love-angel-89 – Lizzie will be mentioned in this chapter and she'll show up in the next two. In the first two chapters, I would've just been forcing her in and I didn't want to do that.

A/N – "Thoughts"

Chapter 3 - Complications

Gordo laid on his back, on top of his bed, and starred up at the ceiling. He had just finished the fourth letter and suddenly realized how tired he was. It was getting harder and harder for him to write the letters.

He had gotten a weird feeling after the first letter but he just pushed it aside as feeling a little guilty for deceiving Miranda like this, but eventually convincing himself that in the end this little white lie would be worth it. "Miranda deserves a nice guy like Larry."

But the nagging feeling kept growing and the more he tried to ignore it or brush it off, the more ill tempered he got. His patience was barely there anymore and he was starting to snap at everyone.

Gordo was getting frustrated at why he couldn't figure out what was going on with himself. He had always been a logical person; everything happens for a reason. But when something happens to him and he can't understand the reason, he gets frustrated.

He flinched slightly as he remembered his latest blowup. He was at the Digital Bean with Lizzie and Miranda. They were trying to figure out who Miranda's secret admirer was. They had been going through almost all the boys and he had made a side comment about how it figures how they were only thinking of the pretty boys.

Of course Miranda wouldn't let it pass and she snapped back saying how he would never do anything romantic like this. Well, that set him off and they quickly got into fight, yelling at each other. As Lizzie tried to break them up, the Manager kicked them all out.

Gordo stormed away and had bunkered himself in his room the rest of the day. He was torn by so many conflicting emotions. He was sorry at how angry he got at Miranda and wanted to apologize but another side of him was furious at both of them. "Heck they even thought of Larry. Not once, did they think of me."

Rubbing his hands across his face, he thought about that for a moment. "Maybe Larry's right, I am just like a brother to her." Slowly sitting up, he happened to look at his dresser. On top of it, were a couple of pictures. One of them was a picture Lizzie had taken of Miranda and him.

Lizzie had gotten a new camera for her 17th birthday and dragged Miranda and him to the park so she could test it out. As they were fooling around, Miranda jumped on Gordo's back and laughingly demanded a piggyback ride. Lizzie had quickly snapped a picture of them fooling around. She had given them each a picture of the group she took.

Standing up, he walked over to the dresser and picked the picture up. "I mean I only think of her as a sister, right?" he asked himself.

When he didn't agree with himself right away he growled in frustration. "What the hell is going on?" he muttered under his breath.

As he continued to look at the picture, his eyes slowly fell on Miranda's face. He had always thought one of Miranda's best features were her eyes. He would often tease her that when she was up to something, there would be like a sparkle in her eyes.

As he focused on her face, a stray and strange thought passed through his mind, "I wonder what it'd be like to kiss her?"

As soon as Gordo realized what he thought, he dropped the picture onto the dresser and his head snapped up. "What the."

Feeling a sudden chill, Gordo started to pace around his room. "No. I did not just think what it'd be like to kiss Miranda. We're just friends, best friends."

"Like you and Lizzie were,." his subconscious taunted him.

"Shut up!" he yelled out loud. Letting out an angry growl, he quickly ran a hand through his hair. "That's it. I can't take it anymore."

The next morning at school, Gordo delivered the letter to Miranda's locker before she arrived and headed towards Larry's locker.

Seeing Larry by himself, he walked over and took a quick look around.

"Hey Gordo, what's up?" Larry asked him noticing the look on Gordo's face.

"Look. This secret admirer plan of yours worked. I'm done, its time for you to tell her you're the one writing them."

Larry thought about what he said for a moment. "Gordo, I'll make a deal with you. I just need one more letter." Gordo opened his mouth to protest but Larry cut him off and continued. "I'll hand deliver it and tell her I'm her secret admirer. Ok?"

Gordo bit his lip and took a deep breath. "Fine," he answered a little aggravated. "One more and that's it."

Gordo watched as Larry walk away and rubbed his temple. "Why do I feel we're playing with fire? It's worked so far but we can't keep pressing our luck."

"What luck?" a female voice said from behind him, causing Gordo to jump.

Quickly spinning around, he found Miranda standing a few feet away, looking at him curiously. "Nothing important. Me and Larry are working on a science project together," Gordo lied. "You know how Larry likes to play mad scientist," he joked.

Miranda snickered but the awkward tension still started to build. Gordo sighed and studied her for a moment.

"Gordo,"

"Miranda," They both said at the same time and snickered at themselves.

"You go first," Miranda told him.

"I'm sorry about what I said. I'm just a little overworked and a bit on edge."

This time Miranda sighed, "Apology accepted only if you accept mine. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I'd be happy if whoever my mystery guy is, was half the guy you are."

Gordo grinned slightly, "Thanks." He looked around for a moment. "So you'd get another letter?"

Miranda smirked and titling her head slightly, studying Gordo for a moment. It made Gordo very uncomfortable. "How did you, never mind. Yea," she said excitedly as she pulled out the familiar envelope out of her pocket.

Gordo breathed a sigh of relief. As they started walking down the hall together, he glanced over at her. "Still have no idea who its from?"

Miranda shrugged, "Nah. I hope he reveals himself soon. I wanna start dating him."

"So even if he's not exactly like Ethan in looks, you'd still go out with him?"

Thinking about it for a moment before she answered, "Yea. I would. I mean the guy who wrote these letters is really sweet and anyone who sees me like this," she held up the letter, "deserves me liking them back just as much." She then grinned, "See you are rubbing off on me."

Gordo stifled a laugh but deep down he was trying to ignore how his heart practically jumped at what she said. "Remember David, Larry is the one who is supposed to accept the credit for this, not you."