Disclaimer: I own my computer. That's it. Everything else in my room someone bought for me. I'm so loved.

A/N: I forgot to mention, about the last scene in chapter three. I know that a lot of people were not entirely pleased, but you've got to understand. I had some things I wanted to put in that Larry and Zelda did in Best Buy, and the transition would not have been good at all if I hadn't put in her side of the convo with Lizzie. So, sorry, for those I irritated. ALSO… I know that Lizzie comes off a bit immature in this episode, but she's not that different in the show. But don't worry, just like in the show, she'll grow.

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"Looking back over the years
Of all the things I've always meant to say
But the words didn't come easily.
So many times through empty fears
Of all the nights I tried to pick up the phone
So scared of who might be answering."

-Reba MacEntire, The Heart Won't Lie

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*Lizzie*

I had been staring at the phone for 20 minutes and still hadn't made a final decision. I knew what I had to do. The thing that had been on the back of my mind for my entire life, it felt like. I had to tell him. But it felt so unbelievably selfish. As if to say, "Well, I'm going to take OUR friendship by the horns, possibly destroy it, but it's okay. Because there's a POSSIBILTY that you might like me back."

Ugh. I hate myself.

Of course, in my own defense, it was slightly more than a possibility. The signs that his feelings were mirror images of my own were abundant. There were little things, like the message in my yearbook, the gentle way he'd informed me, "I like it when you laugh." And more obvious hints. Like when Kate had told me.

Okay, okay, so I'm not exactly a master of perception.

Gordo likes me.

I can't say that enough.

"Gordo likes me," I repeated, this time aloud, just to how it would sound. Beautiful. Simply beautiful.

"About time you realized it," Matt muttered irritably, stepping into the kitchen.

I froze, flush rising into my cheeks. "Matt, get out of here!"

He rolled his eyes, and grabbed an apple. "It's my house too."

I opened my mouth to tell him exactly what I thought of his nosiness, when the phone rang, startling me.

"Hello," Matt answered, chewing on his bite. "Yeah, hang on." He passed me the phone. "It's the boy that LIKES you."

I glared at my brother as he left the room and, with a trembling hand, took the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, Lizzie."

Okay, sit. Before your legs cave.

I swallowed, the blood rushing from my hands. Inwardly, I was already running the words through my mind. 'Gordo, I like you.' In for a penny, 'Gordo, I love you.'

"Hey," was all that I could manage to choke out.

"You okay," he questioned.

"Fine."

I could hear the hacky sac in the background, bouncing off his foot. "Listen, Lizzie, can I ask you something, as my best friend."

I smiled, pleased. "Of course."

"Anything?"

"Anything."

"Do you think I'm attractive?"

Okay, what kind of question is that? "Of course I do." And where's the Gordo I used to know that didn't care what people thought of him?

I could hear the surprise on his side of the line as he said, "Really?"

I laughed. "Yes, Gordo. You're… Very attractive." My voice warmed as I said the words.

He continued. "Because some girl at Best Buy today actually picked ME up."

My eyebrows shot up as my heart twisted fearfully. "Picked you up as in… Like, hit on you?"

"I couldn't believe it either."

I struggled for control. Gordo was hardly one to go chasing after the first girl he saw. This was, after all, MY frog. I knew him better than anyone.

"So," I asked, fighting to sound relaxed. "What happened?"

He paused, and a slow realization began to dawn on me. I remembered Kate's words from what seemed like so long ago. "Maybe he's just tired of being a doormat."

"I just gave her a call. We're going to see a movie tonight."

"Tonight? As in, this night?"

I wondered briefly if my voice was indeed as high as it sounded.

There was a long silence. Then, "Yeah. I mean, is there any reason I SHOULDN'T go out with her?"

I wanted to tell him. My bones were aching to get it off my chest, to talk about it, work through it together. And maybe, just maybe, start a relationship with the single most important person I've ever known. But anger, jealousy found its way to my lips.

"No reason I can think of."

He sighed and guilt poured through my veins.

"Okay, then. I guess I'll let you go."

'No!' my mind shouted. 'Just do it. Tell him how you feel and be done with the whole thing. He'll forget this girl he just met today, and you'll get together and it'll be great.'

"Okay," I finally agreed after hesitating. Then something hit me. "Wait!"

"What?"

"Did you say you were at Best Buy today?"

"Yeah. Looking at computer speakers," he replied. "Why?"

Computer speakers. There was just no way. But none the less… "What did you say the girl's name is?"

"I didn't say. But it's Zelda."

With that he hung up, but I continued to stand there, phone in hand. He had been there while I was. If I'd seen him… Well, okay, I wouldn't have told him THERE, but I would have alluded to it. Told him that I needed to talk to him seriously about something. I could have beaten Zelda to the punch, had him to my self, maybe. But I'd missed him. How had I not seen him? How had I not noticed their family's car outside?

Well, no, not this time. I had stepped aside quietly for Brooke, but not anymore. Gordo was mine. He loved me, and I loved him and we BELONGED together. He and I.

I slammed the phone back down and raced upstairs to my room, pulled out my address book. I flipped through it until I found the T's and then retrieved the cordless. Taking a deep breath, I dialed the number on the page, and tapped my foot anxiously as it rang.

"She's your friend, Larry," I muttered as it continued to ring. "You get her away from the guy I love."

"Tudgeman residence," came the familiar masculine voice.

I wrung my hands nervously. "Larry?" I decided to use his real name in an effort to win him over to my side.

"Lizzie!" He wasn't at all surprised. He'd said my name loudly, yes, but it was almost as though he'd been expecting my call. I wondered, briefly, why.

"Larry… Listen, Larry… What's the deal with your friend?"

"My friend?" His voice was carefully passive.

"Right. You know, Zelda."

"Oh… Okay. What about her?"

"Did you know she's going out with Gordo?" I hadn't meant to sound that harsh, but I couldn't curb my anger.

"I know, yes."

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" I was shaking so badly I could barely hold the phone. My fingers were ice cold.

There was a short silence before he returned. "I want my friend to be happy. Don't you want the same for yours?"

If I had thought his question was rhetorical, I was very mistaken.

"Lizzie?"

"Of COURSE I want him to be happy," I snapped. "THAT is not the point."

"What IS the point," he questioned, his tone dropping to a soft, kind, sympathetic murmur.

"The POINT… The POINT… What do you think you know anyway?"

Silence.

"Well, whatever you think you know, you're wrong. Let's get that straight right now. I do NOT…. I mean, I considered-but no."

Wow, I was making so much sense.

"Look, forget I called, alright?" I sighed.

He cleared his throat. "You're sure there was NOTHING else you wanted to talk about?"

I'm not an idiot. I knew what he believed about my feelings for Gordo, what everyone believed, really. But I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of being able to turn to his precious Zelda and say, "Well, you stole away the guy she loves."

Okay, so I don't really think Larry's like that. And, so, fine, I doubt Zelda would continue this whole thing if she knew how I felt about Gordo.

But I didn't care. I'd had enough humiliation for one day.

"I've got to go," I mumbled into the phone, and hung up.

I stared at my surroundings, before the tears could fall, rushed into my room and collapsed on the bed.