Disclaimer: no one mentioned belongs to me, I guarantee it.
Like we weren't all wondering what happened to Miranda and Tudgeman and Claire (well, maybe not Claire) while everyone else was in Rome. Wonder no more. (Unless you don't like the story, then go on wondering, I guess.)
*Karasuma*Firestorm*
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
While You Were Out
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
The phone ringing this early in the morning was never a good sign. With a groan, Lizzie McGuire picked up the receiver. "Hello?"
"Chica, I know there's a time zone difference and everything, but I suggest you turn on the TV ASAP."
Lizzie opened her mouth to question Miranda's demand, but thought better of it, carrying the phone downstairs.
"Lizzie, honey, are you all packed..?" her mother called from the kitchen, but she was soon drowned out by the blare of the television, and seconds later, by the anguished scream of her 14-year-old daughter.
~~~~~
"I am not seeing this," Lizzie babbled into the phone. "Please tell me I'm not seeing this."
"Oh, you're seeing it, all right," Miranda marveled, taking in the spectacle that was Lizzie tripping and going flying, taking down the decorative gold curtain in one dramatic swoop. All of this -- on Good Morning America. "You know, I was all upset that I would be missing graduation. Suddenly...not so much." She shook her head in amazement, just picturing Lizzie's open-mouthed, wide-eyed reaction of shock, horror, disgust, and shame. "Thank God you're getting out of the country today."
"Yeah, two weeks in Rome should be enough for me to assume a new identity," Lizzie said dismally.
"Mhmm," Miranda said, having seen enough. She shut off the TV.
"It's going to be el sucko without you there, Miranda. I can't believe you're only coming back today."
"The timing blows, doesn't it?" Miranda agreed. "Well, who knows, maybe we'll cross paths at the airport or something."
"Yeah," Lizzie said, but she sounded somber.
"Oh, cheer up, McG," Miranda said. "Sure, this all totally sucks, but you still get to go to *Europe* for two weeks. And maybe not with me, but Gordo is a close second, right?" she said jokingly.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Lizzie conceded.
"And with Ethan Craft! Two weeks in Rome, the most romantic of all romantic places--"
"I thought that was Paris."
"--with the hunkiest guy in Hillridge. C'mon, you've seen all the movies, this is *the* ultimate chance for you to find love with Ethan Craft."
"Y'know, Miranda, Ethan isn't all he's cracked up to be."
Miranda cocked an eyebrow. "Say what?"
"I'm just saying, there are more important things than really good hair. 'Cause underneath that hair, there is absolutely nothing. Maybe I should really start looking for someone with a little more substance. You know, someone I can have actual *conversations* with."
An amused smile played at Miranda's lips, and she was glad Lizzie couldn't see her. She knew exactly where this was leading. "Substance, huh? Sounds to me like maybe you have someone already in mind..."
"What? No, I don't," Lizzie said, but there was the slightest edge of tension in her voice that would suggest that Miranda was onto something. "I'm just saying, is all."
"Okay. If you say so." Lizzie was stressed enough as it was, what with her graduation stunt getting broadcasted nationally, and all. Now wasn't really the time for Miranda to play matchmaker. But she knew that something *would* happen in Rome. Everyone knew that Gordo was so obviously gone over Lizzie, and with the emails and calls she'd been getting, although nothing was ever stated implicitly (because Lizzie was oblivious and Gordo clearly thought no one knew about his crush), Miranda knew he had almost revealed his secret on several occasions. This Roman vacation would be exactly the push the both of them so desperately needed.
"Listen, I gotta go finish packing," Miranda said. "Have only *so* much fun in Rome, okay? And you've gotta buy me the most awesome outfit in all of Italy, deal?"
"*Second* most awesome. First goes to me, of course."
Miranda smiled. Lizzie was sounding a little less stressed. "Fair enough. Adios, chica."
"Bye, Miranda."
Miranda hung up the phone and retreated to her room, where all of her clothes were strewn about the room, needing to be folded and packed. It was a little more daunting a task than she'd originally anticipate, but she turned on the CD player and settled in for a good, long work.
Like we weren't all wondering what happened to Miranda and Tudgeman and Claire (well, maybe not Claire) while everyone else was in Rome. Wonder no more. (Unless you don't like the story, then go on wondering, I guess.)
*Karasuma*Firestorm*
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
While You Were Out
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
The phone ringing this early in the morning was never a good sign. With a groan, Lizzie McGuire picked up the receiver. "Hello?"
"Chica, I know there's a time zone difference and everything, but I suggest you turn on the TV ASAP."
Lizzie opened her mouth to question Miranda's demand, but thought better of it, carrying the phone downstairs.
"Lizzie, honey, are you all packed..?" her mother called from the kitchen, but she was soon drowned out by the blare of the television, and seconds later, by the anguished scream of her 14-year-old daughter.
~~~~~
"I am not seeing this," Lizzie babbled into the phone. "Please tell me I'm not seeing this."
"Oh, you're seeing it, all right," Miranda marveled, taking in the spectacle that was Lizzie tripping and going flying, taking down the decorative gold curtain in one dramatic swoop. All of this -- on Good Morning America. "You know, I was all upset that I would be missing graduation. Suddenly...not so much." She shook her head in amazement, just picturing Lizzie's open-mouthed, wide-eyed reaction of shock, horror, disgust, and shame. "Thank God you're getting out of the country today."
"Yeah, two weeks in Rome should be enough for me to assume a new identity," Lizzie said dismally.
"Mhmm," Miranda said, having seen enough. She shut off the TV.
"It's going to be el sucko without you there, Miranda. I can't believe you're only coming back today."
"The timing blows, doesn't it?" Miranda agreed. "Well, who knows, maybe we'll cross paths at the airport or something."
"Yeah," Lizzie said, but she sounded somber.
"Oh, cheer up, McG," Miranda said. "Sure, this all totally sucks, but you still get to go to *Europe* for two weeks. And maybe not with me, but Gordo is a close second, right?" she said jokingly.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Lizzie conceded.
"And with Ethan Craft! Two weeks in Rome, the most romantic of all romantic places--"
"I thought that was Paris."
"--with the hunkiest guy in Hillridge. C'mon, you've seen all the movies, this is *the* ultimate chance for you to find love with Ethan Craft."
"Y'know, Miranda, Ethan isn't all he's cracked up to be."
Miranda cocked an eyebrow. "Say what?"
"I'm just saying, there are more important things than really good hair. 'Cause underneath that hair, there is absolutely nothing. Maybe I should really start looking for someone with a little more substance. You know, someone I can have actual *conversations* with."
An amused smile played at Miranda's lips, and she was glad Lizzie couldn't see her. She knew exactly where this was leading. "Substance, huh? Sounds to me like maybe you have someone already in mind..."
"What? No, I don't," Lizzie said, but there was the slightest edge of tension in her voice that would suggest that Miranda was onto something. "I'm just saying, is all."
"Okay. If you say so." Lizzie was stressed enough as it was, what with her graduation stunt getting broadcasted nationally, and all. Now wasn't really the time for Miranda to play matchmaker. But she knew that something *would* happen in Rome. Everyone knew that Gordo was so obviously gone over Lizzie, and with the emails and calls she'd been getting, although nothing was ever stated implicitly (because Lizzie was oblivious and Gordo clearly thought no one knew about his crush), Miranda knew he had almost revealed his secret on several occasions. This Roman vacation would be exactly the push the both of them so desperately needed.
"Listen, I gotta go finish packing," Miranda said. "Have only *so* much fun in Rome, okay? And you've gotta buy me the most awesome outfit in all of Italy, deal?"
"*Second* most awesome. First goes to me, of course."
Miranda smiled. Lizzie was sounding a little less stressed. "Fair enough. Adios, chica."
"Bye, Miranda."
Miranda hung up the phone and retreated to her room, where all of her clothes were strewn about the room, needing to be folded and packed. It was a little more daunting a task than she'd originally anticipate, but she turned on the CD player and settled in for a good, long work.