Sesen Obsisdian Moon & December Everett, you're gonna give me a swelled head. But keep it up! :-)
Everybody else, thanks as well... Those two have reviewed more than once, so they get mentioned.
RealXenocide, Britfan1, thanks for all the help as well.
Re: Miranda.
No, I don't believe what I'm going to write happened on the show. Miranda wasn't in the Xmas episode, so I'm giving her a reason why she wasn't. Of course, the episode didn't stretch to Christmas Day.
Re: Lizzie's presents I don't know what the other gifts Gordo gave her are. Cd's? Candy? I'll leave it up to you... (nobody asked yet, but still I thought I'd answer)
Re: being a male writer.
Like I said before, there are others, but I'm trying to do good.
Disclaimer- I do not work for Disney or Ren-Mar Studios, etc. I have no connections with Lizzie McGuire.
On to Chapter 6.
Chapter 6
Lizzie didn't know what to think. Maybe she had low blood sugar, maybe it was the time of the season. But she had a strange, warm feeling when she thought of Gordo. "Stop it, he's your friend, and that's all." She pushed any other possibilties out of her head, but still wasn't back to normal. She bumped into Gordo, who was waiting on the second step of the stairs.
"Hey! Watch it, McGuire! Remember no more pain for Christmas!" He smiled at her.
"S-sorry, Gordo, guess I wasn't paying attention. Wait, what are you still doing up here?"
"Well, it's true I love cake, but I'd thought I'd be nice and wait for you. Oh, and you also forgot to open Miranda's gift."
She thought a minute, "How'd he get the box back? He must have swiped it off the desk when I wasn't looking..."
"Uh, well I was so excited by all your gifts, I just forgot, why they're beautiful!"
Miranda had given Lizzie a pair of blue seashell earrings. Lizzie went back to the upstairs bathroom, and stepped inside. "Gordo? Gordo?"
"Uh, Lizzie?" Gordo stood right outside, not stepping in. "Are you sure it's okay for me to go in there with you?"
"GOR-DO!! Don't be gross. I'm just going to use the mirror to see how these look." She turned to Gordo, who was now just barely inside the bathroom door. "How do I look?
"Great, Lizzie. Absolutely fantastic." She smiled at him and he saw her through the mirror, then she turned, and smiled again, so he could see her better this time. His heart started to race, he felt weak. Didn't she know the power of her smile? He thought, "If only I could tell her how I feel. That it doesn't matter if she thinks she's popular or whatever, or not. I think she's the greatest girl in the world." He shook his head. No, that would ruin years of a wonderful friendship, and he could never hurt Lizzie in the least.
Lizzie watched Gordo, who seemed to be deep in thought, then he seemed to shake himself back to reality. "Gordo? Gordo? How 'bout that cake?" Gordo stayed put, so she started to go down the stairs first. Gordo ran to catch up, and bumped into Lizzie, who was waiting halfway in between the top and bottom of the stairs. He had to grab on to her to keep from falling, and Lizzie almost tripped.
"Ow! You were willing to wait for me, so I was willing to wait for you! Why did you try to run over me?" Lizzie wasn't hurt, but a little annoyed.
Gordo didn't say a word, but followed a half step behind Lizzie, careful NOT to bump into her again, but oddly, he hoped he would. In a strange way, he liked it, his body got a little tingle when they had touched. Lizzie was strong, yet soft. So soft. He was so deep in thought, that he didn't even realize they were off the stairs. He kept moving as if he still had more stairs, and as a result, tripped on the rug....
"Gordo? Are you ok?" Lizzie stood over him, and waited for him to get up.
He said into the rug before standing up, "I know it wasn't your fault, but PLEASE PLEASE no more pain for Christmas for Gordo. He can't take much more."
Lizzie helped guide him into the kitchen. She poured him a soda with ice, and motioned to the plates of food on the table. He held the ice cold glass to his forehead, and reached not for cake, but for fudge.
"Do you have a headache? Can I get you an aspirin or something?"
"Well a little, but I just need something cold on it, and a sugar rush." He noticed Lizzie seemed to be very concerned now. He wasn't used to the extra attention, it was usually he that helped and consoled her. She looked at him, as if to say, "Please let me help you, how?" What could he say? "Ah, my Florence Nightengale, there is nothing more you can do, for knowing you are geniunely concerned is enough." No, she'd laugh him right out the door.
Lizzie watched Gordo. He seemed to be ok, but he didn't want help now. She'd just wait if he thought of something she could do. Suddenly, he got up, leaving half the soda behind.
"Thanks, Lizzie. Maybe I should just go home and relax. Maybe a nap is what I need to get rid of this headache."
She pleaded with him. Are you sure you're okay? Stay a while longer... at least let me get my Dad to give you a ride home."
"Lizzie, I'll be fine," he tried to reassure her.
"Do you want me to walk back with you? I will."
"LIZZIE! I'll be fine. I need to be by myself for a bit, have a lot on my mind. I'll call you when I get home, so you know I didn't get eaten by a bear or something."
"Ha Ha, very funny. Ok, call me." She walked with him to the door, and said goodbye. He was really acting weird today. Maybe Miranda knew something. Lizzie headed back upstairs for privacy, to call.
"Honey, did Gordo go home already?" Her mother came in from the den.
"Yeah Mom, he said he had a headache or something, and he wanted to think and rest."
"Well, Gammy called and she's going to be a little late. I was going to tell you to invite Gordo to dinner, but I guess not." Her mother went into the kitchen...
Lizzie went into her room, and remembered that Gordo was to call her when he got home. She waited for his call, and packaged up the gifts he had given her. She couldn't believe all he'd done. It was like he was trying to impress her or something. But that would be silly. Her thoughts began to wander, when the phone rang. She lunged for it on the second ring, making the phone emit a hiccup-like sound.
"Hello?"
"Lizzie, it's me."
"Hi, Gordo. You okay now?" He seemed calm, almost too calm.
"I'm fine. Two bears tried to eat me, but I wouldn't let them, I said I had a phone call to make."
"Gordo, cut it out! Enough with the bears!"
"Ok, I'm going to catch twenty winks now, talk to you probably tomorrow. Thanks again for the gifts. Bye."
"And thank you, Gordo. You didn't have to, but I appr-" She was talking to a dial tone.
She definitely needed Miranda. She hoped she would be willing to talk to her now. She dialed, and someone picked up, then hung up, without a word. She tried again, same result. Miranda had caller ID, she probably was checking for Lizzie's number to show, then POW!
Lizzie then checked her email, and to her surprise found one from Miranda.
"Lizzie,
Just a quick I'm sorry. I guess I got mad because I'm tired of being stuck here, and I hadn't talked to you or seen you for a couple of days. No hard feelings, k? My mom wants me to rest some more, so I can't chat, and if you call, I can't talk. I don't think I'll be able to until next week. Sorry. Hope your Christmas is good, see you after New Year's, probably back at school.
--Miranda--"
Lizzie was relieved at the apology, but a week without Miranda? She hadn't seemed THAT sick. Her mother called from downstairs, "Lizzie! Gammy's not late after all. Come on down!"
She reluctantly shut down her PC, and went back downstairs, silently pleading for sanity.
Gordo was honestly trying to nap, with no luck. He'd tried the couch, his bed, the floor. Turning on soft music. Nothing. A lot had happened today. Miranda had trusted him with a secret, and it wasn't the only thing he was keeping from Lizzie. He HATED not being able to tell her his feelings. Although, what if she felt the same way, even a little? NO, impossible, he could not think of one instance where she might have shown anything other than that she was a friend. The bestest best friend he'd ever have. But, could he remain friends with her, when he felt they should be more? And would Miranda truly accept her new "role" if he could reveal his feelings, and by some miracle they were returned? He was glad his parents wouldn't be back too quick, he didn't think he'd sleep much tonight, and he still had to clean up the house before they returned...
A/N When I next post, it will be from my brand new laptop. I LOVE it! So much better than this dinosaur. This will be up early Saturday morning, next chapter sometime Monday, or Tuesday AM.
Same drill, review if you like or email JP5683@webtv.net I DO answer all emails, and may email you about a review, if you sign it, and it's on your profile.
Thanks, thanks, thanks!
JP
March 8, 2003