* Chapter seventeen – Lizzie *
The little twerp sat on bed, grinning like it was Christmas day come early, and all I could was sit and glare. My fingers were itching to wrap themselves around his throat and squeeze… okay. Maybe it wasn't that bad. But it was bad.
Matt grinned. "What do I want?" he chirped in a singsong voice. "What do I want?"
"One day, Matt…" I threatened, curling my lip. But inside, I was mortified. How did I let this happen? I didn't even hear him come into the room… I clenched my blanket in a steely grip, trying to let out my anger slowly.
Breathe deeply… think of your happy place…
"Let's see! I could take all of your money, I could make you do all of my chores every day until you're eighteen, I could…"
Not working. "Matt! Shut up, and tell me what you want!" I screamed, causing the birds on my windowsill to glare indignantly at me and fly away. Matt sighed, pretended to pull out a gun, and blew on the tips of his fingers. I rolled my eyes, gritting my teeth in anger.
"Listen Matt. I am using all of my self-control not to suffocate you, so I would advise you tell me what I want before my hands…slip."
Matt laughed. "I'm considering the mom and dad sale…"
I was stumped. "I-I'll tell them about you… and Melina!" I ended lamely. Matt coughed, and pretended to vomit.
"You wish."
"Well, my endearing supreme ruler, what do you want from me?"
Matt grinned and thought for a second. "Okay, I want you to get me into your dance."
I blinked. "What?"
"At your school. The Spring Dance," Matt prompted, rolling his eyes like I was the stupidest idiot he had ever had the misfortune to meet. "I want to go with someone. That someone being your best friend, Miranda."
I laughed, but Matt brandished the photo envelope in front of my face. "Do it Lizzie, or I will have to turn nasty."
For a split second, I pondered this. How in the name of God was I going to get a twelve-year-old into a dance with fourteen and fifteen-year-olds? It didn't make any sense, nor did the fact that he wanted to go with Miranda. I cringed; I could just imagine her face: horrified and appalled at my asking her to go with my brother. I looked up at a grinning Matt, and shut my eyes, feeling sickened.
"Fine dog-breath, I'll do it."
Suddenly, I didn't feel so good. My verdict was not going to go smoothly. I could tell by the mischievous look in my brother's eyes; it scared me to death.
*****
Later…
*****
"You what?!" Miranda yelled, waving her hands around in uncontrolled emotion. I smiled nervously, wringing my hands.
"Do I have to repeat myself, Randa?" I asked nicely, inching away from her. She screamed something in Spanish, and clapped a hand to her forehead, sweating slightly. Her lips tightened as her gaze met mine.
"I can't believe you said yes to that, Liz!" She let out her breath slowly. I looked at the floor.
"Well, actually, I was sort of forced to…" I mumbled. Miranda stared at me.
"What? How could Matt, of all people, force you to do anything?"
"Miranda…"
"Lizzie…"
"I… look Miranda, he's blackmailing me! I-I couldn't do anything!" I flopped down on her bed, and she sat beside me.
"How exactly was he able to obtain anything that he could blackmail you with?" asked Miranda, starting to take out the clothes from her newly returned suitcase. She stared at me with a raised eyebrow, as if the thought was amusing.
"I didn't exactly hand it to him and say 'Matt, blackmail me!' now, did I?" I retorted, becoming defensive. A small grin spread across Miranda's face, but still, her eyes were flashing dangerously.
"Well, Liz, what did happen?"
I sighed and blushed crimson. "He caught me on tape."
"What? Liz, you're not making any sense!"
"HE TOOK A PHOTO OF GORDO AND ME KISSING!" I screamed. I flushed a deeper shade of red then I ever thought was possible, and shifted my legs into a kneeling position. "Yeah," I finished lamely. Miranda just stared at me. The corner of her lips twitched.
"Really?"
"I know! Isn't that horrible? The little creep, I ought to kill him, I –." I looked at Miranda. She was smiling brightly, and I frowned at her. "It's bad, isn't it?" I asked, trying to earn her support. Miranda shrugged.
"To tell the truth, Liz, I think it's cute," she stated matter-of-factly.
"What?"
"Cute. Very sweet. Adorable. As in totally saccharine."
I stared at Miranda. "You're starting to scare me."
Miranda ignored my comment. "Did you see the pictures?"
"Well… no," I admitted. Miranda sighed and closed her eyes.
"Too bad."
I jumped off the bed and stomped my foot angrily. "Too bad? My brother blackmails me to get you to go to the dance with him, and all you can say is that it's too bad I didn't see the pictures?! I can't believe you! I mean, seriously, Matt threatened to sell the damn things on Ebay! He's going to do it too. I can just tell! And you know what my parents will do? Do you? Protection is overrated in my family! They'll -."
Miranda raised a hand. "And who said I wouldn't go with your brother to the dance?"
"They'll disembowel – what? You'd actually do that?"
"Of course."
I searched her face. It went so easy with her – it was weird. "Okay… thanks, I guess."
Miranda grinned. "My pleasure."
I stood up and smiled quickly, pointing towards the door. "I-I gotta go."
"Ciao Lizzie!" Miranda said to me as I walked out of her room and into the hallway. Confused, I looked down at my untied shoes.
"Okay, what just happened there?" I asked myself.
A/N: I'm really sorry that was so short. I just sort of have a plan, but I can't do it in this chapter… you know what I mean, right? *sigh* seriously, if I could, I would. I hate to see you guys wait… it kills me. *hehe* ya… right…
Lol – anyways, I hoped you liked this chapter. I know Miranda was a little – strange – But, I meant it to be like that. It's all part of my magnificent plan…hahaha…
Please review…. O, and Donzi, ya… we do spill stuff on our keyboards all the time. You happy? rofl. We're freaks – really. Keep reviewing ppl! I'm not done yet! HAHAHA!
Much love to all! ^_^
Tic-Tac ^_~
