Chapter Three: Beginning of the Thunder Storm
"I like Ethan."
"''Course you do, Liz."
"Right..." Lizzie paced back and forth in her room, her cordless phone to her ear. "Miranda, I like Ethan Craft."
On the other end, Miranda had a half smirk on her face and tried convincingly to assure Lizzie of her Ethan crush. "Uh-huh... you like Ethan."
It was later that night, two hours after Lizzie dropped off Lanny and David at their houses. Two hours and a few minutes after Lizzie had rented Lilo & Stitch for her "sneaking into adult video section Marie-obsessed weasel brother." Two hours and even more so mintues after Lizzie had gotten a kiss to change all Gordo kisses.
Two hours and a few minutes after the kiss, Lizzie began pacing in her room, in her pink pajamas and discussing it with her best girl friend. "Ethan is a hunk! Gordo can't compare!"
To Lizzie's dismay, she heard the not so reassuring "Uh-huh" from Miranda's lips. "Miranda! That kiss meant nothing! Yes, it was out of the blue and yes we were flirting and caught up in the moment... but it meant nothing! I adore Ethan! Not Gordo!"
Silence fell on the other end, causing Lizzie to panic and apologize for her outburst. But before she could send out her apology to Miranda, her door opened slightly and Matt stuck his head in.
His eyes were half open, as if he had awoken from sleep. In a tired voice, "If that kiss meant nothing to you, why are you ranting and making a big deal out of it?"
Lizzie gasped, glared at Matt, and reached for a shoe to throw at Matt. He quickly closed the door just as the shoe caused a mild thud to vibrate off the door. Matt opened it again, a small smirk on his face. "Lizzie, stop swimming in Eygpt and go to bed!"
"What?!" She then shook her head, "No, never mind! Just get your little ferret face on out of here! Go back to bed!"
"Gladly!" Matt replied, shutting the door.
"Ugh! Brothers! Pain in the butt!"
"He's got a point there, Miss Cleopatra." Miranda laughed, which only confused Lizzie more.
"What are you two talking about? What does Cleopatra and Eygpt have to do with anything remotely related to me?" Lizzie sat back on her bed, more vexed by this situation than confused.
"History, Lizzie. Cleopatra was the Queen of Eygpt... Eygpt is famous for a certain river called..."
Lizzie bit her lower lip, thinking. The answer popped in her head and when it did, she scowled. "Ha. Ha." She laughed dryly, "I am not in denial about anything!"
"Coulda fooled us, Liz." Miranda snickered over the line.
The young blond paused again, thinking deeply about the last events leading up to that innocent flirtatious kiss. Finally, softly, "Miranda?"
"Yeah, McGuire?"
"It wouldn't be so bad if I had said that I actually liked that kiss, right?"
She heard Miranda laugh good and naturally. "Lizzie, you and David are like Dawson and Joey. Best friends, soul mates, childhood sweethearts with all the romantic baggage. It's okay for you to like that kiss. I wouldn't be surprised if David liked giving you that kiss."
Half jokingly, "Miranda, I actually like Joey with Pacey..."
"Lizzie! You know what I mean!" Miranda laughed.
"Yeah..." Lizzie trailed off as she began thinking thoughts of what-if and the possibilities of seeing her Gordo in a whole new light. "He's a sweet guy, Miranda. Really cute if you like dark hair blue eyed guys..."
"Does Elijah Wood count?" Miranda teased, recalling Lizzie's brief infatuation with Elijah and Orlando Bloom.
"Better!" Lizzie giggled. "Because Gordo's here and not off in some far off Middle Earth!"
"So what are you going to do now, McGuire?"
As if being pulled down to earth from briefly walking on air, Lizzie felt an immense thud and short of breath upon realizing she might have to change their already perfect relationship. "Wha--what I'm going to do?"
"Uh-huh..."
Meekly, "I don't have to really tell him anything now, do I?"
Matter-of-factly, "Lizzie, unless you're a really good actress, David's gonna sense that something's up."
"He knows me that well..." She muttered, both happily and regretfully.
"Well, just play it cool, McGuire." Miranda advised. "I mean, this is David for goodness sake's! Just act like you would normally act around him!"
"Why do I have a feeling that next time he whispers in my ears, I'm gonna fall flat on my face?"
"Lizzie," She could hear Miranda surpressing a giggle. "Hate to break it to ya, but the student body has already decided that the act of falling flat on your face is your definite trademark."
Lizzie groaned, unfortunately knowing that it is partly true. "It's as if gravity has had it out for me since day one!"
"Actually, since the moment you decided to wear platforms to school..."
Again, Lizzie laughed dryly to Miranda. "Ha. Ha. Y'know, Gordo's starting to rub off on you."
"McGuire, I suggest that you be yourself around David. Nothing really has changed... I mean, sure you happen to see him in a totally different light and all, but this is still David Gordon! Your Gordo! The guy that you've been best friends with since day one. The guy that would threaten to kick any guy's ass even though we all know that the other guy would possibly win! The guy that only allows you and only you to still call him 'Gordo'! Lizzie, just be yourself."
Lizzie smiled into the phone, extremely thankful for her soul sister. "Miranda, you're the best."
"Hey, we can smell our own kind, McGuire."
When they both hung up, Lizzie sighed and flopped on her back on her bed. What a day! First she was assigned a stupid project, then realized that her brother is a closet-case adult video weasel, but also maybe her Gordo, her best friend, could mean more to her than that.
Groaning into her pillow, "And that's just today!"
"Lizzie?"
Lizzie sat up, surprised by the person by the door. "Dad?"
Sam McGuire grinned at his eldest child, "Hey there, kiddo..." Noticing the pillow, "Oh, did I wake you up?"
She shook her head, "No, dad. What's up?"
"Well," He pushed up his glasses, then he gave her a grin and walked over to sit next to her on her bed. "I talked to Matt before he went to bed and he mentioned something about The Godfather..."
"Oh, and let me guess," She gave him a teasing grin, "You think Apollonia has a great body too?"
Sam chuckled, "I do... but I also think Kay was as much a good wife to Michael as Apollonia."
Lizzie was yet again thrown off by all this Godfather talk. "Who's Kay?"
"Michael's second wife after Apollonia."
"What happened to Apollonia?"
Sam placed a somewhat worn book in her hands, "You'll see..." He kissed her forehead, "G'night sweetheart." And turned to leave.
Lizzie glanced at the book in her hand, a grin forming on her lips as she sighed, sat back in bed, and began reading the words...
"Lizzie?"
"Don Corleone waited until Sonny had left the room. Then he sank back into his leather armchair and motioned brusquely for a drink. Hagen poured him a glass of anisette. The Don looked up at him. 'Send Luca Brasi to see me,' he said." Her eyes continued to gulp down each word, each moment, in this whole new world before her.
"Hey McGuire? Yo?" A hand attempted to wave attention, but was only shut out by the black, red, and white cover.
Miranda glanced at David, brows arched in question. "Have you ever seen her so engrossed by a book before?"
"You mean an actual book that doesn't have the title 'N Sync's Unathorized Biography'?" He regarded the book one last time, a small smile playing on his lips. "Nope... but hey, there's a first time for everything!"
Crossing her arms in amusement, "I bet you're glad that she actually took your advice and is now reading a book that you recommended."
Still smiling at Lizzie, "About as glad as Tudge was when you first kissed him..." David stopped, causing his proud grin to settle into a sly one, "Though if I were him, I'd probably be using the sand paper on my lips right now..."
Miranda gasped, swatted David hard, then turned to Lizzie. "Are you actually gonna let your boy talk to me like this, McGuire?"
With her eyes still glued to the book, without having to move from her seat, with one hand holding up the paperback, Lizzie allowed the other hand to give her Gordo a good slap on the arm. "Gordo, stop making fun of Miranda."
It was lunch time and the Lizzie gang were lounging around in their usual outdoor spot. It was just a little table and bench right under a tree, perfect to shade themselves from the noon heat.
Some things still remained the same, from junior high and up. The popular crowd, consisting of cheerleaders and jocks, hung out in one spot, usually the best spot. The drama kids and the computer whiz kids hang out in their designated area. And the normal crowd would also disperse into mini crowds consisting of their close friends. Lizzie, Miranda, David, and Larry usually fit into the latter. Often or not, Ethan Craft would be seen hanging out with Kate, which observed by Lizzie and friends, is more so by force on Kate's part. When he wasn't hanging out with the popular crowd, Ethan could be found just chilling with Lizzie's crew, much to the annoyance of one Kate Sanders.
Miranda was expecting today to be an awkward day for Lizzie, especially since it was the day after her friend's realization over her growing feelings for David. However, upon arriving, she found her friend paying more attention to a book recommended by David instead of David himself.
She was hoping for a little girl talk with Lizzie during the first half of lunch, hoping to get an explaination as to why she was devoting herself to a book instead of gaining David's attention. Which was pointless in the first place because if David wasn't placing his attention on Lizzie, it would be on his studies.
However, while not only waiting for her boyfriend to get back from picking up their lunches off campus, Miranda had to endure David's usual Larry/Miranda tauntings and Lizzie's silence.
"So Miranda, I noticed Tudge was in a good mood today after study hall..." David's blue eyes were shining mischievously. "Either he was basking in the glow of first base with you... or he got to eighteenth base, or level, with his video game..."
Miranda let out a small warning growl.
"Either way, scoring with you or a video game doesn't make a difference to him..." David laughed, only causing himself to sign yet another death wish.
Miranda stood up, about ready to poune on David, when another figure abruptly stood up.
Lizzie gasped, her mouth gaping, her hands clutching the book tightly for fear of dropping it and losing her place. Her voice in shock and excited over what she had read, "What?! Vito got shot?! No!" For once, voluntarily, Lizzie dropped the book from her view and turned to David. "He can't die! Gordo! Vito can't die!"
He looked at his gal, a small amused smile on his face. Not wanting to seem as if he was teasing his Lizzie, "Baby... Vito's stronger than that. He's not gonna let some bullets take his own life." David held Lizzie softly in his arms, "Relax, okay? He's not gonna die." While still holding her, he whispered into the air and hopefully not into her ear, "At least not yet..."
Just like any person that would get sucked up into a story, images tend to flash in their head and in front of their eyes. It's as if the story itself was actually being played before them. Images coming alive, fueled by the fire of one's own imagination.
Lizzie had allowed herself to get sucked into this story, into this world, and the images came to life. When she had read about Don Corleone getting shot, her imagination displayed the images of guns and blood that she herself was too terrified to witness on screen.
"Lizzie? Are you okay?" Miranda, completely off guard by her friend's panic, placed a soothing hand on the small of Lizzie's back. "Do you want me to get anything for you?" With a small smile, "Do you want me to take this book and place it in a freezer? Joey Tribbiani style?"
David felt and heard Lizzie laugh in his arms. He himself smiled at the Friends reference.
She pulled herself a little away from David's embrace, finding herself holding his gaze. Lizzie felt a big whoosh fly through her. She had found an escape in reading The Godfather. An escape from the real world... from her real feelings. As long as she had this book serving as her shield, Lizzie was able to be around her Gordo without actually being aware of her Gordo.
Now that she didn't have the book to hide into, Lizzie felt a small panic charge through her.
"Hey," He smiled softly at her, "You okay, Liz? Still shaken up over Vito's shooting?"
She nodded numbly, too afraid to let him know that she was more shaken up over their closeness than over a fictional character's attempted death.
"Gordo?" Her voice was small and skaky, her left hand picking up invisible lint off of his shirt nervously.
"Yeah?" He brushed one of her golden bangs aside from her face. His mere touch affecting her like never before.
Miranda stepped back, holding her breath at the scene that was nearly sixteen years in the making. She silently cheered Lizzie on, knowing full well that despite her nervous behavior towards guys, her Gordo was not like any other guy.
"Gordo... I..."
"David! David!"
Lizzie felt a jolt of reality at the sound of a girl's voice calling her Gordo's name. She turned towards the voice and felt a glare form in her eyes.
A young woman jogged up to David, her brown eyes shining with excitement. "Hey!"
David stepped back from Lizzie, releasing his hold on her, much to Lizzie's dismay. "Oh, hey Lexi. What's up?"
Lizzie placed her hand on her hips, still glaring at the petite brunette. She briefly glanced at Miranda, whose eyes encouraged Lizzie not to let Alexia Conner come between her and David's moment.
Lexi glanced at Lizzie and Miranda, casting them a small smile. "Hey Lizzie! Hey Miranda!"
"Lexi." Both Lizzie and Miranda acknowledged her. For a moment, Lizzie was struck with a tinge of guilt towards her behavior. Maybe she shouldn't get so paranoid or jealous at Lexi for just wanting to talk to her Gordo. However, it was for a moment, as she watched Lexi place her hand on David's arm.
"Listen," She smiled excitedly at David, "I was talking to Ben and he told me you were reading Puzo's The Last Don."
"Yeah," David nodded, crossing his arms.
"So you've read The Godfather, right?"
He laughed, "Who's read The Last Don without having first read The Godfather?"
"Oh my gosh! This is so cool!" Lexi grinned. She grasped David's hands in hers, causing both Lizzie and Miranda to stare with mouths open. "Another Puzo fan!"
David's mouth dropped, but soon he began talking excitedly to Lexi. "Ben didn't tell me you liked Puzo too."
"When you start talking about Puzo books and anything from the mafia genre, Ben forgets everything else around him! And like him? I adore Mario Puzo's work! I'm extremely fascinated with the mobster genre!"
"Really? Me too!" David laughed, excitement shining in his eyes.
"Who does this girl think she is?" Miranda pulled Lizzie to the side.
"She certainly has great timing..." Lizzie commented sarcastically.
"Y'know..." David tilted his head, "We should get together some time and have a mafia movie maraton together."
Miranda and Lizzie gasped, Lizzie more loudly and more stunned than her friend. David and Lexi turned towards them, having heard the gasp. Lizzie flustered, while Miranda smoothly covered for her. "Uh, a spider! We just saw a huge daddy long legs!"
"Yeah!" Lizzie agreed. "It--it was--" She looked around and then glanced at her boots. "It was crawling on my boot!" Lizzie feigned a shudder and began shaking her right leg.
David raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile on his face. He glanced at Lexi, a bit glad that she wasn't thinking what he was thinking.
Lizzie threw them a small smile, "Sorry... continue your conversation."
Lexi returned Lizzie's smile, then turned back to David. "That would be great, David." She removed her backpack and began to open inside for something.
Lizzie just stood there, frozen by the scene before her. Miranda placed a comforting hand on her arm, "Lizzie?"
Finally finding her words, "Miranda!" She squeeked, "What do I do? She's going to give him her phone number!"
But much to both Lizzie and Miranda's surprise, Lexi removed a book and handed it to David. "My aunt had bought me Puzo's The Fortunate Pilgrim from a used book store, but my dad already had a copy of his own and handed it down to me. So, I was going to surprise Ben with it the extra book, but he just told me this morning that he already bought his own copy. And then he mentioned the conversation he had with you, so..."
David's jaw nearly dropped, "Wow! Lexi, this is... No," He gave it back to her, "I can't take this."
"Why not?" Both Miranda and Lexi asked. Lizzie glanced at Miranda, who only shrugged.
"I'm sure you can sell it somewhere..." David reasoned, but Lexi wouldn't have it.
"C'mon, David. Ben said that this was the only Puzo book you didn't have!" She practically forced it into his hands, "David, consider it as from one Puzo fan to another."
Finally relenting, "I'll accept it only if you and Ben join me on one of my mafia movie maratons."
Lexi smiled and shook his hand on it, "That's an offer I can't refuse!"
As Lexi left, Lizzie stood by and regarded David. Larry had finally returned from McDonalds and Miranda made her way to his side, leaving Lizzie and David to talk. David walked up to Lizzie, and to her surprise, took her hand.
She smiled, and acknowledged the book in his other hand. "That was nice of Lexi..."
David gave her a small smirk, "You do know that Lexi has a boyfriend, right?"
Lizzie couldn't contain her shock from that little news. "She does?"
Laughing, "Yeah... that guy, Ben, we were talking about. He doesn't go to this school. Ben goes to another high school in a different district. I know him because there's really not that much people I can talk to about mafia stuff..."
She gave him a flirtatious smile, "Until now..."
David caught that smile, and with a twinkle in his eye, replied, "Yeah... Lexi's a great girl, huh?"
Lizzie slapped his arm, and turned her back to him in a huff. David knew that she wasn't really angry at him, but he still couldn't contain himself from teasing his favorite girl.
He slipped his arms around her waist, smiling as he whispered in her ear, "Forgive me, m'lady... I just couldn't help myself. You're cute when you get jealous."
Speaking with her pride, "I wasn't jealous!"
"You're also cute when you lie..."
"I'm not lying! And I wasn't jealous!"
She felt and heard him laugh, "Alright, Cleopatra... I believe you."
Lizzie slipped from his embrace, grabbed her things, and her lunch from the table. She wasn't going to take any more of her Gordo's teasings!
"Lizzie! Hey!" David called out, still unable to keep from smiling.
She turned around, giving him a haughty grin. "I don't even know why I bother with you sometimes, Gordo!"
"Where are you going, McGuire?"
"To spend the remaining lunch period reading and eating in peace!" To show that she wasn't that annoyed with him, Lizzie sent him a wink and blew him a kiss. "Try not to miss me that much."
As he watched her walk away, he called out, "I already miss you!"