Disclaimer: no one mentioned belongs to me, I guarantee it.

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

Gordo leaned back in Matt's bed. He didn't like the fact that Matt was alone in Gordo's room, without Gordo, and without adult supervision of some kind. Suddenly Gordo thought of a million things he would like to keep secret in there, and wondered why he hadn't just insisted that 'Gordo' spend the night at Lizzie's.

Furthermore, the worst part about all this was, not that he couldn't go home, not that he would be forced to return to elementary school, not that he could make Swiss cheese with his head, but that he couldn't talk to Lizzie. At all. She wouldn't talk to him, and after his little matchmaker game that evening, she wasn't letting him anywhere near her.

Okay, there were probably worse things than being Matt McGuire. But at the moment, he couldn't really think of any. And how could Matt sleep in this room? It was like Weird Al Yankovic threw up in it. The place was awash in primary colors and random practical joke objects. Did anyone even find those fake arrow-through-the-head things funny anymore?

Still, it was interesting being here. The last time he'd slept over at the McGuire's had been the time that they'd gone to Grubby Longjohn's, which had been a disheartening experience, to say the least. All the same, he admired Lizzie for putting her family first. That was the sort of thing Lizzie did, put others before herself. Like when she took the blame for Kate's statue-splitting stunt, just so everyone could have their dance. She was a stand-up girl, Lizzie McGuire was.

Gordo folded his hands under his head, and was surprised once again to find not his familiar curly mop, but bristles. He might never get used to this. And did he ever hope that he never would have to. Spending life as Matt McGuire was a bit too much. Permanently close to the person he loved most, but completely unable to have her. It was an even worse situation than when he was in his own body.

And *elementary school*? No way in hell was he going back there. He had dignity!

...He also had the body of a ten-year-old.

Gordo sighed. This entire situation was surreal, confusing, and very, very sucky. In situations like these, what he had gleaned from Hollywood was that you had to somehow learn how tough it was to be the other person, and then whammo! You were yourself again.

It was fairly hard to be Matt, he thought. Matt's entire existence was based around being a troublemaker, and being that annoying all the time wasn't easy work. Constant detention, always being grounded, and when you were being good, you were under suspicion anyway. It was a complicated life, to say the least.

"Okay, so I've had some revelations about Matt McGuire," Gordo said to the ceiling and whatever powers that may have been listening in. "Can I be normal again?"

"Ew, squirt, you were *never* normal," Lizzie said with disgust from the doorway.

Gordo sat up sharply. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk. But you're clearly having a conversation with yourself, so I won't bother." She started to shut the door.

"No!" Gordo said, leaping from the bed. Lizzie's eyes widened at his enthusiasm, and he had to remind himself to tone it down. "I mean, um, c'mon in, er..." he needed a good insult, "Lizard-breath."

"Ugh," Lizzie said, shaking her head, and he knew he had scored. Yeah, he'd stolen it from 'For Better Or Worse,' but he was new at this. Insulting Lizzie just wasn't in his nature.

"So, uh, what's up?" he asked, sitting on the bed.

Lizzie peered around the room like she hadn't been in it before and wrinkled her face in displeasure. She sat on the floor, as close to the door as possible without actually being in the hallway. Clearly planning a quick getaway.

"Um...what you were saying earlier...about Gordo?" she hedged.

Gordo felt his entire body --Matt's entire body-- tense up. "Yeah?"

"Did you...did you mean it? That he likes me?"

"How stupid do you have to be?" Gordo asked, unable to control his annoyance, which was fine, considering he was Matt now. "Really, Lizzie."

"Well, we're best friends. I just...I just never thought he could feel that way about me, I guess."

"Why are you always so hard on yourself?" he said irritably. She looked up sharply, and he knew he'd said too much. "Anyway, listen. Gordo's pretty cool. But he's not stupid, and he's not going to wait forever for you." Although he didn't quite believe that. He narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm done playing Buddha. Get outta here, before I have to exterminate."

"Whatever, Geek Boy," Lizzie huffed, and left.

Was he pushing her closer or farther away? He didn't know.

~~~~~

Matt had only just made it through the top drawer of Gordo's desk when the phone rang again. He picked it up, slightly grumpy from being interrupted. "What do you want."

"Wow, someone's in a mood," came Miranda's voice. "What bit you in the butt, Gordo?"

"Oh. Um. Nothing. Just not feeling so hot, I guess."

"Yeah, you were pretty quiet earlier," Miranda said.

With a soft sigh, Matt abandoned his search and sat on Gordo's bed. "So, um, what's up?"

"I dunno. Avoiding writing that essay for Mrs. Stebel."

Essay? Matt hoped that Gordo had been standard Gordo and had done the homework before stupidly getting his body switched, because Matt was *not* writing an eighth grade Social Studies essay. No way. "Yeah."

"How about you? What goes on in Gordo-land?"

"Well, let's just say it's been a...strange day," Matt said.

"I'll bet. You hung out with Matt."

"Hey, spending your every waking moment with two girls isn't good for your health."

To his surprise, Miranda laughed. "I can imagine. Sorry if we're too...you know, girly for you sometimes."

"Yeah, well," was all he could say.

"I think you're a good influence for Matt," Miranda said. "I mean, it's not that he's a bad kid, but a little Gordo guidance, and he'll be really special."

"Almost sounds like you miss your ex," Matt teased, then realized what he was saying. Miranda *was* Matt's ex. And it *did* sound like she sort of missed him...

Hmm, Miranda Sanchez, huh? The one that got away. Matt smiled.

"In a weird way, you know, I kinda do. I mean, it's not like I wasn't totally freaked out. But it was so cool to have someone interested in me, you know?"

"Well, you're worth it," Matt blurted, then realized that the words had come from Gordo's mouth. That was the *last* thing he wanted...for Miranda to think that Gordo liked her.

"A compliment from Gordo?" Miranda laughed. "About *me*? I thought Lizzie was the one you were all over."

Matt's blood ran cold. So Gordo *did* like Lizzie.

Gordo. And his sister.