Ron would not talk about Yori's visit with Kim. She hinted she would like to know more, she reminded him that friends could share their feelings with each other, she ambushed him with questions he deftly avoided, she fired queries at him at pointblank range, and while she had not yet threatened him with bodily violence if he did not talk the option was sounding better to her all the time.
His change in behavior was visible as he spent the summer as a Global Justice intern. He seemed more quiet. Will Du ascribed Ron's subdued behavior to taking the training seriously, and wrote a glowing evaluation for Betty Director. Shego and Monique felt Ron was going through a rough time in a relationship and, without knowing the exact nature of the problem or the depth of Ron's feelings, thought it was best to give him space until he wanted to talk about his feelings. Bonnie was too upset with Ron to put her feelings into words.
Ron spent more time with Felix than anyone else. Ron didn't want to think about the future, it appeared too bleak to him. Mindless video games with Felix to kill time that would otherwise be spent in brooding were his only interest. With the confusion over his move back to Middleton and paperwork for transferring to Middleton U Felix had not found a job for the summer and was always available for a video game or to get Ron out on the driveway to shoot hoops. And if Ron was more open about his feelings to Felix than he was to Kim the man in the wheelchair did not pass the information on to the redhead.
The blonde man had never mastered the art of subtle. It was obvious to both Kim and Shego that he usually left a room soon after Bonnie arrived. And what only Bonnie could know was that Ron was careful to never be alone in a room with her.
Insert the narrative in the story The Odd Couple at this point. If you haven't read it yet you can do so now. This story will still be here waiting for you to come back to it.
Saturday night, and the gang would be starting the weekly poker game soon. “Looks like Felix is here to play. He brought a three foot sub,” Ron chuckled.
Kim and Shego exchanged glances. “I don't think that's a sub, Ron,” Kim told her buddy.
“Sure it is, KP,” Ron said confidently as Felix approached the house. “Felix! Hey, bro, we got some floods up down on the garage. And we got a half hour to game time. Want to go down and shoot some hooooooOOOOOPS!”
Kim and Shego grabbed Ron in mid-question and threw him over the porch railing into the lilac bushes.
“God's going to get you for that, KP, and if he doesn't, I will.”
“It was an accident, Ron.” Kim said as she stared at the pants in her hand. “My ring must have gotten caught on something.”
“Give them to me,” Bonnie asked, taking the pants from Kim.
“Is she going to bring them to me?” Ron called, “I lost my boxers in the bushes.”
Shego stared in disbelief as the front door closed behind Bonnie. “Uh, bad news, Stoppable, she went into the house with them. She may want you to go in after them.”
“Er, I'm going to practice my ninja stealth techniques and go around the house to the back door without anyone seeing me.”
“Have you noticed how weird Ron and Bonnie have been acting around each other since Yori was here?” Kim asked.
“Not really. I mean, sure I know that Bonnie has been acting strange. But how do you tell with Stoppable?”
Ron slipped on another pair of boxers and another pair of pants before heading to Bonnie's room. He knocked cautiously on the closed door, “Uh, Bonnie? Shego said you brought my pants inside. Can I have them back?”
“No.”
“What do you mean 'no'?”
“I mean no.”
“They say that sometimes a girl says 'no' when she means 'yes', is that true?”
“NO!”
Ron wasn't sure what that meant, but was pretty sure Bonnie had not taken it as a joke. “Uh, Bonnie. I'm not sure what I did--”
“ARE YOU STUPID?”
“Uh, maybe. My wallet is in my pants. Can I have--”
“NO!”
“What do I need to do to get my pants back?”
“You need to talk with me.”
“Isn't that what we're doing now?”
“YOU ARE STUPID!”
“Bonnie? How about tomorrow afternoon? Kim and Shego will have the girls and will be playing bridge over with the Drs. P. Monique will probably be working. I don't know what Justine does -- probably sits in her room being quiet.”
“Okay, where do we talk?”
“Would the the kitchen be okay?”
“One-thirty, Ron, or you never see the billfold alive again.”
Ron went into the kitchen at 1:20, and found Bonnie already there waiting for him.
She fired the opening salvo, “You led me on!”
“How did I lead you on?”
“You never said anything about her!”
“Did I lie to you? Did I whisper sweet nothings in your ear and tell you I loved you? I feel like I'm the victim here.”
“You a victim? Don't give me that bullshit. You've been treating me like a leper since that night in the Jacuzzi. I didn't tie you down and force you to do anything.”
“It would have been awfully hard to say no.”
“Oh, poor little Ron, raped by big, strong Bonnie. He cried in vain for help but no one heard his tearful pleas. Is that why you carried me into my room for round number two? You were enjoying it too, and you know it. And you've been treating me like a piece of shit since that night. I don't deserve that Ron. I… I really don't deserve that.”
“I'm sorry.”
“I thought you liked me.”
“I do like you, Bonnie. I really do. Sometimes when I guy likes a girl it's just easy to think that it means romantic love. That's what some people thought about Kim and me. It even confused us sometimes.”
“So, you've got no feelings for me?”
“I just said I like you.”
“But that's it. My consolation prize? A pat on the head for you treating me like dirt after your real girlfriend shows up?”
“Look, I'm confused okay? Yori came over here to dump me--”
“She came from Japan to dump you? Now I know you're lying to me.”
“I love her. She loves me. I asked her to marry me.” Bonnie sat there, stunned. “But her family wants her to marry someone else. I'm out.”
“I'm sorry, Ron,” Bonnie said softly, “really.”
“Yeah, well, right now I'm too depressed to think straight. I'm worried I could imagine I've fallen in love with someone else just 'cause I'm on the rebound. And that would really be unfair to you. I don't want to lead you on. I… I loved being in bed with you. It just makes it hard for me to be around you now. I wish you and I didn't have so much history. I imagine us doing it again--”
“Not going to happen. I don't see it anyway. I'm really mad at you for how you've been treating me. It still confuses me that we can be screwing one night and you dump me the next day.”
“You confuse me too. Confuse me? Sometimes you scare the heck out of me. I'd like us to be friends again. We're living together. But I can't forget that night.”
“It would be easier if we were strangers, wouldn't it?”
The blonde man nodded. She took his wallet off her lap and slid it across the table to him, then got up and started to walk out of the kitchen. As she reached the door she turned around and walked back.
Bonnie stuck out her hand. “Hello. My name is Bonnie Rockwaller and I don't believe I've met you.”
Ron stared for a minute, then grinned and took her hand, “My name is Ronald Stoppable. My friends call me Ron -- and I hope that will include you.”
“This is awfully forward of me on first meeting you and all, but there is a movie in town I've been dying to see and I'd like some company seeing it this afternoon -- my treat.”
“Why, I think I'd be delighted to go with you. I'll spring for popcorn and sodas. What movie was it?”
“I don't think you've told me yet.”
“Probably screen four at the Palace. They're showing a Bogie double-feature, African Queen and Casablanca.”
“You need to know. I don't believe in kissing until the third date.”
Ron closed his eyes, “TMI!”
When he opened his eyes Bonnie looked a little scared. He gave her a lop-sided grin and she returned a timid half-smile. “Does that mean no movie?” she asked.
“Movie is fine. I'm not ready to start counting dates yet. Okay?”
“Okay. Just let me change--”
“No. You change for a date. Not a date, remember? Besides, the cut-offs really show off your legs.”
The smile Bonnie gave him was full and radiant. “Maybe I am too anxious to have a boyfriend. Maybe what I really need is just a friend. I like what you and Kim have. Maybe I can be another Kim to you.”
“So, you're wanting to sleep with Shego too?”
Upon reflection, as he held her fists, Ron decided it might not have been the smartest thing he could have said -- especially when he remembered her kicking ability.