Disclaimer: no one mentioned belongs to me, I guarantee it.
Author's note: some of you have made claims that Miranda's coming off kinda mean. I know, it's a little out of left field, but I'm trying to build it up slowly. In the "I Do, I Don't" eppie, Lizzie says that this isn't the first time that Miranda's moved on for greener pastures...so I'm trying to work with that, a little. Sorry for all Miranda fans!
*Karasuma*Firestorm*
Unexpected
Chapter Nine: Make A Date
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
At the lunch table, however, Miranda and Gordo were nowhere to be seen. Lizzie plopped her tray on the table and inquired about the absence.
Larry shrugged. "Dunno where they are. They just didn't show up."
Lizzie frowned. "I hope everything's okay."
"You think Miranda's still mad?" Larry asked.
"She's not mad about Lizzie making the squad," Kate said.
"She's not?" Lizzie and Larry chorused.
"She's mad about the way Gordo is reacting to Lizzie making the squad."
"She is not," Lizzie said.
"Are you blind, McGuire? Seriously, I don't know why you won't listen to me about this. As an impartial observer, believe me when I say that Gordo is into you. I think that the only reason you don't see it is because you feel guilty about it."
"When did you become a psych major?" Lizzie said, tossing her hair in annoyance, but she knew that Kate was probably right.
Kate shrugged. "Fine, be that way."
"Lizzie, as much as it pains me to admit to this, I'm inclined to agree with Kate. Gordo is clearly still smitten with you."
"I can't believe you two are agreeing on anything," Lizzie marveled.
"What are they agreeing on?" a voice asked, and Lizzie instantly went red, recognizing it as Gordo. She looked up, and saw Gordo approaching their table, Miranda several steps behind.
**Wonder what THAT's all about.**
"That Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is the best movie ever," Larry said quickly.
Gordo sat down, and cocked an eyebrow. "For Tudgeman, that makes sense. For Kate...not so much."
"Well, you know, Orlando Bloom," Kate said flippantly.
Miranda sat down, either incredibly subdued, or just snubbing them all. They pretended not to notice, and discussed the Lord of the Rings trilogy for the rest of lunch. With ten minutes left until the bell, Miranda finished her lunch, and left as silently yet dramatically as she had come in. Lizzie glanced worriedly at her departing back, wondering if she should go after Miranda, but worried that she might still be mad. She settled for quizzing Gordo.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong."
"What's wrong with Miranda?"
"Nothing's wrong with Miranda."
"ARG!" Lizzie said, slapping the table. "Gordo!"
"What?" Gordo said innocently. "Everything's fine, Lizzie. A-okay. Neato-keen. Super. Need I go on?"
"You're infuriating!" Lizzie exploded, throwing her hands in the air. She grabbed her tray. "I'm outtie."
"Wait!"
Lizzie turned around. "What?"
"Um...you free after school?"
An invitation?
**I'm liking this...**
"Um, I've got practice. Why?"
"Oh. Uh, homework. You know, the econ project. I figured you could come over and we could, you know, get started."
Homework. Of course. This was *Gordo*, for crying out loud.
But he was definitely not normal, confident, sort of bored with the whole situation Gordo. He sounded sort of nervous, really.
"Well, I could come over after practice," Lizzie hedged, biting her lip.
"How about I just come watch, and we can walk home together?" Gordo said.
Larry and Kate exchanged a knowing look, which Gordo didn't notice, and Lizzie pretended not to.
This was no big deal. She and Gordo were best friends! Always had been. Their entire lives. This happened all the time. And besides, there was the very important factor that Gordo was dating Miranda. Which meant hanging out with Lizzie meant nothing. Then there was that little bit this morning, where she'd referred to Miranda as *her*. Although, it seemed as though Gordo was ignoring that. Thank God.
"Yeah, sure, come watch me make a total fool of myself."
"You won't," Gordo said emphatically. "You're *good*, Lizzie. Really good."
Lizzie had to get out of there before she turned into a tomato. "Um, thanks. Listen, I'll see you guys...after school. After school." She shook her head. "I'm outtie."
Author's note: some of you have made claims that Miranda's coming off kinda mean. I know, it's a little out of left field, but I'm trying to build it up slowly. In the "I Do, I Don't" eppie, Lizzie says that this isn't the first time that Miranda's moved on for greener pastures...so I'm trying to work with that, a little. Sorry for all Miranda fans!
*Karasuma*Firestorm*
Unexpected
Chapter Nine: Make A Date
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
At the lunch table, however, Miranda and Gordo were nowhere to be seen. Lizzie plopped her tray on the table and inquired about the absence.
Larry shrugged. "Dunno where they are. They just didn't show up."
Lizzie frowned. "I hope everything's okay."
"You think Miranda's still mad?" Larry asked.
"She's not mad about Lizzie making the squad," Kate said.
"She's not?" Lizzie and Larry chorused.
"She's mad about the way Gordo is reacting to Lizzie making the squad."
"She is not," Lizzie said.
"Are you blind, McGuire? Seriously, I don't know why you won't listen to me about this. As an impartial observer, believe me when I say that Gordo is into you. I think that the only reason you don't see it is because you feel guilty about it."
"When did you become a psych major?" Lizzie said, tossing her hair in annoyance, but she knew that Kate was probably right.
Kate shrugged. "Fine, be that way."
"Lizzie, as much as it pains me to admit to this, I'm inclined to agree with Kate. Gordo is clearly still smitten with you."
"I can't believe you two are agreeing on anything," Lizzie marveled.
"What are they agreeing on?" a voice asked, and Lizzie instantly went red, recognizing it as Gordo. She looked up, and saw Gordo approaching their table, Miranda several steps behind.
**Wonder what THAT's all about.**
"That Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is the best movie ever," Larry said quickly.
Gordo sat down, and cocked an eyebrow. "For Tudgeman, that makes sense. For Kate...not so much."
"Well, you know, Orlando Bloom," Kate said flippantly.
Miranda sat down, either incredibly subdued, or just snubbing them all. They pretended not to notice, and discussed the Lord of the Rings trilogy for the rest of lunch. With ten minutes left until the bell, Miranda finished her lunch, and left as silently yet dramatically as she had come in. Lizzie glanced worriedly at her departing back, wondering if she should go after Miranda, but worried that she might still be mad. She settled for quizzing Gordo.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong."
"What's wrong with Miranda?"
"Nothing's wrong with Miranda."
"ARG!" Lizzie said, slapping the table. "Gordo!"
"What?" Gordo said innocently. "Everything's fine, Lizzie. A-okay. Neato-keen. Super. Need I go on?"
"You're infuriating!" Lizzie exploded, throwing her hands in the air. She grabbed her tray. "I'm outtie."
"Wait!"
Lizzie turned around. "What?"
"Um...you free after school?"
An invitation?
**I'm liking this...**
"Um, I've got practice. Why?"
"Oh. Uh, homework. You know, the econ project. I figured you could come over and we could, you know, get started."
Homework. Of course. This was *Gordo*, for crying out loud.
But he was definitely not normal, confident, sort of bored with the whole situation Gordo. He sounded sort of nervous, really.
"Well, I could come over after practice," Lizzie hedged, biting her lip.
"How about I just come watch, and we can walk home together?" Gordo said.
Larry and Kate exchanged a knowing look, which Gordo didn't notice, and Lizzie pretended not to.
This was no big deal. She and Gordo were best friends! Always had been. Their entire lives. This happened all the time. And besides, there was the very important factor that Gordo was dating Miranda. Which meant hanging out with Lizzie meant nothing. Then there was that little bit this morning, where she'd referred to Miranda as *her*. Although, it seemed as though Gordo was ignoring that. Thank God.
"Yeah, sure, come watch me make a total fool of myself."
"You won't," Gordo said emphatically. "You're *good*, Lizzie. Really good."
Lizzie had to get out of there before she turned into a tomato. "Um, thanks. Listen, I'll see you guys...after school. After school." She shook her head. "I'm outtie."