~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Author's Note ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ hey everybody! The song in here is Brittany Spears' Toxic! It's a good song, considering that Spears is an awful singer! Oh my GOSH thanks for all ur reviews! I expected maybe 3 reviews and I got like 9! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Behind Blue Eyes Chapter 3~ The trip of a lifetime

Lizzie lay on her bed staring at the ceiling. It was covered in glow-in-the- dark stickers shaped like stars. They were spread with the lopsided accurateness of an artist, grouped in small formations and circles. Aunt Lindsay had put them up especially for her. When Liz was little she used to love the stars and the way they glowed, like little angels watching over her. She averted her eyes from the stars and looked out the window. The waves were gently lapping the shore, while a cool breeze ruffled the trees outside. Her pajamas were making her sticky. The navy blue Capri bottoms were loose and cottony around her legs. The top was a rather large baseball jersey with the name Gordon across the back. She had barrowed it once from Gordo before they left for Rome. He told her to keep the shirt as a present. Despite the heat, Lizzie managed to slip into a light sleep.

Tap-tap Tap tap

Liz woke with a start. It was a little after midnight and pebbles were being thrown at her window. She sat up and opened the window, expertly catching the next pebble before it entered the room. Lizzie placed the pebble on her bedside table and climbed out the window. A large elm was growing right next to the glass and she shimmied down the branched and across the small expanse of grass. Slowly unlocking the wooden gate so it wouldn't creak, she stepped on the sand. There was no chance that Lindsay but Matt might. He had flown in that day and needed his rest.

David stood on the sand in a white t-shirt and khaki shorts. He smiled at her, and Lizzie remembered her phone conversation with Miranda.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I talked to your Aunt!" Miranda had said casually, "She said that a really cute boy had a major crush on you! What's his name?"

"I don't know! She must have been talking about David! He's the only guy I've met so far!" Lizzie had mused.

"Well do you like him?" Miranda had squealed.

Lizzie had been silent for a moment, "Randa, you know that I love Gordo, I just don't think I'm over him yet! Dave's a nice guy, but he reminds me a lot of Gordo and I'm not sure if I can handle that just yet!" she finally blurted into her friend's sigh.

Miranda smacked her forehead with her fist, 'does she not know that David is Gordo?' she thought, knowing it wasn't her place to tell Liz that.

"Look I got to go!" she said instead and hung up.

'What the heck was that about?' Lizzie thought before putting down the phone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ End Flashback ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She looked at Dave and smiled, He was hot! Very hot! And maybe the fact that he reminded her of Gordo was a good thing. She could always get over Gordo and go for him.

"I didn't see you along the boardwalk today!" he muttered, his blush evident even in the dark light. "I was hoping that we could watch the fireworks together!"

"Fireworks?" Lizzie wondered aloud. "Why fireworks?"

David glanced at her as though she was crazy, "Uh-" he stuttered. "Today is the fourth of July! Well yesterday was!"

'The fourth of July!' Lizzie understood but she had another question, "Why did you wake me now?" she asked while Dave blushed even darker.

"Well they do a morning production at 1 on the fifth! If you want to come with me, we have 20 minutes!" He shuffled his feet in the sand and Liz noticed that they were both barefoot. She would have 'summer feet' before she knew it!

Lizzie reached for the boy's hand and practically dragged him along the beach. He looked sort of confused but soon they picked up the pace and strolled up to the boardwalk. Neither of them noticed that their hands were still clasped tightly by their sides, their fingers laced.

There were lots of teens along the walk, holding hands, making out, and eating ice cream. David pulled Lizzie around a group of punks dying their hair with Kool-Aid. They were talking in loud voices, uttering obscenities at each other while a tall guy listened to a discman. He winked at Liz and she walked a little faster.

As the two came around an ice-cream parlor, Liz ran smack into a boy of about fourteen. His hair was gently spiked, not with gel, but with lack of sleep. His brown eyes stared out at the ocean and he was yawning. His white t-shirt and blue shorts were on the baggy side but Lizzie knew him instantly.

"Matt!" she hissed reaching for her brother's arm, "What are you doing here?"

"Same thing you are!" Matthew McGuire replied, looking lazily around him, "Waiting for the fireworks!" his smile widened, "Is this David?" he asked casually, winking at the Dave. If Lizzie had turned she would have seen the warning glance that passed between the two boys.

"Yeah!" she answered suspiciously, glaring at her pesky sibling.

"Aunt Linds wasn't lying when she said that there was something going on between the two of you!" he chuckled and moved away from his sister, disappearing into the crowd.

Liz shook her head apologetically, "Sorry about that! My brother and my aunt think we're dating!" she blushed and looked away from his amused smile,

"That's okay!" he whispered quietly and kept staring at her.

The fireworks began as small explosions of color that quickly became sonic booms of the rainbow. The ocean reflected each array of gunpowder that illuminated the sky and the moon was given a pinkish glow. The crowd gradually thinned until Liz and David were the only two left standing on the beach. Even Matt had turned in early, eager to call Miranda and tell her what he's noticed about the two. Her plan seemed to be working even though Lizzie didn't recognize Gordo. It wasn't hard to miss the old friend that they had used to know and love.

The last firework disappeared into the dark and Liz found herself leaning back against David's chest. Something made her feel safe leaning against him in the early morning darkness. The warmth from his body however, couldn't stop the shiver from running up her spine. He pulled away from her and turned her around to look at him.

"Look Liz, I have to go up North for about a week. I was wondering if you and your brother could come with me for the trip?" David's eyes pleaded and Liz felt her heart stir. Forget Gordo, she could have David!

"I'd love to but I'll have to check with Lindsay first! Matt will probably have to tag along to make sure nothing goes wrong." Liz blabbered until a warm hand covered her mouth.

"Okay!" David whispered, laughing at the blond's antics, "If she says yes, I'll pick you up at 7 am! Here let me walk you home!"

They stared into each other's eyes for a moment before heading back along the water. The tide was slowly coming in and Liz squealed every time the water sloshed past her feet. It was colder than the Pacific, the sun hadn't warmed it too much and it felt like ice against the skin. The couple passed several houses with lights on listening to snippets of conversation. The house next door to Lizzie's was playing music out an open window. The song Lizzie had heard the night before played softly into the night.

"Want to dance?" Dave asked, wrapping his arms around her waist. He laid his head on her neck, against her shoulder and sighed. "Five for Fighting is a great band! They really target the important views on life!" he whispered as they swayed back and forth, until the last chorus of "a hundred years to live" died away. David walked Lizzie to the back door and looked her in the eyes.

"By the way, did I tell you that I really like your baseball jersey!" with that said, he leaned down and gently pressed his lips against hers in a sweet, yet passion filled kiss.

Lizzie couldn't put her finger on the reason, but she felt herself kiss him back. Tingles flew all around her body and she shivered involuntarily against his mouth. There was something about the feeling that she remembered. Not just the feeling that she was kissing someone she loved, but the feel of David lips felt strangely familiar.

Smiling she pulled back and opened the door before slipping inside. Matt was standing inside the doorway with a large smirk on his face and the phone in his hand.

"No Mom," he sneered into the receiver, "She just finished kissing him and walked in the door!" Lizzie sucked in her breath and started towards the stairs, "Sure you can talk to her!" Matt chuckled and tossed the phone towards his sister, she caught it easily and lifted it to her ear.

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Lizzie was packed and waiting at seven the next day. She was surprised that her mom had agreed so readily. She didn't even ask specifics about David. It was as though he was a life long friend that she trusted with her life. Lindsay had been no trouble while half asleep. She had mumbled something along the lines of

"Yeah, gwo awaynow!"

Lizzie smiled at the thought of her gullible Aunt. Matt was on guard duty by the door, waiting for the red hummer to pull into the driveway. He was dressed in baggy, jean shorts that fell past his knees and a red muscle shirt; Lizzie loved her brother dearly but was glad that he had bailed on the trip. She had some time to be alone with David.

She patted her hair one more time and felt the nimble fingers braiding her pigtails. Lindsay was standing behind her and already had one braid finished. The gold braid complimented her outfit perfectly. The pleated, denim, mini skirt that Lindsay had bought for her, showed off a lot of her smooth, tan legs. Her white, spaghetti strap, tank top clung closely to her perfect curves. She wore a pink checked, unbuttoned blouse over top of the tank and she looked stunning. Lindsay finished the second braid and secured it with a hot pink elastic band. Lizzie's pumas were white with pink stripes running along the sides.

The hummer pulled into the driveway and David came to the door for her. She carried her small duffel to the car and he helped her into the passenger side. Dave had been staring at her for a while and finally pulled his eyes away and started the radio. Toxic came floating through the speakers, Lizzie started to sing along, receiving admiring glances from the boy.

"With a taste of your lips I'm on a ride

You're toxic, I'm slippin' under

With a taste of a poison paradise

I'm addicted to you

Don't ya know that your toxic?

And I love what ya do

Don't ya know that your toxic?"

She sang, hitting every note perfectly and making Brittany Spears sound like an inexperienced kindergartener. David glanced at her again. She was beautiful even when she wasn't trying to be. Lizzie noticed his glance and she bit her bottom lip. David felt his heart beat quicken and it took all of his resolve to not press the gas peddle against the floor. If only she knew who he really was, he would kiss her forever.

"Was I that bad?" Lizzie giggled. David had been staring at her since she got in the car, glancing at the road only every now and then.

"You were wonderful!" he whispered and changed lanes to get on the Jersey Turnpike. "We have about 2 hours drive!" he stated, his voice coming back to its normal pitch.

Lizzie smiled at him and he felt his heart melt like butter in the sun. The rest of the trip went quietly. Lizzie had pulled out a book and was engrossed in "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" and barely noticed when the car turned off of the highway and onto a small road. The sign said Shadybrook Lane across from the turnoff was a large lake and boathouse. The road went slightly uphill and curved to the right. The first turn was Marion and Dave turned the car along the road. There were kids playing in almost every yard. Cats were lounging on porches and invisible and visible fences held dogs in the yards. The car rolled up a small, gravely, driveway and David hopped out.

"This is my REAL house!" he explained as he opened her door and helped her out. "The summer house is the one in Ocean City, I really live her in Princeton. Courtney, the girl you met on the plane lives two houses down." He pointed and closed the door behind her making sure the lock clicked.

He led her up the driveway, waving and calling "hello"s to all sorts of children shouting his name. He pulled a key ring out of his deep pocket and opened the door. The guestroom was the first room at the top of the stairs. Liz settled in and looked around. She carefully hung everything in a white closet and sat on the bed.

A large golden retriever bounded into the room and hopped up on the bed. The dog set to sniffing Lizzie's hands and licking her arms. The collar said, Lizzie and Liz(the girl) looked at the ball of fluff.

"So we have the same name huh?" she wondered aloud and got up to find David.

She searched around, and finally found her way into his room. The walls had pictures of him and his dog. Liz(the dog) had followed her into the room and curled up in his closet. David's room wasn't dirty, it was, in fact, a lot like Gordo's room used to be. Lizzie let curiosity take over her. She walked around the room, pausing to look and touch certain objects. Something caught her eye, it was a photograph, framed in a beautiful carved heart. She gasped and took a step backwards, nearly tripping over the dog, which had emerged from the closet.

It was a class photo from Hill Ridge, California. The kids were about thirteen, everyone looked their best and everyone was smiling. Everyone that is, except for a blond girl on the end of the second row. She had her lips pressed against the cheek of a young boy. A boy with dark curly hair , deep blue eyes and a very goofy grin on his face. Gordo!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Author's Note ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I just write and you review, so an update I can do!

© Ilona (Thewerret) 2004

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