Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story except for Zelda.
A/N: Please review. This story's continuation depends on what you, the readers, think. And yes, the character whose point of view it is, their name is in *'s. Oh, and I have no idea if they live anywhere NEAR a Best Buy, but I figure if they live near a mall then they live near a Best Buy. Just me guessing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Suddenly these emotions are in control of my heart.
Can you see it in my eyes?
Every glance, every smile must give me away
And I feel so much I can't hide."
-Christina Aguilera, Obvious
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Lizzie*
I thought I'd miss Rome. I thought that when I got back to Hillridge I would regret my decision to return. After all, I had been offered a record deal if I'd only remain there, and my parents had taken me aside and told me, privately, that it was up to me. But the idea of leaving the city I had grown up in made me sick.
Or the idea of leaving Gordo.
It was so weird. I had grown up with the guy. He was my best friend, the one who had been there for me through everything. He'd comforted me when I'd been dumped by Ronny. He'd helped me become the girl of Ethan's dreams. He'd been stiff competition at the murder mystery party. He'd been a part of every pivotal moment of entire existence. And now…
And now he was all I could think about.
Ugh.
What was I talking about again? Oh. Right. Rome.
Anyway, I don't miss it.
I pounded down the steps and into the kitchen. My mom grinned at me.
"Hey, honey," she said. "I'm going to go to Best Buy. Wanna come?"
Hmm… If I didn't go, I could give Gordo a call and see if he wanted to hang out today. I glanced at the clock. 9:30 a.m. Yeah right. He was far from a morning person, and given the opportunity, would undoubtedly sleep in.
"Sure," I agreed.
So we left as I made a mental note to give Gordo a call when we got back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I'm going to go look at some cameras, okay, Lizzie," my mom asked. I nodded distractedly as I browsed through the DVDs.
"Hey Lizzie."
I glanced up in surprise and saw Larry Tudgeman standing beside me. Behind him was a girl, at least a year-maybe two-older than me. She had dirty blond hair that went to her waist, even as it was pulled into a French braid. Though despite our obvious age difference, she stood at least 5 inches shorter than Tudge.
"Oh, hey," I replied and smiled. After all was set and done, I couldn't help but look at the guy as not half bad. "What are you doing here?"
The girl spoke up. "Looking at speakers. In couple of weeks I might be able to afford some new ones."
Tudgeman glanced back at her, and if I didn't know better, I could have SWORN that the pair shared a smile.
"Well, Lizzie, this is my friend Zelda Carmichael. And Zelda, this is Lizzie."
"Nice to meet you," I said, and she grinned in return.
"Lizzie…McGuire?" she asked.
I looked briefly at Tudgeman before answering, "Yeah. Do I know you?"
"No no no," she responded. "It's just…. My friend has told me so much about you."
Please don't let him still have a crush me.
"Do you live here in Hillridge," I questioned the girl. After all, I had never seen her before, I didn't think, and I'd lived here all my life.
"Yeah. All my life. But we live across town. I only know him-" she gestured to Tudge- "because our fathers work together. You know, company picnics and things."
I nodded.
"That's a good movie," she said suddenly, gesturing to the one in my hand.
'You've Got Mail.'
"One of my favorites," I agreed, replacing it on the shelf. "But my allowance doesn't cover the cost."
"Be careful," she warned, "money shortages can make you do strange things." She turned her attention to the Tudge. "Right, Larry?"
Larry?
He grinned. "That is correct." He then placed his hands on Zelda's shoulders and began gently pulling her away. "Well, this has been fun, but we really need to head over to the computer section. Lizzie, I will probably see you again real soon." He frowned at his friend as they departed.
Mentally, I shrugged. Who'd have guessed that Tudgeman had a girl? Friend or otherwise. Oh well. He was a nice guy. She could do worse.
"Lizzie, you ready," my mom asked, reappearing.
"Yep." I stole a glance at my watch. Right at 11. Much better.
When we arrived home 20 minutes later the phone was ringing.
"Hello," I answered, sticking my tongue out at my mom who had raced me to answer it.
She laughed.
"Hey, Lizzie!" The familiar enthusiastic female voice that met my ears sent a surge of guilt racing into my cheeks. Miranda Sanchez had been my best friend practically my whole life and I hadn't called her once since I'd returned from Rome. It wasn't that I had forgotten about her or anything, it was just… If I spoke to her, I was more than a little likely to disclose my feelings about Gordo.
"Hey, Miranda. I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to call you."
I could practically see Miranda toss aside that comment with a wave of her hand. "No problem. So, how was Rome?"
"All things considered? Only so-so."
"So-so," my best friend shrieked. "What, do you think we don't have televisions out here, or telephones? You sing in front of, like, a 1,000 people, get your picture on the cover of a tabloid, you're practically a double for a famous pop star, and all you can say is that your trip was only so-so?!"
I winced. "You heard about that, huh?"
"Yes, I HEARD about it. I called once while you were away and Matt filled me in. So all this great stuff happened to you and yet you don't sound happy. Is something WRONG?"
I bit my lower lip. This was the reason I hadn't really planned on filling her in on Rome. "Um… not really."
She waited silently.
"I guess… I mean, there's something not really right, either," I found myself continuing.
Silence.
"It's just.. I mean…" I paused. It was harder than I'd imagined. "Miranda, have you ever thought about Gordo as something a little more than Gordo?"
Her voice was soft as she replied, "No, I haven't. I mean, he's always just been a friend for me. Why? Have you?"
I raced ahead. "I don't know! But lately, I think I want to. It's… Everything he does. Like, he always puts others first. And he's so sweet. And, you know, he's really kind of cute. He's just got these really great eyes that can make your heart beat speed up. Miranda, not that I would EVER do this, but if one day, maybe, Gordo and I started going out, how would you feel about it? And be honest."
The long pause on the other end made me nervous, and I began wringing my hands.
Finally: "I would be okay with it."
Joy unlike anything I had experienced since I'd been home filled my heart. "Really? I mean, you wouldn't be mad or anything?"
She laughed. "I would be happy for the both of you. And come on. We're best friend. Practically family. I trust that you wouldn't push me aside."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. And, you know, if I were to take a guess, I'd say that he likes you too."
I grinned. "Kate says he does. She said that everyone knows except me."
"Wow, who'd have guessed that she would be right about something. Go figure that it would happen when I wasn't around to experience this miracle."
"Hey, do you mind if I get going? I'd like to give him a call. I think I want to talk to him about something."
"I'm trusting that you'll call me tomorrow with an update."
"I will," I promised. "First thing in the morning."
"Well, maybe not FIRST thing," she answered quickly. We chuckled.
"Bye, Miranda."
"See ya, Liz."
With that, we hung up, and my hands were shaking with excitement. I was going to tell Gordo I liked him. No. Might as well be honest. That I loved him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: A little hint into the next chapter. Lizzie is going to tell Gordo how she feels. Anyone see a problem with this?
A/N: Please review. This story's continuation depends on what you, the readers, think. And yes, the character whose point of view it is, their name is in *'s. Oh, and I have no idea if they live anywhere NEAR a Best Buy, but I figure if they live near a mall then they live near a Best Buy. Just me guessing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Suddenly these emotions are in control of my heart.
Can you see it in my eyes?
Every glance, every smile must give me away
And I feel so much I can't hide."
-Christina Aguilera, Obvious
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Lizzie*
I thought I'd miss Rome. I thought that when I got back to Hillridge I would regret my decision to return. After all, I had been offered a record deal if I'd only remain there, and my parents had taken me aside and told me, privately, that it was up to me. But the idea of leaving the city I had grown up in made me sick.
Or the idea of leaving Gordo.
It was so weird. I had grown up with the guy. He was my best friend, the one who had been there for me through everything. He'd comforted me when I'd been dumped by Ronny. He'd helped me become the girl of Ethan's dreams. He'd been stiff competition at the murder mystery party. He'd been a part of every pivotal moment of entire existence. And now…
And now he was all I could think about.
Ugh.
What was I talking about again? Oh. Right. Rome.
Anyway, I don't miss it.
I pounded down the steps and into the kitchen. My mom grinned at me.
"Hey, honey," she said. "I'm going to go to Best Buy. Wanna come?"
Hmm… If I didn't go, I could give Gordo a call and see if he wanted to hang out today. I glanced at the clock. 9:30 a.m. Yeah right. He was far from a morning person, and given the opportunity, would undoubtedly sleep in.
"Sure," I agreed.
So we left as I made a mental note to give Gordo a call when we got back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I'm going to go look at some cameras, okay, Lizzie," my mom asked. I nodded distractedly as I browsed through the DVDs.
"Hey Lizzie."
I glanced up in surprise and saw Larry Tudgeman standing beside me. Behind him was a girl, at least a year-maybe two-older than me. She had dirty blond hair that went to her waist, even as it was pulled into a French braid. Though despite our obvious age difference, she stood at least 5 inches shorter than Tudge.
"Oh, hey," I replied and smiled. After all was set and done, I couldn't help but look at the guy as not half bad. "What are you doing here?"
The girl spoke up. "Looking at speakers. In couple of weeks I might be able to afford some new ones."
Tudgeman glanced back at her, and if I didn't know better, I could have SWORN that the pair shared a smile.
"Well, Lizzie, this is my friend Zelda Carmichael. And Zelda, this is Lizzie."
"Nice to meet you," I said, and she grinned in return.
"Lizzie…McGuire?" she asked.
I looked briefly at Tudgeman before answering, "Yeah. Do I know you?"
"No no no," she responded. "It's just…. My friend has told me so much about you."
Please don't let him still have a crush me.
"Do you live here in Hillridge," I questioned the girl. After all, I had never seen her before, I didn't think, and I'd lived here all my life.
"Yeah. All my life. But we live across town. I only know him-" she gestured to Tudge- "because our fathers work together. You know, company picnics and things."
I nodded.
"That's a good movie," she said suddenly, gesturing to the one in my hand.
'You've Got Mail.'
"One of my favorites," I agreed, replacing it on the shelf. "But my allowance doesn't cover the cost."
"Be careful," she warned, "money shortages can make you do strange things." She turned her attention to the Tudge. "Right, Larry?"
Larry?
He grinned. "That is correct." He then placed his hands on Zelda's shoulders and began gently pulling her away. "Well, this has been fun, but we really need to head over to the computer section. Lizzie, I will probably see you again real soon." He frowned at his friend as they departed.
Mentally, I shrugged. Who'd have guessed that Tudgeman had a girl? Friend or otherwise. Oh well. He was a nice guy. She could do worse.
"Lizzie, you ready," my mom asked, reappearing.
"Yep." I stole a glance at my watch. Right at 11. Much better.
When we arrived home 20 minutes later the phone was ringing.
"Hello," I answered, sticking my tongue out at my mom who had raced me to answer it.
She laughed.
"Hey, Lizzie!" The familiar enthusiastic female voice that met my ears sent a surge of guilt racing into my cheeks. Miranda Sanchez had been my best friend practically my whole life and I hadn't called her once since I'd returned from Rome. It wasn't that I had forgotten about her or anything, it was just… If I spoke to her, I was more than a little likely to disclose my feelings about Gordo.
"Hey, Miranda. I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to call you."
I could practically see Miranda toss aside that comment with a wave of her hand. "No problem. So, how was Rome?"
"All things considered? Only so-so."
"So-so," my best friend shrieked. "What, do you think we don't have televisions out here, or telephones? You sing in front of, like, a 1,000 people, get your picture on the cover of a tabloid, you're practically a double for a famous pop star, and all you can say is that your trip was only so-so?!"
I winced. "You heard about that, huh?"
"Yes, I HEARD about it. I called once while you were away and Matt filled me in. So all this great stuff happened to you and yet you don't sound happy. Is something WRONG?"
I bit my lower lip. This was the reason I hadn't really planned on filling her in on Rome. "Um… not really."
She waited silently.
"I guess… I mean, there's something not really right, either," I found myself continuing.
Silence.
"It's just.. I mean…" I paused. It was harder than I'd imagined. "Miranda, have you ever thought about Gordo as something a little more than Gordo?"
Her voice was soft as she replied, "No, I haven't. I mean, he's always just been a friend for me. Why? Have you?"
I raced ahead. "I don't know! But lately, I think I want to. It's… Everything he does. Like, he always puts others first. And he's so sweet. And, you know, he's really kind of cute. He's just got these really great eyes that can make your heart beat speed up. Miranda, not that I would EVER do this, but if one day, maybe, Gordo and I started going out, how would you feel about it? And be honest."
The long pause on the other end made me nervous, and I began wringing my hands.
Finally: "I would be okay with it."
Joy unlike anything I had experienced since I'd been home filled my heart. "Really? I mean, you wouldn't be mad or anything?"
She laughed. "I would be happy for the both of you. And come on. We're best friend. Practically family. I trust that you wouldn't push me aside."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. And, you know, if I were to take a guess, I'd say that he likes you too."
I grinned. "Kate says he does. She said that everyone knows except me."
"Wow, who'd have guessed that she would be right about something. Go figure that it would happen when I wasn't around to experience this miracle."
"Hey, do you mind if I get going? I'd like to give him a call. I think I want to talk to him about something."
"I'm trusting that you'll call me tomorrow with an update."
"I will," I promised. "First thing in the morning."
"Well, maybe not FIRST thing," she answered quickly. We chuckled.
"Bye, Miranda."
"See ya, Liz."
With that, we hung up, and my hands were shaking with excitement. I was going to tell Gordo I liked him. No. Might as well be honest. That I loved him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: A little hint into the next chapter. Lizzie is going to tell Gordo how she feels. Anyone see a problem with this?