Chapter 19

"I...I...uh...I..."

Gordo was sweating.

GORDO'S POV

This was not happening. How could this possibly be happening? Gordo? In a play? Opposite...her? Oh my God. Oh my God, this can't be happening. This is a joke. That's it. This is a joke. No one would ever want me to be in a play. I'm a future director, not an actor. I'm meant to be behind the scenes, not performing them! A joke. Ha. Someone must have remembered the third grade pageant. Ethan. He was the one I puked on. He's probably hiding backstage, about to jump out and yell 'Gotcha!' Wait a sec. Everyone's...looking at me...

END OF GORDO'S POV

"I..I...uh...I..."

"Well, Mr. Gordon?"

Gordo turned. He saw Lizzie looking at him with a bewildered look on her face. 'This isn't a joke. Great. Well,' he thought, 'this'll be a good way to prove that I'm over her. No one will be able to tease me now about liking Lizzie once they see how indifferent I am to being her lover in the play.' He cleared his throat.

"Sure, Mr. Dig, I'll do it."

Mr. Dig sighed with relief. "Mr. Gordon, you just saved all of our butts. Thank you. Okay, people, I'm giving you all ten minutes to get yourselves situated, then we are going to begin. Mr. Gordon? Miss McGuire? Can I speak with the two of you?"

Lizzie looked over at Gordo. He was her Demetrius now.

::Cartoon Lizzie:: (with hand dramatically over her eyes) Goodbye Ethan. Goodbye Shakespearean love.

Goodbye-

"Miss McGuire?"

Lizzie shot up, composed herself, and walked over to Gordo and Mr. Dig.

"Okay, now I know this is going to prove to be somewhat of a daunting task, but I have faith in you, Mr. Gordon. And Mr. Tudgeman is right. We are extremely lucky that you've been here everyday, even days when you weren't even needed, because...well, now you are needed. Now, it's a good thing you and Miss McGuire are so close and have such great chemistry - it might have been even more difficult if the two of you were uncomfortable with each other or something like that."

::Cartoon Lizzie:: Us? Uncomfortable? Nah.

Mr. Dig continued. "Now, you two are in for quite an undertaking. Pairing up a week before the show will not be easy. Miss McGuire, I expect you to help Mr. Gordon with his lines, blocking, and whatever else he needs. This also means that you two are going to have to rehearse whenever you can - not just in rehearsal. Every spare moment must be spent rehearsing. Understood?"

Lizzie and Gordo both nodded.

"Good. Now, Mr. Gordon, you can use the script for today, but I would really like it if you were off by tomorrow."

"Okay, Mr. Dig." At least he had the script today so he didn't have to look at Lizzie all of the time.

Lizzie walked out of the auditorium to get a soda from the vending machine. Everything was turned around. Miranda wouldn't be here for the next three days. Ethan wasn't her lover anymore. And...Gordo was. Things felt so weird between her and Gordo.

::Cartoon Lizzie:: Why do things have to change?!?! Why can't they stay exactly the same FOREVER?!?!

She felt like she had no one to talk to. Everything seemed different now. As she put her change into the machine, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She felt a surge of happiness wash over her and spun around.

Matt laughed at how quickly his sister's face dropped when she saw it was him, but subtly covered it up with a coughing fit.

"Matt? Are you okay?"

Matt stopped coughing and cleared his throat. "Yeah, I'm fine. Lizzie, do you..." He looked at his sister. He could see how lonely she felt at that moment. "Do you wanna come sit and go over my lines with me? I'm kinda shaky on Act 3 and I could use some help."

Lizzie gawked at him for a minute, then opened her mouth to spit out a nasty comment.

::Cartoon Lizzie:: Hold up, there, McGuire. Matt's being...nice. Maybe he's growing up a little. Give him

a break!

Lizzie closed her mouth and smiled instead. "Sure, Matt. Let's go."

"So, Gor-dork, you finally get to have Loosey be in love with you. Nice change, isn't it?" Kate snickered behind Gordo as he read over his lines with Larry. Everyone was used to Kate being such a witch, but that was the last straw for Gordo.

"Kate, why don't you stop spewing your venom for one minute and listen to me? The only reason nobody questions your popularity is because no one wants to have to deal with you. You're a nasty, evil witch with no friends and because you have no friends, you can't recognize the relationship that Lizzie and I have. She's my best friend, and nothing more, which is more than you'll ever have in your life." And with that, he stormed off, leaving Kate shocked to silence and Larry laughing hysterically.

"Okay people, let's start with Act 2, Scene 1, Demetrius and Helena's entrance."

Lizzie took a deep breath. She wanted to say something to him before they went onstage , something to relieve some of this tension. "Gordo-"

Gordo bounded onstage. "I love thee not, therefore pursue me not."

Lizzie sighed and followed him onstage, saying her line.

"You draw me, you hard hearted adamant; but yet you draw not iron, for my heart is true as steel. Leave you your power to draw, and I shall have no power to follow you."

Gordo stiffened. This was the part that reminded him of Lizzie and Ethan when he had first heard it; how he tells her he does not love her, but she follows him anyway. Lizzie was looking at him...Oh! The line!

"Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair? Or, rather, do I not in plainest truth tell you, I do not nor I cannot love you?"

Lizzie looked at him. Gordo sounded so...harsh. Like he couldn't stand her or something. It tugged at her; something was really wrong, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Gordo was looking at her...Oh! The line!

"And even for that do I love you the more. I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius, the more you beat me, I will fawn on you. Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me, neglect me, lose me; only give me leave, unworthy as I am, to follow you."

Gordo looked at her. Lizzie sounded so...pitiful. Like she couldn't stand being away from him or something. It tugged at him; something was different, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He continued.

"Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit, for I am sick when I do look on thee."

"And I am sick when I look not on you." Tears began streaming down Lizzie's face. She couldn't help it. The fact that Gordo was looking at her like she was a leper didn't help.

::Cartoon Lizzie:: What's wrong with me?!

"Bravo! Mr. Gordon, Miss McGuire- I think this is going to be the beginning of a beautiful relationship!"