Miranda ran with a look of repulsion glued onto her already-weary face. As she reached the door to the main gym, she was disgusted further by the sight of Lizzie and Kate chatting and giggling away.

She fought back tears and pushed open the heavy gym doors, ready for another confrontation. But the sadness dep inside her acted as a restraint. Swallowing her pride, she passed by Lizzie and Kate's table.

And she marched right across the dance floor, watching her feet as she did, making sure no one saw her bloodshot eyes and tear-stained cheeks. She stopped behind someone, took one final breath, and tapped him on the shoulder.

He turned around quickly, interrupting his conversation with someone else. Miranda sniffle.

Cody...would you like to dance?

~~~~~~

Kate sat upright in her chair and babbled on about subjects unknown, facial expressions and hand movements included.

An uh huh would occasionally escape from Lizzie's lips.

Kate took a deep breath to even out her breathing from the heavy excercise of talking.

I'm sorry, she apologized. I'm being so vain.

Uh huh, Lizzie uttered subconciously. Her eyes were transfixed on Miranda, with her fingers interlaced behind Cody Pearson's neck, laughing and flirting. She's acting like such an airhead, Lizzie thought disgustedly.

You're not listening to a word I'm saying. Kate took a bite out of her cookie. Am I right?

Lizzie shook herself out of her trance.



Look, Lizzie, you've got to make up with Miranda sooner or later, Kate stated matter-of-factly.

Oh yeah? Who says? Lizzie said, angrily.

Uh, only the whole world. You guys are always going to be friends. Duh. Kate said it as if it were the most obvious thing. Face it, you can't live without her.

That's why before tonight, I hadn't seen her in 8 years. Because I can't live without her, Lizzie said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

Were you happy? said Kate, raising her eyebrows.

Of course I was happy, Lizzie responded with thinking. But after reviewing the events of the last 8 years: her movie failing, having to stay in New York, going to NYU and having the loudest, most annoying roommate for freshmen year...finding a note in her apartment one day from Kevin saying he couldn't deal with this anymore' and was moving back west'...Fine, Kate, you're right. I wasn't happy in New York, she said ruefully. But what makes you think the only reason I could ever be depressed is because I don't have Miranda?

If it's not about Miranda, who is it about? Kate giggled knowingly. Is this about Gordo?

Lizzie sighed.

Is that all you can say? Kate said, indignantly. Snap out of it, McGuire!

I can't, Kate!' Lizzie choked back tears and spoke hopelessly. Don't you understand? We were friends for almost 16 years, and then I just leave him. He's going to hate me, and I deserve it, because I'm a terrible friend... She shed a tear. He didn't deserve that.

~~~~~~

Miranda flew back to her chair, on cloud nine. She and Cody were cracking up.

And that food fight, oh my gosh, she said in between laughs.

Yeah, that was awesome, he said softly as he chuckled quietly to himself.

As their laughter died down, Miranda struggled to keep the conversation flowing.

she said, awkwardly. How come I never saw you at Hillridge High?

he said, meekly. Well, I went to Jefferson High instead.

said Miranda, unaware that she had just repeated him. Shooting an icy glare in Lizzie's direction, she asked, Did you happen to know a guy named Ronnie Jacobs?

Know him? Cody laughed. He's my best friend.

No way, she spit out. Did he ever metnion a girl named Lizzie McGuire?

he exclaimed. His ex-girlfriend. Said she was a horrible kisser, but really had his eeye on her for a while. They start going out and he talked about her incessantly. Then his ex-girlfriend Melissa came back into town. Lizzie was just sort of a rebound girl. Miranda's eyes bulged out of her head. Yeah, I know I know too much about it. I only had to listen to this pointless story everyday of my high school career.

She patted him on the back.

It'll be okay. He smiled.

So how do you know the infamous Lizzie McGuire?

She's my best friend. Biting her lower lip, she corrected herself. Was my best friend.

~~~~~~

Ethan hunched over the bathroom sink and splashed cool water against his hot face, as if to purge himself of all impurities. But that could never happen. He'd taken advantage of a sullen Miranda, and though he felt sorry for his actions, a simple wouldn't cut it. The note she dropped ravaged any scraps of hope left inside the barrows of his soul. He would've preferred blatant rejection over finding out from a note that he only found by accident. And this wasn't just any girl-- this was Miranda Sanchez, the girl he had secretly yearned for for the past 12 years.

But he was the popular jock, and he needed his beautiful blonde babe to stay that way. Kate was far too cruel for him, especially to Miranda. Lizzie was okay, but she got a little annying sometimes. And all the other girls didn't think they were in his league. Miranda was everything he was looking for in a girl. But by the time he'd lost his popularity and it was okay for him to be near her, Lizzie was gone, Kate wouldn't give him the time of day, and Miranda and Gordo...were getting closer. He was jealous beyond reason.

Ethan shut his eyes tightly and, temporarily, shut out his problems. If only he could get through this night in one piece....

---------------------------------

[A/N: I think they're all feeling that way....

Anyway, I know I said I was going to post this tomorrow, but my buddy Grainne and I are taping our Celebrity Talk Shows. LoL, they are these scripts that Grainne has written, and I host this show and Grainne does impressions of celebrities. Barbara Walters is on every episode so far. She also does impressions of Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden, Jimmy Carter, Steve Irwin...and more. They are so amusing. So that came up, and then I said March 8th but I finished it today (more on that in a minute) and there's no reason in waiting because there's no premiere of anything tomorrow.

It is miraculous that I finished this chapter today. I didn't start writing it until Sunday and I wrote about 50 words then, on Monday I wrote nothing, on Tuesday I wrote 5 words. I was actually about to just say Sorry, I won't be putting up Chapter 14 this week but I was determined! It's been a month since I last updated, heh.

Anyway, do you like this chapter? I like the ending, with Ethan.

Lemme know what you think, yo! Drop me a review. (I'm going ghetto.) Thanks!]