[Don't own none o' them!]
Chapter 14
"Psst! Lizzie!" Lizzie turned around. Veruca hissed again. "Lizzie!" She then held out a note to her. Lizzie looked up at her Algebra teacher, Ms. Kenny. She was the strictest teacher in the school. If she got caught with a note, she was a dead man.
::Cartoon Lizzie:: (in camouflage) All clear! Go, go go!!!
Lizzie grabbed the note and opened it.
Deer Lizzie,
I know that you probably have like a millyun offers, but do you want to go to sady hawkins dance with me on Friday?
Ethan
Lizzie's heart fluttered. Ethan Craft just asked her to the Sadie Hawkins Dance. This was a lifetime dream come true. Wait...isn't the girl supposed to ask the boy? She decided to bring that up before answering.
Ethan -
Thanks for asking me. But Sadie Hawkins Dance means the girl asks the guy.
-Lizzie
She passed the note back to Veruca and watched Ethan. He opened the note and read it. It took awhile. Then his eyes got bigger and he turned slightly red. He looked up at Lizzie and mouthed 'Sorry.' She smiled at him and mouthed back, 'It's okay. And yes, I'll go with you.' Ethan's face broke into a huge smile.
::Cartoon Lizzie:: So, I'm actually going to a dance with Ethan Craft. What exactly does this mean? And
why am I so unenthused about it?
"Lizzie!"
It was the end of 1st period. Miranda was waiting for Lizzie at her locker. She looked stunned. "Miranda? Are you okay? Did something happen?"
Miranda held out a piece of paper. "Read this. It was in my bag yesterday after play practice. I forgot to read it until this morning when I found it in my jacket pocket."
Lizzie took the paper and began to read.
My dearest Miranda,
I wish I could tell you this in person, but I can't seem to gather up the courage to do it. I have wanted to tell you for some time now how I feel about you. I think you are the most beautiful person ever to be, much like a perfect rose, each layer as exquisite as the next. Your charm and heart melt me every time you are near and I can't seem to get you out of my mind. Your smile just lights up my life. I ask of you one thing, and one thing only - please ask me to the Sadie Hawkins Dance this week. I know that you don't know who I am, being that I will not sign my name to this letter, but, I think, deep down in your beautiful heart, you do know who I am. Please ask me. Miranda, please grant me this one request and, if you want it, I will never trouble you again. Just to have one evening with you will be enough for me.
My heart is ever at your service.,
Yours Hopefully
Lizzie looked up. "Wow, Miranda..."
Miranda nodded. "I know."
Lizzie continued. "And that last line...my heart is ever at your service...it's beautiful."
"It's from The Life of Timon of Athens. Shakespeare."
Lizzie looked impressed. "Wow. He's using Shakespeare. Well, obviously, he's in the play. Let's narrow it down-"
"Uh, Lizzie? I think I know who it is."
Lizzie started to ask, but then she followed Miranda's gaze to Tudgeman. He was coming out of the science lab, looking down at his feet. Lizzie's mouth dropped open.
"Tudgeman?"
Miranda bristled at Lizzie's tone. "Yes."
"Well, you're not gonna ask him, are you?"
Miranda was starting to get annoyed. "And what if I did?"
"But Randa, why would you-" Lizzie stopped short. All of a sudden, everything clicked. This is what Miranda had been blabbing about the other day when she was busy watching Gordo and Ethan. This is why Tudgeman ran off stage during rehearsal. This is why there was all of that tension-
Miranda marched up to Tudgeman. "Larry," she started boldly, then all of a sudden lost her cool. "Uhh...uhhhh..."
Larry looked at her, petrified. 'This is it,' he thought, 'She knows and now she's gonna make fun of me.' He braced himself, expecting the worst. "Yes, Miranda?" he squeaked out.
"Do you...uhh...would you...do you think...willyougotothedancewithmeonFriday?" she blurted out.
Larry opened his eyes. What just happened?
"Can you kick me?"
Miranda was thoroughly confused. "What?"
"This isn't really- never mind. Forget it. Did you just ask me to the dance?"
MIRANDA'S POV
It was Larry, wasn't it? Oh no. What have I done? I've made a total fool out of myself. It wasn't him. Oh my God, it wasn't him. What do I do now?
END OF MIRANDA'S POV
"I uhh...I...ummm..."
Lizzie watched from her locker. Poor Miranda. She looked terrified.
::Cartoon Lizzie: (holding a glass up to a wall) Talk louder, I can't hear ANYTHING!!!
"I...uhhh...well, I..."
"Miranda?"
Miranda looked into Tudgeman's eyes. "Y-y-yes, Larry?"
He smiled. "Thank you. My heart is ever at your service."
Miranda smiled back at him.
News travels fast. By the time 3rd period rolled around, Gordo had heard about both of his best friends' dates. One just baffled him; the other killed him. What should he do? Ask some girl that he didn't care about just to watch Lizzie dance with Ethan the whole night? 'Forget it,' he thought to himself, 'I'm not going to the stupid dance.'
