Disclaimer: I do not own it.

A/N: Thank you, everyone! I'm happy to say that he's better and hopefully won't have to check back into a hospital anytime soon, there's been too much drama. So, here we are at, what? Chapter 16, hmmm, what will I do? Honestly, don't know. Right now, I'm thinking some M/L action, but I don't know where I want their "date" to be.

Chapter 16: Beat Of My Own Drummer

Miranda paced around her room, anxious and terrified at what this night with Larry would bring.

She wasn't worried about what people would think, that wasn't really something Miranda did, worry about what others thought. As a matter of fact, even if she did worry, she wouldn't need to too much. Larry had changed, not a whole lot, but he changed. He hadn't touched a worm since the presidential elections and people had forgotten. He also wore owned more than one shirt, but what was so great and real about Larry was his personality never stifled or altered.

Even so, starting a new relationship, especially one she had had in the past, was what was bothering her. There had been a reason they broke up before freshman year, hadn't there? As of now, she couldn't really remember.

'It was probably nothing. If I can't remember, it couldn't be that significant. Knowing the mindset I had about dating at the time, it was probably something stupid like he didn't call one day.' She finally reasoned.

Suddenly, she was brought back down to reality at the sound of her doorbell and her mother answering the door. "Miranda! Larry is here!" Came the voice with a thick Spanish accent.

"Coming!" Miranda yelled back as she took one last glance in her full- length mirror and grabbed her purse, descending down the stairs. "Hey, Larry."

"Hey, you ready?" Larry inquired.

"Definitely. Mom I'll be back by curfew," Miranda said, hugging her mom goodbye.
"OK, mi hija." Larry and Miranda left the house and got into Larry's car.

"Where to?" Miranda asked.

"I'd prefer for you to be in the dark on this one."

"Please?" Miranda gave her best puppy dog eyes.

"Nope. You look adorable, and normally, I would crack, but I want you to be surprised."

"Fine." Miranda fake pouted and crossed her arms, pretending to be angry.

"Oh, come on, Miranda. You'll love it."

"I'm sure I will, it'd just be nice to know where I'm going."

"You know where you're going you just don't know you know," Larry reasoned.

"OK. I'll wait," Miranda gave in.

"Good. I knew you would."

They continued driving out of town, farther and farther. It wasn't a long drive, it was just secluded. Miranda was finally figuring out where they were going and was more surprised than she expected.

"Larry, I mean, uh, here?" Miranda started. She didn't know how to bring up the topic.

"Yes, here. I know the reputation it has, but we aren't here because of that. We're here for something else," Larry assured her turning off the car. "Come on."

"I'm coming," Miranda, still clueless as to why they were now at the popular "make-out spot" diligently followed.

Larry popped his trunk and got out a big blanket. This freaked Miranda out even more. 'Maybe I shouldn't have wanted to go out with him,' she thought.

"I'm not going to do anything, Miranda," Larry could read the expression on her face as he lay out the blanket. He sat down and asked Miranda to join him. She did.

"So, Larry, if we aren't here for the reason every other couple is, then why are we here?" She questioned.

"Miranda, if you didn't realize, I follow the beat of my own drummer, as they say. When I come here, I don't see it as a prime place to take advantage of the situation, I see it as beauty," he declared, motioning towards the open sky which Miranda now glanced at. It was truly amazing, big and black, with little white dots everywhere. Miranda had never seen a clearer sky.

"Wow. It's beautiful, all right."

"And, I know you love stars and constellations, so when I thought about where to take you, I thought of here because you would appreciate the beauty and enjoy it."

"I'm definitely enjoying it, but if I stay in this position, my neck will be permanently in this spot," Miranda commented while laying back with a willing Larry following in suite.

"I'm glad you liked my surprise."

"Larry, you had me so freaked for a second or two there. I swear, I would have walked home."

"Miranda, you know I would never try anything like that. Especially on the first date."

"I know. It was just so weird. I couldn't think of why you would come up here. I'm happy it was a surprise though." Miranda admitted. "Oh! Look!" Miranda shouted pointing, "That's my favorite constellation." She said pointing out the shape of the constellation so Larry could see it also.

"And why is it your favorite?"

"Well, it's Cassiopeia. She was married to Cepheus, an Ethiopian king and they had a daughter named Andromeda. Cassiopeia was boasting about how beautiful she was, declaring that she was farer than the Nereids and Juno. They were pissed off and went to Neptune, god of the sea, telling him of her lies. Neptune sent a sea monster, blanking on his name, and Cassiopeia and Cepheus had to give up Andromeda in order to please Neptune. Perseus, Andromeda's future husband, kills the sea monster. The coolest thing, is that Neptune still wanted to do something, so she's seated on her throne facing the North Star. Right now, she's upside down. She's like that for half of the night,' Miranda finished.

"Certainly interesting. I didn't know these myths were so intricate." Larry confessed.

"Not many people do, unless you like them. Not all of them are that complex, but it's dramatic." Miranda and Larry had gotten closer to each other during her explanation of Cassiopeia, and he now took her hand in his own. They looked towards the other.

Miranda smiled, "You probably think I'm a freak."

"Um, Miranda, do you realize who you're speaking to? I could tell you so many stupid things that no one cares to hear about Lord of The Rings and Star Wars."

"I care," Miranda whispered.

"Well, then, maybe I'll tell you sometime."

"I'd like that." Miranda leaned in closer to Larry as they experienced their second kiss of the day. They both allowed this one to linger longer than the first.

A/N: Review! I'm still deciding how much I want to develop Matt and Melina. I'm not sure. By now, they are in 8th grade. I'll think about it. Next: Gordo and Lizzie! I think.