A/N – "Thoughts"

Chapter 14 – So Much For Secrecy

Friday morning, as Gordo walked into the cafeteria, he saw Miranda and Lizzie sitting at their table practically glaring at him. Nearing the table, "What?"

"How the hell could you not tell us you're going out with her?" Miranda snapped at him as he sat down across from her.

"Going out with who?" he asked trying to play dumb.

"Damn it Gordo, your mother told us you were with Kate yesterday," Lizzie told him.

"So, I was tutoring her in calc." It was a half-truth; he had gone over there yesterday to help her with her math homework.

"Bullshit Gordo. We know Kat is Kate," Miranda snarled, her voice getting louder. "How can you even be with that snake?"

It was like a flip was switched and suddenly Gordo's eyes blazed with fire as he glared back at Miranda. "Shut up Miranda," he growled at her.

Both girls jumped back a little in surprise at the edge in Gordo's voice. "You have no idea what happened this summer. Kate is not the same person she was back in Junior High. Hell, she's not the same person she was five months ago. So back off," he snarled in a low, angry voice.

Miranda opened her mouth to snap back at him but Lizzie held up her hand to stop the coming fight. Looking at Gordo, with a small amount of hurt in her eyes, "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Cause we didn't want to deal with this," he said, meaning the third degree he was getting from his best friends, "and she asked me to keep it quiet."

"Why?" Lizzie asked.

Letting out a defeated sigh, "She was worried what certain enemies would do if they found out."

"Barbie?" Miranda asked, slowly calming down.

"Yea."

Lizzie leaned in closer to him, "Does anyone else know?"

"Only Brooke, cause she caught us leaving Dana's party a couple of weeks ago."

Suddenly Lizzie's eyes went wide with realization. "That's where you disappeared to. Me and Miranda were looking for you for like an hour before we left. Where were you two?"

Gordo blushed a little, "Master bedroom."

"Eww. I so didn't need that mental picture," Miranda said.

"Miranda," Lizzie said snickering.

"Come on Liz, he's like my brother. For you, it'd be like hearing she was with Matt."

Lizzie shivered a little in disgust. "Point taken."

Gordo rolled his eyes, "We didn't have sex at the party."

"Have you ever…you know?" Miranda asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Once, our last weekend in San Francisco. We thought it was the end of the relationship."

"Then what happened at the party?" Lizzie asked him a little confused.

"We talked for awhile and decided we didn't want to let it go."

As they were talking, Gretchen, Amber and few of her other cronies came walking into the cafeteria. Finding where Gordo was sitting, she smiled evilly. Gretchen was wearing a black top with a very low v-cut collar, a tight, short white skirt, and sandals.

Sauntering over to Gordo's table, Gretchen slid into the seat next to him, "Hello David," she said sweetly as she looked at him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kate and Brooke walkup to them.

Miranda glared at Gretchen, "What do you want?"

Barely glancing at Miranda, "I'm talking to David," she told her coldly. "But if you must know, I was going to invite David to be my date to Mark Summer's birthday party," she said giving Gordo a seductive look.

Kate felt the sudden urge to rip Gretchen's head off and it took all of her self control to not act on it. But before she could stop herself, "Why would he want to go with you?" Kate said with a little edge to her voice.

Part of Gretchen's reputation was that anyone who went out with her was assured of at least reaching second base.

Gretchen slowly looked over at her and her smile widened. Kate felt a cold chill and got a sense of danger, she had just let Gretchen set her up. "She knows something."

"Well I've heard he was with some girl over the summer," she said with putting an extra emphasis on the world girl. "I figured he want to see what a real woman was like."

Gordo was already feeling uneasy having Gretchen so close to him but now his stomach was starting to churn.

"But I'm glad you're here Kate. You should be able to tell me if David is seeing anyone now?"

Kate tried to hide any emotion, "Why would I know? Its not like we really talk."

Gretchen let out a sarcastic laugh, "Well Amber here says otherwise," she said motioning to the girl who stood nearby. "Just yesterday, she saw the two of you getting really friendly on your porch. In fact, I remember seeing you and Gordo going upstairs at Dana's party and no one seeing either of you leave."

Kate opened her mouth to say something but just as quickly, snapped it shut and her jaw twitched in irritation.

Looking back at Gordo, she started to run a hand along the inside of Gordo's leg. Gordo practically jumped in his seat as soon as he felt her touch him. Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her hand off him.

"Well Kate? You know of any reason why David couldn't go with me to Mark's party?" she said her eyes never leaving Gordo.

Kate was in complete turmoil. Gretchen knew what was going on and she was trying to make Kate admit to it on her terms. She knew Gordo would never have anything to do with Gretchen but watching her hit on him was killing her. Her emotions were starting to overrule her brain. "Damn bitch!"

While Gordo was well liked, he wasn't considered cool or a part of the in-crowd. To Gretchen, just the idea of a popular girl being in a serious relationship with a normal guy like Gordo was unconceivable. When Gretchen found out about Gordo and Kate, using this warped view, she intended to hurt Kate. She was going to make Kate choose; either way Gretchen was positive she was going to lose something, lose her popularity or lose Gordo.

Trying to keep herself together, Kate glared at Gretchen. She knew exactly what she was trying to do. "Go to hell," she snarled and spun on her heel and stormed away. Brooke quickly followed Kate, trying to stop her from walking away. As she walked away, Kate could hear Gretchen's cackle laugh.

Standing up, Gretchen leaned in towards Gordo, giving him a good look at her chest. "See you later cutie," she said in an evil purr as she gently traced his chin with her manicured finger.

As Gretchen and her friends walked away, Lizzie and Miranda watched a deep scowl form on Gordo's face.

"I suddenly feel very dirty," Gordo deadpanned.

Miranda stood up, walked around the table and stood by Gordo. "Just give the word Gordo and I'll beat the whore within an inch of her manicured life," she told him as she watched Gretchen walk away.

"No," Gordo said softly. "This is something Kate has to deal with."

"Gordo," Lizzie said softly as she touched his shoulder.

Shrugging off her hand, Gordo stood up. "I'm fine. I know Gretchen knows and is prolly gonna tell everyone. Kate is the one who'll have to decide what she wants now." With that, Gordo walked towards homeroom with his head down.

Lizzie stood up and stood next to her other best friend. "He's hurting," Lizzie said aloud to no one in particular.

Miranda nodded in agreement at her statement. "So what are we going to do?" Miranda asked her as she looked over at Lizzie.

"We can't let him be alone this weekend, at least until him and Kate talk," Lizzie said and Miranda nodded.