Disclaimer- I do not work for, now or ever, Ren-Mar Studios, or Di$ney. I have no connections with Lizzie McGuire, but if you do, let me know. Songs used are property of the artists, record labels, or ASCAP/BMI. I don't even own this computer, but I do own a spiffy new laptop...
On to Chapter 5...
Chapter 5
The front door opened slowly. "That's ok, just leave me out here, I don't mind," Gordo lamented as he joined Lizzie.
"Oops, sorry, come on," she pulled Gordo through the house.
"Lizzie, where have you been? It's almost 3 o'clock!", her father asked.
"Uh, sorry, forgot to set my new watch, I'll fix it later, gotta show Gordo something, bye!"
Gordo said a quick hello, as he was pulled upstairs. "Ow, hey! At least you could let me give a proper greeting to your parents!"
"Sorry, Gordo, but I want my present, and I don't get it until you get yours, so hurry up!"
He pulled his arm out of her vise-like grip. He usually liked when she held his hand, but now it hurt. He shook it several times, and flexed his fingers.
"Oh, come on! I didn't break it, you big baby, now move it!
The sound of her mother's voice came up to her. "Lizzie? Lizzie?"
Lizzie went to the top step and looked down. "What, Mom?"
"Tell Gordo he's welcome to stay for a little while, but Gammy should be here soon. When she gets here, he has to go home."
"Ok, Mom!" She turned back, muttering, "Great, Gammy McGuire. She'll probably give me something weird, as usual." She saw Gordo standing outside Matt's room. Music, or something like it, could clearly be heard in the hall, Matt was singing along.
'Cause I'd rather spend eternity, eating shards of broken glass, than spend one more minute with youuuuuuu
"Ugh, that's music?" Lizzie made a face, stuck out her tongue, and pretended to put her finger down her throat. "I can't believe Matt got a new CD player for Christmas. Mine's two years old!"
"Uh, it's Weird Al," said Gordo.
"Weird Al? Aren't you past that juvenile stuff yet?" Come on, you didn't come here to see Matt, did you?"
"Let me guess, Matt's trip to the mountains didn't have a happy ending, did it?", Gordo inquired.
"Not really. How did you know that?" She pushed open the door to her room.
Gordo was about to answer, but the sight of Lizzie's room stopped him. "Uh, I love what you've done with the place, really," He said in a mock serious tone.
Clothes, clean and dirty, were thrown all over the place, the bed, the floor, the computer, dresser drawers were open, it was a Grade-A mess.
"Eek!," Lizzie shrieked, involuntarily. Among other things, there was a bra draped over her telephone, and two pairs of underwear on her pillow. She grabbed for them, and threw them in a drawer, then shut everything quickly.
She spun around, Gordo had one of his goofy grins on his face. "Tell me you didn't see that!", she exclaimed. She started to turn red.
"See what? I only see what I want to see." He laughed. "It's ok, Lizzie. I've known you since you were born. Don't be embarrassed. Everybody wears that stuff."
Lizzie gave him a strange look. "Uh, not everybody, just girls, uh, women, uh females, uh, here!" Hoping to change the subject, he handed Lizzie her present.
She reached in the closet, and pulled out a giftbag, and handed it to Gordo. "Uh, thanks."
He took it, and pulled out his gift. "Wow, two pounds of imported chocolate, and a book of logic!" He was genuinely appreciative to receive these items, but felt it would only show how much more he had spent on her gift.
"Well, I thought maybe it would keep you occupied while Miranda and I girl talk... Uh, Gordo? Exactly how much tape did they put on here?" She had removed the wrapping paper, but the box was still tightly sealed. She set the box on the bed, and started rummging through her desk for scissors, a knife, whatever.
"So, What's so bad about your parents' gifts that you couldn't wear any of them today?" Gordo thought she looked great in anything, but he was curious what was so terrible about her new outfits, and didn't want to talk right now about Miranda OR girl stuff.
She couldn't find anything other than a skate key to cut open the box, and she talked as she slowly cut the tape. "Uh, over there, next to where your present was, the other bags."
He peered into the closet, but didn't touch anything. He was slightly afraid of what he might find. "Uh, looks ok to me."
"Ok? Ok? Just like what a guy would say. They should have gotten me gift certificates, or taken me to the mall, and gave me some money or something. What do they think, that I'm going to come home dressed like an extra from a Britney Spears video?"
Gordo closed his eyes, and thought a minute, and laughed. "What, Gordo?"
"N-nothin' Just trying to picture you in a red vinyl suit. Rrrrrowww!"
"Shut up!" She hit him with a pillow with her free hand. She had opened the box halfway by now, but was still struggling with the other flap.
"Uh, would this help?" Gordo held up a pocket sized box cutter. He passed it to Lizzie.
"WHY didn't you tell me you had one of those?" She quickly opened the box, set it down, handed the cutter back to Gordo, and now that both her hands were free, hit him harder with the pillow.
"Ow, ow!", he protested. "You never asked me."
She found several smaller packages inside. "So, what did you get Miranda?"
"A pendant with her name on it", he said softly.
"Hmmm," she thought. "That's what you gave me last year." She then asked, "And what did she give you?"
"A hardback copy of the complete trilogy of Lord of the Rings. She said since I was all into dwarves and stuff before, at least I should be into the good guys."
"Oh, Gordo, they're beautiful!" She'd only half heard what she said. "Are you sure all this is for me?" She opened 3 packages so far, there were more...
"What's this?" She held up a white top, wondering why he'd picked that.
"Uh, well remember last year, you ruined that outfit with the Italian food, I tried to get you a replacement, but it's not exactly the same." He didn't bring up HOW the outfit got ruined, she'd remember.
Once again, she'd only half listened. "Oh, Gordo! How did you get this? It must have cost a fortune!" She was holding the sweater she'd looked at in the mall for a month. It cost way too much for her allowance.
"Uh, I bought it." Duh, of course he bought it. What he didn't say is that he'd gotten it wholesale, for 60 % off.
"Gordo, you shouldn't have. All these? There are enough presents here for five gifts. B-but thanks." She smiled at him.
What a lovely smile. What should he say, "I did it because I love you, and I always want you to have the best?" "If I could I'd buy you anything you wanted, just name it, and it's yours?"
"Uh, sure no problem, what are friends for?" He mentally slapped himself. When could he get what was in his heart to come out his mouth? "Uh, try it on the sweater, go ahead."
She squealed, and started to at the sweater she was currently wearing. Gordo froze, not sure what to do. "Gordo! Out!"
He smiled, did an about face, and started to leave. She threw a pillow at him. "And don't come back until I say so!"
He caught the pillow, and left the room, closed the door, and stood in the hall. Matt had turned off the stereo, so now Gordo could think. "Why didn't you leave sooner? What were you thinking?" He was feeling a little braver since Miranda wasn't around. He pulled a stray blonde hair off Lizzie's pillow. So soft, so very soft. How he longed to just be able to touch her hair. When he was much younger, the three friends had combed each other's hair, as Gordo was reluctantly made to play "beauty parlor". He squeezed the pillow, and got a whiff of something. Strawberries? Peaches? It was just Lizzie. He sighed. He wish she'd hurry...
Lizzie decided to try on the new sweater only. She'd save the top for another day. What was up with Gordo? He'd never try to stay around when I was getting dressed before? She thought back to when she'd become friends with Miranda. Miranda couldn't believe Lizzie was best friends with a boy. She'd never thought of him until then as a boy, but yet, she knew he wasn't a girl. Even then at the age of 5, she had become more self conscious when Gordo was around. She smoothed out the sweater, and called out, "Gordo? You can come back now!"
She giggled, in spite of herself. Gordo had the pillow over his eyes, and was slowly moving forward. "Are you sure you're decent?"
"Yes Gordo. How do I look?" She did a couple of spins to show off the sweater.
Gordo dropped the pillow, and his jaw. "Lizzie. You are the most beautiful girl in the world!" He couldn't stop himself.
She blushed deeply, then retrieved the pillow, and again, threw it at him. "Come on, be serious!"
"I AM serious! If beauty was all it took, in that sweater you could be... President of the United States."
"Real smooth, Gor-dork.", he insulted himself. "What made you say a corny thing like that?"
Lizzie couldn't smile any bigger. She was so happy, she was almost about to cry. "You're so sweet, Gordo. You always know how to make me feel better."
She reached out and gave him a hug. She felt him stiffen up and slightly pull away. "Uh, how about some refreshments? There's cake downstairs."
"Mmmm, cake, I love cake. Even more than curly fries." He turned and quickly left the room.
Lizzie felt a bit dizzy. Why was Gordo behaving so strangely? All she'd done was given him a friendly hug. "He WAS sweet, wasn't he? What's wrong with that?"
She tried to calm herself. This was just plain old Gordo, nothing had changed. She thought she'd better go get some cake too, after all, that burger and fries was more than an hour ago, and she'd only eaten half. She went out in the hall, and closed her bedroom door behind her.
A/N Sorry to cut it off, gotta get some rest. Next part up late Friday, early Saturday morning. No time to update before. Got an expensive new toy to play with. Review if you like, or email JP5683 @ webtv.net or @ msn.com
"One More Minute" is by "Weird Al" Yankovic and owned by Volcano Records and Al.
Thanks,
JP
March 6, 2003