A/N: Not much to say this time, except I hope you all enjoy. There are some nice L/G moments that I planted in there for all you nice people who so sweetly requested it.
Oh, and Laur, look out buddy, try and find the word of the day hidden in this chapter. You'll like it, I promise. ___________________________________________________________________________
What Could Have Been
Chapter 10: Bunk Buddies Part II
Over in the next room, and oblivious to Gordo's mental cries for help, it seemed as though Lizzie was in no hurry to get off the phone, as she chatted with her best girl friend while sitting leisurely on one of her family's couches. For the last ten minutes or so, all worries had been either cast aside or resolved by having her friend there to help her through it. She was grateful to have Miranda there, especially after not talking for in what her mind was a very long time.
She missed this, the girl talk thing. Of course Gordo wasn't really into talking about other boys and clothes and make up, so when Lizzie couldn't talk to Miranda, it became quite hard to keep her sanity. As much as Lizzie loved Gordo, and as much as he loved her, he wasn't willing to listen to talk about that stuff, and she wasn't very happy to see him tuning off. They'd talk, they'd kiss, they'd hold hands (making sure of course that Lizzie's parents couldn't see) but they never would talk about any of that stuff.
With that thought in mind, Lizzie turned her full attention back to Miranda, who was happily chatting away about a new twenty-five dollar lip-gloss she had just bought. Lizzie made a mental note to ask Miranda to borrow it when she got back.
But for now, something was nagging the back of Lizzie's brain, a question that needed answering, and only one person could.
"Hey 'Manda?" Started Lizzie; cutting of her best friend by using her rarely used nickname. Whenever Lizzie used Miranda's nickname, Miranda knew that it was something important. Lizzie didn't use it unless she wanted her attention for something.
"What's up?" She asked, immediately forgetting about her lip-gloss.
"I was just wondering. The reason you didn't call me back was because you were grounded right?"
"Right," Miranda agreed, inwardly cringing as she could sense where this conversation was heading.
"Why were you grounded?" Lizzie asked this with both confusion and amusement hinted on her voice. Miranda didn't miss this, but refused to comment on it. She was going to be embarrassed anyway, why add to it?
"I was caught, by my mum, doing something I shouldn't."
"On the other end of the line, Lizzie's eyes immediately became as wide as saucers.
"You didn't...you weren't...did you..." Lizzie trailed off, unable to find the words to describe what she was thinking. Miranda caught what she was saying, however, and her expression matched Lizzie, except it was kicked up a notch or too. She started sputtering a little before she could respond.
"Lizzie! I'm fourteen, God no! No, I was just kissing a guy I...sort of...barely knew."
"Oooh," Lizzie immediately stated, a sly smile covering her face. "Naughty Miranda. You should no better than to go off with boys you barely know."
"But he was cute," Miranda protested, pouting even though Lizzie couldn't see it. But being best friends, she knew anyway.
"Don't do the pout-y thing, it's annoying. So, anyway, do you like this guy, or is he just a summer fling?"
"Summer fling," Miranda answered immediately. "My date with destiny is back at home in Hillridge." Miranda has a dreamy sort of feel to her voice as she spoke those words, then covered her mouth because of what she said, and the questions is would lead to.
"Ethan, right? Yeah, okay, I guess that's okay. But just so you know, this week he's with Kate, and you're not coming back for two weeks, so by that time he would have broken up with her then gotten back together with her. You'd be better waiting for a week after you get back." Lizzie, although it was a funny concept, was deadly serious. This thing worked almost like clockwork. Kate and Ethan would go out for a week, one of them would dump the other, fly solo for another week, and then get back together. It was the circle of life, no tampering with it.
But, unbeknownst to Lizzie, that wasn't Miranda's intention.
"Yeah, sure Liz, if you say so," she replied, but Lizzie didn't see her heart was not in it. She was over Ethan, much like Lizzie had been the week she started having a crush on him. She just kept up appearances so Gordo wouldn't think anything of t when she blushed after he gave her a compliment or touched her or something.
No, Miranda was over Ethan; she had set her sights on another boy. One that no one could ever find out about. Except maybe Lizzie, if she found out, then maybe she'd be able to help, and that would be a good thing.
"Hey, Liz?" Miranda started, a little nervous.
"Hmm, yeah Miranda? What's up?"
This was it, Miranda built up her courage, ready to admit her secret, when;
"Oh, shoot Miranda, we've been talking for a good half hour. Gordo's probably dying in there without me. Can I call you back another time?" After the Gordo incident had been dealt with, Miranda had given her a number of where to contact her, because Lizzie had ever so politely reminded her she forgot to give them one.
Miranda let out her big breath of air she had stored up in defeat, and sighed.
"Yeah, sure Liz, I'll speak to you later. I should be going soon. The chores part of my punishment is still standing, I better get started on hand washing all our clothes."
Lizzie let out a little chuckle at that last statement, knowing her friend was joking, but not knowing to what degree. She, however, didn't notice the disappointment, or if she did, put it down to her friend being bummed about her punishment.
"I'll see you later Miranda."
"Bye Liz."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The two teenage girls hung up the phone, one feeling much lighter than she had been in three days, the other still burdened with a big secret, and she wasn't even sure she should be telling.
Lizzie headed into the dining room, where he family and Gordo were still waiting for her return. Gordo heard her enter the room and flashed her a relieved smile, obviously glad to have her back. She tossed him a smile back, and then sat down...only to immediately get up again once she noticed both her plate and Gordo's were emptied.
Gordo's plate being empty was fine; she had been gone for a while anyway, but what about her own? Where'd her food go?
"I put it in the microwave, I didn't know how long you'd be," Jo answered Lizzie's unasked question.
"Oh, okay. That's fine, I'm not too hungry anyway. Can Gordo and I please be excused? It's getting kind of late, and I need him to help me with some left over homework."
When Mrs McGuire nodded, Lizzie couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Okay, so that was a downright lie, but what else was she supposed to say? Gordo and I want to be alone right now so we can make out and hold hands and do everything else couples our age do...is that all right with you? Somehow, she didn't see that going over too well.
Luckily, Gordo seemed to understand what she was doing, because he did nothing more than nod, as to back her up.
"Okay, you too, Lizzie, your father has to go into work tonight, so if you need anything I'll be in the spare bedroom getting it all fixed up for Gordo tonight. And you two," she gestured from Matt to Lizzie and back again. "You guys better keep it down or else." Lizzie gulped slightly, not wanting to thing about what the 'else' might be.
"Okay mum," Lizzie answered and then turned from her mother to her boyfriend. "Come on Gordo, let's go."
She grabbed his arm and tugged him all the way upstairs, with no complaints whatsoever from Gordo. She was oblivious, however, to the stares she received from her both her brother and her mum. Matt watched with a stony expression while her sister disappeared up the stairs, and her mum eyed her with a suspicious glance, paying attention to the way she daughter held onto her best friend.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Once up in her bedroom, Lizzie closed the door swiftly and plopped down on her bed, smiling up at Gordo, who was now fidgeting a bit. Sure, he had been in her room, but that was when he was Gordo, the best friend and nothing more. Now, he was Gordo, the boyfriend, he had a whole other title. He was way more important now. What he did and said mattered on a whole different level. He didn't want to slip up. He didn't want to say the wrong thing. So, for now, he resigned himself to not saying anything at all.
"Sit down you big goof," giggled Lizzie when he continued to fidget.
Gordo complied without a word, and sat on Lizzie's desk chair.
Lizzie rolled her eyes and laughed, patting the spot next to her on the bed.
He saw her gesture, and immediately sat himself down on her bed, about a metre away from her. She scooted closer, annoyed at waiting for him to make the first move.
She could tell he was nervous, but over what, she had no idea. But then she remembered. He had no idea what had happened with Miranda. She had been so happy it had all been resolved, she forget to tell him about it.
"Miranda is okay with everything. The reason she hung up was because her mother caught her using the phone when she was grounded. She explained the entire thing to me. She's happy for us, she thinks it's great."
Upon hearing her words, Gordo visibly relaxed, and let out a long shaky breath.
He then smiled up at his girlfriend, and kissed her softly on the lips.
"You know I haven't done that all day?" He whispered against her lips. She smiled against him.
"Then why don't we make up for lost time, yeah?" Without waiting for a reply, Lizzie captured Gordo's lips in her own and kissed him fully, forgetting everything else in the world, but his lips on hers.
"I'm so glad she isn't mad at us. I knew she wouldn't be, not after her reaction last time." Gordo stated after a couple of minutes of lip-lock. The twosome were still sitting on Lizzie's bed, holding hands and cuddling, but for now they refrained from mouth to mouth contact.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I would have been so devastated if she hated us." Lizzie looked thoughtful for a moment after she said that.
"You know, she had a crush on you."
Gordo sputtered for a second, wide eyed, and a 'who, me?' expression on his face.
"What, first you, and now her? When? And why am I so popular all of a sudden?"
Gordo spoke unusually fast as he bombarded Lizzie with question after question. The nervousness was back, and now it was the fact that even though everything was fine with Miranda, if it wasn't, it could have been all because of him.
And now he was stressing, and he didn't know why.
Good thing he had Lizzie's lips to calm him down, which she was doing right now.
"Chill, okay?" Lizzie smiled against her boyfriend's lips, and then gave him an Eskimo kiss, a kiss where two people touch noses instead of lips.
"It was about a year or two now. And it was only small. She said she saw you..."
"Wait, is this the type of thing I'm not supposed to hear? Or I don't want to?"
Lizzie shook her head quickly, a definite 'no'.
"Nah, she's way over you."
"Gee, thanks, that makes me feel loved."
Lizzie took in his sarcastic tone and smiled. "Well, you should be when you're around me."
She held his hand tight as she smiled at him, and he returned the favour just as brightly, squeezing her hand, and finding comfort in her warm palms.
"So, tell me, what did she see me do?" Gordo asked, turning the topic back onto Miranda and her not so secret (anymore) crush.
Lizzie laughed then, as the memory or Miranda telling her about her crush came flooding back, and the look on her face that was printed firmly in the back of Lizzie's brain.
Gordo, deciding not to comment on the laugh, waited patiently for his girlfriend to continue.
"She said that she saw you for the first time in your swimsuit, and found you, uh, I think the word she used was: scrumtrilescent."
Gordo looked at Lizzie as if she had grown another head.
"What in the world is that supposed to mean?"
"It's a word we made up a long time ago. It's like, better than the best thing in the world."
"Oh, okay. Wait, what? She thought I was the best thing in the world?"
"Well, I mean, can you blame her. Really, I thought the same thing, she just sort of beat me to it."
Gordo blushed and smiled at the same time, and gave Lizzie's hand - that was still intertwined with his - a soft kiss.
"Well, as long as you still think that, then I'm happy."
Lizzie raised her eyebrows in a 'don't you know it?' fashion.
"Duh!" Was her short reply, and she said in such a cute way that Gordo couldn't help but grin. He was the luckiest guy in the universe, too bad he had to keep it a secret most of the time.
"So, off the topic of crushes, when are we going to tell your parents?"
Lizzie sighed heavily and threw her hands up, as if to say 'don't look at me.'
"I don't know Gordo. But everything's just going so good now, with us, and a part of me thinks that if we tell me parents it will all be ruined. I'm probably just being stupid, but it's how I feel. I don't want them to say we can't see each other, you know? I mean, how would we both feel?"
"Awful," Gordo answered, silently agreeing to Lizzie's request of waiting a little bit longer.
"Soon," Lizzie added, even though they were finished with this topic.
Lizzie and Gordo lay there for a little while, just content to be in each other's arms. They used to feel like that when they were just friends, but they were never this comfortable with each other. And, of course, they never sat the way they were now, with Gordo leaning up against the headboard of Lizzie's bed, and Lizzie leaning against him, back to his chest.
It was a picture perfect moment, and the two of them just felt so relaxed when they were like this.
If only they could stay that way forever, and have no interruptions...
"Lizzie, I'm done working on the spare bedroom, Gordo can move his stuff in here...hello."
'Oh, my sweet dear Lord,' thought Lizzie. 'Why do you pain me so much?'
Quick as lightning, Lizzie and Gordo scrambled to get out of their sticky situation, but they weren't fast enough and Mrs McGuire saw the predicament the teens had gotten themselves into.
"Hey mum," Lizzie managed in a voice not quite the same pitch as her own. But Lizzie was grateful she could speak at all, so anything was welcome.
"What you guys doing?" Asked Jo in a casual voice, which Lizzie knew too well, and nicknamed, 'the calm before the storm tone'.
Before she knew what she was doing, Lizzie almost yelled out:
"Practising!"
Jo eyed her daughter with a suspicious glance, and gave Gordo and even bigger and more menacing one. He gulped, despite himself. Mrs McGuire was nice and all, but when she wanted to be, she was scary.
"For what?" Her tone was nothing like her facial expression, a scary contrast considering. Her tone was calm, and collected - in other words, eerie - while her face displayed all different emotions, like she was trying to keep them all in line.
"For, uh, the upcoming school play. It's uh, well, it's um, it's a modern version of Romeo and Juliet, with a twist. They actually don't die at the end, and so we're rehearsing the last scene when Romeo and Juliet are sitting by themselves, happy that everything has turned out okay."
Jo's face went from shock, to disbelief, and then finally to happiness. She turned to her daughter and smiled joyfully.
"And you got the part of Juliet! Oh, my little baby, that's so wonderful. I'm so glad you're taking your role seriously. Ooh, I can't wait to see you on stage performing! It will be wonderful!"
Lizzie's internal rambling went from bad straight to terrible. She sought Gordo's eyes and pleaded desperately - but silently - with him to say something.
He nodded, understanding, and against his better judgement, sought out Jo's attention once more.
"Oh no Mrs McGuire. It's not Lizzie, actually, it's me. I'm playing Romeo, as an under study. But you know me, always have to give one hundred and ten percent, even if I'm not as important. And it's just a small thing, it's probably won't even get of the ground. And if it does, it'll only be performed in school time, so I doubt any parents will be allowed to come. So, there really isn't any point in making a big deal over it."
Gordo stopped right there, realising that he was rambling. He wanted to slap himself on the head right then, but thought it might seem a bit suspicious in front of Mrs McGuire.
But Jo didn't seem to mind the rambling. In fact, she was staring at Gordo with what Gordo thought could have possibly been pride. Wow, Mrs McGuire, Lizzie's mum, was proud of him. That was something he didn't know how to feel about.
"Gordo, that's amazing, I didn't know you liked to act."
Gordo was a little surprised by her statement, but thankfully it didn't show. He looked at Lizzie before answering Jo. Lizzie nodded her head slightly, telling him to keep it up. He was doing a good job so far, Jo was believing him. Hey, maybe if there really was an upcoming school play, he should sign up for it. Or maybe not. The spotlight was almost killing him.
"Yeah, well, what can I say, I'm always out to try new things. In fact, I have many, uh, hidden talents, that you probably wouldn't know about."
Oh boy, he was losing her. Jo pinned him with an awkward glance, not knowing what to make of his last statement. Finally, she just settled for a kind smile.
"Well, that sounds nice. I should leave you two to, uh...practice, I guess." The suspicious glance was back; and aw man, right when they thought they were past it.
Turning her back on the teens, Jo started slowly walking out of the room. She didn't turn back, but she did leave the couple with some wise words:
"Just don't let your father see."
Never in her life had Lizzie wanted nothing more than to obey her mother's wishes.
Finally, she was out the door. Lizzie wasted no time in closing the door and actually locking it this time. She sank slowly to the ground, while Gordo didn't have that much grace, and simply plopped down on Lizzie's desk chair.
Not knowing what to say, thy both sat in silence. But this was not the comfortable silence of just moments ago. This was the awkward silence they were hoping they'd never experience.
Lizzie's won mum had nearly caught them, and it was only by shear determination that they got through that one unscathed, and managed to not be found out.
"Oh God," Gordo muttered, breaking the awful silence. He kept his eyes planted firmly on the carpet below him, horrified with himself. "Hidden talents? What was I thinking?" He kept on whispering comments of the same sort, unable to free himself from the torture.
Lizzie finally couldn't stand it anymore. All of this, it just came out; in the form of a laugh.
It started as a giggle, and then quickly grew until she was almost rolling around on the ground by its intensity.
Gordo, for his part, looked at her like she was insane.
"What are you laughing at? Are you crazy?" His voice held much confusion, but he had a hint of laughter himself in his tone, so the edge was taken off somewhat.
Lizzie, regaining some sense of normalcy, turned on Gordo, a sly smile appearing on her face, covering the laughter of just seconds before, and the embarrassment before it.
"Hidden talents, huh?" She repeated, bemused. "Will I be getting to see any of these 'hidden talents'?"
Gordo, finally loosening up a bit, called Lizzie over to him with the wave of his hand.
"Just come over here, and maybe you might."
His voice was now cocky, and not at all nervous. He was enjoying this, very much, and thought it was a lot of fun to flirt with his girlfriend.
She did as he requested, and he pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss that lasted for a couple of minutes at least, and left them both breathless.
"How's that for talent?" Gordo whispered once he regained the ability to speak.
Lizzie, still lacking her vocal cords from the make out match, only nodded, and drew herself in for more.
Having completely forgotten about what had transpired just moments ago, the couple settled back to enjoy what little was left of their night.
________________________________________________________________________
Hope you all enjoyed that, it was fun to write. Sorry about all the spelling and grammer mistakes, but I'm too lazy to run over this, and besides, I wanted to get it up A.S.A.P. Did I mention how I hate keeping you guys waiting.
Oh, and Laur, did you see it. I used our word! Hope I used it properly. I sort of changed the meaning a little, just so it would suit the story.
Oh, and next chapter we should find out who Miranda's secret crush is, like you all haven't figured it out already anyway, but still.
Oh, and Laur, look out buddy, try and find the word of the day hidden in this chapter. You'll like it, I promise. ___________________________________________________________________________
What Could Have Been
Chapter 10: Bunk Buddies Part II
Over in the next room, and oblivious to Gordo's mental cries for help, it seemed as though Lizzie was in no hurry to get off the phone, as she chatted with her best girl friend while sitting leisurely on one of her family's couches. For the last ten minutes or so, all worries had been either cast aside or resolved by having her friend there to help her through it. She was grateful to have Miranda there, especially after not talking for in what her mind was a very long time.
She missed this, the girl talk thing. Of course Gordo wasn't really into talking about other boys and clothes and make up, so when Lizzie couldn't talk to Miranda, it became quite hard to keep her sanity. As much as Lizzie loved Gordo, and as much as he loved her, he wasn't willing to listen to talk about that stuff, and she wasn't very happy to see him tuning off. They'd talk, they'd kiss, they'd hold hands (making sure of course that Lizzie's parents couldn't see) but they never would talk about any of that stuff.
With that thought in mind, Lizzie turned her full attention back to Miranda, who was happily chatting away about a new twenty-five dollar lip-gloss she had just bought. Lizzie made a mental note to ask Miranda to borrow it when she got back.
But for now, something was nagging the back of Lizzie's brain, a question that needed answering, and only one person could.
"Hey 'Manda?" Started Lizzie; cutting of her best friend by using her rarely used nickname. Whenever Lizzie used Miranda's nickname, Miranda knew that it was something important. Lizzie didn't use it unless she wanted her attention for something.
"What's up?" She asked, immediately forgetting about her lip-gloss.
"I was just wondering. The reason you didn't call me back was because you were grounded right?"
"Right," Miranda agreed, inwardly cringing as she could sense where this conversation was heading.
"Why were you grounded?" Lizzie asked this with both confusion and amusement hinted on her voice. Miranda didn't miss this, but refused to comment on it. She was going to be embarrassed anyway, why add to it?
"I was caught, by my mum, doing something I shouldn't."
"On the other end of the line, Lizzie's eyes immediately became as wide as saucers.
"You didn't...you weren't...did you..." Lizzie trailed off, unable to find the words to describe what she was thinking. Miranda caught what she was saying, however, and her expression matched Lizzie, except it was kicked up a notch or too. She started sputtering a little before she could respond.
"Lizzie! I'm fourteen, God no! No, I was just kissing a guy I...sort of...barely knew."
"Oooh," Lizzie immediately stated, a sly smile covering her face. "Naughty Miranda. You should no better than to go off with boys you barely know."
"But he was cute," Miranda protested, pouting even though Lizzie couldn't see it. But being best friends, she knew anyway.
"Don't do the pout-y thing, it's annoying. So, anyway, do you like this guy, or is he just a summer fling?"
"Summer fling," Miranda answered immediately. "My date with destiny is back at home in Hillridge." Miranda has a dreamy sort of feel to her voice as she spoke those words, then covered her mouth because of what she said, and the questions is would lead to.
"Ethan, right? Yeah, okay, I guess that's okay. But just so you know, this week he's with Kate, and you're not coming back for two weeks, so by that time he would have broken up with her then gotten back together with her. You'd be better waiting for a week after you get back." Lizzie, although it was a funny concept, was deadly serious. This thing worked almost like clockwork. Kate and Ethan would go out for a week, one of them would dump the other, fly solo for another week, and then get back together. It was the circle of life, no tampering with it.
But, unbeknownst to Lizzie, that wasn't Miranda's intention.
"Yeah, sure Liz, if you say so," she replied, but Lizzie didn't see her heart was not in it. She was over Ethan, much like Lizzie had been the week she started having a crush on him. She just kept up appearances so Gordo wouldn't think anything of t when she blushed after he gave her a compliment or touched her or something.
No, Miranda was over Ethan; she had set her sights on another boy. One that no one could ever find out about. Except maybe Lizzie, if she found out, then maybe she'd be able to help, and that would be a good thing.
"Hey, Liz?" Miranda started, a little nervous.
"Hmm, yeah Miranda? What's up?"
This was it, Miranda built up her courage, ready to admit her secret, when;
"Oh, shoot Miranda, we've been talking for a good half hour. Gordo's probably dying in there without me. Can I call you back another time?" After the Gordo incident had been dealt with, Miranda had given her a number of where to contact her, because Lizzie had ever so politely reminded her she forgot to give them one.
Miranda let out her big breath of air she had stored up in defeat, and sighed.
"Yeah, sure Liz, I'll speak to you later. I should be going soon. The chores part of my punishment is still standing, I better get started on hand washing all our clothes."
Lizzie let out a little chuckle at that last statement, knowing her friend was joking, but not knowing to what degree. She, however, didn't notice the disappointment, or if she did, put it down to her friend being bummed about her punishment.
"I'll see you later Miranda."
"Bye Liz."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The two teenage girls hung up the phone, one feeling much lighter than she had been in three days, the other still burdened with a big secret, and she wasn't even sure she should be telling.
Lizzie headed into the dining room, where he family and Gordo were still waiting for her return. Gordo heard her enter the room and flashed her a relieved smile, obviously glad to have her back. She tossed him a smile back, and then sat down...only to immediately get up again once she noticed both her plate and Gordo's were emptied.
Gordo's plate being empty was fine; she had been gone for a while anyway, but what about her own? Where'd her food go?
"I put it in the microwave, I didn't know how long you'd be," Jo answered Lizzie's unasked question.
"Oh, okay. That's fine, I'm not too hungry anyway. Can Gordo and I please be excused? It's getting kind of late, and I need him to help me with some left over homework."
When Mrs McGuire nodded, Lizzie couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Okay, so that was a downright lie, but what else was she supposed to say? Gordo and I want to be alone right now so we can make out and hold hands and do everything else couples our age do...is that all right with you? Somehow, she didn't see that going over too well.
Luckily, Gordo seemed to understand what she was doing, because he did nothing more than nod, as to back her up.
"Okay, you too, Lizzie, your father has to go into work tonight, so if you need anything I'll be in the spare bedroom getting it all fixed up for Gordo tonight. And you two," she gestured from Matt to Lizzie and back again. "You guys better keep it down or else." Lizzie gulped slightly, not wanting to thing about what the 'else' might be.
"Okay mum," Lizzie answered and then turned from her mother to her boyfriend. "Come on Gordo, let's go."
She grabbed his arm and tugged him all the way upstairs, with no complaints whatsoever from Gordo. She was oblivious, however, to the stares she received from her both her brother and her mum. Matt watched with a stony expression while her sister disappeared up the stairs, and her mum eyed her with a suspicious glance, paying attention to the way she daughter held onto her best friend.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Once up in her bedroom, Lizzie closed the door swiftly and plopped down on her bed, smiling up at Gordo, who was now fidgeting a bit. Sure, he had been in her room, but that was when he was Gordo, the best friend and nothing more. Now, he was Gordo, the boyfriend, he had a whole other title. He was way more important now. What he did and said mattered on a whole different level. He didn't want to slip up. He didn't want to say the wrong thing. So, for now, he resigned himself to not saying anything at all.
"Sit down you big goof," giggled Lizzie when he continued to fidget.
Gordo complied without a word, and sat on Lizzie's desk chair.
Lizzie rolled her eyes and laughed, patting the spot next to her on the bed.
He saw her gesture, and immediately sat himself down on her bed, about a metre away from her. She scooted closer, annoyed at waiting for him to make the first move.
She could tell he was nervous, but over what, she had no idea. But then she remembered. He had no idea what had happened with Miranda. She had been so happy it had all been resolved, she forget to tell him about it.
"Miranda is okay with everything. The reason she hung up was because her mother caught her using the phone when she was grounded. She explained the entire thing to me. She's happy for us, she thinks it's great."
Upon hearing her words, Gordo visibly relaxed, and let out a long shaky breath.
He then smiled up at his girlfriend, and kissed her softly on the lips.
"You know I haven't done that all day?" He whispered against her lips. She smiled against him.
"Then why don't we make up for lost time, yeah?" Without waiting for a reply, Lizzie captured Gordo's lips in her own and kissed him fully, forgetting everything else in the world, but his lips on hers.
"I'm so glad she isn't mad at us. I knew she wouldn't be, not after her reaction last time." Gordo stated after a couple of minutes of lip-lock. The twosome were still sitting on Lizzie's bed, holding hands and cuddling, but for now they refrained from mouth to mouth contact.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I would have been so devastated if she hated us." Lizzie looked thoughtful for a moment after she said that.
"You know, she had a crush on you."
Gordo sputtered for a second, wide eyed, and a 'who, me?' expression on his face.
"What, first you, and now her? When? And why am I so popular all of a sudden?"
Gordo spoke unusually fast as he bombarded Lizzie with question after question. The nervousness was back, and now it was the fact that even though everything was fine with Miranda, if it wasn't, it could have been all because of him.
And now he was stressing, and he didn't know why.
Good thing he had Lizzie's lips to calm him down, which she was doing right now.
"Chill, okay?" Lizzie smiled against her boyfriend's lips, and then gave him an Eskimo kiss, a kiss where two people touch noses instead of lips.
"It was about a year or two now. And it was only small. She said she saw you..."
"Wait, is this the type of thing I'm not supposed to hear? Or I don't want to?"
Lizzie shook her head quickly, a definite 'no'.
"Nah, she's way over you."
"Gee, thanks, that makes me feel loved."
Lizzie took in his sarcastic tone and smiled. "Well, you should be when you're around me."
She held his hand tight as she smiled at him, and he returned the favour just as brightly, squeezing her hand, and finding comfort in her warm palms.
"So, tell me, what did she see me do?" Gordo asked, turning the topic back onto Miranda and her not so secret (anymore) crush.
Lizzie laughed then, as the memory or Miranda telling her about her crush came flooding back, and the look on her face that was printed firmly in the back of Lizzie's brain.
Gordo, deciding not to comment on the laugh, waited patiently for his girlfriend to continue.
"She said that she saw you for the first time in your swimsuit, and found you, uh, I think the word she used was: scrumtrilescent."
Gordo looked at Lizzie as if she had grown another head.
"What in the world is that supposed to mean?"
"It's a word we made up a long time ago. It's like, better than the best thing in the world."
"Oh, okay. Wait, what? She thought I was the best thing in the world?"
"Well, I mean, can you blame her. Really, I thought the same thing, she just sort of beat me to it."
Gordo blushed and smiled at the same time, and gave Lizzie's hand - that was still intertwined with his - a soft kiss.
"Well, as long as you still think that, then I'm happy."
Lizzie raised her eyebrows in a 'don't you know it?' fashion.
"Duh!" Was her short reply, and she said in such a cute way that Gordo couldn't help but grin. He was the luckiest guy in the universe, too bad he had to keep it a secret most of the time.
"So, off the topic of crushes, when are we going to tell your parents?"
Lizzie sighed heavily and threw her hands up, as if to say 'don't look at me.'
"I don't know Gordo. But everything's just going so good now, with us, and a part of me thinks that if we tell me parents it will all be ruined. I'm probably just being stupid, but it's how I feel. I don't want them to say we can't see each other, you know? I mean, how would we both feel?"
"Awful," Gordo answered, silently agreeing to Lizzie's request of waiting a little bit longer.
"Soon," Lizzie added, even though they were finished with this topic.
Lizzie and Gordo lay there for a little while, just content to be in each other's arms. They used to feel like that when they were just friends, but they were never this comfortable with each other. And, of course, they never sat the way they were now, with Gordo leaning up against the headboard of Lizzie's bed, and Lizzie leaning against him, back to his chest.
It was a picture perfect moment, and the two of them just felt so relaxed when they were like this.
If only they could stay that way forever, and have no interruptions...
"Lizzie, I'm done working on the spare bedroom, Gordo can move his stuff in here...hello."
'Oh, my sweet dear Lord,' thought Lizzie. 'Why do you pain me so much?'
Quick as lightning, Lizzie and Gordo scrambled to get out of their sticky situation, but they weren't fast enough and Mrs McGuire saw the predicament the teens had gotten themselves into.
"Hey mum," Lizzie managed in a voice not quite the same pitch as her own. But Lizzie was grateful she could speak at all, so anything was welcome.
"What you guys doing?" Asked Jo in a casual voice, which Lizzie knew too well, and nicknamed, 'the calm before the storm tone'.
Before she knew what she was doing, Lizzie almost yelled out:
"Practising!"
Jo eyed her daughter with a suspicious glance, and gave Gordo and even bigger and more menacing one. He gulped, despite himself. Mrs McGuire was nice and all, but when she wanted to be, she was scary.
"For what?" Her tone was nothing like her facial expression, a scary contrast considering. Her tone was calm, and collected - in other words, eerie - while her face displayed all different emotions, like she was trying to keep them all in line.
"For, uh, the upcoming school play. It's uh, well, it's um, it's a modern version of Romeo and Juliet, with a twist. They actually don't die at the end, and so we're rehearsing the last scene when Romeo and Juliet are sitting by themselves, happy that everything has turned out okay."
Jo's face went from shock, to disbelief, and then finally to happiness. She turned to her daughter and smiled joyfully.
"And you got the part of Juliet! Oh, my little baby, that's so wonderful. I'm so glad you're taking your role seriously. Ooh, I can't wait to see you on stage performing! It will be wonderful!"
Lizzie's internal rambling went from bad straight to terrible. She sought Gordo's eyes and pleaded desperately - but silently - with him to say something.
He nodded, understanding, and against his better judgement, sought out Jo's attention once more.
"Oh no Mrs McGuire. It's not Lizzie, actually, it's me. I'm playing Romeo, as an under study. But you know me, always have to give one hundred and ten percent, even if I'm not as important. And it's just a small thing, it's probably won't even get of the ground. And if it does, it'll only be performed in school time, so I doubt any parents will be allowed to come. So, there really isn't any point in making a big deal over it."
Gordo stopped right there, realising that he was rambling. He wanted to slap himself on the head right then, but thought it might seem a bit suspicious in front of Mrs McGuire.
But Jo didn't seem to mind the rambling. In fact, she was staring at Gordo with what Gordo thought could have possibly been pride. Wow, Mrs McGuire, Lizzie's mum, was proud of him. That was something he didn't know how to feel about.
"Gordo, that's amazing, I didn't know you liked to act."
Gordo was a little surprised by her statement, but thankfully it didn't show. He looked at Lizzie before answering Jo. Lizzie nodded her head slightly, telling him to keep it up. He was doing a good job so far, Jo was believing him. Hey, maybe if there really was an upcoming school play, he should sign up for it. Or maybe not. The spotlight was almost killing him.
"Yeah, well, what can I say, I'm always out to try new things. In fact, I have many, uh, hidden talents, that you probably wouldn't know about."
Oh boy, he was losing her. Jo pinned him with an awkward glance, not knowing what to make of his last statement. Finally, she just settled for a kind smile.
"Well, that sounds nice. I should leave you two to, uh...practice, I guess." The suspicious glance was back; and aw man, right when they thought they were past it.
Turning her back on the teens, Jo started slowly walking out of the room. She didn't turn back, but she did leave the couple with some wise words:
"Just don't let your father see."
Never in her life had Lizzie wanted nothing more than to obey her mother's wishes.
Finally, she was out the door. Lizzie wasted no time in closing the door and actually locking it this time. She sank slowly to the ground, while Gordo didn't have that much grace, and simply plopped down on Lizzie's desk chair.
Not knowing what to say, thy both sat in silence. But this was not the comfortable silence of just moments ago. This was the awkward silence they were hoping they'd never experience.
Lizzie's won mum had nearly caught them, and it was only by shear determination that they got through that one unscathed, and managed to not be found out.
"Oh God," Gordo muttered, breaking the awful silence. He kept his eyes planted firmly on the carpet below him, horrified with himself. "Hidden talents? What was I thinking?" He kept on whispering comments of the same sort, unable to free himself from the torture.
Lizzie finally couldn't stand it anymore. All of this, it just came out; in the form of a laugh.
It started as a giggle, and then quickly grew until she was almost rolling around on the ground by its intensity.
Gordo, for his part, looked at her like she was insane.
"What are you laughing at? Are you crazy?" His voice held much confusion, but he had a hint of laughter himself in his tone, so the edge was taken off somewhat.
Lizzie, regaining some sense of normalcy, turned on Gordo, a sly smile appearing on her face, covering the laughter of just seconds before, and the embarrassment before it.
"Hidden talents, huh?" She repeated, bemused. "Will I be getting to see any of these 'hidden talents'?"
Gordo, finally loosening up a bit, called Lizzie over to him with the wave of his hand.
"Just come over here, and maybe you might."
His voice was now cocky, and not at all nervous. He was enjoying this, very much, and thought it was a lot of fun to flirt with his girlfriend.
She did as he requested, and he pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss that lasted for a couple of minutes at least, and left them both breathless.
"How's that for talent?" Gordo whispered once he regained the ability to speak.
Lizzie, still lacking her vocal cords from the make out match, only nodded, and drew herself in for more.
Having completely forgotten about what had transpired just moments ago, the couple settled back to enjoy what little was left of their night.
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Hope you all enjoyed that, it was fun to write. Sorry about all the spelling and grammer mistakes, but I'm too lazy to run over this, and besides, I wanted to get it up A.S.A.P. Did I mention how I hate keeping you guys waiting.
Oh, and Laur, did you see it. I used our word! Hope I used it properly. I sort of changed the meaning a little, just so it would suit the story.
Oh, and next chapter we should find out who Miranda's secret crush is, like you all haven't figured it out already anyway, but still.