Lock The Door by cosmiclight written 8/17/03
PROLOGUE
I can't believe it. After nearly six long years I've finally worked up the courage to do it. It really seems silly in hindsight. I mean, I'm fairly certain she likes me too. And what's the worst that can happen? She'll say no? Run away? Cry? Vomit? No, if she doesn't want to go, she'll just say no. And that will be that. Either way, I've got to find out. I've waited too long already. I, David Zephyr Gordon, am about to ask my best friend Lizzie McGuire, (who just happens to be the most beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes on), to the prom. I really don't believe I've worked up the nerve to ask her. Perhaps I'm just fed up with myself. Fed up with trying to pretend it doesn't bother me to hear her swoon over her flavor of the week. Fed up with looking at her day after day, with that hair and those eyes; and those particularly low setting Levi's I've grown quite fond of. Fed up with telling myself that it's no use. That she'd never go for me. Well, it's time to stop thinking with my brain and start thinking with my. well, something else anyway. And maybe, just maybe, she feels the same way for me too. Wish me luck.
CHAPTER I
"I can't believe you're gonna miss the prom. THE PROM!! What's the point of me even going if my best friend isn't gonna be there?" sighed a frazzled Lizzie McGuire.
Miranda Sanchez smiled weakly. "It's not like there's anything I can do about it. I have to go. It's our annual family reunion. And it just happens to be in Mexico City, on the very same weekend as the most important formal dance of our young lives."
"Well", Lizzie began feeling a little guilty. "It's really not as important as all that. It just won't be the same without you."
"I'll live. Besides", mused Miranda, "I can think of a really good reason for you to go, and he's walking this way right now".
Lizzie followed Miranda's gaze toward the double doors of Hillridge High from which her other best friend David Gordon had just emerged.
Lizzie breathed in ward and felt her stomach flip-flop a little. This was happening more and more lately. Gordo had definitely grown up a lot in the past four years. Both literally and figuratively. Though still not a particularly tall person he had a few inches on both Lizzie and Miranda. He still had that unruly dark hair that refused to look anything but tousled at best. And he still had that adorable smile that made him look so, well, adorable.
Looks aside, Gordo really seemed to loosen up over the years. Especially since he got accepted to NYU film school. He seemed more at ease with himself. It was this newfound assuredness that made him much more attractive to Lizzie over the past few months.
"Hey guys" he greeted as he smiled at the two girls.
"Hey Gordo" they replied.
Gordo smiled at the both of them, his gaze lingering on Lizzie for an extra moment , shifting it when her eyes met his.
"Uh, sorry but I actually have to go. I need to talk to my advisor about a transcript. I'll see you guys at lunch."
Lizzie and Miranda exchanged as amused look as Gordo brushed past them awkwardly bumping into Lizzie.
She giggled. "See you later Gordo."
CHAPTER II
Lizzie was just walking to her locker after third period to throw her books in and head toward the courtyard for lunch. She reached into her jacket pocket for her lip gloss and pulled out, along with the shiny pink tube, a neatly folded piece of paper in the shape of a square. Inside was a short note that read:
Lizzie,
Meet me in room 343 at 3:45 today.
Come alone.
-Gordo
Lizzie read the note about five times before saying "Come alone?" Smiling she shoved the note back in her pocket and made her way toward the courtyard.
At 3:35, when the last bell of the day had rung, Gordo jumped up from his seat in AP Physics, ran all the way up to the third floor, sat down, and crossed his fingers.
At exactly 3:45 Lizzie walked in and smiled. "Come alone? What's the big secret Gordo?" She looked amused.
Gordo blushed a little when he saw her. He forgot she had gym last period. She was wearing a hot pink sports bra covered (just barely) by a white tank top, and powder blue gym shorts with Hillridge High emblem and sneakers. Her hair had been pulled up in a ponytail, but pieces had fallen out and fell around her face and neck. He skin still glistened a little from sweat, and face was only slightly flushed.
Lizzie suddenly noticed Gordo staring at her. (She had been staring back.) "What? Your note said 3:45. I didn't have time to change" she said biting her lower lip nervously.
Gordo smiled. "Lock the door", he said.
Lizzie, puzzled turned the lock on the knob of the door, and turned back to Gordo. "So what's up?"
"Uh-", he started, "I didn't mean to be so.dramatic, but I needed to get you alone to do this, I mean, well, I needed to ask you , that is, I was hoping."
Lizzie took a hold of his hand. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"N-nothing", he stammered. "Everything's." he looked into her eyes, "wonderful".
They both smiled nervously and Lizzie could feel her face growing red.
"So, you wanted to ask me something?" she said hopefully.
"Yeah, well, I feel silly about the whole thing now. But I just wanted to, you know, take you to the prom."
Lizzie smiled. "Okay".
Gordo, whose gaze was averted from her, snapped back. "You will? You mean you'll go?"
"Sure, why not? I mean, you're my best friend, and I don't have a date, so this works out perfectly. It completely takes the awkwardness away. You know the whole pressure of an actually date's off."
"Oh yeah", Gordo's face fell. "Absolutely, you read my mind."
"Well, great. I really need to get going to the Digital Bean to meet my study group, and I still need to shower off. Call me later okay?" And with that she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and skipped out the door, (not without, of course, first tripping into it forgetting it was locked).
Gordo sighed and sat back on the tops of one of the desks touching the place on his cheek where Lizzie kissed him.
CHAPTER III
That evening after a short conversation with Gordo, which ended when he said that there was an old episode of Iron Chef on that he really needed to watch, Lizzie called Miranda.
"Lizzie", Miranda sounded exasperated. "Why do you think he was so nervous? Are you really that blind? He hasn't exactly been subtle."
"You mean, you really think he still has feelings for me?"
"Miranda slapped her head. "Duh!"
"I'll call you back."
But she didn't. She spent the rest of the evening going over the day's events in her mind. She knew Gordo liked her, but she was still unsure of her feelings for him. And with prom night being only a few days away, she had a lot to think about.
CHAPTER IV
On the day preceding the prom, Gordo went to the florist to pick up a corsage, and then called Lizzie to confirm the time he would pick her up. Later he went to his uncle Miran's antique car dealership. Good ol' uncle Miran was actually letting him borrow a fully refurbished 1941 Rolls Royce for the big night. All he had to do was swear on the lives of his unborn children that the car would be returned to him unharmed and he was set to go.
That night, at eight o'clock sharp, Gordo rang the McGuire's doorbell, and was greeted warmly by Mrs. McGuire with Mr. McGuire calling up to Lizzie that "Her date is here".
Gordo smiled at them, and then nearly passed out when Lizzie appeared at the top of the stairs.
Lizzie smiled shyly and then made her way down toward Gordo, who moved to the edge of the staircase to meet her.
"Let's give them a minute" said Mr. McGuire to his wife and he steered her into the kitchen.
Gordo was tying the corsage of yellow roses to Lizzie's wrist, which contrasted beautifully with her slightly tanned skin.
"You look so beautiful" he said.
"Thanks" she replied smiling.
She was wearing a mint green halter top gown that went all the way to the floor, with an open back. She wore a sparkly bracelet of green and white rhinestones that matched her earrings and her rhinestone studded, but delicate shoes.
"So do you" she went on.
Gordo was wearing a black tuxedo with diamond cufflinks his dad had loaned him for the evening. His hair was a mess as usual.
As they stood at the base of the staircase, staring at each other Mr. and Mrs. McGuire walked back in and started snapping pictures.
After about 30 minutes and 100 poses later, Gordo and Lizzie were riding in the beautiful Rolls Royce bound for the coliseum that had been rented for the evening.
They didn't stay long. They socialized, danced, and managed to loosen up and have fun. Lizzie even got Gordo to dance to something other than a slow song. Kate Sanders was prom queen, and Ethan Craft was prom king. ("Big surprise there" mused Gordo.)
At about 10:30, they left and stopped a few after-prom parties. Finally, Gordo drove them to his house. It was about two in the morning.
"If we're quiet, we won't wake my parents. Come on." He took Lizzie by the hand and led her to his room. Once there, he closed the door and Lizzie plopped down on his bed. They talked for a while about the prom and the upcoming graduation. They laughed and it felt like old times, when things were a lot simpler.
After a while, Lizzie sighed. "I guess I better be getting home."
"Yeah, okay, well let's go." He tried to sound casual but he seemed as if he was holding something back.
He made his way to the door and was just about to open it when he felt a tap on his shoulder.
He turned around and was dangerously close to this beautiful girl. "What?" he asked, his voice almost a whisper.
"Just." Lizzie hesitated, then leaned in, put her hand on the back of Gordo's head, and kissed him softly. He was so surprised by this that it took him a moment to kiss her back. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him.
Lizzie pulled away suddenly and smiled, a twinkle in her eye.
She licked her lips rather seductively.
"Lock the door" she whispered.
Gordo smiled back, and as he pulled her into another kiss, her reached behind himself and turned the lock on his bedroom door. As they moved toward his bed, late as it was, they knew it would be a long night.
END
