A few days after the fireworks, Matt was with Miranda again. She was doing really bad and was struggling to breath. Then she asked,

"Matt, where's Lizzie?"

"I think she's on her way now, why?"

"I really need to ask her something."

When Lizzie arrived at the hospital, Matt greeted her at Miranda's door with a tear-stained face. He said,

"Lizzie, I think this is it. I think this is her last day. She really wants to talk to you."

Lizzie nodded her head, wishing that this day had never come. She walked into Miranda's room. Miranda had her eyes closed and was struggling to breath. Lizzie came over and took her hand, which made Miranda wake up.

"Hey Miranda," she said. "Hey, how're you doing?"

"Not to good Lizzie, but enough about that, there's something more important I have to ask."

"Okay, what is it?" Lizzie asked.

She pretty much already knew when she heard Miranda say, "It's about you and Gordo."

"What about him?" Lizzie asked solemnly.

Miranda took a deep breath and said, "Look Liz, I know about what happened between you and him. Matt told me."

Lizzie rolled her eyes and said, "Typical Matt."

Miranda smiled and said, "Yeah, but anyways, I know it isn't really my place, but Matt thinks that there is something more to the story than just me, and I think that too. So, is there?"

"Miranda, I just felt like we needed time."

Miranda raised her eyebrow and said, "You're lying."

"How do you know that?"

"Lizzie, I've known you long enough. You're a horrible liar, and everyone knows it."

Lizzie giggled and said, "Yeah I am."

"So, there is more."

Lizzie looked away for a little a second and then turned back to Miranda and said, "I don't want to hurt him."

"Hurt him? Girl, you're the best thing to have ever happened to him, and he's the best thing to have happened to you. You've both known it since the day you kissed in Rome."

Lizzie would never forget that day when she truly realized she loved Gordo.

"Miranda look. I see the way Matt is now. He's a total wreck about what's happening to you. I don't want Gordo to be the same way."

Miranda looked at her confused and asked, "What'd you mean?"

"I mean like. I can hear Matt crying at night because he doesn't want you to leave. He's so depressed. He never has any fun. He's worried about you and I don't want that for Gordo. I don't want us getting too close then something happening and he gets hurt."

Miranda's eyes began to tear up and she leaned up and gave Lizzie a hug. When she laid back down, she said,

"But Lizzie, if we were all worried about that all the time, there would be no such thing as love. Love's all about taking chances, and with you and Gordo, it's worth taking a chance."

"I don't want him to be hurt." Lizzie cried as Miranda held her.

"You won't hurt him. You're hurting him now by not being with him."

"I know." Miranda let go of Lizzie and asked,

"Do you love him?" "More than anything."

Miranda took Lizzie's hand and whispered,

"Then go be with him."

With a tear-stained face, Lizzie smiled and gave her friend another hug, then turned around to find Gordo standing in the doorway crying.

Before Lizzie could say anything, Miranda began to moan in pain