Disclaimer – Disney owns Lizzie McGuire.
A/N – Set in the spring of their junior year.
The Kessler brothers' parties were legendary in Hill Ridge High School. Almost anything could happen and it normally did. You pay a cover and you had free reign in the house and access to almost anything imaginable.
The Kessler's were one of the richest families in Hill Ridge, owning the Slip Slide water park. They loved showing off their money; a huge three story house, a heated pool, tennis courts, and of course cars. When each Kessler boy turned 16, they were given a brand new muscle car.
As one of these parties was going on inside the Kessler house, Kate stood alone in the backyard looking up at the night sky.
She had just caught her recent boyfriend, Tyler Williams, making out with Sasha Reynolds, another cheerleader. Once she had gotten over the initial shock of it, Kate was surprised that she really didn't care. She can have him. The only reason they were even going out to begin with was because he was popular.
I'm so tired of dating guys who only care about my cup size, she thought bitterly.
Slowly walking over to the edge of the Kessler's huge heated pool, Kate stood on the edge and looked at her reflection in the water. I don't even recognize myself. Kate looked down at her outfit and cringed. She was wearing a short black miniskirt, a tight purple tank top, and black heeled boots.
Closing her eyes, she titled her head back up to the sky and took a deep breath. As a cool breeze blew past her, she shivered. "Could this night get any better?" she asked sarcastically.
Suddenly, she felt something being draped over her shoulders. Opening her eyes, she found a black windbreaker draped over her. Slowly turning around, she came face to face with the last person she expected. "Gordo," she said softly.
"You looked cold," he said simply.
"Uhh…Thanks."
"What are you doing out here?"
"What the hell do you care?" she suddenly snapped at him. She tried to use anger to mask her surprise. "Just go back inside and leave me alone!"
Gordo stood where he was. "Kate?"
Kate looked down at the ground as she felt her barriers collapse. She didn't say anything at first. "Do you know what's it like to feel numb inside?" she asked after a few minutes.
Gordo a little taken aback from the question, "Are you alright?"
"I don't know." She turned back around and looked at the water again.
Walking up to her, Gordo stood next to her. "What's wrong?"
Kate took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I hate my life."
"That narrows it down," he tried to joke. When Kate glared at him, Gordo sobered. "Sorry."
Sitting down on the diving board together, Gordo turned to her. "All teenagers hate their lives at some point."
"Not like this." She pulled the jacket closer around her, like it was a safety blanket. "Nobody gives a damn about me. Sometimes I just want to end it but I don't have the courage to."
Gordo moved closer to her and wrapped an arm around her waist.
Unconsciously, Kate slid closer to him. "I just caught Tyler making out with another girl."
"I'm sorry."
Kate caught him off guard when she let out a bitter laugh. "I'm not. Tyler was a pompous jackass. There was nothing between us."
"Is that what has you so upset?" he asked her.
She shook her head no. Kate looked up at him and met his eyes. They felt like they were looking deep into her, searching for something. She just wasn't sure what.
Kate looked away, desperate to break the gaze. "I'm tired of being surrounded by airhead cheerleaders who only care about clothes and makeup, and idiot jocks that only care about who they can sleep with next. I want somebody who actually cares about me and not what I can do for them."
Gordo gently rubbed her side. "What about your mom?" he asked softly.
Kate snorted, "She could care less about what happens to me. Ever since the divorce I'm just a burden to her, she blames me for my dad cheating on her. But that's when she's actually around and not at some bar hitting on guys or taking her latest boy toy on some European vacation."
Gordo sat there surprised and unsure of what to do next. I knew her mother was a bit flaky but I didn't think it was this bad.
Tears started rolling down Kate's face. "Her idea of motherly advice is like your skirt is too long, or your makeup has to be perfect, or use all your feminine wilds to get men to do what you want," she said mimicking her mother.
She was unsure as to why she had suddenly just blurted out her problems to Gordo, of all people. But Kate knew at the moment, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her. It also gave her a strange sense of comfort being with Gordo and just having him listen.
Suddenly out of the blue, Kate turned to him and met his eyes again. "I wish I never went to the stupid cheerleading camp."
Gordo titled his head, "Why?"
"Cause I never would've thrown away the only friends that actually cared about me."
Gordo grinned slightly, "It's not too late. I know Lizzie would be happy to be friends with you again and Miranda…well, give her some time."
"What about you?" Kate asked very timidly. "I mean you have no reason to even believe me."
Gordo shrugged. He knew she had befriended them before, only to cross them again. But this time it was more of a gut feeling that she was serious. "Because I know somewhere underneath all this junk, the real Kate is there somewhere."
That's what he's been looking for. The real me. The little pony tailed girl who used to love playing tag, watching cartoons, who had a crush on- she stopped in mid-thought, looked down at the ground with a small smile and her ears turning slightly red.
"Kate?"
"You wanna know something?" she asked not looking up. Kate didn't really wait for an answer. "I had a crush on you." The smile slowly disappeared as she continued, "That's why it was so easy being mean to you guys. I was jealous."
She paused for a breath. Gordo reached out with his free hand and gently tilted her head so she was back looking at him. Kate felt her skin goosebump at his touch. "It was frustrating to know that you only had eyes for Lizzie. Sweet, naive, little Lizzie. To you she was the perfect girl." She sighed, "Than there was Parker and Sara, two girls who had no idea how special you are."
"Have you been keeping track of my love life?" Gordo asked sarcastically.
Kate's blush deepened. "Maybe," she answered softly.
Gordo at first wasn't sure what to say but then a small smile formed. "Kate, do you still have a crush on me?"
Kate wasn't sure. When she had buried her real self so many years ago, she tried to bury those feelings along with it. But with the old her finally coming back, those feelings were coming back. It didn't hurt that he was letting her cry on his shoulder.
"Yes," she whispered. Without thinking about it, Kate leaned in and kissed him softly.
Pulling back, what she had just done hit her full force. "Oh god," she mumbled. Trying to get up, she forgot that Gordo's arm was around her waist.
Losing her balance, she fell into his lap. Before Kate could say anything, Gordo kissed her.
When Gordo pulled back, Kate's head was spinning and she was in blissful haze. Slowly coming back to reality, "Gordo?"
"Mmm?"
"Why did you kiss me?"
Gordo grinned, "Cause you kissed me."
Kate unwrapped herself from Gordo, stood up and started pacing. "I'm serious. I mean I just went from my life sucking to…to…" her voice raising in volume.
Gordo stood up. "To getting the one thing you thought you'd never have," he said.
Kate felt her mouth go dry. If this was anyone but Gordo, I would've thought he would be a huge egomaniac. But he's right. I'd never thought I would ever have a chance with him.
Taking the jacket off her shoulders slightly, he helped Kate put her arms in the sleeves and then zippered it up slightly. He then put his hands on the sides of her waist and looked up at her. He was 5'8" and she was 5'10" but with her heeled boots, Kate was 6'. "Nothing says we have to figure out everything tonight. All you have to know is that I care about you and I'll be there when you need help. I'm your friend."
Kate put her hands on his shoulders and smiled softly at him. "Just like old times?"
Gordo gave her a lopsided grin, "Well not exactly." Kate's smile faltered slightly. Gordo looked her dead in the eye, "This time there's no Lizzie in between us." As he finished, Gordo gently kissed her cheek, which caused a shiver to shoot down Kate's spine.
After a few minutes of standing there together under the starry sky, Gordo broke the silence. "How about we blow off this party and go somewhere else."
Kate's face lit up like a little kid's. "Ice Cream?"
Gordo laughed at the unexpected answer. "Sure. Vanilla?" As they started to walk away from the pool, Gordo slipped his hand into hers.
Kate smiled at his touch. "Screw that. If I'm going back to the old me, I want Cookie Dough."
"Anything you want," Gordo said amused.
Kate looked over at him with an arched eyebrow. "Anything?" she said smiling and eyeing Gordo like a cat would its prey.
Gordo returned the look, "Anything."
As they walked out of the backyard, Kate smiled to herself. Who would've figured I would've gone from my lowest moment to my highest all in a matter of minutes. She tighten her grip on Gordo's hand, And this time I'm not giving it up.