Gordo paced back and forth in his room. A sudden pang of inspiration hit him like a ton of bricks. He jumped into his chair and began to type.

Sunday is the worst day of the week. The week's not quite begun, but the weekend's not quite over, either. It's just like...you're anticipating the week ahead of you. It's weird how we anticipate things that never happen. And we hope and pray for days on end, but don't do anything about it to make things go the way we'd like. Yeah, there is such a thing as , but you can't blame things on it. We control our own futures...fate is just there to push you in the right direction.

He closed his laptop. I need to stop listening in on my parents' sessions.

 his mother's familiar voice called up the stairs. Strangely, he hadn't eaten in hours, yet no hunger whatsoever resided in him. But he knew the horror in his future if he didn't go down immediately.

He flew down the wooden staircase. Another minute and he'd be in trouble deep. When he reached the kitchen, his parents were already eating.

Glad you decided to join us. His mother smiled at him as he took his seat at the table. As usual, she was half-joking...and half not. It's kinda scary when she does that.

He peered around the table. His mom's homemade white pizza, garlic bread, curly fries. CURLY FRIES, he screamed in his mind. All of his favorite foods in one night. I am the luckiest guy on the face of the earth...

But the overly enthusiastic smiles on his parents' faces made him eye the food suspiciously.

Did you guys poison this, or something? he said, picking up a fry and examining it thoroughly.

It's nice to know you still have an active imagination, David, his father said to him, flashing a quick smile towards his son.

No, but really, what is this? Bribery? Blackmail? Gordo began to laugh. Oh, I know what this is about. You don't want anyone to hear about the little incident with Mrs. Chiles last month--

David Zephyr Gordon! his mother yelled. You know you are not supposed to mention... She gave a disgusted look. that at the dinner table. Or anywhere else, for that matter. It is completely irrelevant to the topic at hand. She scooped more peas onto her plate. So let's drop it. His laughter ceased.

he started, still chuckling now and then, what exactly is the topic at hand, anyway?

His mom looked over at her husband, oblivious to the conversation, eating and staring at his plate intently.

she whispered. Should we tell him now?

It took Gordo a couple second to comprehend, but when he did, he froze. I've seen this episode before. But they couldn't...I mean, they wouldn't...I mean, my mom is not...

David, your mother's college roommate is moving to Hillridge this week, and we're having a little reunion here on Friday and they have a son, he's 15 and he'll be attending your high school this year and we'd like you to entertain him on Friday, take him to meet your friends at that Digital Scene place you kids always hang out, Mr. Gordon said, all in one breath.

So it's not as bad as my original thought. But oh, God, a sophomore? Yet another person that will make my life a living hellhole. I've got to resist, I've got to rebel....rebuttal, Gordon, rebuttal!

What if I had plans this Friday? he sputtered out. Did you ever think about that? Do you even care what I'm doing? Do I ever get any say in these things? He threw his fork across the room. Quit controlling my life!

Mr. and Mrs. Gordon sat there silently and took it, as if they understood why their son was doing what he was doing. Teenage angst, that's what they thought. But it was a lot more than that. A lot more.

Gordo threw himself around and ran up the stairs, slamming his bedroom door as if to shut out any and all human contact.

Unfortunately, he had a phone in his room. And now it was ringing.

DAVID! TELEPHONE! He wondered who could be calling at this strange hour. Most of the calls he got were either: 1) right after school for homework, or 2) Lizzie and Miranda on Friday on the three-way to listen to their in-depth descriptions of their weekend schedules.

Finally, Gordo picked up the phone.

he said, skeptically.

So your parents call you David, your friends call you Gordo, and I call you Zephyr. Don't you ever get tired of being called like, 10 different names? Carly bantered him.

It's a convenient defense mechanism. If someone calls me up looking for David, it's usually someone I don't want to be associating myself with. She snickered.

So if I had called up here asking for David, I'd be hung up on?

Pretty much, he said, smiling. There was a brief pause, then Carly dropped the bomb.

So, um... She inhaled. Got any plans for this weekend?

He wasn't sure exactly what happened at that second. Something in his mind ousted him on, telling him to hang up the phone. Am I going psychotic? He threw the phone back down onto the receiver. Carly wasn't about to ask me out...

Was she?

~~~~~~

Gordo walked quickly towards his locker, watching his own feet as he did. He was avoiding everyone--Carly, Miranda, Lizzie. Carly because he couldn't bear to face her if she really was about to ask him out on a date; Miranda because she'd still be wondering what happened on Saturday; and Lizzie...he always got nervous around her. Well, not always, per se, but after the incident on Saturday, he wasn't sure he could act normal around her.

So she doesn't like me. That's okay. I mean, I can survive without having every little crush result in a relationship, right?

On his way to the bathroom, we saw Carly standing near her locker. As he walked down the hallway, she approached him, but he brushed past her.

Um, hello! she called out. Earth to Zephyr!

He hadn't meant to be so blatantly rude. But then, who should appear in front of him, but Miranda.

I said I was gonna beat you up, she threatened, smirking. And I always keep my promises.

I'm really not in the mood, Miranda, said Gordo, coldly.

Oh? And what mood is that? she asked, curiously.

The mood to put up with you. And he was off.

~~~~~~

Lizzie approached Gordo slowly. He was at a seat near the corner, banging his head repeatedly against the solid wood table.

It hadn't taken him long to realize that Carly and Miranda now hated him. It was a Yellow Day in school, which meant one class with Miranda and another class with both Miranda and Carly. They started to gang up on him, and when Mr. Acey people to pair up to work on page 29, they worked together, leaving him with Boris Gerngross...also known as the kid who picks his nose and wipes on the side of his desk.

I hate my life, I hate my life, I hate my life... Gordo mumbled to himself.

If you're looking to get back to Auntie Em in Kansas, I'm not sure those words'll do it for you. Lizzie smirked as she placed her tray down next to his.

He rose from his deep trance of hate. H-hey, Lizzie.

Well, h-hey, to you too, Gordo, she said, laughing. Can I have your carrots?

he said, passing her the plastic bag full of carrot sticks. But since when do you like carrots?

Since I started going on this diet, duh... She covered her mouth with her hand.

Lizzie, listen. As long as you're not going on some starvation diet like Miranda did, I'm completely fine with you being on a diet. She sighed, relief washing over her.

Of course there's a but, she grumbled. I knew I couldn't get off that easy.

he repeated. I think it's sort of sad that you feel the need to meet society's high expectations of young women with their bodies. Sometimes you really disappoint me, Lizzie McGuire. He fidgeted in his chair, thinking before he spoke. Not to mention you're not fat at all.

You have to say that because you're my friend, she said, cynically.

I don't have to say anything. He leaned back and looked her straight in the eye. I don't tell the truth because I'm a friend. I'm a friend because I tell the truth. He took a sip of his soda. So don't worry about dieting. You're already perfect.

And they both just smiled.

-----------------------------------

[A/N: Wow, I am really sorry that I didn't post this last night! I'm actually glad I didn't, because I noticed a couple mistakes I made. But I am very sorry. I got in a brawl with my parents because they wanted to go out for dinner and I wanted to watch Lizzie McGuire, and they took away my computer for the night. And I had to see A Gordo Story at 10:30.

Bleh, anyway...do you like this chapter? I was so sure it was going to be filler-ish until I finished it. Now I really like it. Then again, I usually like my own writing...usually.

Next to be updated: The Great Hillridge Junior High Reunion. Chapter 14...wow. LoL, movin' on up, man.

Lemme know what you think: please review. Thanks!]