Re: to reviewers
Maybe Miranda is PMSy, maybe it's something else. I never put she had a cold or the flu or anything, ya know.
That's why I moved this to Drama. There's some heavy stuff here. Not all of it, but it's not all fluffy...
Re: story continuity.
Everyone knows Di$ney messed up the order of the eps. Which is why I had a reference to the episode where Lizzie tried to impress Ethan, in the first chapter, because it was produced and shown before the Christmas ep, but set after. It just worked better for my story anyways...For the most part, I'll try to put stuff in the right order, but this IS fiction, right?
Re: etc. I'm my own worst critic. You may like what's coming, or may say it's terrible. Tell me either way.
Disclaimer – I don't work for/with Disney, Ren-Mar Studios, etc. So I don't own the characters. Enough rambling.
On to chapter 3
Chapter 3
David Gordon was having an unusual Christmas Day, to say the least. His parents had left at 4 AM to catch a plane, saying they'd get a discount for flying on the holiday. He had decided to celebrate Christmas as always this year, along with Hannukah. His parents said they now considered him an adult, so it didn't matter to them. He knew what he believed, and that was the important thing. He loved his parents, but being the son of two psychiatrists was taxing at times, to say the least. He was used to one of them being away at a seminar or whatever, but it wasn't until his bar mitzvah that they'd started leaving together, and leaving him without a chaperone.
Since they knew ahead of time they would be gone, they had given gifts the day before. They also told him since he was an adult, he could pick his own gifts now. What he needed, wanted, and could use. No more would they buy unnecessary items.
While at first he thought this was great, he soon realized part of the fun of getting gifts is the thought that the person puts into selecting it... They also told him that if he wanted, he didn't have to say they were Christmas presents, just gifts. Since he had decided to still celebrate Christmas, it didn't really matter what they were called.
When he'd asked his parents what what so important that they had to leave today, they said they were doing it for him, to provide for him, and his future. His parents meant well, but he what he really wanted was to be able to talk to them, for them to be there for him, not just for them to support him financially.
He awoke at six A.M., anticipating Lizzie's call. She always opened her presents, had breakfast with the family, then called him, usually by seven, telling him all about her gifts, and inviting him over for the afternoon. He knew it was coming, so he waited, and waited.
When she didn't call by eight, he got worried. She'd been upset with him because he hadn't helped her much with her Christmas float, but he thought she was over that. When he'd talked to her last, on the 23rd, everything seemed fine. He hoped she wasn't angry with him.
By nine, he remembered what Lizzie had told him. Her family was going to try something new this year, stay up until midnight and open gifts. Her grandmother wouldn't arrive until Christmas evening, so there would be more presents then.
He didn't want to wake anyone if they were sleeping in, but finally about 12:20 he'd called, to no answer. He decided he'd make a quick trip to see Miranda, then come home and wait for Lizzie to call or come by. On any other day, he'd wouldn't hesitate to go to her house, regardless of whether he'd been invited. But Christmas was different.
He picked up the small box he had custom wrapped for Miranda, and again noticed how much smaller it was than the box he had prepared for Lizzie. He couldn't believe how much he'd spent on Lizzie. Everything he found, he wanted to give her. He hoped Miranda wouldn't be offended by his present… Not that it wasn't something special, it's just that Lizzie's gift was, well, more.
Lizzie had been his best friend since birth, and he considered Miranda a best friend too, but lately he had started to think of Miranda as more like a sister, and Lizzie, well, not like a sister, but hopefully as more than just a friend…
He'd locked up the house, and left home around a quarter to one, arriving at Miranda's minutes later. He had a hard time getting to see Miranda, but finally was let in. He noticed that Miranda didn't seem physically sick, but it seemed deeper. He asked her how things were, and when she responded with an unconvincing, "Fine", he'd asked again.
He seemed to sense she was torn, like she wanted to talk to someone but didn't want to burden him with her problems. He told her he knew she was not "fine" and said she didn't have to tell him, but she'd feel better if she did. He wasn't quite sure what he could do, but he could at least listen.
He was surprised when she broke out in tears, Miranda wasn't one to cry. She told him how Lizzie had been there just minutes before, and she had ordered her away. She didn't really want to, but while she had needed to talk to someone, it didn't seem right to talk to Lizzie.
She told him that they had all three been friends so long, that they usually instinctively knew when one of the others was hiding something. But Lizzie had accepted Miranda's "I'm ok", and Gordo hadn't. She told him her story, and when she was finished, Gordo was a bit shocked, not only at what she'd said, but at the fact she trusted him enough to reveal her problems.
She then surprised Gordo even more, by telling him that he wasn't keeping his feelings hidden as well as he thought... "You like Lizzie, don't you?", she said matter-of-factly…
"Yes, and I like you too," he replied almost automatically.
"No, no, you LIKE like Lizzie, don't you?", she said a little more forcefully this time.
He swallowed hard, and took a deep breath. Miranda's gaze was boring a hole into him, and he answered her with a weak, "Yes."
"What? Speak up and say it like you mean it!", she ordered him.
"Yes. I like Lizzie as more than just a best friend", he said, unsure of what Miranda would do next.
"Good for you, you finally admitted it, I've known it for awhile now, but I'm not the one you need to tell. Now WHY haven't you told Lizzie?"
"I, I don't want to push her into something she doesn't want. She's the best thing that ever happened to me, and I don't want to hurt her, and lose our friendship."
"And what makes you think you'd lose your friendship? Is it me? Do you think I'd desert the two of you? I could never do that. Tell you what Gordo, you help me with my problems a little, I'll help you with yours a little, and we won't tell Lizzie about it for now."
"Isn't that dishonest?", Gordo questioned.
"No, we'll tell her later. After you can finally reveal your feelings, and I can get over my problems, then we'll tell her. We are strong enough to help each other, and I don't want Lizzie's world to turn upside down because of us."
Gordo didn't know what to say. He thrust out the small box he'd brought for Miranda. "Here, here's your gift. I hope it's alright. I'm afraid it's not much."
She pulled out a brass pendant with her name on it. "It's beautiful, Gordo. Thank you. Besides, I know you probably spent all the rest of your money on Lizzie."
Gordo started to blush, but again, Miranda spoke.
"It's ok, Gordo, really. I hope you'll impress her, but don't go to far too fast." She stopped, then asked, "Can you do something else for me?"
He didn't know what else he could do, but listened carefully.
"I told Lizzie I hadn't wrapped her gift, and that's true. It's in my room, and so is your present. Will you please take them home, and wrap hers for me. Here, I know you don't like to wrap gifts, you can use the box you gave me. " She put on the necklace, and handed the box to Gordo.
"Now, on my dresser is a blue plastic bag. Both your gifts are there. I think you can figure which is which. I don't think my Mom or my Aunt will give you any trouble, but if they say anything, I'll tell them I okayed you to go in there. It's silly to have you wrap your own gift, but if you want, it's ok with me." She knew Gordo was all thumbs when it came to wrapping presents. Hers had been done by a store clerk, and probably Lizzie's, as well.
He hesitated. He didn't feel quite comfortable entering a girl's bedroom without the girl being there…
She laughed at him, the first time she'd laughed all day. "It's ok Gordo I trust you. Just get the bag, and go. You've been in my room before, it's alright, really."
He smiled at her, feeling silly that he had reacted that way.
"One more thing, Gordo. I told Lizzie to call me later, but I'm sorta banned from the phone now, that's one reason I'm in here, there no phone. I hope to get my computer back tomorrow, tell Lizzie I'll talk to her then, ok?"
Gordo agreed, gave Miranda a quick hug, told her he'd do what he could, and started to leave. She stopped him.
"Gordo, I know it will be easier to tell Lizzie when I'm not around. In a week or so, we will be back in school and I don't expect you to be able to tell her by then, but at least work on it, ok?"
He nodded. He had no problem finding the bag in Miranda's room and no one stopped him as he left. He looked in the bag, and smiled. He knew which was his present and which was Lizzie's. The earrings were definitely for Lizzie.
He returned home about 1:15 and saw no signs of visitors, and found nothing on the answering machine. He ransacked the house, looking for a better box to put the earrings in. the box he had used for Miranda's gift was a little more than twice the size he needed. He'd clean up later, his parents wouldn't return until the following evening.
After 20 minutes or so, he decided to check his parents' room. His mom didn't have a lot of jewelry, but he thought maybe he'd find something. Every box he found seemed to be already holding something, so he put it aside and kept going.
He was almost out of places to look, when he thought he'd heard a knock. Guess not. Oops, there it was again, a little louder, and more insistent. He could see the front door from his parents' room, but the curtains were drawn. He pulled them back just a crack, to see if there was someone there, but only a crack, so he wouldn't scare them away.
It was Lizzie! His heart started to race. She looked as if she'd been crying a little while ago, and knew she probably did after leaving Miranda's. He was surprised she seemed to be wearing old clothes, he thought she'd have on one of the outfits she had gotten for Christmas. Even with the after effects of her crying, or in old clothes, she still was just as beautiful to him. He noticed, almost as an afterthought, she had a Jack in the Box bag in her hand, and a cup of something in the other. Had she brought him something? He hoped so, he'd had little food today. He had spent the morning thinking of Lizzie, and not his stomach, but the sight of a fast food sack made his stomach growl.
She started to turn away from the door, she seemed upset that her knocks weren't answered. Was she leaving? No, she put down the food and drink, and it appeared she was looking through her purse for something with which to leave him a note.
He almost opened the window, and called out to her, but thought better of it. He decided that he'd better go out there before she was gone. She didn't seem to have any paper on her, but soon she'd find some or leave. The box he'd used for Miranda's gift would have to do. He put the earrings inside, and swiped some tissue paper from the hall closet. That seemed to fit better. He quickly glanced out the peephole, and saw Lizzie leaning against his mailbox. Apparently, she'd finally found something to write on. He had to hurry, she'd be gone in a few seconds. He had to tell her now, that, yes, he was home.
He slowly opened the door…
A/N Cliffhanger? Yes and no, as I'm planning to upload this chapter and next at the same time. This was a little different. And a little longer than the first two chapters. Was it ok? Let me know. Review or email me JP5683@webtv.net or JP5683@msn.com I do listen to your comments, but I do what I want. It's my story!
Thanks,
JP
March 5. 2003