did it really have to be at her expense? “I can’t believe I’m saying this but can we please go back to the flirting lesson?”

“Hmm, where were we?” Bonnie immediately switched from teasing into tutor-mode. 

“Lesson review, right? Tell me what you learned today and no cheating by looking at your notes.” 

Kim took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and searched her memory. “Um, girls flirt by playing with their hair, excessive laughter, getting in your personal space, aaaand…unnecessary touching?” She opened one eye and squinted at Bonnie. 

“Pretty much, yeah.” Bonnie nodded approvingly. 

“Also,” Monique added, “by coming up with excuses to spend time with you.” She gave Kim a pointed look. “No matter how…contrived.” Kim’s brow furrowed as she looked at her friend, unable to decipher her meaning.

“Ooh, yes, that’s a good one,” Bonnie confirmed. “Write that down.”

***

Kim lifted her bike from the back of Monique’s Jeep in the school parking lot. It was quite heavy with all of the modifications her brothers had made, but after becoming part of her regular school routine, Kim barely broke a sweat. Most mornings, she would pedal or ride the six miles to Monique’s house and start the day with her best friend. She’d then attach the bike to the Jeep and they’d make a pit stop over at A Brewed Awakening where they’d meet up with Bonnie before heading to campus. Today, they’d had to skip the coffee shop because Monique needed to run ahead to print an assignment in the library before first period. 

The rubber of the tires had just touched down on the asphalt when Kim heard her name being called from nearby. She turned and saw two of her schoolmates approaching. 

“Wow, Kim, you’re so strong,” Brooke, a girl Kim knew since elementary school batted her dark eyelashes up at her. Kim paused, a bit confused because although they’d known each other since they were kids, they never really spoke more than to say hi or wave in the hallways. “That motorcycle looks so heavy and you pick it up like it weighs nothing.”

“Oh, um, it’s not a motorcycle, actually, it’s a–”

“Seriously, Kim, your biceps are, like, bulging,” Brandi, Brooke’s blonde best friend, gushed. “Whoever invented the tank top needs to win, like, the Nobel Peace Prize or something. Their contribution to society should be properly appreciated.” She grinned flirtatiously and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I bet you could pick me up, huh?”

Kim felt herself blush at the unexpected onslaught of flattery. “Um, I mean, I’m a base on the cheer squad so…probably?”

“Oh, that’s right, you lift girls all the time,” Brooke replied with a grin before she bit her bottom lip and moved close enough to reach out and touch Kim’s exposed shoulder. “Wow, it really shows and you’re not even flexing,” she commented as her hand slid down to rest over Kim’s bicep.  

Kim’s insides fluttered at the touch, despite the audacity of the move. Brooke was very pretty. Brandi was okay but Brooke had waves of chestnut brown hair cascading down her back. It turns out Kim might really have a thing for brunettes. Her eyes were held captive by the way the sunlight gleamed on the strands of hair. But alarm bells were ringing in her head. Bonnie’s recent lesson had Kim clocking every technique the girls used, it was so obvious. Brandi was currently twirling the end of her fishtail braid around her finger. Check. Brooke’s hand was still on her arm. Check. Both girls were standing extremely close. Double check. It was like flirting by ambush.

Brandi gasped and looked at her friend. “I bet she could pick us both up at the same time.” She turned to Kim with wide eyes, “Oh my god, Kim, could you?”

“Well, uh…” Kim faltered as Brandi reached out and trailed her fingertips down the bicep of her other arm. “I, uh–I only have the two arms, so…probably not?” The girls burst into laughter. And there goes the excessive laughter . It wasn’t that funny. 

“And she’s funny, too,” Brooke squeezed her arm. “You’re, like, the full package. How has no one scooped you up yet?” 

“Oh, I, uh,” Kim managed to stammer out before the bike she was still holding up tilted violently to the side. She had to lurch forward to steady it before finally engaging the kickstand. The sudden movement forced the girls to drop their hands and take a step back and Kim was relieved at the space.

“I’d love for you to take me for a ride sometime,” Brooke smiled as she ran her hand across the seat of the bike. 

“I, uh, only have one helmet, so…” Kim trailed off with a shrug. 

“Aww, bummer,” Brandi pouted. 

“Well, if you ever get another one, come find me,” Brooke gave her a slow smile and a moment later, both girls began moving toward the school. “See you around, Kim,” Brooke called. Kim’s eyes took in her long legs as she sashayed away. 

A sudden throat clearing noise behind her alerted her to Bonnie’s presence. “Drool much?” Bonnie asked brusquely as she handed Kim a small blue cup and a small white bag. 

Kim’s head ducked sheepishly at being caught blatantly ogling. She quickly opened the bag and took a huge bite of muffin to have an excuse not to reply.  

“Careful, Kim,” Bonnie warned. “Those two have bounced from one jock to another ever since they were freshmen.”

“Shit, I’d let Brooke bounce from me, too,” Kim quipped as soon as she swallowed.

“Ew, Kim,” Bonnie smacked her arm with the back of her hand. “Have some self respect. You said you were looking for someone who was into you and those girls are textbook status chasers.”

“I’m kidding…sorta. I mean, she’s really hot and I am but a mere gay mortal. But…not really my type.” At Bonnie’s questioning look, Kim continued, “Not into blondes.”

“What?? Brooke’s literally brunette?” Bonnie asked incredulously. 

Because apparently my type is a very specific brunette . Kim shrugged and shuffled her feet. “Meh, she was blonde when we were kids.”

Bonnie blinked up at her for a few moments, brow furrowed, before shaking her head. “You’re so weird. She’s clearly into you, and if that drool is anything to go by, you think she’s hot, too. But that’s somehow not good enough? What’s your deal? It’s almost like you don’t even want a date.”

Kim froze. “What? That's… that’s not true.” I do want a date. I want to date you, and that’s the fucking problem.  

“Then what the hell is it?” Bonnie looked up at her for a few moments, eyes narrowed as she considered her. “Unless…” Suddenly, her mouth dropped open and she gave a small gasp. “Oh my god.” 

Kim felt the ground drop out beneath her. No, no, I’m not that obvious, am I? Was she that transparent? So far only Monique had noticed her massive crush on the girl. Had she somehow slipped up?

Oblivious to Kim’s internal meltdown, Bonnie’s expression morphed from incredulity to a smug…something, Kim wasn’t sure. The brunette leaned forward and sneered at Kim. “You’re too chickenshit.” 

“What?!” Kim bristled at the unexpected insult. 

“Uh-huh. Yep. Little Miss ‘I can do anything’ is too chickenshit to ask a girl out! Oh my god, this is priceless,” Bonnie cackled. 

“That’s not–”

“No, no, no, there’s no need to pretend, Kim. Your secret’s safe with me.” She mimed zipping up her lips and throwing away the key. “It’s fine, I just have more work cut out for me than I thought.” She turned and looked off into the distance in thought. “So how do I get you on a date without you having to ask the girl out?” 

After a few moments of thoughtful silence, interspersed with shushes when Kim dared to interrupt, Bonnie suddenly perked up. “Hang on.” She dug around in her purse for a moment before she pulled out her phone. 

“Who are you texting?” Kim asked warily. “Do you have a group text of all the eligible queer girls on campus or something? Is this, like, an arranged marriage sorta sitch?”

Bonnie simply held up a finger and continued texting. Several long seconds passed before she finally looked up. “Ok. I’ve handled it.”

“Handled what?”

“Brick’s gonna throw a party after the game on Friday.”

It was Kim’s turn to look confused. “…okay? What does that have to do with anything?”

Bonnie rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Obvi you’re coming with. It’s perfect. You never go to parties so none of your little stalker fan club will be there to harass you. I’m gonna make sure there’ll be plenty of brunettes for you to choose from–after verifying their life-long brunette status by looking at their baby pictures or something– and I’ll be there to pull the strings to set up the perfect meet-cute. You won’t have to lift a single, chickey finger.”

Kim groaned, “I don’t need you to pull any strings, Bonnie.”

“Oh, yes you do.”

“Do not!”

“Do too,” Bonnie retorted with a sing-song voice. “Because you’re a what?”

“Don’t–”

“You’re a chickenshit, that’s what,” Bonnie jeered with a smirk. 

“I am not a chicken–you know what? Fuck it.” Kim snapped. “By the end of the day, I’m gonna have a date. And I’ll get it by myself ,” she gritted out between clenched teeth as she slid her backpack on. “Show you who’s chickenshit. Not me, that’s for fucking sure,” she grumbled as she stomped off to her homeroom, leaving a still-laughing Bonnie behind.

***

Kim burst into the locker room triumphant. She was a few minutes late because she’d had to take the long way around the gym to enter from the back. She’d spent a little extra time in her Lit class so by the time she headed to the gym, the gaggle of girls who seemed to follow her were waiting by the main entrance. They’d apparently memorized her schedule so Kim was forced to take a more circuitous route. She quickly changed and dashed out to join the rest of the team in their warm up. They were spaced out in a large circle on the floor, moving through a series of stationary stretches. 

She plopped down next to Bonnie and began stretching her hamstrings with a deep side split. Kim leaned over and whispered with a smirk, “Guess who’s got a date for tomorrow night?” 

Kim’s choice of who to ask out was easy. Of all the girls who’d expressed interest in the past few weeks, Mandy was the only one who’d cared enough to ask how she was after she’d been outed. She was very sweet and thoughtful, qualities that were important in a relationship. Plus she’d played with her hair a lot when they talked and that let Kim know she was open to the possibility. Mandy had said yes so quickly, Kim had barely finished getting out the words. And she’d blushed adorably as she put her number in the Kimmunicator. 

Bonnie’s head whipped around. “No way.”

“Way,” Kim replied with a smug smile. 

Bonnie let out a noise that was a startling mix of a growl and a shriek. “Oh my god, Kim!” she whisper-yelled. “I didn’t think you were serious! You’re not ready! We haven’t even gone through the lesson plan, ugh!”

“Not ready my ass,” Kim exclaimed in a furious whisper as they moved into another stretch. “I know all about the flirting and you said I did a good job at the beginning and the ending date parts. You’re just mad I didn’t need your help. I managed to ask a girl out all by myself, just like I said. Cause I’m not a chickenshit.”

“First of all, I did not say you did a good job, I said it was decent .” 

Kim rolled her eyes as she stood to do a few air squats. “Potato, tomato. You say ‘decent’ I say ‘pretty good,’ whatever. It’s good enough.”

Bonnie’s hands raised and clutched at the air like she wanted to throttle Kim. “It was decent because the bar was literally on the ground ,” she hissed. “I was just surprised you managed not to trip over your own feet and that threw the curve heavily in your favor. The assignment was literally ‘don’t trip!’ and you passed!” Bonnie held up a finger to cut off Kim’s retort. “And second, it’s more than just flirting and flowers, you idiot! But you don’t know that because you had to go and jump the gun just to prove a point!” The brunette only stopped because the team was transitioning into the more active stretch routine. They lined up to wait their turn to do walking lunges across the court. 

“Well?!” Bonnie hissed as they simultaneously lowered into a deep lunge. Kim shot her a confused look. “What sport does she play?” At Kim’s baffled silence, she scoffed, “Ugh, the girl you asked out?” 

Kim remembered when she met Mandy for the first time at the cafe, how she’d run into her. Literally. “She doesn’t play any sports, I’m pretty sure.” Way too clumsy . Kim was tempted to torment Bonnie by telling her Mandy was in the chess club but she wasn’t actually sure. 

Bonnie popped up out of the lunge and turned to Kim with her hands on her hips for a full second. “Kim! You can’t just date some…some random chick!” She seemed to recover from her shock and continued with the warm up.

“What? She’s not random,” Kim sputtered. “She’s in my fifth period.”

“Ugh, Kim, what’s not clicking?! You have to date someone of equal,” Bonnie held her hand at eye level, palm flat, facing the floor, “or higher status ,” the hand raised until it stopped above her head. She was giving Kim visual cues like she was a toddler and her tone was one usually reserved for speaking to small children. “The fact that I don’t even know who she is tells me that she’s probably, like, mid status at best. You couldn't have picked someone from the volleyball team? Or the soccer team? Or the basketball team, swim team, literally any team, Kim.”

“Wow you named every sport except for the cheer squad.” At this, Kim saw a few of her teammates perk up and look over out of the corner of her eye. 

“Absolutely not ,” Bonnie gritted out between clenched teeth. “I realize you might not care about making it to Nationals this year but I do . Dating a squad member would fuck with the group dynamic and I am not going to let you jeopardize our shot on the podium just so you can have some, some torrid lesbian love affair that won’t last past graduation!” Bonnie huffed. 

“Well, then, I guess it’s a good thing I’m not trying to date a teammate.” Kim retorted. The girls who had turned to look seemed to deflate as they resumed chatting with their neighbors. Kim sympathized a little. The only cheerleader she was interested in dating was neither aware of her interest nor available. “So, we’ll make it to Nationals no problem.”

“You know what?” Bonnie hissed a minute later as they made their way back across the court. “This is actually a good thing, you going on a date with this rando.” Kim’s head jerked around to look at her teammate. 

“You’re giving me some serious whiplash, Bonnie,” she muttered as they turned to lunge their way back. 

“It’s a good thing because when you absolutely blow it ,” she narrowed her eyes at Kim, brow raised. “It totally won’t count. And you’ll realize how much you need me.” 

Kim felt her jaw clench in annoyance. “Don’t count on it.” 

“I’ll even be nice,” she taunted with a faux nonchalant shrug. “I won’t say ‘I told you so.'"

Kim rolled her eyes before calling the team into formation to start practice. 

***

Well. Bonnie was right. Kim wasn’t ready. Although several of the things that went wrong weren’t entirely her fault, it was still a disaster of a date. Everything that could go wrong, went wrong. 

Kim brought her flowers. Apparently, Mandy was allergic to flowers. She had to take an emergency antihistamine thirty seconds into their date. 

Kim thought it would be really romantic to ride together on her bike to the movies, she got a second helmet and everything. Apparently, Mandy was terrified of motorbikes and motorcycles and much preferred the safety of a seatbelt. 

With Mandy’s car in the shop, they were left with no viable transportation. So the girls spent an hour and forty-five minutes awkwardly playing board games. There aren’t that many two-player board games, which meant that they played six rounds of Battleship. Not exactly the pinnacle of romance. 

Even if Mandy’s car had been fully operational and ready to go, she had apparently taken the wrong antihistamine. Instead of the daytime medication, which boasted its non-drowsy effects, she’d accidentally taken the nighttime version. Kim found this out because right as she managed to sink Mandy’s freighter, the girl started giggling uncontrollably and listing to the side across the coffee table. Her laughter was bubbly and incredibly infectious, Kim couldn’t help but join in. Kim Possible, perfectionist straight-A student, had failed. Her first foray into gay dating had been an unmitigated disaster and all she could do was laugh. 

As Mandy’s blinks got slower and slower and her eyes got glassier behind her large, round frames, Kim decided to call it. They walked to the front door and paused at the threshold. Mandy leaned against the doorframe, a goofy grin on her face. “This was a terrible date,” she giggled.  

Kim snorted at the girl’s, no-doubt medically induced, brutal honesty. “It really was,” she shrugged with a smile. “Sweet dreams, Mandy.” Kim pulled out her Kimmunicator as soon as the door shut. She had three unread texts from Bonnie. The first two were from several hours ago. 

Bonnie: plz for the love of all that is fashion, do NOT wear those cropped jeans

Bonnie: u totally wore the cropped jeans, didn’t u

The last one was more recent, sent only minutes ago.

Bonnie: ok so how bad was it? like, kick you off the team bad or like, transfer to a new school bad?

Kim rolled her eyes, despite the fact that Bonnie was correct. Instead of responding, she nabbed the bouquet of flowers she’d tossed near the bushes earlier and hopped on her bike. 

A short while later, she rang the doorbell to Bonnie’s house. The door opened to an incredibly smug looking Bonnie. “I knew it. I knew it. Totally fucking bombed, didn’t you?” Bonnie smirked with a triumphant look in her eye. 

Kim bristled, even though she’d expected this. “Actually, it went perfectly .” She didn’t know why she lied, she certainly hadn’t meant to. But there was a reason they’d spent so many years as rivals. Bonnie knew exactly how to push her buttons and get under her skin. Perhaps if Bonnie had kept her word and was nice about it, she’d have been more truthful. But Bonnie was being…well, Bonnie. And Kim’s pride wouldn’t allow her to admit defeat in the face of such blatant gloating. “Super fucking romantic.” Kim pushed past her and went into the kitchen to grab an empty vase for the flowers. 

Bonnie trailed after her. “If it went so perfectly, why are you here? And bringing me flowers?”

“Mandy’s allergic, didn’t want them to go to waste,” Kim replied as she filled the vase with water at the large metal sink. She turned to see Bonnie removing the plastic wrapper from the flowers and held out the vase. The brunette carefully placed the bouquet into the water and fiddled with the arrangement. 

“Are you seriously not gonna tell me?” She pouted as she moved a few flowers around, the vase still cupped in Kim’s hands. 

“It’s a bit rude to kiss and tell, isn’t it?” At the word ‘kiss,’ her eyes automatically drifted down to Bonnie’s mouth. They were standing only ten feet away from where Bonnie had kissed her and Kim could still feel it in the marrow of her bones. Her gaze lifted in time to catch hazel eyes looking up at her over the colorful bouquet, with the exact same unreadable expression as she had over a different bundle of flowers. Kim’s throat clicked when she swallowed, her throat suddenly dry.

“You kissed?” Bonnie’s voice was quiet as she looked at her. Kim’s heart was a caged thing, frantically clawing at the prison of her chest. Her fingertips itched to reach out and caress the skin of that soft cheek again. Her scalp ached to have those fingers running through her hair again. Her lips longed to slide against the soft heat of Bonnie’s mouth again and again and again. 

She blinked and took a step back, turning to place the vase on the countertop next to her. She occupied herself with carefully centering it on the island, giving herself much needed space to recover. “Like I said,” she shrugged. “It would be rude.” She turned and saw Bonnie pouting adorably, her brow all furrowed, bottom lip poking out. Kim melted a bit at the sight. 

Apparently, Kim was a scientific marvel. Her bones were capable of disappearing and reappearing in the blink of an eye. When Bonnie pushed her and got in her face, she had a spine of steel, refusing to give an inch. But when the girl got all soft like that, her backbone simply vanished and Kim was putty, desperate to take the shape of whatever Bonnie wanted. She was helplessly caught in Bonnie’s orbit, utterly entranced. 

God, I’m in so much trouble. 

Just as Kim started debating whether she should just confess the truth, that it was an utter disaster, Bonnie huffed, “Ugh, fine , whatever.” She moved the giant sub-zero fridge, pulled out a couple of cans, and passed one to Kim. She cracked open her own before sliding in a plastic straw. After a few sips, she added, “At least tell me about what you’re planning for the second date.”

Uh oh . “The what?”

“The second date. You know, the thing that usually happens after the first one.” She was using that tone again, speaking to Kim as if she were a toddler.  

If Kim’s eyes rolled any harder, she would have been able to see inside her own skull. “I know what–”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Bonnie interrupted with a dismissive wave. “So, second date? What is it?”

Kim sputtered, “The first date just happened. I can’t plan an entire second date in, like, the  twenty minutes it took to get here.” 

“Fine, then when are you planning to ask her out again?”

“Once again, Bonnie, it’s been like twenty minutes…” Kim stalled, fiddling with the tab on her can. If she was going to lie, she really needed to start thinking it through before the words fell out of her mouth. 

“So? I’ve been asked out on second dates while still actively on the first date. When you know, you just know.” 

There was an ugly little creature in Kim’s chest that snarled and bared its teeth at the thought of Bonnie on dates. With other people. With Brick. Kim was glad she hadn’t opened her drink yet, the way her fist squeezed the can would have gotten soda everywhere and Bonnie would have seen right through her. She had to get a muzzle on that creature and fast. Taking a deep breath, she placed the can on the counter before leaning back against the island and crossing her arms, attempting casual. 

“Since your first date was so fucking perfect, shouldn’t you already know?” Bonnie continued, brow raised. “Unless it actually wasn’t super fucking romantic…” She trailed off pointedly, eyes narrowed, chewing on her straw.

“Tomorrow.” And there it was, Kim’s spine back in its rightful place, each vertebra made of titanium. She was absolutely, positively not going to tell Bonnie the truth about the date and she most certainly wasn’t going to back down from a challenge. “I’m gonna ask her out again tomorrow,” Kim lied through her teeth.  

Bonnie gave her an enigmatic look, holding her gaze for a few moments before she sniffed. “You should invite her to the party tomorrow night,” she replied with a careless shrug. “That way, I can see the happy couple for myself. Since you wanna be so goddamn polite and withhold the deets.”

Shit, now I really do have to ask Mandy out again . “We’re not a couple, it’s only been one date.”

“Whatever,” Bonnie waved her hand dismissively as she pulled out her phone. “I’m ordering sushi, go pick out a movie.” 

Kim grabbed her drink and did as she was told.

—-END CHAPTER—-

Notes:

feeling a lot more confident now that i have a clearer direction of where i want to take this story. but also super glad that it's loose enough that i can still let the characters and the story kinda surprise me

Chapter 10: A Mutually Beneficial Arrangement

Notes:

Edited the ending of chapter 9 and re-posted (on March 8th). Kim’s internal motivations were too inconsistent and I wrote myself into a corner lol. Edits start from “God, I’m in so much trouble.”

Kim stretched after hopping out of Monique’s Jeep. They had just pulled up next to Bonnie’s already parked blue sedan in the lot in front of A Brewed Awakening. 

She left her best friend in the vehicle, dancing in the driver’s seat to some top forty song on the radio and sipping from her travel mug, as she headed to the cafe for her caffeine fix. Bonnie was already at the head of the line, placing their usual order. Kim dashed to the front, hand digging into a pocket for her wallet. As soon as the barista announced the total, Kim slipped behind her teammate, reaching around with the exact amount in cash, plus tip. 

The movement brought her in close to Bonnie, close enough for the girl’s usual perfume of juniper and apricot to enter her lungs as she took a breath. Close enough for the inside of her arm to brush against the outside of Bonnie’s. She looked back and up at Kim, her eyes a bit bleary, but with a softness around the corners of her mouth. Not quite a smile, but not- not a smile. 

Kim couldn’t help but grin down at her as they moved to the hand off area. “Can’t have you paying two days in a row, you might wither away. Or would you melt?” she teased.

“Ugh, shut up.” Bonnie shoved at her but not hard enough to actually move her away. “I overslept and missed my usual morning espresso shot.” Her tired eyes narrowed as she looked up at Kim. “Which is apparently a requirement for me to deal with you so early.”

“Why’d you oversleep?”

“I was up late,” Bonnie mumbled as she slumped back against the wall. “Got some bad news.”

Concern washed over Kim. “Are you okay?” she asked. She looked closer at her friend and noticed dark circles under her eyes. 

Bonnie shrugged. “My weekend plans have been commandeered by Mother. I’m to have brunch with her on Sunday to ‘discuss my future,’” she grimaced. 

“Why is–”

“What is this, twenty fucking questions?” Bonnie attempted to glare up at her, but fatigue dimmed its usual potency. “You’re lucky I’m getting my espresso soon or I’d be running you over with my car.” 

She clearly didn’t want to talk about it. Kim decided to back off and change topics. “Homicide is a pretty intense activity, I don’t think you have the energy for that.”

“For you? I’d find the energy,” Bonnie playfully batted her eyelashes up at Kim. Despite the morbidly threatening conversation, Kim felt her insides flutter. “Plus, there’s a reason why I specified my car as the murder weapon. Only energy I'd be expending is pressing the gas pedal and turning the wheel.” Kim laughed as Bonnie mimed steering a car in her direction. 

“I’m almost too scared to ask, but have you thought of other ways to kill me?”

“Oh my god, yes !” Bonnie exclaimed, a gleeful look replacing most of the tiredness in her eyes. “I’m so glad you asked. This one time, you were up on a ladder, setting up a banner in the gym for the spring formal. It was sooooo tempting to just accidentally bump it and watch you fall.” She cackled at the thought. 

“Holy shit, I wasn’t actually expecting a real answer. You really are insane,” Kim replied. 

“Mmm, and I used to have this recurring daydream where I’d strangle you to death.” She let out an almost blissful sigh before shrugging, “It’s what got me through sophomore year.” 

Kim laughed at the dreamy look on Bonnie’s face. Who knew someone could look so content while contemplating murder. “Aww, that’s so cute,” Kim replied with a lopsided grin. 

“Me strangling you to death is cute?” Bonnie asked with a confused smile. 

“No, it’s cute that you think you could. There’s no way you’re beating me at hand-to-hand combat.”

Hazel eyes squinted up at her in contemplation. “Hmm, yeah… I’ll stick with hitting you with a car for now, but let’s brainstorm.” As if the mere thought of offing Kim was a sufficient replacement for caffeine, most of the tiredness around her eyes magically disappeared.

Kim let out a startled chuckle before throwing up her hands. “Go for it.”

“Maybe…bludgeon you to death? With a baseball bat?”

“Nope, I could disarm you in, like, five seconds.” 

“Damn, okay, so it’d have to be a situation where you couldn’t fight back.” A manicured finger tapped her chin as she deliberated. “Ooh! The Grand Canyon!” 

“...what are you gonna do, fly me out to the Grand Canyon just so you could push me off?” Kim deadpanned. 

“Ugh, you’re right, you’d totally see that coming and probably wouldn't get on the plane,” Bonnie tsked before resuming her brainstorming. 

“Wow, you’re giving this a lot of thought. Should I be scared?” Kim asked.

“Mmm, just try not to piss me off,” Bonnie smiled prettily. Suddenly, she snapped her fingers, “I got it! My bedroom has a balcony, I could shove you from up there?”

“Okay, but how would you lure me into your bedroom?” As soon as the words left her mouth, Kim regretted it. Her mind immediately ran through different scenarios of Bonnie leading her to her bedroom, each scenario steamier than the next (and none of them required any cajoling). She cleared her throat (and her mind) and continued, “You’re not getting me up there anytime soon, now that I know your plan.” 

“Easy. I’d just say that Club Banana had a close-out sale on all cropped jeans, and I bought every pair in your size. You’d come running,” Bonnie quipped before sticking her tongue out at Kim. 

“Are you even physically capable of going five minutes without insulting my wardrobe?”

“Are you even physically capable of wearing pants that cover your ankles?” Bonnie shot back with a smirk. “Seriously, are you expecting a flash flood, or something?”

The barista called their order and Kim grumbled as she made her way to the pick up counter. After grabbing their drinks and her and Monique’s muffins, the girls made their way to the exit. “You’ve seen me wear regular pants.” 

“I’d love to see you burn those cropped ones, though,” Bonnie retorted, breezing through the door that Kim held open. 

As Kim stepped out into the warmth of the late summer morning, she spotted a familiar pair of round glasses, topped with overgrown bangs. Mandy was getting out of the passenger side of a car, along with two other people Kim recognized from their usual table inside the cafe. She looked okay, no sign of puffy eyes, or a runny nose. But Kim still felt really bad about the flowers and wanted to apologize. 

“Hang on a sec,” Kim muttered to Bonnie before raising her voice. “Hey, Mandy!”

Kim called her name right as the girl was stepping up onto the sidewalk from the paved asphalt. Mandy’s head whipped around from where she was chatting with her friend. As her eyes landed on Kim, her foot caught on the edge of the curb, and she careened toward the ground. Kim dashed forward and caught her before she fell. One arm wrapped around her waist, while the other held the drink tray aloft. Mandy left out a soft “oof” when she collided with Kim. 

“Is it something about me or something about the cafe that messes with your balance?” she teased as she waited for Mandy to regain her footing. 

Mandy’s face blushed bright red as she looked up at Kim. Even with the flush, she managed a small smile as she retorted, “Neither, I practically fall out of bed every morning.” 

“Ah damn, and here I thought I was special.” 

“Don’t sell yourself short, Kim. I think that losing four games of Battleship in a row is pretty darn special,” Mandy teased right back, as she carefully stepped out of Kim’s grasp. 

Kim barked out a surprised laugh as Bonnie approached. She took the tray from Kim’s hand. “So it won’t spill the next time she trips. I’m not risking my espresso,” she sneered. But her earlier fatigue had returned to her eyes. “I guess I’ll see you tonight,” Bonnie muttered to Mandy with a strained expression before heading toward her car. 

Mandy blinked after her in confusion. “What did she mean, she’ll see me tonight?”

Shit, right, the party . “Actually, do you have a second? I wanted to talk to you about something.” She looked up and saw Mandy’s friends lingering within earshot, eyes fixed on the pair. Kim tilted her head toward the cafe’s patio entrance. “In private?”

“Um, yeah. Okay.”

When they had moved several yards away, Kim turned to face the other girl. “I just wanted to say I’m really sorry about last night. I should have asked if you were allergic to flowers before I brought them.”

“Oh, that’s fine. It all turned out okay, that’s what my meds are for,” Mandy reassured her. “I had a great time.”

Kim’s head tilted to the side as she looked at her incredulously. “No, you didn’t.”

“What?”

“You didn’t have a great time. You told me it was a terrible date.”

“I did?!” Mandy exclaimed, her hand raising to cover her mouth in horror.

Kim laughed, “You sure did. I guess you don’t remember because of the meds.” 

Mandy’s other hand joined the first, both covering her mouth. She let out a muffled, “Oh my god, I’m so sorry.” 

Still chuckling, Kim shrugged, “Don’t be. It was fucking hilarious and you were right. It was a terrible date. I mean, first, I almost kill you with flowers, then I try to get you ride my bike–” 

“Death machine!” Mandy interjected. “Oh, sorry,” she added sheepishly. 

“No, you’re totally right, I should have asked if you were comfortable with riding my bike instead of making assumptions.” Kim sighed and leaned against the rough brick exterior of the cafe. She had a sudden sensation of being watched. Her eyes wandered across the parking lot before they landed on Bonnie. She was standing next to the Jeep, saying something to Monique. 

Kim refocused on Mandy. “Listen, there’s a party after the game tonight.” She paused, internally grappling with the morality of asking a girl on another date simply to prove a point with Bonnie. “Will you be there?” she asked, stalling for time. 

“Oh, I’ve never been to one of those after-parties.”

“Yeah, me either. I’m actually kinda nervous about it,” she admitted. But what she didn’t say out loud was why she was nervous. She kicked herself internally for letting her stupid pride get the best of her and land her in this situation.

She could go to the party sans Mandy, but then Bonnie would realize that she’d been lying about the date and be insufferable. Then she’d actively try to fix her up with a bunch of girls. Kim could picture it, Bonnie leaning in close, whispering in her ear, demanding that she pick some girl when the one she wanted was right there, just out of reach. It would be agony. 

But if she went with Mandy, then Bonnie would be watching the two of them like a hawk. She’d have to pretend that their date was perfect. Bonnie would be looking for them to act all enamoured with each other. Kim didn’t feel comfortable putting on an act. It would be cruel to Mandy. 

She was in a pickle entirely of her own making.

Kim studied Mandy for a moment. She didn’t dislike her. Mandy was sweet and surprisingly funny. Maybe the party didn’t have to be a second date? “Look, yesterday’s date was terrible, you were totally right. I think the reason it went so badly is because I didn’t take the time to get to know you first. Come to the party with me tonight? We can hang out and get to know each other a little better. I can tell you my favorite color, you can share important allergen information…” she trailed off with a hopeful smile.  

If they went as friends, Kim wouldn’t have to pretend, she wouldn’t have to be cruel. They’d just hang out and get to know each other. Plus, having Mandy there with her would give her a convenient excuse to avoid the buffet of brunettes Bonnie had promised to be in attendance. 

Mandy beamed up at her. “I’d love to.” 

Kim blew out a relieved sign and grinned back at her. “Awesome, I’ll see you later.” 

When she made it back to the Jeep, Monique and Bonnie immediately stopped talking. Kim looked up and found them both watching her. Monique shoved a large bite of her muffin into her mouth and passed Kim her latte. “What was that about?” The question came out muffled around the food.

“I was just inviting Mandy to the party tonight,” Kim replied before taking a huge gulp of her now lukewarm drink. 

“Oh, you’re actually going to that?”

“She better,” Bonnie cut in. “She’s the whole reason it’s happening.” At Monique’s confused expression, she explained, “I got Brick to throw the party so she can meet girls. But now she’s bringing What’s-her-face for their second date.” She rolled her eyes and drained the last of her espresso before turning to Kim. “Plenty of girls will be there though. A few from every sport and a bunch from student government. So keep your options open.”

Kim felt her jaw drop in disbelief. “I’m bringing Mandy, I’m not gonna scope out other girls!” 

Bonnie shrugged dismissively. “It’s been one date; it’s not like you’re married.”

“That’s not the point–whatever,” Kim gave up and grabbed the bag with her muffin. When she pulled it out, there was a lot less of it than she was expecting. “Um, why is half my muffin missing?”

Bonnie gave her an imperious look. “You were taking too long and I got hungry. Deal with it.” Then she handed Kim her empty cup before hopping in her car. 

Kim settled into the passenger seat and made short work of her half-muffin. Monique’s eyes watched Bonnie’s car as it peeled off in front of them before she turned the ignition. “You didn’t tell me you had your first date yesterday. C’mon, spill! How was it?”

Kim told her best friend the unvarnished truth on their ride to campus. By the time they pulled into the usual parking space, Monique was wiping a tear from her eye. “I keep picturing you launching those flowers into the bushes,” she cackled.  

Kim laughed along with her, “I panicked!” She looked up and saw Bonnie walking into the main building. Monique followed her gaze. 

“B does not like Mandy.”

Kim’s eyes rolled as she unbuckled her seatbelt and gathered her backpack. “Ugh, yeah, I know. She gave me an earful the other day about dating someone of ‘equal or higher status.’ As if playing a sport or being in student government means automatic compatibility. Such obnoxious bullshit.” 

Monique hopped out of the Jeep while mumbling something that sounded a bit like “Not what I meant, but okay.”

“What’s that?”

“Nothing,” Monique shook her head and threaded her arm through Kim’s, as they began walking toward the school. “I can’t believe you’re actually going to a party!”

“Yeah, look at me, attempting to be a real life teenager,” she chuckled. “You’re gonna have to show me what to do once we’re there. I have, like, zero frame of reference for an actual party outside, like, TV and kiddie birthdays.”

Monique grimaced beside her, “I have the morning shift tomorrow, I can’t make it tonight. Sorry, girl.”

Kim stopped walking and pouted at her friend. “Really? You can’t, like, switch with someone or call out sick?” 

“Stop pouting, you know that shit doesn’t work on me.” Kim whined pathetically and Monique cupped her face, squishing her cheeks so her lips poked out like a fish. “No party. But we can do a double sleepover, though. I might even ask if Uncle Noah can make his red velvet cake again.”

Kim perked up at the mention of her favorite dessert. “Can I get a whole cake to myself?” It came out muffled through her smushed face but her best friend got the gist. 

“You’re not getting a whole cake,” Monique laughed as she looped her arm through Kim’s again. “But maybe for your birthday.” 

***

Kim didn’t give much of a shit about football, but she enjoyed the atmosphere of the Friday night games. Before her break from missions, Friday night games were one of the few guaranteed times she’d get to relax and goof off with her teammates. Sure, she had to keep an eye on the game so she’d know which cheer to call, but she could do the “D-E-F-E-N-S-E” and “Go Team Go” cheers in her sleep. 

After their halftime routine, Kim announced her intent to grab a corndog from the concession stand. She barely took a step before a hand bunched in the material of her uniform top and tugged her backwards. “Grab me a soda,” Bonnie muttered in her ear before shoving her forward. Kim’s heart skipped a beat. Bonnie’s casual touches were going to be the death of her. 

When she got in line for the concessions, it took her a moment to realize she was standing directly behind Shego. She was wearing tapered gray jeans, a black leather jacket, and heeled boots. Kim leaned in, “I almost don’t recognize you without the catsuit.” 

Shego turned to face her with a smile. “Don’t get me wrong, I love rockin’ my civvies. It’s practically a public service;  good fashion is good for the health.” She sighed wistfully. “But I do miss the catsuit. It really makes a statement.” 

“And that statement is ‘I can totally punch through concrete.’” 

“Exactly!” She bumped her shoulder into Kim’s. “Hey, Kimmie.” 

“Hey,” Kim smiled back. “I gotta admit, a high school football game is not how I thought you’d spend your Friday night.” 

“Ugh, I know,” the woman groaned. “I could think of a million other things I could be doing right now, all of them with Vette. But at the last staff meeting it was strongly suggested ,” she made air quotes with her fingers, “that I attend at least one game for student morale or some shit. Whatever. Your halftime routine was cute, though.”

“Thanks! It still needs some work before Sectionals, but I’m pretty happy with it,” Kim beamed at her. “How’s guidance counselor-ing going?” 

Shego let out another dramatic groan. “Apparently a lot of students need guidance. Sorry I haven’t been able to check in on you lately; this sabbatical is not quite the vacation I thought it’d be.”

“Regretting putting your other career on pause?”

“No regrets, kid.” Shego gave her a fond look before narrowing her eyes playfully. “And before you get it in your head that I like you or some other nonsense, I don’t regret it because my new schedule is a lot more predictable and gives me more time with Vette.” 

“Right, right, of course,” Kim chuckled. 

A short while later, after Shego had paid for Kim’s corndog and soda and her own popcorn, they made their way back toward the stands. Even though it had been a few weeks since Shego had joined the faculty, Kim’s mind still registered the oddity of the two of them together. Former nemeses and now current… There wasn’t exactly a term to describe their relationship. Friends? Maybe?

“Shego, are we friends?”

The woman paused with a handful of popcorn halfway to her mouth. “Uh, what?”

“I just realized there isn’t a term that describes two people who spent years fighting only for one to stop when the other got injured, and then became a guidance counselor to make sure she was okay. Oh, and is also a lesbian guru for the baby gay. Is that friendship?” Kim mused.

Shego appeared to consider it for a moment. “You know, maybe you weren’t that far off when you told Vette you were my Little Sister.”

Kim huffed out a disbelieving laugh. “Really?”

“I didn’t grow up with a sister but I do have three brothers. How else would you describe someone who annoys the shit out of you and who you beat up on a regular basis, but who you’d drop everything for to make sure she’s okay? And give relationship advice? Sounds like sisterhood to me, kid.” Shego winked before tossing a piece of popcorn into the air and catching it in her mouth. 

“Okay, first of all, you did not beat me up on a regular basis. I’ve kicked your ass more times than I can count.” 

“Yeah, that’s only because I let you win,” Shego retorted. 

Kim lifted her shoulders in an exaggerated shrug, feigning appeasement. “Hey, if that’s what you need to tell yourself to be okay with getting smacked down by a teenager, I’m not gonna take that away from you.” 

Shego released an annoyed growl and threw a handful of popcorn at Kim’s face. Kim caught a few pieces in her mouth and grinned as she chomped down on her buttery prize. 

“See?” Shego’s hand gestured between them. “This bickering, the back-and-forth, the extremely juvenile and not-at-all-witty repartee. Total sibling behavior.”

“Huh, I guess you’re right.” 

As soon as they approached the home team stands, Bonnie came around the corner with a determined look in her eye. “What’s taking you so long–oh, hi.”

“Hey, Fashionista,” Shego replied through a mouthful of popcorn. 

Bonnie refocused on Kim, plucking the drink and corndog from her hands. “Tara’s getting on my nerves, and I’m thinking about inviting her to see the Grand Canyon, if you catch my drift.” Kim met her pointed look with a laugh. “So don’t take too long, or the squad will be down a flyer.” She spun on her heel and took a few steps before suddenly wheeling back around. “Oh my god, just ketchup?” She held up the corndog, which now had a bite missing. 

Kim scoffed in disbelief, “Not you complaining about how I dress my corndog. I didn’t get that for you.”

“Yeah, but who the hell eats a corndog with no mustard?”

“Yeah, Kimmie, who does that?” Shego joined in with a teasing smile. 

“Shego! You’re the guidance counselor, you’re not supposed to join in on the bullying. That’s, like, literally the opposite of your job description,” Kim admonished. 

“Oh, you didn’t see the bulletin?” The woman gave her a shit-eating grin. “There’s an exception for corndog crimes.”

Bonnie’s shoulders shook as she cackled. Kim rolled her eyes and reclaimed her snack from the girl's hand. “You know what? I don’t have to justify my condiment choices.” She took a big bite and made exaggerated yummy noises. “Mmm, love that ketchup-ey goodness.” Bonnie just laughed and headed back toward the squad. 

“You two are adorable together,” Shego murmured once Bonnie was out of earshot. 

Kim felt her face heat with a flush. She felt the urge to tell the woman about her crush and their kiss and ask for advice. But before she could say anything, Mandy appeared with a few of her friends from the cafe. She gave Kim a sweet smile. “Oh, hi Kim!” When she noticed Kim’s companion, she gave Shego a shyer smile. “Hi Miss Go.” 

“Hey Mandy,” Shego replied with a gentle smile. Wait, how does she know Mandy? “Enjoying the game?”

The brunette nodded politely before turning back to Kim. She looked a bit nervous. “I’ll see you after?”

“Definitely. I’ll meet you there.” That seemed to help her relax a little. She smiled at them before heading to the concessions with her friends. 

“First Fashionista and now Mandy, wow Kimmie. You don’t half-ass anything, do you?”

“Bonnie and I aren’t–we’re just friends.” 

Confusion flashed across Shegos face for a brief moment before she shrugged. “So you and Mandy, huh?” she asked with an impish smirk.

Kim rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the smile spreading across her face. “How do you know her?” 

“Confidential info, Kimmie.” Oh, Mandy must be one of those students that needs guidance . “Anyway, I’ll let you get back to your cheer duty. Swing by my office sometime next week, we’ll catch up.” 

Kim waved and headed back toward the squad to finish the remainder of the game. 

***

The Middleton Maddogs won, and spirits were high in the locker room. Most of the squad was going to the party, which meant the locker room was full of excited chattering as they showered off the grime of the game and got ready. 

Kim had just pulled out her change of clothes, which were the same clothes she’d worn to school that day, when Bonnie made her disapproval known. “Absolutely not, Kim.” 

“What?”

“You’re not wearing that to the party.” Bonnie’s lip curled as she glared at Kim’s usual cropped jeans. 

“Well, I don’t exactly have any other options. Unless…” She checked her locker and found a spare mission outfit. “Will this work?” she asked as she held up the cargo pants and cropped shirt. 

Bonnie looked close to a conniption. “No! Your mission fit does not work for a fucking party, Kim. What’s the plan, gonna use the grappling hook as an accessory?!” 

“I was gonna leave the gear belt off,” the redhead mumbled as she put the clothes back in her locker. 

“Just go home and change into something else. I’ll swing by and take you to the party.” 

Kim shrugged and slung her duffle bag over her shoulder. As she began moving toward the door, Bonnie called out again. “Wait, hold on. I don’t trust you to pick out your own outfit. Let me shower and change, and then I’ll finish getting ready at your place.” 

Kim was towel drying her hair by the time Bonnie showed up at her house. Dressed in her old soccer shorts and her dad’s faded Middleton Institute of Science and Technologies tee, she led Bonnie up to her attic room. 

Bonnie tossed her makeup bag on the bed and made a bee-line for the closet. The sound of metal hangers scraping against the rod was joined by a muttered chorus of complaints as she pursued Kim’s wardrobe. “Seriously, when was the last time you updated your wardrobe, 2004?” Kim leaned against the doorjamb and watched as the brunette shuffled through a few more items before tossing some clothes at her. 

Kim looked down and saw that she’d selected the same pair of dark wash jeans she’d worn on their practice date, a black cropped tank, and a soft, oversized pine-green button down shirt. Bonnie brushed past her, grabbed her makeup bag, and went into the bathroom. 

Kim quickly shed her shorts and tshirt, stripping down to her sports bra and boyshorts. She’d just managed to slip on her jeans when Bonnie poked her head out. “Want me to do your makeup?” I would not be able to handle her being that close to me. Kim quickly shook her head and tugged on the tank before moving into the bathroom with Bonnie.

“You sure?” Bonnie asked as she returned her attention to the mirror and began darkening her eyes with liquid liner. “A smoky eye would really complete the look.” Kim was momentarily transfixed as she watched the brunette expertly draw a sharp wing in the corner of her eye. A few short strokes and her eyes were lined, causing the gold in them to sparkle. Bonnie then pulled out a long thin tube of lipgloss. She was hypnotized by the motion of the applicator against full, pink lips as they were coated in a layer of gloss. Lips Kim knew were softer than they looked. But how would they feel with the gloss? 

“So?” Kim’s eyes darted up from her mouth and found hazel eyes looking at her. “Smoky eye?”

“I’ll, uh–” her voice had come out lower and hoarser than she intended. She quickly cleared her throat before continuing. “I’ll just stick with some chapstick.” Bonnie dug around in her bag and passed Kim a tiny tube of strawberry flavored chapstick. She turned around and watched as Kim applied it to her lips. 

“Go finish getting dressed, I need to see the full look.” 

“You sure about the button-down?” Kim asked as she went to grab the shirt off the bed. 

“Ugh, yes, I’m sure,” Bonnie huffed as she followed into the bedroom. 

Kim flexed her right arm and shot Bonnie a silly grin. “But I have a Constitutional right to bare arms,” she quipped, quoting the first movie they’d watched together.  

She watched as Bonnie’s gaze roamed over her arm, eyelashes fluttering slightly. A flush bloomed across her cheeks before she rolled her eyes and went back into the bathroom. “Just put on the shirt, you dork.” 

Kim threw it on and followed. Bonnie gathered her makeup supplies while Kim assessed her reflection, fiddling with her shirt. “Roll up the sleeves and button only the middle two,” Bonnie ordered without looking up from her makeup bag. 

Kim did as she was told and took a step back to view the completed look. Bonnie finally zipped her bag and turned to face Kim. She drew a circle in the air with her finger and Kim compiled by doing a quick spin in place. 

“At least let me do something with your hair,” Bonnie implored as she reached up and intertwined her fingers in the red roots. Kim was unable to think, let alone form words, with Bonnie’s hands in her hair. “Hmm, still wet.” Fingers combed through from her scalp to the tips of her hair. “We don’t have time to blow dry it. Come here, I’ll put it in a braid.” She hopped up onto the bathroom counter and spread her legs wide enough to make space for Kim. 

Kim turned and backed up until she was flush against the counter, bracketed by long, toned legs. Even through the two layers of fabric, Kim’s skin heated where Bonnie’s legs pressed against her. It took every last scrap of her willpower to keep her knees from buckling as skilled fingers caressed her scalp, taming the strands of hair into a French braid. 

Kim all but leaped away as soon as the elastic was snapped onto the end of the braid. She spun to face Bonnie, who was now eye level from where she perched. “How do I look?” Kim asked as she straightened the end of her shirt. 

Hazel eyes held Kim’s gaze, not even looking away to assess her clothes. Bonnie hopped off the counter and closed the distance between them in a single stride, head tilting back slightly as she maintained eye contact. Kim stopped breathing as an arm lifted, hand reaching out past her ear. Nimble fingers plucked her braid from hanging down her back and pulled until it rested over her shoulder. 

Bonnie finally broke eye contact as she turned to face the mirror. Bonnie was slightly in front, her back only a few inches away. Kim’s gaze lifted to their reflection. Bonnie normally wore pastels, but tonight she was wearing a heather gray halter top, paired with a black mini skirt. Their outfits complemented nicely. And they looked good together. 

Bonnie smirked. “We look hot.”

Kim wanted to preen, but instead settled on allowing a grin to slowly spread across her face. “Yeah?”

Bonnie’s eyes met hers in the mirror, her smile softening. “Yeah.”

“Even without the smoky eye?”

Bonnie rolled her eyes as she turned and began pushing Kim toward the door. “Shut up.”

***

Music bled into the street as the door to a moderately large suburban home in a solidly middle class neighborhood opened. It held what looked to be about ten percent of Middleton High’s senior class, if the cars lining the street were any indication. They’d managed to find a space to park behind an old pick-up truck. Bonnie’s sedan chirped as she engaged the lock. 

As the pair trekked up the driveway toward the house, a commotion at the front door caught their attention. Two girls were talking, one taking up space in the doorway and the other standing on the stoop. When they were within earshot, Kim overheard, “Are you lost?” Brooke was the girl in the doorway, her face fixed in an unpleasant sneer. 

“N-no, I’m here for the party?” 

Kim recognized that voice and called out as she ascended the steps onto the porch. “Hey, you made it!” Mandy turned and a relieved smile broke out across her face as soon as she saw Kim. 

“Oh my god, Kim, hi!” Brooke beamed at her from the doorway, tossing her long chestnut locks over her shoulder. “I never see you at these parties.” 

“Yeah, thought I’d check out at least one before graduation,” Kim shrugged.

Brooke threw her head back and laughed. “You’re so funny. And you look really good tonight, that green’s a great color on you.”

“Thanks.” Kim gave her a tight lipped smile. She caught Mandy’s gaze flitting back and forth between her and Brooke, a nervous expression on her face. Kim slung her arm over her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile. “Ready to party?”

Mandy leaned into her side and gave her a relieved nod. Brooke’s smile vanished as she looked at Kim’s arm around Mandy’s shoulder, eyes narrowing in obvious displeasure. 

Bonnie let out an annoyed sigh and stepped forward. “Move,” she ordered with a flick of her wrist. Brooke immediately backed out of the doorway and let the three of them pass. 

The party wasn’t too crowded but there were enough people milling about that Kim had to drop her arm from around Mandy so they could single file their way into the kitchen. Bonnie headed straight to the snacks and grabbed an entire party-sized bag of pretzels. 

Brooke seemed to have recovered from her shock because she sidled up and slipped her hand around Kim’s bicep. “Can I get you anything to drink? The guys are drinking some gross beer, but I made sure they brought wine coolers.” 

Kim had to fight the urge to shake her off. Instead, she took a step closer to Mandy, causing Brooke’s hand to fall away. She looked down and caught Mandy’s eye. “You want anything to drink?”

“Um. Just, like, a soda or something?”

Kim turned back to Brooke, whose smile no longer reached her eyes. “Two sodas, please.”

“Make it three, I’m driving tonight,” Bonnie called before popping a pretzel into her mouth. 

Brooke’s smile vanished but she walked over to the fridge and grabbed three different cans. She passed them to Kim, who handed the Sprite to Bonnie and let Mandy choose between the Coke and ginger ale. Brooke plastered on another smile and looked up at Kim. “So–”

“What, no straw?” Bonnie interrupted. “Do you honestly expect me to ruin this gloss?”

Brooke’s face flushed as she quickly turned back and grabbed a straw. Bonnie snatched it and placed it into her can before taking a dainty sip. She bit down on the straw and tilted her head, giving Brooke a withering stare. “You can go, now.” 

“I guess–I’m gonna go check on Brandi.” Brooke gave Kim a quick look before turning on her heel and retreating. 

Bonnie shoved the bag of pretzels into Kim’s grasp. “I’ll find you later.”

“Wait, where are you going?” Kim asked.

Bonnie shrugged. “I’m gonna go boss her around some more, it’s really fun.” Kim snorted. The brunette smirked at her before raising her voice and singing out loud enough to be heard over the music in the next room, “Oh, Broooookeeee.” She turned and followed her target’s path out of the kitchen. 

“She’s terrifying,” Mandy muttered. 

“Yeah,” Kim almost sighed. It’s kinda hot . 

She gave her head a quick shake before holding the bag out to Mandy. “Pretzel?”

***

Okay, it turned out that Mandy was really funny. The pair had moved from the crowded house out to the backyard where there was an old wooden swing set. They chatted easily, sharing the bag of pretzels while lazily swinging back and forth next to each other. Mandy also had some biting commentary on the other party goers that made Kim almost choke on her soda. 

They’d spent about twenty minutes in the backyard together, away from the party, when Brooke spotted them and made her way over. “There you are, Kim! A bunch of us girls are gonna play truth or dare, c’mon.” She grabbed Kim’s arm and began leading her toward the house. Kim quickly reached out and grabbed Mandy’s hand and tugged her along. 

Brooke led them to an upstairs guest room. As soon as they crossed the threshold, Brooke shut the door behind them. About ten other girls were sitting in a loose circle around the room, chatting amongst themselves. The room fell silent for a moment when they saw Kim before they greeted her with smiles and waves.

“Is this a cult? This looks like a cult,” Mandy muttered under her breath. 

“If anyone starts chanting, we make a break for it,” Kim hissed back, stifling a laugh. Kim and Mandy plopped down next to each other on the floor. Brooke immediately moved to fill the space on Kim’s other side. 

“Since it’s your first party, Kim, you get to go first. Just pick someone and ask them, truth or dare,” Brooke said.

Kim looked around the room. She recognized a few faces from the squad, but she wasn’t familiar enough with everyone else to know their names. She spotted Bonnie directly across from her, back against the wall and looking almost bored while she fiddled with her phone. 

“Bonnie,” Kim called out. When Bonnie’s eyes locked with her own, Kim felt a smile spread across her face. “Truth or dare?”

Bonnie put her phone down and looked at her suspiciously. “Truth.”

“Um…” Kim’s brain frantically searched for something she wanted to know about her crush. Do you still think about our kiss? No, that’s not something she wanted to ask with an audience. Are you as desperate for another, like I am? Again, not something for the public. “What’s your favorite color?” There. A safe choice. 

“Seriously? That’s it?” Bonnie asked with a raised brow. 

“Yeah, it’s supposed to be fun and scandalous,” Brooke piped in from beside her. 

When Kim shrugged, Bonnie rolled her eyes. “Pink. But now it’s my turn.” Her gaze narrowed as it slid over to Brooke. “Oh, Brooookeee,” she sang out. Kim felt the girl freeze next to her. “Truth or dare?”

Brooke hesitated for a moment before she responded in a small voice, “Truth?”

An evil smirk spread across Bonnie’s face as she leaned forward. “Tell us, Brooke. What do you use to stuff your bra?” Brooke let out a choked noise, and Bonnie and most of the other girls laughed.

“I…I changed my mind. Dare.”

A brow crept up Bonnie’s forehead as she stared her victim down. “Okay, then I dare you to tell us what you use to stuff your bra.”  

“I-I don’t stuff my bra,” Brooke stammered. 

“Sure, you don’t,” Bonnie retorted sarcastically. Kim felt Mandy stifle a laugh next to her. 

“I don’t!” More laughter rang out at her flustered protestations. 

“She really doesn’t,” Brandi defended her best friend from a few spaces away. 

“I grew into them junior year! Anyway, it’s my turn.” She finally huffed and turned to Kim. “Kim, truth or dare?”

“Uh, dare?” 

Apparently, this was the wrong choice, because Brooke’s face lit up with a flirtatious smile. “I dare you to kiss someone in this room.” Uh oh .

“What?” Kim gulped.

“Pick someone in this room, and kiss them,” Brandi clarified.

“Oh, uh. That’s–that’s not really something I want to do with an audience,” Kim demurred. 

“Oh, she’s shy,” Brooke commented, as she nudged Kim’s shoulder with hers. “That’s okay. Then you can pick a girl to spend seven minutes in heaven with. Plenty of privacy.” 

“W-what’s seven minutes in heaven?” She asked reluctantly. 

Brooke placed a hand on Kim’s arm as she leaned in. “You and the girl of your choice will go into that closet where you’ll spend seven minutes together. Doing…whatever you want.” Kim looked around the room and saw several girls shooting her hopeful looks. “So, who’s the lucky girl, Kim?”

Kim felt her face burn with what had to be the deepest blush she’d ever experienced. “Um…” 

“Oh my god,” Bonnie sighed exasperatedly. “This is taking too long. Just spin a bottle, Kim. Pick whoever it lands on.”

“Oh, uh, okay. Does anyone have a bottle?”

Bonnie snatched a half empty wine cooler from the girl sitting to her left and dumped the remains into an abandoned cup before holding the empty bottle out to Kim. Kim rose and crossed the room to grab it. She then moved to the middle of the circle, where she bent down and placed the bottle on the floor, giving it a firm spin. Her heart leapt into her throat as she watched it make several revolutions before slowing down. The bottle inched its way past Bonnie, and then past four other girls before it came to a stop in front of…the empty space Kim had just vacated. Which was smack in the middle between Brooke and Mandy. 

“Looks like you’ve got a choice to make, Kim,” Bonnie drawled. 

Kim’s eyes flitted back and forth between the girls. Brooke was flipping her long locks over her shoulder and batting her eyelashes up at Kim. Mandy was sitting with her feet pressed flat to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest as she looked away. She looked deeply uncomfortable, and Kim felt bad for dragging her here in the first place. 

Decision made, Kim crossed the circle in two quick strides and held out her hand. Brooke let out an offended scoff as Mandy blinked up at Kim behind her round glasses. When Kim gave her a reassuring smile, Mandy slowly placed her hand in Kim’s. Kim tugged her up with a grin. “So, um. Where’s heaven?” she asked the room. 

Bonnie stood and approached, nodding her head toward the room’s closet.

“Do not tell me you’re about to shove two queers into a closet,” Kim quipped as Bonnie led them across the room. “That’s so messed up.” Mandy let out a nervous giggle from next to her.  

“Ha ha,” Bonnie feigned a laugh. “Would you rather make out in the bathroom?”

Kim shuddered. “Nope, closet’s fine.” 

Thankfully, it was a walk-in. Kim entered first, gently pulling Mandy behind her. 

When they were both inside, Bonnie caught her eye. “Make sure to tell the ACLU that you chose the closet. Seven minutes.”

As soon as the door closed, they were shrouded in darkness. A narrow strip of light leaked under the door, providing just enough illumination for Kim to see the smaller girl.  

Kim turned to face Mandy. “Look, we don’t have to–” 

But Mandy surged forward, cutting her off. She lifted upward onto her toes, flinging her arms up and around Kim's neck and tugged. When the distance between them finally vanished, Mandy pressed her lips to Kim’s in a kiss. 

Kim felt…nothing. 

Well, not nothing, she felt the sensation of their lips sliding together, she felt the softness of Mandy’s hair as her bangs brushed against her skin. But what she felt was nowhere near the way her entire body lit on fire when she kissed Bonnie. Her heart didn’t thud against her chest. Her spine didn’t tingle. Goosebumps didn’t break out along her skin. And she definitely didn’t feel that consuming hunger for more. 

Mandy pulled back and looked up at her, brow slightly furrowed. “Hmm.” She placed another kiss on Kim’s mouth for a few moments before she pulled back. Her arms dropped from around Kim’s neck. “Huh.” Her head cocked to the side as she studied Kim. “That was…not good.” 

Kim couldn’t help the huff of a laugh that escaped her at the girl’s bluntness. The strange sensation of déjà vu washed over her. First, she was a terrible date, and now, she was a terrible kisser.

“Oh! Sorry, that came out wrong. I just meant that it was fine! It wasn’t exactly bad, it was just not…good?” Mandy grimaced at her own inarticulacy. “Kinda like kissing your cousin.”

Kim’s brows shot up her forehead. “Are you speaking from experience?” she asked hesitantly.

“What? Oh! No! No, no, no, no, no.” Mandy’s head shook vigorously. “I don’t even have a cousin, I just meant that it’s, like, what I imagine kissing my cousin would be like? If I had one. And was also feeling…unusually incestious? I guess?” 

Kim snorted before doubling over with laughter. “Oh my god,” she gasped between chuckles. “You have such a way with words,” she managed to get out.

Mandy gave her an embarrassed smile. “Sorry.”

“No, no, you’re right.”

“About kissing your cousin?”

Another fit of giggles took hold of Kim. “No! Not the part about kissing cousins. I have several and that would be horrifying.” She paused to shudder. “I meant you’re right about the kiss not being good. There was no…” she trailed off as she searched for the right word. “Spark? No fireworks?”

“Exactly! I mean, don’t get me wrong. You’re extremely hot and I’ve had a crush on you ever since the first day of Lit class. I think we’re just not compatible.” 

“It’s a good thing we share a Lit class and not a science class, the way we have no chemistry.” 

Mandy groaned at Kim’s dumb joke. “See, why can’t we be compatible? Why can’t this work! You tell stupid dad jokes, you keep catching me when I fall–which is incredibly swoon-worthy– and you are really, really pretty. But no spark! It’s like I’m a fucked up Greek tragedy. Now I know how Tantalus felt.”

“What?”

“Tantalus, you know, the guy who’s punishment in Tartarus was the thing with the fruit tree. It was really close to him but–”

“The branches kept moving away when he reached for it, yeah. What about it?”

Kim’s eyes finally adjusted to the darkness. She watched as Mandy blinked up at her for a moment. “And you get my weird, obscure references to Greek mythology.” She let out a frustrated noise. “It’s just that, my last relationship–if you can even call it that, more of a vague thing , really–I was head over heels for this girl and I thought it was mutual. It really seemed mutual. But then, this popular girl started showing her attention after she made varsity volleyball. Next thing I know, she’s blowing me off and now…” Mandy’s voice got softer as her voice trailed off. Her eyes lowered as she worried her bottom lip for a few moments. 

“And now, we’re not an anything, anymore. And that kinda thing really messes with a girl’s self esteem, being discarded like that. Like I was a piece of lint she just brushed off.” Her shoulders hunched inward, like she was collapsing in on herself. “It felt awful , like the floor just disappeared from under me, and I was falling and falling.” 

A few moments passed in silence. She seemed lost in thought. Kim wasn’t sure what to do, but Mandy seemed to need to get this off her chest. So she just stood there, patiently waiting like Miss Rochelle had done for her. A few more silent moments passed before Mandy inhaled deeply. 

“But then I bumped into Kim freakin’ Possible at the cafe.” Mandy looked up at Kim, with a smile that almost reached her amber eyes. “And you caught me. And you were so nice to me, even when I was being all weird and awkward and clumsy.” Kim gave her a reassuring smile. “And then I found out you were gay! And we started flirting, and it made me feel… like I was more than a piece of lint. And then you asked me out.” Mandy’s smile finally reached her eyes. “And then you picked me over that slimy, girl-stealing slut. And it felt incredible. Like poetic justice.”

“Wait, Brooke stole your girl?”

“Yep.” 

“I knew there was something off about her,” Kim muttered to herself.  

Suddenly, Mandy sighed and slumped back against the wall. “And now the other shoe just crash landed. No chemistry.” She threw her hands up. “So I’m like Tantalus. Except instead of a fruit tree, it’s my love life. Like, my dream girl is dangled in front of me only to be snatched away by some status chasing bitch or–” she blew out a raspberry, “zero chemistry. I just wish I knew what fucking god I pissed off or how. Because this feels like a special kind of torture.”

“If you’re Tantalus, I don’t know what Greek tragedy that makes me.” Kim replied miserably. 

Mandy looked up at her, head tilted to the side. “What do you mean?”

Kim shrugged, “It means, is there even a Greek myth where you realize you’re gay because you have a massive crush on this girl, but then said girl is completely unavailable, so you try to get over her by asking this very cute girl out on a date, only to realize you have no chemistry?” 

“No, but… there’s always time to write a new Greek myth?” Mandy offered with a smile.

Kim laughed. “Ah, yes, the Tragedy of Kim. Doomed to fall for the straight girl and have my heart shattered into pieces. A cautionary tale.” 

“Oh, a crush on a straight girl? Been there. Less of a Greek tragedy and more of a Lesbian one. At least you’re not uniquely miserable,” Mandy shrugged with a small smile. “Thousands and thousands of lesbians throughout time have fallen victim to the tragic crush on a straight girl.” 

“Aww, and here I thought I was special,” Kim quipped. A few moments passed in silence before she mumbled sadly, “I’ve tried really hard to get over her, but…” she trailed off with a sigh. “Nothing I’ve done works, and it's just gotten worse.” She shrugged, “Maybe if I stop trying so hard, it’ll fade on its own.”

“It’s certainly worth a shot?” 

Kim laughed at the obvious doubt coloring Mandy’s words. “The one good thing out of this whole experience is that I got to meet you,” she said with a smile. “I like you, you’re really fun.” 

Mandy beamed up at her, “I like you, too. But just as a friend.” 

Kim laughed and nodded. “Just friends.” She leaned down and wrapped Mandy in a hug. Mandy squeezed back before pressing a kiss to her cheek. 

As soon as Mandy’s lips touched her cheek, the door behind Kim opened and the closet flooded with light. Kim turned and saw Bonnie at the open door, Brooke hovering over her shoulder with a mutinous look marring her otherwise pretty face. 

Bonnie looked between them with an unreadable expression. “Time’s up.”

***

The girls in the circle kept sending Kim and Mandy surreptitious glances and whispering after their return from the closet. It made Kim feel uncomfortable, and if Kim was uncomfortable with the attention, then Mandy was definitely uncomfortable. They made some excuse before quickly leaving the room and returning to the swings. 

They stayed out there for a long time before Kim’s stomach pushed her to go back inside to grab another snack. When she rounded the corner to the kitchen, she found her feet frozen to the floor. 

Brick was standing there with Bonnie, a big grin on his face. Kim couldn’t make out what they were saying from her position near the door or the loud music coming from the next room. But it turns out, she didn’t need to hear anything. Brick let out a whooping sound before grabbing Bonnie in a bear hug and twirling her around in his arms. 

Fuck, they’re back together . 

Kim felt her stomach bottom out. Unable to stand the sight of the two of them any longer, Kim’s feet took her back outside to Mandy. 

“I thought you were grabbing some chips?” Mandy blinked up at her from the swing. 

“Actually, you wanna get out of here? I could go for a milkshake and a massive burger.” 

Kim had just buckled her seatbelt in Mandy’s dad’s old pickup when she felt her Kimminucator buzz in her pocket. 

Bonnie: why can’t i find u? where’d u go?

Kim: left with mandy. party’s not really our scene

Bonnie: [eyeroll emoji] whatevs, have fun with ur little girlfriend 

Kim rolled her eyes at the device. And you can have fun with your stupid boyfriend . 

***

School on Monday was odd. Or rather, it was unusually normal. Kim was able to go to her locker without wading through a crowd of girls. She was able to grab her books from said locker without the usual stream of notes tumbling out onto the floor. She was able to go to her classes directly without having to take circuitous routes. 

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Kim merely shrugged as she grabbed the books for her final class of the day. As she made her way toward the classroom, she bumped into Mandy. As Kim greeted her with a quick hug, she heard tittering from the students milling about in the hallway. 

“Oh em gee, they’re so freakin’ cute together!”

“They totally have my vote for prom queen and queen!”

“Umm, should I be a lesbian? It looks really fun.”

Half a dozen more comments like those reached Kim’s ears. She looked down at Mandy in confusion. “Do you know what’s going on?” she asked in a whisper. 

Mandy’s face, which moments before held a similar expression of confusion, suddenly shifted in realization. “Oh my god, everyone thinks we’re dating,” she replied in a hushed voice.

“What? Why?”

“I think–hang on.” Mandy grabbed her hand and dragged her to their classroom. Only a handful of other students were there so Mandy led her to the back of the classroom for privacy. “It’s because of the party! I knew it was weird that my ex…whatever, suddenly started texting me back yesterday. It’s because she thinks we’re dating!”

“Oh. Oh . So that’s why I’ve been able to get to my locker today,” Kim mumbled. At Mandy’s confused look, she explained, “Ever since that announcement a few weeks ago, I’ve had a rather…aggressive fan club. They memorized my schedule and kept camping out at my locker, trying to ask me out.” Kim shuddered. “It’s been a lot. But today, they just disappeared.” 

“Because they think we’re dating!” Mandy whispered back. 

“Huh. Well, it was nice while it lasted. I guess all that will start up again once they realize we’re not together.” Kim shrugged and began pulling out her notebook from her bag. Mandy sat down at the desk next to her and pulled out her materials as the class started. 

The teacher was fifteen minutes into her lecture when Kim felt her Kimmunicator buzz against her leg. She silently pulled it out, making sure the teacher couldn’t see, and covertly glanced down at the screen. She had a new text message. 

Mandy: ok but what if they didn’t find out we’re not together

Kim looked up and shot Mandy a glance. Her head was down as she took notes, but she quickly looked up at Kim and nodded to her device. 

Kim: ???

Mandy: just hear me out. my ex finally started talking to me again. your fan club has backed off. both good things, right?

Kim: sure, i guess?

Mandy: then what’s the point of coming clean? unless you like the fan club’s attention?

Kim: definitely not 

Mandy: so what’s the harm of just going along with it? 

Kim: bc that would be lying? 

Mandy: it’s not like we told everyone we’re dating. ppl just assumed. it’s not lying if we just…choose not to correct them

Kim sat there, mulling over the morality of lying by omission. But it was really nice to not have to take the long way to her classes and to not have to lug around four textbooks at once. Her device buzzed again.

Mandy: please?

Kim looked over and saw her new friend’s hopeful expression. She remembered their closet talk, and how Mandy seemed to crumple in on herself when she opened up about her ex-whatever. Kim sighed internally. Apparently, she was a sucker for a cute girl in need. 

Kim: yeah ok 

Mandy: [smiling face emoji] tysm

Kim: np. call u after practice to come up with a plan

When the final bell announcing the end of school rang, Kim and Mandy exited the classroom together, hand in hand. 

—-END CHAPTER—-

Notes:

holy shit. 5 months, 10 chapters, and over 50k words. holy shit!!! thanks for joining me on this journey so far. still got a lot more of this story left to write so buckle up, babes

Chapter 11: Private Tutor

“I’ll just walk you to your locker and then head off for practice,” Kim murmured in Mandy’s ear as they made their way through the crowded hallway. Mandy nodded up at her with a smile before she tugged on their joined hands to lead them to her locker. 

The sight of their clasped hands did not go unnoticed by their peers. Kim heard several gasps and saw quite a few people whispering as they made their way through the halls. Still, it was a huge improvement over last week. 

“Um, this is so weird,” Mandy whispered to her. 

“Ugh, so totally weird. You’d think they’d have something better to talk about,” Kim muttered back. 

The attention of their peers quickly redirected when they rounded the corner and heard an excited squeal down the hall. Some underclassman Kim had never seen before threw her arms around Josh Mankey’s neck. Looked like he’d moved on from Brittany or Trisha or whomever he was dating, if the way they were kissing was any indication. 

Kim took in the way the other students immediately began gossiping and watching the pair. She rolled her eyes. “Can’t say I’m not grateful they’re pulling focus but–” she fought back a gag as she was forced to witness Josh’s attempt to eat the poor girl’s face, “Ohh, that’s fucking gross.”

“Eww.” Mandy’s nose wrinkled. 

When they arrived at Mandy’s locker, located just outside the administration office area, Kim leaned down to give her a quick hug goodbye. 

“Thank you for doing this,” Mandy whispered as she squeezed Kim around the waist. 

Kim felt her corner of her mouth lift with a smile as she squeezed back. “What are friends for?” She was just pulling out of the hug when a shrill voice sounded right next to them. 

“Hold it!”

Mandy let out a startled squeak as her head whipped around to look behind her. A teacher, a ruddy-faced, middle-aged white dude with a permanent frown topped by a mostly gray moustache and a pathetic comb-over to match, was standing nearby, glaring at them. 

“There a problem, Mr. Krabappel?” Kim asked. 

She’d had him for Econ last year. Although she’d passed with flying colors, she knew him to be a deeply unpleasant man who seemed to take a sort of sick joy in tormenting students with his infamously difficult pop quizzes and hair-trigger detention slips. Kim had seen him actually make a freshman cry when he’d given her detention for being two seconds late to class. 

“Yes! There is! Inappropriate touching is not allowed on campus,” he exclaimed with his fists resting on his hips.  

“Inappropriate touching… what are you talking about?”  

“This! I’m talking about this!” he gestured wildly between Kim and Mandy. Kim’s arm was still wrapped around Mandy’s shoulder and Mandy’s arm was resting around her waist. 

“Wait, you’re saying that hugging is inappropriate for campus?” Kim asked in disbelief. 

“Exactly.” Kim watched as spittle flew out from under his mustache. “You’ve been warned. The next violation will result in detentions.”

“But there’s like, two other couples in this hallway straight up making out,” Kim pointedly looked across the hall where, just as she said, Josh Mankey was in mid lip-lock with some sophomore. 

Krabappel’s face got even redder. “Arguing with a teacher?! That’s detention for the both of you.” He pulled a pink notepad from his shirt pocket with a flourish. Kim felt Mandy’s arm slip off her wasit and she shifted to put distance between them. 

“Woah, woah, woah, what’s going on here?” Kim had never been more relieved to see Shego. The villainess-turned-counselor sauntered up with a brow raised as she surveyed the scene. 

“I’ve got it handled, Miss Go,” he muttered as he scribbled furiously on his notepad. “Just writing up these two miscreants.” 

Shego glanced at Kim and Mandy in disbelief. “I know for a fact that Kimmie here wouldn’t even step a toe out of line. So, what’s the charge?”

“Inappropriate PDA.” Mr. Krabappel gritted out as his pen stabbed at the paper. 

Shego’s brows lifted in surprise as she locked eyes with Kim. 

“Apparently, hugging is illegal at Middleton, but making out isn’t,” Kim grumbled as crossed her arms across her chest. 

Shego’s eyes narrowed as she followed Kim’s gaze to see Josh and his sophomore sweetie still going at it against the lockers. Anger briefly flashed across the woman’s face before it was masked with a carefully neutral veneer. She clapped a hand on the teacher’s shoulder hard enough to cause his pen to stab through the top page of the notebook. “Listen, uh–sorry, I’m terrible with names. What was yours again?”

“Richard Krabappel.” 

“Dick! I'll remember that, no problem.”

“I prefer Richard–” 

“Listen, Dick ,” Shego began as she leaned closer, the hand that was still gripping his shoulder visibly tightened. “I need to have a quick word with you in my office.” A shark-like smile slowly spread across her face. Kim recognized that smile. That smile meant danger. 

“B-but–”

“Won’t take but a minute, Dick,” Shego cut him off and forcefully steered him toward her office. As Shego turned to close the door, she shot Kim a surreptitious wink. 

“That dude is the worst ,” Mandy huffed as she turned to open her locker. “I put off taking Econ until next semester so I could avoid dealing with that homophobic troglodyte.” 

“Has he ever given you any trouble before?” Kim asked as she kept her eyes on Shego’s office. 

“No, but I did watch him give these two guys detention for the crime of being gay and standing next to each other,” Mandy replied with indignation. 

“Asshole,” Kim muttered as her jaw clenched. 

“Ugh, I just hate that I’m the reason you’re in trouble.” Mandy anxiously rubbed at her forehead. “I’m sorry–”

“Uh-uh,” Kim quickly cut off her apology. “This isn’t on you. You said so yourself; dude’s a homophobic asshole.”

Mandy aggressively chewed her lower lip. “But if I hadn’t have asked–”

“Nope,” Kim countered firmly. 

Amber eyes darted around the hallway as Mandy continued to spiral. “But–”

Kim realized that her words weren’t enough and moved to softly cup Mandy’s face. “Mandy, can you look at me?” When her eyes finally met Kim’s gaze, Kim smiled gently. “Breathe with me for a sec.” Kim waited until Mandy’s head tipped in a jerky nod before guiding her through her handy Tibetan breathing technique. Once the panicked energy faded, Kim brushed a lock of hair away from Mandy’s glasses. “You’re my friend and I’m happy to help you. Okay?”

Mandy exhaled a deep breath before she nodded. “Okay.” Relieved, Kim dropped her hands and watched as her friend resumed rummaging in her locker.

As she leaned against the wall of lockers, her gaze gravitated back to the door of Shego’s office. It had a large frosted window in the top half for privacy. Kim wasn’t able to see exactly what was happening, but the sight of a familiar neon green glow through the translucent glass told her that her former nemesis was employing some of the persuasion tactics from her other career. While ordinarily, Kim would have been strongly opposed to Shego threatening or utilizing violence against Middleton’s faculty, she was happy to make an exception for Krabappel. A smug satisfaction washed over her at the knowledge that that man was getting exactly what he deserved. 

Kim bit back a smile as she leaned to mutter in Mandy’s ear. “Something tells me he won’t finish writing those detention slips.”

“What? What do you mean?” Mandy blinked up at her. Kim nodded toward the admin area where a visibly shaken Mr. Krabappel was being steered toward them by Shego. When the adults came to a stop in front of them, Kim noticed that his button-down shirt had a few more wrinkles than it did only five minutes earlier. 

Several awkward beats passed in silence before Shego pointedly cleared her throat. Krabappel jumped and his eyes darted to Shego before quickly looking away. “Ah–yes,” his voice cracked. “It appears that I misread the school handbook,” he began as a trembling hand moved to loosen the collar of his shirt. “There’s nothing against students holding hands or hugging.” 

“Anything else you wanna say to them, Dick?” Shego asked as she fixed him with a hard look. 

The man flushed bright red as he quickly stammered, “I-I’m terribly sorry for my mistake, ladies. It won’t happen again.” 

Kim couldn’t help but twist the knife. “So…do we have detention, or what?”

“No,” he gulped. “No detention.” 

Shego clapped her hands suddenly and Mr. Krabbapel flinched. “Wonderful! I’m so glad we were able to straighten that out.” Shego smiled as she dismissed the teacher with a flick of her fingers. When he scampered off, she turned to look at the girls with concern. “You kids okay?”

“We’re okay,” Kim confirmed.

“Th-thank you,” Mandy said quietly. 

Shego gave her a gentle smile and shrugged, “Happy to help.” 

Kim stepped forward so Mandy wouldn’t overhear. “What did you do to him?”

“I may have chosen to show him some of the skills I used at my other gig. Skills that don’t exactly go on a CV,” Shego replied in a low voice. 

“It’s nice to see you using your powers for good,” Kim said cheekily. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Shego playfully rolled her eyes. “I should get an award for not doing anything too…permanent.” Her expression turned serious. “Come find me if he tries to give you any more shit, okay? Actually,” she raised her voice so Mandy could hear, “this goes for both of you. You let me know if he, or any other teacher, gives you that kind of trouble. I have a zero tolerance policy for homophobic bull–for homophobia,” she quickly amended. When Kim and Mandy nodded their understanding, Shego smiled, “You know where to find me. See ya.” 

“Is it bad if I say that I’m glad the last guidance counselor broke his leg in three places and had to go on medical leave? Because Miss Go is seriously awesome,” Mandy said as she turned to shut her locker. 

“Yeah, she has her moments,” Kim replied with feigned nonchalance. But her smile belied how much having the protective villainess at Middleton meant to her. 

“She, uh,” Mandy shuffled closer and lowered her voice. “I was in a really bad place for a while after everything with my ex-whatever, and, uh. Miss Go was really helpful. She was more understanding than I expected someone at this school to be.” 

Kim smiled in understanding and with a fondness for the woman. “I know exactly what you mean. I think we’re really lucky to have her.” Then, with amusement dancing in her eyes, she nudged Mandy and joked, “But don’t tell her I said that, because it’ll go to her head.” 

Kim smiled when a delighted giggle bubbled from Mandy. “You seem to know her really well,” she began. “How–” she stopped mid-sentence when her eyes caught on something behind Kim. 

Kim turned and followed her gaze. About fifteen feet away, Brooke was hanging off the arm of a very tall girl that Kim recognized from the volleyball team. She connected the dots when she remembered what Mandy had mentioned during their seven minutes in heaven. That must be Mandy’s ex-whatever . Her gaze returned to Mandy, whose face had turned pale. Kim quickly moved so that her body blocked Mandy’s line of sight. “Hey.” Kim waited until amber eyes connected with hers before continuing. “Walk me to practice?”

When Mandy nodded jerkily, Kim tucked her under her arm, and guided her to the gym. 

As they cut through the gym, Kim gave a distracted wave at the squad, who were already gathered in a loose circle for warm-up. 

When they pulled to a stop just outside the locker room, Kim’s pocket buzzed. She pulled out her Kimmunicator and opened a new message from Monique.

Mo: omg why am i finding out about u having a GIRLFRIEND from the grapevine and not straight from the source??? 

Kim chuckled and glanced up to show it to Mandy but stopped when she saw her expression. It was like a dark cloud had settled over her. 

Kim: long story. call u 2nite

After slipping the device back into her pocket, Kim lingered for a moment. She was late to practice, but Mandy had been silent the entire way over. Now, she was staring unseeing at the wooden floor of the gym. Dropping her arm from around Mandy’s shoulder to grab her hand, she gave it a squeeze as she gently asked, “Seeing your ex-whatever still sucks, huh?”

Mandy exhaled roughly before pushing her bangs away from her face and looking up at Kim. “It sucks major donkey balls.” A surprised laugh escaped Kim’s throat at Mandy’s unexpected reply. She was about to apologize when Mandy’s lips twitched with a smile. “But you made it easier,” she finished. 

“I’m a full service fake-girlfriend,” Kim joked. 

“No, seriously,” Mandy countered, sincerity in her eyes. “You’re a good friend.” She lifted onto her toes and pulled Kim down into a hug before pressing a kiss to her cheek. A chorus of “awwws” sounded from the other side of the gym where the team was located.  

“Kim! You’re late!” Bonnie called out as she stormed over. Her eyes narrowed as they dropped down to Kim’s arm around Mandy’s waist. She gave Kim an unreadable look before her gaze turned to Mandy. “This is a closed practice. You don’t get special treatment just because you’re dating the captain.”

Kim looked at her teammate incredulously, “Since when is practice closed?”

Bonnie let out an irritated huff and glared at Kim. “Since you decided that canoodling with your girlfriend is more important than showing up on time. She’s clearly a distraction, and I need you focused so we can put the final touches on the routine before Sectionals.”

If Kim’s eyes rolled any harder, they would have popped out of her skull. “She can stay if she wants, Bonnie.” 

“No, that’s okay!” Mandy squeaked. “I was, um. I was already leaving.” She turned and booked it out of the gym. 

Kim exhaled roughly. She’d just managed to calm Mandy down and Bonnie had to go and ruin it. “Would it kill you to be nice to her?”

“Would it kill you to take your job as team captain seriously?” Bonnie shot back. Before Kim could respond, she spun on her heel and threw a, “hurry up and change,” over her shoulder. 

Bonnie was in rare form. It seemed that no one was spared from her ire. She snapped at Jessica for being a half second behind on the count and she yelled at Mina for not smiling hard enough. But her critique after their third perfectly adequate run through was the team’s final straw. 

“Tara, point those fucking toes during your jumps, I swear to god,” she snapped. 

Tara, who was now safely back on the ground, threw her hands into the air. The normally bubbly girl glared at Bonnie as she wiped sweat from her brow. “I don’t know if you need a doctor or an exterminator, but you need to call someone to remove whatever crawled up your ass!”

Instead of her usual biting retort, Bonnie launched herself at the girl. Kim rushed forward and snatched her around her middle before she was within swinging distance. She strained fruitlessly against Kim’s arms for a few seconds before pulling back her arm and chucking a pop-pom at Tara. Tara dodged in time to avoid taking colorful plastic to the face. When Bonnie moved to throw the other one, Kim quickly lifted her into the air so her feet left the ground. The loss of a stable foundation caused the pom-pom to completely miss its mark and fall harmlessly to the floor.

“Practice is over, ladies,” Kim directed calmly as she held on to a still straining Bonnie. “Hit the showers and we’ll start fresh on Wednesday.” She didn’t wait for the team to leave before she turned and carried Bonnie to the other side of the gym. 

“Put me down ,” Bonnie demanded. Only when they stood under the home team basketball hoop did Kim let her feet touch the ground. But her arms stayed firmly locked around her middle, keeping Bonnie’s back flush with her front. She waited until the last cheerleader left the gym before she let her arms relax. 

Bonnie quickly shoved her arms away and whirled around with a scowl. Her eyes were lit from within by an incandescent rage. She was breathtaking . Even covered with sweat and glaring like she was seconds away from murder. But Kim’s concern outweighed her baser response. She took in Bonnie’s stance, how she leaned forward as if ready for a brawl. 

She felt her head tilt to the side. “What, you wanna fight me, too?”

Kim watched as Bonnie’s lip curled into a sneer. “Don’t fucking tempt me, Kim.” But standing this close, Kim was finally able to see the bags under her eyes. She saw the way Bonnie’s clenched fists trembled at her side. Her normally cool and aloof demeanor was absent, something almost feral in its place. 

Confronting Bonnie, bombarding her with questions, would be as wise as tossing a lit match into a car doused with kerosene. So Kim merely shrugged. “If hitting me will help you feel better, go ahead and swing.” She spread her arms out at her side, making herself a bigger target. “It’s okay, I can take it.”

Kim’s willingness to be a punching bag seemed to snap Bonnie out of her rage. Blinking rapidly, she took a step back and began pacing. It was like watching a captive panther, unfairly caged and desperate to break free.

After Bonnie crossed in front of her for the fifth time, Kim finally caught her wrist, bringing her to a stop. At the wild look in her eye, understanding dawned on Kim. Bonnie needed to move . She was feeling exactly how Kim felt when her emotions got too big or too scary or just too much to stay still. She needed to move her body until all the bubbling emotion that was vibrating beneath her skin evaporated. 

Kim nodded her head toward the basketball court. “C’mon. We’re running suicides.” She dropped Bonnie’s wrist and walked past her to the baseline. Bonnie wordlessly followed. “Start here, run and touch the three-point line, then back to touch the baseline, then to the half-court line and back, then to the visitor’s three-point line and back, and then opposite baseline and back. That’s one.” 

Bonnie moved until she stood next to Kim, her toes touching the white strip of paint on the varnished wood. “How many?” 

Kim cocked her head to the side as she contemplated her friend. “Until there’s nothing left.” 

Bonnie’s head moved with a curt nod before she bent down to touch the baseline and ran to the three-point line. Kim stayed by her side and matched her pace. Step for step, touch for touch. They ran together with nothing but their heavy pants and the squeak of their shoes against the wooden floor as their soundtrack. 

They were still running when the first of their teammates trickled out of the locker room. And they kept running long after the last girl finally exited the gym. 

A sporadic sniffling joined the sounds of their efforts, forecasting the end of the exercise. When they reached down to touch the half-court line for the millionth time, only one of them came back up. Bonnie’s momentum had carried her down until her knees hit the floor. Her torso and shoulders heaved as her lungs expanded to accommodate huge gulps of air. Her eyes were squeezed shut beneath a furrowed brow. Her face glistened, tears mingling with the sweat on her cheeks. 

Kim flopped down next to her, splaying out and leaning back on her elbows as she caught her breath. They sat there in relative silence, apart from the sounds of their panting filling the large, empty gymnasium. 

When their breathing slowed, Kim popped up and grabbed water and a towel for Bonnie. After knocking back the entire bottle, Bonnie buried her face in the towel for a few moments before wiping the dampness away. Kim held out her hand, and after Bonnie took it, tugged her up into a standing position. “Let’s hit the showers.” 

***

The run and the shower appeared to completely transform Bonnie. She’d removed her makeup and Kim could now clearly see dark circles under her eyes. No longer vibrating with energy, she seemed spent as they left the gym for the parking lot. When they arrived at their vehicles, Kim watched as Bonnie just stared at her car, almost in a daze. Kim gently took her bag and keys, tossed their stuff in the back, and guided her to the passenger seat. 

After Kim buckled her seatbelt in the driver’s seat, she turned to Bonnie. “I’m thinking we need something, like, super greasy. So Hamburger Mary’s or Bueno Nacho?” When Bonnie pulled a face at the second option, Kim chuckled and started the car. “Burgers it is.”

Hamburger Mary’s was one of those local joints that didn’t have any indoor seating or even a drive-thru. Just order and pick up windows, and several picnic tables on the paved courtyard area. Bonnie perched at a table on the outskirts while Kim placed their order. 

Kim made her way over, carrying a tray loaded down with greasy goodness. She plopped down next to Bonnie and unloaded two bacon cheese burgers, an order of fries, and some onion rings. They made short work of their food. Running for forty-five minutes straight on top of an already exhausting cheer practice left them both ravenous. When they were done, Bonnie went back to the car as Kim ran back up to the window to place one more order. She returned to the car carrying the most important food item of all: two strawberry milkshakes. 

After passing Bonnie her cup, Kim took a quick sip of her own and smiled at the memory of the last time she had one with Shego. “They don’t fix everything, but they don’t make it any worse.” She waited until Bonnie took a sip before starting the car and heading back to campus. 

When she parked next to her bike, Kim stayed silent, waiting for Bonnie to talk at her own pace. It wasn’t until her shake was almost gone that Bonnie finally broke her silence. 

“Why are you so nice to me?” 

A fist closed around Kim’s heart at the naked vulnerability in her question. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I mean, as much as I hate to admit that I’m anything like her, I do have my mother’s temper. I almost hit you and you just…stayed. I didn’t run you off.”

“You did the same thing for me.” When Bonnie’s face pinched in confusion, Kim continued, “At Club Banana, I pinned you to a wall, Bonnie. I almost hit you, too. And it didn’t even phase you, you just…made sure I was okay. We weren’t even friends then.” 

“That’s different,” Bonnie’s head shook dismissively. “That was, like, instinct or something. Today, I was just, like, totally out of control–”

Kim cut her off by gently lacing their fingers together. “Look, it doesn’t matter.”

“Of course it does,” Bonnie countered. “There’s a world of difference between you reacting to someone grabbing you from behind and what I almost did.” Kim watched as shame washed over Bonnie’s expression. “What I was going to do,” she amended in a hushed voice, her free hand rising to cover her mouth. 

Kim sighed and squeezed Bonnie’s hand. “I’d still be here even if you’d hit me, Bonnie.” 

“But, why?” she implored. 

“Because…” she trailed off as she searched for the right words to help Bonnie understand. Help her understand that Kim wasn’t going to walk away just because she was having a bad day. Help her understand that it was okay for her to break down, that Kim wouldn’t leave while she was clearly struggling. “Because I’m not scared of you either.” She leaned forward. “You don’t scare me, Bonnie,” she repeated for emphasis. 

The echo of Bonnie’s words back to her seemed to register. Her chin dipped as she nodded once. Then twice. She exhaled suddenly, as if she’d been holding her breath. Her brow smoothed and her eyes softened as she looked down at their twined fingers, returning Kim’s gentle squeeze. 

After a few beats passed in silence, hazel eyes returned to Kim’s green. “What does scare you? What’s your biggest fear?” Bonnie asked as the fingers on her free hand fiddled with the plastic lid on her cup. 

The question gave Kim pause. She was pretty fearless. None of the stuff ordinary people feared even fazed her. Not heights, not wild animals, not even villains with doomsday devices. She’d been handling those since she was a pre-teen. So not the drama. 

Suddenly, an unbidden memory seized Kim. Her mind flashed to when she’d tried to come out to her parents. The crushing heaviness of their disinterest weighed down on her shoulders like a laurel made of steel. The muscles in her back and shoulders tensed like it was happening in real time. That crushing feeling that made her feel so small was the thing she’d fought against for as long as she could remember. She’d contorted herself into a version that was as close to perfection that she could muster. Something that was too good to ignore. And even then, it wasn’t enough. Her parents’ eyes still slid over her and back to their work, or to her brothers’ projects. Their ears only heard half of what she said, so she stopped trying. 

So, what was she scared of? What was the thing that terrified Kim Possible? “Being invisible,” she confessed into the quiet car cabin. 

Bonnie turned in her seat and looked at Kim. Studied her. “So you made yourself larger than life. You made yourself impossible to ignore,” she said softly with understanding in her eyes. 

Kim felt her lips tilt in a rueful smile, one that didn’t reach her eyes. “And yet…my family still doesn't see me.” She lifted her shoulders in a shrug, an attempt to dislodge the heaviness. “What about you? What’s your biggest fear?”

Bonnie’s eyes dropped as she turned and let her head fall back against the headrest. “Being trapped.” She set her cup into a holder and inhaled before continuing. “At brunch yesterday, Mother told me what the next ten years of my life will look like. Didn’t ask me what I wanted. Told .” She let out a quiet scoff at the audacity. “She has the whole thing planned out. I’m to go to her alma mater in Upperton, pledge her sorority, major in business, then go to the same law school she attended–Lonnie and Connie are there now–and then I work at her firm.” She huffed a humorless laugh. “She expects me to be her perfect little mini-me corporate lawyer bitch.” Bonnie’s lower lip disappeared behind her teeth as she chewed it. “I’ll probably have to wear pantsuits.” This last bit came out in the saddest whine Kim had ever heard.  

Kim was quickly coming to hate a woman she’d never even met. She felt her brow furrow as she processed Bonnie’s words. “What if you picked a different major, or a different school? Would she stop you?”

Bonnie’s face darkened as she shook her head. “She won’t pay for it. And she makes too much money for me to get any financial aid. So…I’m trapped. I have to watch everyone else go off and live their dreams while I’m stuck in this shitty state, living a life I don’t want, and turning into a person I hate.” 

After a few silent beats, Kim ventured a question, “What’s your dream? I know what hers is, but what’s yours?”

“I don’t, um… I don’t really dream anymore. Not since my dad died,” Bonnie confessed softly as she chewed her straw. 

“Did he have dreams for you?” Kim asked gently. 

A brief, tremulous smile flashed across her face before it disappeared. “He just wanted me to be happy,” she shrugged. “It sounds so simple, but it feels impossible without him.” Bonnie sniffled as she took another sip. “I wouldn’t mind being like him, I liked being his mini-me. He went to the same school as his parents. They met at this HBCU down in Georgia, Hillman College. He used to tell me all these stories about what it was like and how he discovered himself there.” A small smile lifted the corner of Bonnie’s mouth. “I think it’d be nice to go where he went, where my grandparents went.”

“That does sound really nice,” Kim replied with a gentle smile.  

Bonnie shifted in her seat. “I, um. I looked up the school last night when I couldn’t sleep. They’re pretty small, but they do have a cheerleading program and they’ve offered a few scholarships for it.” She bit her lip and glanced at Kim. It slipped free as she continued speaking with a quiet tone, like she was sharing a secret. “I have this half-baked idea that if we win Nationals, maybe I could get one? But it feels impossible. It’s such a long shot,” Bonnie trailed off. 

Understanding dawned on Kim at Bonnie’s admission. Her behavior at practice finally made sense. “Then let’s do it.” 

Bonnie’s head whipped around to look at Kim. “Do what?”

“Let’s win Nationals.” 

Bonnie scoffed but there was a faint glimmer of hope in her hazel eyes. “If it was that easy, we wouldn’t have gotten clobbered at Regionals last year. Middleton hasn’t made it past Regionals in over a decade, so Nationals is next to impossible.”

“Yeah but you’re forgetting one thing.” At Bonnie’s expectant look, she grinned, “Nothing’s impossible for a Possible.” 

A surprised giggle escaped Bonnie’s mouth, even as her eyes rolled. “You’re incredibly corny, you know that, right?” She opened her door and got out of the car.

“I live life on the cob, baby,” Kim quipped as she hopped out and grabbed her bag out of the back. As she made her way over to her bike, her eyes caught on the sky. “Woah, look at that!” They’d stayed late enough that the sun was setting. “Who knew the sunset off the Middleton High parking lot could be so picturesque.” Pinks and oranges swirled together and played across the clouds as the sun slowly settled behind the horizon. “It’s fucking gorgeous.”

“Yeah.” Bonnie’s quiet agreement sounded distracted. 

When she turned to ensure Bonnie didn’t miss a single shift in hue, she found hazel eyes gazing, not at the sky, but at her. Kim’s heart leapt into her throat at the sight of Bonnie’s brown skin made luminous by the golden glow of the dying day. Even utterly exhausted, physically and emotionally, she was beautiful. “What?” she asked, even as she felt her face heat. 

Kim’s heart thundered as Bonnie closed the distance between them. Bonnie stayed silent as she reached up and placed a warm hand on Kim’s shoulder. Then she did something unexpected. She lifted onto her toes and pressed a lingering kiss to Kim’s cheek, just shy of the corner of her mouth. Heat bloomed at the spot where her lips made contact as Kim’s stomach fluttered. 

When they separated, Kim had to consciously force her brain to start back up again. “What was that for?” she asked, voice husky as the words scraped their way past the lump in her throat.

“Just a thank you.” Bonnie shrugged and smiled softly. “For staying,” she amended in a warm rustle of a whisper. Kim’s heart thumped hard, and her gaze dropped immediately to Bonnie’s lips. She tore her eyes away and quickly shoved her helmet onto her head. 

Bonnie gently pushed her toward her bike. “Go get some sleep, Kim. We’ve got a lot of work to do if we’re gonna take Nationals.” 

She nodded and her lips lifted in one last smile as she whispered, “Sweet dreams, Bonnie.”

***

“Our biggest competition at Sectionals will be Eastside and Lowerton. We only beat them by the skin of our teeth last year, so we have to stay focused.

No hi, hello, or even a how are you, Bonnie simply launched straight into strategizing as she hopped out of her car in the parking lot in front of A Brewed Awakening. Kim didn’t see any bags or dark circles under her eyes, but, then again, she only saw them yesterday until after Bonnie had showered. They could be hidden under another layer of concealer, but there was no sign of weariness or fatigue. Her eyes were bright, like she’d already downed a gallon of espresso before arriving at the cafe. 

“I managed to track down footage of last year’s Sectionals and Regionals,” Bonnie continued as they joined the queue for the register. “I’m gonna watch them tonight so we can start practice tomorrow with a clear plan.”

“What time?” Kim asked.

“I…what?” 

“What time am I coming over to watch the footage?” Kim asked again. “You didn’t think I was gonna let you do this by yourself, did you?” She bumped Bonnie’s shoulder with hers as her mouth tilted in a lopsided smile. 

The intense focus in Bonnie’s eyes melted and was replaced with an uncharacteristic softness. Kim watched as Bonnie bit back a smile and tucked an errant lock of dark brown hair behind an ear. “I have a thing right after school so, let’s say…five, five fifteen-ish.”

“Five fifteen-ish, it is,” Kim confirmed as they moved up to place their order.

“Oh! Can we get pizza? And cheesy bread?” She asked once she grabbed their order from the hand-off area. 

Bonnie’s soft puff of laughter sent a warm ripple over Kim’s spine. “Sure.” Kim beamed as she held the door open. “I’ll even get you your own personal order of cheesy bread.”

“Ah, you spoil me,” Kim replied as they stepped out into the morning sunshine. 

Bonnie snorted as she turned to face Kim. “Twelve dollars worth of cheesy bread is spoiling you? Didn’t realize you were such a cheap date.”

“Unlike you,” she shot back. “We’re not even dating and I’ve already spent so much money supporting your caffeine habit.

“Could you imagine if we were?” Bonnie asked with a brow raised. Kim’s heart screeched to a halt before it tripped into double-time. 

God, all the time . 

“Yeah,” she replied softly. Whoops, that was supposed to be an inside thought . Kim quickly swallowed and tried to slow her heart rate by sheer force of will. “I’d be flat broke.” She smiled at Bonnie’s tinkling laugh, delighted at the way her nose scrunched and her eyes sparkled with amusement. 

Bonnie’s laughter ended abruptly as her gaze caught on something behind Kim. The softness and amusement evaporated and was replaced with her usual scowl. Kim turned and saw Mandy stepping out of an older model Subaru. She felt the drink tray leave her hand and turned back in time to see Bonnie walk toward the cars. 

Kim walked over to Mandy just as she was turning the key in the door handle to lock it. “Hey Mandy,” she greeted with a smile. 

Mandy turned and grinned up at her. “Hi Kim.”

The ground rules for their little charade were simple. Because of their seven minutes in heaven, people assumed that every platonic touch and hug was romantic in nature. So that meant that all Kim and Mandy had to do was greet each other with friendly hugs, sometimes hold hands, and occasionally give each other chaste kisses on the cheek. People saw what they wanted to see, and the fake couple just had to let people’s assumptions do most of the work.

Kim stuck out her elbow, offering Mandy her arm. “I figure it’s probably safer if you’re already holding on to me as you brave the curb.” 

Mandy’s head tipped back with a laugh as she placed her hand on Kim’s inner elbow. “I’ve never had an escort before. A girl could get used to this.” They made it up onto the sidewalk with no incident. 

Kim opened the door and bowed with an exaggerated flourish. “Your caffeine awaits, m’lady.” 

Mandy pretended to swoon while unsuccessfully holding back giggles. “A regular Missus Darcy.” Mandy stopped short before she entered the cafe. “Oh, that reminds me. Wanna team up for Lit?”

Their class had finally finished Pride and Prejudice and their teacher had assigned group projects. 

“Sure. Do you have any ideas yet? We could write a paper or something.”

“A paper? Kim, that’s so boring!” Mandy admonished. “Think outside the box.”

“Um…maybe something with the movie? Like, compare the book and the movie?” Kim offered. 

“Ooh! We could make it a multimedia presentation! I know a couple of people in the A/V club, they could give me some pointers…” Mandy trailed off as she became lost in thought. “I’ll keep brainstorming. Bye!” she finished before entering the cafe. 

“See you in class,” Kim waved before heading over to the cars. 

She approached the Jeep and found Bonnie sitting in the passenger seat next to Monique. Monique’s eyes were dancing with amusement as she called out to Kim. “You and Mandy are just so freakin’ cute ! Don’t they make such a sweet couple, B?” 

Kim’s brows screwed up with confusion. What is she up to? Monique knew that she and Mandy were fake, she’d told her as much last night. Maybe she was just trying to help Kim sell it?

“Mmm, sweet enough to give you diabetes,” Bonnie deadpanned as she passed Kim her latte and pastry. 

“Speaking of sweet, did you steal half of my muffin again?” Kim asked as she shook the small white bag. 

Bonnie smiled coyly, “I restrained myself.” 

Kim opened the bag and saw what appeared to be an intact chocolate chip muffin. She grabbed it as she looked up, “Aww, thanks, Bonnie. I know it was hard, exercising all that restraint–” Kim’s lips pursed as she looked at the pastry. It had a huge bite missing out of the side. Bonnie and Monique burst into laughter at Kim’s expression. Kim shrugged and took a bite. “It’s more than you left me last time.”

“And I’m getting you cheesy bread tonight.”

“Totally worth it,” Kim agreed as she took another bite of the muffin.

“What’s going on tonight?” Monique asked. 

“Cheerleading stuff. Going over last year’s competition footage,” Bonnie answered. 

“Yep! Tonight, Operation: Get Bonnie a Cheerleading Scholarship to Hillman College is a go.”

“Is the first order of business to come up with a better name? That one’s kinda clunky,” Bonnie teased with a smirk. “It doesn’t even work as an acronym.”   

Kim rolled her eyes dramatically. “Oh my god, silly me. I did have ‘win Nationals’ at the top of the list, but I guess I can move that down one. Let’s see...” Kim tapped a finger against her chin in exaggerated thought. “Oh! How about, Operation: Bonnie Is Totally Cinching Hillman, Yeah!”

“It’s definitely shorter,” Monique observed. 

“And it works as an acronym,” Kim added as she stifled a chuckle. She mashed her lips together to keep from laughing as she waited for Bonnie to catch on. 

“B, i, t… oh my god.” The girls devolved into laughter. 

Once they’d calmed down, Monique looked over at Bonnie. “So you wanna go to Hillman?” At Bonnie’s hesitant nod, Monique continued with a smile, “My Uncle Noah went there, he loved it. I’ve got my eye on Atlanta State University. They’ve got a great visual arts program,” she announced. “What about you, Kim?”

“Um…” She hadn’t actually thought about it. If she’d been asked this before her break from missions, before she knew she was gay, and before her priorities shifted, she would have said that her plan was to go to a prestigious university and then join Global Justice. It was the natural progression of the life she’d been living. But now? I have no idea , she thought as she looked between her friends. 

“I haven’t actually thought about it since…everything, you know?” Monique and Bonnie nodded in understanding. They’d both been so caring in their own way, and had helped Kim immensely. She needed them, and having them around as she figured out what to do with the rest of her life sounded like the best plan. “But Georgia sounds nice. Wanna be roommates, Mo?”

“You bet your ass I do, bestie!” Monique cheered. 

Kim laughed. “Figure I’ll be able to keep you two from killing each other.” Though she couldn’t quite see what the rest of her life would look like, the image of the three of them together in Georgia filled her with warmth and comfort. She could already picture it. “And then when we’re sophomores, the three of us can rent a house together.” 

“Sounds perfect,” Bonnie murmured, a smile pulling at her lips. 

“But first, we gotta win Nationals,” Kim declared. “Operation: B.I.T.C.H.Y. will commence at five-fiteenish this afternoon!” 

***

At five fourteen, when Kim started up Bonnie’s driveway, she noticed a vaguely familiar muscle car parked next to the garage. It was cherry red with a black racing stripe down the middle. She parked her bike next to it and hopped up the few steps to the front door. Before she could even hit the doorbell, the door opened and a large figure appeared. 

“Sup, Kim,” Brick greeted her with a smile and an upward nod. 

Kim managed to keep her face neutral despite the urge to growl at the boy. “Brick,” she returned his nod with a much less enthusiastic one.  

He whistled as he looked over her shoulder at her bike. “Sweet ride, Kim. How fast can she go–”

“Go away, Brick,” Bonnie dismissed from behind him. 

“Later, Bon-Bon, later, Kim,” he tossed over his shoulder as his car’s lock chirped. He hopped in, revved the engine with a loud roar, and peeled off, tires squealing. 

“Ugh, I need a minute before we watch the footage.” Bonnie stepped back to let Kim inside. “Brick was…exhausting,” she explained as Kim followed her into the kitchen. 

Kim felt her brow furrow. “I thought…shouldn’t he have the opposite effect?”

“If you’d spent the last hour helping him with his homework, you’d be drained, too,” Bonnie replied wearily as she grabbed two cans from a box sitting on the counter. 

“Oh, is that what you’re calling it?” Kim grumbled as she accepted a can. 

“What?” Her teammate asked distractedly as she pulled down two glasses and filled them with ice from the fridge. After passing one to Kim, she cracked open her can, dumped its contents into her glass, and dropped a plastic straw between the cubes.

Kim shrugged, going for nonchalance to mask her irritation. “Call me old fashioned but I thought alone time with your boyfriend was supposed to be fun, not draining.” 

The straw lowered from Bonnie’s lips as she looked at Kim, baffled. “...My boyfriend?”

“Yeah, you know. Brick,” she jerked her thumb back toward the front door. “As in, ‘dumber than a box of,’” she added under her breath. 

Bonnie stared at Kim, dumbfounded. “You think I’m dating Brick?”

That was not the reaction Kim had been expecting. “I…well, aren’t you?”

“Eww, no!” she exclaimed as she hit Kim’s arm with the back of her hand. “I don’t do reruns.”

Kim stood there in stupefied silence as she processed this revelation. Her brain turned over every interaction she’d witnessed between Bonnie and Brick. Their hallway conversation she’d overheard, their hug at the party. “So why did he hug you at the party?”

“Because I said I'd help him with his English homework. That boy does not understand symbolism, and don’t even get me started on metaphors,” Bonnie explained as she rubbed at her brow. “Almost gave me a headache. Wait, why did you think we were dating?”

Kim shrugged sheepishly as she felt her face flush. “Well, Tara and Jess said–”

“You believed gossip from those two idiots? Serves you right, Kim,” Bonnie scoffed. “Next time, just ask me.” 

“Fair enough,” Kim conceded as she finally poured her soda over the ice. She took a sip before she ventured, “So, are you seeing anyone?”

“No,” Bonnie replied, as if the mere suggestion was ludicrous.

Single! She’s single! Wait… Kim’s head tilted to the side. “Why’d you say it like that?”

“First of all, because I’m focused on winning Nationals and I need zero distractions. And second, because dating your senior year is stupid. It’s not like it’s gonna go anywhere after graduation.” She punctuated her explanation with a definitive sip. “No offense,” she added, belatedly. 

“Why would I be offended?” Kim asked incredulously.

Bonnie looked at her like she was an idiot. “...Because of Maddie?”

“Maddie? Who–oh, you mean Mandy?”

“Whatever,” Bonnie dismissed with an eye roll. “How’s that going?”

“Oh, uh. Good,” Kim replied awkwardly. 

“That’s it? Just ‘good?’” Bonnie pressed.   

Kim shrugged helplessly, “She’s really sweet. And funny.” 

“‘Sweet,’ ‘funny’, ‘good,’” Bonnie mocked. “What are you, in middle school? You gonna take her on a date to the play park and go all the way by holding hands? Or is this just you being all polite again? It’s not rude to call a girl hot, Kim.” 

Kim’s arms folded across her chest defensively. “Didn’t realize there was a wrong way to describe my girlfriend, jeez,” she grumbled. 

“Yes. There is. And you would have known that, if you hadn't dropped out of–what was it? Dream Girl Academy,” she huffed. “Just. Try staying away from words that can also be used to describe a child’s cartoon character,” Bonnie deadpanned. “Makes you sound inexperienced, like you’ve never even gotten a hickey before.”

Kim felt her teeth clench as embarrassment washed over her. “I haven’t,” she mumbled.  

“What?” Bonnie asked with a surprised laugh. 

“I mean I’ve never gotten a hickey. Or given one,” Kim confessed as she averted her eyes. “The furthest I’ve ever gone was with Ron, and we only ever kissed a handful of times. So, yes, I’m embarrassingly inexperienced, okay? Go ahead and laugh.” Her cheeks grew hot as she waited for the sounds of Bonnie’s mocking laughter. 

It never came. 

Instead, she felt a warm hand press against her arm. “I’m sorry.” She looked up in surprise, meeting Bonnie’s sympathetic eyes. “I forgot that, while the rest of us were being normal, horny teens, you were off fighting crime and doing a million other things. I shouldn’t have teased you like that, Kim. Sorry.” 

When Kim looked away and shrugged like it was no big deal, Bonnie insisted. “No, don’t brush it off.” The hand that was on her arm moved until it cupped Kim’s cheek and gently pulled until their eyes met again. “You’ve been… a much better friend to me than I’ve been to you. The least I can do is try to be less of a bitch to you about this stuff.” 

Kim nodded, the movement causing Bonnie’s palm to caress the skin of her cheek. She had to force herself not to lean into the touch.“Okay, but…”

“But what?” Bonnie asked, eyes narrowed with concern. Kim was slowly dying inside. Bonnie’s understanding, their proximity, Bonnie handling her vulnerability with sincerity and gentleness. All of it was working together to slowly leech Kim’s common sense. She needed to course correct before she did something stupid like kiss her. 

“But the ‘s’ word? Someone should probably check to see if hell’s frozen over,” Kim joked to lighten the mood.  

Bonnie rolled her eyes but smiled as she moved away. Kim felt a confusing mix of relief and longing at the space between them. 

“The least I can do is teach you how to give a hickey.”

“Uhh, what?” 

She watched as Bonnie hopped up onto the counter next to the kitchen sink. “Come here,” she ordered from her perch. Kim’s body moved without conscious thought, only stopping once she was directly in front of Bonnie. The counter’s height made it so Kim had to tilt her head back a little to maintain eye contact. Bonnie plucked the glass from Kim’s hands, and placed it next to hers by the sink. “I’m gonna teach you. So when you have the opportunity, you’ll know what to do. And you’ll be confident. Okay?” 

Kim nodded wordlessly, not even sure her brain had the ability to form words. I must be dreaming .  

She watched as Bonnie flipped her hair to the side, exposing the side of her neck. A long, elegantly manicured finger tapped a spot just beneath the line of her jaw. Her pulse point. “Kiss me here.” 

Definitely dreaming , she decided, letting reality slip away. Like a magnet, Kim was pulled closer and closer until her nose brushed against the edge of Bonnie’s jaw. Her perfume flooded Kim’s senses, almost overwhelming her. Her hands splayed out on the counter for balance, thumbs lightly brushing the outside of her legs. A shaky breath brought her much needed oxygen before she finally, finally pressed her lips to the skin of Bonnie’s neck. 

“Good, now open your mouth,” Bonnie whispered as fingers threaded through Kim’s hair to cup the base of her skull. Kim’s mouth dropped open and her eyelids slammed shut at the first taste of skin on her tongue. 

“Use teeth,” Kim felt the words vibrating in Bonnie’s throat against her lips. A soft whimper met her ears as her teeth scraped across Bonnie’s pulse point. Her higher brain shut off completely, her hands operating without her input, moving from the counter to rest against Bonnie’s hips. 

“Now suck,” Bonnie breathed more than she spoke. Kim did as she was told, cheeks hollowing as she pulled the little bit of flesh further into her mouth and held it there, tongue swiping back and forth against the skin, teeth gently biting. The last of her restraint broke when a soft gasp sounded in her ear. The slight sound was the errant spark too close to a powder keg. Kim ignited, becoming a burning creature of sensation. Her entire world reduced to mouth and tongue and teeth against soft brown skin. Each sound she pulled from Bonnie sent more sparks skittering across her skin, down her spine. 

When Bonnie gripped her hair more firmly, pulling her closer, Kim’s mouth answered the silent plea by biting harder, sucking until the skin popped free. Her lips peppered the column of neck with open mouthed kisses, nipping and sucking her way down before working her way up the other side. But she didn’t stop at Bonnie’s other pulse point. She couldn’t stop. The air filled with the sound of heavy panting as her mouth painted a line of gentle kisses and nips up and across Bonnie’s jaw, along her chin. 

Emboldened by the sensation of knees squeezing her sides as ankles hooked behind her back, locking her in, her mouth moved up from Bonnie’s chin to press kisses against her cheek, the corner of her mouth. Her left arm wrapped around Bonnie’s lower back, tugging her even closer, while her right lifted to cup her cheek. Their mouths were mere centimeters away when Bonnie swayed forward, her arm dropping from Kim’s shoulder to balance against the counter. 

A sudden crash followed by the tinkling of glass jolted them out of the moment.

“Shit, sorry,” Kim muttered as she backed away. She peered into the sink, jagged bits of glass winking up at her. Bonnie’s arm had knocked both of their glasses into the sink, and they lay shattered against the metal basin. “Are you hurt? Did any of that cut you?” 

“No,” came out in a hoarse whisper before Bonnie immediately cleared her throat. “No, I’m okay.”

Kim nodded but couldn’t bring herself to meet Bonnie’s eye. She couldn’t believe how much she’d gotten carried away. She quickly busied herself with carefully picking the shards of glass out of the sink. Bonnie dragged the kitchen trash can over so she could safely dispose of the shattered cups. When she finished, Bonnie put the trashcan back in its rightful place before leaning a hip against the kitchen island.

She caught the way Bonnie sucked her lower lip between her teeth as she gazed at Kim. Ever so slowly, Bonnie’s hand rose to her neck. Kim watched as the tips of her middle and index fingers pressed against her pulse point. The skin there was now a bit darker than the rest of her neck. A hiss of breath escaped between her teeth. An indistinct buzzing filled Kim’s head as she watched Bonnie’s lip slowly slip free, and she very nearly whimpered when a pink tongue poked out to slide over her lip and soothe away the bite. “Definitely a bruise,” she confirmed as her fingers continued to caress her skin. “You’re a fast learner.” 

Kim felt her skin prickle with a pleased flush as the praise washed over her. “You’re an excellent tutor.” She cleared her throat. “Ready to watch some competition footage?”

Bonnie nodded. “But first,” she began as she pulled out her phone. “I believe I promised you some cheesy bread.” 

***

Wednesday’s practice went a lot better than Monday’s. Especially after Bonnie’s apology to the squad. Everyone was completely shocked at her, “I’m, like, sorry I totally freaked on Monday.” The team, including Tara, just sort of nodded, stupefied, before beginning their warmup. It was like Bonnie had never even tried to fight anyone. 

“Wow, three apologies in less than two days? Who are you and what have you done with my co-captain?” Kim teased. 

“Shut up.” Bonnie rolled her eyes and called for everyone to line up for tumbling drills. 

After reviewing the footage last night, they’d agreed to focus the next several practices on tightening up their individual gymnastics skills. There was a lot of sloppy tumbling during last year’s competitions. 

About fifteen minutes before practice ended, Kim and Bonnie were taking a break next to the water station. The sound of doors opening pulled her attention and she watched as Mandy entered the gym. Kim waved her over and smiled as she approached. 

Before Kim could say hi, Bonnie cut in. “Is there a reason you’re crashing practice for a second time this week?”

Kim blew out an exasperated sigh. “Can you at least try to be nice to my girlfriend?”

“Oh, um, the ch-chess club let out early so I thought I'd wait here for Kim to be done,” Mandy stammered. 

Bonnie blinked rapidly. “The chess club?” Kim could have sworn she saw her eye twitch. 

Kim stifled a laugh as she reassured Mandy. “Yeah, you’re okay to hang out.” 

“Kim–”

“There’s no harm in her waiting here while we finish up,” Kim quickly interrupted whatever bullshit Bonnie was about to claim about closed practices. “We’re gonna work on our Lit project after.” 

“Oh, is that what you’re calling it?” Bonnie mocked, giving Kim a pointed look. A single, perfectly arched brow rose as she smirked, turning her attention to Mandy. “In that case, you’re probably going to need some makeup tips. It doesn’t look like you wear any.” 

“Bonnie!” Kim admonished. 

“What?!” Bonnie shot back. “I’m trying to be nice . She’s gonna at least need to know the basics of concealer since she’s dating you.” She turned back to Mandy. “Unless you’re particularly passionate about scarves?”

Realization crashed into Kim. Bonnie was trying to be nice, in her own way. But poor Mandy had no idea what was going on, and Kim did not want to explain. She quickly looked behind Bonnie, pulling her attention. “Hey, I think Jessica’s back handspring is looking a little wonky.” 

Bonnie took the bait, whirling around to give their teammate some much needed feedback. 

“Sorry about that,” she muttered to Mandy. “I’m gonna go wrap up and then shower. You can just hang out here on the bleachers until I’m done.” Once Mandy was comfortably seated, Kim jogged back over to the squad. 

Kim showered quickly. She was already halfway dressed by the time her teammates started pulling their change of clothes out of their lockers. She’d just pulled out her tank top when she heard a sudden gasp. 

“Oh em gee, Bonnie, you look like you’ve been mauled!” Tara exclaimed as she leaned to get a closer look at Bonnie’s neck. Excited tittering filled the locker room as more cheerleaders swarmed around Bonnie. 

Even from her distance, Kim could see that the skin of Bonnie’s neck was littered with dark bruises. Marks lined up and down her neck, with a large purplish one placed directly beneath her jaw. She looked hot . It gave Kim a primal sort of satisfaction, knowing that she put them there. Bonnie must have slathered on pounds of concealer to cover up Kim’s handiwork. Not even a hint of bruising showed earlier. 

“Was it Brick?” Jessica asked in a stage whisper, exchanging a knowing smile with Tara.

“Ew. No.” Bonnie replied as she turned to open her locker. 

“Ohmygod, then who?? C’mon, spill!” Another cheerleader gushed. 

Bonnie rolled her eyes and focused on laying out her clothes. “Mind your business,” she replied dismissively. “I don’t kiss and tell, it’s rude.” Kim quickly tugged her tank over her head, hiding her slight smile. 

Tara and Jessica gaped at her. “Since when??”

Bonnie’s eyes slid over to Kim. Their eyes locked. Bonnie’s hazel to Kim’s green. A slow smirk spread across Bonnie’s face as her shoulder lifted in a half shrug. “Since now.”

—-END CHAPTER—-

Notes:

Kim just keeps getting into Situations™

also everything i know about cheerleading, i learned from Bring It On and Glee lol

Chapter 12: Sectionals

Notes:

happy belated Pride!

Kim tossed her duffle bag over her shoulder after hopping off the bus. It was T minus two hours until Middleton's performance slot at Sectionals. She squinted down at the printed instruction packet in her hands. This year’s competition was being held in the Upperton University sporting complex. “Ok, we’re in parking lot B, so that means the complex is…” She trailed off as her gaze scanned the rolling green lawn of the campus. “That way?” she pondered, pointing left. 

“Nope,” Bonnie said as she stepped down from the bus. “It’s right next to the Business building. Which is that way,” she tilted her head to the right. 

“Oh,” Kim added with a sheepish chuckle. “What would I do without my co-captain?” she teased with a small smile. But Bonnie didn’t return it, not exactly. It was less of a smile and more of a grimace, with the corners of her mouth briefly tightening before dropping back down into a frown. 

“Hey, we got this,” Kim reassured her in a low voice. “Every single member of this squad can run the routine in their sleep. We made sure of that.” 

Bonnie didn’t respond, her jaw clenching as she adjusted the strap of her bag where it pressed into her shoulder. Kim moved without thinking and slipped the strap off of Bonnie’s shoulder and onto her own. Something heavy clanked around in it. “What the hell do you have in here?”

“Competition essentials, duh,” Bonnie replied sharply. 

Kim sighed internally. “Lead the way.” 

As the squad made its way toward the complex, they were suddenly cast into cool shadow, the already faint warmth of the early autumn day vanishing. Kim craned her neck back to peer up at a large building made of steel and concrete. It towered over the other university buildings, cutting into the sky with harsh angles. As they moved closer, Kim squinted up at the fancy signage above the bulky doors. There, heavy steel letters read: Remington G. Rockwaller School of Business. 

“Woah,” Kim muttered as she gazed up at the 7 foot tall letters. “What’s the ‘G’ stand for?” She turned and saw Bonnie looking wearily up at it. Her back and shoulders were stiff, her brow creased. 

“Giant bag of dicks,” Bonnie mumbled, almost to herself. Her mood only seemed to worsen with each step they took toward the competition. Kim was worried, but knew not to push. A stressed Bonnie was like a ticking time bomb. Defusing both required a lot of patience, a healthy dose of confidence, and a very gentle touch. 

“Hey, we don’t wanna be late for our call-time guys! Let’s get a move on,” Kim called to the squad. She let the team move ahead of her and Bonnie. 

“You okay?” Kim ventured after they’d put some distance between them and the business building. 

Bonnie’s jaw tightened as she gave a single sharp nod. “I’ll be fine,” she replied curtly as they walked briskly.  

Kim masked her skepticism with a bright smile. “Maybe when you’re all rich and successful with your fancy Hillman degree, you can slap Rockwaller on a building there, too.” The reminder of why they were there, what they were working toward, snapped Bonnie out of her funk. Some of the tension left her shoulders as she glanced over at Kim. “I can already see it: The Bonnie Rockwaller School of Sarcasm. Teaching thousands of students the art of the witty comeback.”

Bonnie finally cracked a smile. A small one, but a real one this time. “No, I'd use my dad’s last name. Caine.” 

Kim grinned back at her. “I like it. Much nicer ring to it than ‘giant bag of dicks.’ Now, let’s go win this thing.” And with that, they continued toward the venue with the rest of the squad. 

The sporting complex overflowed with a rainbow of cheerleaders. There were warm-ups and uniforms in eight different color combinations, each combination representing a different school from central Colorado. If Kim hadn’t already known she was gay, she probably would have guessed it by the way her insides fluttered as she stood amongst the sea of beautiful girls. She blushed when a particularly pretty pair of cheerleaders gave her grateful smiles as she held the door open. 

The co-captains broke off from their team and headed to the registration table. Once they’d signed in and received directions to their designated warm up area, Kim turned and almost bumped into a cheerleader wearing Lowerton’s signature admiral blue and white with the word ‘Lions’ stitched in gold across her chest. 

“Trying to knock out the competition, Kim? Has Middleton had to stoop that low since I’ve been gone?” The girl grinned at them, flipping her long, pretty braids over her shoulder. 

“Kiara? I thought you moved!” Kim exclaimed with a smile. Kiara had cheered alongside Kim and Bonnie their first two and a half years of high school before her mom was suddenly reassigned to a new office in a different state. 

“My parents did. But I convinced them to let me stay in Colorado with my auntie so I didn’t have to completely start over my senior year. I wish I could have stayed at Middleton, but commuting that far just didn’t make sense,” she finished with a small frown. “But how have things been? I’ve really missed you guys.” 

“ So much has happened, where do I even start–”

“Stop fraternizing with the enemy , Kim!” Bonnie chastised. 

Kim’s mouth dropped open. “Kiara’s not the enemy, Bonnie! She used to go to Middleton!”

Kiara simply laughed, her brown eyes sparkling. “You haven’t changed a bit, Bonnie.” 

“And we were in Pixie Scouts together!” Kim added indignantly. “That bond doesn’t break just because she goes to a different school.”

“Troop three-three for life,” Kiara exclaimed in agreement as she extended her hand. Kim quickly shoved the competition packet under her arm and did the secret troop handshake she hadn’t done since middle school. 

“She’s the enemy until after we win Sectionals and not a moment before,” Bonnie declared. “So go back to Loser -ton where you belong, Kiara.

Kiara smiled, “I can’t believe I’m saying this but, I actually missed your particular brand of bitchy insanity.” 

Bonnie huffed and grabbed Kim’s arm. Kim called out a final goodbye as Bonnie pulled her in the direction of the rest of the squad. 

They passed by a group of girls wearing emerald green warm-up suits with a black and silver knight emblem on the jacket. A girl with long, bleached blonde hair did a double-take before turning back to her team. The bottle-blonde was Daisy, the Eastside High cheer captain. Middleton had barely beaten them for first place last year. Whatever Daisy said was met with giggles and not-so-subtle glances towards Kim and Bonnie. She quickly broke off from the group and headed in their direction. 

She came to a stop in front of Kim with a cocky smile. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t Kim freakin’ Possible.” 

“Hi Daisy,” Kim replied with a polite smile.  

Daisy crossed her arms under her chest as she looked Kim up and down. “I hear we play for the same team now.” 

Kim’s brow furrowed. “What? No, we’re not…” She shifted the bags on her shoulder and flipped through the competition packet, quickly scanning the pages. “Did they change the competition rules or something?” she muttered.

Bonnie let out an exasperated sigh. “Oh my god , Kim. She’s gay.”

“Oh. Oh! Uh. Then I guess…yeah?” She looked over at Daisy, who was now twirling the end of her ponytail around her finger. “How’d you hear about that all the way over at Eastside?”

“Good news travels fast and gay news travels far,” Daisy replied with a flirtatious smile. She took a step closer, batting her eyelashes up at Kim. “How about we make today more interesting? Losing captain takes the winning captain on a date.”

Kim felt Bonnie’s nails dig into her arm. “She has a girlfriend ,” she hissed. If looks could kill, Daisy would have been reduced to a pile of ash, vaporized on the spot. 

Daisy’s face fell for a moment, her gaze dropping to the hand still wrapped around Kim’s arm. Her eyes narrowed at the sight before she looked back up, the flirty smile returning. “Well, if you ever get tired of Frosty the Snowbitch over here, just let me know.” 

Wait, what?

“Oh, we’re not–”

“As if ,” Bonnie interjected with a sneer. “Even if she were single, bottle-blondes aren’t really her type.” 

“Whatever.” Daisy tossed her ponytail over her shoulder and stood a little taller. “Anyway. I can’t wait to look down on you from the first-place podium, Kim Possible.”

Kim scoffed. “In your dreams, Daisy…” she squinted as she trailed off. “What’s your last name?” she asked in a stage whisper.  

“It’s Duncan,” she whispered back playfully. “But I won’t tell you my middle name until after the third date.” 

“Mmm, but that’s not why they call you Double-D , now is it?” Bonnie cut in with a pointed look at their opponent’s ample chest. 

“Sounding a little jealous, there, Bonnie,” Daisy quipped in a sing-song voice.

Bonnie let out a wry chuckle. “Why would I be jealous of something I already have in my car, Airbags ?”

Daisy’s eye twitched as her face reddened. “Whatever, Rockwaller.” 

Bonnie scoffed. “Go get your squad ready for second-place. Again. Oh, and watch your step. Don’t wanna fall and deflate your best assets.” Bonnie dismissed with a flick of her fingers before tugging Kim along. “I don’t know how she puts up with that.” 

“Daisy?”

Bonnie shot her one of those “how are you this clueless” looks as she shook her head. “No. Maddie, obviously.” At Kim’s confusion, Bonnie added, “Your girlfriend?” 

Kim rolled her eyes. “ Mandy . Her name is Mandy.” 

“Ugh, whatever. Anyway, when does she get here? You should probably give her a heads up that girls are on the prowl. I’m sure Daisy won’t be the last.” She sneered as they passed a group of girls from Westside High, all shooting Kim appreciative looks. 

“What are you talking about?” Kim asked as she pointed the squad in the direction of their assigned area. 

UU had dedicated two large gymnasiums as warm-up and changing areas, splitting the eight squads set to compete that day into two groups. Each school had been given their own space in the gym, complete with privacy curtains for changing. 

As Kim led her team towards their assigned section, Bonnie continued, “When is your girlfriend going to get here? She’s coming to cheer you on, right?” 

“Uh, no?” Kim replied as she let their duffle bags drop to the floor before rummaging in hers for a snack. 

“Why the hell not?” Bonnie asked, pausing the search of her own duffle to look up at Kim with offense. 

Kim shrugged. Because she’s not my real girlfriend . “Didn’t ask, I guess,” she replied dismissively. “Besides, nobody ever comes to these things anyway.” Her parents never came to any of her school competitions anymore. They’d stopped as soon as Kim was able to carpool home with someone else’s parents, which was about seven years ago. She didn’t let it bother her anymore. After she pulled out a granola bar, she turned to see Bonnie tapping away at her phone, a small frown on her face. “Anyone coming for you?”

Bonnie barked out a humorless laugh. “Could you imagine? Mother Dearest in her Chanel suit, sitting on metal bleachers and actually cheering for me?” She shook her head and gave Kim a wry smile. “Even if she suddenly got a magical personality transplant, I wouldn’t want her here. She spends most of her time in Aspen these days, and it’s much better that way.”

“No, not her, obviously. Nobody else?”

“What,” Bonnie smirked. “Don’t tell me you're expecting to see Brick out in those stands, cheering for his super hot cheer captain girlfriend.” She much preferred this version of Bonnie to the one she saw when they first arrived. The version that kept giving Kim shit over her totally normal and perfectly reasonable assumption that Bonnie was dating the school quarterback. 

“First of all, co -captain. You are my co-captain.”

Bonnie waved her hand dismissively. “Potato, tomato.” 

“And second, are you ever going to let that go?” Kim laughed. 

“Nope,” Bonnie grinned, popping the ‘p.’ “But to answer your question, no. No one specific will be here for me, but I know a bunch of upperclassmen are planning to come. Now stop chit-chatting and get everyone ready to warm up.” 

Kim turned to the rest of her teammates. “Okay, everyone. Showtime’s in ninety minutes. Let’s start with some light stretching to get us nice and warm, don’t overdo it,” she called out. 

After their initial warm-up, Kim was just settling into a deeper stretch on the floor and eating a banana when a familiar voice said from above, “I always forget that you’re crazy flexible.” She looked up and, much to her surprise, Monique’s beautiful, smiling face appeared above her. Her best friend stood there in a purple Middleton Mad Dogs tee, munching on popcorn from a small red and white striped box. 

Kim shot to her feet in surprise. “Holy shit, Mo, what are you doing here?”

“Oh you know, I always wanted to check out the inside of UU’s Sporting Complex.” She made a big show of looking around the room. “Well, wouldya look at that. It’s got walls, a floor, and oh! A ceiling! How fascinating!” Kim heard Bonnie laughing next to her as they watched Monique. 

“Anyway, now I can check that off my bucket list.” She booped Kim’s nose with a grin, her dimples deepening. “What kind of question is that, Kim? What am I doing at the big cheer competition where my best friend, who happens to be a cheerleader, is competing?? I’m here for you, dummy. And I guess I can spare a ‘whoop whoop’ for B, too.” She stuck her tongue out at Bonnie who playfully rolled her eyes in response.  

“Oh,” came out in a soft voice. Kim was touched. “I didn’t think… You didn’t have to–”

“Have to?” Monique scoffed. “The only thing I have to do is–

“Stay Black and die,” they said in unison before giggling. The phrase was said almost daily at Monique’s house.

“But I thought you had to work today,” Kim wondered aloud. 

“I switched shifts,” Monique shrugged. “I wanted to be here for you. So did Mom and Uncle Noah. I didn’t actually invite him, but as soon as I said the words ‘cheerleading competition,’ he was already in the car. They’re off finding good seats,” she finished with a smile. 

At a loss for words, Kim wrapped her arms around Monique and rested her chin on the top of her head, the familiar scent of shea butter and coconut oil settling into her chest. Monique simply squeezed her back.

“Also, FYI: Uncle Noah’s lifelong dream is to be a cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys. So when he tries to steal your pom-poms, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” 

Kim tipped her head back and laughed, squeezing her friend tighter. She heard a soft chuckle from Bonnie next to her. 

When they separated, Monique turned to look down at Bonnie on the floor. “By the way, this is not warm-up area five, B.” She lightly tapped her shoe against Bonnie’s. “You had me almost walk in on Lowerton!” 

“Eh, you figured it out okay,” Bonnie replied dismissively as she held out a hand. After Kim tugged her up, she eyed Monique’s popcorn expectantly. 

Monique caught her gaze and narrowed her eyes before slowly, deliberately plucking a piece of popcorn from the box and popping it into her mouth with a mischievous grin. “Mmm, delicious,” she sighed while crunching loudly. When Bonnie huffed and pouted, she asked sweetly, “Need something, B?”

Bonnie’s eyes rolled upward as she scoffed, “No.” 

“Suit yourself,” Monique replied as she ate another piece, smacking her lips this time.

Kim chuckled and decided to play along. “Hey, Mo?” she called with a wide grin. “Can I have some popcorn?”

“Of course you can, Kim!” Monique replied with exaggerated enthusiasm, tipping the box and dropping a small pile into Kim’s cupped hands. 

Kim tossed a few into her mouth and let out a dramatic gasp. “Oh, wow. I think this is the best popcorn I’ve ever had in my entire life. I mean, they really nailed the butter to salt ratio.” 

Bonnie sucked her teeth. “This is bullying,” she complained with an adorable pout. 

“Aww, Princess B thinks having to ask for someone else’s food is bullying,” Monique teased with a cackle. “It’s just called having manners .”  

“Whatever,” Bonnie grumbled.

Monique shook the box enticingly. “Anything you wanna ask me, Princess?” 

Bonnie sniffed. “No.” 

“Suit yourself,” Monique shrugged before pouring more popcorn into Kim’s hands and then emptying the last of the kernels into her mouth. 

Bonnie harrumphed and pouted for a few more moments before she sidled closer to Kim. “Hey, Kim, can I ask you something?” Her face was the picture of innocence. 

Kim’s eyes narrowed even as her heart fluttered at their proximity. Her co-captain was up to something. “Yeah, what’s up?”

Her eyes caught on something behind Kim. “Are Mina’s splits looking a little off to you?” 

Just as Kim turned to look, Bonnie’s hand moved in her periphery. She quickly stuffed the handful of popcorn into her mouth before Bonnie could swipe any. She and Monique laughed at Bonnie’s indignant scowl. “Gotta be quicker than that, Princess ,” Kim smirked. 

Bonnie’s lips twitched as she bit back a smile and shoved Kim’s arm. “Rude.” 

“Relax,” Monique dismissed. “Everybody knows Kim’s gonna buy you your own box,” she added, shooting Kim a sly grin. 

The tips of Kim’s ears heated as she laughed. “Might as well show me where you got it.” 

The three of them found a concessions vendor not too far from the warm up area. While they waited in the short line, Kim turned to Monique. “How’d you find us?”

“Bonnie texted me.”

Kim’s surprise must have been obvious, because Bonnie added a mildly defensive, “What? We text.”

A disbelieving laugh bubbled in Kim’s throat. “What the hell do you even talk about?”

“Mostly bitching about your–”

“Your fugly ass cropped jeans,” Bonnie interjected, shooting Monique a brief, indecipherable look. 

Kim let out a chuckle as she shook her head. “This again?”

“Of course this again! You refuse to heed our truly excellent fashion advice. We’re actually planning a heist so we can finally burn them.”

“I’m in charge of securing the matches,” Monique giggled as they reached the front of the line. 

As they strolled back after Kim paid for Bonnie’s popcorn, Kim ventured, “But what will you two talk about after the heist? Or is it one of those one time only jobs where you both toss your phones after it’s done?”

Monique gleefully played along. “Oh, the heist is just the first part! It’s a multi-pronged job.” 

“What’s the next prong? Gonna burn my cargo pants, too?”

“Your new look, obvi,” Bonnie replied. “I mean, you wore a teal tank yesterday like it’s still fucking spring. You clearly cannot be trusted to pick out your own wardrobe, you need our expertise. Don’t worry, I already started a mood board.”

“Oohh, you gotta show that to me, B.” 

Kim rolled her eyes playfully. “I don’t know how I feel about being double teamed like this. But I guess it’s nice to see you two getting along. Kinda.” 

As they rejoined the rest of the squad, Bonnie wandered off, chatting with a few other girls. An insistent buzzing from Monique’s purse, followed by a frustrated groan, pulled Kim’s attention. Her head tilted to the side as she assessed her best friend. “That asshole bugging you again?”

“Yeah,” she said in a voice so small and so unlike her, it made Kim’s heart ache. “But I don’t wanna talk about it right now.”

She quickly pulled her into a hug. “Sorry you dad’s such a dick.” 

“Ugh, me too,” she said, her voice muffled from where her face was pressed into Kim’s shoulder. “But there’s nothing like watching my bestie kick some cheerleader ass to help take my mind off it,” she pulled back with a cheeky smile. 

“The other teams won’t even know what hit them,” Kim grinned. 

After an event staffer gave them the thirty minute warning, the squad pulled out their uniforms to begin changing. When Kim pulled out her skirt, a sharp gasp caused her to spin around, her gaze frantically scanning her teammates to see if everyone was okay. “What, what’s wrong?”

“Your skirt is wrinkled , Kim!” Bonnie exclaimed. “Did you just ball it up and shove it to the bottom of your duffle?!” 

Kim looked down at the offending garment. It had, like, two wrinkles. “Uh–”

Bonnie snatched the skirt from her hands and took it to her own duffle bag, from which she produced a large handheld device. It was shaped like a hairdryer but instead of a rounded nozzle at the end, the tip was a flat rectangle. 

“Grab me some water,” Bonnie ordered as she laid Kim’s skirt flat on a bench. 

Kim quickly passed her a bottle, watching as Bonnie fiddled with the device. “What is that?”

“Portable fabric steamer,” Monique answered from beside Kim. They both watched as Bonnie filled a small reservoir in the device before pressing the power button. “Really smart to bring it, but don’t tell her I said that,” Monique added in a whisper.  

When it beeped, Bonnie pressed a button and a small puff of steam escaped. 

“What else did you bring? Your duffle is pretty heavy,” Kim asked. 

“Hair dryer, curling iron, flatiron, a sewing kit, extra hair ties, some hair spray,” she mumbled distractedly as she worked. In a few efficient moves, Bonnie removed the two wrinkles from the garment. “Here,” she said as she handed it back to Kim. “You should be good to go.”

“Thanks, Bonnie.” 

“You can thank me by folding your uniform next time,” she huffed. 

“Marcella’s and Jess’s tops need a quick steam too,” Monique offered as she waved the cheerleaders over. 

Once everyone was dressed and wrinkle free, Kim turned and saw Bonnie gazing off into the distance, brow creased and absently fiddling with the steamer. “You okay?” she asked in a low voice.

Bonnie blinked a few times before turning to look up at Kim. “Um, a little nervous, I guess. There’s a lot riding on this.” 

“Yeah, there is,” Kim agreed gently. “Which is why we’ve been working so hard. But, like I said, we can do this in our sleep.” 

“Yeah, I know.” Her teammate blew out a sigh. “It’s just…the waiting . It’s fucking excruciating. It’s fine when I have something to distract me, but we’re on in, like, ten minutes…”

“What helps distract you?”

“Steaming the uniforms, shit-talking the competition, hanging out with you and Monique–”

“And by hanging out, you mean teaming up to bully me about my clothes,” Kim interjected with a grin. 

“Well obviously . Kim, those pants are clearly a cry for help.” She gave Kim a slight smile. “What about you? Any nerves?”

“About the competition? No. About you and Mo picking out my wardrobe? Absolutely.” 

The furrow in Bonnie’s brow melted away with her laughter. “Don’t worry,” she leaned in, her voice dropping to a low murmur, “when I’m done with you, you’ll be even hotter.” 

Kim swallowed as a nervous flutter shot through her. She was saved from having to come up with a coherent response when one of the event volunteers stepped into the area. When they received the ten minute warning, Kim whistled for the squad’s attention.

“Okay, see you out there,” Monique rushed over to give Kim a final hug before turning to the rest of the squad. “Let’s go Mad Dogs!” The squad’s responding chorus of whoops and cheers followed her out the door. 

The Eastside Knights had just finished their routine, the cheerleaders excitedly skipping out of the performance arena to a soundtrack of whistles and cheers. Daisy came through the double doors last, her long blonde ponytail swinging as she slowed to a stop in front of Kim. 

“There’s no way you’re beating that,” she grinned, her face flushed from her performance, a light sheen of sweat on her brow.

“Keep walking, Tits McGee,” Bonnie dismissed with a flick of her fingers. 

Daisy rolled her eyes. “See you out there, Possible.” She blew a kiss before jogging after her team. 

The Middleton cheer squad entered the performance area to a dull roar from the stands. Kim plastered on her performance smile as she took her position in the front next to Bonnie. A cursory glance of the crowd revealed a sea of purple. The Middleton supporters were out in force. A genuine smile spread across her face as she made out Monique’s and Noah’s voices over the crowd, calling her name. 

As the first few notes of their performance track played, she shot Bonnie a wink before taking a deep breath. “Ready, okay!”

***

They won. 

By a lot. 

Kim couldn’t help her smug smile as she and Bonnie ascended the podium, bypassing Daisy and the captain from Lowerton, who’d come in second and third, respectively. 

When they returned to the squad with the trophy, Monique was already there, jumping up and down with Tara and Jess. She flung her arms around Kim’s neck, screaming in her ear. “You did it!!”

The only Middleton cheerleader not celebrating was Bonnie, who watched as her team screamed and jumped around. She just stood there, trophy in hand, her lips pulled down into a small frown. Kim wanted to kiss it. 

Kim released Monique and sidled up to Bonnie. “We just won, Bonnie! Why the frown?”

She sighed, “Sectionals was never the biggest hurdle, it’s always been Regionals. And I don’t know if this routine–”

Kim cut her off by firmly cupping Bonnie’s shoulders and ducking down to meet her eye. “You know, it’s okay to celebrate, right?”

Monique skipped over to join them. “Yeah, all work and no play makes Bonnie–”

“A very homicidal co-captain,” Kim finished. “And what do we need in order to win Regionals?” She gave Bonnie a pointed look. “Our teammates,” she answered in a stage whisper. “So let loose a little. Tara’s life depends on it!” 

But Bonnie just pursed her lips, refusing to join in on the frivolity. “Kim, we really need to–”

“C’mon, Bonnie, first place! We got first place!” she cheered as she gave Bonnie a gentle shake. 

“First place!” Monique piped in. 

Kim and Monique started chanting “first place” while dancing circles around Bonnie, getting increasingly louder and more obnoxious with their dance movies. Tara, who never needed an excuse to chant or dance, quickly joined in. Bonnie’s lips twitched with a reluctant smile at Kim’s aggressive shoulder shimmy, but her brow remained pinched.

“Our sick moves don’t seem to be helping, Mo,” Kim pouted playfully as she started doing the Robot.  

“Monique’s dancing is just fine,” Bonnie huffed. “Yours, however, needs to be put on life support.” 

“Not a fan of the Robot? How about some disco,” Kim pointed a finger up at the ceiling before bringing her arm down across her body to point at the floor. After yet another dancing revolution around her reticent co-captain, an approaching emerald green and black uniform caught Kim’s attention. 

“Oh! I know exactly what you need to get you into a celebratory mood,” she said with a mischievous smile. 

“What?” Bonnie asked, a cautiously interested brow creeping up her forehead. 

“You get to rub it in,” she whispered. When Bonnie’s eyes narrowed in confusion, Kim’s grin grew brighter. “Wait for it…” Keeping her eyes locked with Bonnie’s, she used her peripheral vision to track the movement behind her crush. “Three… two… one…”

“Kim freakin’ Possible,” Daisy drawled. 

“Daisy mystery-middle-name Duncan,” Kim answered, her eyes never leaving Bonnie’s. 

A lethal smirk slowly pulled Bonnie’s lips upward. “Aww, Kim. You shouldn’t have,” she murmured before spinning to face the Eastside captain. “Double D–” 

“Zip it, Rockwaller,” Daisy cut her off with a raised hand in her face. “I’m talking to Kim.” 

“Oop!” The confrontation immediately attracted Monique’s attention. “She did not just put her hand in your face,” she muttered to Bonnie as she stepped next to her.  

Bonnie turned to Monique. “Did she just?”

“She did, girl, she did!” 

Daisy, ignoring the other two girls, smiled up at Kim. “I just came by to say congrats. And, just to show you that there’s no hard feelings, my offer still stands. You know, the one about that date?”

Kim tried to think of a way to let her down gently, “Uh–”

“What part of ‘she has a girlfriend ’ is not clicking for you?” Bonnie snarled. “Did the fumes from all that bleach kill off a few brain cells?”

“What part of ‘I’m not talking to you ’ is so difficult for you to understand? Or do you not let your girlfriend speak for herself?” Daisy shot back, her features darkening for a moment before returning her attention to Kim. She stepped closer, twirling the end of her ponytail. “Anyway. What do you say, Kim? I’m sure you’re tired of the frostbite.” 

“Oh, uh–” 

A sharp, mocking laugh drew Kim’s gaze back to Bonnie, saving her from having to reply. She’d only traded a few barbs with Daisy so far, but Regionals already seemed far from her mind. Kim did a mental fistpump. 

“This is gonna be fun,” Bonnie purred. 

“Ooh, get her, B,” Monique encouraged with a devious smile. 

“Hey, Kim?” Bonnie turned, temporarily blinding Kim with her megawatt smile. Kim felt the corner of her mouth automatically pull upward in response. When their eyes met, her brain short-circuited, losing track of where she was, when she was, who she was. Her entire universe began and ended with the pair of dazzling eyes, now dancing with delightful mischief. She couldn’t look away. 

“Hold this for me?” Bonnie asked, holding out the trophy. 

Kim would do anything she asked. She was absolutely smitten . 

“You got it,” she replied as she grabbed the trophy. 

Bonnie moved until she stood next to Daisy and faced Kim. She leaned towards their opponent and said something, her voice too low to be heard over the cacophony of the performance area. But whatever she said caused both girls to look at Kim like she was under a microscope. Kim fought a blush as two pairs of eyes roamed over her, from head to toe. 

Monique leaned over and whispered, “What do you think she’s saying to her?” 

Bonnie continued to talk, a devastating smirk still curling her lips as she looked at Kim. With each quiet word, Daisy got more and more flustered, her cheeks reddening as she glanced between the two Middleton captains. 

“No clue.” 

Bonnie’s voice finally carried enough for them to hear. “Pretty hot, right?” When Daisy gave a dazed nod, Bonnie’s smirk grew. “Go ahead and take a mental picture. Because this is as close as you’ll ever get. To either.” Daisy’s face was a bright red as she spluttered. Bonnie shrugged as she walked back over to Kim and Monique. “I’d say sorry ‘bout it, but I’m really, really not. So, step off bitch.” 

Bonnie gave Kim another brilliant smile before turning back to face Daisy. Standing directly in front of Kim, she reached back and grabbed Kim’s wrist, bringing it up so Kim’s arm rested over her shoulder. Kim’s entire body hummed, from her scalp down to her toes. But especially, especially where Bonnie’s skin touched hers. The spots on her wrist underneath Bonnie’s fingertips, the inside of her forearm where it connected with smooth shoulder, it all burned . “Say goodbye, Kim,” she said, making Kim’s hand wave. 

“Goodbye, Kim,” she called, a silly grin on her face as she watched Bonnie blow Daisy a kiss. As manicured fingers left her lips, there was only one left outstretched. The middle one. Kim unsuccessfully attempted to stifle a guffaw as Daisy’s features morphed into a glare. The three friends laughed as Daisy averted her eyes and retreated into the crowd. 

Bonnie, still holding Kim’s wrist, turned so that Kim’s arm wrapped around her shoulders. She took a deep breath, smiling on the exhale. Her earlier tension had melted away.

“How do you feel?” Kim asked.

“Really, really good,” Bonnie gushed. As she leaned into Kim’s side for a few glorious seconds, Kim–and not even for the first time that day–found herself valiantly fighting the urge to kiss her. 

“Gimme some, bitch,” Monique chirped as she held out her hand for a low-five. “I’d say you put her in her place but she was already leaving with the silver trophy.” 

Bonnie plucked the trophy from Kim’s hand. “First place,” she said with a soft smile.  

“First fucking place,” Kim grinned at her.  

“First place!” Monique yelled. 

Tara, who hadn’t stopped dancing, picked up the chant. Soon, the entire squad chanted and danced as they passed the trophy around. 

The presence of an admiral blue and white uniform temporarily paused the celebratory chaos before happy screams rang out. Kiara had a sheepish smile as she hugged her former teammates. “I know I don’t go to Middleton anymore but I just couldn’t resist. I missed you guys!” she confessed. The hugs continued until she made it to Bonnie. 

A brief stare-off occurred before Bonnie’s face broke out into a half smirk. “Well. The competition is over so… Hey, Kiara.” 

Kiara laughed, pulling Bonnie into a hug. “Hey, bitch.” 

“That’s Captain Bitch now, actually,” she declared proudly. 

“ Co -captain!” Kim corrected with mock indignation as she tugged Kiara into a hug. 

Middleton supporters eventually joined the squad’s celebration, including, much to Kim’s delight, Miss Rochelle and Noah. 

“Kim!” Noah exclaimed as he hugged her. “If you’d told me about the competition earlier, I would have made your cake this morning!”

“I get cake?” Kim asked, her mouth already starting to water.

“Did you just win first place?” Miss Rochelle asked, her brown eyes sparkling as she pulled Kim down into a warm embrace. 

“Yes?”

“Then yes, you get cake,” Noah declared with a smile. “It’s a family tradition. Chelle and I just need to swing by the store.” 

“Can I–”

“No! You can’t have a whole cake to yourself!” Monique cut in, giving a playful eyeroll at Kim’s immediate pout. She turned to Bonnie, who was standing off to the side. “Does Her Royal Highness want cake, too?”

“I mean, I wouldn’t say no to a slice,” she replied with feigned non-chalance. 

“You can have two as long as you bring the mood board. I wanna do some brainstorming.”

“Deal,” Bonnie agreed. 

Noah quickly pulled Bonnie’s attention as he gushed about their moves and attempted to do a few of his own. Monique and Kim broke away to grab her and Bonnie’s bags, leaving Bonnie in her element as she explained proper pom-pom technique to a rapt Noah. 

“Hey, Kim? Quick question,” Monique asked in a low voice, threading their arms together as they made their way back to the warmup area. “Why does that bitch from Eastside think you and Bonnie are dating?”

“Honestly? I have no fucking clue.” 

—-END CHAPTER—-

Notes:

does bonnie seem a little obsessed with other girls’ tits to you? first it was Brooke, and now Daisy… 🤔

 

Also, this chapter was such a bitch and a half to write. I had to move through some absolute gnarly writer’s block where I knew what I wanted to write but just couldn’t. There was a lot I wanted to include in this chapter but writing it all just got harder and harder and I don’t want to have this really fun thing I’m doing to help keep me sane(ish) turn into a chore. So I cut the chapter! Anyway, I hope y’all enjoy. Thanks for sticking with this story. Still a lot more to come. All of the kudos and comments and bookmarks help remind me that my art is appreciated and it keeps me going. Ok byeeeeee

Chapter 13: Make Me Brave

Bonnie pulled her little blue car into the attached four car garage and slid into the space next to a covered car. “Ugh, I can’t wait to shower. I hate just sitting in sweat,” Bonnie groused as she climbed out of her seat.

“Take your time, it’s gonna take a while for the cake to be ready anyway,” Kim replied, hopping out of the car. She stretched her arms and nodded towards the covered car. “What’s this?” A thick layer of dust coated the fabric. From the shape, it looked to be covering some sort of sports car. Kim reached out to grab a corner and peek, but Bonnie’s sudden inhale halted her movement.

“Don’t.” Bonnie’s eyes lingered on the car. “It was my dad’s,” she said softly. 

Kim immediately dropped her hand. “Shit, I’m sorry.”

She looked up at Kim for a moment before sighing. “It’s okay, you didn’t know.” Her lips lifted with a ghost of a smile before her eyes moved back to the covered car. “I haven’t been able to look at it since…” Her mouth moved but no other words came out. 

Kim walked closer to her. “You don’t have to explain, Bonnie,” she soothed. 

“No, I…” Bonnie looked up and into Kim’s eyes. “I think I want to,” she finished, her voice going up at the end, almost as if she was asking a question. 

“Okay,” Kim replied softly. When she remained silent, Kim reached out and held her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. 

Bonnie squeezed back before inhaling a shaky breath. “A few days after he died, I came in here for something. It was early, and I was still pretty sleepy. But I walked in and saw his car sitting there. And for a moment, I forgot.” Her lower lip trembled. “I forgot he was gone. I forgot, and I was so excited to see him that I ran back inside to look for him. But he, um.” A few tears streamed down her cheek. “He wasn’t there. And I remembered.” She sniffled and used the tips of her fingers to wipe at the corners of her eyes. “Anyway. I came back in here and covered it up. I haven’t looked at it since.” 

Kim gently pulled her into a hug. Bonnie’s entire body was rigid as Kim embraced her, but her hands clutched at Kim’s back, her breath stuttering. Kim held her until her breathing slowed and evened out, until her body finally relaxed. 

Bonnie pulled back slightly, but remained in Kim’s arms. “Sorry,” she said as she wiped her eyes. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Kim murmured as she rubbed soothing circles against her back. 

“Ugh, now I really need to shower,” she backed away with a small laugh. “My eyes get all puffy and red if I don’t immediately wash my face after crying. I must look like a mess,” she huffed. 

“No, you don’t,” Kim reassured her. “You look,” she trailed off as her eyes traced the contours of her face. Tears clung to her dark lashes, glistening like starlight. Kim ached to tell Bonnie that she was breathtakingly beautiful, but that would be too much, too weird. “You look nice,” she finally said, shoving her hands into the pockets of her warmup pants. “You always look nice.”

Bonnie’s eyes narrowed. “Okay, now I know you’re just saying that because I cried. We’re literally standing under fluorescent lights.” Her dramatic eye roll didn’t stop her lips from twitching upward with a smile. “C’mon.” She turned and headed for the door. “You want to shower, too?”

“Nah, I’ll just shower at Mo’s.” 

“You sure? This house has, like, seven bathrooms.” 

“Yeah, I’m sure–wait,” Kim did a double-take, “seven?? Who needs seven bathrooms?!”

“Ugh, I know right,” hazel eyes rolled upward as she led them through the house towards a massive curving staircase. “This house is more of a status symbol than it is a home. Rockwallers in a nutshell.” 

Kim had never been upstairs before. Her eyes darted around, taking in as much detail as possible. The white carpet was plush, soft beneath her shoes. The walls were painted a light gray and were lined with tasteful yet emotionless artwork. There was no clutter, no shoes left out or papers strewn about like at Kim’s house. All of the surfaces were cleaned and polished to a sheen. The house seemed more like a fancy hotel than a place where people lived. 

The first sign of life and color was Bonnie’s room. It was an explosion of pinks. The walls looked like cotton candy, her bedding on her queen-sized canopy bed was a study in fuschia, and she even had a dark pink chaise lounge. It was pushed up against a wall next to a set of glass doors that led out into a small balcony. 

Bonnie tossed her bag onto the lounge and kicked off her shoes. “You sure you don’t want to shower here?”

Kim shook her head, “I don’t have any clean clothes in my bag, and I keep some stuff at Mo’s. She finally gave me a drawer since I practically live there anyway.” 

Bonnie shrugged before disappearing into the bathroom. 

As Kim looked around the room, she quietly noted a pattern. There were no pictures of Bonnie’s dad on display. Not in the house, and not even in her room. The only ones that Kim had seen were hidden away in paperbacks. Even his old car was covered up. She’d never lost a parent, so she was by no means an expert, but hiding him away didn’t seem like the healthiest way to deal with it.  

By the time Bonnie emerged fresh-faced and moisturized, Kim had given herself a complete tour of the room, including the balcony. When Bonnie was dressed, they both headed back downstairs. 

They stopped in the kitchen where Bonnie grabbed them each a blue sports drink, dropping a straw into her bottle. As they leaned against the kitchen island, a comfortable silence stretched between them. Kim’s eyes wandered the spacious room before landing on the spot right next to the kitchen sink. She shifted as her mind flashed back to their hickey lesson. She gave herself a mental shake, admonishing her brain for the inappropriate timing. 

Clearing her throat, she turned and looked at Bonnie, about to say something, anything, to clear the mental image of a beautiful, brown neck covered with a constellation of bruises. But Bonnie was staring at the same spot, her hand absently touching her neck, just next to her pulse point. There was something about her face that gave Kim pause. It reminded Kim of the expression she had when she was whispering in Daisy’s ear. 

“What did you say to her?” Kim asked.

“Hmm?” Bonnie hummed, her hand dropping as she met Kim’s eye. 

“What did you say to Daisy?”

“Oh, that,” she snorted. “Honestly, some of my best work.”

Kim’s gaze narrowed playfully. “Do I even want to know what you said to make her leave like that?” Kim asked before taking another swig of her drink.

“I just dangled what she so desperately wants and can’t have right in front of her face. Which is first place,” she smirked, a single brow lifting, “and you.”

Kim was incredibly grateful that Bonnie had waited to whip out that smile until after she’d already swallowed the liquid in her mouth. Because she definitely would have choked. And then died. Yeah, that smirk would definitely be the death of her. 

Instead, her throat suddenly felt dry, despite having already downed half her drink. “How–” it came out in an almost squawk. She quickly cleared her throat. “How exactly did you ‘dangle’ me? I was just kinda standing there,” she asked, smiling as she took another sip. 

“By telling her how good you are with your mouth.”

Kim did choke this time, drops of the unnaturally blue liquid went down the wrong way with her surprised inhale. This was it. This was how she died. In Bonnie’s enormous kitchen. Cause of death? She was simply too gay to function. Especially when her crush said things like that. 

As she coughed to clear the liquid from her lungs–perhaps it was the gay gods’ cruelest joke, or perhaps a simple kindness on her deathbed–Bonnie reached up and began rubbing her back. Her hand made long, firm strokes across her back until the coughing subsided. Bonnie rubbed until Kim’s lungs relaxed and she was able to take complete breaths again. It looked like she would survive after all. 

“Don’t worry,” Bonnie soothed, her voice low and brow pinched with concern. “I didn’t give her any specifics. I know how you are about your manners. Okay?”

Manners isn’t what made Kim choke, but she didn’t dare correct the assumption. Though her breathing had calmed, Kim wasn’t ready to trust her voice to not waver. Especially with Bonnie standing so close and touching her. So she merely nodded. 

“I only told her just enough to make her squirm before I went in for the kill,” Bonnie said, pride coloring her voice. 

“Wow,” her voice crackled, still slightly strained from her near-death experience. “You have this bullying thing down to an art form.”

Bonnie let out an indignant huff. “It’s not bullying if it’s deserved, Kim. And the bitch definitely deserved it. Ugh, I can’t stand skanks like her!” 

“Why didn’t you just tell her we aren’t dating? She probably would have backed off, I think she was just doing that stuff to mess with you. You know, throw you off your game?”

“Because it’s the principle of the matter! It’s just so, like, totally heinous to keep pursuing someone after you find out they’re already taken, and she was relentless.” She paused her tirade to angrily take a sip of her drink. “Besides, I was doing Maddie–”

“Mandy–”

“Whatever–a favor. You’d have been in even more trouble if the bitch knew your girlfriend wasn’t standing right there.”

Baffled, Kim’s brows furrowed. “What? How?”

“You’re–and I’m not trying to be mean here, just honest–absolutely helpless around girls, Kim. 

“Hey!” Kim protested.

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s kind of cute that you get all tongue-tied and can’t form complete sentences–”

“That’s not true!”

“Oh, really?” Bonnie asked. “So, ‘um,’ is your idea of a complete sentence? Aren’t you supposed to have a perfect GPA?”

“Well, I–” Kim spluttered, her face burning. “I’m–I’m pretty sure I asked her about her last name. That was a complete sentence.” 

Bonnie rolled her eyes and raised an unimpressed brow. “Doesn’t count.” 

Bewildered, Kim threw her hands up. “Doesn’t count?!” 

“Nope. Because when she asked you out–both times!–not a single complete sentence in sight! All you had to say was ‘step off, bitch, I have a girlfriend,’ and you didn’t.” 

“Okay, I’ve never once said the phrase, ‘step off, bitch,’ in my life.”

Bonnie swatted Kim’s arm. “Ugh, you’re missing the point on purpose, but fine! A simple, ‘no thanks, I have a girlfriend,’ would have sufficed. But you couldn’t even manage that, now could you?”

“I was totally gonna tell her no,” Kim pushed back, folding her arms over her chest. “You just kept interrupting before I could say anything.”

“I highly doubt that,” Bonnie scoffed. 

Kim threw up her hands. “Based on what?!” 

“Based on the fact that I’ve literally never seen you tell a girl no. Let’s see.” There was a triumphant look in her eye while she used her fingers to keep count. “You used the back entrance to the gym for weeks just to avoid girls. When Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle-fucking-Dumber cornered you in the parking lot, all you did was shrug until they left. And then there’s the whole Daisy disaster. None of those times did you actually say the word ‘no!’” 

Kim opened her mouth to protest, but then it hit her. She’d never actually had to turn a girl down before. But again, she was still very much a baby gay. Perhaps even an infant gay–a ginfant? Hell, one of the reasons she was fake-dating Mandy was because she couldn’t say no, especially when Mandy had looked at her with those big, pleading eyes. Bonnie was right…but she’d never tell her that. “I maintain that I would have told Daisy no–”

“Oh! So the word ‘no’ is actually in your vocabulary–”

“If!” Kim cut her off, “you were able to keep your mouth shut for three fucking seconds!” 

“Oh, yeah?” Bonnie asked with that devastating brow still raised. 

“Yeah,” Kim declared hotly.  

“Prove it.”

“Prove that I was gonna say no to Daisy? How? I don’t have a time machine, and I’m pretty sure we’re never going to see her again, especially after today.”

“Mmm, true,” Bonnie replied thoughtfully. She chewed on her straw, assessing Kim for a few moments. “I got it! Just pretend I’m Daisy, and show me what you were totally gonna say.” She closed her eyes dramatically and raised a hand to her temple. 

“What–”

“Shh! I’m channeling that skank-asaurus.” Opening one eye, she peeked at Kim, “Give me your hair-tie." 

“Okay?” Kim mumbled, confused laughter bubbling out of her as Bonnie grabbed her hand and slid the extra hair-tie off her wrist. 

A smirk spread across Bonnie’s face while she pulled her shoulder-length locks into a ponytail. When the tie snapped into place, she moved until she stood directly in front of Kim. “Okay, just use your imagination and pretend that my absolutely, stunningly perfect hair is bleached to hell, split ends, the whole nine yards.” Kim chuckled as Bonnie exaggeratedly swished her ponytail a few times. “Oh! Also, you’re gonna have to pretend that I’m smuggling a few cantaloupes in my bra, ‘cause we’re fresh out of melon.” When she cupped the air in front of her chest, Kim doubled over with laughter. 

When Kim finally recovered enough to straighten up, Bonnie grinned at her before blinking rapidly in a comical reenactment of Daisy’s flirtation. “Kim freakin’ Possible,” she drawled in a nasal, high-pitched voice. “We should totally go out,” she continued, twirling her ponytail around her finger.  

Delighted by this more playful side of Bonnie, Kim decided to amp up the dramatics. Using her index fingers, she made the sign of the cross as she shouted, “Get back, you wicked witch of Eastside!” Bonnie’s surprised peal of laughter only egged her on. “You’ll never take me alive!” She used her arms and boosted herself upward. “I have a girlfriend,” she shouted before vaulting over the kitchen island. 

“Kim,” Bonnie managed between giggles. “What the fuck?”

“That feels like a pretty effective way to shut Daisy down,” Kim replied with a lopsided grin. 

“That’s what you were gonna do with Daisy?” Bonnie asked skeptically.

Kim shrugged, “Something like that.” 

Bonnie laughed as she shook her head. “As impressive as it was to see you clear the entire island, I have a feeling that won’t work for every girl,” she teased. “You’re not always going to be able to backflip or grappling hook your way out, Kim.” 

“Psht, I can handle telling girls ‘no’ just fine, Bonnie,” Kim dismissed and walked back around the kitchen island. 

“Sure, Kim,” Bonnie replied skeptically. 

“I can handle it,” she insisted. 

Bonnie picked up her drink and took a judgmental sip. “Mmm, no. I don’t think you can handle it for real.” 

The lingering disbelief rankled. “Oh, fuck off, I can totally handle it,” she shot back. 

Bonnie leaned forward. “Then prove it. Prove that you’re not totally helpless.”

“How the hell am I supposed to do that?”

Bonnie hummed thoughtfully, her head tilting to the side while she looked at Kim. “I’m gonna pretend to ask you out. But you have to take it seriously, this time.” 

Oh, shit. “…What?” 

“I’m gonna ask you out,” Bonnie repeated. She set her drink down. “And all you have to do is tell me no–actually, you know what? I’ll go easy on you, you don’t even have to say no. If you can manage to get out a complete sentence, then I’ll believe you.”

A faint ‘um’ escaped Kim’s lips as her brain short circuited. 

“Be serious, no gymnastics, just use your words, okay?”  

How the hell did she keep ending up in these situations? “Uh…”

“An ‘uh’ and an ‘um’ so soon? I haven’t even started yet,” Bonnie smirked. “You’re already proving my point here, Kim.” 

Suddenly, Bonnie’s entire demeanor changed like a switch had been flipped. Her smile slowly turned flirtatious, as she prowled closer into Kim’s space. Kim felt herself automatically back up until the edge of the kitchen counter pressed into her lower back, her hands braced behind her. 

“Hey, Kim?” Bonnie rested her hand on Kim’s forearm. Kim felt her hands grip the countertop so hard her knuckles must have turned white. 

“Yeah?” she gulped.

Bonnie looked up at Kim through her thick lashes. “You should take me out. On a date.” 

“Uh,” Kim muttered. She couldn’t focus on anything other than Bonnie when she looked at her like that. C’mon, brain! Just say the words!! But for the life of her, she couldn’t remember what she was supposed to say. She couldn’t remember a damn thing as she watched Bonnie’s teeth sink into her lower lip. “Hmm?” 

“Come on, Kim, use those words,” Bonnie coaxed. “Don’t you have a girlfriend or something?”

Dazed, Kim managed a nod. 

“Yes, you’ll take me out? Or yes, you have a girlfriend,” Bonnie asked, a smile teasing her lips. “This is why words are so important.” 

With her face growing hotter by the second, Kim cleared her throat. “Yes?”

“Yes…what? Come on, give me a complete sentence, more than one word.” Her arm slid higher up Kim’s arm until it rested on her shoulder, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake. “Or,” she drew the word out as her other hand made a similar path up Kim’s arm to her shoulder. A quiet buzzing filled her ears as Bonnie swayed forward, ever so slightly, into her space. As her eyes dipped to Bonnie’s mouth, it struck Kim just how easy it would be to lean in and brush those lips with her own. Her gaze tracked the movement of Bonnie’s tongue as it swept over her bottom lip, catching a glimpse of blue. “You could just admit that I’m right.” 

Okay, anyyyyy words at this point, she pleaded with her brain. With a truly herculean effort, she forced her jaw to open and willed words to come out. “Your tongue is blue,” she finally blurted. There! That was a complete sentence. She felt better than she had after winning Sectionals. 

Heart still pounding, Kim grinned proudly as Bonnie dropped her arms with a slight pout. “I actually think this is the part where you admit that I’m right. Because I’m pretty sure that was a complete sentence.” She poked Bonnie’s nose. 

Bonnie slapped her hand away, pursing her lips. “I’m not admitting shit because the bar was literally on the ground. So congrats on not tripping over it.” 

Before Kim could reply, the Kimmunicator buzzed with a new text from Monique. “Cake’s ready, and Mo said to remind you to bring the mood board,” she announced. 

Kim pulled Bonnie’s car out of the garage while Bonnie darted upstairs. When Bonnie climbed into the passenger seat, Kim looked over. Upon seeing a very large binder, she remarked, “Wow, I kinda thought you were joking about the whole new wardrobe thing.”

Bonnie scoffed and shot her an offended look. “I don’t joke about fashion, Kim.” 

***

Kim clutched her very full belly with a groan. In addition to the three large slices of celebratory red velvet cake, she’d also put away two plates of spaghetti, heaps of salad, and almost an entire loaf of garlic bread. She was so glad she’d changed into her comfiest sweatpants after her shower. Noah had insisted that she and Bonnie eat as much as they wanted; he'd made plenty after seeing how hard they’d worked during the competition. It helped that Kim simply adored his cooking. 

Kim and Monique started cleaning up the kitchen, moving around each other with practiced efficiency. “I don’t know what kind of magic you use but everything you’ve made has been, like, literally the best food I’ve ever had,” Kim gushed to Noah while she stacked the dirty plates. “I mean, I’ve had spaghetti, like, a million times, and it’s never tasted that good.” 

“It’s called seasoning,” Monique cackled as she started loading the dishwasher. 

A snort burst from Bonnie, drawing Kim’s gaze to where she sat at the table, still picking at Kim’s abandoned fourth slice of cake. She watched as Bonnie pressed fingers to her lips to stifle any more sound. Kim beamed at her, glad to see her more relaxed. 

When they had first arrived at Monique’s house, Bonnie was the most restrained Kim had ever seen her. Her usual aloof demeanor had vanished as soon as they’d pulled up in the driveway. She was very polite, but remained at the sidelines, simply observing the good-natured ribbing tossed between Kim, Monique, Noah, and Miss Rochelle. But during dinner, Noah was able to pull her into the conversation. He put his chin in his hand and invited her in, the same way Monique did with Kim. They both had the ability to make whoever they looked at feel like the most important person in the world. And when he mentioned he was a screenwriter, Bonnie’s eyes had widened slightly before she engaged him in a very intense conversation about film, then art, then dance. Kim was a little lost but knew they must be talking about ballet when she heard them mention Alvin Ailey. 

“I knew you had a ballet background,” Noah exclaimed triumphantly. “I called it as soon as I saw y’all’s routine, didn’t I, Chelle? Ballet dancers just…move a certain way.”

Miss Rochelle nodded with an affectionate eyeroll. “One of his exes did ballet.” 

“Ah, he was so pretty and graceful…strong, too.” Noah smiled wistfully before shaking his head, his dark curls bouncing. “But he was such a diva, it was exhausting.” 

At this, Monique and Miss Rochelle shared a look. “Um, Uncle Noah, have you met you?” Monique asked.

“Exactly! There’s only room for one prima donna in my relationships, and that’s me,” he declared. He moved his hand as if to flip his hair, even though his coils weren’t nearly long enough to be flipped. 

“That sounds perfectly reasonable to me,” Bonnie agreed. 

“Of course it does, princess,” Kim muttered, causing Monique to snicker. Bonnie stuck her tongue out at them before immediately swiping the last piece of bread from Kim’s plate. 

Kim started the kettle for the customary post-meal mint tea, while Monique and Bonnie wandered into the den, giant fashion binder in hand. When the tea was ready, she poured some for Miss Rochelle and Noah. They both accepted their mugs with a smile. 

Miss Rochelle had her planner out. “When’s the next competition?” she asked as she blew on her tea. 

“End of November,” Kim replied, preparing two more mugs. “But it’s all the way in Denver, so…” She trailed off, not wanting to get her hopes up. 

“Oh, Denver’s only a few hours away. We’ll have a mini road trip!” Noah exclaimed. 

Their excitement and offer of support put a big smile on Kim’s face, and she gave them a few more details. With the mugs in hand, she left the kitchen and found Bonnie and Monique on the living room couch, their heads pressed together as they looked through the giant binder. The binder overflowed with magazine clippings and color swatches. 

Kim plopped down onto the floor next to them. Monique had her sketch book and was making long strokes across the page. “Okay, here’s what I’m thinking,” she said after setting down her charcoal pencil. She turned the sketchpad toward Bonnie and Kim, revealing a couple of fashion sketches. 

One figure was wearing slightly baggy pants with a tighter top. Not too different from her mission outfit. “Okay this one is the classic Kim silhouette, just updated a little bit,” Monique explained. “But you gotta mix it up.” She pointed to the second figure. It had tight pants and a looser top. “It’s a different silhouette but the same ‘you’ vibe.”

“Huh, that actually looks like something I’d wear,” Kim said, pleasantly surprised. 

“Well duh,” Monique replied. “It’s your wardrobe, dummy. What’d you expect?” 

“I don’t know, something like what you two wear? Like, fancy scarves and skirts and stuff?”

“Is that what you want?” Monique asked, head tilting to the side. “You’ve always had a tomboy-slash-sporty vibe, but if you’re looking to switch it up, just say the word.” 

“Please,” Bonnie huffed as she took the sketchpad. “I’ve seen her in a dress, like, twice, and the only reason she regularly wears a skirt is because it’s literally part of our cheer uniform.” 

“I guess I just didn’t know what to expect with you two involved.” Kim shrugged, “But that looks fine, I just wanna be comfortable.” 

“Told ya,” Bonnie quipped. She studied the sketches for a beat before flipping back a few pages. Her eyebrows shot up. “Wow, you’re, like, really good at this.”

Monique let out an exaggerated gasp. “Is that a complement? Pour moi?” she asked as she placed her hand on her chest. 

“Shut up,” Bonnie replied with a laugh, nudging Monique’s shoulder. “I can always insult you, if that makes you feel better.” Smirking, she grabbed Kim’s mug and stole a sip. As soon as the liquid hit her tongue, she recoiled. “Eww, what is that?”

“Mint tea with a fuckton of sugar,” Kim laughed as she took the mug back. Bonnie looked at Kim like she’d suddenly grown three heads. “What? Doesn’t taste half bad when it’s sweet enough.”

“Since when do you drink tea?”

Kim shrugged, “Miss Rochelle says it’s good for digestion, she’s a nurse.” 

Bonnie’s head swiveled to Monique. “Wait, your mom’s a nurse?” At Monique’s nod, recognition sparked in Bonnie’s eyes. “Does she work at the med spa?”

“Yeah…how the hell did you know that?”

“I think I remember seeing her–my mother’s been going there for the last 3 years,” Bonnie offered with an eyeroll. “If they had frequent flyer miles, she’d have enough to get an entirely new face.” 

Kim spluttered a surprised laugh. “Now I’m imagining a punch card, but for like, lipo.” 

Monique giggled, “Or a BOGO for botox.” 

That one did Bonnie in; a loud cackle spilled out of her mouth and she doubled over, her shoulders shaking. Even after she recovered and got into a spirited debate about color palettes with Monique, her lips remained upturned in a smile. Kim sat on the floor watching her two friends collaborate, the sounds of their friendly bickering kept a matching smile on her face. 

Eventually, both Kim and Bonnie had trouble keeping their eyes open. The combination of physical exertion, a carb overload, and the strong scent of palo santo that hung in the air, caught up to them. After Monique’s casual suggestion that Bonnie just spend the night, they found themselves on the floor of Monique’s room on a nest of pillows and blankets–Monique’s bed wasn’t big enough for three. 

Bonnie, in Kim’s borrowed soccer shorts and Middleton swim team shirt, let out a contented sigh. She propped her chin on her folded arms as she lay on her belly. “Your family…” 

Monique laughed, slipping her bonnet over her hair. “I know, I know, we can get pretty rowdy.”

“No, I just…I didn’t know a family dinner could be like that.”

“Like what?” Monique asked. 

“Just,” Bonnie trailed off, searching for the right words. “You all actually seem to like each other.”

Monique grinned at her. “Yeah, we’re pretty tight.” She sighed and flopped backwards into her pillows. “It wasn’t always like this…especially when my dad was around. But I’m glad we got here.” She let loose a big yawn before asking, “What’s your family like?”

“The complete opposite,” Kim heard Bonnie mumble as she let her head fall onto her pillow, her eyes drifting shut. 

***

Kim gazed cautiously at the lump of blankets atop Monique’s bed. Though they’d all fallen asleep on the floor, sometime during the night, Bonnie’d moved to the bed and burrowed underneath several blankets. As she sat on the edge of the mattress, she tapped her chin, contemplating her next move. She’d already made the mistake of trying to gently shake Bonnie’s shoulder, but had instead grabbed an extremely ticklish foot and had only narrowly dodged a retaliatory kick. 

Gently placing a hand on what felt like Bonnie’s back, she whispered, “Hey, Bonn–” 

A hand sprung free of the blankets and swung around until it clasped over Kim’s mouth. Kim’s surprised laugh was met with force, the hand shoving her face away until she quieted down. 

Kim glanced at the cup of iced espresso she’d placed next to her drink on the nightstand. She’d woken up early enough to run out and grab coffee for her and Bonnie and a chai latte for Monique. Trying a different tactic, she grabbed the now sweating cup and shook it. The blankets moved until brown hair appeared. That seemed to do the trick. Bonnie, with hair in her sleepily scowling face, cracked one eye open and locked onto the cup. She quickly swiped it before pulling the covers back over her head. Less than a minute later, the hand deposited the cup on the mattress, now empty, save for the ice. 

When Kim’s soft chuckle escaped–apparently too loud for the absolute silence a still-waking Bonnie needed–the covers whipped back and Bonnie promptly shoved Kim off the bed. 

She landed with a thump and an oof, as the air wooshed out of her lungs. “Ow,” she giggled from the floor. A bleary-eyed Bonnie peeked over the edge of the bed down at Kim, a small, satisfied smile pulling at her lips. 

“So…not a morning person, huh?” Kim asked as she slid her hands under her head, cushioning it against the floor. 

The bathroom door opened and Monique stepped into the room, steam billowing into the room from behind her. She laughed at the sight of Kim and Bonnie. “Why are you on the floor?” she asked as Bonnie slipped past her into the bathroom. 

“I brought her espresso, and she pushed me off the bed,” Kim chuckled. “I think Her Majesty requires absolute silence in the morning.” 

“Ha! Yeah, that tracks,” Monique replied, climbing over Kim and onto the bed. She passed Kim her drink before laying on her stomach with hers, head hanging over the edge of the bed so she could look at Kim while they chatted. 

“I’ve got the closing shift today, so I can hang for a bit before I need to go in.”

“Okay, cool. I’ll just head out whenever you do–” she paused, sniffing the air as a heavenly aroma reached her nostrils. “Ohmygod, is Noah making french toast?”

“Smells like it!” Monique replied and hopped off the bed. 

They raced to the kitchen, calling cheerful greetings to Miss Rochelle, who was already at her usual seat at the table, and Noah, who was flipping a beautifully crispy piece of toast onto a large stack. 

When Bonnie finally emerged, she perched in the chair next to Kim and dug in. Breakfast was as boisterous as dinner, with plenty of teasing, laughter, and warmth.

Kim was already halfway through her second serving when the house phone rang out. Noah grabbed it from its cradle in the wall, still laughing at one of his own jokes when his smile suddenly dropped. His dimples disappeared and his usually warm brown eyes hardened. “Why are you calling here?” he demanded. The room fell silent; everyone’s attention shifted to him. 

“There’s no reason for you to call this house, if you want to speak with her, she has a cell–” he cut off as the voice on the phone got louder. Kim felt Monique stiffen beside her. She turned and saw her friend exchanging a glance with her mom, Miss Rochelle’s face etched with concern. “If she’s not taking your calls, then she doesn’t want to talk to you. So take the goddamn–”

“I got it, Uncle Noah.” Monique stood and crossed the room, holding out her hand. Noah seemed reluctant to part with the phone but relented when Monique repeated softly, “I got it.” She took the phone and stepped around the corner. She couldn’t get far with the length of the cord but spoke low enough that she couldn’t be overheard. 

“He knows not to call here, it’s one of the main reasons she has her own phone,” Noah fumed as he cut into a piece of toast with a little more force than necessary. 

“I’m sure he has a good reason,” Miss Rochelle murmured into her tea. 

Kim turned and saw Bonnie with her brow furrowed, eyes darting between everyone. When they landed on Kim, her head tilted inquisitively. Kim mouthed, “Her dad.” Bonnie’s mouth dropped open in a brief “oh” before she nodded. 

Everyone’s eyes were on Monique when she walked back into the room. When she hung up the phone, her back remained turned and she just stood there for several long moments. 

“Mo?” Kim called out gently. “Everything okay?” 

Monique turned and when she shook her head, Miss Rochelle rushed over. “He’s um. He’s been sick,” her voice trembled. “And now he’s in the hospital.”

“Come here, baby,” Miss Rochelle cooed as her arms wrapped around her daughter. 

Noah got up and joined them, his arms wrapping around them both. “Oh, Nikki, I’m so sorry. Do you know what’s wrong with him?”

“It’s his liver. Apparently it’s been giving him some trouble for a while now and,” Monique said something, too low for Kim to make out. But whatever she said caused both adults to freeze and pull back. 

“He what?” Miss Rochelle asked, something fierce in her demeanor. 

“He wants your liver?!” Noah’s expression was thunderous. “Absolutely not.”

“Mama, Uncle Noah, please,” Monique pleaded, extricating herself from their grip. 

“What the hell does he think?” Miss Rochelle fumed. “Just because you share half his DNA doesn’t mean he has the right–” 

“But he’s my dad.” Monique’s weak interruption drew a scoff from Noah. 

“He may be your father, but he hasn’t been your dad. Not for a long time,” Noah countered. Monique recoiled as hurt flashed across her face. Noah sighed, his anger receding and regret filling his eyes as he placed his hand on her shoulder. “Nikki, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t–”

But Monique shrugged his hand off and left the room. Her footsteps traveled down the hallway until the sound of the front door slamming shut echoed throughout the house. Miss Rochelle winced while Noah let out a frustrated and remorseful, “shit.”

Kim’s chair scraped against the floor when she stood. She shot Miss Rochelle a sympathetic smile before following her friend outside. She found her sitting on the porch swing, posture slumped and bare feet dangling. Kim joined her and put an arm around her shoulders, their thighs touching. Kim placed a socked foot on the floor and pushed off, gently swinging them back and forth. 

A heavy silence, interspersed with the faint creaking of the swing, surrounded them for a few long moments. It was interrupted by the sound of the front door. Kim looked up and watched Bonnie lean a hip against the porch railing while she nibbled on a piece of french toast. 

When Bonnie opened her mouth to speak, Monique quickly cut her off. “I really, really don’t wanna talk about it, B.” 

“That’s cool with me,” Bonnie shrugged. “I was just gonna ask if you wanted to initiate phase one of the heist.” 

Monique’s head shot up. “What?”

Bonnie smirked, her eyes darting to Kim before returning to Monique. “You know, where we finally free Kim from the evil clutches of capri pants?”

When a surprised laugh burst from Monique, Kim felt her face break out in a smile. A distraction seemed like the perfect thing right now, even if it meant Kim would have to endure more jabs about her fashion. She’d happily take the teasing if it put the smile back on Mo’s face.

“I’ll even come with for your shift so you can do phase two.” Kim offered. “My new look can come from Club Banana, right?” 

Monique’s reply was interrupted. “Excuse you–we will come with you for your shift,” Bonnie glared at Kim. “How dare you try to deprive me of shopping! I’ve never done anything to you in my life, how can you be so cruel!”

“Uh, you literally shoved me off the bed after I got you coffee,” Kim deadpanned. “And you didn’t even say thank you.” 

“Exactly! I’ve been so nice this weekend!” Bonnie’s dramatics had the three of them laughing. 

“Alright,” Monique grinned. “Let’s do it. The whole heist.” 

Bonnie’s smile was angelic. “Nothing like a little arson and a shopping spree to take your mind off of family bullshit, trust me.” 

Monique hopped off the swing with a cheerful, “Arson!”

“Wait. Trashing my clothes is fine, but you guys are totally kidding about burning them, right?” Kim asked.

But neither girl answered. Instead, they began chanting. “Arson, arson!” 

“…Right?!”

***

Luckily, they were kidding. The two fashion experts managed to clear about half of Kim’s closet with no fire involved–only two very large trash bags. 

Kim had just finished tossing the bags down the stairwell to her room when she heard Monique’s phone buzz. The levity they’d cultivated during the closet clean-out vanished in an instant. The phone buzzed only once; a text message. Kim crossed the room and sat down on her bed next to Monique. She squeezed her friend’s hand as Monique cautiously flipped open her phone. When she read the message, she blew out a sigh. “It’s just my mom.” After firing off a quick reply, she snapped the phone shut and flopped backwards onto the duvet. “What the fuck am I supposed to do?” Her voice was thick, like her throat was closing up. 

Kim shrugged helplessly and lay down next to her. 

Monique turned to look at her. “I mean, I know exactly what Kim Possible would do. You’ve got that whole hero complex thing going on.” 

Kim gave a soft laugh. “Yeah, I’d probably give my dad a piece of my liver. For sure my mom and the twins. Most definitely you, Mo. Hell, I’d even throw in a kidney,” she said with a smile. 

“Aww, thanks,” Monique laughed despite her watery eyes. “Everyone can get your liver but only your bestie gets a kidney.” She sighed, her smile dropping. “I'm sure you’d donate to my dad, too. Even though he’s an asshole.”

“Nope,” Kim corrected. “I wouldn’t give anything to him. I’m still tempted to call my elephant guy.”

“Why not? I thought saving everyone–even random-ass people–was your whole brand?”

Kim squeezed her hand. “‘Cause fuck him, that’s why.” 

Monique’s lower lip wobbled before she quickly turned to face the ceiling. Kim matched her movement and her eyes caught on the glow-in-the-dark stars affixed to the ceiling. They weren’t that visible in the daylight, almost blending in with the off-white paint, but she found them out of habit. Her dad stuck them there years ago–back when he was still convinced that she’d turn out just like him, head in the stars and desperate to touch the universe. Before he’d lost interest. Their relationship might have been lacking, but she’d still donate an organ.

Kim’s thoughts were interrupted by Bonnie sitting down on the bed perpendicular to her and Monique. She was upright until Kim pulled at her shoulder and tugged her down until her head rested next to theirs on the bed. 

“What about you, B?”

“Well. My dad’s dead,” was Bonnie’s blunt reply. “So there’s not exactly an organ I could donate that’ll fix that.”

Monique sat up and turned to face Bonnie. “Oh. I’m so sor–”

“Don’t fucking look–just lay back down,” Bonnie interrupted through clenched teeth. “Don’t make it a thing, okay?”

“Oh-okay.” 

Only when Monique settled back down, did Bonnie continue. “But to answer your question, if we had a time machine, and there was anything I could give him that would fix a stupid fucking brain aneurysm, I’d do it in a heartbeat.”

“So,” Monique started slowly. “I should do everything I can just to make sure mine doesn't die?” 

Kim felt Bonnie shake her head against the mattress. “No, I'd never say that. Because I know what it's like having a shitty parent, too. I’m tempted to say I wouldn't even piss on that bitch if she was on fire–”

Kim let out a startled chuckle and Monique groaned, “ew, I did not need that visual.”

Bonnie laughed. “But that wouldn't be true. I mean, I'd definitely hesitate. But it’s not because I'm under any delusions about her or our relationship. I’m just not really interested in being a fucking orphan.”

After a few silent beats, Monique covered her face and let out a frustrated noise. “This is all just…so very fucked up. Part of me is so pissed that he’s asking for a literal piece of me when he hasn't even bothered to actually be my fucking dad for years. But the other part of me is just like: that’s my dad; I don’t want him to die.”

“Yeah, I get it,” Bonnie said in a soft murmur. 

“You don’t have to decide anything right this second,” Kim said gently. “And you don’t have to decide it all by yourself; your mom and Noah are, like, the best adults I know, and they love you so much.”

“Ugh, I know, but I’m still mad at them.” She sat up and glanced at the clock on Kim’s nightstand. “Ooh, we gotta go. For once, I’m actually glad I have a shift today.” 

***

The shift was a breeze. Kim easily fell back into the rhythm of working with her best friend, and the addition of Bonnie kept the shift entertaining. During the lulls in customer traffic, the two unlikely friends got a kick out of shoving Kim into a changing room and making her try on different outfits. The empty space in Kim’s closet would soon be filled with the pile of new clothes Monique and Bonnie selected for her (with the help of Club Banana’s generous employee discounts). 

Bonnie left about halfway through the shift, haughtily stating that, since Kim’s new wardrobe was complete, her work there was done. The most surprising thing, however, was right before she walked out, she gave Monique a hug. It was brief, but Kim overheard her quiet, “Sorry your dad sucks,” and Monique’s, “Sorry your mom sucks.” Bonnie playfully flipped Kim off and left, throwing a “Later, retail workers,” over her shoulder while she flounced out of the store. 

After their shift, Monique pulled up to Kim’s house and threw her Jeep into park. After killing the radio, she dropped her head onto the steering wheel for a few moments. Kim pulled her into a hug, as much as she could from the front seat of the vehicle.

“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“What?” Monique pulled back. “No, girl. Your ass is sleeping over, I need to be the little spoon.”

Kim grinned at her. “Done.” 

“But I do need some time to talk to Mama and Uncle Noah.”

“Okay.” Kim pressed a kiss to her cheek, right against her dimple. “Text me when you’re ready.”

She’d just finished hanging up her new clothes when the Kimmunicator buzzed. “That was quick,” she mumbled, pulling out the device and expecting to see a text from her best friend. It was Bonnie. 

Bonnie: are u still w monique?

Kim: no, home now. she needed time with her fam to talk about stuff so im heading over later

Bonnie: u busy?

Kim: nope

Bonnie: i need ur help w something 

Kim: u ok?

Bonnie: yeah

Kim was halfway through composing a concerned response with another message buzzed.

Bonnie: come over

She was already on the stairs when she sent her reply. 

Kim: omw

When Kim pulled up to Bonnie’s house, she was surprised to find Bonnie sitting on the front steps. She approached while Kim was unbuckling her helmet. Her arms were crossed and she was slightly scowling, but she didn’t appear to be angry. Instead, she looked uncertain. 

“Hey,” Kim said as she hopped off her bike. 

“Hey. So, I…” Bonnie started, but didn’t finish. Her mouth worked, but no sound came out. 

Kim’s head tilted to the side and she touched Bonnie’s arm. “What’s going on?”

Bonnie gave her head a small shake. “Okay, so this is totally dumb. But talking to Monique about her dad got me thinking about mine and,” she trailed off again. 

“And?” Kim gently nudged when Bonnie’s silence lingered.

“And-I-want-to-look-at-his-car-but-I-couldn’t-do-it,” rushed out of Bonnie in one breath.

Oh. Once Kim managed to parse Bonnie’s words, she nodded. “Okay, I’ll do it with you.”

A small noise of relief escaped Bonnie. Kim followed her into the garage and they stood before the covered car for a moment. That moment stretched and stretched with no movement or words from Bonnie. After a solid minute passed, Kim looked over at Bonnie, whose lips were pressed into a thin line and nails digging into her arms. “Do you want me to?” Kim asked. 

Bonnie shook her head. “No, I…I think I can do it now.” She blew out a breath and pulled the cover back until it slid to the floor. 

A spotless, bright red vintage sports car sat there. Kim didn’t know that much about cars but she recognized the logo on the hood from some of the posters in the twins’ room. Bonnie’s shaky inhale drew her attention. 

“He, um. He always said his Porsche was his first baby, before me.” 

“I don’t know a lot about cars but it looks pretty cool. I know my brothers would be geeking out over it.” 

Bonnie shot her a small smile. “He definitely geeked out over it. I remember he had these leather driving gloves that had to wear every time he drove it. Like he was a racecar driver or something,” she rolled her eyes. “They're probably still in here, you should see them.” She opened the driver’s side door and, as soon as she leaned in, she gasped. When she straightened, she was holding a black leather jacket. “I haven’t seen this in forever.” Her fingers rubbed against the material reverently. 

“A cool car, leather gloves, and a leather jacket? Your dad seemed pretty badass,” Kim shot Bonnie a crooked smile. 

Bonnie gave a breathy laugh. “He was an absolute dork.” She looked at the jacket for a few more moments before bringing it up to her nose. She pressed her face into the material and inhaled. “Oh fuck,” she whispered, and then burst into tears. “It still–it still s-smells like him,” she managed to say between sobs. 

Kim quickly pulled her into an embrace, the jacket crushed between them. Her heart broke for Bonnie as she listened to her grief. So she stood there holding her and gave her back soothing rubs for as long as Bonnie needed. 

When she pulled back, Bonnie gave Kim’s chest a horrified look. “I got your shirt all messy, I’m sorry.” 

Kim glanced down at the huge wet spot on her old, faded t-shirt and shrugged. “No worries.” When Bonnie made a little noise of disagreement, Kim insisted, “Seriously, I don’t care. Here.” She gathered the hem of her shirt and lifted it to gently dab under Bonnie’s eyes. 

“Still gross.” Bonnie said it softly, like she didn’t really mean it.

“At least I’m not wearing any of the new stuff you got me.” Kim’s cheeky grin was met with an affectionate eyeroll. 

Bonnie wasn’t ready yet to leave the car uncovered and see it everyday. So together, they covered it up again. But she carried the jacket with her into the house. She disappeared with it for a few minutes and left Kim to wander around in the kitchen. 

By the time Bonnie returned, her face freshly scrubbed, Kim had managed to locate an unopened pint of double chocolate ice-cream. She opened the container and held out a spoon. “It’s no strawberry milkshake but I figured it couldn’t hurt.” 

Bonnie’s soft smile had Kim answering with her own. “Double chocolate and strawberry are pretty good,” she began as she grabbed the spoon, “but they’re not my favorite.” 

“Oh yeah?” Kim dug a huge chunk of ice-cream out and ate it. “Let me guess: coffee?” 

“Solid guess, but no. Vanilla bean.” 

“Vanilla?” Kim asked in surprise. “Not some fancy flavor only found in, like, Italy or something?”

Bonnie shrugged and took another bite. “It’s a classic for a reason.”

They managed to eat the entire container by the time Monique finally texted. 

Kim stole glances at Bonnie as they walked to the front door. She was no longer crying but she seemed drained. “Are you gonna be okay?”

“I don’t know. Probably. But that was definitely the scariest thing I’ve ever done.”

“But you did it anyway,” Kim replied. “Sounds like badass runs in the family.”

Instead of the smile Kim was hoping for, Bonnie frowned slightly. She didn’t seem upset, more like Kim was a puzzle she couldn’t quite figure out. “No. It was you.”

Incredulous, Kim tilted her head. “Me? I didn’t really do anything. I just stood next to you.” 

“Exactly.” Bonnie looked up at her through her lashes. “There's just something about you. You make me want to be brave.”

Warmth blossomed in the center of Kim’s chest. The combination of Bonnie’s words with her weighted gaze had Kim at a loss for words. So, she did the only thing she could do. She acted on impulse. Bringing her hand up to cup Bonnie’s face, she leaned forward and brushed her lips over the soft curve of Bonnie’s cheek. At the contact, the warm thing in Kim’s chest expanded, shooting throughout her entire body. Fighting the urge to linger, she pulled back and smiled. “Sweet dreams, Bonnie.”

—-END CHAPTER—-

 

Notes:

Wow, I'm so glad I cut the last chapter! Separating the weekend from the competition just gave all the scenes and characters a bit more room to breathe and not feel rushed. 
I have to repeatedly tell myself that I am my own target audience. I’m writing this for ME (both me now and me as a queer little kid, just having lots of feelings about these cartoon characters lol). But I’m also writing this for you! So thanks for the encouragement and motivation :)
Anyway, here’s to all the cool cats out there with one or more shitty parents. Hope you turn that shit into beautiful art and that you’re now surrounded with people who love you properly.