CHAPTER THREE: LARRY AND LIZZIE
"Just say yes." It was as if he had read her mind.

She eyed him curiously and responded "And if I don't?"

"Well in that case I'll just have to follow you around until you do."

"So I should just say yes now and spare myself the suffering right?"

"Something like that. So how about it Miss Sanchez, you up to it?"

"Yeah I think I am." With her acceptance they fell into an awkward yet exciting silence with a slight smile tugging at both their lips. Larry was on pins and needles. He wasn't a big fan of silence. I t allowed other people too much time to think and he was thinking that if Miranda had too much time to think she would think that going out with him was a bad idea. Okay HE needed to stop thinking so much because he was rambling, even if she didn't hear it.

"So Miranda, tell me about YOUR eventful summer." Smooth escape for the Tudgemaster. "How did your boring family trip turn into the vacation of a lifetime?"

"Well my Uncle, Tio Ricardo, owns a pretty cool café where Mexican actors and musicians like to hang out. Close to the beginning of the summer a music producer came in. He was acting as a talent scout for a competition called 'Cantantes Mexicanos'. He was supposed to find singers and dancers willing to perform in a tour specifically for undiscovered talent in Mexico. Each person would have a song written for them and then a panel of judges would choose one person to be the 'Cantante Mexicano' or 'Cantante Mexicana'

I was working in the café that day because one of the regular waitresses was out sick with the flu and well they play the hottest latin music there. I didn't realise that I was being watched when we (some of the rest of the staff) started making up dances on the spot. Well I got kinda carried away and started to sing REALLY loud. The others started laughing at me so I stopped but Mr. Martinez, the producer asked me to go on and then asked to talk to my parents. Next thing I know I'm going all over Mexico City singing 'Mira a Miranda' and loving it."

"What about that 'Cantante' thing? Who won it?"

"Well actually I did but if I accepted it I would have had to sign a one year contract and that meant staying in Mexico. So I declined and came back home. The still gave the trophy though AND they felt so bad about me leaving that I did get to cut a CD with six tracks on it. You wanna come over to my house and listen to it tomorrow? That is before we come back here."

"Sure but wouldn't you want to go over to Lizzie's when she comes back?"

"Why didn't you tell me she was coming back tomorrow?!? Of course I'll be there but you're not getting off so easy. We'll do the CD thing another time" Wow what was happening here? She was blatantly inviting Larry Tudgeman to her house. Well stranger things have happened. She cant remember any at this moment but she was sure that they had.

The next morning she woke up to the phone's incessant ringing. Why wouldn't anyone get that? She groped for it without opening her eyes and accidentally knocked her super funky 'lips' to the ground stopping the ringing. Reaching for it on the ground she fell out on the bed and bumped her head on the ground. Oh Great! Just because Lizzie was out of town the clumsy forces decided to center on her instead. Hoping that the caller would give up and hang up Miranda made herself comfortable on the carpet, too lazy to climb back into bed.

"Miranda, pick up! I know you're hoping that I hang up but I won't." She swore the muffled voice she heard yelling sounded like Lizzie's. Oh well she must be dreaming.

"And you're not dreaming either now PICK UP!" That woke her up.

"Lizzie?" she yelled out of breath after the struggle to detangle herself from her blanket and find her phone. "Oh my gosh! When did you get back?"

"Late last night, or was it this morning? I'm not sure but I missed you so much! You wouldn't believe how much has happened to me since you've been gone"

"Actually I would but you're not gonna believe me! I can be over in about a half hour but there's one thing I'm itching to know now. Gordo?" There was no need for any other words, they both knew what she meant.

"Miranda, I'm all tingly!!!! Nothing's official yet but something's different. You know, new and exciting. It's like I never really SAW him before now. I'm making absolutely no sense aren't I?"

"Actually you're making perfect sense but I'll tell you when I get over there."

"That might be best, I hear him coming now.

"Who? Gordo? He's there now?!?!!"

"Yeah, he went with us.."

"So I heard."

"...and it was too late for him to go home."

"Ok well my mom is calling so see ya soon!" was her response just after she heard her mom's voice.

"It was good hearing my best friend's voice again." Lizzie always could say the sweetest things.

"Igualmente."

"Huh?"

"Sorry. That's Spanish for same to you but I gotta go see you soon."

With that they disconnected.