There was nothing I could do. I sat in my room and cursed myself. Why had I been so incredibly STUPID? I mean, Lizzie had never really done anything to me that would justify what I had just done to her. And what I had done to Miranda, for that matter. I sat trying to think for almost two hours, wondering how I had let myself do what I did. The phone rang into the silence of my room, startling me from my thoughts. I glanced at caller ID. It was Lizzie. My heart pounded. I had to talk to her, tell her the truth if she didn't already know. But what if she did? What if she broke up with me, and then neither of them ever spoke to me again? I picked up the phone after the third ring, and cleared my throat nervously.

"H-Hello?" There was silence for a moment, an awful, I-know-what-you- did-and-I-can't-stand-you-for-it silence. Finally I repeated myself. " Hello?"

" Gordo. Hi, it's Lizzie." As if I didn't know.

" Hey, Lizzie." She sighed.

" I'm glad I got a hold of you. Miranda called me a little while ago." My heart jumped into my mouth, and I choked, coughing loudly into the phone. When I recovered, I took a deep breath.

" R-Really."

" You seem surprised." She had me there.

" I-uh-well, you wouldn't have m-mentioned it unless it was important, r-r-right?" I prayed to God I was wrong. Maybe Miranda wouldn't tell. Maybe she hadn't.

" She told me what happened at her house." She had. Well, there went everyone I cared about. In my mind's eye, I watched them soar out the window like a bird on a light breeze. Gone.

" W-what did she tell you?" I heard her chuckle.

" Everything. Your little.confession.and they way you were around her. Gordo, I haven't heard of you acting like that since...well, since you asked ME out." I cringed. Her words were harsh, and stung like a slap to the cheek. What could I say to that?

" I'm sorry.I-I wasn't th-th-thinking. I just-f-felt so terrible; I don't know why I did it. I didn't mean it, I sw-swear." She was silent for a moment. Then,

" Your stutter makes me sick. To me, Gordo, it's just another reminder of how pathetic you are. You can't even speak right! How am I supposed to be seen with someone like you? You don't even care what people think! God, you're so pathetic, such a horrible waste of existence it makes me sick. It always has. Why do you think I agreed to go out with you? Because I liked you too? Ha! It was because I felt SORRY for you, Gordo. And now, you think you're so high and mighty, like you can go and cheat on me and I wouldn't know, or that if I DID find out, one little poor p-p-pathetic, st-st-stuttering apology would make it okay? Well, here's a reality check for you. It doesn't. I'm through talking to you; in fact, I'm through with you completely. Go, go be with Miranda. Maybe SHE doesn't mind being seen with a complete loser, a complete freak. Look at yourself, Gordo. Look at what you've become. A nobody! Not a director, barely even a genius anymore. I used to admire you. Now I just want you to leave me alone." Click.

So that was that. It could have gone better, I suppose, but it was over now. I couldn't even talk to Miranda anymore. Lizzie was right about everything. I had become a zero, a waste of space. My realization of that fact hurt more than hearing it from the one person I had really cared about in my life. If even *I* could tell that I was a loser, what hope was there for anyone else to think I wasn't? What did it even matter anymore?

***

Well, that's it for four. How do you like it so far? REVIEWS!!!!!! Thanks!