Changes, For Better or Worse?
A/N-Hey everyone. Thanks for your great reviews, but I lied. I thought I was done, but I'm back. The story is finished as written, but I decided to write an epilogue set in the future that will tell you what happens to everyone- Miranda, Lizzie, Gordo and Ethan. It's basically Miranda looking at pictures of the past and through that you learn what happens. Do the couples stay together? What careers do they choose? I hope you like it. It will be in two parts
Epilogue Part 1-Pictures to the Past
Miranda sat fingering the pages of her scrapbook, a flood of forgotten memories returning with each passing picture. The earliest pictures were of her and Lizzie, sisters to the end. Playing with Barbies, dressing up Beanie Babies, swimming lessons at the town pool, having sleepovers. They couldn't be more than seven or eight. Miranda couldn't help but notice how precious and innocent they looked. For those two girls, their world had been uncomplicated and perfect.
She smiled happily and turned the page. Next was when Gordo joined the group. The pictures were mostly from junior high. The Three Musketeers. At Coaster Kingdom, their favorite amusement park. She laughed as she remembered Gordo's fear of the Annihilator, the park's fastest roller coaster, and how he'd been so scared he had thrown up all over some girl whose name she could no longer remember.
Miranda continued to flip the pages. More junior high memories--Gordo's music video, The Digital Bean, school dances, her horrific school play. Fortunately for her and her career, Miranda wasn't such a bad actress now. Amazing what a few lessons could do.
"What are you doing honey?" a voice interrupted her.
"Just looking through some old things", she said wistfully. "Reliving the past", Miranda said looking up at her fiancée. She looked down at her hand and saw her gleaming silver diamond ring. She, Miranda Isabella Sanchez, was engaged to be married. She watched him walk out of the room, busy as usual with his work.
She went back to her scrapbook. More pictures of her, Lizzie and Gordo. At the beach, now that was a day she remembered and the day that she first realized Lizzie and Gordo really liked each other as more than just friends. They'd been in the eighth grade and just hanging out as usual, but Lizzie and Gordo had gotten into this big all out splash war and well nothing happened really, but the looks on their faces had been so obvious that Miranda would have been blind to miss it.
Miranda traced her finger over their smiling faces. Who would have thought they'd now be married and parents to a beautiful baby girl? Her name was Brianna Isabella Gordon. The Isabella part was named after her. She hadn't been able to hold back the tears when Lizzie and Gordo told her and asked her to be the Godmother. She didn't know if she was ready for the responsibility, but of course she accepted. Brianna was the center of her parents and grandparents' universe and probably the most spoiled eight- month in the world. And to be sure, Miranda had played her part in that.
Miranda flipped forward a few pages until she reached high school. Freshman year, she thought fondly. A year that had started off so badly had turned out so well. Ethan had entered her life and became her other best friend AND her boyfriend. The pictures spoke for themselves, Miranda and Ethan rollerblading hand in hand, their weekly movie night at Lizzie's house, hanging at the mall. Her life had changed when she got to know Ethan. Miranda had gained more confidence and more focus. She started to grow up.
Ethan Craft. Ethan, along with Lizzie and Gordo had supported her through every major decision in her life. Like when Miranda decided that she wanted to be a performer, and pursue singing and acting. She started taking voice lessons, dances lessons, acting lessons and auditioned for every part in town. Her parents hadn't been thrilled. They couldn't understand why she would want to waste her life in such a dead end job. So few make it they warned her. There are too many risks and no stability for a life. Get a real job. That's what her parents said anyway.
But not from Lizzie, Gordo and Ethan. They had supported her through all her career choices, even when they actually were crazy. And she had done the same with them. When Gordo went off to become the next big director and when Ethan decided he wanted to teach. He wanted to help kids like himself, because he had learned later on that all along when he was having trouble with school it was because he had a learning disorder that his teachers had never discovered. They just assumed he was stupid, but once Ethan got counseling he became determined to "teach the youth of America." And to help the kids who fell through the cracks.
And Lizzie well, let's just say Lizzie had surprised them all. Miranda had always known Lizzie to want to help people; that was her greatest gift. But even she had been shocked when Lizzie called her and told her she was going Pre Med. Dr. Elizabeth Brooke McGuire-Gordon, Pediatrician. It made sense when you thought about it, but this was the same girl who once said during a conversation about career choices, "Blood makes me kinda squirmy."
The memories continued to flow as Miranda kept going. She slowed and sighed when she reached a particular picture from junior year. There was Lizzie and Gordo as happy as ever and there was Miranda and Ethan. That picture marked their last dance as an official couple. They had broken up that very night. It wasn't anyones fault, but things had just fallen apart. They wanted different things, were attracted to different people. They were tired of the same old same old. College was coming quickly and neither wanted to be stuck in a long distance relationship. Both had made mistakes that they didn't really regret. Miranda had accidentally kissed Larry and Ethan was falling for Parker.
She remembered that night so vividly. As much as Miranda had wanted her and Ethan's relationship to end, a part of her wasn't ready for it to be over. She was so comfortable with him; she needed him. He'd been her rock for two years. Miranda had been a mess for days afterwards, crying and all that typical girl stuff. She never knew getting over a first love could be so tough.
Rocky at first, Miranda and Ethan had learned to adapt. They slowly found a way to become friends again, as they had promised each other they would before the breakup. Of course certain topics were off limits, but by the middle of senior year they could finally hang together as friends, with a minimal amount of awkwardness.
Miranda flipped the pages of the later half of high school. Lizzie and Gordo were always there, as usual the constants in her life. Ethan was there too--with Parker, but not like before. And there was Miranda with other boyfriends--Larry Tudgeman, and some other guys long forgotten.
Her eyes fell to a picture of herself grinning wildly and holding an envelope for all the world to see. That had been a special day. Miranda didn't usually take pictures of just her, but in this one she was holding her future. She was holding her acceptance letter to the Julliard School of Music. She had tried out on a whim and amazingly had gotten in. She was off to New York City for college, a scary but exciting prospect.
Lizzie and Gordo had been there holding her hand when she opened the thick envelope. Right afterwards she'd phoned Ethan and he told her of his acceptance to the University of Arizona on a partial sports scholarship. Miranda had screamed directly into the phone when he told her, which caused Ethan to claim he had been deaf for days afterwards.
Next was prom. Lizzie and Gordo and Miranda and Ethan. No, they hadn't gotten back together, but neither had been dating anyone else so they had gone together for old time sake, once more before they all went off their separate ways. It had been fun, not in a romantic way, but fun nevertheless. Dancing the night away---forgetting about everything else.
Then college had been upon them. Lizzie and Gordo, inseparable as usual had both decided on USC. Ethan was off to Arizona and her to New York. College was an experience. New friends, new city, classes, intense rehearsals, auditions, and working as a waitress in her down time.
Miranda dated off and on. She'd met Rick who also studied at Julliard, the next in line of her serious boyfriends. But that fell apart after eight months when Miranda found him in bed with someone else. She moved on.
She visited Lizzie and Gordo at USC when she could and was there when Gordo finally popped the question their junior year. Not directly in the room of course, but Gordo had planned it during her visit knowing full well that she'd be almost as excited as Lizzie.
Miranda also visited Ethan and his new girlfriend in Arizona. She was nice enough and they seemed to be in love from what she could tell.
She allowed herself to breeze by the pictures from the end of college. Those days were fresher in Miranda's mind. Graduation had been eventful. Miranda had decided to move to LA to pursue her dream. She'd been in a few small plays in New York, but that was where her luck had run out. One of her professors had even hooked her up with a possible Hollywood agent.
Lizzie started medical school and Gordo was ready to become a big hotshot director. The wedding was to take place after Lizzie had survived her first year of med school and wasn't quite so stressed. Ethan stayed in Arizona with his girlfriend Kelly. He found a teaching job and was happy there, a bit to Miranda's dismay. Not that he didn't deserve every happiness, but he wasn't allowed to meet his soulmate before her. Little did Miranda know.
Time progressed. Lizzie and Gordo married, Ethan announced his engagement to Kelly, Miranda landed some small movie roles, Gordo made his first "real" film and Lizzie finally graduated.
She closed the book. That was where the scrapbook ended. The last two years were not in there; they were separate. So much had happened.
Where could she begin?
A/N-Hey everyone. Thanks for your great reviews, but I lied. I thought I was done, but I'm back. The story is finished as written, but I decided to write an epilogue set in the future that will tell you what happens to everyone- Miranda, Lizzie, Gordo and Ethan. It's basically Miranda looking at pictures of the past and through that you learn what happens. Do the couples stay together? What careers do they choose? I hope you like it. It will be in two parts
Epilogue Part 1-Pictures to the Past
Miranda sat fingering the pages of her scrapbook, a flood of forgotten memories returning with each passing picture. The earliest pictures were of her and Lizzie, sisters to the end. Playing with Barbies, dressing up Beanie Babies, swimming lessons at the town pool, having sleepovers. They couldn't be more than seven or eight. Miranda couldn't help but notice how precious and innocent they looked. For those two girls, their world had been uncomplicated and perfect.
She smiled happily and turned the page. Next was when Gordo joined the group. The pictures were mostly from junior high. The Three Musketeers. At Coaster Kingdom, their favorite amusement park. She laughed as she remembered Gordo's fear of the Annihilator, the park's fastest roller coaster, and how he'd been so scared he had thrown up all over some girl whose name she could no longer remember.
Miranda continued to flip the pages. More junior high memories--Gordo's music video, The Digital Bean, school dances, her horrific school play. Fortunately for her and her career, Miranda wasn't such a bad actress now. Amazing what a few lessons could do.
"What are you doing honey?" a voice interrupted her.
"Just looking through some old things", she said wistfully. "Reliving the past", Miranda said looking up at her fiancée. She looked down at her hand and saw her gleaming silver diamond ring. She, Miranda Isabella Sanchez, was engaged to be married. She watched him walk out of the room, busy as usual with his work.
She went back to her scrapbook. More pictures of her, Lizzie and Gordo. At the beach, now that was a day she remembered and the day that she first realized Lizzie and Gordo really liked each other as more than just friends. They'd been in the eighth grade and just hanging out as usual, but Lizzie and Gordo had gotten into this big all out splash war and well nothing happened really, but the looks on their faces had been so obvious that Miranda would have been blind to miss it.
Miranda traced her finger over their smiling faces. Who would have thought they'd now be married and parents to a beautiful baby girl? Her name was Brianna Isabella Gordon. The Isabella part was named after her. She hadn't been able to hold back the tears when Lizzie and Gordo told her and asked her to be the Godmother. She didn't know if she was ready for the responsibility, but of course she accepted. Brianna was the center of her parents and grandparents' universe and probably the most spoiled eight- month in the world. And to be sure, Miranda had played her part in that.
Miranda flipped forward a few pages until she reached high school. Freshman year, she thought fondly. A year that had started off so badly had turned out so well. Ethan had entered her life and became her other best friend AND her boyfriend. The pictures spoke for themselves, Miranda and Ethan rollerblading hand in hand, their weekly movie night at Lizzie's house, hanging at the mall. Her life had changed when she got to know Ethan. Miranda had gained more confidence and more focus. She started to grow up.
Ethan Craft. Ethan, along with Lizzie and Gordo had supported her through every major decision in her life. Like when Miranda decided that she wanted to be a performer, and pursue singing and acting. She started taking voice lessons, dances lessons, acting lessons and auditioned for every part in town. Her parents hadn't been thrilled. They couldn't understand why she would want to waste her life in such a dead end job. So few make it they warned her. There are too many risks and no stability for a life. Get a real job. That's what her parents said anyway.
But not from Lizzie, Gordo and Ethan. They had supported her through all her career choices, even when they actually were crazy. And she had done the same with them. When Gordo went off to become the next big director and when Ethan decided he wanted to teach. He wanted to help kids like himself, because he had learned later on that all along when he was having trouble with school it was because he had a learning disorder that his teachers had never discovered. They just assumed he was stupid, but once Ethan got counseling he became determined to "teach the youth of America." And to help the kids who fell through the cracks.
And Lizzie well, let's just say Lizzie had surprised them all. Miranda had always known Lizzie to want to help people; that was her greatest gift. But even she had been shocked when Lizzie called her and told her she was going Pre Med. Dr. Elizabeth Brooke McGuire-Gordon, Pediatrician. It made sense when you thought about it, but this was the same girl who once said during a conversation about career choices, "Blood makes me kinda squirmy."
The memories continued to flow as Miranda kept going. She slowed and sighed when she reached a particular picture from junior year. There was Lizzie and Gordo as happy as ever and there was Miranda and Ethan. That picture marked their last dance as an official couple. They had broken up that very night. It wasn't anyones fault, but things had just fallen apart. They wanted different things, were attracted to different people. They were tired of the same old same old. College was coming quickly and neither wanted to be stuck in a long distance relationship. Both had made mistakes that they didn't really regret. Miranda had accidentally kissed Larry and Ethan was falling for Parker.
She remembered that night so vividly. As much as Miranda had wanted her and Ethan's relationship to end, a part of her wasn't ready for it to be over. She was so comfortable with him; she needed him. He'd been her rock for two years. Miranda had been a mess for days afterwards, crying and all that typical girl stuff. She never knew getting over a first love could be so tough.
Rocky at first, Miranda and Ethan had learned to adapt. They slowly found a way to become friends again, as they had promised each other they would before the breakup. Of course certain topics were off limits, but by the middle of senior year they could finally hang together as friends, with a minimal amount of awkwardness.
Miranda flipped the pages of the later half of high school. Lizzie and Gordo were always there, as usual the constants in her life. Ethan was there too--with Parker, but not like before. And there was Miranda with other boyfriends--Larry Tudgeman, and some other guys long forgotten.
Her eyes fell to a picture of herself grinning wildly and holding an envelope for all the world to see. That had been a special day. Miranda didn't usually take pictures of just her, but in this one she was holding her future. She was holding her acceptance letter to the Julliard School of Music. She had tried out on a whim and amazingly had gotten in. She was off to New York City for college, a scary but exciting prospect.
Lizzie and Gordo had been there holding her hand when she opened the thick envelope. Right afterwards she'd phoned Ethan and he told her of his acceptance to the University of Arizona on a partial sports scholarship. Miranda had screamed directly into the phone when he told her, which caused Ethan to claim he had been deaf for days afterwards.
Next was prom. Lizzie and Gordo and Miranda and Ethan. No, they hadn't gotten back together, but neither had been dating anyone else so they had gone together for old time sake, once more before they all went off their separate ways. It had been fun, not in a romantic way, but fun nevertheless. Dancing the night away---forgetting about everything else.
Then college had been upon them. Lizzie and Gordo, inseparable as usual had both decided on USC. Ethan was off to Arizona and her to New York. College was an experience. New friends, new city, classes, intense rehearsals, auditions, and working as a waitress in her down time.
Miranda dated off and on. She'd met Rick who also studied at Julliard, the next in line of her serious boyfriends. But that fell apart after eight months when Miranda found him in bed with someone else. She moved on.
She visited Lizzie and Gordo at USC when she could and was there when Gordo finally popped the question their junior year. Not directly in the room of course, but Gordo had planned it during her visit knowing full well that she'd be almost as excited as Lizzie.
Miranda also visited Ethan and his new girlfriend in Arizona. She was nice enough and they seemed to be in love from what she could tell.
She allowed herself to breeze by the pictures from the end of college. Those days were fresher in Miranda's mind. Graduation had been eventful. Miranda had decided to move to LA to pursue her dream. She'd been in a few small plays in New York, but that was where her luck had run out. One of her professors had even hooked her up with a possible Hollywood agent.
Lizzie started medical school and Gordo was ready to become a big hotshot director. The wedding was to take place after Lizzie had survived her first year of med school and wasn't quite so stressed. Ethan stayed in Arizona with his girlfriend Kelly. He found a teaching job and was happy there, a bit to Miranda's dismay. Not that he didn't deserve every happiness, but he wasn't allowed to meet his soulmate before her. Little did Miranda know.
Time progressed. Lizzie and Gordo married, Ethan announced his engagement to Kelly, Miranda landed some small movie roles, Gordo made his first "real" film and Lizzie finally graduated.
She closed the book. That was where the scrapbook ended. The last two years were not in there; they were separate. So much had happened.
Where could she begin?