Okay, before we get started, I've got to mention a few things. As stated in the summary spot, this is the sequel to What Would Have Happened, which is currently on page 43 or something…that's what I get for disappearing for seven months… Anyway, I've tried to explain things in here so people know what's going on, but I strongly suggest reading the first story; it'll explain a lot (and it's a fairly decent story, so I've been told…). Now, since the original story was written last year, I need to take some artistic license (I guess) with this one. So according to this story, the events in the LM movie didn't happen, along with several episodes of LM. So basically, Lizzie didn't know about Gordo liking her and vice versa. Pretty simple. Okay, moving on.
Right now I know exactly where this story is going to end up, but I'm having a terrible time making the words work the way they should. So as of right now, additional chapters may be few and very far between. But that doesn't mean I don't want to hear input on this story. So if you like it, review. If you don't, review anyways.
Oh, and one last little note, this chapter and possibly the next chapter or two will be pretty slow because I'm working into things. I can't jump into things like in the last story; I've got to do some background work. But I promise it will be worth the wait. (At least I hope so…)
So, without further adieu…may I present Chapter 1!
"Argh!!!"
Lizzie McGuire held back a grin as her roommate sent papers flying across the table in frustration. Leaning over in her chair to scoop some of the papers off the floor, Lizzie smiled apologetically at a group of students a few tables away, looking furious at the idea of their quiet study time being interrupted by an outburst.
"Brenna? Two things…" Lizzie shoved the papers back toward her roommate. "One, breathe a little, okay? I promise it'll help. And two, remember where you are!" Lizzie looked around the university library. Though it was summer, many tables in the library were full, mostly with summer students.
"Oh, they'll get over it." Brenna said lightly, glaring back at the group a few tables away. "Besides, I'm not being nearly as loud as that one." She added, gesturing to a girl standing near the entrance at the far end of the library, talking loudly on her cell phone. "Most of us don't need to know every minute detail about her life for the past half an hour!" her voice rising with each word. The girl on the phone glowered at the two of then and Lizzie couldn't help but laugh along with Brenna as the girl stalked out of the library.
"Seriously, though," Brenna shook her head as she turn back to their table, "it's like she thinks we've got nothing more important to do than listen to her whine about whoever… Personally, I can think of plenty of things I'd rather do than spend every waking out filling out these things." She said, gesturing to the piles of medical school applications sitting in front of each of them.
"And the piles keep growing!" she exclaimed, eyes hers carefully. "I swear it wasn't this big five minutes ago!"
"Now you're just being crazy." Lizzie laughed. It was true that their piles of application materials were growing bigger by the day with the additions of new application packets from different schools, letters of recommendation from various faculty members and the numerous essays, resumes, and transcripts each application required. But Lizzie knew that Brenna's slightly erratic behavior was her way of dealing with the stress of the application process.
"Y'know, Bren, as much as I'd love to stay and mock the general population of the school with you today, I've got to go or I'll be late." Lizzie smiled at her roommate as she packed up her numerous applications.
"Yeah, I know…volunteering…" Brenna looked at her watch. "I've got to be at work in an hour myself. I'll see you later tonight, okay?"
Lizzie nodded and made her way past the many tables to the library entrance. Once outside, she felt the dry heat radiating from the sun, not yet high in the sky, and from the pavement below. She quickened her pace, looking forward to the air conditioning in her car.
Not watching where she was walking, Lizzie's foot hit a piece of pavement sticking up at an odd angle and tripped, sending her bag flying off her shoulder. It flew open as it hit the ground and sent Lizzie's books and notebooks sprawling over the hot pavement.
"Typical…" Lizzie berated herself for being so clumsy as she collected papers and stuffed them unceremoniously into a notebook. Picking up her back and grabbing the last few papers on the ground, Lizzie righted herself and continued the long trek from the campus library to her car.
Glancing at the last of the papers she'd picked up to make sure they weren't her precious application materials, Lizzie stopped short. At the top of the small pile of papers in her hand lay a yellowing newspaper clipping bearing the headline, "Local Celebrity's Death Sparks Medical Controversy." Lizzie shoved the article and other papers back into her bag and hurried toward the parking lot.
It had been almost a year and a half since the events and aftermath of Ethan's death and Lizzie marveled at how much had changed.
The circumstances surrounding Ethan's death from injuries in a car accident had prompted Lizzie to change her focus at the University of Colorado at Denver from pre-vet to pre-med. Her aspirations for a medical revolution had given Lizzie an enormous amount of motivation and, now, just a year away from graduating, it showed no signs of letting up. A combination of hard work, luck, and a lot of coffee helped Lizzie maintain her near perfect GPA. Just over a year ago, she got a job in the laboratory run by her former immunology professor. At first, Lizzie only did grunt work; washing glassware and stocking the laboratory supplies, but now she ran DNA electrophoresis gels, and analyzed blood samples by flow cytometry, so she felt she was finally getting some real laboratory experience. Lizzie also volunteered at a local hospital three days a week and she worked as a tutor for the biology department, helping students with basic biology classes.
But Ethan's death had done more than just change Lizzie focus in school; it had changed a great deal of her life. Lizzie's relationship with her family had become stronger than ever, especially with Matt who had just finished his first year of college at UCLA. She talked with her parents at least once a week and got daily emails from Matt when he was at school. Lizzie's friendships had also been reinforced in the past year and a half; she was closer with Miranda than ever, despite the distance between them. Miranda had changed her major at USC to Music Recording and was constantly sending Lizzie new lyrics to songs she had written. A more drastic change had taken place in Lizzie's relationship with Gordo, who was living half a world away. Just after Gordo and Lizzie had confronted their feelings for each other, Gordo had received an opportunity he couldn't pass up and now had spend the past year and a half in Australia, working as a film production intern for director Peter Weir. Lizzie missed him more than she thought possible.
Lizzie looked at her watch and quickened her pace even more, silently criticizing the school for making the library so far away from the parking lots. Though it was summer and she wasn't taking any classes, Lizzie worked in the lab five days a week and volunteered at the hospital on weekends. And she was going to be late to the hospital if she didn't hurry.
