A/N – "Thoughts"

Chapter 2 – Can't Hide For Forever

It was Monday and Gordo was walking through the halls of Hill Ridge High School, heading towards his locker. It was lunchtime and before he headed to the cafeteria, he wanted to switch books.

Reaching his locker, he quickly spun in the combination and opened it. As he was exchanging books, he heard a familiar voice giggle. Slowly looking over his shoulder and down the hall, he spotted Miranda.

He stared at her for a few moments. She had been avoiding him all day and he couldn't figure out why. If they just hadn't been in the same place, he wouldn't have noticed. But she had literally turned around and walked away from him this morning.

Gordo closed his locker and looked at whom she was talking to. "Danny Kessler." Danny had been Miranda's crush since Junior High.

Lizzie, who had been standing next to Miranda, looked up and caught him watching Miranda. A small smile tugged at her lips. Taking a quick glance at Miranda, who was absorbed in talking to Danny, she walked over to Gordo.

Gordo, who was too absorbed in watching Miranda and Danny, didn't notice her walk up.

"Jealous?" Lizzie whispered into his ear and laughed as Gordo jump in surprise.

Gordo quickly looked over at her. "Jealous of what?"

Lizzie laughed again. "Please. You can't tell me you haven't enjoyed being the center of Miranda's attention for the past few months."

Over the summer, Gorgeous (A/N - Gordo's Grandmother) had passed away and Gordo had taken it hard. Gordo was never one to show his emotions and he kept everything buried deep inside. While all his friends had been there for him, it was Miranda who was there for him when he finally cracked. Since then, the two of them had been inseparable, at least until today.

"I have not been the center of her attention. We've always hung out a lot, we're best friends. Plus we're the only singles in our group."

Lizzie just grinned at him, "Wanna know what I think?"

Gordo turned and faced her, "Not really but you're gonna tell me anyway."

Lizzie gave him an annoyed glare. "Very funny David." She then grinned again. "I think you like her."

"What?" Gordo asked in disbelief. "I may be attracted to her but a guy would have to be dead not to be but, but, I do not like her like that"

"Sure," Lizzie said sarcastically. "I'll see ya in the cafeteria." Lizzie then walked back to Miranda.

Gordo shifted his book bag on his bag and let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Me like Miranda? Yea right," Gordo said to himself as he walked towards the cafeteria.

As Lizzie walked back to Miranda, she watched Danny walking away. "So what was that about?" she asked Miranda.

Miranda turned to her with a smile and shrugged. "We were just talking about Junior Prom, I think he's gonna ask me," she practically squealed.

As they walked to the cafeteria, Miranda told her everything that happened.

As they reached the cafeteria line and were waiting for the lunch, Lizzie turned to Miranda. "So how come you've been avoiding Gordo?"

Almost immediately, the smile vanished from Miranda's face. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Lizzie rolled her eyes, "You've practically turned around and ran away from him this morning."

"I did not!" Miranda protested. "I just had to take care of something." She said the first thing that popped into her head.

"I wonder." "So then you'll have no problem sitting with him at lunch."

Miranda gulped, "Su…Sure, no problem."

After getting their lunches, they walked towards their table. Gordo who had already bought his lunch was waiting for them and saving their seats.

Gordo had heard them approach; looking up, he gave them a small smile. "Hey."

Lizzie slid into the seat across from him and Miranda slowly approached the table.

As Gordo smiled, Miranda lost herself and wasn't paying attention as she neared the table. She slammed her thigh into the corner of the table. "Damn it," she swore under her breath and slammed her tray onto the table.

When she saw Miranda was all right, Lizzie suppressed a laugh. "She's just as bad as him."

Gordo immediately stood up, "You ok?"

"Yea. Just wasn't paying attention," Miranda said sitting down at the head of the table and rubbing her thigh. "Great job Sanchez. Make an idiot out of yourself. All he did was smile and you practically lost it. This is so not good."

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Lizzie and Miranda started talking about Junior Prom.

When Miranda and Lizzie started with their girl talk, Gordo had learned to half tune them out. While usually the majority of their conversations didn't interest him, every once in awhile there was something interesting that came up. Though he'd never tell them that.

Lizzie was talking, or rather bragging, about her date Kyle Ramsey. Kyle was a friend of Ethan and was the shortstop for the school's baseball team. Gordo thought he was an all right guy, a bit too much of a jock but not a bad guy.

"Any one asked you yet Mir?" Lizzie asked and for some reason Gordo's interest perked.

He watched Miranda look down at her tray and push the contents around. "No," she answered softly.

Lizzie grimaced, she didn't mean to upset her friend. "I'm sure any minute some hot guy is gonna ask you. Trust me." Gordo was almost positive that while Lizzie said that she was looking at him.

As he slouched down in his chair, he tuned out the rest of their conversation; instead focusing on his own thoughts.

He remembered about how excited they had been when the prom was first getting planned. Gordo knew that Miranda had everything, the dress, the tickets, everything but the date. "Prom is in two months."

As Gordo sat there, a plan was slowly forming in his head. "I can't let her miss out on this, even if some guy is stupid enough not to ask her."