I saw Miranda's bouncy, black ponytail amongst the other cheerleaders. I
suppose Miranda hadn't changed much. She hadn't become an evil bitch like
Kate. She was just Miranda.
"Hey Miranda!" I shouted. Everyone turned to stare at me. I could see them thinking 'What is that unpopular Liz McGuire doing calling to the oh so popular Miranda Sanchez' She stopped her cheeks slightly red. Since becoming popular Miranda got embarrassed easily. Like once, we were taking a test and Miranda dropped her purse. Only a few people noticed but Miranda turned red as a tomato!
"Hey uh Liz" she said. She fiddled with her Italian charm bracelet. Something made my heart jump. She still had on the charm I had gotten her in 8th grade. In gold letters the charm had LM on it. I had an identical one with MS on it.
"Hey Miranda" I held out my wrist to show her my bracelet, which still held the charm with her initials on it. Hey eyes widened as she showed me her wrist. We burst out laughing.
"Why are you still wearing yours?" she asked
"Come on Miranda. Just because we aren't very close anymore doesn't mean I forgot you. Your never forgotten in my mind" Miranda's eyes softened.
"Liz I never" I cut her off
"I know Miranda"
"So uh what did you want?" she asked. The moment we had shared passed. We were back to cheerleader Miranda and average Liz.
"Our project, I mean when do you want to get together and work on it? Your house or mine?" I watched Miranda's eyes for signs of anything.
"How about tomorrow, after school your place okay?" she suggested. Miranda was tapping her finger on her books. She was getting impatient. I could tell.
"Yeah Miranda that's fine"
"Well gotta motor Liz. See ya" and with that Miranda was off.
***
Michelle and I walked in to Mr. Whitacre's class.
"Hello Michelle, Liz" he greeted. Michelle flashed Mr. Whitacre a smile. It wasn't a totally innocent smile. It was sort of seductive smile. The kind you gave your boyfriend on Valentine's Day when you wanted him to know that you were ready but you want to appear innocent. Half and half. Was something going on between them? She started calling him Scott outside of class and that smile. I shuddered. That was not something I wanted to think about. As we walked away I grabbed Michelle's wrist.
"Are you guys together?" I hissed. She blushed.
"No.of course not!" She looked away at the wall. I let it go for now. We settled in to our chairs. I couldn't get it out of my mind. The thought of Michelle and Mr. Whitacre seemed wrong. No, it was wrong.
"Hey Liz" Ethan Craft said as he walked to his seat. He winked at me just as I was sitting down. I hadn't been shocked when Ethan became Mr. Popular. Even as a freshmen he was the "it" boy of Hilldridge High. The bell rang loudly.
"Well class today I" Mr. Whitacre was cut off by the sound of a familiar voice.
"Uh Mr. Whitacre? I've been transferred in to your class" I looked up to see Gordo. He scanned the room as he handed Mr. Whitacre some papers. His gaze settled on me. It was a half glare, half.something. I couldn't put my finger on it.
"Well everyone this is David Gordon. David why don't you"
"It's Gordo"
"What?"
"Gordo. I go by Gordo.
"Oh. Why don't you sit next to Ms. Avalon" Kristina Avalon geekiest girl in school. Kristina spent all her time examining bugs and eating them. Her almost orange hair was dry and always messy. Her clothes looked as if they were from 80's. Of course they weren't even the cool clothes from the 80's. Her clothes weren't even stylish in the 80's and their certainly not now. The class began to laugh. It was kind of funny.
I leaned over to see Kristina's face. It was bright and filled with hope. I knew she was hoping Gordo would be her friend. I immediately felt sorry for her. Not sorry because she was an outcast but sorry that Gordo was her last resort for a friend. The fight Gordo and I had left me feeling bitter. Gordo had a grimace on his face as he walked and sat next to Kristina.
"Anyway I'd liked to talk about your projects but I guess I'd better put Gordo in a group first" Mr. Whitacre took a sheet of paper. He closed his eyes and ran his finger up and down the list. "Ahh. Mr. Gordon will join Ms. McGuire and Ms. Sanchez's group" The class suddenly fell deathly silent. Everyone knew what happened between Gordo, Miranda, and me. "Anyhow I will give you 20 minutes a day to work. Why don't you get with your partner now"
Miranda I could deal with. She and I hadn't shared angry words at the mall. Miranda and I hadn't known each other since the diaper years. I would consider an F on this project if it meant I didn't have to work with Gordo. As I looked behind Miranda and I locked eyes. She threw me a sympathetic look. She understood.
"Class you may get with your partners" I stood up and went to face Gordo. I'd have to deal with him sometime.
"Hey Miranda!" I shouted. Everyone turned to stare at me. I could see them thinking 'What is that unpopular Liz McGuire doing calling to the oh so popular Miranda Sanchez' She stopped her cheeks slightly red. Since becoming popular Miranda got embarrassed easily. Like once, we were taking a test and Miranda dropped her purse. Only a few people noticed but Miranda turned red as a tomato!
"Hey uh Liz" she said. She fiddled with her Italian charm bracelet. Something made my heart jump. She still had on the charm I had gotten her in 8th grade. In gold letters the charm had LM on it. I had an identical one with MS on it.
"Hey Miranda" I held out my wrist to show her my bracelet, which still held the charm with her initials on it. Hey eyes widened as she showed me her wrist. We burst out laughing.
"Why are you still wearing yours?" she asked
"Come on Miranda. Just because we aren't very close anymore doesn't mean I forgot you. Your never forgotten in my mind" Miranda's eyes softened.
"Liz I never" I cut her off
"I know Miranda"
"So uh what did you want?" she asked. The moment we had shared passed. We were back to cheerleader Miranda and average Liz.
"Our project, I mean when do you want to get together and work on it? Your house or mine?" I watched Miranda's eyes for signs of anything.
"How about tomorrow, after school your place okay?" she suggested. Miranda was tapping her finger on her books. She was getting impatient. I could tell.
"Yeah Miranda that's fine"
"Well gotta motor Liz. See ya" and with that Miranda was off.
***
Michelle and I walked in to Mr. Whitacre's class.
"Hello Michelle, Liz" he greeted. Michelle flashed Mr. Whitacre a smile. It wasn't a totally innocent smile. It was sort of seductive smile. The kind you gave your boyfriend on Valentine's Day when you wanted him to know that you were ready but you want to appear innocent. Half and half. Was something going on between them? She started calling him Scott outside of class and that smile. I shuddered. That was not something I wanted to think about. As we walked away I grabbed Michelle's wrist.
"Are you guys together?" I hissed. She blushed.
"No.of course not!" She looked away at the wall. I let it go for now. We settled in to our chairs. I couldn't get it out of my mind. The thought of Michelle and Mr. Whitacre seemed wrong. No, it was wrong.
"Hey Liz" Ethan Craft said as he walked to his seat. He winked at me just as I was sitting down. I hadn't been shocked when Ethan became Mr. Popular. Even as a freshmen he was the "it" boy of Hilldridge High. The bell rang loudly.
"Well class today I" Mr. Whitacre was cut off by the sound of a familiar voice.
"Uh Mr. Whitacre? I've been transferred in to your class" I looked up to see Gordo. He scanned the room as he handed Mr. Whitacre some papers. His gaze settled on me. It was a half glare, half.something. I couldn't put my finger on it.
"Well everyone this is David Gordon. David why don't you"
"It's Gordo"
"What?"
"Gordo. I go by Gordo.
"Oh. Why don't you sit next to Ms. Avalon" Kristina Avalon geekiest girl in school. Kristina spent all her time examining bugs and eating them. Her almost orange hair was dry and always messy. Her clothes looked as if they were from 80's. Of course they weren't even the cool clothes from the 80's. Her clothes weren't even stylish in the 80's and their certainly not now. The class began to laugh. It was kind of funny.
I leaned over to see Kristina's face. It was bright and filled with hope. I knew she was hoping Gordo would be her friend. I immediately felt sorry for her. Not sorry because she was an outcast but sorry that Gordo was her last resort for a friend. The fight Gordo and I had left me feeling bitter. Gordo had a grimace on his face as he walked and sat next to Kristina.
"Anyway I'd liked to talk about your projects but I guess I'd better put Gordo in a group first" Mr. Whitacre took a sheet of paper. He closed his eyes and ran his finger up and down the list. "Ahh. Mr. Gordon will join Ms. McGuire and Ms. Sanchez's group" The class suddenly fell deathly silent. Everyone knew what happened between Gordo, Miranda, and me. "Anyhow I will give you 20 minutes a day to work. Why don't you get with your partner now"
Miranda I could deal with. She and I hadn't shared angry words at the mall. Miranda and I hadn't known each other since the diaper years. I would consider an F on this project if it meant I didn't have to work with Gordo. As I looked behind Miranda and I locked eyes. She threw me a sympathetic look. She understood.
"Class you may get with your partners" I stood up and went to face Gordo. I'd have to deal with him sometime.
