hey guys... thanks for the reviews even tho there's only 5 of them :D keep on reading and keep on reviewing. if you read, please just review and let me know, b/c i wanna see how much interest this story's generating. here, to make it easy on you-- if you read this far and you liked it, copy and paste this into the review box: i read it-- good. if you read this far and you didn't like it (why are you still reading it?! lol) copy and paste this into the review box: i read it-- bad.
thanks. xoxo, nikki
also, u can e-mail me ) or IM me (xgonnabfamous) if you wanna talk about the story personally.
CHAPTER THREE
"Mom! Dad!" I cried, trying to sound as enthusiastic as humanly possible, as I ran down the stairs, Mirnda not too far behind me. "I am so glad you're home! I missed you guys so much. So did you have a nice day? Did you find a good fridge?"
Mom glanced at Dad, and then looked back at us. We were still standing on the stairs, me with a huge smile on my face, trying to appear genuinely interested in the make and model of our new refridgerator. Um, yes, we did," she responded slowly. "It's going to be delivered on Tuesday."
"That's great!" I replied, grinning. "I'm so glad you guys found something you'd like to put in our kitchen! I was so worried it would be a stressful afternoon for you, although I personally find shopping for kitchen appliances quite relaxing..." Okay, so maybe I was laying it on a little thick, but my life was on the line!
"Um, Lizzie?" It was Dad's turn to speak. "We know you want something. Why don't you save yourself some time and come right out and ask us for it?" I had to hand it to him. At times, my dad can be a bit dense, but he is quite receptive... most of the time.
"Well, okay," I said, not breaking my salesperson-on-a-mission smile for anything. "You guys might wanna sit down for this. Why don't we go into the living room?"
Mom and Dad exchanged another concerned glance but walked ahead of us into the living room anyway.
Miranda turned to escape out of the front door, knowing as well as I did that in all likelihood, this was not going to turn out a very pretty scene. But before she could, I grabbed her by the elbow and dragged her back in.
"You are not getting out of this," I whispered through my teeth. "Are you kidding me? I need you to back up my plan and tell my parents how safe the airlines are."
We walked into the living room. My parents had already seated themselves on the couch, and I signaled for Miranda to sit on the armchair to my right. I was prepared. I had back-up. I could totally do this.
Let the games begin.
"Okay," I began with a big (but not too big) smile, taking a deep breath as I took a second to get all my thoughts together. "So. I had a phone call with Gordo this... awhile ago, and he--"
"Gordo called?" Mom interrupted, which I fully did not appreciate. "I thought you guys only talked online."
"Oh, well, lately we've been talking on the phone, too," I informed her, reminding myself silently to be pleasant with Mom. It was hard, but also the only way I was gonna convince her to let me go. "Anyway, um, as I was saying... Gordo invited me to go stay with him for a week or two this summer, and I'd really like to go."
"You think we're gonna let you go to New York City by yourself?" Dad asked in disbelief. "On a plane-- by yourself? Did you know you have to change planes in Atlanta?"
"Yes," I answered patiently. "But, of course, I never expected you to allow me to gain such a big dose of independence all at once. You are much too responsible parents to let their daughter do something so dangerous all by herself."
Over in her corner, Miranda was stifling a laugh. I took a moment to glare at her, and then continued. "In fact, honestly I wouldn't want to do all of this completely by myself. I would be putting myself in a position that would make me feel very uncomfortable, and that wouldn't be right for the first time I traveled across the country on my own."
Mom was smiling with a little satisfaction written on her face, as if she knew exactly where this was going. "And I suppose you have a plan to avoid this?" she asked.
"Actually, I do," I replied. "If I leave Saturday, I can take the plane to Atlanta with Miranda when she's on her way to Mexico City. Then she can help me find my gate, since she's passed through the Atlanta airport at least a million times. I wouldn't be on the plane to New York City alone for more than two hours, and as soon as I stepped off the plane, I would be with Gordo and his parents."
Before Dad could answer with the immediate no I was expecting, Mom spoke. "Your father and I will discuss this, and then once we've come to a conclusion, we will let you know." Very professional, very businesslike.
I smiled, also being very professional and businesslike. "Thank you for listening to what I had to say. I appreciate your time and careful consideration in making your final decision." Then me and Miranda dashed upstairs to my bedroom.
"Well, if they say yes, it will be nice to have someone sitting beside me on the plane who doesn't carry a briefcase," Miranda said. "It's a long flight to Atlanta."
"I hope they say yes," I stated the obvious. "I need to go on this trip. Seeing Gordo again will make me feel better about the fact that he has this fabulous life and I'm stuck in a town where nothing happens."
"Things happen here!" Miranda said defensively. "Maybe not exciting things, but things still happen."
"Give it a rest, Miranda," I told her. "We live in boring little Hillridge, and you know it. Besides, I need to see him in person to see for myself that he hasn't changed, you know? I miss him."
Miranda suddenly got a very sneaky smile on her face. "You still like him, don't you?" she asked, appearing very satisfied with herself. "You still like him, and you think things will happen on this trip."
"No, I don't," I lied, knowing darn well that Miranda could tell I was lying. "Okay, so maybe I do. But you never know what could happen..."
Just then, we heard a knock at the door, and I shut my mouth fast before Mom walked in the room.
"Okay, Lizzie," Mom began, taking in a deep breath. "Your father and I have thought and talked a good bit about this, and we have decided that, as long as you are willing to meet our demands, you may go stay with Gordo in New York City."
I let out a scream of delight. "Oh my gosh!" I cried. "I'm going to New York City! I'm going to New York City! Thank you so much, Mom. You are so not gonna regret this. I swear, you are the best mom that ever lived!"
Mom smiled. "I already knew that," she said, laughing. "But don't get too excited yet. You haven't heard what the demands your father and I want you to meet are."
I put my celebration on pause for a minute to humor Mom, my mom, this great lady. "Okay. What are your demands?"
"All right," Mom replied, getting back to business. "We want to call Miranda's parents and make sure that this plan is okay with them. We also want a phone call with Gordo's parents. And in the airport in Atlanta, I don't want you and Miranda to separate until you absolutely have to."
"Is that it?" I asked expectantly.
Mom nodded. "That's it."
I grinned, jumping up off my bed and throwing my arms around my mother. "Thank you so, so, so, so much," I thanked her again. "I swear, for as long as I live, I will never forget this."
Mom sighed. "I have a feeling I won't, either," she said, pulling loose of my grip . "Listen, girls, I'm going to go order a pizza. Miranda, would you like to stay for dinner?"
"I'd never turn down free food," Miranda replied as Mom left, purposefully using a Gordo line.
"Well, you're right about one thing, Miranda," I said to one of my best friends with a smile. "There will always be a part of Gordo that will never change. Mostly because it's living inside of us."
Miranda laughed. "I'm right about one thing?" she questioned, smirking. "Ha! I'm right about everything!"
I launched a pillow at her head. "I'm going to New York City!" I yelled as loud as I could, dancing and twirling around my room with all the joy in the world.
"You're going to New York City!" Miranda echoed, with an equal amount of enthusiasm, dancing and twirling around with me.
Not another second of oblivious fun passed before it hit me. All fell silent. I sat down on my bed slowly, so I could digest the day's events. "Oh my gosh," I whispered, suddenly becoming silent. "I'm going to New York City."
CHAPTER THREE
"Mom! Dad!" I cried, trying to sound as enthusiastic as humanly possible, as I ran down the stairs, Mirnda not too far behind me. "I am so glad you're home! I missed you guys so much. So did you have a nice day? Did you find a good fridge?"
Mom glanced at Dad, and then looked back at us. We were still standing on the stairs, me with a huge smile on my face, trying to appear genuinely interested in the make and model of our new refridgerator. Um, yes, we did," she responded slowly. "It's going to be delivered on Tuesday."
"That's great!" I replied, grinning. "I'm so glad you guys found something you'd like to put in our kitchen! I was so worried it would be a stressful afternoon for you, although I personally find shopping for kitchen appliances quite relaxing..." Okay, so maybe I was laying it on a little thick, but my life was on the line!
"Um, Lizzie?" It was Dad's turn to speak. "We know you want something. Why don't you save yourself some time and come right out and ask us for it?" I had to hand it to him. At times, my dad can be a bit dense, but he is quite receptive... most of the time.
"Well, okay," I said, not breaking my salesperson-on-a-mission smile for anything. "You guys might wanna sit down for this. Why don't we go into the living room?"
Mom and Dad exchanged another concerned glance but walked ahead of us into the living room anyway.
Miranda turned to escape out of the front door, knowing as well as I did that in all likelihood, this was not going to turn out a very pretty scene. But before she could, I grabbed her by the elbow and dragged her back in.
"You are not getting out of this," I whispered through my teeth. "Are you kidding me? I need you to back up my plan and tell my parents how safe the airlines are."
We walked into the living room. My parents had already seated themselves on the couch, and I signaled for Miranda to sit on the armchair to my right. I was prepared. I had back-up. I could totally do this.
Let the games begin.
"Okay," I began with a big (but not too big) smile, taking a deep breath as I took a second to get all my thoughts together. "So. I had a phone call with Gordo this... awhile ago, and he--"
"Gordo called?" Mom interrupted, which I fully did not appreciate. "I thought you guys only talked online."
"Oh, well, lately we've been talking on the phone, too," I informed her, reminding myself silently to be pleasant with Mom. It was hard, but also the only way I was gonna convince her to let me go. "Anyway, um, as I was saying... Gordo invited me to go stay with him for a week or two this summer, and I'd really like to go."
"You think we're gonna let you go to New York City by yourself?" Dad asked in disbelief. "On a plane-- by yourself? Did you know you have to change planes in Atlanta?"
"Yes," I answered patiently. "But, of course, I never expected you to allow me to gain such a big dose of independence all at once. You are much too responsible parents to let their daughter do something so dangerous all by herself."
Over in her corner, Miranda was stifling a laugh. I took a moment to glare at her, and then continued. "In fact, honestly I wouldn't want to do all of this completely by myself. I would be putting myself in a position that would make me feel very uncomfortable, and that wouldn't be right for the first time I traveled across the country on my own."
Mom was smiling with a little satisfaction written on her face, as if she knew exactly where this was going. "And I suppose you have a plan to avoid this?" she asked.
"Actually, I do," I replied. "If I leave Saturday, I can take the plane to Atlanta with Miranda when she's on her way to Mexico City. Then she can help me find my gate, since she's passed through the Atlanta airport at least a million times. I wouldn't be on the plane to New York City alone for more than two hours, and as soon as I stepped off the plane, I would be with Gordo and his parents."
Before Dad could answer with the immediate no I was expecting, Mom spoke. "Your father and I will discuss this, and then once we've come to a conclusion, we will let you know." Very professional, very businesslike.
I smiled, also being very professional and businesslike. "Thank you for listening to what I had to say. I appreciate your time and careful consideration in making your final decision." Then me and Miranda dashed upstairs to my bedroom.
"Well, if they say yes, it will be nice to have someone sitting beside me on the plane who doesn't carry a briefcase," Miranda said. "It's a long flight to Atlanta."
"I hope they say yes," I stated the obvious. "I need to go on this trip. Seeing Gordo again will make me feel better about the fact that he has this fabulous life and I'm stuck in a town where nothing happens."
"Things happen here!" Miranda said defensively. "Maybe not exciting things, but things still happen."
"Give it a rest, Miranda," I told her. "We live in boring little Hillridge, and you know it. Besides, I need to see him in person to see for myself that he hasn't changed, you know? I miss him."
Miranda suddenly got a very sneaky smile on her face. "You still like him, don't you?" she asked, appearing very satisfied with herself. "You still like him, and you think things will happen on this trip."
"No, I don't," I lied, knowing darn well that Miranda could tell I was lying. "Okay, so maybe I do. But you never know what could happen..."
Just then, we heard a knock at the door, and I shut my mouth fast before Mom walked in the room.
"Okay, Lizzie," Mom began, taking in a deep breath. "Your father and I have thought and talked a good bit about this, and we have decided that, as long as you are willing to meet our demands, you may go stay with Gordo in New York City."
I let out a scream of delight. "Oh my gosh!" I cried. "I'm going to New York City! I'm going to New York City! Thank you so much, Mom. You are so not gonna regret this. I swear, you are the best mom that ever lived!"
Mom smiled. "I already knew that," she said, laughing. "But don't get too excited yet. You haven't heard what the demands your father and I want you to meet are."
I put my celebration on pause for a minute to humor Mom, my mom, this great lady. "Okay. What are your demands?"
"All right," Mom replied, getting back to business. "We want to call Miranda's parents and make sure that this plan is okay with them. We also want a phone call with Gordo's parents. And in the airport in Atlanta, I don't want you and Miranda to separate until you absolutely have to."
"Is that it?" I asked expectantly.
Mom nodded. "That's it."
I grinned, jumping up off my bed and throwing my arms around my mother. "Thank you so, so, so, so much," I thanked her again. "I swear, for as long as I live, I will never forget this."
Mom sighed. "I have a feeling I won't, either," she said, pulling loose of my grip . "Listen, girls, I'm going to go order a pizza. Miranda, would you like to stay for dinner?"
"I'd never turn down free food," Miranda replied as Mom left, purposefully using a Gordo line.
"Well, you're right about one thing, Miranda," I said to one of my best friends with a smile. "There will always be a part of Gordo that will never change. Mostly because it's living inside of us."
Miranda laughed. "I'm right about one thing?" she questioned, smirking. "Ha! I'm right about everything!"
I launched a pillow at her head. "I'm going to New York City!" I yelled as loud as I could, dancing and twirling around my room with all the joy in the world.
"You're going to New York City!" Miranda echoed, with an equal amount of enthusiasm, dancing and twirling around with me.
Not another second of oblivious fun passed before it hit me. All fell silent. I sat down on my bed slowly, so I could digest the day's events. "Oh my gosh," I whispered, suddenly becoming silent. "I'm going to New York City."