Kim and Monique stood by their lockers, as they watched Bonnie walking down the halls. For almost three weeks now, Bonnie had most definitely not been herself. For the first week, Bonnie had been almost giddy. The second, she had been almost agitated and distracted, but not at anyone in particular. The third week, she had been drifting along, almost as if on a cloud. For three weeks now, Bonnie had been almost nice to those around her, or at least too distracted to bother anyone. The last week especially, she had barely made any comments to anyone, and the smile she had on her face was unnerving.

"Girl, there is seriously something up with her. She has just been TFTBB."

Kim cast a glance at her best female friend. "What does that mean?"

"To freaky to be believed. I mean, she's not even the same girl anymore. Well, except for one thing."

Monique and Kim both noted when Ron stepped into view. They were too far away to hear anything this time, but they watched the exchange between Bonnie and Ron with interest. Bonnie made her usual comments about Ron being a loser, and Ron just laughed them off, calling her that infuriating nickname that she hated that the girl's mom always used.

It seemed Ron was the only one still getting a rise out of Bonnie. It wasn't something that they really understood either. Why lay off everyone, change that much, yet still attack Ron as she did? The exchange between them ended, and the two split off quickly, sharing one last glance that Kim assumed to be enmity or some such.

Ron smiled as he approached them, his smile bright. "Hello ladies, and how are my favourite gals today?"

Monique just smiled back, grabbing one last book from her locker. "Oh we're doing just fine. Rockwaller still getting on your case?"

Ron shrugged nonchalantly. "Eh, it's no big. Nothing I can't handle."

Kim closed her locker up, checking through her notes. "So Ron, you want to hit Beuno Nacho after school, maybe go over some of that math homework?"

Ron's smile faded, and one hand slid behind his neck, rubbing it gently. "Umm… sorry KP. I have to… my dad, he's making me clean out the basement."

Kim eyed him suspiciously. "Did you do something wrong? Your dad has been making you do an awful lot of chores this past week."

Ron waved his hands in front of himself defensively. "No way KP. It's just… he's on this whole cleaning binge, like we have family coming over or something. How about tomorrow, we can hang out all day after school. I'll even come by in the morning."

"Ron, you only want to come over early because you know my mom doesn't go in until late on Fridays, and you can snag breakfast."

Ron smirked at that. "What can I say, your mom is a badical cook. Doesn't mean I don't like hanging out with my best friend either."

Monique just smiled and nodded. "Nice save boy."

Kim glanced down at her watch, noticing the time. "Oh man, we have to get to class. Ron, have you got your books?"

Ron paled slightly. "Oh man, I knew I forgot something. You two go on ahead, I'll meet you there."

The two girls left quickly, and Ron headed for his locker. When he got there, he popped it open, and started digging for his books. Rufus took the opportunity to hop out into the locker, and the look he gave Ron was not a good one.

The little mole rat crossed his paws in front of himself, glaring up at Ron. "Hrk… lied!"

Ron frowned, pausing in his digging. "I know buddy, but what can I do? Kim would freak if she found out me and Bonnie were going out. I mean, one date was one thing, but now that we're dating, in an actual relationship… I don't know buddy. And keeping it from her… but Bonnie doesn't want anyone to know, and… man, this is a real mess, isn't it?"

Rufus nodded sagely, watching as Ron laid his head against the locker door. The mole rat considered the situation for a moment, before piping in again. "Tell Kim!"

"I can't do that, not yet anyways. I mean, I don't even know if this thing is going to last yet. I mean, if I told Kim, and Bonnie broke up with me, I might lose both of them. I just… I just can't do that. I just have to wait a little bit, see if this thing with Bonnie will last, and then I'll tell her. If she sees that this is a real relationship, that Bonnie isn't as bad as she thinks, she'll be happy for me, right buddy? I mean, she had no problem with me and Zita going out briefly, right?"

Rufus frowned a bit, but knew there was nothing he could say that would change his human's mind. Instead, he just nodded, and headed back for Ron's pocket, hoping to grab some sleep before his human headed to his new girl's place.

Ron had barely been in through the back door before Bonnie was on him, dragging him to the couch. He tried to mumble something to her, but what she was doing to his lips cut him off. Surrendering the battle, he gave in, at least for about ten minutes. When she broke away for some air, he saw his chance. "Bonnie, we have to talk."

"No talk, later."

Her lips moved to silence him again, but he stopped her. "Seriously, we need to talk."

Bonnie groaned, obviously frustrated. "Fine."

"I think Kim is getting suspicious, and…"

"You haven't told her anything, have you?"

The look on Bonnie's face gave him pause, but only for a moment. "No, nothing. I haven't said a word. But I mean, think about it, I used to hang out with her all the time, and now it's been almost a week. You can't tell me you wouldn't be a bit suspicious in that sitch."

Bonnie grumbled a bit, but had to concede he had a point. "All right, I guess I can understand that."

"That's why I told her I'd spend the day with her tomorrow. That's all right, isn't it?"

"I guess." Bonnie frowned, glancing away. "I guess I can hang out with Tara for the night. I haven't been hanging out with her as much as I would like either."

"See, this works out for both of us. And then, Saturday night, I can make you dinner over at my place."

"Your place?" Bonnie didn't like the idea, but the thought of Ron cooking dinner for her… she still remembered when he controlled the cafeteria. "What about your parents? If they see me, won't they say something to Kim?"

"My parents are going to a couples retreat for the weekend, no one will see us."

"Good." Bonnie moved to resume their previous activities, but paused when she noticed he had something else on his mind. "Okay, what now?"

"Bonnie, I… I really hate lying to Kim. Do you think we could tell her, you know, if this… we… work out?"

"You want to tell KIM?"

"I just hate lying to her. And I know you hate lying to Tara! I mean, what would it hurt if we just… you know, told them?"

Bonnie wanted to yell, she wanted to rip into him and tell him just how stupid that idea was, but she couldn't. It was tearing her up inside, keeping this from her best friend. She took a deep breath, and seemed to sink back a bit into the den couch. "Just… just not yet, okay? I just… I…"

"Yeah, I know."

The silence between the two teens was an awkward one. They glanced back at each other for a moment, before Bonnie ended it. "Well, since the mood is dead right now, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

"Sure, ask away."

"Why me?"

Ron's eyes scrunched in confusion. "Why you what?"

"Why me? Why did you pick me to pull this whole secret admirer thing on? I mean, I'm not exactly the most amenable person you could have tried to ask out."

Ron sat for a moment, considering what she was asking. "Do you want the whole story?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes at him. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't."

Ron sat for a moment, considering what he was going to say. "Well, I guess it started in Japan, when I went on the exchange program. I met this girl, Yori, on the first day there, she was the one that picked me up from the airport. She was nice to talk to, and she helped me out a lot while I was there. She always had confidence that I could do whatever was needed, she believed in me. Of course, I was pretty oblivious to the whole thing about her liking me. Anyways, so the week ended, and it was time to head home.

"Stoppable-san, Rufus-san, you are welcome back at any time."

Ron smiled and bowed, noting with surprise that the other students were doing the same to him. "Thanks Sensei. This trip has been badical!"

Yori, off to the side, fidgeted slightly. "Sensei, might I accompany Stoppable-san back to the road?"

"Wait, that's the second time you've mentioned this Sensei. Isn't a sensei supposed to be some kind of martial arts instructor?"

Ron grimaced for a brief second, barely perceptible, but Bonnie did catch it. "Umm… well, the school was one of those private schools, very formal you know. I think all the teachers were called sensei. Since he was the head of the school though, the only thing anyone called him was Sensei. Maybe it was… umm… a greater show of respect, considering his position. Anyways…"

Sensei's eyebrow raised slightly in surprise as he turned to his student. "I can see no problem with that"

Yori smiled brightly and bowed, before turning to Ron, who was just picking up his bag. Ron smiled at Yori, glad to have some company down the road. With one last look at the school, the teens set out.

Ron had expected to talk the whole way down, but it was Ron who did all the talking. His joke about a lift had been met with silence, as well as every comment he made. Finally, he just took the time to watch her, to see what might be the matter. Yori seemed almost anxious, and a little bit scared, which bothered him, considering who she was and what she could do. Ron paused on the trail, waiting for her to notice. Surprisingly, it took a few moments before she noticed and turned around, slightly surprised.

"Wait, it was a long walk to the road? I thought everything in Japan was jammed packed like sardines or something."

"Like I said, it was a private school, out in the country. Now do you want to here the rest of the story?"

Bonnie gave Ron a wry grin and snuggled a bit closer under his arm. "Carry on, oh great storyteller."

"Stoppable-san, why have we stopped?"

Ron dropped his bag to the ground. "We're not going any further until you tell me what's wrong."

"But Stoppable-san, what about your flight? If we do not hurry…"

"It can wait. What's bothering you?"

"It is nothing."

"It isn't nothing." Ron crossed his arms in front of him, frowning. "Something has you tweaked, and we will not move until you tell me what…"

Yori took that moment to strike, latching onto Ron and pressing her lips deeply against his. Shocked, Ron could do nothing more than stand there and enjoy the feel of her lips pressed against his. His eyes rolled back a bit, as his first kiss shocked him to the core.

Then just as quickly, it was over, and Yori pulled away quickly. "Ron-san, I… I…I should not have done that. I have dishonoured you, and myself."

Before Ron could react, Yori had dashed off and disappeared. "Yori? YORI! WAIT!"

Ron started to move after her, but froze when he saw Sensei standing beside the trail, a slight frown on his face. "Sensei, I'm sorry. Yori just… and I…"

"There is nothing to be sorry for Stoppable-san. I had expected this. It is not your fault, and it is not Yori's. I will talk to Yori, but you have a plane to catch."

"But Sensei…"

"Do not worry Stoppable-san. Things will be as they will be."

"Are you sure?" Sensei just nodded, and Ron sighed. "All right, but tell Yori I will try to talk to her, when I get home, all right?"

"I will tell her."

"As you know, that was a few months ago. I tried writing her, but I never heard back. I figure she was too embarrassed or something."

Bonnie nodded. "Yeah, that I can understand. But what does that have to do with me?"

"I'm getting to that. Anyways, after a while, I figured she didn't want to talk to me, but it stuck in my mind a bit. It wasn't that much before that that I was going out with Zita briefly. And then Yori, who also showed an interest in me. I guess… I guess it gave me a bit more confidence when it came to women or something. I mean, if those two girls, so different from each other, might be interested in me… anyways, Valentine's Day was coming up, and I really didn't want to be single that day. I mean, with Kim and Josh going out that night, I would have been stuck sitting at home alone. That was when I saw you break up with Brick again, and I noticed how angry you got about that. I knew you were hurt, but… well, that's when I decided to do the secret admirer thing. I figured that was the only way I could get you to go out with me, and maybe… you know, just make you happy, even just a little bit, for one night at least."

Bonnie smiled, biting her bottom lip slightly. "Yeah, I guess I was a bit pissed about that." Bonnie laughed softly. "You'd think I would have been used to it by then, considering how often we did that."

"So that's the story."

"So do you still care about Yori?"

"Well yeah, I mean, she was my first kiss, and she was pretty badical. But it would never work out. I mean, she's over in Japan, and I'm here." Ron caught the look in Bonnie's face, the deep scowl. Ron coughed quickly. "And of course, I have the most badical girlfriend in the world right now."

Bonnie smirked a bit. "Nice save Stoppable-san."

Ron grinned, before glancing over at the stereo. "Hey, how about a little tunage."

"Sure, just not something that will draw my sisters down here. I really don't want to have to deal with them."

Ron got up quickly, flipping through the CDs. He paused when he found one, and he turned back to Bonnie with a bright smile on his face. "You have the O'boyz latest CD? This rocks so much!"

Bonnie grimaced at that. "I thought I had gotten rid of that already. Don't tell me you still like the O'boyz?"

"Oh yeah, picked up this CD at Smarty Mart yesterday. Can you believe the O'boyz entire collection were listed at two for a dollar?"

"Yeah, I can believe it." Bonnie got up as well now, reaching for a couple other CDs. "How about we play this one, and then pick up where we left off." She popped the CD in, and hit play.

"Where did we leave off?"

The innocent confusion in Ron's expression made Bonnie laugh. "I think we were right here."

Her lips captured his again, as she dragged him back to the couch. Thankfully, Bonnie's sisters never did come down to interrupt them.

Author's Notes - Just a quick note, I made a minor change to chapter 1, about where Ron got the money for the date. Nothing big, I just have upcoming plans about the Ron Millionaire episode, and had to switch around a few things to get rid of the naco money reference.

As well, if you haven't guessed, I'm tying in the episodes from the second season in production order. Exchange was several episodes previous to this point, as I get into the O'boyz episode. As well, we are already a couple episodes past Blush, so Kim and Josh going out for Valentine's Day is completely normal. Of course, if you know what episodes come after O'boyz, you might have an inkling of where this story will be going. Should make things interesting, don't you think?