A/N: Back again with another installment and as they say, 'all things must
come to an end'. This will likely be the last chapter of You've Got
Lizzie, but I'm considering writing a further epilogue to wrap it up. Just
a quick more-of-the-same disclaimer, I don't own Lizzie McGuire, You've Got
Mail or any brand names mentioned herein. And here we go again =)
Lizzie panicked. This hadn't been part of the plan. In fact, having him ever realize it was her that had been encouraging acting on his feelings or manipulating his decisions about their relationship, was not in the plan either.
Everything went into slow motion. Her actions were heightened. It was like she was moving faster than anyone else. She didn't know what it was in her head that told her to run and to be perfectly honest she didn't really care. Gordo was escaping.
'Not this time- you've been running too long,' she thought and jumped up on the banister. She'd never done this, even after watching Matt do it so many times. It was dangerous and would probably wind her up in trouble with her parents but too much was at stake now; it was do or die at any means possible. Do or do not, there would be no try.
She slid, sidesaddle down the stairs on the banister and sprung up at the last moment, landing perfectly on her feet with a muffled thump. Rhythmic gymnastics had finally come in handy.
The sudden noise alerted her parents who looked up from the kitchen and called to her. She glanced left but could not hear them. They appeared to be angered but she had no time to answer them. She ran for the door, jumping onto the handle and twisting her wrist. She was moving faster than she could think. Her movements and actions were impulse, there was no thought involved.
The rain fell, not heavily but not lightly either. It was also not wavered, there was no wind, and so the rain fell straight down, much like sleet would.
Lizzie stepped out. It was like walking through glass, except far less painful. Gordo hadn't gotten far; he walked slowly across street and was about halfway when her eyes locked onto him. She wanted to cry but that little something in her head - or was it her heart perhaps? - told her to keep it together and she did.
Gordo knew by now that Lizzie would be there and turned to meet her gaze. The rain fell noisily and shouting was the only way to make oneself heard at such a distance. Lizzie ran out onto the sidewalk and stopped, hands by her side, trying desperately to maintain herself.
"You- I- this is my fault, I know Gordo- but- well- it was so hard not to- to see if-" she started.
Gordo interjected, "to see what? Why did you have to go to such extravagant means to- to make me realize," he wasn't angry, his voice was- calm, despite the fact he was shouting to be heard over the rain. Lizzie was taken aback. She had expected rage, abuse and had braced herself for the onslaught, but she was brought back to reality. To that quiet, shy boy she had once known. That scared, mysterious love-of-her-life. He was not angry - he was confused, just like her.
"Of course, McGuire," he shouted over the rain, "I can't believe you'd have thought of such a cunning way to bring all this out into the open".
"Gordo- it's not what you think- I- I was manipulating you- I did something to you not even an enemy would," she replied, shouting all the while.
"Maybe so," he answered, "but you did it, because you were trying to help- right?" he continued.
She thought for a moment. Why had she done all this? Was she trying to help him? Was it all to help her? Was it, seeking the truth? She thought hard and deeply and it clicked. That little something made itself obvious to her.
"I'm not your enemy Gordo, I- I'm your-" but she was interrupted by Gordo again.
"You're the greatest friend I have ever had," he threw in, gazing at her in the mist the rain created between them.
"No I'm not Gordo," she called, "I'm your sleeping beauty"
Even through all the mist and rain she could see that special smile he had, plastered from ear to ear.
"Lizzie McGuire, I've got something to tell you," he called, "but it's really hard to say from here"
She cocked her head slightly and brushed some of her soaking wet hair away from her eyes, "then- come here and tell me," she replied.
His figure was outlined in the rain but the squelching of his sneakers was more evident than anything else and she smiled.
She stood before him, no more than a foot away and gazed at him, smiling. Her heart pounded.
"Lizzie," he said gently, "this has been on my mind for- a long, long time and I think now I had best level with you"
"Mmm?" she mumbled, unable to speak but that was not necessary anyway, she saw his head moving forward, tilted slightly, eyes closed and she knew what was happening.
The rain continued to fall but neither of them noticed. Their already wet lips met in what was not one of those classical, passionate kisses but one that was so incredibly electrical for the pair that every other kiss paled in comparison.
It did not last long but to Lizzie, the world had stopped moving.
"I think- I think I feel the same way about you too," she whispered.
He smiled in that special way again and his cheeks flushed, "I don't think I've ever articulated myself so well"
She giggled and smiled, gazing at him for a moment before throwing her wet arms around his neck and embracing him. Their clothing was utterly drenched but the warmth between the pair outweighed the cold, moist material.
Lizzie closed her eyes and stood in the rain with Gordo, for the first time, she had figured him out.
They probably would have stood there forever, oblivious to all and everything, safe in one another's arms but they could not ignore Jo McGuire's repeated calls to "come in and dry off". They went violent instructions with matching threats as parents most often issued. It was more of a quiet invitation that Lizzie and Gordo casually gave in to.
"Put these towels on you two! You'll catch cold," Jo had said, "now come on, let's go watch that DVD I hired"
Gordo looked at Lizzie reluctantly, but she motioned to 'go on with it' and he did so, without complaint.
Sam had already dozed off in the opening credits. Jo sighed and lay next to him, closing her eyes as well.
"Guess the excitement was too much for 'em," Gordo whispered sarcastically.
Lizzie giggled and glanced at the screen, the words 'You've Got Mail' popped up and she quickly turned to Gordo, who was also aghast.
The pair stared at each other for a moment, saying nothing. Gordo reached out and touched her hand softly, which she clasped onto.
It was strange how the world worked; Lizzie had found out so much about him in such a peculiar way. Things could change at the drop of a hat or with a turn in the wind. She rested her head on his shoulder, still clutching onto his hand as they watched the movie. At that moment, the rain stopped.
Lizzie panicked. This hadn't been part of the plan. In fact, having him ever realize it was her that had been encouraging acting on his feelings or manipulating his decisions about their relationship, was not in the plan either.
Everything went into slow motion. Her actions were heightened. It was like she was moving faster than anyone else. She didn't know what it was in her head that told her to run and to be perfectly honest she didn't really care. Gordo was escaping.
'Not this time- you've been running too long,' she thought and jumped up on the banister. She'd never done this, even after watching Matt do it so many times. It was dangerous and would probably wind her up in trouble with her parents but too much was at stake now; it was do or die at any means possible. Do or do not, there would be no try.
She slid, sidesaddle down the stairs on the banister and sprung up at the last moment, landing perfectly on her feet with a muffled thump. Rhythmic gymnastics had finally come in handy.
The sudden noise alerted her parents who looked up from the kitchen and called to her. She glanced left but could not hear them. They appeared to be angered but she had no time to answer them. She ran for the door, jumping onto the handle and twisting her wrist. She was moving faster than she could think. Her movements and actions were impulse, there was no thought involved.
The rain fell, not heavily but not lightly either. It was also not wavered, there was no wind, and so the rain fell straight down, much like sleet would.
Lizzie stepped out. It was like walking through glass, except far less painful. Gordo hadn't gotten far; he walked slowly across street and was about halfway when her eyes locked onto him. She wanted to cry but that little something in her head - or was it her heart perhaps? - told her to keep it together and she did.
Gordo knew by now that Lizzie would be there and turned to meet her gaze. The rain fell noisily and shouting was the only way to make oneself heard at such a distance. Lizzie ran out onto the sidewalk and stopped, hands by her side, trying desperately to maintain herself.
"You- I- this is my fault, I know Gordo- but- well- it was so hard not to- to see if-" she started.
Gordo interjected, "to see what? Why did you have to go to such extravagant means to- to make me realize," he wasn't angry, his voice was- calm, despite the fact he was shouting to be heard over the rain. Lizzie was taken aback. She had expected rage, abuse and had braced herself for the onslaught, but she was brought back to reality. To that quiet, shy boy she had once known. That scared, mysterious love-of-her-life. He was not angry - he was confused, just like her.
"Of course, McGuire," he shouted over the rain, "I can't believe you'd have thought of such a cunning way to bring all this out into the open".
"Gordo- it's not what you think- I- I was manipulating you- I did something to you not even an enemy would," she replied, shouting all the while.
"Maybe so," he answered, "but you did it, because you were trying to help- right?" he continued.
She thought for a moment. Why had she done all this? Was she trying to help him? Was it all to help her? Was it, seeking the truth? She thought hard and deeply and it clicked. That little something made itself obvious to her.
"I'm not your enemy Gordo, I- I'm your-" but she was interrupted by Gordo again.
"You're the greatest friend I have ever had," he threw in, gazing at her in the mist the rain created between them.
"No I'm not Gordo," she called, "I'm your sleeping beauty"
Even through all the mist and rain she could see that special smile he had, plastered from ear to ear.
"Lizzie McGuire, I've got something to tell you," he called, "but it's really hard to say from here"
She cocked her head slightly and brushed some of her soaking wet hair away from her eyes, "then- come here and tell me," she replied.
His figure was outlined in the rain but the squelching of his sneakers was more evident than anything else and she smiled.
She stood before him, no more than a foot away and gazed at him, smiling. Her heart pounded.
"Lizzie," he said gently, "this has been on my mind for- a long, long time and I think now I had best level with you"
"Mmm?" she mumbled, unable to speak but that was not necessary anyway, she saw his head moving forward, tilted slightly, eyes closed and she knew what was happening.
The rain continued to fall but neither of them noticed. Their already wet lips met in what was not one of those classical, passionate kisses but one that was so incredibly electrical for the pair that every other kiss paled in comparison.
It did not last long but to Lizzie, the world had stopped moving.
"I think- I think I feel the same way about you too," she whispered.
He smiled in that special way again and his cheeks flushed, "I don't think I've ever articulated myself so well"
She giggled and smiled, gazing at him for a moment before throwing her wet arms around his neck and embracing him. Their clothing was utterly drenched but the warmth between the pair outweighed the cold, moist material.
Lizzie closed her eyes and stood in the rain with Gordo, for the first time, she had figured him out.
They probably would have stood there forever, oblivious to all and everything, safe in one another's arms but they could not ignore Jo McGuire's repeated calls to "come in and dry off". They went violent instructions with matching threats as parents most often issued. It was more of a quiet invitation that Lizzie and Gordo casually gave in to.
"Put these towels on you two! You'll catch cold," Jo had said, "now come on, let's go watch that DVD I hired"
Gordo looked at Lizzie reluctantly, but she motioned to 'go on with it' and he did so, without complaint.
Sam had already dozed off in the opening credits. Jo sighed and lay next to him, closing her eyes as well.
"Guess the excitement was too much for 'em," Gordo whispered sarcastically.
Lizzie giggled and glanced at the screen, the words 'You've Got Mail' popped up and she quickly turned to Gordo, who was also aghast.
The pair stared at each other for a moment, saying nothing. Gordo reached out and touched her hand softly, which she clasped onto.
It was strange how the world worked; Lizzie had found out so much about him in such a peculiar way. Things could change at the drop of a hat or with a turn in the wind. She rested her head on his shoulder, still clutching onto his hand as they watched the movie. At that moment, the rain stopped.