A/N – "Thoughts"

Chapter 7 – Decisions And Starting Over

Miranda drove into the parking lot of the Stone Canyon strip mall. After finding a parking spot and turning the engine off, she sat in her car for a moment. She gazed down at her left hand and smiled. Taking a deep breath, she got out and slowly started walking towards the Lyons Convenience Store.

During Christmas, after Gordo had given her the ring, she had really started to look at their relationship. After a long deliberation, Miranda had finally decided that she wanted to take their relationship to the next level.

What had really synched it was what Gordo had done for Valentines Day a few days ago. While all of their friends had gone out to expensive restaurants and such, Gordo had tried to cook them dinner; he was still trying to financially recover from buying her the ring.

While he ended up burning everything and they had eaten chinese take out, she was more touched by the gesture and not the actual dinner.

Walking into the convenience store, Miranda tried to nonchalantly walk around the store. She really didn't want to draw attention to herself. While she was certain she wanted to do this, it was still a little embarrassing buying condoms. But she had to do this if they wanted to sleep together and Miranda wanted to surprise him on some special day. She just wasn't sure when the day would be.

Reaching the display rack, Miranda looked in surprise at all the different types. Pick up one box, she looked at it, "Which one am I supposed to choose?" Putting the first box back and picking up another one, she turned it over to read the back.

"You might wanna try the blue box to your right," a familiar voice said from behind her.

"Kate!" Throwing the box up in surprise, Miranda jumped a little and spun around. A horrified expression crossed her face as she saw an amused looking Kate catch the box she had just tossed. "Not her. Anyone but her."

Kate looked at the box she had just caught for a moment before putting it back. "You wanna sleep with Gordo?" There was no malice in her voice, she wasn't teasing her but just asking a question.

Miranda studied her for a moment, not really sure what to answer. "Yea," she finally said in a low voice.

Kate grinned a little, "I'm not gonna make fun of you." She then reached out and grabbed the box she mentioned before. Handing it to Miranda the box, "In my opinion these are the best," she told her.

Nervously taking the box from her, Miranda looked at the box for a moment and then looked up at Kate cautiously. "Why are you," Miranda started to ask.

"Being nice?" Kate finished. She shrugged, "I know we're not the best of friends, hell I'm not even sure if we really are friends, but I'm not the same person I was. I…umm….want to try and be friends again."

"We are friends," Miranda said.

Kate just shook her head, "No we're not. We just tolerate the other when we hang out and I don't want to do that anymore."

Miranda just looked at her confused for a moment. "Are you serious?"

"Yea, totally. I miss the three of us just hanging out, pigging out, talking. Being popular isn't all its cracked up to be, I miss my real friends," she then smiled, "I also miss us torturing Gordo," she added sarcastically. They both laughed at one memory of them holding Gordo down as Lizzie would kiss him when they were younger.

Kate sobered after a few minutes. "I'm sorry I treated you like crap. I let being popular go to my head. I miss having real friends who'd hang with me no matter what I was."

Miranda smiled a little and nodded in agreement. Kate looked at the ground for a moment, "Do you want to go to lunch?" she asked a little timidly as she slowly looked back up.

Miranda looked at her, she really couldn't believe that Kate was being this sincere. "Sure. I just, uh, I gotta pay for this," she told her as she passed the box back and forth in her hands like it was hot. Kate giggled a little and rolled her eyes as she followed her up to the cashier.

About an hour later, they were sitting in Burger Buddy. "You really serious about Gordo, aren't you?" Kate asked Miranda as they ate.

Miranda nodded as she chewed a bite from her cheeseburger. "I know we've only been dating for like nine months but I can't really see me being with anyone else."

Kate sipped her soda and looked at Miranda with a smile. "You may have only been dating him for nine months but you've known him for like fourteen years. You wanna know something. Everyone knows Lizzie is his first love and all that other crap, but if they hadn't known each other since birth, I really think you two would've gotten together sooner."

Miranda just grinned a little and tried to shrug it off. But when Kate started laughing softly at her reaction, it caused Miranda to blush a little. Kate watched as Miranda looked down at her hand and started to fidget with the ring.

"Have you figured out when you're gonna do it," Kate asked.

"I was kind of thinking his birthday or maybe mine. I really haven't thought about it anymore then I want to," Miranda answered and then looked up at her. "You've done it before. I mean, I just was wondering," she was starting to babble.

Kate just listened to her with a grin, it was amusing to watch the cool and collected Miranda start to get really shy and unsure of herself. "What it's like?" Kate said finished off her question and Miranda nodded. She chuckled softly, "I have done it before but contrary to popular belief it's always been with the same guy." Kate paused and she smiled as she thought about Ethan. "The first couple of times it's really awkward but if it's with the right person, it makes it worth it."

"How do you know if it's the right person?"

Kate grinned at her and reaching out, took Miranda's left hand and brought it up in front of her face. "You just know," she told her.

After they both finished lunch, they sat in silence for awhile, both lost in their own thoughts.

"Kate?" Miranda asked after a few minutes.

"Yea," she answered as she leaned back in her chair.

"Thanks."

Kate looked at her confused and a little surprised, "For what?"

"Well, one, helping me at the store and helping me put some of my big fears aside about sleeping with Gordo. Two, apologizing." She paused for a moment, "Start over?" Miranda said and then reached a hand out.

Kate smiled as she reached out and took it. "Yea."