Chapter 19: The Truth
A/N: PLEASE READ BEFORE READING!!
The last chapter! *bawls* I don't want it to end! I've gotten very attached to this story!!
I'm serious, I didn't stretch this chapter out for so long because I was greedy for reviews, or that I was just pure evil. No, I actually tried VERY hard to finish it on Monday, but I wasn't able to. So sue me.
You know that I wrote this chapter three times before I was satisfied with it? It took me hours (and days), but it was worth it. In one, she doesn't hear him, and they don't get together until the next day. In the other one, she did what you guys would have expected her to do; spin around and all the gushy stuff happened. But this seemed better. *winks*
But seriously, I can't believe how you guys could be so dense! Didn't you understand *why* nothing made sense in the past chapters? I can't believe not even one person figured it out. You just kept telling me how it didn't seem reasonable. Next time, think harder! *grins* A writer writes stuff for a reason.
Well, go on, don't just sit there, read it! I know you're dying from suspense! Oh, and this is REALLY long (longer than all my other chapters, at least), so enjoy! ^_~
Oh, and I suggest you turn off all music or anything else that might make noise (like a sibling) while you read it. It's very romantic, and I want you to read it very thoroughly with emotion. So not even ballad songs would work. Silence. No distractions. Okay? I was writing this while listening to a variety of songs, from Come Clean to Senorita to Ignition, and I'm telling you, it gets on your nerves. Not even LMNT's 'Juliet' works. Just a little tip.
Here goes nothing...
***
Lizzie's POV
"Lizzie!" I heard someone exclaim in my ear and felt shaking my shoulder like thunder. "Lizzie!"
I opened my eyes carefully, not sure of what I was to see. Where was I? Bright lights, lots of people, blue walls... it definitely didn't seem like the hospital. And what bout Gordo? Was he okay? Had he survived? Wasn't he calling my name? What had happened?
"Gordo!" I cried. "Where's Gordo?" I said, getting up, and looking.
I recognized the place now. I was in the dressing room at the performance. There were people swarming all around me, looking this way and that way, trying to put on their makeup and slipping on costumes, chatting merrily about the play.
Huh?
How did I get here? Did I somehow go back in time?
I looked at who was shaking my shoulder. It was Kate. "Wha..." I mumbled. What was *she* doing here? What was I doing here, for that matter? This was so odd. What the heck happened?
"Gordo?" Kate looked bewildered. "He's probably backstage, ready to go in. But Lizzie, you have to get ready! The play starts in twenty minutes!" She rolled her eyes at me.
What the...? Twenty minutes? The play should've ended hours ago... wait a second.
GORDO WAS *WHERE*!?
"Gordo's here!?" I exclaimed. "He's not in the hospital, experiencing a coma?"
Kate looked at me as if I had gone berserk. "Uh, no..."
I gasped as I came to a realization. "Oh, my god!"
It was a dream! All of it! Gordo was alive and well, right here at Hillridge Jr. High School. He had never been hit by some speeding car. He had never gotten into a coma. He had been here right from the beginning. He was still here for me to tell him that I loved him. I had a chance to tell him. It wasn't too late!
Gordo was still Romeo!
Oh, wow.
"What is going on with you?" Kate said, raising her eyebrows. "I better go tell Mr. Dig that you're not sane enough to be Juliet..."
I didn't listen to the rest of her sentence. I was already bolting out the door, and onto stage right. I pushed through the crowd and asked every person in sight if they had seen Gordo. None of them had. And then Larry said,
"He's on the other side of the stage."
Oh, god.
I picked up my dress so I wouldn't trip and started running toward stage left. "Gordo!" I called. "Gordo!"
He was nowhere in sight.
I was loosing my mind over this. He had to be here if it was a dream! Then where was he?
"DAVID ZEPHYR GORDON!" I screamed, running back and forth, my eyes darting around. No one cold here me. It was too loud.
And then I spotted him, in a corner, waiting patiently. I swear my heart skipped a beat when I saw him nervously run his hand though his hair. It brought tears of joy to my eyes but just simply seeing him there, alive.
I ran toward him "Gordo!" I yelled.
This time, since I was close to him, he turned around, and smiled nervously. "Hey, Lizzie. Ready for this?"
I blinked. I was just a foot away from him. I stepped one step closer to make sure he was really there. I flung my arms around him and embraced him in a huge hug.
It was him. The real him. Standing, conscious.
Then I put a hand to his cheek, and kissed him. Hard. Passionately. In front of everyone. I deepened the kiss by pulling him closer to me, and running my finger through his hair. At first he didn't kiss back, but eventually he caught on and wrapped his arms around my waist, and pressed hard.
He was here. Alive. In my arms. Kissing me.
I was in heaven.
***
Gordo's POV
We didn't break apart for some time. We just stood there, as the play script would've said, 'romantically intertwined'. I couldn't believe this. What on earth happened? Why was Lizzie kissing me all of a sudden?
What about Ethan? What about all those things she said about kissing me? I didn't get it. Although I was clearly enjoying this, I couldn't help but wonder what this was for. Did she finally figure it out? Had Ethan broken up with her?
Man, she was a really good kisser.
Before I could think anything else, he tongue somehow slipped into my mouth. Oh, god. This was too much too take. What amazing thing did I do that she was doing this to me? First she rips my heart out and tears it up into pieces, and suddenly... this?
I was having a nervous breakdown. But I tried not to think. Moments like this only happened once in a lifetime. And that's when all of the weirder thoughts began.
Was her lipgloss vanilla or strawberry? Whatever it was, it was very sweet. Maybe blueberry... I could never tell. It was just so... Lizzie.
I smelled the fresh scent of her hair. Mango, I think. I could never figure out what that was. It was just so... Lizzie.
Was I insane?
WAS I KISSING LIZZIE!?
This could not be happening. It was probably another one of those freakazoid dreams that I wake up from and wish I were dead. But never once, in all my dreams, had the kiss felt so *real*. It always *felt* like a dream. This time, it just... felt like it was actually happening.
I happily toyed around with her strawberry blonde hair as she started tickling the back of my neck. Whoa, this girl was serious. I swear, we must have been that was for ten minutes when she finally broke away from me and started crying.
"Gordo... I love you." She cried, burying her head in my shoulder. "Tell me you love me too."
What was she talking about... this was just so doggone confusing.
She loved me. Well, there you go. This was one hundred percent a dream. This couldn't be real.
Who the heck cared? I could make the best out of it while it lasted.
"I... I love you, Lizzie." I smiled.
She hugged me tightly, and started kissing my neck. In front of everyone. She had gone absolutely mad.
That's what I loved about her.
This dream was turning into a painful one. I knew I'd soon wake up, and cry myself a river from it.
I sighed. "Lizzie, just put me out of my misery. Pinch me." I said sadly, heartbroken that this wonderful dream was going to end.
She looked confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Just do it, Lizzie... the more you love me, the more hut I'm going to get." I said.
"Okay... if you say..." She pinched me hard.
I expected to be in bed, mad at myself for ever ending such a great dream, but I was still there, backstage, with Lizzie still clinging to me as if I were her life. But if this wasn't a dream... then.... no, it couldn't be-
Could it?
"You mean... you really did just kiss me?" I said, sputtering.
She nodded, and touched my cheek once again.
She had. I knew she had. She had told me she loved me. She'd French kissed me in front of the whole class.
"Why?"
***
Lizzie's POV
We sat down in the corner where no one could see us and I explained everything to him. How Ethan had stood me up, how I'd dreamed about him in the hospital, how mean Mr. Dig was being, how incredibly miserable I was... and you know what?
He said he loved me too.
He told me about how long he had wanted me, and how much it pained him to see me with Ethan, and how he was losing his mind. And he said it in a way that didn't even make me feel guilty, with his soft, sweet voice, and his gentle eyes... but finally, I broke down.
"Gordo... I'm so sorry." I said, tears streaming out of my eyes. "I took you for granted. I'll never do that, ever again. I cross my heart. I just want you to know that-"
He put a finger to my lips, cradled my chin in his hands, and kissed me softly. "Shhh. Lizzie, the performance starts in about five minutes, so you better get ready..."
The performance!? How could I have forgotten? I was so caught up in telling Gordo everything that I had totally forgotten that we still had they play! I blushed and smiled at him and rushed to the dressing room to fix my hair and makeup.
I sighed with happiness when I looked in the mirror. Gordo was alive, I loved him, he loved me... everything was perfect. And now we had this play, a romantic tale about two lovers, to perform. Could life possibly get any better?
***
(A/N: Sorry for the sudden changes in POV.)
Gordo POV
Scene three. The one scene I hadn't rehearsed with Lizzie. The only scene (well, excluding the last scene) that I actually *wanted* to rehearse. I smiled as it started. Lizzie was putting all she had into this, I could tell. Her hands were once again in my hair. She had no idea how much I loved that.
I didn't really feel like we were actually on a stage, making out in front of all of our friends and family. It felt like out little own Romeo and Juliet world, where we were the only ones who existed.
It was spontaneous. I truly felt like she was my Juliet, and I was her Romeo, the way she kissed me. I still couldn't believe that dream she had. It was so horrible! But I smiled to myself, knowing if she hadn't had that nightmare, this one moment of pure bliss would have never come.
We went through the play so smoothly, you'd think we were actually the real people. Lizzie did a wonderful job in her part, and she snuck in little kisses where she thought might have been necessary, but weren't in the script. Mr. Dig seemed to notice this, and once I caught his eye, and he winked.
The last scene was miraculous. I knew I was supposed to be dead, but I couldn't help but have a little smile creep up my face once Lizzie died on me.
Everyone applauded, and the curtain closed, and once it did, I asked Lizzie a rhetorical question.
"Hey, Lizzie... um... will you be my Juliet?"
She started giggling, and fell into my shoulder. "Only if you're my Romeo." She managed to say.
I started laughing with her. "Deal."
And I pulled her close and we kissed once again, finally, as a true Romeo and Juliet.
THE END!!!
A/N: OMG, I want to thank EVERYONE who reviewed and read the story. And to you guys who have been with this story since April 13th, I bet you're sad to see it end. (Yeah right.) But I really loved writing this story, and I hope you liked reading it. I'm sorry if it was rushed... I wanted to post it so you guys wouldn't kill me. ^_~
A note to certain people (you know who you are), I expect very long, heartfelt reviews. The rest of you, a "OMG, THIS IS SO GOOD" would work. LOL. I'd be surprised if *anyone* reviewed this.
R/R please! Ciao! ^_^
A/N: PLEASE READ BEFORE READING!!
The last chapter! *bawls* I don't want it to end! I've gotten very attached to this story!!
I'm serious, I didn't stretch this chapter out for so long because I was greedy for reviews, or that I was just pure evil. No, I actually tried VERY hard to finish it on Monday, but I wasn't able to. So sue me.
You know that I wrote this chapter three times before I was satisfied with it? It took me hours (and days), but it was worth it. In one, she doesn't hear him, and they don't get together until the next day. In the other one, she did what you guys would have expected her to do; spin around and all the gushy stuff happened. But this seemed better. *winks*
But seriously, I can't believe how you guys could be so dense! Didn't you understand *why* nothing made sense in the past chapters? I can't believe not even one person figured it out. You just kept telling me how it didn't seem reasonable. Next time, think harder! *grins* A writer writes stuff for a reason.
Well, go on, don't just sit there, read it! I know you're dying from suspense! Oh, and this is REALLY long (longer than all my other chapters, at least), so enjoy! ^_~
Oh, and I suggest you turn off all music or anything else that might make noise (like a sibling) while you read it. It's very romantic, and I want you to read it very thoroughly with emotion. So not even ballad songs would work. Silence. No distractions. Okay? I was writing this while listening to a variety of songs, from Come Clean to Senorita to Ignition, and I'm telling you, it gets on your nerves. Not even LMNT's 'Juliet' works. Just a little tip.
Here goes nothing...
***
Lizzie's POV
"Lizzie!" I heard someone exclaim in my ear and felt shaking my shoulder like thunder. "Lizzie!"
I opened my eyes carefully, not sure of what I was to see. Where was I? Bright lights, lots of people, blue walls... it definitely didn't seem like the hospital. And what bout Gordo? Was he okay? Had he survived? Wasn't he calling my name? What had happened?
"Gordo!" I cried. "Where's Gordo?" I said, getting up, and looking.
I recognized the place now. I was in the dressing room at the performance. There were people swarming all around me, looking this way and that way, trying to put on their makeup and slipping on costumes, chatting merrily about the play.
Huh?
How did I get here? Did I somehow go back in time?
I looked at who was shaking my shoulder. It was Kate. "Wha..." I mumbled. What was *she* doing here? What was I doing here, for that matter? This was so odd. What the heck happened?
"Gordo?" Kate looked bewildered. "He's probably backstage, ready to go in. But Lizzie, you have to get ready! The play starts in twenty minutes!" She rolled her eyes at me.
What the...? Twenty minutes? The play should've ended hours ago... wait a second.
GORDO WAS *WHERE*!?
"Gordo's here!?" I exclaimed. "He's not in the hospital, experiencing a coma?"
Kate looked at me as if I had gone berserk. "Uh, no..."
I gasped as I came to a realization. "Oh, my god!"
It was a dream! All of it! Gordo was alive and well, right here at Hillridge Jr. High School. He had never been hit by some speeding car. He had never gotten into a coma. He had been here right from the beginning. He was still here for me to tell him that I loved him. I had a chance to tell him. It wasn't too late!
Gordo was still Romeo!
Oh, wow.
"What is going on with you?" Kate said, raising her eyebrows. "I better go tell Mr. Dig that you're not sane enough to be Juliet..."
I didn't listen to the rest of her sentence. I was already bolting out the door, and onto stage right. I pushed through the crowd and asked every person in sight if they had seen Gordo. None of them had. And then Larry said,
"He's on the other side of the stage."
Oh, god.
I picked up my dress so I wouldn't trip and started running toward stage left. "Gordo!" I called. "Gordo!"
He was nowhere in sight.
I was loosing my mind over this. He had to be here if it was a dream! Then where was he?
"DAVID ZEPHYR GORDON!" I screamed, running back and forth, my eyes darting around. No one cold here me. It was too loud.
And then I spotted him, in a corner, waiting patiently. I swear my heart skipped a beat when I saw him nervously run his hand though his hair. It brought tears of joy to my eyes but just simply seeing him there, alive.
I ran toward him "Gordo!" I yelled.
This time, since I was close to him, he turned around, and smiled nervously. "Hey, Lizzie. Ready for this?"
I blinked. I was just a foot away from him. I stepped one step closer to make sure he was really there. I flung my arms around him and embraced him in a huge hug.
It was him. The real him. Standing, conscious.
Then I put a hand to his cheek, and kissed him. Hard. Passionately. In front of everyone. I deepened the kiss by pulling him closer to me, and running my finger through his hair. At first he didn't kiss back, but eventually he caught on and wrapped his arms around my waist, and pressed hard.
He was here. Alive. In my arms. Kissing me.
I was in heaven.
***
Gordo's POV
We didn't break apart for some time. We just stood there, as the play script would've said, 'romantically intertwined'. I couldn't believe this. What on earth happened? Why was Lizzie kissing me all of a sudden?
What about Ethan? What about all those things she said about kissing me? I didn't get it. Although I was clearly enjoying this, I couldn't help but wonder what this was for. Did she finally figure it out? Had Ethan broken up with her?
Man, she was a really good kisser.
Before I could think anything else, he tongue somehow slipped into my mouth. Oh, god. This was too much too take. What amazing thing did I do that she was doing this to me? First she rips my heart out and tears it up into pieces, and suddenly... this?
I was having a nervous breakdown. But I tried not to think. Moments like this only happened once in a lifetime. And that's when all of the weirder thoughts began.
Was her lipgloss vanilla or strawberry? Whatever it was, it was very sweet. Maybe blueberry... I could never tell. It was just so... Lizzie.
I smelled the fresh scent of her hair. Mango, I think. I could never figure out what that was. It was just so... Lizzie.
Was I insane?
WAS I KISSING LIZZIE!?
This could not be happening. It was probably another one of those freakazoid dreams that I wake up from and wish I were dead. But never once, in all my dreams, had the kiss felt so *real*. It always *felt* like a dream. This time, it just... felt like it was actually happening.
I happily toyed around with her strawberry blonde hair as she started tickling the back of my neck. Whoa, this girl was serious. I swear, we must have been that was for ten minutes when she finally broke away from me and started crying.
"Gordo... I love you." She cried, burying her head in my shoulder. "Tell me you love me too."
What was she talking about... this was just so doggone confusing.
She loved me. Well, there you go. This was one hundred percent a dream. This couldn't be real.
Who the heck cared? I could make the best out of it while it lasted.
"I... I love you, Lizzie." I smiled.
She hugged me tightly, and started kissing my neck. In front of everyone. She had gone absolutely mad.
That's what I loved about her.
This dream was turning into a painful one. I knew I'd soon wake up, and cry myself a river from it.
I sighed. "Lizzie, just put me out of my misery. Pinch me." I said sadly, heartbroken that this wonderful dream was going to end.
She looked confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Just do it, Lizzie... the more you love me, the more hut I'm going to get." I said.
"Okay... if you say..." She pinched me hard.
I expected to be in bed, mad at myself for ever ending such a great dream, but I was still there, backstage, with Lizzie still clinging to me as if I were her life. But if this wasn't a dream... then.... no, it couldn't be-
Could it?
"You mean... you really did just kiss me?" I said, sputtering.
She nodded, and touched my cheek once again.
She had. I knew she had. She had told me she loved me. She'd French kissed me in front of the whole class.
"Why?"
***
Lizzie's POV
We sat down in the corner where no one could see us and I explained everything to him. How Ethan had stood me up, how I'd dreamed about him in the hospital, how mean Mr. Dig was being, how incredibly miserable I was... and you know what?
He said he loved me too.
He told me about how long he had wanted me, and how much it pained him to see me with Ethan, and how he was losing his mind. And he said it in a way that didn't even make me feel guilty, with his soft, sweet voice, and his gentle eyes... but finally, I broke down.
"Gordo... I'm so sorry." I said, tears streaming out of my eyes. "I took you for granted. I'll never do that, ever again. I cross my heart. I just want you to know that-"
He put a finger to my lips, cradled my chin in his hands, and kissed me softly. "Shhh. Lizzie, the performance starts in about five minutes, so you better get ready..."
The performance!? How could I have forgotten? I was so caught up in telling Gordo everything that I had totally forgotten that we still had they play! I blushed and smiled at him and rushed to the dressing room to fix my hair and makeup.
I sighed with happiness when I looked in the mirror. Gordo was alive, I loved him, he loved me... everything was perfect. And now we had this play, a romantic tale about two lovers, to perform. Could life possibly get any better?
***
(A/N: Sorry for the sudden changes in POV.)
Gordo POV
Scene three. The one scene I hadn't rehearsed with Lizzie. The only scene (well, excluding the last scene) that I actually *wanted* to rehearse. I smiled as it started. Lizzie was putting all she had into this, I could tell. Her hands were once again in my hair. She had no idea how much I loved that.
I didn't really feel like we were actually on a stage, making out in front of all of our friends and family. It felt like out little own Romeo and Juliet world, where we were the only ones who existed.
It was spontaneous. I truly felt like she was my Juliet, and I was her Romeo, the way she kissed me. I still couldn't believe that dream she had. It was so horrible! But I smiled to myself, knowing if she hadn't had that nightmare, this one moment of pure bliss would have never come.
We went through the play so smoothly, you'd think we were actually the real people. Lizzie did a wonderful job in her part, and she snuck in little kisses where she thought might have been necessary, but weren't in the script. Mr. Dig seemed to notice this, and once I caught his eye, and he winked.
The last scene was miraculous. I knew I was supposed to be dead, but I couldn't help but have a little smile creep up my face once Lizzie died on me.
Everyone applauded, and the curtain closed, and once it did, I asked Lizzie a rhetorical question.
"Hey, Lizzie... um... will you be my Juliet?"
She started giggling, and fell into my shoulder. "Only if you're my Romeo." She managed to say.
I started laughing with her. "Deal."
And I pulled her close and we kissed once again, finally, as a true Romeo and Juliet.
THE END!!!
A/N: OMG, I want to thank EVERYONE who reviewed and read the story. And to you guys who have been with this story since April 13th, I bet you're sad to see it end. (Yeah right.) But I really loved writing this story, and I hope you liked reading it. I'm sorry if it was rushed... I wanted to post it so you guys wouldn't kill me. ^_~
A note to certain people (you know who you are), I expect very long, heartfelt reviews. The rest of you, a "OMG, THIS IS SO GOOD" would work. LOL. I'd be surprised if *anyone* reviewed this.
R/R please! Ciao! ^_^
