Chapter 16: WHAT Happened!?

A/N: To the reviewer who said they needed more than one practice... they did, but in class. They had a rehearsal in class every day for weeks, only the one in the previous chapter was a dress rehearsal. Here's a chapter for all of you that complained that the others were too short.

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Gordo's POV

I was late. I rapidly put all of my costumes and stuff into a bag, and rushed out the door. My parents couldn't come, they had this VERY important meeting in L.A, and they promised to buy the school's tape of the performance.

So that left me, late, in the dark, with no one to drive me to the school. I thought of going to the McGuire's house, but I figured they'd already left by now. I had no choice. I had to run there.

Fortunately, the school was only two miles or so away, so I could maybe make it, if I got to the bus stop on time. I ran as fast as I could. I couldn't see much of anything, because it was November, and there wasn't any sun left at 7:30.

I sighed as I reached Salisbury, the super-busy street. How was I going to cross it? There was an endless sea of traffic. I waited a few minutes, and when I thought the traffic had cleared up, I looked both ways, and ran across the street like an insane maniac. But then, out of nowhere, came a speeding red car.

I tried to run faster, but there was no use. It was going to get there faster than I could. I closed my eyes. This was it. This was how I was going to die.

I froze in the middle of the street, and a deer-caught-in-headlights look crossed my face right before the car slammed it's breaks (not on time), and skidded toward me.

Everything became dark.

***

Lizzie POV

What! WHAT!? *WHAT!?*

Gordo in the hospital?

"What!" I exclaimed. "Why is he there?"

"He got hit by a car." Mr. Dig said, looking at the ground.

My jaw dropped. Gordo got hit by a car... that was... horrible.... TERRIBLE! "But how-" I started, but Mr. Dig cut me off.

"Mr. Craft..." Mr. Dig closed his eyes. "You're in."

My mouth dropped open. ETHAN! Ethan was playing Romeo? What was this, a soap opera? First, Gordo's in the hospital (which I still didn't get, by the way) and then Ethan is in the play as Romeo? Everything was happening too fast.

"Wait, wait, wait..." I said. "What's happening?"

"Well, Mr. Gordon won't be able to make it, so his understudy is in." Mr. Dig said, occupied in scribbling something down on his clipboard. He started walking toward stage left.

"Why isn't Gordo here?" I asked, although I knew the answer.

"He got hit by a car." Mr. Dig repeated impatiently. "Miss McGuire, the show starts in less than thirty minutes. Are you ready?"

I ignored his question. "How did he get hit by a car?" I gasped.

"He supposedly was on his way here."

How could Mr. Dig act like this was no big deal? Gordo had never, ever been in the hospital before, well, at least, not because he was seriously injured. And now... the night of our performance... it was so hard for my brain to interpret.

"I have to go see him!" I exclaimed. "Is he okay?"

"No, Miss McGuire, didn't you hear me? The play starts very soon. You can't go now."

"But I have to!" I insisted.

"Then I'll have to put Miss Saunders in the play."

I sighed. I hadn't thought of that! "But..."

Ethan was Romeo. I was Juliet. It was a dream come true! I couldn't pass up this opportunity just because Gordo was in the hospital. And anyway, it wouldn't make any difference to Gordo if I went or not. I was no doctor. I couldn't make him better. I could just... see him some other time.

"...Okay." I said. "I'll go get ready."

I headed toward the dressing room when I heard something ringing. I looked down at the makeup counter. It was Mr. Dig's cell phone. I picked it up.

"Hello?" I said.

"Hillridge hospital here. We'd like to inform you that Mr. Gordon is in a coma." A flat man's voice filled my ears.

I dropped the phone and gasped. A COMA! This was not good.

"One minute please." I whispered into the receiver. I ran around backstage, trying to find Mr. Dig. "It's the hospital." I mouthed to him, and returned to the dressing room.

I slumped down in a chair and started to cry.

Gordo was sick. Very sick. He was in a coma. In the hospital. The words flew around my head as the tears started flooding out. Why had it happened? What had he done to deserve it? Gordo was the good guy. He wasn't supposed to get hurt. This was all wrong.

But I couldn't go see him. If I did, then Kate would rag on me until the end of time on how she got to play opposite Ethan, and how she was on TV... and I'd never get to kiss Ethan in the play. This was what I wanted from the beginning. Ethan and me, Romeo and Juliet.

You know what they say; 'Be careful what you wish for. You might get it.'

I didn't want it anymore. All I wanted was for Gordo to be okay.

I had to go.

But I couldn't.

I sat there sobbing silently, staining my beautiful dress with tears. I was a mess. The whole world was a mess. 'Why today?' I wondered. 'Couldn't this have happened any other day?' I got up and looked in the mirror. I didn't care what anyone said.

I was going to see Gordo.