disclaimer: not mine

a/n: this is just a little something i had to get off my chest. if i get reviews i might continue. it was up before under the same title but i've done some revising and added paragraphs upon a request. review please!

January 14,

The day rolled in just the same as any other rainy Saturday morning would, the weather that week had been beautiful, reaching the mid- 60's nearly unheard of for the area at this time or year. The sun had been shining non-stop, and everyone seemed to be in better spirits than they had been the week before..

15 year old Lizzie McGuire had completed about half of her sophomore year of high school and couldn't wait for the next half to end. Her young naïve attitude was quickly evaporating as her heart took more and more beatings. On top of a constant emotional roller coaster, she had to deal with her not quite there self esteem. She was pretty- no doubt about that- but she'd never admit it, or believe it coming from someone else.

She woke up around 8 that morning, still content from the shopping trip she had gone on the previous evening. She stretched and threw the covers off of her, yawning and looking around her room. What a mess, ohh well. She tip-toed downstairs, turning on the TV and relaxing into the couch. The clock on the cable box illuminated the numbers, showing that she'd been up for half an hour. She heard her brother wake up and rummage around the house, getting ready for whatever early morning sport's game he had that morning and her mom violently whisper for him to be quiet down. 8:45 rolled around and the neighbors were at the front door picking him up and the house settled again. Lizzie took this as her cue to head upstairs. At 9:30 her mother, Jo, stood in the doorway watching her daughter who she'd found, once again, on her computer.

"What time is Miranda coming?" Lizzie turned her head to look at her mother, she'd become even more obnoxious since the family had moved to the East coast and her dad started working out of town four days a week.

"I don't know mom, she said she would call and I'm assuming that she will" Lizzie turned back to her computer and Jo let out a loud, deep sigh. She'd picked that up after the move too.

A few weeks before Lizzie started 9th grade her dad's company moved head quarters to Virginia. Lizzie's family, along with Gordo's and Miranda's and a few other families that had lived in the Hillridge area, had been forced to move. Since her dad was in a different position than Gordo's and Miranda's, Lizzie's family had moved to Charlottesville while the other two families resided in Fredericksburg

. The move had taken its toll on everything; but after a year and half it seemed like things might be getting back to normal. Lizzie had crawled out of her slight depression and was back to her vibrant self. Miranda had adjusted well, the new school had given her a chance to start over and shed her old image. Gordo had taken the move the hardest; he'd already completed a year at Hillridge since he was a year older than the girls and had stronger ties to the area. Together the three of them had battled the pains of moving and come out stronger and closer than ever.

Lizzie glanced at the clock, 10:00, time to start getting ready. She was spending the weekend at Miranda's, and was excited for the surprise party being held that afternoon. Not only to surprise Miranda but also to see Gordo. They'd always had a sort of history, more of a slew of crushes in between some meaningless relationships, and although nothing serious had ever come of it, Lizzie knew there was definitely something big between them.

When the trio had moved, Lizzie told Gordo that the small "thing" they had going had to stop. It seemed rational to her since they wouldn't be in the same area anymore. So it was her own fault that she'd spent the half year playing a game of missing him, missing whatever they'd had and hating his new girlfriend. It didn't take Gordo long to meet someone new when he'd started school, not that Lizzie could be surprised, he was just so easy to get along with. Lizzie had practically pushed Gordo into Brooke's arms and that was something she had to live with.

So for a year she waited, she smiled when she saw them together and told him everything would be ok whenever they'd have a fight. She played the perfect best friend, and that brought her and Gordo even closer. But then that day came, when she got a text message saying that Brooke had broken up with him. It was just before Christmas and the trio immediately made plans to visit with each other as soon as they all could. Lizzie smiled to herself at the though of that day.

December 28, a few days were left in the year and the sun was shining brightly. Lizzie was so happy that day, the night before she'd made last minute plans to meet up with Gordo and Miranda and spend the day with them.

She spent the morning at the dentist and even that couldn't phase her, the happiness was radiating from her, and it seemed that the weather had soaked it up and was pouring it on everyone else. The car ride there seemed long, but she sat through it, listening to the beautiful voice of Michael Buble and singing along.

She arrived at Miranda's around 12, Gordo should have arrived within the next few minutes, but in true Gordon style, came an hour late. He pulled up in a car that was laughable, the chipped paint and the 15 year old frame had obviously seen better days, but it moved, and that was all that mattered. Gordo stopped in real fast and the three left for the bowling alley.They paid for shoes and sat at their lane.

Miranda suggested they all have, original names, and true to character chose a odd yet beautiful name. Lizzie ran up to the stand and quickly typed in "STINKY" for Gordo, who tickled her side, they all sat stumped on a name for Lizzie. Gordo suggested some type of hot Mexican pepper and Miranda told a small story of how she had encountered them in Mexico. "Those things are really hot" she finished off the story and looked at both her friends

"Exactly" Gordo practically whispered it, but Lizzie heard it and suppressed the urge to smile from ear to ear and jump up and down for joy. It turned out that Gordo couldn't spell the name of this pepper and they resided with ZEZE, the name Matt had called Lizzie in his younger years.

They bowled the first game, with Lizzie coming out on top, followed by Gordo and then a very angry Miranda. It was hard to tell whether Miranda was mad because she'd lost so terribly or because she'd had to remind Lizzie to stop flirting with Gordo so many times, not that it made a difference

The second game ended with Gordo in first, Lizzie, who's bowling skills got drastically worse the second game in second and Miranda in last again. They went out for ice cream and then headed to Miranda's house to watch a movie. The three laid across her bed and watched the small screen. After a few pokes and tickles Gordo and Lizzie wrapped their hands together, and once Miranda had been called downstairs to set the table, they'd ended up in a full on tickle war.

It ended rather quickly with Gordo's arm securely around Lizzie's waist, the two were called down to dinner and they separated, barely, to get off the bed. After dinner the three retired back to Miranda's room to continue with the movie. Gordo had to get up a few times, checking his phone and the time for when he had to leave. When he returned to his movie position he ran a finger up Lizzie's leg and took her hand, and when he had to go he ran his hand down her side, stopping when he hit the edge of her jeans.

Miranda paused the movie and Lizzie slipped on her shoes. They walked Gordo to the front door and hugged him goodbye, a mix of see you in a few days for the New Years party, drive safe and bittersweet smiles were exchanged and Gordo walked out the door, making a sad face in the windows before turning around. Lizzie's heart broke even more at the sight of this face and she opened the door letting herself out.

"I'm walking you out to your car" she said jogging to catch up to him.

"Okay" he said with a smile

"Ohh yeah it's going to be super sweet" she giggled and they stepped off the curb walking to the drivers side of the car. Gordo opened the door and threw the keys onto the passenger seat, turning his attention to Lizzie who was staring off into space, she always seemed to be doing that.

"Hey, you ok?" he ran his fingers on the small of her back and she turned around with a forced smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine" he opened his arms and she walked into them, enjoying the hug. They stood outside for a few more minutes, thinking that Miranda was coming out. Lizzie leaned against Gordo's car and just looked at him. What must have been five minutes passed and the two hugged once more.

"Bye Gordo…" Lizzie looked at him once more but adverted her eyes, unable to look at Gordo's and say goodbye.

"Bye Lizzie" she turned around and Gordo caught her arm, his hand moving down to hers and then lingering on it a moment. Lizzie bit her lip and turned back, the look in Gordo's eyes different from one she had ever seen before, they hugged again and Lizzie quickly moved away before she did anything stupid. She heard the car start and ran back inside, feeling the cold of the December evening for the first time. Miranda had moved the movie to the downstairs TV, since her parents were no longer home and Lizzie settled into the couch, heart beating a million miles a minute.

Yeah, that had been the night, an amazing night. She'd fallen for Gordo all over again and there was no denying that something was about to happen between the two of them. New Year's Eve had brought quite as much, but Lizzie got to see him and hold his hand and that was all that mattered. Along with the text message after he'd left saying she'd looked " really good, like really good" that evening.

The fun ended fast though when Jo informed her daughter that Brooke and Gordo had gotten back together. Lizzie quickly made all attempts to find out the truth and Gordo confirmed that he and Brooke had gotten back together, needless to say that week wasn't enjoyable. By Thursday Lizzie had received news that the two had broken up again and by Monday the following week Lizzie had started to get out of the small funk the sudden get-back-together-then-break-up status of Gordo and Brooke had caused.

But now it was Saturday, and with a rather good week, full of warm weather, a shopping trip and good grades behind her she was ready, ready to face the world, and ready to see Gordo.

a/n: just to clear some things up. Gordo is 17, Miranda has just turned 16 and Lizzie is 15. Italics are thoughts and in this case a sort of flashback in Lizzie's mind.