Changes, For Better or Worse?
A/N-Again please read and review. For those who asked for it, this is Gordo and Miranda's big talk. Something I thought was necessary since I don't think they ever get to really talk much on the show.
Chapter 13- Making Amends
It was a sunny Sunday afternoon and Miranda was trying to focus her attention on the computer screen before her. She was supposed to be writing an English essay on Romeo and Juliet. She liked the story enough, but the Old English was killing her. Besides she wasn't thrilled about the whole "everybody dies" scenario. Miranda couldn't imagine ever feeling so strongly about someone that it would make her want to kill herself, especially at such a young age.
She'd much rather be outside feeling the sun warm her skin, but she hadn't talked to Ethan, Lizzie or Gordo since her little outburst at the mall the other day.
Miranda wasn't mad exactly. She felt bad the way she had treated Lizzie and the things she had accused her of. And truthfully, as much as she had no claim to Ethan she was hurt that he still preferred girls like Claire to girls like her, romantically at least. But this whole Romeo and Juliet "star-crossed lovers" thing was helping her put things in perspective a bit.
She knew she wasn't a gorgeous model type, but she knew she wasn't hideous either. Miranda also wasn't the type to sit around and feel sorry for herself, well maybe she sort of was, but she didn't want to be.
She grabbed the phone and started to dial Lizzie's number when there was a knock at the door.
"Come in", she called tossing the phone to the side. Lizzie would have to wait a few.
Gordo opened the door hesitantly. "It's just me, Gordo---can I come in?"
Miranda was surprised to see him, but hid it as best she could. She walked over and plopped on her bed. "Sure, what's up?"
He wrung out his hands and entered the familiar room. "I just wanted to come and say hi, oh and see if you wanted to come to the park and do a little skating."
Miranda looked at him kind of oddly. "Since when do you like to skate?"
"Okay, you caught me. I don't, but you do and. . ." Gordo wasn't sure what to say. He just knew he had to follow through on his orders and get her to the park.
"Gordo, I've known you forever. I know you too well. What are you up to?"
He knew he was really bad at this. Lizzie should have come instead. "Can't tell you, but I'm not leaving here without you."
Miranda cocked her eyebrow. "You're not?" she questioned.
"No I'm not", he firmly stated crossing his arms and sitting on the opposite side of the bed. "I can stay here all day if I have to."
"Fine. I'll go", Miranda relented, kind of amused. She knew Lizzie had to be up to something. "Should I bring my blades?" She got up and started searching for her rollerblades and equipment.
Gordo sighed with relief. "Yes." Whew, crisis averted. By now Miranda had located the first skate under her bed. He studied her carefully as she frantically searched around her cluttered room for the other.
His eyes quickly fell to the picture atop Miranda's night table. It was one of those sparkly Best Friends frames that girls always had so many of and inside was picture he hadn't seen before. It was of the three of them- Miranda, Lizzie and himself-right before she left for Mexico. It must have been from the video shoot during Miranda's whole starvation diet thing.
Gordo remembered how scared he'd been of what she was doing to herself. And how the three had always promised to be there for each other and to help each other with whatever they were going through. He for sure hadn't kept that promise lately, because he had no idea what Miranda was going through anymore.
Miranda interrupted his thoughts. "I found my other skate", she said happily. "So we can go. Earth to Gordo." She waved his hand in front of his face.
Gordo shook his head, but couldn't shake his thoughts. "Cool picture", he said pointing to the one on her nightstand.
She looked at it and smiled slightly. "That was from before I left. I meant to send you guys copies", she added wistfully.
"I remember", he said. "That was a good day."
"Things change", Miranda said quietly as she picked it up and looked at Gordo out of the corner of her eye.
"That they do", Gordo agreed. He looked back at Miranda. "Look, we should talk before we go."
"Sure", Miranda answered almost in a whisper. She wasn't sure what she wanted to say to him, but she was also sure Gordo didn't know what to say either.
Gordo searched his brain. What did he want to say? He was sorry, that he missed her, to make sure she was okay. "So, umm I miss you", he mumbled quietly.
Miranda stifled a laugh, knowing how hard it was for Gordo to open up and talk about his feelings sometimes. "I mean I miss you too", she said sheepishly. This was sort of new territory for them and it was a bit awkward. "And I'm sorry about the other day. I'm sure Lizzie told you about my scene at the mall on Friday. I know you guys were just trying to protect me."
Gordo nodded. "Your sorry, I'm sorry. Lizzie and I should never have sprung our relationship on you the way we did. We should have said something before you came back. It's just we were so excited, or I was--- that something was finally happening. I spent so much time trying to work up the courage to tell Lizzie how I felt, and I forgot about you in the mix."
She sat and watched her hands. "I do understand. I mean, I saw it coming but not then. Later when we were older and I had my own boyfriend." She cocked her had to the side. "I always knew you were into her. You always stuck up for her, defended her, took her side in fights, even when she was wrong", Miranda joked.
Gordo laughed. "I know. I did, I admit it, but if it hurt you that was unintentional."
Miranda again set to studying her hands. It was easier saying what she had to say that way, without looking at him directly. "To be honest, a lot of it was the shock and rejection, but I got over it."
"Rejection?" he questioned. "You never liked me."
"No", Miranda admitted. "Not like that, but it's kind of like when you were dating Brooke." She felt like she had been explaining herself a lot lately. "Lizzie and I got jealous because it seemed like you were dumping us for her. And that's sort of how this felt. Like I got dumped by my two best friends. And it's not exactly like I had a lot of other friends to choose from."
"But", Miranda said confidently as she reached out her hand to touch Gordos. "I realized that I always want you in my life. Like we said that day of the video shoot", she said motioning to the picture. "I need you as my friend and I want to be there for you."
Gordo looked her in the eye. "I know what you mean. We promised to always be there for each other and we haven't been doing a great job."
She smiled. "Things have been better with Lizzie, but I think as you like to say we have he whole girl connection thing. You and I just need to make sure that we make time for us too. I realize that things need to change, but there are some things that never should."
Gordo agreed and squeezed her hand back. "Miranda, you realize how special you are, don't you? You know how fun and creative you are. . ."
Miranda shrugged. "I guess."
"I wouldn't have been your friend for so long if you weren't", he joked. "But really, though I don't say it a lot, you're smart and beautiful and any guy would be lucky to have you. Even Ethan." Gordo had gotten it out. He felt better now.
Miranda, though touched at his words, was getting uncomfortable. She threw a pillow at Gordo to ease the tension. "Stop please", she giggled. "Maybe we should go before things get too mushy."
Both rose from the bed, happy with the outcome of the their conversation. Sure things were different, but they would work out their differences. The threesome would find a way to remain best friends.
Gordo laughed heartily, his mind a million miles away.
"What?" Miranda asked. "What is it?" she demanded.
"Too funny for words", Gordo spit out. He was practically holding his sides from laughing so hard. "I was trying to imagine what would happen if we ever started dating."
Miranda shook her head and joined in on the laughter. "We'd totally kill each other. Hands down, I'd give it an hour tops. Now let's go before Lizzie gets tired of waiting for us."
A/N-Again please read and review. For those who asked for it, this is Gordo and Miranda's big talk. Something I thought was necessary since I don't think they ever get to really talk much on the show.
Chapter 13- Making Amends
It was a sunny Sunday afternoon and Miranda was trying to focus her attention on the computer screen before her. She was supposed to be writing an English essay on Romeo and Juliet. She liked the story enough, but the Old English was killing her. Besides she wasn't thrilled about the whole "everybody dies" scenario. Miranda couldn't imagine ever feeling so strongly about someone that it would make her want to kill herself, especially at such a young age.
She'd much rather be outside feeling the sun warm her skin, but she hadn't talked to Ethan, Lizzie or Gordo since her little outburst at the mall the other day.
Miranda wasn't mad exactly. She felt bad the way she had treated Lizzie and the things she had accused her of. And truthfully, as much as she had no claim to Ethan she was hurt that he still preferred girls like Claire to girls like her, romantically at least. But this whole Romeo and Juliet "star-crossed lovers" thing was helping her put things in perspective a bit.
She knew she wasn't a gorgeous model type, but she knew she wasn't hideous either. Miranda also wasn't the type to sit around and feel sorry for herself, well maybe she sort of was, but she didn't want to be.
She grabbed the phone and started to dial Lizzie's number when there was a knock at the door.
"Come in", she called tossing the phone to the side. Lizzie would have to wait a few.
Gordo opened the door hesitantly. "It's just me, Gordo---can I come in?"
Miranda was surprised to see him, but hid it as best she could. She walked over and plopped on her bed. "Sure, what's up?"
He wrung out his hands and entered the familiar room. "I just wanted to come and say hi, oh and see if you wanted to come to the park and do a little skating."
Miranda looked at him kind of oddly. "Since when do you like to skate?"
"Okay, you caught me. I don't, but you do and. . ." Gordo wasn't sure what to say. He just knew he had to follow through on his orders and get her to the park.
"Gordo, I've known you forever. I know you too well. What are you up to?"
He knew he was really bad at this. Lizzie should have come instead. "Can't tell you, but I'm not leaving here without you."
Miranda cocked her eyebrow. "You're not?" she questioned.
"No I'm not", he firmly stated crossing his arms and sitting on the opposite side of the bed. "I can stay here all day if I have to."
"Fine. I'll go", Miranda relented, kind of amused. She knew Lizzie had to be up to something. "Should I bring my blades?" She got up and started searching for her rollerblades and equipment.
Gordo sighed with relief. "Yes." Whew, crisis averted. By now Miranda had located the first skate under her bed. He studied her carefully as she frantically searched around her cluttered room for the other.
His eyes quickly fell to the picture atop Miranda's night table. It was one of those sparkly Best Friends frames that girls always had so many of and inside was picture he hadn't seen before. It was of the three of them- Miranda, Lizzie and himself-right before she left for Mexico. It must have been from the video shoot during Miranda's whole starvation diet thing.
Gordo remembered how scared he'd been of what she was doing to herself. And how the three had always promised to be there for each other and to help each other with whatever they were going through. He for sure hadn't kept that promise lately, because he had no idea what Miranda was going through anymore.
Miranda interrupted his thoughts. "I found my other skate", she said happily. "So we can go. Earth to Gordo." She waved his hand in front of his face.
Gordo shook his head, but couldn't shake his thoughts. "Cool picture", he said pointing to the one on her nightstand.
She looked at it and smiled slightly. "That was from before I left. I meant to send you guys copies", she added wistfully.
"I remember", he said. "That was a good day."
"Things change", Miranda said quietly as she picked it up and looked at Gordo out of the corner of her eye.
"That they do", Gordo agreed. He looked back at Miranda. "Look, we should talk before we go."
"Sure", Miranda answered almost in a whisper. She wasn't sure what she wanted to say to him, but she was also sure Gordo didn't know what to say either.
Gordo searched his brain. What did he want to say? He was sorry, that he missed her, to make sure she was okay. "So, umm I miss you", he mumbled quietly.
Miranda stifled a laugh, knowing how hard it was for Gordo to open up and talk about his feelings sometimes. "I mean I miss you too", she said sheepishly. This was sort of new territory for them and it was a bit awkward. "And I'm sorry about the other day. I'm sure Lizzie told you about my scene at the mall on Friday. I know you guys were just trying to protect me."
Gordo nodded. "Your sorry, I'm sorry. Lizzie and I should never have sprung our relationship on you the way we did. We should have said something before you came back. It's just we were so excited, or I was--- that something was finally happening. I spent so much time trying to work up the courage to tell Lizzie how I felt, and I forgot about you in the mix."
She sat and watched her hands. "I do understand. I mean, I saw it coming but not then. Later when we were older and I had my own boyfriend." She cocked her had to the side. "I always knew you were into her. You always stuck up for her, defended her, took her side in fights, even when she was wrong", Miranda joked.
Gordo laughed. "I know. I did, I admit it, but if it hurt you that was unintentional."
Miranda again set to studying her hands. It was easier saying what she had to say that way, without looking at him directly. "To be honest, a lot of it was the shock and rejection, but I got over it."
"Rejection?" he questioned. "You never liked me."
"No", Miranda admitted. "Not like that, but it's kind of like when you were dating Brooke." She felt like she had been explaining herself a lot lately. "Lizzie and I got jealous because it seemed like you were dumping us for her. And that's sort of how this felt. Like I got dumped by my two best friends. And it's not exactly like I had a lot of other friends to choose from."
"But", Miranda said confidently as she reached out her hand to touch Gordos. "I realized that I always want you in my life. Like we said that day of the video shoot", she said motioning to the picture. "I need you as my friend and I want to be there for you."
Gordo looked her in the eye. "I know what you mean. We promised to always be there for each other and we haven't been doing a great job."
She smiled. "Things have been better with Lizzie, but I think as you like to say we have he whole girl connection thing. You and I just need to make sure that we make time for us too. I realize that things need to change, but there are some things that never should."
Gordo agreed and squeezed her hand back. "Miranda, you realize how special you are, don't you? You know how fun and creative you are. . ."
Miranda shrugged. "I guess."
"I wouldn't have been your friend for so long if you weren't", he joked. "But really, though I don't say it a lot, you're smart and beautiful and any guy would be lucky to have you. Even Ethan." Gordo had gotten it out. He felt better now.
Miranda, though touched at his words, was getting uncomfortable. She threw a pillow at Gordo to ease the tension. "Stop please", she giggled. "Maybe we should go before things get too mushy."
Both rose from the bed, happy with the outcome of the their conversation. Sure things were different, but they would work out their differences. The threesome would find a way to remain best friends.
Gordo laughed heartily, his mind a million miles away.
"What?" Miranda asked. "What is it?" she demanded.
"Too funny for words", Gordo spit out. He was practically holding his sides from laughing so hard. "I was trying to imagine what would happen if we ever started dating."
Miranda shook her head and joined in on the laughter. "We'd totally kill each other. Hands down, I'd give it an hour tops. Now let's go before Lizzie gets tired of waiting for us."