"Lizzie, I dare you to kiss Michael. With tongue." Bridget said with a smirk.

Yep, this is why I don't go to these stupid things. Lizzie thought as the kids sitting around her made cat calls and wolf whistles. This. Exact. Reason.

As brightly lit as the basement was, she was sure everyone could see her blushing. The Michael in question flashed her a lopsided smile, arching his thick, dark eyebrows. She didn't even know him. Hadn't known his name until a second before. He didn't even go to her school. He was a friend of a friend of a friend. No way.

Lizzie closed her eyes, wishing she could go back two hours to tell Carrie a more forceful no when she invited her to the party. In fact, she wouldn't have even come if she hadn't dragged Gordo along. Of all the nights for her dad to not insist on family gnome painting or something. Even Miranda had an excuse to not go.

"Umm… no.." Lizzie replied, causing the catcalls and wolf whistles to intensify.

"Ow, ow. Little Lizzie."

"Get it on!"

"Bow-chicka-wow-wow!"

"C'mon guys, no." Lizzie said a little louder. Her face turned redder and redder. Anywhere but here. Please let me be anywhere but here.

"Guys, give her a break. You can't make her." Gordo said, sensing her discomfort. Lizzie mouthed a silent thank you.

"Fine." Bridget pouted. "How about-"

"No, I think I'm gonna go. I've got a busy day tomorrow." Lizzie lied. She glanced at Gordo before she stood up and made her way towards the stairs. "Thanks for the evening."

Well, now I've gone and made myself look like the biggest baby in the world. She thought as she went up the basement steps. She found the kitchen phone and dialed home. Her mom picked up on the second ring.

"Hey mom. It's me. I'm ready to come home."

"It's only 8:30. Is something wrong, honey? Are you okay? Are people drinking?" Her mom's voice was quickly becoming more frantic. Lizzie could almost imagine her face as her brain raced with every horrible thing that could be going on at a teenage party.

"Woah mom. Take a chill pill. It's nothing like that. I'm just ready to come home."

"Well, if you're sure." She said, not sounding wholly convinced. "I'll be there in 15 minutes."

Lizzie grabbed her jacket from where she left it on the kitchen table. She didn't want to wait in the kitchen. One of Bridget's minions may come up for a snack.

The weather outside had the nip of autumn's impending chill. Her breath escaped her mouth in small white puffs. Lizzie sat on the front steps, huddling into her jacket to stay warm.

"Hey." A voice behind her said.

"Hey, Gordo." Lizzie said, not needing to turn around to know who it was. A pair of headlights flashed as a car turned onto their street and drove past.

"So, that was interesting." Gordo sat down next to her. His shoulder barely touched her. She wished there gap was bigger. It was never good for her when he was this close.

Lizzie kept her eyes straight ahead. Her face turned red again despite the chill. She could be honest. It was Gordo.

"I've never kissed anyone. Not like that, I mean." She said slowly. "I didn't want my first time to be with someone I don't know."

"That's my Lizzie. You've got more morals than anyone I know and you stick to them. I've always admired that." She could hear the smile in Gordo's voice.

My Lizzie.

She finally turned to look at him. The porch light lit up half his face. A corona of reflected light surrounded his dark curls. He smelled good. Fresh. Like apples. When they were this close she didn't understand how she wasn't lost in his smell all the time.

"Yeah, well, look at where my morals got me." Lizzie said ruefully. "All those people probably think I'm the biggest dork."

"So?" He gave her one of his x-ray looks. Its intensity made her break his gaze. "Who cares? You're not going to settle. Not many teenagers can say that."

Lizzie snorted. "When you put it like that, you make me sound awesome."

There was a pause.

"You know, I've never kissed anyone like that either." Gordo whispered.

"You haven't? Not even Greta last year?" She unconsciously matched his volume. The intimacy of their space made the air around them feel warm. She didn't want a raised voice to break the spell.

They were close enough for her to see where his eyebrows stuck up above the bridge of his nose. Close enough to see exactly how his lip curved. Her mind flashed back to a rooftop in Italy.

How her body had seemed pulled to him then.

How she had been fighting that pull ever since.

"It never felt right." He shrugged.

"Oh." Was that all she had to say? C'mon, Lizzie! Then, before the rational part of her brain could take control she said, "Does now feel right?"

"Lizzie." His voice was barely a whisper.

The way he said her name, with a kind of tired longing, wrapped around her brain and made everything fuzzy. She leaned towards him..

It was awkward. A lot of bumping of noses. Lips that didn't know quite how to move. Lizzie couldn't figure out how to breathe at the same time. And then it was over. They looked at each other, shy smiles spreading across their faces. Gordo opened his mouth as if he was about to say something, then thought better of it. Instead, he put a hand on her cheek, stroking it once before pulling her back to him.