Welcome back, thanks so much to everyone who's reviewed! Lola, Gordo blushed with the kiss, and said he had to come up with a reason why he had the rose. VaSinFlor wow, bets! Lol, that keeps it interesting. Keep reading! Everyone else, thanks so much and read on! Please read and review! *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Friday morning arrived with a bang as Lizzie reached over to shut off her alarm clock and fell with a thump onto the floor. With a low moan, she pulled her bruised body off the floor. She ran a hand through her tousled hair.
A smile tugged at her lips as she looked over and saw the gown hanging in the closet. A small surge of happiness rippled through her. Tonight was the dance, would she win a crown?
Her smile died away as she turned pulled a pair of jeans out of her dresser then selected a button down navy shirt. She quickly ran into the shower, then came out drying her hair in a towel. She wasn't going to use any hair products on her hair since she wanted it to be easy for the stylist to fashion. She grabbed a comb and slid it through her hair.
Staring into the mirror, she refused to think about anything other than the positive outcomes of the night.
She struggled into her outfit for the day and felt a comforting sense wash over her as she thought about Gordo. Though his ankle would hinder his dancing, it still meant a lot to know that she would have him by her side.
Once she got out of school, it was straight to the salon to get her hair fixed, then the florist to pick up Gordo's flower, then home to change, where Gordo was supposed to meet her, then Miranda would join them and they'd leave for the dance. It was amazing how simplistic the plans seemed, and how quickly they could become complicated.
There was a knock on her door and her brother peered around the corner. He let out a loud scream then quickly covered his mouth with his hand. "Oh, sorry it's just you," he smirked mischievously.
"What do you want?" she asked, rolling her eyes.
"Mom said to come on downstairs for breakfast."
Lizzie nodded with a final glance in the mirror, then she grabbed her backpack and keys then followed him down the stairs.
She walked quickly towards her normal place, but instead of seeing the bowl of cereal, she saw a card sized envelope.
"It was left on the door," Jo smiled, sitting down the milk, then turning towards the stove.
Lizzie turned over the envelope in her hands. Her name was hand written on the front in large block letters. She wanted to fling the letter away from her, she wanted to rip in up and tear it into pieces. But she didn't do either. She picked up the butter knife and slid it along the top.

Her fingers pried along the smooth surface and she finally pulled out the card. She was puzzled as the outside was a photograph, made to look like a classic with a young light headed girl holding a single rose. The rose bud was the only feature of the card in color and it stood out in vibrant blood red. She flipped open the card and tried to hide her surprise from her family.
Obviously, it was from the same person. Another small stack of black and whites lay inside the card. She felt her heart quicken as she flipped frantically through, praying that the final pictures wouldn't be a reminiscent of what she'd seen last time. But no, these pictures were different. They were all of her. Her posing in front of the mirror, her walking down the street, her getting into her car. Lizzie pulled her attention away from the pictures and to the card. 'Good luck, tonight. You'll need it,' the ominous message promised.
With great restrain, she placed the card back it he envelope then calm tried to eat her breakfast. When she was to the point where it seemed as though any more food would force her to being sick, she excused herself from the table and quickly went out to her car.
The drive to school she struggled for control of her thoughts. Her mind was fully aware of the present danger and had no intentions of allowing it to be ignored, but her subconscious struggled for peace and happiness and tried desperately to think of only cheerful thoughts.
After parking the car, she ran up the lot and to her usual meeting place with Miranda and Gordo who were already there. She thrust the envelope forward waiting for someone to take it. She didn't say anything, it was self explanatory.
Gordo sighed as he flipped through the pictures. "Doesn't give up does he?"
Lizzie looked down at the ground. "I don't know if it's Ronnie."
"What?" Miranda demanded. "What about the episode at Larry's?"
"I don't think he's working alone," she began, then she proceeded to describe the over head conversation from yesterday. "So, Ethan and Kate were at the mall, and Ethan was having second thoughts about someone."
"So, basically, what you're saying, is you being nominated has managed to piss Kate Sander off enough that she would employee your ex- boyfriend, who never knew Kate, and her own boyfriend, to stalk you?" Gordo asked skeptically.
Lizzie sighed. "No, that's not what I'm saying."
"Then enlighten me, what are you saying?"
"I don't know. They have to be working together! Why else would everything happen the way it is?"
Miranda leaned up, raising her eyebrows quizzically. "Have you ever thought to ask Ronnie what the hell he was doing?"
Lizzie turned to Miranda with a look of disbelief across her face. "You're kidding right?"
"And, Ronnie isn't here," Gordo stated.
Lizzie whirled around to face him. "What are you talking about?"
"I was in the Dean's office yesterday, and he wasn't there yesterday, or today," he stated.
Miranda smiled broadly. "That means he can't come to the dance. And that means you get to have a free time tonight."
Lizzie smiled and took a deep breath. She didn't really believe her friend. But if that would help her friend to ease up and have a good time, then she would pretend that she believed it also.
The warning bell roused them all, and they started towards their lockers. Lizzie hung back, her heart swelling with pride and adoration for her friends, who would stick by her through everything.
"Lizzie!" A tense voice called.
She turned and her jaw involuntarily dropped. "Larry, what happened?" she exclaimed.
He hurried towards, his brown hair was in its usual disarray, but his face was what had caught her attention. A large bandage across his forehead, around it she could see the darkened edges of a bruise. His eye looked swollen, and his lip had been busted. Several scrapes adorned his pale chin.
"That guy, Ronnie, he came back to my house last nights. My parents were out. Lizzie, he's crazy! He said you were his, and only his. He said if I ever came near you again, he'd kill me!"