The first morning rays peek through a set of off-white curtains, shining a
subtle peach light upon Lizzie McGuire's innocent face. The warmth of the
sun alone would eventually awaken her. Today was an exception, however, due
to the unusually loud sounds of air brakes on a tracker trailer right
outside her Californian home. Of course, she was the only one to have her
sleep disturbed by this, as it was already 1 o' clock. Keep in mind; Lizzie
was no longer the clumsy, awkward, 13-year-old girl of Hillridge Junior
High. No, those days were long since gone. She was already 17, and soon to
becoming into her senior year of high school. She had been in a San Diego
club with a few of her friends the night before, so naturally she got in a
little late. She hoped to get as much rest as possible for today, but now
her midday slumber was interrupted, and, as usual, being the curious
teenage female she is, Lizzie had to find out why.
She slowly rose from her bed, wiping the sleep from her eyes, and let out a yawn as she silently hobbled over to the window. She pushed the curtains out of the way with her left hand and was a bit surprised to see two large moving vans in front of the house next door. Her neighbors had moved close to two years ago, and throughout that time, no one had ever come to live there. Just when everyone thought that the house might never be sold, sure enough, the Century 21 sign on the front lawn printed the word in large, bold, red text. Just one thing still puzzled Lizzie; the sign had been put up in April. It was now August, and the new neighbors were just moving in!
Lizzie was actually quite anxious to see some new faces in the neighborhood. Mostly everyone whom she graduated middle school with still lived in the area. No one had moved too far away from Hillridge, and while this gives a great sense of community togetherness, it can be rather boring after some time. It wasn't that Lizzie didn't appreciate all of the friends and acquaintances she had made over the years, it was just that she always wondered what it would be like for something, or someone, entirely different from the norm to be present in her everyday life.
She let out a slight sigh as she looked down at her body. She had slept in the clothes she wore the night before, so she felt she needed to change. He gathered some new clothing from her dresser drawers, and folded them over her shoulder as she exited her room for a nice shower. It would give her time to think about the uncertainties she would face in the upcoming week - when she would go back to school.
************
Lizzie quickly shuffled down the staircase, smelling the aroma of bacon and eggs, still thick in the air from the morning's breakfast. She knew it was probably long gone by now, but walked into the kitchen to check just in case. Her mother, Jo McGuire, was sitting at the kitchen counter reading the newspaper to herself. As Lizzie walked by, Jo glanced over the paper, but didn't say a word. Lizzie stayed shut as well, scanning the room with her eyes. "Two strips of bacon and some scrambled eggs are sitting in the microwave, if you want any," Jo said quietly, not lifting her head from the paper. Lizzie could tell that she was upset if she couldn't even get a good morning out of her mother. "I'm sorry I got home so late last night, Mom," Lizzie started, "but the GTI caught a flat, and Gordo rode with Miranda, so I had to fix it myself. You know how bad I am with cars!" Jo lowered her paper and gave Lizzie a look only a mother could give. Lizzie remained adamant in her excuse, and wasn't changing her story. Jo thought she would regret it, but she believed Lizzie. Jo smiled, and quietly said, "Good morning, by the way." Lizzie shot her a warm smile back. "Morning, Mom. Oh by the way, did you notice the moving vans outside the house this morning?" Lizzie continued. "Oh yeah, the new neighbors were just able to sign the lease, so that explains why they didn't move in sooner. Your father knows more about them than I do. He was out talking to them earlier this morning." Lizzie was interested so she decided to try and find out some more about the new family in town.
After she ate a quick breakfast, she walked out the front door with her keys, and walked down the front driveway to greet her father, who was just finishing up mowing the lawn. "Good Morning, sleepyhead," Sam McGuire jokingly said. Lizzie gave her father a kiss on the cheek, and replied, "Good morning, Daddy. Hey, Mom told me that you had a conversation with the new neighbors. So what are they like?" Sam smirked a little, and moved in closer to her, so he wouldn't have to speak as loud. "Well, from what I understand, we have three new neighbors. Two are parents, Amalio and Devon Johnson. They have an 18-year-old son, Mark, who will be going to your school this year. But this is the interesting part; they family moved all the way from Brooklyn in New York City!" Here was a nice twist to the everyday life of Lizzie McGuire. New friends to make already before the school year begins, from across the country no less! Lizzie quietly pondered to herself what the family was like.
"Interesting. Get anymore dirt on 'em, Dad," Lizzie jokingly asked. Her father raised his left eyebrow before replying, "No, they had to unpack a few things, but they did invite us all over for dinner once they have everything settled. We're going, and your mother and I expect you to be there as well."
"Alright, Daddy. Well, I was supposed to meet Miranda and Ethan at the Digital Bean about a good half hour ago, so I suppose I should get going. See you tonight, okay?" Lizzie waved goodbye to her father before walking back up the driveway and into her purple 1998 Volkswagen GTI. She turned the key to the ignition and slowly backed out down the driveway. As she stopped to look out for oncoming traffic, she caught a glimpse of a figure walking into the recently vacated home. She thought nothing of it, and was on her way to the Digital Bean.
************
Now, to fully grasp this story, you'll need a little background info. Oh how rude of me. Allow me to introduce myself. I am known as the middleman. Not the narrator, but instead simply a casual observer. I will pop in from time to time, just to keep this story along. I will give my very opinionated point of view whenever possible, so ignorant people need not read further. Okay, since that is out of the way, let's get things straight. I don't know you and you don't know me. Nevertheless, I think the information that I will provide should interest you. So, let me start things off. First thing's first, as you can probably assume, Lizzie McGuire and David "Gordo" Gordon eventually got together. However, this didn't come easy and it didn't happen overnight. It took time. Lizzie tried a relationship with local pretty boy airhead, Ethan Craft. One can only assume that she realized her attraction to Ethan was purely physical. Gordo also experienced a short-lived relationship with Miranda Sanchez. Unfortunately for her, Gordo also realized he was living a lie. Miranda could sense this, so she wasn't very surprised with the break-up. I guess friends can just sense these things!
During their sophomore year, Gordo had asked Lizzie to the prom, and that night under the moonlit sky, Gordo confessed his almost 5 year obsession. Lizzie, unresponsive at first, was speechless for the first time in her life. It was also the first time in her life that she felt like a kindred spirit, because the feelings were mutual. Didn't you see that coming? They've been together since. Miranda's situation, on the other hand, is rather different. After her lackluster relationship with Gordo, she tried dating around, first with Larry Tudgeman, and then with Danny Kessler, and even with some kid named Jake Thomas, but her new flames were luke-warm, at best. Last year, on New Year's Eve, no less, Ethan Craft had asked her to be his steady girlfriend. She was reluctant, but after about 3 seconds, she accepted. Now, you might say to yourself, if it didn't work with Lizzie, why should it work with Miranda. You've got some attitude, mister. Keep this in mind; Lizzie and Ethan dated back in Junior High. I would think the entire group has much matured since those days. Hey, if you don't believe me, Ethan isn't even really that stupid anymore. He's a steady 'C' student. (I told you they matured a lot.) Here's the real kicker, though. Kate Sanders made peace with Lizzie, Miranda, and Gordo during freshman year. She even contemplated dating Gordo soon after, but instead an unlikely rose blossomed between herself and Larry Tudgeman. So what now? Well, the original group of three has now made it's way to six! Although, it's not nearly as close emotionally to the original, it's still closer than some. Well, I've ranted enough let's get back to the Bean.
************
Lizzie parked across the street from the Digital Bean so as to not interrupt traffic. She carefully got out of the car, and looked both ways before running across the road. She slowly walked into the Internet café, where she could already see Miranda on a computer. "Probably checking her e- mail again," Lizzie thought to herself as she pulled the glass door open. Ethan spotted her and waved her down to the area they were sitting. "Hey guys," Lizzie said with a smile.
Ethan shot a smile right back and said, "What up, Liz?" Miranda just nodded, as she was too immersed in what she was doing to stop. Lizzie sat down on the red sofa chair nearest to the computer Miranda was using. The couple was unusually quiet, so Lizzie thought she would share the news of her new neighbors with them. "So, New York, huh? That's, like, on the other side of the nation, right?"
Lizzie sighed. "Yes, Ethan. New York is basically the Los Angeles of the East Coast. I wonder what the family is like. I still haven't met them, you know."
Ethan paused. "Well, why don't you just go over and introduce yourself. I mean, you're pretty much the most outgoing person in our group." "Do you really think so," she asked. "Of course, I mean, you're always trying to go out and, like, do new things and visit different places. Why should just going next-door and saying 'hi' be so hard?"
For once in a long time, Ethan was making much more sense to Lizzie. She was the one who got the group to spend a week in San Francisco last summer. She was the one who convinced them all to go to Cancun for Spring Break. What was the big deal about going next door and just saying 'hello'? Lizzie decided that once she got home she would give them an introduction, but right now, she was waiting for Gordo, Kate, and Tudgeman to get there so they could figure out how they were going to spend their Saturday.
She slowly rose from her bed, wiping the sleep from her eyes, and let out a yawn as she silently hobbled over to the window. She pushed the curtains out of the way with her left hand and was a bit surprised to see two large moving vans in front of the house next door. Her neighbors had moved close to two years ago, and throughout that time, no one had ever come to live there. Just when everyone thought that the house might never be sold, sure enough, the Century 21 sign on the front lawn printed the word in large, bold, red text. Just one thing still puzzled Lizzie; the sign had been put up in April. It was now August, and the new neighbors were just moving in!
Lizzie was actually quite anxious to see some new faces in the neighborhood. Mostly everyone whom she graduated middle school with still lived in the area. No one had moved too far away from Hillridge, and while this gives a great sense of community togetherness, it can be rather boring after some time. It wasn't that Lizzie didn't appreciate all of the friends and acquaintances she had made over the years, it was just that she always wondered what it would be like for something, or someone, entirely different from the norm to be present in her everyday life.
She let out a slight sigh as she looked down at her body. She had slept in the clothes she wore the night before, so she felt she needed to change. He gathered some new clothing from her dresser drawers, and folded them over her shoulder as she exited her room for a nice shower. It would give her time to think about the uncertainties she would face in the upcoming week - when she would go back to school.
************
Lizzie quickly shuffled down the staircase, smelling the aroma of bacon and eggs, still thick in the air from the morning's breakfast. She knew it was probably long gone by now, but walked into the kitchen to check just in case. Her mother, Jo McGuire, was sitting at the kitchen counter reading the newspaper to herself. As Lizzie walked by, Jo glanced over the paper, but didn't say a word. Lizzie stayed shut as well, scanning the room with her eyes. "Two strips of bacon and some scrambled eggs are sitting in the microwave, if you want any," Jo said quietly, not lifting her head from the paper. Lizzie could tell that she was upset if she couldn't even get a good morning out of her mother. "I'm sorry I got home so late last night, Mom," Lizzie started, "but the GTI caught a flat, and Gordo rode with Miranda, so I had to fix it myself. You know how bad I am with cars!" Jo lowered her paper and gave Lizzie a look only a mother could give. Lizzie remained adamant in her excuse, and wasn't changing her story. Jo thought she would regret it, but she believed Lizzie. Jo smiled, and quietly said, "Good morning, by the way." Lizzie shot her a warm smile back. "Morning, Mom. Oh by the way, did you notice the moving vans outside the house this morning?" Lizzie continued. "Oh yeah, the new neighbors were just able to sign the lease, so that explains why they didn't move in sooner. Your father knows more about them than I do. He was out talking to them earlier this morning." Lizzie was interested so she decided to try and find out some more about the new family in town.
After she ate a quick breakfast, she walked out the front door with her keys, and walked down the front driveway to greet her father, who was just finishing up mowing the lawn. "Good Morning, sleepyhead," Sam McGuire jokingly said. Lizzie gave her father a kiss on the cheek, and replied, "Good morning, Daddy. Hey, Mom told me that you had a conversation with the new neighbors. So what are they like?" Sam smirked a little, and moved in closer to her, so he wouldn't have to speak as loud. "Well, from what I understand, we have three new neighbors. Two are parents, Amalio and Devon Johnson. They have an 18-year-old son, Mark, who will be going to your school this year. But this is the interesting part; they family moved all the way from Brooklyn in New York City!" Here was a nice twist to the everyday life of Lizzie McGuire. New friends to make already before the school year begins, from across the country no less! Lizzie quietly pondered to herself what the family was like.
"Interesting. Get anymore dirt on 'em, Dad," Lizzie jokingly asked. Her father raised his left eyebrow before replying, "No, they had to unpack a few things, but they did invite us all over for dinner once they have everything settled. We're going, and your mother and I expect you to be there as well."
"Alright, Daddy. Well, I was supposed to meet Miranda and Ethan at the Digital Bean about a good half hour ago, so I suppose I should get going. See you tonight, okay?" Lizzie waved goodbye to her father before walking back up the driveway and into her purple 1998 Volkswagen GTI. She turned the key to the ignition and slowly backed out down the driveway. As she stopped to look out for oncoming traffic, she caught a glimpse of a figure walking into the recently vacated home. She thought nothing of it, and was on her way to the Digital Bean.
************
Now, to fully grasp this story, you'll need a little background info. Oh how rude of me. Allow me to introduce myself. I am known as the middleman. Not the narrator, but instead simply a casual observer. I will pop in from time to time, just to keep this story along. I will give my very opinionated point of view whenever possible, so ignorant people need not read further. Okay, since that is out of the way, let's get things straight. I don't know you and you don't know me. Nevertheless, I think the information that I will provide should interest you. So, let me start things off. First thing's first, as you can probably assume, Lizzie McGuire and David "Gordo" Gordon eventually got together. However, this didn't come easy and it didn't happen overnight. It took time. Lizzie tried a relationship with local pretty boy airhead, Ethan Craft. One can only assume that she realized her attraction to Ethan was purely physical. Gordo also experienced a short-lived relationship with Miranda Sanchez. Unfortunately for her, Gordo also realized he was living a lie. Miranda could sense this, so she wasn't very surprised with the break-up. I guess friends can just sense these things!
During their sophomore year, Gordo had asked Lizzie to the prom, and that night under the moonlit sky, Gordo confessed his almost 5 year obsession. Lizzie, unresponsive at first, was speechless for the first time in her life. It was also the first time in her life that she felt like a kindred spirit, because the feelings were mutual. Didn't you see that coming? They've been together since. Miranda's situation, on the other hand, is rather different. After her lackluster relationship with Gordo, she tried dating around, first with Larry Tudgeman, and then with Danny Kessler, and even with some kid named Jake Thomas, but her new flames were luke-warm, at best. Last year, on New Year's Eve, no less, Ethan Craft had asked her to be his steady girlfriend. She was reluctant, but after about 3 seconds, she accepted. Now, you might say to yourself, if it didn't work with Lizzie, why should it work with Miranda. You've got some attitude, mister. Keep this in mind; Lizzie and Ethan dated back in Junior High. I would think the entire group has much matured since those days. Hey, if you don't believe me, Ethan isn't even really that stupid anymore. He's a steady 'C' student. (I told you they matured a lot.) Here's the real kicker, though. Kate Sanders made peace with Lizzie, Miranda, and Gordo during freshman year. She even contemplated dating Gordo soon after, but instead an unlikely rose blossomed between herself and Larry Tudgeman. So what now? Well, the original group of three has now made it's way to six! Although, it's not nearly as close emotionally to the original, it's still closer than some. Well, I've ranted enough let's get back to the Bean.
************
Lizzie parked across the street from the Digital Bean so as to not interrupt traffic. She carefully got out of the car, and looked both ways before running across the road. She slowly walked into the Internet café, where she could already see Miranda on a computer. "Probably checking her e- mail again," Lizzie thought to herself as she pulled the glass door open. Ethan spotted her and waved her down to the area they were sitting. "Hey guys," Lizzie said with a smile.
Ethan shot a smile right back and said, "What up, Liz?" Miranda just nodded, as she was too immersed in what she was doing to stop. Lizzie sat down on the red sofa chair nearest to the computer Miranda was using. The couple was unusually quiet, so Lizzie thought she would share the news of her new neighbors with them. "So, New York, huh? That's, like, on the other side of the nation, right?"
Lizzie sighed. "Yes, Ethan. New York is basically the Los Angeles of the East Coast. I wonder what the family is like. I still haven't met them, you know."
Ethan paused. "Well, why don't you just go over and introduce yourself. I mean, you're pretty much the most outgoing person in our group." "Do you really think so," she asked. "Of course, I mean, you're always trying to go out and, like, do new things and visit different places. Why should just going next-door and saying 'hi' be so hard?"
For once in a long time, Ethan was making much more sense to Lizzie. She was the one who got the group to spend a week in San Francisco last summer. She was the one who convinced them all to go to Cancun for Spring Break. What was the big deal about going next door and just saying 'hello'? Lizzie decided that once she got home she would give them an introduction, but right now, she was waiting for Gordo, Kate, and Tudgeman to get there so they could figure out how they were going to spend their Saturday.