Disclaimer: no one mentioned belongs to me, I guarantee it.
The Worst That Could Happen
Chapter Three: Monday
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
Later Monday morning, she woke me up, having come to the conclusion that going to school would be healthy for me. I was exhausted, but I was too weak to argue, and hoped that maybe, just maybe, the trials and tribulations of school would be enough to distract me from my best friend's coma. I wasn't naive enough to believe that it actually would.
I got there on time, probably for the first time in at least a month. First period was English, a class that I shared with Miranda and Gordo. His seat, right in front of my own, was glaringly empty. The professor called role in his usual monotonous way, and he called out, "Gordon, David" twice before I finally raised my hand and admitted, "He's in the hospital."
Murmurs flew around the classroom, little hummingbird wings. I looked down and refused to answer any more questions posed to me. Miranda became my spokesperson then, and I marveled at how strong she was being. I, on the other hand, was devoid of energy. I was weak.
I needed to be with him.
I lay my head on the desk and didn't move it until the bell rang, when Miranda touched my arm lightly and led me to my next class.
By lunchtime, the entire school had heard about the accident. Miranda and I had selected a secluded corner table, but throughout the entire period we were bombarded by people, many of whom neither of us had met, coming to say that they heard, and that they were so sorry, and they wished they could help. They were all pretty rehearsed, and only a few visits stuck out in my mind.
One was from Ethan, who came by and said that he hoped Gordo would be okay because he was a cool cat and when Gordo and I got married, Ethan wanted to be at the wedding. I told him through a teary smile that he'd be an usher.
One was Larry Tudgeman, who came and told us all about how when Han Solo had gotten frozen, and how I was Leia to Gordo's Han. A reference which I not only understood, but found myself appreciating. The whole experience was increasingly surreal.
Lastly was Kate Sanders, who actually sat down with us and chatted for a few minutes. About how much Gordo had meant to her when we were younger and actually friends, about how he was a quiet kid, and they had nothing in common other than Miranda and myself, but he was always nice to her and made her smile. Then Kate hugged me and walked away, a few minutes before the bell rang for seventh period.
I had only just barely sat down in the class when the intercom crackled to life, requesting my presence at the principal's office. Normally, a comment like this would result in a chorus of mischievous "ooh"s by my classmates, jokingly inquiring what I'd done. But the class was silent, and out of the corner of my eye I caught a few sympathetic looks as I trudged to the door. Apparently they felt I'd been through enough already, and it was as if we all sensed that this request pertained to Gordo's condition, for better or for worse.
That thought didn't occur to me until I was just outside of the room, when the numbness finally faded, and was replaced by a growing panic. I burst into a run down the corridor, and heard the slap of a notebook as it fell from my hands while I fled. I ignored it, and no more than a minute later exploded through the door to the principal's office. Not surprisingly, my mom was waiting there.
"Is he okay?" I said breathlessly.
Mom got to her feet and glanced at the secretary, who nodded. "I got the call on my cell while I was out running errands," Mom said. "He's waking up."
~~~~~
When I got to the room, I had a good five minutes head start over my mom. The Gordons were sitting there, smiling down at their son, who was blinking in the bright lights of the room, but talking, lucid. Mrs. Gordon was the one who first spotted me, and tapped her husband's arm. He looked up at me, the both of them smiled, and silently got up so I could sit down. More than I could've hoped for, they graciously exited the room and shut the door.
He smiled at me sleepily. "Lizzie," he said in a raspy voice.
My heart soared. He recognized me! Already I could feel the tears stinging the backs of my eyes, and all I could do was nod.
"I found this on my wrist when I woke up," he said, weakly lifting his hand, where my bracelet was still sitting. "Mom said you left it for me."
"I didn't want you to wake up and think I hadn't been here to see you," I voiced my childish fear.
"They said you were here all day yesterday."
"I would've been here all day today, too, but they made me go to school."
"I'm sorry. Am I missing anything?"
I laughed despite myself. Typical Gordo. This was what I loved about him. "Not too much. Today in Social Studies, Mr. Elwood's toupee totally fell off. He was jumping to pull down the overhead screen, and he jumped a little too far," I said, grinning.
He smiled at me, and that smile, no matter how tired, was everything to me.
"I missed you so much," I said thickly.
"It was only two days, from what I've been told," Gordo said.
"It felt like longer." I cleared my throat and took his hand. "Gordo, I have to tell you this. I almost lost you already, and nothing is certain, so I have to say it. I love you."
"I love you too," he responded immediately.
"No, not just like best friend love, but *love* love. Love like I feel like you're my soul mate. I close my eyes and I see us getting married, I really do. I know it's just a silly fantasy, and I'm only in high school, but Gordo, when something is right, you just know it. And nothing has ever felt more right than being with you."
"I love you too," he repeated, squeezing my hand. "Lizzie, you're everything to me."
I was crying rivers now, and I wasn't ashamed. I was just so happy that Gordo was back, that Gordo was still Gordo, and that Gordo loved me. "I wish it hadn't taken an accident for this to happen," I said.
"Me too," he said.
I leaned over his figure and hugged him, and he moaned in pain. "Lizzie, I know you're happy and all, but I have broken ribs here!"
I couldn't help it. I was so giddy, I giggled. "I'm sorry. I forgot. I'm sorry," I repeated, trying desperately to quell my laughter.
"Yeah, I'm sure you are," Gordo said sourly, wincing.
I put on a serious face. "Really, I'm sorry. Is there anything I can get for you? Soda, maybe? Should I press a button and get the nurse? Maybe I should administer some morphine myself."
"No, I'm okay," he said, smiling bravely, even though I knew it must have killed. Smiling bravely for me. I'd thought that I had to be the brave one, but really the both of us were just trying to stay strong for each other. That was why I loved him. Even in his own pain, he was still concerned about me. "The only thing you need to do is just be here with me."
"Will kissing you make anything new hurt?" I asked him, suddenly overcome with the urge to express myself in actions rather than words. Words had been failing me all of this torturous weekend.
He grinned, his first real, honest, genuine grin, and his entire countenance lit up. Because of me. "I imagine that would be good for my development," he joked. "And if it does end up hurting, so what. It'll be worth it."
I allowed myself a tiny laugh, then leaned across the bed once more and planted my lips on his. It was short. It was sweet. It was wonderful. It was about damned time.
I sat back down, and he was still smiling. "I just wanna be here and talk to you forever," I said.
"We have the rest of our lives for that," he said.
"You promise?" I said nervously. I was so worried that he could relapse or do something else that would result in my losing him.
"Of course I promise."
There was a knock on the door, and it opened immediately thereafter, and my mother and the Gordons walked in. "You're awake," Mom breathed excitedly.
"Yep, it would appear that way," Gordo said.
"I'm so glad," she said. "Lizzie, how about we let the Gordons be together, okay? We'll stop off for some Chinese on the way home."
"Do I have to go?" I asked, at the same time that Gordo said, "Does she have to go?"
Mom and the Gordons exchanged looks. "Honey, Gordo needs time to rest and be with his family," Mom said uncertainly.
Gordo's parents had been so nice to me throughout this whole ordeal, and I knew it was because they understood, they understood how deep the bond between Gordo and myself was. They'd been so good to me, and they deserved some time with his son. I'd manipulated so much of it already.
"Of course, of course," I said. I kissed him quickly. "I'll see you soon," I promised.
"I don't want you to go," he said, and my heart threatened to explode. I was doing this for the Gordons, but seeing his expression was enough to make me want to throw all of my kindness out of the window and just stay with him.
Nonetheless, I disentangled myself from his grip. "You should be with your parents right now."
My mom smiled at me, a smile that said she was proud of me. She put her hand on my shoulder and gently steered me to the door.
"Lizzie," Gordo called out thickly.
I stopped in the doorway.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you, Gordo," I answered.
I was crying all the way home.
The Worst That Could Happen
Chapter Three: Monday
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
Later Monday morning, she woke me up, having come to the conclusion that going to school would be healthy for me. I was exhausted, but I was too weak to argue, and hoped that maybe, just maybe, the trials and tribulations of school would be enough to distract me from my best friend's coma. I wasn't naive enough to believe that it actually would.
I got there on time, probably for the first time in at least a month. First period was English, a class that I shared with Miranda and Gordo. His seat, right in front of my own, was glaringly empty. The professor called role in his usual monotonous way, and he called out, "Gordon, David" twice before I finally raised my hand and admitted, "He's in the hospital."
Murmurs flew around the classroom, little hummingbird wings. I looked down and refused to answer any more questions posed to me. Miranda became my spokesperson then, and I marveled at how strong she was being. I, on the other hand, was devoid of energy. I was weak.
I needed to be with him.
I lay my head on the desk and didn't move it until the bell rang, when Miranda touched my arm lightly and led me to my next class.
By lunchtime, the entire school had heard about the accident. Miranda and I had selected a secluded corner table, but throughout the entire period we were bombarded by people, many of whom neither of us had met, coming to say that they heard, and that they were so sorry, and they wished they could help. They were all pretty rehearsed, and only a few visits stuck out in my mind.
One was from Ethan, who came by and said that he hoped Gordo would be okay because he was a cool cat and when Gordo and I got married, Ethan wanted to be at the wedding. I told him through a teary smile that he'd be an usher.
One was Larry Tudgeman, who came and told us all about how when Han Solo had gotten frozen, and how I was Leia to Gordo's Han. A reference which I not only understood, but found myself appreciating. The whole experience was increasingly surreal.
Lastly was Kate Sanders, who actually sat down with us and chatted for a few minutes. About how much Gordo had meant to her when we were younger and actually friends, about how he was a quiet kid, and they had nothing in common other than Miranda and myself, but he was always nice to her and made her smile. Then Kate hugged me and walked away, a few minutes before the bell rang for seventh period.
I had only just barely sat down in the class when the intercom crackled to life, requesting my presence at the principal's office. Normally, a comment like this would result in a chorus of mischievous "ooh"s by my classmates, jokingly inquiring what I'd done. But the class was silent, and out of the corner of my eye I caught a few sympathetic looks as I trudged to the door. Apparently they felt I'd been through enough already, and it was as if we all sensed that this request pertained to Gordo's condition, for better or for worse.
That thought didn't occur to me until I was just outside of the room, when the numbness finally faded, and was replaced by a growing panic. I burst into a run down the corridor, and heard the slap of a notebook as it fell from my hands while I fled. I ignored it, and no more than a minute later exploded through the door to the principal's office. Not surprisingly, my mom was waiting there.
"Is he okay?" I said breathlessly.
Mom got to her feet and glanced at the secretary, who nodded. "I got the call on my cell while I was out running errands," Mom said. "He's waking up."
~~~~~
When I got to the room, I had a good five minutes head start over my mom. The Gordons were sitting there, smiling down at their son, who was blinking in the bright lights of the room, but talking, lucid. Mrs. Gordon was the one who first spotted me, and tapped her husband's arm. He looked up at me, the both of them smiled, and silently got up so I could sit down. More than I could've hoped for, they graciously exited the room and shut the door.
He smiled at me sleepily. "Lizzie," he said in a raspy voice.
My heart soared. He recognized me! Already I could feel the tears stinging the backs of my eyes, and all I could do was nod.
"I found this on my wrist when I woke up," he said, weakly lifting his hand, where my bracelet was still sitting. "Mom said you left it for me."
"I didn't want you to wake up and think I hadn't been here to see you," I voiced my childish fear.
"They said you were here all day yesterday."
"I would've been here all day today, too, but they made me go to school."
"I'm sorry. Am I missing anything?"
I laughed despite myself. Typical Gordo. This was what I loved about him. "Not too much. Today in Social Studies, Mr. Elwood's toupee totally fell off. He was jumping to pull down the overhead screen, and he jumped a little too far," I said, grinning.
He smiled at me, and that smile, no matter how tired, was everything to me.
"I missed you so much," I said thickly.
"It was only two days, from what I've been told," Gordo said.
"It felt like longer." I cleared my throat and took his hand. "Gordo, I have to tell you this. I almost lost you already, and nothing is certain, so I have to say it. I love you."
"I love you too," he responded immediately.
"No, not just like best friend love, but *love* love. Love like I feel like you're my soul mate. I close my eyes and I see us getting married, I really do. I know it's just a silly fantasy, and I'm only in high school, but Gordo, when something is right, you just know it. And nothing has ever felt more right than being with you."
"I love you too," he repeated, squeezing my hand. "Lizzie, you're everything to me."
I was crying rivers now, and I wasn't ashamed. I was just so happy that Gordo was back, that Gordo was still Gordo, and that Gordo loved me. "I wish it hadn't taken an accident for this to happen," I said.
"Me too," he said.
I leaned over his figure and hugged him, and he moaned in pain. "Lizzie, I know you're happy and all, but I have broken ribs here!"
I couldn't help it. I was so giddy, I giggled. "I'm sorry. I forgot. I'm sorry," I repeated, trying desperately to quell my laughter.
"Yeah, I'm sure you are," Gordo said sourly, wincing.
I put on a serious face. "Really, I'm sorry. Is there anything I can get for you? Soda, maybe? Should I press a button and get the nurse? Maybe I should administer some morphine myself."
"No, I'm okay," he said, smiling bravely, even though I knew it must have killed. Smiling bravely for me. I'd thought that I had to be the brave one, but really the both of us were just trying to stay strong for each other. That was why I loved him. Even in his own pain, he was still concerned about me. "The only thing you need to do is just be here with me."
"Will kissing you make anything new hurt?" I asked him, suddenly overcome with the urge to express myself in actions rather than words. Words had been failing me all of this torturous weekend.
He grinned, his first real, honest, genuine grin, and his entire countenance lit up. Because of me. "I imagine that would be good for my development," he joked. "And if it does end up hurting, so what. It'll be worth it."
I allowed myself a tiny laugh, then leaned across the bed once more and planted my lips on his. It was short. It was sweet. It was wonderful. It was about damned time.
I sat back down, and he was still smiling. "I just wanna be here and talk to you forever," I said.
"We have the rest of our lives for that," he said.
"You promise?" I said nervously. I was so worried that he could relapse or do something else that would result in my losing him.
"Of course I promise."
There was a knock on the door, and it opened immediately thereafter, and my mother and the Gordons walked in. "You're awake," Mom breathed excitedly.
"Yep, it would appear that way," Gordo said.
"I'm so glad," she said. "Lizzie, how about we let the Gordons be together, okay? We'll stop off for some Chinese on the way home."
"Do I have to go?" I asked, at the same time that Gordo said, "Does she have to go?"
Mom and the Gordons exchanged looks. "Honey, Gordo needs time to rest and be with his family," Mom said uncertainly.
Gordo's parents had been so nice to me throughout this whole ordeal, and I knew it was because they understood, they understood how deep the bond between Gordo and myself was. They'd been so good to me, and they deserved some time with his son. I'd manipulated so much of it already.
"Of course, of course," I said. I kissed him quickly. "I'll see you soon," I promised.
"I don't want you to go," he said, and my heart threatened to explode. I was doing this for the Gordons, but seeing his expression was enough to make me want to throw all of my kindness out of the window and just stay with him.
Nonetheless, I disentangled myself from his grip. "You should be with your parents right now."
My mom smiled at me, a smile that said she was proud of me. She put her hand on my shoulder and gently steered me to the door.
"Lizzie," Gordo called out thickly.
I stopped in the doorway.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you, Gordo," I answered.
I was crying all the way home.