KATE'

PART THREE: KATE'S DEAL

Yesterday was a good day for Gordo. Not only had he ridden the "digital confession," but he had gotten the chance to spend the afternoon alone with Lizzie.

Miranda had unexpected doctor's appointment. Seems that her doctor had an opening, pushed up his four o'clock to three-fifteen, and since Miranda's mom had scheduled her appointment for the next day's four o'clock, since that was the only time she could take Miranda in, that day's four was open.

It was complicated for Lizzie and Gordo to understand from Miranda's mouth but it eventually settled into their thinking system.

So Lizzie and Gordo got the chance to hang out together at the Digital Bean. Unbeknownst to young McGuire, Gordo was secretly thrilled to hear her babble on about the latest gossip spreading through school. Though he could go without the top sordid affairs of the week, as long as it was being spoken by Lizzie, she could have been speaking Latin and he would still listen attentively!

It was now, in Gordo's complete blissful opinion, a beautiful Tuesday! The sun was smiling and streaking into the school. The hall way was filled with the optimistic chatter of her fellow classmates, and Lizzie was standing right in front of her locker in all her angelic beauty! He just stood there at the end of the hall, just watching her. Watching her smile, her laugh in amusement over one of Miranda's many anecdotes. Things couldn't get any better

"Hello, Romeo."

Then again

Gordo turned around, meeting face to face with a sneering Kate Sanders. His smile faltered, causing a sigh to escape. He forced himself to at least give her a small smile, after all, they used to be good friends. "Hey, Kate."

She looked at him, that smirk still on her young face. Gordo noticed that Claire wasn't by Kate's immediate side. He regarded Sanders carefully, wondering why she was looking at him that way.

"What?"

Kate looked at him, then her eyes strayed onto McGuire. With the smirk still on her face, "You're in love with her, aren't you?"

Gordo felt his pulse clamp up cold. She can't know! She couldn't know! Kate no way can she know! She doesn't know what's she's talking about does she?! Forcing the lump down, and feigning to act cool and nonchalant, "Excuse me?" He searched her eyes, wanting to find comfort in knowing that she was joking. Even attempted to search for the old Kate he used to care about only to find something more—disturbing.

Inside her eyes flashed emotions of anger, jealousy, disdain sadness? Regret? Gordo blinked, confused by the last two emotions he witnessed.

Not saying another word, letting her action speak louder than her words, Kate shot out the tape. She held it within her talons, refusing to let go. Sneering, "Quite an interesting movie I saw last night, y'know." Waving the video in front of Gordo's now stunned eyes, "See, it's about this pathetic boy who tried to be courageous and admit to the girl of his dreams that he was in love with her unfortunately, in the end he became a coward and totally chickened out."

Gordo reacted by attempting to snatch the tape from Kate. Kate, however, was too fast. She pulled back, quickly placing the tape firmly within her hand bag. She waggled her finger, as if scolding poor Gordo. "Uh-uh-uh. I haven't rewound the movie yet. Guess I'll just have to rent it for another night"

"Where'd you get that tape?" Gordo snapped, not caring who stops to stare at his outburst towards Miss Popular Kate Sanders.

"Doesn't matter now, does it, David?"

"It's Gordo to you, Kate." He growled, feeling the undeniable urge to soon lash out at her.

"No I don't think so, David." She challengingly met his gaze, refusing to back down. Deep inside of her, Kate felt guilt growing over how she was treating Gordo. However, her hurt was more powerful and in control of all her words and actions now.

Her once kind and sweet smile now twisted. It was still beautiful, but more like the Morning Star beautiful than angelic and pure. "I wonder if Lizzie would want to rent this film as well? Especially if she knew of the plot line involved?"

Gordo could feel the fear mix in with his rage over his situation. He continued his stare on Kate, trying to read her exact thoughts like he used to. Unfortunately, her mixed emotions blocked her inner soul. Practically gritting his teeth, "What do you want with me, Kate? Why are you doing this to me?"

"I actually like the first question better than the second. So I'll just answer that one, okay?"

"You're going to blackmail me, aren't you?"

Pretending to be wounded by his words, "Oh, David. Blackmail is such a an ugly word. I like to think that I'm getting something in exchange for my silence of your dirty little secret."

Gordo fell silent, considering his tactics on how to escape Kate's impending clutches. A thought came to him as he dared her, "You're bluffing. You wouldn't really show Lizzie that tape."

The smile that formed on Kate's face caused Gordo's offense to deteriorate. She knew that he was going to challenge her threat. With no hesitation, Kate began to stride her way down the hall, towards Lizzie and Miranda.

"Oh, Lizzie! Have I got a movie for you to see!" She didn't get as far as three feet before Gordo grabbed Kate's arm and forcefully pulled her to the side.

His anger and paranoia caused his physical strength to gain power. He grasped into her flesh, practically shoving her into the nearest empty classroom. Gordo nearly threw her to the floor, but Kate was as quick and agile as a feline.

Gordo's blue eyes flashed dangerously at Kate. "What are you trying to do to me, Kate?! Ruin my life?!"

Still holding that proud smile of hers, "Not yet anyway I just want to have some fun first."

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Lizzie had been watching the far away exchange between Kate and Gordo. She was certainly confused over it, as was Miranda.

"What's going on over there, Miranda?" Lizzie didn't like the look on Kate's high and mighty face. Her eyes were stuck on Gordo, almost as if they were laughing and mocking him. Knowing that, Lizzie felt anger boil within her.

"I don't know," Miranda also regarded Kate and Gordo. "But whatever it is, looks like it's pretty serious."

Suddenly, they watched as Kate called out to her. "Hey, Lizzie! Have I got a movie for you to see!"

What stunned her even more was Gordo's reaction to Kate's outburst. Lizzie watched in total bafflement as Gordo violently grabbed Kate's arm and practically shove her into the classroom. Shutting the door behind them.

"Oh my God, did you see that?" Miranda exclaimed, her jaw dropped in complete amazement.

"Something's not right, Miranda. I have a very bad feeling about this." Lizzie spoke, feeling this unexplainable knot form inside her.

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"Wait a minute! Wait a damn minute! You want me to what?!" Gordo cried, totally shock beyond comprehension. The words were hitting him, but the meaning wasn't really in sync with the words themselves.

Kate sat herself down seductively on the teacher's desk, filing her finger nails as she smirked, "You heard me, David. I want you to be my slave for the rest of the school year."

"For three months?!"

"Aw, Davey you make it sound as if it's a life sentence." She cooed.

Snapping back, "I would think so! Considering that you're going to enforce slavery back into the system!"

"It's just three months, David!"

"As your slave!"

"Well, there is a way out of this, y'know." Kate slyly said, still filing her nails.

"Oh no, no, no, no, no." Gordo shook his head as he began to pace. "I have seen way too many films like this before to recognize the plot line. The only way out of this agreement is if I admit to Lizzie how I feel, am I right?"

"Exactly."

"But you thought of that, didn't you, Sanders? You knew that I would be too much of a coward to admit to her my feelings. Especially because of the probable results."

"Let's see and that would be," Kate began to count off with her perfectly manicured fingers, "Possible humiliation, heartbreak, loss of thirteen years of friendship"

"I get the picture, Kate."

Looking at him intently, her voice much more soft, with less of its edge than before, "Look, David. It's just three months maybe even less if I'm in a good mood. All you have to do is carry my books for me, accompany Claire and I to the mall to carry out bags, get our lunches for us, y'know the standard slave duties. And you know what? Since we used to be friends, I won't let you pay for anything! You just have to do the manual labor!" Her voice had lightened up with the last two statements.

However, Gordo rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, "Yeah, like that makes the offer seem much more appealing."

Retorting, "Just like the offer to lend Lizzie this," Pulling out the video tape, "Interesting little love story."

Gordo just stood there, disbelieving his situation. This just can't be happening to him! Yet there he stood, watching Kate dangle his whole future within the palm of her hand. How this once sweet girl got to be so cruel, Gordo will never fully understand but he won't let her beat him. He's has to find a way out of this mess but how?

"If you think that you can con your way out of this, David, you better think twice about tricking me. It is not going to happen." She warned him, her grasp on the tape hardening. "See, I am not afraid to show this to Lizzie. Why? Because I have nothing to lose—well, maybe having to see you do my every bidding for three months—but you know what I mean."

"And I have everything to lose, right, Kate?"

"You are a genius, David." She smiled sweetly at him, though Gordo became sick at the sight of it.

Gordo sat himself down, letting his head rest on the desk top. Images flashed before him. Pictures of Lizzie talking to him, kidding around with him, laughing with him. Her smiling face remained constant despite other images of having to be there when his Lizzie was at her lowest. Images of being by her side, comforting her, assuring her when she had thought she had lost Miranda to another ex-friend. Even a memory when Lizzie was distraught over having lost Kate's friendship. He did have everything to lose once Lizzie saw that tape. Though a part of his heart asked what about the alternative, that Lizzie might feel the same way about him, what if she didn't? Gordo couldn't take that chance of possible heartbreak. He had to do this. He had no other choice.

"It's only for three months, David. That's it. And I promise to give this back to you and keep quiet about your little confession."

His eyes met hers, wanting to find the truth in those words. "You promise?"

Much to his surprise, the truth in her promise glimmered in her eyes. Kate actually looked sincere maybe the old Kate was still burning a small flame inside.

"I promise." She uttered softly, more sincere than it has ever been in a long time. No edge, no contempt, nothing but quiet sincerity. In that brief moment, Gordo actually saw a glimmer of his old friend.

It was that sight that made Gordo reluctantly seal his fate. Sighing, "Okay. Three months as your slave. And when all my duties are fulfilled, you agree to your side of the deal. Got it?"

"I swear. Cross my heart and hope to die"

"Stick a needle in my eye." Both Kate and Gordo said in sync, just like old times. When they realized what had happened, Kate fell into stunned silence, as did Gordo. It had been a long time since they had said that. Gordo wouldn't have said it at all if Kate hadn't sound so purely happy and cheerful like she used to. Kate's spiteful instinct told her to just snide it off, but the old Kate's spirit began to burn brightly again, overpowering her new self.

Gordo was afraid that she'd come back with some rude, snobbish comment. However, to his amazement, Kate smiled and began to laugh. Much more to his own shock, he found himself laughing with her.

Maybe, just maybe, this won't be as cruel a sentence as he imagined.

When the laughter slowly faded, Kate and Gordo met eyes. Suddenly, something struck Kate so hard that she had to immediately downcast her gaze. Gordo noticed her movement, becoming instinctively concerned.

"Kate? You okay?"

Waving him away, "Uh yeah! I'm fine, David!" Looking up and forcing a tough facade, "Look, I just need to think about something, okay? You can go now." What was supposed to sound as a request, came out more like an order.

Gordo stiffened up at the sound of the edge of her order. Then again, really how much fun could one have being Kate's servant? He nodded, mumbling an "Okay," and then softly exiting.

Kate watched him leave, dismayed by his sullen sight. She shook her head, still reeling over her sudden lightening bolt realization. The awful truth sank into her soul, refusing to release her. So this was why she felt this way. Why the old Kate managed to resurface. Why she couldn't stop thinking about her old best friend "I'm falling in love with Gordo." Kate uttered, much to her disbelief and quiet joy.

"I'm falling for Gordo"

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