The Assignment

So by now I know most of you have forgotten all about this little story since I haven't updated in a really, really long time. I've just had a combined case of writer's block and lack of motivation. I know what I want to happen for the most part, but I can't seem to get it down on paper. And once again I lied, I think there is one more chapter after this.

Please review. I love hearing from you guys and any constructive criticism would be great.

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Chapter 9- The Odd Couple

Gordo shuffled his feet as he slowly made his way to Hillridge High's third floor. He was in no rush to get where he was going, or rather in no rush to find whom he was trying to find.

He checked his watch. Twenty minutes of his lunch period had already been wasted. By now, Lizzie and Miranda had probably sent out a search party looking for him. And still, Gordo had made no progress. Zero. Zip. Nada.

Gordo had been all over the building, checking out all of his usual haunts. The gym, the cafeteria, the weight room, the football field, the locker room (both girls and guys). . .basically any place relating to either sports, food or the opposite sex.

And Ethan was still nowhere to be found. Frankly, Gordo was running out of places to look for the jock and quickly losing all desire to talk to him if and when he did find him.

He sighed as he reached the top of the stairs, not sure where he was heading. His eyes roamed the hallway, stopping briefly on a set of double doors not too far off.

It was the school library; a place where Gordo had spent many hours poring over books or just thinking. Usually the latter of the two. The place was quite useful actually. It was peaceful, calming, relaxing. A welcome change from the mass hysteria of the rest of the building.

He walked towards the library, chuckling to himself. It was worth a look. He couldn't imagine Ethan ever hanging out there, willingly, but he had nothing to lose. And if he wasn't there he could always check to see if the new Spielberg book had hit the shelves.

Gordo shook his head to himself, still chuckling. The chance of finding Ethan Craft in the school library was well, like the chance of finding Larry Tudgeman smack dab in the middle of the football field scoring the winning touchdown. Not likely.

Approaching the open set of doors Gordo peered in, glancing around at the mostly empty study desks brilliantly lit by the overhead fluorescent lights. The place seemed so desolate, so lonely. Almost sad. Is that why he liked it so much?

He turned on his heel. He didn't need any more depression in his life.

Gordo was about to leave when a familiar hearty laugh rang out from the back corner. Though the source of the noise was blocked from his view, he knew that laugh. He knew it well. But it couldn't be, right? It just couldn't.

But as Gordo approached, the larger blonde boy came into view. Ethan was sitting at a back corner desk, alone, with his lunch on one side of him and an open textbook on the other. He was no longer laughing, but reading.

Reading. Ethan Craft was reading. . .voluntarily. What was up? Was Gordo in some sort of alternate reality? It was common knowledge Ethan was the dumbest guy in school! Maybe even in all of Hillridge!

Okay, okay, so Gordo knew that he was exaggerating, but it was pretty close to the truth. He felt his conscience swell as he remembered why he'd come to look for Ethan in the first place and what had taken place only the period before. He felt horrible, like he was going to be sick to his stomach. Was this what he'd become? Someone does something genuinely nice for him and he makes them into a joke.

But he was so used to Ethan being the punch line to his jokes and the direction of his sarcasm for the past several years that it was just a natural reflex to take potshots at the guy whenever and wherever possible.

He had to face it. Miranda was right. He was turning into a bitter old man at the age of fifteen. A grumpy bitter old man. . .

"Gordon", a call came out stopping his current train of thought. He looked up. Only one person ever called him that. He was caught.

"Hey Ethan", he nodded, approaching the table cautiously, making sure to keep his voice down to avoid the odd stares of the other few students and teachers scattered around. "What's going on?"

"Not much little man", Ethan said giving the chair across from him a little kick and motioning for Gordo to sit.

Gordo smiled awkwardly. Despite wanting to talk to Ethan, or needing to do it, he always found himself having a hard time when they were actually face- to-face. To be perfectly blunt, they didn't have a lot in common and Gordo had always found himself at a loss for words when conversing with Ethan.

"No, that's okay", Gordo said, shaking his head. "I'm not staying. Besides, I don't want to interrupt you from studying or anything."

Pushing his science book out into the open, a sly smirk crept over Ethan's features. He pulled a rumpled golf magazine from its covers. "Just a front my man. For the Profs. Makes me look good when they came strolling by", he nodded knowingly towards the nearest one, which so happened to be their science teacher. "I need all the help I can get."

"Good ploy", Gordo noted, a small smile creeping across his own features. Now this was more in line with the Ethan he knew. "But what are you doing spending your lunch period in the library? I thought it was your favorite class", he said half sarcastically.

Pushing his book and golf magazine aside, not noting the sarcasm, he turned to look at the smart little dude. "It is", he said simply before pausing.

Ethan was carefully weighing his words. He wanted to say more, but he didn't want to come off sounding all stupid. "Sometimes, you know, a person needs a little space to make sense of stuff. Quiet time to sort things out in here", he answered honestly, pointing a finger to his head.

Gordo felt a second pang of guilt shoot through him. All of a sudden, Ethan sounded not so completely clueless. After all, wasn't most of Gordo's life consumed by his thinking or rather, over thinking absolutely everything? It's what he did. He could relate.

"I know what you mean", Gordo offered. "I can go if it's a bad time."

"No, no. Its cool Gordon, sit", Ethan urged him as he stuffed the last few French fries from his lunch tray into his mouth. He had been thinking. Hard. About all sorts of things. Things like his swim meet after school, Miranda coming to the meet to cheer him on, Larry's social studies essay he read in class. . .that was really mostly what was on his mind. He had a hard time believing that Tudgeman, the super brain of the entire school, wanted to be more like him, the super dummy of the school. Though he tried to understand, Ethan simply couldn't. It was making his brain hurt. He was about to give up trying when Gordon came by.

Ethan watched as Gordo sat, his hands running over the smooth wooden tabletop, as usual his mind running at a hundred miles an hour. Gordo had that look in his eye. The one he got when he wanted to say something, but nothing was coming out of his mouth. It would be up to him to start the conversation.

"Where the ladies at?" Ethan asked.

"Ladies?" Gordo asked looking puzzled, before finally making the connection. "Oh, uh, Lizzie and Miranda. They're in the cafeteria. But I was looking for you."

"For me?" Ethan asked, his eyes widening a bit. This day just kept getting weirder and weirder. Gordo never sought him out. "What for little man?"

"I, uh. . .uhh", he started unsuccessfully. "Uhh. . .I just wanted to umm. . ." What was happening to him? He was sounding like Lizzie used to when she tried to stand up to Kate. Gordo pinched himself, hard, causing him to wince in pain.

Ethan shot Gordo a strange look. "You wanted to what? Are they showing some more Hitchcock classics over at the Wilco, cause I could totally go for seeing The Birds again. It was so cool when they were all chasing the one dude and. . ."

Gordo had to snap out of this. "Thanks", he blurted out, cutting Ethan off mid sentence. "I wanted to thank you for all that stuff you said in Mr. Digs class. It was pretty cool of you." There, that was better. All out in the open. They could go on with their lives and Gordo wouldn't have this huge wave of guilt hanging over his head anymore.

Ethan looked Gordo in the eye. He had meant what he wrote, even if he also sometimes found himself a bit jealous too. But he hadn't expected Gordo to thank him. That wasn't his style. "Really?"

"Yeah", Gordo said, clearing his throat and trying to appear nonchalant. "I didn't expect it, but it was very, very cool even if I don't deserve most of what you said."

Ethan couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Believe me dude. You've got everything going for you. The brains, the lades, style. . .everything. Don't be so down on yourself."

"Me?" Gordo said loudly in disbelief, causing some dirty looks from students at surrounding tables. This was just too rich. Ethan received constant attention from almost every female in the school and always had, including his girlfriend Lizzie. He had his name plastered in the sports section every time Hillridge won a game or championship or tournament. And Ethan thought he had everything? He had to be smoking something.

Shrugging, Ethan paused. "Yeah", he said. "For a smart guy you're kind of dense sometimes. My life might look all perfect like, but it's not that simple you know."

"Same here", Gordo nodded, agreeing with Ethan for perhaps one of the first times in his life. He rose from his chair. "Definitely not simple. If you only knew. . .", he trailed off, stopping himself before he said anything remotely stupid. Getting along with Ethan was one thing, confiding in him was another.

But Ethan couldn't contain his enthusiasm. "Knew what?" he asked eagerly, almost falling from his chair. This sounded juicy and deep and the kind of thing that nobody ever told him. Did Gordon need advice? He could help if someone let him, or try to.

"Umm, nothing", Gordo finished quickly, pushing in his chair. "I got to uh, grab some lunch before the bell. Thanks again. Maybe I'll catch up with you in science."

Though Ethan tried to cover his disappointment, it was evident on his face. "Oh", he said simply. He had been so close. Reluctantly, Ethan smiled. "Catch you later Gordon", he said waving before reaching out to return to his dog eared golf magazine.

But Gordo was glued to the spot. He had seen Ethan's reaction. Did Ethan really look up to him that much or was he just a really, really lonely guy? Before he knew it words were flying out of his mouth, ones that he hadn't fully thought through. "Uh, Ethan. . .I was thinking that umm, maybe next time I'm working on a new film or something, you might want to help out. I could always use an assistant or another camera man, since you're into the classics like me."

Ethan looked up at Gordo, trying to keep his cool, but it was too difficult. He grinned from ear to ear. "Sounds cool. I love that stuff Gordon. As long as I don't have to act and like walk and talk and stuff. Thanks. See you later."

Gordo nodded and headed for the door. Something told him he'd quite possibly just made the biggest mistake of his life inviting Ethan Craft into his world, but then again, maybe not. Maybe he really was more than just good hair.