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                                                                      California State University, Sophomore Year

Lizzie smiled to herself; this year was going to be different.

            No Parents.

            No roommates.

            No eagle-eyed RA's.

            No totally disgusting, mass produced cafeteria food.

            And no more being a lowly freshman!

Lizzie McGuire stood in front of 15 Crescent road, giant suitcase in one hand, key in the other, staring at the incredibly cool duplex that was now her home.  I am a sophomore and I have my own house!  She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs. My own house! Well, not her own house. She was sharing it with her two best friends and fellow CSUers: Miranda Sanchez and David Gordon. How cool was that! And how cool was it seeing there names on the mailbox next to the front door?

            L. McGuire

            M. Sanchez

            D. Gordon

That made it official. Real.  Dropping the heavy suitcase on the doorstep, Lizzie unlocked the door and pushed it wide open. Early afternoon sunlight streamed through the narrow windows on either side of the door and from a wide bay window that faced into the living room. Lizzie walked inside and spun slowly around. The duplex was totally empty, totally run-down …and totally great!

            "I can't believe the slumlord didn't paint the place!!" a male voice complained from behind her.

Lizzie turned around and saw Gordo putting down a huge cardboard box marked Kitchen Stuff and grimacing as he picked a chip of white paint off the peeling, scuffed wall. "If we get stuck painting ourselves he better knock some money off next months rent."

            "I can totally picture it!" Miranda spoke up as she set down another box labeled Living Room Junk. "A hot pink or a bright purple would totally look cool and we can stencil-
            "Miranda, no, I am not living in a hot pink or purple house, and especially not with stenciling of anything." Gordo whined

            Lizzie spoke up this time, "Forget the color scheme and help unload the U-haul. We have about a million boxes left to unpack. And get your suitcase out of the car."

            Miranda rolled her eyes. "The U-Haul can wait for five minutes, Lizzie" Miranda said surveying the living room. "Let's explore a little; we barely got a chance to check the place out with the realtor breathing down our necks."

            Without bothering to wait for Lizzie's "No, Miranda, now". Miranda headed through a swinging door and found herself in the kitchen. The small, sunny room had sliding glass doors that opened onto a tiny, scraggly backyard enclosed by a fence. Maybe she should take up gardening. Miranda thought about it for a minute…Maybe not.

            A slab of counter jutted out into the center of the room, lined by round metal stools that were set into the floor. Miranda sat on one of the stools and tried to push off, but the stool didn't swivel.

            Gordo came through the swinging door, took one look at her pout, and said, "Doesn't spin, huh? That blows."

            She smiled and shot off the stool and started opening cup-boards. All of them were bare and a little dusty. There was something invigorating about all that empty space that made her smile.

            "So you really like this place that much huh?" Gordo asked.

            "Like it! I love it!" Miranda gave Gordo a hug, as Lizzie walked into the kitchen. "Lizzie you know what? This place is going to be a great party house!"

            Lizzie laughed. "Yeah like a year from now, Miranda, this place is really rundown."

            "It's not run down, it's charming. As soon as we finish moving out stuff in and get some living room furniture from a thrift store, this place will look amazing." Miranda unpacked some of the kitchen stuff as Lizzie flitted around the kitchen twisting faucets on and off, opening and shutting drawers, she peered into the refrigerator.

            "Hey" Lizzie said frowning, "The lights broken."

            "More like the electricity is broken," Gordo said. "We have to get the utilities turned on."

            "Oh yea, I knew that." Lizzie shut the refrigerator door. Ok so in addition to no parents; dorm rules, and bad cafeteria food, there would be no blow drying until tomorrow.

            "But wait there's more" Gordo went on in his pessimistic self, while Lizzie and Miranda turned to listen to him. "Other than electricity, which we can't do anything about today because it's Sunday, there's painting and cleaning, and oh yea, finding a fourth roommate. And we have to do all that stuff right away.

            "Ok, ok "Lizzie and Miranda said in unison. "We get it"

            Gordo continued, trying to be a little more optimistic. "It won't be that much work split three ways," he said

            "Four ways" Miranda corrected him

            "That's right" Gordo smiled, his gray blue eyes twinkling. "And we'll make whoever moves in take care of everything."

            Lizzie smiled and couldn't help looking forward to see what would happen next. She was here, she had survived freshman year. She was practically free. Free to live it up as much as she wanted…

***This is just a trial story… if you want to see what happens please review and let me know if you like it! If I don't get that many reviews I won't continue because that means no one is reading it! Please review and tell me what you truthfully think*** AND WHAT I HAVE TO WORK ON**

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