Chapter One: Before I knew and loved you

January, Freshmen Year

"Can you believe this? First month of the new year and already my social life is over!" Miranda Sanchez groaned, leaning onto her best friend, Elizabeth "Lizzie" McGuire, for support. She clutched onto a test paper, as if cursing its existence, but too afraid to tear it apart.

Lizzie placed an arm around her friend, hugging her as they made their way from their last class of the day to their lockers. Of all the classes to end the day with, it had to end with the dreaded Math class. What better way to welcome the afternoon then with a good ol' algebra pop quiz! Or better yet, the results of a taken algebra pop quiz!

"Miranda," Lizzie began, calm and with reason, though really sympathetic for her friend. "It's not that big of a deal..."

"Not a big deal?!" Miranda exclaimed, causing both Lizzie and their other good friend, David "Gordo" Gordon, to wince.

Gordo leaned in, whispering to Lizzie, "Uh-oh... the infamous Sanchez fury is about to explode..."

Lizzie meekly nodded, grasping onto Gordo's arm just in case.

"You don't understand! This is a big deal! Do you know how much fire power Kate Sanders will have once she finds out about this?!"

Shrugging, "So what? I don't think Kate is that mean to tease you about getting tutored for Math." Lizzie explained, hoping that will somewhat calm Miranda down.

Gordo, on the other hand, mumbled, "Wouldn't put it pass her..."

Lizzie glared at Gordo, slapping his arm. "Not helping!"

Miranda opened her locker, placed her head inside, and screamed the loudest frustrated scream ever to grace these high school halls.

Of course this wasn't a big deal, so no one paid much attention. Afterall, lockers did serve as a screaming post meant for pent up frustration, academically and socially.

However, to the delicate ears of those nearby, Lizzie and Gordo couldn't help but wince and move at least a foot away.

"Miranda..." Lizzie placed a comforting arm around her very best friend. "C'mon, I'm sure that Kate won't do that!"

"Y'know..." Gordo began to add, earning himself a warning glance from Lizzie. "Look, Miranda, Kate isn't as bright as say yours truly," He coyly grinned, which only caused Lizzie and Miranda to roll their eyes at him. Seeing that, he gave them this dry look. "So I'm sure that Kate would sometimes need tutoring herself."

"Gordo finally has a good and useful point!" Lizzie grinned.

"Hey!" He protested, "I always have good points!"

Lizzie shook her head, "Some of them aren't useful! Why else would we keep on telling you that you're not helping?"

Gordo opened his mouth, as if to retort back, but then closed it knowing that Lizzie had won this argument. Instead, he fell silent, crossed his arms, and leaned back against his locker to allow Lizzie to continue her speech to Miranda.

"Miranda, getting tutored for a subject as hard and as big of a pain in the butt as Math is no big deal!"

"I'm going to be tutored by Larry Tudgemen." Miranda stated as if that fact alone was earth shattering.

Lizzie and Gordo shared a glance. Gordo shrugged while Lizzie turned back to Miranda, trying her best to be optomistic. "Larry's smart. You'll be acing those exams in no time!"

"Lizzie!" Miranda exclaimed. "Larry Tudgemen! According to my parents, for the rest of my afternoons until I get my grades up, I will be tutored by Larry 'I'm betting all my money on Frodo kicking Harry Potter's butt in a Celebrity Death Match' Tudgemen!" Hiding her head in her hands, "Kate is never gonna leave me alone about this!"

"Miranda, first off," Gordo began while Lizzie went over to comfort her friend in a hug. "Harry Potter's a wizard! Frodo's just a four foot hobbit!"

"Gordo!" Lizzie picked up her bag, about to slug him with it. He, however, caught it in his hand.

"And secondly," Smiling smugly at Lizzie for her failed attempt at hitting him. "Kate was once married to Larry, remember? Our school marriage project? What's the worst she can do?"

"This coming from the guy that doesn't doubt Kate's wickedness?" Lizzie glared at Gordo.

Gordo began to protest, causing Lizzie to counter attack, which in the end caused Miranda Sanchez to groan at the thought of upcoming humiliation.

And this was how a usual school day might end for those trio of good friends. Of course, the roles of protesting, counter retorting and groaning might vary towards each individual. All in all, it was a regular school day.

@ ~ ~ ~ ~ @ ~ ~ ~ ~ @

"So once you cancel out all the variables..."

Miranda Sanchez stared at the windows, longing for the outside world just within her reach. She let out a sigh and began wishing against all else that she was with her best friends... instead of stuck in the classroom with Larry Tudgemen.

Larry regarded Miranda, knowing exactly what she was thinking. "She would rather be at the mall than stuck in here with me." he thought sullenly. He wasn't offended in anyway by that sigh. Heck, if he were Miranda, he would sigh too!

Miranda was too gone on the hopes of the outside world to notice that Larry stopped talking. He placed his pencil and the textbook down. Instead, he just sat and watched her. He had to admit, he once had a crush on Miss Sanchez. What wasn't there to like about her? Miranda was smart, fun to be around, made her friends laugh, not to mention that he thought she was beautiful inside and out. And he did love her voice!

When Miranda finally noticed the silence, she turned to Larry and mumbled an apology. Picking up her pencil, looking back at her notebook, "Sorry, Tudge... you were saying?"

He gave her a small smile, "Miranda, you don't have to be here. If you'd rather be hanging out with Lizzie and Gordo, go right ahead. I'm not forcing you to be here."

She returned the smile, "You're not... my parents are. They just want what's best for me, and I know that..." She trailed off, looking away.

Larry didn't want to let her off that easy, "But..." He encouraged.

As if ashamed by what she was going to say next, "Larry, it's not you... it's sorta has to do with me and Kate. See, once Kate finds out that I have to spend every afternoon in tutoring sessions with you, knowing her, she's going to spread rumors around that you and I are a couple! She hates me that much! It has nothing to do with you, Larry... just between me and Kate."

"Sanchez," Larry teased, "There's a reason you're not so great of an actress... you're a lousy liar. Not as bad as Lizzie, but still... your face says it all. It does have to do with me. Especially if it involves Kate Sanders."

"But those rumors she's going to spread about us..." Miranda began, but Larry silenced her.

"Are just that. Rumors. Kate has done it before and no one really suffered for it. So you and I are going to be the school's hottest item for a couple of days, so what? At least we'll be more popular for it!" He grinned.

Miranda sighed, though smiling a bit. She was relieved that she didn't have to lie to make Larry feel better. "So it's true. What Lizzie once said about you. That you don't care what other people think about you. That you only do things because you want to do it, not what anyone else thinks?"

Larry winked at her, "That's me in a nutshell, baby."

She laughed, and was amazed to find herself flirting right along with Larry. "Oh, really? That's the real Tudge?"

Sincerely, he nodded. "Yeah... and a few other things, but we have time later on for you to get to know the real me."

Miranda was startled to feel a small excitement in the fact that she was going to spend more time with him. With Larry Tudgemen of all people! She took him in with her eyes and was amazed at what she saw. The summer was actually good to Larry. He had grown two inches and was almost the same height as Ethan Craft. Larry had shedded the same geeky outfits that he once wore in middle school and was now wearing actual normal shirts and jeans. Today's apparel consisted of one dark blue shirt that was sort of... tight? on him.

Before she knew what she was saying, "Larry, did you work-out over the summer?" Miranda blushed as she realized what she had asked.

Catching her blush, Larry laughed. "Actually, I was working at the museum over the summer. But I had to help carry heavy boxes full of bones and various artifacts." He glanced at his upper arms, which were quite bulky, "I guess it does look like I was working out, huh?"

Turning crimson like crazy, she decided to bite the bullet and add, "You look good, Larry. Really good."

Knowing it was his turn to blush, he looked down then up into her eyes. "Not as pretty as you."

Miranda couldn't stop a smile from appearing on her face. She watched as Larry turned back to their Math book, trying to busy himself. And for the first time ever, and honestly not afraid nor embarressed at all, Miranda began to wonder what it would be like to be the girlfriend of one Larry Tudgemen.