Disclaimer: All characters are not mine. The song "You Wish" is performed by Lalaine and is not mine either. But I'd like to think that the effort I put into this is mine!
Summary: Lizzie, Miranda and Gordo are not friends and haven't been for a while. But in the last night and last day of their High School lives, events and feelings will unfold to bring them back together again. And maybe, bring two people even closer to each other's heart.
Author's note: This story will have specifically three chapters and each will represent a certain time frame. I like to work with songs, so expect all of the chapters to be accompanied with lyrics. And also expect more L/G in later chapters. But for now, try to be patient if the updates are very slow because my muse takes a very long vacation in between time. If you have comments and reviews, please drop them in because I love getting them! And now… on with the show!
It happened the night before Graduation Day. I still don't understand how it happened though, but I had felt it. I had felt it long before the impending end of High School, and I had felt it the night of Senior Prom. It was… like a sixth sense – an instinct – that creeps up my spine and tickle the hair at the back of my neck. And at that night, it had felt like a rubber band that had been stretched for four years, and almost reaching four miles, had snapped and pulled back to it's original shape again. And suddenly, everything was almost like it had been in Junior High, before innocence were taken away by our age and the biggest fear at that time was if Ethan Craft was ever going to noticed me.
The night before Graduation day was also the night of Claire Miller's party. It was the event of the year, next to the Senior Prom, and all the seniors were invited to be there; geeks and freaks, beauty queens or not, everybody just had to show up. And I was expected to show up with Ethan Craft, but a last minute leg injury had Ethan going to the party with a wheelchair, and I ended up making an entry with Kate Sanders.
Can you believe it? After two years of spatting and loathing each other in 7th and 8th grade, we ended up being good friends again in freshman year. You see, the first day of High School wasn't so bad for me as Gordo might say it is, because I was swept off my feet! Literally. Maybe they had all heard of the rumors of me becoming famous while in Rome, but I was quickly taken under the wings of the popular crowd. I was flabbergasted! Some of them had even noted my small career as a model, a superstar's (Frankie's) girlfriend, a small part in Aaron Carter's video clip and as a rhythmic gymnast. Apparently, Kate and Claire's popularity didn't follow them from Junior High, and they had became my 'entourage' for a while. Well, that was before Claire had breast implants though and had became the bitchy popular self she was. But Kate had stuck by me and it was like the old days again, before she went for that summer camp in 6th grade.
And life for me at High School wasn't too bad. I'm popular, a cheerleader, an editor for the school magazine, and also active in the school plays either as a lead or a scriptwriter. Yes, my life is almost perfect… if I hadn't lost my two best friends, Miranda Sanchez and David Gordon.
I guess when you're in High School, there are always prices to be paid whenever something good happens to you, and I regret to say that I had paid for all I have now with their friendships. It's not that I became snotty or bitchy or anything. It's just that we grew apart, something that we weren't prepared to accept in Junior High. And we are constantly busy with our new knot of friends. I have the popular crowd to contend with, and Miranda had set up her own band and had became a hot local favorite. And I had constantly seen Gordo in the hallways either with Tudgeman and the future Ivy-leaguers or with the school's theater/drama/filming club. In fact, the last time I had spent that much time with both of them was when Gordo was directing a school musical last year, and Miranda was in it too. But at least we're still friends, in a very limited way. It's almost like an unofficial rule that we would at least say 'Hi' to each other if we happened to walk through the same hallway at the same time. But I think we would always try to avoid each other by turning around and walk the other way if we see the other on the opposite end.
And usually, that's how we always acted around each other. But that night, things were… different. I was actually in the kitchen at that time, raiding Claire's fridge, trying to find a water bottle since all the drinks that was available at the party was either a spiked fruit punch or beers - and I am not a very good drinker. Plus, I promised my mom that I'd come home sober. I found the last water bottle at the very back of the top shelf, grabbed it and had spun around only to crashed with another body. The water bottle had slipped out of my grip and spilled on the floor. I would've mumbled a quick apology to the other person, if I hadn't needed the water desperately. But I had, and I ended up blowing my temper.
The other person had turned around and I was prepared to put my angry face on – the one I had practiced so hard to be perfected – when I saw the most familiar blue-gray eyes. The anger had quickly vanished, as I took a step back to look at the other person better, and I saw him – Gordo. I gapped like a goldfish, trying to find something harsh to say to him, when he had bent down and picked up the water bottle.
" Sorry about this. I didn't know it was you." He shook his head sheepishly as he handed me back the water bottle. I took it gladly with trembling hands, before giving it a little shake. It was empty. And I was furious.
" Well, sorry just doesn't make up for this. This is the last bottle! And I need the water!"
He looked at me strangely, his eyes puzzled, as he took the bottle from my hand, maybe fearing that I might throw it to his head.
" Why don't you use the tap? There's plenty of water there?"
I didn't know why I was over reacting, but my fists shook beside me. If the bottle wouldn't do, at least these will.
" Have you ever heard of bacteria? The water from the tap is not filtered. Who knows what kind of disease the water is carrying!"
Wait. Since when do I care about my hygiene? My thoughts were interrupted by small laughter, and I saw Gordo laughing.
" Since when were you hygienic? Plus, I'm sure Claire have a filter here somewhere."
I could feel my face getting red, but I'm not sure if it's out of embarrassment or anger. The laughter had died and I felt Gordo's eyes on me. It's strange that we're in the same room and standing together this close and him looking at me that way, as if we've been best friends throughout the four years of High School. And suddenly, I'm scared to even look up to him again.
I turned on my heels, mumbled a 'whatever' and was about to head back to the party when his voice stopped me.
" Hey Lizzie. You know I'm sorry right?"
I looked back at him, noticing the tone of his voice, almost like he was apologizing for other things as well. And for a brief moment, I saw him – not the hotshot director wannabe 'David' anymore – but the Gordo I knew and had grew up with. And I saw him, my Gordo.
I gave up a little smile, understandingly.
"Of course Gordo. And I'm sorry to."
He smiled broadly in return, and knowing that he was satisfied with my answer, I turned back around; my hands were on the swinging door and were about to push it when I saw another hand pushing it as well. I stopped in mid-trek, almost confused. But before I could get a chance to retaliate, the swinging door were pushed open and I had felt a hand in mine, and it were pulling me through the crowd of the party. People were starting to stare at me and some had even cheered and clapped, but I had looked back nervously.
" Come on, Miranda's going to perform tonight."
I narrowed my eyes pointedly at the source of the voice, and would've stopped and just pulled my hands away. But speaking the truth, I was curious to see Miranda perform and I like the feel of Gordo's hand in mine. It felt like when we were young, and used to run together hand in hand towards the swing.
By the time we had reached the room, it was packed and the band had started a tune. We had hurried through to the front corner of the room, where I saw a glimpse of Kate waving me over.
" Where were you? Claire was just about to bite my head off just now," Kate shouted over the music, before noticing Gordo beside me, and her eyes trailed to our still entwined hands. I broke off the contact and was about to protest, but the music blared even louder, signaling the start of a song and I saw Miranda standing up front on the little stage, in all her glory.
*~ You wake up one day and everything changes
You cross the line and there's no turning back
You're trapped between the love and the danger
It's hard to lead your heart to open up to that ~*
Despite worrying about what Kate might think of me and Gordo, I swayed slightly to the music, trying to listen to the lyric as something I might've heard somewhere before. I knew Miranda had always written and sung her own stuff, but somehow I just can't shake off the feeling of déjà vu.
*~ You Wish,
Every time a star falls from the skyYou Wish,
That he feels the way you feel inside
You hoped and you pray,
Keep it all locked away,
As you see yourself lost in his kiss.
You Wish ~*
I gasp as the chorus blared through the room and suddenly, the feeling of déjà vu was explained. Of course I knew this words, because I had written it! But that had been a long time ago, when I had first returned home from Rome and had confronted Miranda about Gordo. Well, at that time, I was still confused about a lot of things, including my feelings for Gordo and to vent myself up, I had written this poem and had later let Miranda read it and keep it. She thought that it would be great as a song, especially since she had gave up her violin and had traded it for a guitar instead. But I had dismissed that idea almost immediately, fearing that if it ever gets the chance to be converted into a song, Gordo might figure me out.
*~ You think you know just how to read him,
And then he throws you right off track.
And all you know is how much you need him
Time will tell you where his heart is really at *~
I laughed to myself, reminisce of the exact same moment that I had written those words. How ironic my life could be, that the poem I had feared to be adapted into a song seems to be entertaining the crowd at the party tonight – and that Gordo is listening to it too!
*~ You Wish,
Every time a star falls from the skyYou Wish,
That he feels the way you feel inside
You hoped and you pray,
Keep it all locked away,
As you see yourself lost in his kiss.
You Wish
Late at night,
You wander what he's thinking of
It's killing you
And all that's true
Is you're falling deeper in love.
You Wish ~*
As the bassist plucked the final chord, the crowd erupted into cheers. I joined the crowd by clapping my loudest and beaming proudly for Miranda, as she accepted the applause gracefully and walked off the stage. Without even thinking what I was about to do, I had followed Gordo and Kate to the side of the stage, where Miranda was the center of attention in a circle of 20-something people.
" Congratulations Sanchez. That song was awesome! Did you write it yourself?" Kate had spoken up first, shaking Miranda's hand and using her extra-nice tone of voice (I had been coaching her to be polite) that always comes out as fake. I noticed Miranda fidgeted a little before catching her nervous glance.
" Thanks. I, uh… had a lot of help from someone on the song," she had replied, quickly turning her attention to Gordo.
" David! I didn't know my music was up to your Rat-pack standard?"
I had mentally kicked myself. I'd almost forgot that Gordo doesn't go by his Junior High name anymore. He's David now; David the Director, and I'd just called him Gordo a while ago. I winced to myself. It must've brought up old memories.
Gordo shrugged his shoulder casually.
" I was just supporting an old friend. It doesn't mean that I'll buy your album."
Miranda gave him an exasperated look and had playfully punched him. I can't believe he still calls her a friend, and I can't believe how casual they are acting towards each other when I haven't even thought twice about them.
I had caught her eyes long before she was finished with Gordo, and had sucked in a deep breath. This is it. After four years of not having any in depth conversation, it'll happen now.
" Hey," I squeaked nervously, crossing my arms in various ways until I have nothing else to do but play with my hair unintentionally. Kate threw me a look from behind Miranda's shoulder, and I know that look. It's a look that warns me whenever I was obviously acting nervous.
" Hey."
" So… cool song."
Miranda leaned closer to me and had whispered in a barely audible voice.
" Well, you should know. You wrote it."
I can't help but smile broadly, biting the inside of my cheek to prevent myself from laughing at the irony. And Miranda had smiled back, in that old secretive fashion whenever we shared a secret and nobody else, including Gordo, knows about it. But her expression had quickly morphed into worry, and my smile faltered.
" You don't mind, do you?"
This time, I had laughed out loud, and received stares from both Gordo and Kate.
" Of course not! We've grown up now and it doesn't matter to me anymore."
" Really?" And her smile broadens again.
But truthfully, I was battling with my own logic in my mind. I know that it was a thing of a past now, and I'm not as naïve as I was years ago. When the first shed of reality hit me in my early freshman year, I had dismissed my inner conflict on the subject of Gordo as just a disillusioned crush. Maybe we've been too good to each other to mistaken it as a liking more than friends should be. So, it doesn't matter anymore, right? Right?
Taking his cue to interrupt, Gordo had stepped forward to our line of views.
" What are you two talking about? Are you keeping secrets from me again?"
We both tried to keep a straight face, denying his remark even though that was the closest call we've ever had.
" This will not be a weepy reunion, will it? Because I'm not wearing my waterproof mascara, and crying will just be ruining my make up."
I rolled my eyes. Hand it to Kate to say the most obvious thing that is happening and gloss her speech with a make-up talk.
And that's when I heard it; the sound of rubber band snapping to its original form.
