Story name: The real me

Shipping: Ron X Bonnie

Story description: Ronald's life has taken a nosedive after high school. lost his fiancee, lost his money, lost his friends, and lost his life as he knew it. The only comfort he had was with his lips at the end of a bottle, as he slowly killed himself. well, that was a year ago. Now that he is trying to build his life back up from what little shrapnel his past had left for him, he reunites with a person of his past that he never thought he would see again, only to find out she's just as broken as he is. can these two people abused by the world find a way to get some semblance of their happiness back? read and find out

Current number of chapters: 6

Writing style: newer more descriptive

Prologue:

*Ronald squinted his eyes as his ears were hit by the ringing of his alarm bell. He moved his arm out of the sheets and turned it off. He turned around to go back to sleep when the loud noise of his answering machine kept him awake.*

Answering machine: You have 1 new message. Ronald, it's yourself. Get up, you have to go to work. You know you'll just feel like shit if you stay in bed.

Ronald: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

*Ronald muttered to himself as he got up, sitting on his bed, as he rubbed his eyes, trying to get the tiredness out of them. He took a deep breath and stood up, stumbling to the bathroom, so he could start his routine, splashing water on his face, using the toilet, taking a shower, etc. He was in the middle of brushing his teeth as he re-read the little posted notes he put on the mirror like "today will be fabulous," " keep smiling," " shaving or not," and his personal favorite " I'm not Grumpy I just don't like you." He finished washing it all out with his mouthwash when his answering machine sounded again.*

Answering machine: You have one new message. Hello honey, it's mom. Just wanted to make sure you're doing OK. We're having a family dinner on Sunday,  I would love it if you would come. Let me know, please. I love you.

*Ronald heard as the message stopped. He rolled his eyes and ignored it, like he did every other time his mother invited him to family dinner, since he knew they would be there. With a deep breath, Ronald looked at the posted note "keep smiling" and forced himself to smile, as he got dressed, and left his apartment to start his day.*

Later

* Of course, Ronald didn't go to work. Not by lack of trying to mind you, he wanted to go, to distract his mind in his kitchen, so he doesn't think about what was gonna happen today. But you know what they say. It only takes one bad day. Ronald's version of that was finding a piece of paper on his glove compartment. And Invitation. A wedding invitation that he doesn't know why they gave to him, to mess with his head, to extend an olive branch, honestly, Ronald doesn't care, or at least he tells himself he doesn't care, but here he was. He was sitting at a bench looking at the other side of the street, where a wedding was taking place. Kim Possible's wedding.*

Ronald" god, I really turned into a masochist these last couple of years, haven't I?"

*Ronald thought to himself, in some sort of pessimistic amusement, as he kept  looking longingly across the street towards the church on the other side and considered whether or not he should go in there. Yes, he had received a wedding invitation, a personal one at that, but it would still be a bit awkward for him to be there. And that assumed that he could even be able to behave himself in front of Kim and her husband to be. The last time the three of them had gotten together had not ended well, not when you are asked to leave and never come to Chez restaurant again.*

Ronald" still can't believe that he started the fight, but I was the one in the wrong."

*Ronald thought, as he took a cigarette from his pocket, put it on his lips, and started to smoke it. Ronald just sat their for several minutes, thinking about whether or not he should stay or go when the decision was made for him. His ears perked up as the first few notes of the wedding march entered his ears from across the street. As the march continued to play, Ronald knew that he was losing Kim, losing her to the love of her life. To that thing who stole her from him. Ronald shook his head in disappointment at himself as he took a deep buff of his smoke.*

Ronald: No. No. None of those thoughts. I need to get out of here, not doing me a lick of good anyhow.

*Ronald said to himself, talking to himself, just to stop the pessimistic thoughts to win and ruin the rest of his day. Ronald didn't want to hold that against her. But how could he not? In the end, it was Kim's choice, and she didn't choose him. How he just wished that he had been that man that she had fallen in love with. But she didn't. She never will. Ronald accepted that, but accepting and making peace with it are two completely different things. So once he finished his drag, he got up and left to take care of that "acceptance"*

Ron: fuck, it's gonna be one of those days ain't it?

*Ronald said to himself as the self-hating thoughts were invading his braing like an infection. But he knew just how to shut them up. So shoving  his hands into his pockets, Ronald began to walk away from the church before stopping and turned to face the church one last time, thinking of the life that should've been his, but it wasn't. His former friends, his former family, Kim herself, made it clear that it wasn't. In the end, all Ronald could muster up is just utter apathy.*

Ronald:.....

* Ronald shook his head and walked away. He didn't really care that much where he was going. Neither Hana nor his parents were home and wouldn't be for several hours, and since Rufus was with Hana today, he couldn't turn to people like Felix and Monique were also both out of the question since they were at Kim's wedding. No, right now, Ronald had no one he could turn to, except old faithful. After a while, Ronald found himself standing in front of a local bar. Right now. All he knew  was that he wanted this day to end quickly. So he took one step inside the bar, and that was the last thing he remembered.*

Hours later

Nighttime

*Ronald woke up in a jump from hearing someone knock repeatedly on his door. He groaned, feeling as if his head was hit with a mallet. He took his phone out and looked at the time. Pain be damned, his plan worked, since it was 9:25 A.M. he looked around at his surroundings, confused as to why and how he was in his apartment again. But that thought was interrupted, by again the constant knocking. He rubbed his temple as each knock was like someone hitting his head with a hammer*

Ron: I'm coming! I'm coming! Give me a second!

*Ronald yelled at the other side, making the banging finally stop. Ronald took a breath to compose himself as he got up, big mistake. He got up quickly and then fell back down to the couch, feeling as if he was gonna die. He took a few deep breaths and got up, grunting as if getting up was some hard accomplishment like lifting weights. He stumbled, almost falling multiple times, from just taking a step after the other. He finally made it to the door of his one bedroom apartment and opened it. Seeing someone there who was pissed by the looks of it, the only person apart from his family, who hasn't given up on him, as to why she hasn't Ronald has no idea.*

Ronald: Tara? What the hell are you doing in lowerton?

Tara: The bartender called me to come get you after you finished an entire bottle of rum in one go. Also here

*Tara said as she slapped Ronald, and she slapped him hard with her ring finger. Ronald groaned loudly. As he rubbed his cheek, he felt as his headache came back at full force. He looked up, glaring at the last friend he actually has.*

Ronald: fucking bitch!

Tara: You deserve it! What the fuck Ronald?! You promised you would try tp cut backl!

*Tara said furious at her friend, that he broke her promise. But that's when Ronald's hungover brain got pessimistic as he gave a bitter, resentful cackle at Tara. As she spoke without even thinking of what he was saying, he was completely without filter.*

Ronald: And Kim promised to love only me. And yet yesterday she got married with that mother fucking replacement.

Tara: the wedding.

*Tara muttered to herself as she looked at Ron with concern. He kept softly laughing to himself and nodding his head. The wedding. The wedding that should've been his, the wedding that was going to be his, until that replacement showed up and ruined everything. Tara sighed and shook her head*

Tara: I told your mother it was a bad idea to give you that invite. She should've listened to me. Look, can I come in? And before you say no. I drove to come get you from the bar, carried your passed out self to your apartment, went back home, and drove back here. So I'm not asking

Ronald: Yeah, yeah.

*Ronald mumbled as he moved aside to let Tara inside his one bedroom apartment. Tara walked inside and glanced around, Tara felt like puking from the smell, the place smelled of old rotten food, throw up, and alcohol. So it's obvious that he never kept his promise.  Tara sighed in disappointment*

Tara: Honestly, Ronald.

Ronald: Save it cause I don't want to hear it

*Ronald said with a groan, as he crashed on the couch, bad idea since he again moved too fast, he could feel the throw up start to build up on his throat, he swallow it down and grabbed a picture he keeps on the mantle, it was one of Kim and him looking at each other lovingly.  And It wasn't the only one, Ronald's apartment was littered with pictures of him and Kim. Tara turned around, giving her friend having a self-pity party and an annoyed look on her face.*

Tara: After what I did for you yesterday? You don't get a choice. Now shut up and listen. I know yesterday was a difficult time for you. But drinking an entire bottle? What were you thinking? Did you want to kill yourself?

Ronald: You don't want me answering that question. But yes. I wanted to fucking die, what a big shock right? I have so much to live for! A fiancee, money, friends, a loving family. Oh. Wait. All that shit was stolen from me!!

*Ronald yelled as the self-pity be and sadness became anger and resentment, with Ronald throwing the picture to the wall with enough force to crack the glass. Tara looked at her friend with no fear, but something worse in Ronald's opinion. Pity*

Tara: it wasn't stolen from you, and you know it. And your parents still love you. You would know this if you would just pick up the phone.

Ronald: Oh yeah. They love me so much that they keep trying to get me in the same room as that bastard to "let bygone be bygones." That's some love, right there.

*Ronald said with a sneer at the end of his sentence. As he got up and walked, do the framed picture that he threw. But Tara followed him, grabbed his shoulder, she wasn't gonna let him stay in this self-pity party anymore.*

Tara: Ronald. Can't you see that their trying to help you?! Kinda hard to do that when you stopped answering their calls months ago!

Ronald: I don't need their fucking help! Hey have that fucking replacement their, to play happy family! So tell them to fuck off and leave me alone! As a matter of fact, I don't need yours either. So why don't you go run along and...and...

*Ronald didn't get to finish as he ran to the kitchen and puked his guts out on the sink. He groaned loudly in pain as he felt Tara rubbing his back gently. Even after what he said, she wasn't gonna abandon him. She's not gonna lose another friend, but that doesn't mean she can keep seeing her friend slowly kill himself like this.*

Tara: You need help.

Ronald:......

*Ronald didn't say anything. He just slowly with help from Tara slide down to the floor to sit down. Tara poured him a glass of water and gave it to Ronald, sitting down with him and holding his hand for support. Ronald didn't have the strength to pull the hand away as he finally used what little energy the anger gave him, so Tara could finally get him to listen.*

Tara: Ronald, please. I don't want to lose you

Ronald: Tara, I'm fine. I... I just wanted to be alone. I still want to be alone

*Ronald said softly as he drank the water as if he were dying of thirst. Tara put her arm over him and gave him a shoulder hug, rubbing his shoulder where she spoke in a soft tone.*

Tara: That may be what you want. But it's not what you need, right now.

Ronald: What is this?

*Ronald asked, as with her free hand Tara handed Ronald a pamphlet. Tara gave her friend a small grin as she spoke with a bit of a teasing tone to the boy.*

Tara: is a pamphlet

Ronald: funny girl. Seriously, I can barely see right now. It hurts to even blink

*Ronald said a chuckle that was more like a wince of pain. He handed the pamphlet back to her. Tara took a breath and spoke on something they've fought over many times. Getting Ronald the support he needs*

Tara: it's an AA pamphlet. I made an appointment for you. I want you to go

Ronald:.... you're not giving me an option. Are you?

*Ronald said with a pained smile as he leaned his head back to the counter. Tara got up and helped Ronald up, much to his discomfort. He really needs to stop moving so much. Tara stopped smiling and looked at Ronald with a concern look on her face. It was time for Ronald to stop killing himself, and Tara was gonna see do that.*

Tara: No. I'm not. Ronald, I can't keep seeing you kill yourself. So it's either you go. Or you'll lose me too, since you're my friend and I love you. But I already dealt with losing Bonnie. I won't stand by and watch as I lose you, too.

Ronald:......