NIGHT OF REVEALED EMOTIONSHe was going into month three of his slave service to Kate.

PART FIVE: NIGHT OF REVEALED EMOTIONS

He was going into month three of his slave service to Kate. What could have been an awesome Saturday night going to the movies with Lizzie and Miranda, turned into a Saturday evening having to fold Kate's laundry.

Though Kate had done the original washing and machine-drying process, at the thought of her favorite servant boy

"You do realize that this is pure cruel punishment, Sanders." Gordo pointed out as he folded her black khakis and place it into her drawer.

Kate sat back on her bed, painting her nails. She looked up, snickering at him, "Well, if you hadn't decided to play digital confession, you wouldn't be in this mess, would you?"

Gordo nodded, then turned back to his task at hand. Things remained relatively quiet between the two, with the exception of Kate's CD player playing Aaron Carter's latest song.

She hummed to the beat of the song, while concentrating on her nails. Gordo's ears perked up to her humming, and he turned to glance at her. He watched her with quiet amusement.

Kate glanced up, then began to blush as she noticed Gordo's eyes on her. "What?" She asked softly, a bit embarrassed.

"Nothing," He said, softly chuckling. Gordo smiled at her, then indicated to the CD player, "You like Aaron Carter?"

Still blushing a bit, "Yeah. He's cute"

"Yeah, so I've heard." Gordo sighed, remembering the Aaron Carter incident. With a bit envy in his voice, "Lizzie likes him a lot."

"Really?" Kate arched her eyebrow. Sensing an opportunity, "Well, Aaron's okay but not really my type."

Gordo continued his folding duties, yet still in the conversation, "Not your type? I thought someone like you would go for someone as popular, talented, and famous as Aaron."

Kate sincerely shook her head, "No." Looking up at him with intent eyes, "I'm more into the adorable, sweet, fun dark hair, blue eyes type. You know what I mean?" She added with much seduction.

Gordo was left confused by her words, until he met eyes with her. He stepped back, startled by how she was looking at him.

Gulping, "Dark hair blue eyes?"

She inched her way towards him, giving him a tempting smile. "I don't have a date for the school's End Of the Year Dance do you?"

Giving her a nervous chuckle, "Uh no. Why? Do you, uh, want me to press your dress for you that night?"

"Actually I want you to be my date for the dance."

Gordo felt as if someone had splashed him with extremely cold water. He stuttered, unable to comprehend what he had just heard. "Y-y-you wa-wa-want to what?!"

"C'mon, Gordo." She finally used his little nickname. "Isn't it pretty obvious that I like you a lot?" She batted her eye lashes, trying to appeal to him.

"No!" He cried, totally stunned and confused by her admittance. "How? Why? Are you insane?!"

"If you're asking if I'm crazy—it's only because I'm crazy about you."

Before Gordo could react, Kate decided to do what she has wanted to do since she first realized how she felt. Kate leaned over, and kissed him gently on the lips.

Gordo felt emotions wash over him as he felt her lips on his. One of them was confusion another was shock and another was that it felt real nice. He closed his eyes, placed one hand to caress her cheek and another on her waist, and began to return her kisses. Kate, much to her joyous bliss, placed her hands encircling Gordo's neck.

What was more like seconds, seemed like minutes as Kate and Gordo began to kiss deeper and deeper.

"Kate's friendship meant a lot to me, Gordo but if I had lost yours I would be so lost without you."

Gordo's body tensed up as he heard her voice in his head. Her sweet, innocent voice calling out to him. An image of Lizzie's tearstained face formed in his head. The memory of when Kate decided to ditch the three friends, leaving Lizzie in total dismay. The memory of Gordo reassuring Lizzie that things will be okay, and Lizzie admitting to him that she needed his friendship more than anyone else's, including Miranda's.

Guilt overwhelmed him as he realized what he was doing with Kate. Immediately, he pulled back, practically shoving Kate away. "I-I can't, Kate! I am so sorry but I can't do this do you or to Lizzie."

Kate's face fell as she noticed his eyes. He doesn't love her like the way that he loves Lizzie, like the way that she loves him. Kate didn't know whether to feel hurt, humiliated, angry, or jealous. She turned her gaze away from his, knowing that if she looked into his beautiful eyes again, she would cry right there and then.

"Look, Kate. I'm flattered that you like me a lot, I really am but it's Lizzie that I want."

"Then go to her!" Kate snapped, still unable to look at him. Anger fueled within her, though she was heartbroken to hear him say that. "If you want her so much, why are you still my slave? Tell her the truth, and the deal's over, right?"

Gordo sat next to her, wanting to take her hand. Kate pulled back, however, when he attempted contact. He sighed, "Kate, I guess I just liked spending time with you. Like the old days, remember?"

"What does Lizzie have that I don't, Gordo? Why her and not me? Is it some sort of Dawson and Joey thing?"

He chuckled despite himself. Shaking his head, looking at her with sincere eyes, "No, it's not some sort Dawson's Creek thing. I'm actually rooting for that Pacey fellow no honestly, Kate, it has nothing to do with the fact that I've known her longer." Gordo sighed, then gave a small smile.

"It's just that Lizzie needs me more than you do, Kate. Now don't let this go to your head, but you're too high maintenance for me. I'm not saying that Lizzie's low maintenance but I can't give you the type of love that you honestly deserve. As much as a cliché as it sounds, how I see it is that I was born to only love her. I can love her like no other guy could ever. And I can't love any other person as much as I love her." Gordo took Kate's hand, in which she allowed for him to take.

He gently turned her head to let her look at him in the eyes. Smiling, "You need someone that was born to love you the way you were meant to be loved. I can't ever live up to that task, no matter how much I try."

Kate slowly slipped herself out of Gordo's grasp, her heart aching just by his touch. She hated this feeling. Knowing that just one single person can make her feel so weak and helpless. If he tells her to jump through flames, she would do it.

"Kate?"

She turned her head away from his gaze, feeling the tears slowly form. Summoning up all that was left of her courage, "Leave."

"What?"

Her breaking heart only added fuel to her jealousy towards Lizzie, and the edge to her pain. She snapped her head back towards him, her eyes blazing and brimming with tears, "Leave! I want you out of here, Gordo! Now!"

"Kate—I—" He began, attempting to comfort her only to be pushed away.

She leapt to her feet, indicating towards the door. "Leave NOW!" Her voice dropped to a threat, "Or else I'll call up your little girlfriend and tell her about the tape."

Gordo stood up, looking at her with tired eyes. He grabbed his jacket, walked to the door silently, placed his hand on the knob with his back facing her, and then turned around to face Kate. Sadly, "A part of me wished I could love you the way you want me to, Kate and I'm sorry for hurting you."

With that, he exited her room and her hopes. When the door closed, Kate finally released her tears, throwing herself on her bed sheets, and sobbing her heart out. No all high and mighty Kate Sanders present, no Miss Super Popular Cheerleader Kate Sanders present just the Kate Sanders who had finally found her one weakness in life. And she had to watch it slip away into the awaiting arms of another.

Unbeknownst to Kate, Gordo was standing just outside her door, his palm pressed against it with weary regret. He really did wish he could return Kate's feelings for him to at least stop her heart's pain but he couldn't.

"I'm sorry, Kate." He whispered, then lowered his gaze with sadness. "I'm sorry, Lizzie."

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Lizzie couldn't sleep. The young woman began to toss and turn in her bed, dreaming of images she wished were false, but are as real as she was. Images of her Gordo and Kate. Seeing those two together. Laughing together. Smiling together.

Suddenly, a new image flashed before her. One that she has never seen before until now. Gordo and Kate kissing?!?

"No" She moaned in her sleep, violently tossing in her bed. "No, Gordo don't please"

TAP.

They continued to kiss, causing Lizzie to protest even louder. "No, no, no! Gordo not Kate not her!"

TAP. TAP.

"Gordo I I"

TAP. TAP. TAP.

"I love you"

"Lizzie!" Matt appeared in her dreams, calling out her name. "Lizzie!"

"Matt?" Her eyes were still closed, a bit thrown off by his appearance.

"Wake up! Gordo's throwing pebbles at your window."

TAP. TAP.

Lizzie immediately shot up, her eyes blinking furiously. "Wha-wha-what?!"

A pajama clad young Matt McGuire placed his hands on his hips, regarding his sister's dazed exterior. He sighed in frustration, throwing his hands up in disbelief. Shaking his head, mumbling some unpleasant words about her, then walked over to Lizzie's window. Opening them, he stuck his head out, and maintained an evenly quiet calling, "Hey Gordo. She's awake now. I'll send her down right now."

Matt shut Lizzie's window, then gave his sister this "I told you so" look.

Lizzie rubbed her tired eyes, not fully comprehending what had just happened. "What? Gordo's here?"

Matt walked up to his sister, placed his two hands on her shoulders, and began to shake her. "Hello! Wake up, McGuire!"

She smacked her brother's annoying hands aside. Staring evilly at him, "I'm awake, you rugrat!" She glanced at her alarm, "God, what time is it?"

"It's twelve-thirty in the morning. Now are you going to talk to Gordo, or not?"

"Gordo's here?!" She exclaimed, now fully awake.

Her younger brother shook his head, then placed it wearily in his hands. Groaning in frustration, "Sisters! See the guy of their dreams in their dreams and they believe that they're there. See the guy of their dreams right in front of them and they go insane!" Matt walked towards the door with intentions to leave, but not before saying, "You better put on a jacket before going outside to talk to your boyfriend."

Lizzie gawked at her brother in furious amazement. Grabbing her pillow, she tossed it at him just as he closed the door on her.

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Gordo placed his hands within his jacket's front pockets. He knew that he should be home right now, safe and warm in his own bed but he just had to see her.

"Gordo?"

Her voice was sweet music to his ears as he turned towards her. Lizzie emerged outside, hugging her jacket close to her. Confused and a bit cranky, "Are you insane? What are you doing here? Especially at twelve in the morning?!"

"Actually, it's twelve thirty-one in the morning." He replied, checking his watch. He had a playful smile on his face, though his eyes completely revealed his weary soul.

"You know what I mean, David Gordon." Lizzie sighed, hugging her jacket tighter.

Noticing her movements, "You know, we could talk inside where it's a lot more warmer—"

"No!" Lizzie snapped, still in pain over his broken promise and his two month avoidance. Stubborn as heck, "I'm fine just talking right out here." Despite her adamancy of staying outside, she still found herself shivering from the cool night air.

Gordo let slip a small smile, recognizing Lizzie's stubbornness all too well. He sighed himself, then began to remove his own jacket. "Well, I just don't want to see you freeze to death, is all McGuire." Placing his jacket over her shoulders, wrapping it around her small body.

Lizzie watched his every careful movement. When he made contact with her, Lizzie felt a small chill of delight travel through her. Gordo, however, mistook her for still being cold.

"Sit down, Liz." He sat her on her backyard stoop. Gordo sat next to her, and placed his hands on her forearms, and began rubbing them in order to generate more heat. He was not fully aware of how close their faces were from each other, until he looked right into Lizzie's eyes.

Lizzie, however, was completely aware of his closeness. She could almost feel his heart beating and his breath catch as he looked at her. Lizzie smiled shyly at him, loving every single moment in his arms.

Suddenly, her nightmare began to haunt her again. That awful image of Kate and Gordo kissing tore at her heart. She blinked her eyes, tensed up, and turned away from him.

Gordo noticed her uncomfortable manner, and quickly removed his hold on her. He mumbled an apology, not wanting to cause an even bigger rift between them.

"Why are you here, Gordo?" Lizzie meekly asked.

"The truth?"

"Nothing less,"

He sighed, then replied, "I came to see you. To let you know that I'm sorry for having ignored you for the past two months and to let you know that I care a lot about you, Lizzie. More than you could fully know."

Hope danced brightly in her eyes as she turned to face him again. "You mean that?"

"Absolutely." He answered, beaming at her.

"What about Kate?" She asked, her insecurities and curiosity getting the better of her. "Why were you spending so much time with her?"

"Honest?"

"Nothing less,"

"She blackmailed me into being her slave for the rest of the school year. She had discovered something about me that I didn't want anyone to know about."

Lizzie's jaw dropped. Quiet triumph surging through her. "I can't believe that she'd do something like that to you! That-that-that witch!"

Much to Lizzie's shock, Gordo quickly jumped to Kate's defense. "C'mon, Lizzie. Kate's not that bad. If you get to know her better inside, she's still the same Kate we used to be best friends with."

"Y'know, I had a feeling that out of the three of us, she liked you little bit more."

"More than you could ever believe." Gordo muttered.

Another question burned within her as brightly as the image flashing in her mind. "Have you two did you two"

"Did we what?"

"Kiss?" She blurted out as meekly as possible. Lizzie needed to know. She just had to confirm whether or not she was losing her best friend, and love, to her worst nightmare.

Gordo opened his mouth then closed them to rethink his answer. How could he let her know without hurting her even more than he already has?

"Honest?"

"Nothing less," She replied.

He hung his head low, mumbled the answer, then sighed as he looked up to tell her what she had dreaded on hearing. "Yes." He then began to pour out excuses to her. "But it didn't mean a thing, Lizzie! You have to believe me! Kate kissed me and I know that it takes two to tango and I did kiss her back, but I stopped because I knew it was wrong! And and because of you."

Lizzie was too numb to even have heard that last statement. The only thing echoing in her mind was that single word; yes. Yes, he had shared a kiss with Kate. Yes, her best friend had kissed her ex-best friend, present enemy. Yes, the one guy she could ever love is starting to fall for the most wicked woman on the face of this earth.

"Lizzie" He needed for her to know the truth. "It didn't mean a single thing. I promise you."

"You promise me?!" She cried out, snapping from her stunned trance. Lizzie was furious. How could he say such a thing after his confession to kissing Kate? After he had already broken his promise to her, as well as her heart and faith in him.

Lizzie quickly removed his jacket from her touch, throwing it violently at him. Her eyes flashed of anger and pain, "Get out of here, Gordo! I hate you!"

"Lizzie" He pleaded with her, saddened that she was so angry and hurt because of him.

"I want you to leave right now, Gordo! And I never want to speak to you ever again! Our friendship is over!"

Gordo reeled back, feeling the harshness in her voice. No, she didn't mean that. She doesn't mean that! "Lizzie please, I know you're angry at me—"

"Angry?! More like furiously pissed off! Get out, Gordo, before I scream bloody murder!" She threatened, her eyes still livid.

Feeling as if he has nothing left to lose he cried out to her, "Lizzie, I love you! Okay?! That's why I had to spend time with Kate! And that's why her kiss meant nothing to me! All because I'm in love with you!"

Lizzie stepped back, stunned by his outburst. She shook her head, disbelieving what he was telling her. "Shut-up, Gordo" She whispered, close to a near beg. She didn't want to hear it. To hear any of it right now.

Only he continued, wanting the truth to finally come out. "I made this video confession about how much I loved you. I left it in my camera and forgot to take it out before I brought my camera to school. When I realized that I had grabbed the wrong tape, I had to destroy it immediately because I couldn't risk you finding out about my feelings. I was afraid, Lizzie. Afraid that not only would you not return my feelings, but that I might lose the best thing in the world to me; our friendship. But I ran into Kate and Claire, who also had a similar looking black video tape. We dropped our things, and got our tapes mixed up! Kate saw my confession and blackmailed me into being her slave in exchange for her silence about the tape. It would have worked out if Kate hadn't developed feelings for me. Lizzie, Kate kissed me first. She told me that she had feelings for me, and she kissed me first. Now I know that doesn't fully excuse me, because I did return her kiss but I thought of you and I immediately stopped it. I couldn't live with the immense guilt anymore. Not to mention that I only loved Kate as a friend and nothing more! There was only one person in this entire universe who I could truly love and that person is YOU, Lizzie McGuire. You. Just you."

Gordo finally stopped. He began to breathe heavily, having unloaded a truck load of hidden emotion. Now Lizzie had to understand and not be as angry at him as she was before she knew the entire truth.

Lizzie was completely dazed. How was she supposed to let all that sink in? Why should she even believe any of it? It was all too much for her to bare right now.

She shook her head, wanting to just cry. Calling out whatever strength she had left, "Please leave, Gordo. Please go." She begged, refusing to met eyes.

"Lizzie—"

"NOW!" She cried out, pain evident in her voice. The tears broke through the dam, letting loose her sobs of confusion and heartache.

Gordo felt his whole body go numb, separate itself from his mind. He knew that he was walking away from her, but he didn't want to.

Lizzie watched him depart, disappearing into the shadows. She felt so cold, and it wasn't due to the night air. Once alone, the young woman fell apart. She fell to her knees, sobbing her heart out.

She felt two kind, protective arms surround her, taking her crying body into his grasp. Matt McGuire held his big sister tight, cradling her, whispering to her that everything was going to be okay. He held her, comforted her, until she fell asleep weeping in his arms.

Despite all their fights, all their disagreements and tireless trouble towards each other looking upon the two right at this moment, one protecting the other in loving arms, you couldn't say that Lizzie and Matt McGuire didn't love each other.

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