Hey guys! Sorry about the strawberry smoothie thing in chapter 3. For some reason I was thinking that it was her favorite kind instead of being allergic to it!

"It's okay, Lizzie." Gordo told her. For a brief moment, their eyes met. Gordo smiled.

Miranda rushed back to them. "You guys will never, ever, ever guess what just happened!" She exclaimed. Gordo rolled his eyes, wishing Miranda hadn't interrupted them. Lizzie didn't notice.

"What?" Lizzie asked Miranda.

Gordo silently walked away, with much disappointment.

"I'm going to the movies with Ethan!" Miranda squealed, and was smiling the widest smile Lizzie had ever seen her smile.

"Ohmygosh! I'm so happy for you!" Lizzie exclaimed and hugged her. Both girls squealed some more.

"So your not jealous?" Miranda asked quickly.

"No way! I mean, Ethan totally deserves someone like you. Not someone like Kate!" Lizzie replied.

"Are you sure you won't feel left out?" Miranda asked, making sure so she wouldn't feel guilty.

"I'm sure. But tell me all about it when you get back!" Lizzie told her, and Miranda agreed. Lizzie looked around. "Hey, where did Gordo go?" Miranda shrugged, and the girls kept on talking.

Meanwhile, Gordo was in his arithmetic class. He was early, but that was good for him. He needed some time to sort his thoughts out.

He had been so close to telling Lizzie how he felt at his house, and now he felt too nervous to try again. He thought that Lizzie wouldn't feel the same way. That she would always like Ethan instead of him.

But if he had stayed around to listen to Miranda and Lizzie's conversation, maybe he would have realized that she didn't.

Later on that day, Lizzie was on the bus home with Miranda. She was trying giving her tips on how to make Miranda's date a success. "Don't eat too many snacks, and don't laugh if he says anything... well... dumb. They both giggled.

"What about if I have to go use the restroom? What do I say then?" Miranda asked.

"Just say something like, 'Excuse me, Ethan, I'll be back in a minute.'" Lizzie replied, and both girls giggled some more.

Toon Lizzie: This is a moment in history! Miranda is actually going on a date with Ethan Kraft! (Jumps up and down excitedly)

The bus finally came to Lizzie's stop, and the girls said good-bye to each other. "Have an awesome time!" Lizzie told Miranda, and she smiled and waved.

Lizzie walked inside her house, be careful to look around for any of Matt's traps that might be about. But Matt couldn't have set any up if he had wanted to, because he had to stay after school.

Lizzie saw a note on the table for her, and read it:

Lizzie,

The school had called to tell me that Matt put rubber bugs in the cafeteria pudding, and in the macaroni and cheese. (Rolling eyes smiley) I'm out picking him up school, and will be back in a little while. -Mom

So Lizzie opened up the refrigerator door, to look for a snack. She took out some strawberries, and took them up to her room on a yellow, daisy- print plate. She wished she could call Gordo, but Sam had grounded her tomorrow, which was the end of the week.

She was aloud to use her computer though. So she signed on to her instant-messaging program, and looked to see if he was online. She sighed when she found out that he wasn't. She really wanted him to be able to explain what was on his mind.

Gordo wasn't online, because he was staring at a picture of Lizzie. He'd put the picture in a gold picture frame, which made her beautiful hair and her sparkling eyes stand out even more. I just have to tell Lizzie what I think. Otherwise, someday I accidentally just blurt t out, and then I'd feel even more embarrassed. He thought to himself.

He turned on his computer. It seemed to take forever to load. He banged the side of the screen impatiently. He clicked into the instant messenger, but by the time he did, Lizzie had gotten off.

She was downstairs, opening the door for Jo because she had lost the key. "Hi Mom." Lizzie said to her.

"Hi Lizzie." Her mom said, looking worn out. Matt had a scowl on his face, and he stomped up to his room without even making one rude remark to Lizzie.

"Could you help me make dinner, please? Your father's going to be home soon, and I haven't even started on it!" Jo asked Lizzie.

"Sure. I don't really have much else to do. Today was a homework-free day because all the teachers had to leave early to go to some meeting." Lizzie replied, getting out some lettuce, tomatoes, and dressing for a salad.

Jo put some noodles and hamburger pieces into a pot, and Lizzie cringed. "Mom, do we really have to have stroganoff again?" Lizzie asked, looking sullenly at it, knowing it would taste bad.

"Lizzie, the last thing I need is for you to be complaining, too." Jo told her irritated.

Lizzie guessed that talking with Matt's teachers must not have gone that well.

Toon Lizzie: Actually, they never seem to go well.

Sam came home a few minutes later. He walked in the front door, and immediately frowned at the smell of Jo's stroganoff.

He put his briefcase down, and took off his shoes. Walking into the kitchen, he was surprised to see Lizzie helping Jo with the cooking. "My daughter the chef!" He said.

"No Dad," Lizzie said with a smile, "Just helping out a little." Dad took a piece of lettuce with some dressing on it before Jo playfully shooed him out of the kitchen.

The next day arrived, and finally Lizzie was no longer grounded from the phone. It was late in the afternoon, and she hoped that Gordo would be home. She rushed upstairs to her bedroom to call him. Just as she was about to punch in the last number, she heard Sam call from downstairs.

"Family meeting!"

"Ugh!" Lizzie said, and went back down the steps to the living room. She sat down, along with Matt, and her mom and dad.

Jo was looking very happy, and Sam smiled at her. "We have an important announcement to make."

"One we think you will like." Jo added, and smiled back at her husband.

Toon Lizzie: What's up with all of this smiling?!

"Talk to me." Matt said, putting a hand on his chin. Sam looked at Jo, and she nodded.

"Your mother is going to have a baby."

Lizzie and Matt's mouths opened into big 'O's, and stayed like that for at least a minute before anyone said anything.

"What?!" Matt exclaimed.

"Yes, honey. Isn't it wonderful?" Jo replied, still smiling as if they were no tomorrow.

Toon Lizzie: Wonderful? Wonderful?!

"Mom... no offense or anything. But aren't you, you know, a little old to... be having a baby?" Lizzie said, trying to be kind about it.

Toon Lizzie: This is going to be so embarrassing!

"Oh Lizzie, of course not. I know a lot of women my age who have had children." Jo told her.

"But... but... I don't want another sibling!" Lizzie said, still in shock and not knowing what else to say. "Matt's bad enough!"