Disclaimer: I own nothing. No seriously, I own NOTHING! I'm just a poor fan trying to release her creative energies! So don't sue me. Oh, and please. no flames. Constructive criticism is one thing, but just being cruel is another.

A/N: Ok, I am fairly convinced that Lizzie etc. live in California (so we're assuming that's where they are!) and I'm deciding that they live in northern California because I want it to be close to Hamilton, Montana so that I can make the camping/cabin sequences as real as possible. (We go to a house up there and it's so perfect for this story, so just deal). I'm also arbitrarily deciding that Hamilton is about a 1 day drive from Lizzie's house just because it makes life easier for me, so don't yell at me! I'm trying my best here!! Happy reading!

Chapter 1: The best friends ever

Lizzie, Miranda and Gordo sat under the tree in front of Gordo's house. They had been talking, but soon enough the need for words vanished, and they just watched the leaves of chocolate brown, burgundy, and gold fall. The crisp air hinted of the upcoming winter, but for now, they simply enjoyed the fall.

"Looks like the sun is gonna set soon." observed Gordo.

"Yeah, it's getting late," replied Miranda, without moving.

So they just continued to sit in the cold, enjoying each others company until finally they were forced to go home. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day at school, Miranda dragged herself through the day, until finally she met Gordo and Lizzie in the parking lot to go home. Gordo always drove them home, simply because he was the only one out of all of them who had a car. Having worked countless hours at the Digital Bean, he finally earned enough money to buy himself an old, dingy red Chevy. It was his pride and joy, and it also made him very popular because he actually had a car. It did not compare in any way to Kate's little silver Mazda Miata, or Ethan's blue Mustang, but it suited its purposes. Besides, his car had character. So they all got in and headed to Lizzie's house to study for the dreaded physics test. Meeting them at the door was Matt.

"Hey guys. Gordo, mind if I, you know, take your car out for a little joy ride to pick up some ladies?" Matt asked, grinning that evil little grin of his.

"You know I love you Matt.but no." Gordo replied laughingly.

"Aw, come on! You let LIZZIE ride in that car, and let me tell you, I think that's more hazardous than my driving it!" Matt said.

"MOM!" Lizzie yelled, hoping that Matt would leave, and that he did, dashing out the door so as not to get into trouble.

So the three of them traipsed up the stairs to Lizzie's room, and cracked the books. After a few minutes, Jo came upstairs with a tray of cookies and 3 tall glasses of milk.

"I thought you guys could use a little pick-me-up after working so hard!" she said grinning, "So how's it going guys? Any special plans for Thanksgiving weekend?"

"Everything's fine Mrs. McGuire" Miranda replied, "and we haven't even begun to think of plans yet.."

"I think we should take a break and figure out what we're gonna do. And thanks for the cookies Mrs. McG!" Gordo said.

They had always dreamed of being able to take a trip by themselves for a weekend, and finally, they had convinced their parents that this year they were going to drive out somewhere for Thanksgiving weekend, and take a much needed vacation for the 5 days allotted to them. They had come up with some rather impossible ideas like Miranda's suggestion to "drive across the Atlantic ocean to visit Cannes," or Gordo's idea to visit the Galapagos Islands and film the wildlife. These two ideas were nixed for obvious reasons.

After much pensive chewing Lizzie burst out, "Oh!" and proceeded to say something totally indiscernible while small pieces of cookie spewed out of her mouth all over her friends.

"LIZZIE! CHEW. SWALLOW. THEN TALK!" screamed Miranda, ducking the crumbs flying her way.

"Sorry! I just got the perfect idea though!" squealed Lizzie, "WE SHOULD GO CAMPING!"

"Camping.?"Gordo said, cocking his head to one side and using that I-think- you're-insane voice.

"Yea! It's so perfect! There'll be no distractions and we can be free to do whatever we want and get in touch with nature and "bond". Dad and Matt take 'man-weekends' in the woods all the time. We can drive out to the cabin that Gammy McGuire uses during the summers when she's not teaching wind surfing. There are 3 bedrooms, and it'll be so perfect! Town is 15 minutes away so if we need something we can go, but we'll still be in the 'great outdoors!' Oh! Please guys! It'll be so much fun!" raved Lizzie, hands and blonde hair flying everywhere with her excited gestures.

Gordo's doubtful frown turned into a smile as he saw Lizzie's excitement. With her blue eyes sparkling the way they did, he couldn't ever say no.

"Okay, okay, I'm game." He said laughing.

Miranda, however, still had her doubts. Unlike her two comrades, she had never been camping, and from the horror stories she had heard it didn't sound too thrilling.

"Lizzie.in Gammy McGuire's cabin. is there plumbing? Like.toilets?"

"Yea, so it'll have the good parts of camping, and of civilization! It's so nice there! See it has the conveniences of a house, but it's still deep in the woods, and we if we want we can drive down to my aunt's cabin to hangout by the Bitterroot River! Come on Miranda what'd you say?" she said with a pleading look.

"Well.. I think it sounds like fun!" Miranda finally said.

"Oh! You guys are the best friends ever!! OH I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU!" she said jumping up and down as she proceeded to run over and give Miranda a hug.

Gordo was standing up to get out of the way when suddenly Lizzie launched herself at him, knocking him over. He suddenly found himself under Lizzie, lying on her bed as he hugged him and said, "I LOVE YOU GORDO! YOU'RE THE BEST FRIEND EVER!"

This was the kind of moment Gordo had been waiting for ever since he had met Lizzie, but unfortunately there were two things wrong with this picture. Firstly Miranda was in the room so he couldn't confess his feelings of undying passion that he had been harboring for years openly without making poor Miranda need serious therapy for years to come. Secondly, it seemed that the word that was echoing in his mind now, and would forever hinder his chances with Lizzie was "FRIEND." Ever since they were little, Gordo had been Lizzie's best friend. But as soon he discovered that she meant something more to him. He watched her every move, and took it in. He memorized her face, and could listen to her voice talking for hours and hours. Sometimes he had too, but it was usually about Ethan Craft, which hurt him. It seemed that Lizzie was lusting after some far away being that she would never be able to have, when right in front of her was someone who wanted to be with her forever. Someone who didn't care about status, looks, or cliques. He was just someone who cared about Lizzie. But she couldn't see that. And thank god he was wearing large pants because, if he hadn't been, she would have definitely gotten a clue about his feelings for her, and exactly how the position she had just put them in was making him feel.

"Um.." he said clearing his throat, " Yeah, you're awesome too Lizzie."

"Awww, get off him Lizzie! You're smothering the poor boy!" shouted Miranda, as she pried Lizzie off of him.

"Hehe, sorry Gordo, just got caught up in the moment!" she said sheepishly.

"That's ok," he replied, combing his unruly hair with his fingers, "I have to go to the bathroom, I'll be right back."

As Gordo ran towards the bathroom at lightening speed, Miranda and Lizzie started planning for the weekend ahead of them.

As they wrote down lists of what they needed to do, and bring, Miranda suddenly said, "You know, this trip is going to be a real adventure. I can just feel it!"

The girls then proceeded to squeal in excitement, and continue getting ready for the trip of a life time. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Hope you liked my first installment. Please review! This is my first Lizzie fic, so I'm writing in a style that's pretty different from my usual one. Second chapter coming soon!