Disclaimer: I don't own anything . too bad. I'd love owning Adam Lamberg
. (

* Sorry I haven't updated in so long; I've been busy with my stupid summer
homework. I don't get it. Isn't summer supposed to be a break from school? I still have twelve math chapters left and a whole book to read,
so I may not update until next week. *

Letters to the Skinny Girl
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Chapter XII


Finally! It was Sunday! Lizzie awoke with a jump, five minutes before the morning call. She got dressed in the dim sunrise as everyone else slept, trying to hold their last five minutes of rest.

Today was the day she got to write to her family, her friends . Gordo. She had no idea what she would tell him. Did she like him? At the same time, the letter from her best friend scared her, pleased her, and depressed her.

The call rose as she was washing her face. Her hair brushed, she sat on her bed and put on her shoes. Since she'd awoke early, she had a few minutes to think, sitting on her bed as the other girls rushed through the bathroom, scrambling, looking for an empty stall before their five minutes were up. Lizzie thought about what she would say in her letter.

The day went slowly. Lizzie clouded off all through breakfast, therapy, group, lunch, excersice, and even in the shower, she thought of Gordo.

When the time came for writing, in Study Hall, Lizzie quickly collected the stationary paper from Mrs. Dietrich before entering the room, and sat down quietly.

-Dear Gordo,
I've wanted to tell you this since-

No . she crumpled the letter, and started on Miranda's and her family's letters first. I'm doing fine, this place is kind of depressing, the food is kind of good, can't wait to see you all, missing you, blah blah blah . She talked about Gordo's letter fast to Miranda, and then got to his.

She wanted to say, "Gordo. I feel the same way. You are the reason why I wake up every morning. You are the reason why I am struggling to earn points and get out of here. I love you," but she couldn't do that.

She began writing:

-Dear Gordo,
I'm not quite sure what to tell you. Your letter took me by surprise. Gordo, I can't believe I was such an idiot. Those times that I was falling over Ronnie and Ethan and all those other guys. You were right there. This is really hard for me to say, Gordo. Well, I kind of feel the same way about you. No. I totally feel the same way about you. At first, the nudging feeling that I like you . as more than a friend was ignored. I thought it was just that I was desperate . no offense, but I was in denial. But as the weeks, months past, it started to become stronger. I actually hid it with my crush on Ethan because I was afraid that my feelings would ruin our friendship. But Ethan was just a crush. He had nothing but looks. You . Gordo, I didn't just "like" you. Since I met you, I loved you as the best friend on earth. But that love became something different. I wish I would have told you this before I came here, but . I think I like my best friend as more than a friend, too.-

Lizzie sat back and read her letter through. At first, she thought she couldn't send it. It was too outright. But she sent it anyway, sealing the envelope with an invisible kiss of hope. Hope that it would work out.
____________________________________

.The next day - Gordo's room - Noon.

"David! You got mail from Lizzie!" Mrs. Gordon yelled from the kitchen.

David jumped from his gloomy state of depression on his bed, and raced downstairs, nearly tripping over the chairs.

"Where is it? Where's my letter?" Gordo said, frantically searching through the Monday morning mail.

"Right here." Mr.Gordon said, holding it out to him.

"You didn't read it, did you?" Gordo asked, snatching the folded white envelope out of his father's hand.

His parents shook their heads, and both suspected what was going on. They knew about their son's feelings towards his best friend, although he had no idea they did. They also knew that Lizzie and David would most likely end up dating, falling in love. They'd known that their son and their best friends' daughter were compatible since the day they held hands, walking to their first day of kindergarten.

Gordo ran back upstairs, slammed his door shut, and pounced on his bed, tearing the envelope open. He read slowly, savoring every word, as he knew that they had been written by the most important person in his world. At first, he was shocked. He never thought that she would feel the same way about him. He read the letter through and through, over and over, until the concept made its way through his mass of curly hair. Lizzie felt the same way. A huge grin fell over his face as he read it for the fifteenth time. Suddenly he had reason to get dressed. Suddenly he wanted to take a shower, have a meal, come out of his depression. He read the note one last time, and hopped into the bathtub, singing as the warm water fell upon what he thought was possibly the happiest person alive.
_____________________________________

Miranda awoke late, feeling extremely sleepy. Last night she had gone to bed late. School started in a week in a half, and Miranda had in her mind complete depression. What would school be like without Lizzie?

She took a quick shower and ate a small breakfast, now nausious and sad.

=Phone call from Miranda to Gordo: G: Hello? M: Hey, Gordo. It's Miranda. G: Oh, hey.= Gordo's voice sounded surprisingly happy. =M: You sound joyful. G: I do? Oh . yes, I do. I got Lizzie's letter. M: Oh. I haven't read mine yet. Anyway, you want to go out? Movie? We could watch Pirates of the Caribbean. Though it's not really the same without Lizzie yelling at the screen and raving on about Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom's hottness. G: Haha. Yeah. You sound depressed. Let's go to the DB. Meet me there at one thirty. M: Okay. Bye. G: See you.=

Miranda finished up her outfit with the one belt in her closet that went well with her black jeans and her white rhinestone tanktop. A checkered black and white one with strings hanging off the end. She put on black flip flops, a white choker, and didn't even bother with much makeup. Some lipgloss, light eyeshadow, barely any mascara, and she brushed her hair and let it loose.

Gordo arrived, smelling like cologne and mints. He was wearing his nice watch and his director's cap, not to mention a huge grin.

Miranda was confused by his happiness. What was his reason to wear his hundred dollar jacket? Or spritz on cologne? Why was he smiling?

Gordo told Miranda about Lizzie's letter, and suddenly everything made sense to her. While it cheered her up, it slowly made her even more sad. Come the day that Lizzie returned, Miranda realized that things would not be the same. Gordo and Lizzie would be all . well, together. Miranda would most likely be left out. They would want time to be "alone". She winced. The thought of Gordo and Lizzie together was strange to her, although she'd known it was destined to happen eventually. Her smile turned into a frown.

"What's wrong, Miranda?" Gordo asked, slightly worried over his friend's silence throughout their sipping of soda and milkshakes.

"Nothing. I have to go. I'll see you later." She said, getting up from the table and walking out.

Strange, Gordo thought. She just got here twenty-five minutes ago and she already has to go. Why'd she make plans anyway if she knew she'd only be here for half an hour?
______________________________________

"Matt! Get out of your sister's drawers!" Mrs. McGuire yelled upon finding her son in Lizzie's room, looking through her things.

"Mo-o-om, I was just remembering our good memories with these wonderful photographs!" He responded. He was now turning fourteen, but he'd never really matured.

"Oh? Then why is her diary in your hand? Give that to me. I need to send it to her anyway so she can write in it. She's been asking me to send it for a week."

Matt smiled and got up.

"Oh. And you're grounded for today because you were reading her diary." She said to him.

He frowned. He'd almost gotten away safely.

Jo sat on her daughter's bed as Matt shut the door on his way out. She picked up the photos on the floor and ran a hand across the one of Lizzie. Lizzie BEFORE she'd become so worried about her weight. A tear trickled onto her mother's lap. She wiped it away quickly and picked up the diary, vowing she would not read it. Jo picked up the makeup Matt had sprawled on the floor and sighed as she realized he'd stained the carpet with Lizzie's nail polish.

_________________________________________