Chapter 1
"Lizzie!!
"Mmmmmgggghhh". She was having a wonderful dream. She was getting married to Ethan Craft. The pastor had just said the part, "If anyone here has a reason why these two should not be married. Let them speak now, or forever hold their peace."
The church was dead silent for about two beats, then came a voice from the back… "NOOOOOO! You CAN'T marry them!"
Lizzie spun around, astonished at Gordo's outburst. She knew Gordo thought Ethan was an airhead, but he hadn't said much when Ethan had finally started to notice her, then they started to date, then got engaged, and now here they were…
"You CAN'T get married to Ethan, Lizzie!", Gordo screamed… "At least, let me tell you something first…" He was trying to calm himself down… "Lizzie, I... I..."
"LIZZIE!!!! How many times do I have to call you before you get up? Now you forced me to use force!!!! And with that remark, Jo McGuire yanked the covers off her daughter…
"MOM! It's FREEZING!" Lizzie reached for the covers and yanked them up to her neck…
"It is NOT freezing, it's almost noon, and I don't care if there is no school today, you're going to get up! It's Christmas Day and if you want to see your friends, you better get moving now, because you are spending the evening with your family!"
"Awww, Mom! You just interrupted the best dream I ever had. At least it started that way… I was getting married to Ethan, then Gordo popped up and stopped everything! He said he had something important to tell me, but I didn't find out what because you woke me up! Ahhhh!" She threw off her covers, and reached for her favorite stuffed friend, Mr. Snuggles.
"That's what you get for staying up until 3 am, watching Christmas movies, and pigging out on junk food! And, what's this about Ethan? I thought you moved on from him after that whole golf thing didn't work?"
Lizzie didn't know what to say, she looked down at the floor…
"Maybe Gordo was trying to tell you…" her mother stopped, unable to complete the sentence…
"What Mom?"
"N-nevermind, honey, that's the way dreams are sometimes, they start out one way, and get weird, and we can't understand why. Now, get up, get dressed, and come downstairs for some breakfast!"
"Breakfast? But I thought it was almost 12?", Lizzie asked…
"Five after now. But I know how much you love pancakes, so I saved some batter, and I can whip you up a fresh stack if you want, or I can make you a quick sandwich, whatever you like."
Lizzie scrunched up her nose, and thought a bit… "Uh, thanks Mom, but after last night, I must have gained 10 pounds, could I just have some toast and juice?"
"Of course, dear, but don't worry, you didn't gain even 5 pounds, and if you did, so what? You're still my Lizzie." She hugged her daughter…
"You're only 14. Don't forget what happened to Miranda a few months ago, when she thought she was getting fat. You're perfect."
And with that, her mother was gone, leaving Lizzie's door slightly open…
Lizzie lay there for a minute or two, maybe three, trying to figure things out. "Oh well," she thought, "Guess I'll get ready and go to Miranda's. Maybe she can decipher dreams better than I can…"
She got up without making her bed… too late to shower… guess I'll get ready in here… she threw some clothes on her bed, picked a few, and went to close her door…
Everyone was probably downstairs, but she didn't want to take any chances. Maybe it was just paranoia, but ever since that body switching incident with Matt, he seemed to be spying on her… Of course, they'd both agreed the whole thing had been a dream, but Kate muttered something about "baked beans, baked beans" for a week after when she saw Lizzie, and one day she ran off screaming when they were served to her in the cafeteria…
Ugh! She couldn't let her own brother scope her out. Although no one else seemed to be trying to. She remembered the time a year ago or so, when she and Miranda had been changing, talking loudly, and they either didn't hear Gordo knock, or something…
They screamed, and tried to hide in the closet. Gordo looked very embarrassed, and left quickly. Later he said it was no big deal, he'd seen them in swimsuits before, it was the same thing, just different material. But, as he said it, he had an odd look on his face…
She looked turned this way and that, examining her form in the mirror. She thought she looked ok, but the only "guys" who ever complimented her were Dad and Gordo… And Dad, he didn't count, because, well, he was Dad… And Gordo, he was her friend, he was probably just trying to make her feel better…
She finished dressing, and went downstairs, leaving her room a mess. Everyone was gone! There was a plate with two pieces of toast, a glass of orange juice, and a note…
"Lizzie, sorry we're not here, but your brother got in a snowball fight that turned into a real fight, and we have to go talk to the parents. See you in an hour or two. Love, Mom and Dad.
"Now what?" thought Lizzie. She drank the juice in two gulps, put down the glass, snatched one piece of toast, and grabbed for the phone with her free hand…
"Hmmm, busy"... she waited a minute and tried again… no dice… she walked into the living room, and flipped on the TV. All she could find were Christmas shows.. She'd had enough of those, so she turned it off…
Again, she tried calling Miranda's… nothing but a busy signal… "Guess I better just go," she thought… she grabbed her jacket and a box labeled, "To Miranda" and left the house, locking the door behind her…
A/N Sorry if this chapter's kinda dull, it'll get better… Review if you want or email… thanks… JP
March 1, 2003