Author's Note: So I still have some readers after my long absence. Thanks so much to all of you who reviewed--it made my day! I will try to take the time to update more often. Just in way of an apology for being gone so long, here is another new chapter. Thanks!
Slightly after one in the afternoon Lizzie's car pulled into the Sanchez's driveway and the four teenagers saw six very angry parents waiting for them on the porch. They had left from the cabin extremely early that morning, the guilt over their deception starting to get the best of them.
"Clearly we've been caught," Gordo said under his breath as they climbed out of the car and walked solemnly toward the house. All six of the parents began shouting at once at their respective, son, daughter or nephew.
Mr. Gordon realizing that this yelling match wasn't going to get them anywhere whistled loudly, bringing the group to his attention. "One at a time, let's calmly discuss this," he said rationally.
"I'll start," Jo said, " Not only did you kids lie to us, disregard our orders and disrespect us, you scared us half to death when we couldn't reach you at the cabin this morning."
"You may wonder why we didn't just think you were getting the car fixed," Sam said, "Here's how, we called every car repair shop in a ten mile radius from the cabin and none of them had ever heard of any of you kids or had recently worked on any pink Neons."
"Why couldn't you kids just live with our decision about the four of you not staying at the cabin alone?" Mrs. Gordon asked, then added, "I'm so disappointed in all of you."
The four of them looked at their feet. They were feeling stupid over their decision and even more stupid over getting caught. And they all knew they deserved whatever they had coming as far as punishment went.
"None of you has anything to say for yourselves?" Mr. Sanchez asked them.
There was silence for a minute then Gordo looked up and said, "I guess in trying to act grown-up and responsible for our own lives we succeeded in proving just how far from that we still are." The other three nodded and Gordo continued, "I personally am very sorry for what we did and would like to apologize. I would also like to point out that Brad and Miranda weren't as involved in this decision as Lizzie and I were, sorry Lizzie."
"That's okay, I'm willing to be responsible for my actions," Lizzie said, "I would also like to apologize. We did not think about how this might affect other people."
"I don't think it matters how little Brad and Miranda were involved in this decision, they still went along with it," Mr. Gordon said.
"I agree," Mr. Sanchez said.
All four of them were grounded for the next three weeks. Which meant, that until the first week of August there would be absolutely no contact between them in person, over the phone or on-line. There would be no TV, pool, cars or sleeping in. For all of them it would be hard-core chores for the next three weeks. When they were finally released from their sentences there would be only two weeks left until school started.
The four of them had a few minutes alone as they unloaded their luggage from Lizzie's car. Quickly and quietly they said their good-byes.
"I'll try to contact you if I can come up with any possible way," Gordo said, "I can't believe I won't see you for three whole weeks."
"I know, I'm going to miss you so much. You won't forget me will you?" Lizzie asked jokingly.
"Hardly, I'm sure you and all the amazing things that happened between us in the last few weeks will be all I think about," Gordo said with a smile.
A tear streaked down Lizzie's face and Gordo pulled her into his arms. "I love you," he whispered.
"I love you too," she whispered back.
"Will you still be here in three weeks?" Miranda asked, "Or is this good-bye?"
"No, I should still be here," Brad said.
"Well, just incase you're not." Miranda began," There's a few things I should tell you. I had a really great summer and I'm really going to miss you. Thank you for making me take a chance. Even if this is the end, it was worth it."
"I'll miss you too Miranda," Brad said, "But this is not the end. Oh, and Miranda,"
"Yeah?" Miranda said looking into his eyes.
"I love you," he said.
She smiled through her tears and softly said, "Me too."
The four then went their separate ways for the next three weeks.
A week later Lizzie was sifting through the mess at the bottom of her closet. It had been the longest week of her life. Her mother had saved all the worst chores for her punishment. Today she had to clean her room, which wasn't terrible. She had a garbage pile, a donate pile and a keep pile. Once all the garbage was taken out and the donate pile was packed into boxes to be picked up, her mother wanted to help her organize everything in the keep pile. Lizzie was least looking forward to this last part. Her mother had been giving her a long lecture on abstinence and being sexually responsible, every chance she got.
Miranda wasn't having a great week wither. Whenever her mother was most upset with her she tended to deliver long rambling lectures, all in Spanish. So far this week, everything had been in Spanish. Miranda had also been given mountains of chores to pass the time. Today they were canning the vegetables from the garden.
Gordo and Brad had gotten off relatively easy compared to the girls. Mrs. Gordon was not one to have unfinished chores so there wasn't much work for the boys to do. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon both worked all day, so there was no one to watch over their every move, like Lizzie and Miranda who both had stay at home mothers. They were supposed to stay in their rooms which had been stripped of all electronic forms of entertainment. Nothing had been said however, about the doors needing to stay closed, so the boys, whose rooms were across from one another, would open their doors and could talk to each other without leaving their rooms. They'd discussed disobeying and leaving their rooms, who would know? But they felt bad knowing that they'd get off so easy while Lizzie and Miranda were stuck at home with their mothers.
Brad and Gordo had devised a way to play paper football across the hall from each other.
"Brad, it's your turn," Gordo said in boredom.
"We've been playing for two hours, do you mind if we just talk for a while?" Brad asked.
"Sure, do you have something on your mind?" Gordo asked.
"Actually I do," Brad started, "My father has accepted a full time job in Taiwan and he'd like me to move there with him."
"Wow," Gordo said, "So, when do you move?"
"That's the thing," Brad said, "I don't want to move. Your parents have extended an open ended offer for me to come live here and finish school at Hill Ridge High."
"So, you're staying then?" Gordo asked.
"Only if you're okay with it. I know you weren't thrilled when I showed up at the beginning of the summer," Brad said.
"That's true of course I can't change that. But, I don't feel that way anymore. We've both changed a lot and I think we have quite a bit in common. This might sound incredibly dorky, but I've kind of come to think of you, like a brother. I've always wanted a sibling," Gordo said and looked away in embarrassment.
"Me too," Brad said, They smiled at each other and realized that their relationship was forever changed, for the best.
"So, Miranda's going to be thrilled!" Gordo said.
"Yeah, but let's keep in between us for now," Brad said with a mischievous smile.
The foursome had another two weeks to go, but it had taken less then a week for them all to realize that they should save some grown-up things for when they were actually gown-up and their parents no longer had the power to punish them for their mistakes.