Thank you everyone so much for all of the great reviews! I love hearing from ya'll. Please keep reviewing. And HilaryDuffMetamorphosis, yes I do have Hilary's new cd, and yes I did get some of the chapter titles from the cd. You may notice some of them here and there. Both Chapter 7 and 8 are Hilary songs. And so is this one. They just fit with the synopsis of those chapters. And yes I saw Raise Your Voice the day it came out too. Well anyways, hope ya'll enjoy this chapter! It's kind of short because Chapter 9 and 10 will mostly focus on the lyrics to Miranda and Lizzie's songs and I figured that ya'll wouldn't want to read too many lyrics in one chapter!

I do not own Lizzie McGuire. I would be happy if I did though! That would be SO cool! Especially Gordo- he's adorable!!! I also do not own Hilary Duff or any of her music!

Chapter 9

I Am

Lizzie woke up Saturday morning and her eyes were burning from all of the crying she had done the night before. She tried so hard not to, but she did not succeed. She looked up and saw that her clock said 10:00 AM. She sighed and laid her head back down on her pillow. At least she felt safe in her bed. As soon as her head hit the mountain of cotton the phone rang.

Animated Lizzie: "That better not be Gordo! I don't wanna ever talk to him again! Okay, so that's not true, but still, I just can't right now."

She decided to wait for one of her parents to answer it and tell her who it was; that way if it was Gordo she could make up an excuse not to come to the phone.

"Lizzie!" Jo shouted from downstairs, "Miranda is on the phone!"

Suddenly feeling a little better knowing that it was not him, Lizzie crawled across her bed to the nightstand to pick up her phone.

"Hey," Lizzie said slightly upbeat trying to hide her true feelings.

"Hey, what's up?" Miranda asked.

"Not much, just getting out of bed," Lizzie answered.

"Lucky you," Miranda replied. "I've been up since 6 o'clock this morning!" Lizzie knew that Miranda was certainly not a morning person.

"Oh c'mon I'm sure you had fun at you Aunt's," Lizzie teased.

"Oh yeah, a blast!" Miranda replied sarcastically.

Lizzie couldn't help but giggle at that.

Animated Lizzie: "With the way I feel, that's probably the only thing I'll laugh at all day."

"So are we gonna work on our song today?" Miranda asked.

"Oh, yeah, sure, that's fine," Lizzie said in such a daze that she was not quite sure what she had just agreed to.

"Lizzie, are you okay?" Miranda asked concerned.

"Yeah I'm fine," Lizzie responded. "Never been better!"

Animated Lizzie: "Oh how I wish that were true."

"O-kay," Miranda said, still unsure of Lizzie, "I'll be over in a little while. Bye!"

Lizzie hung up the phone and just sat in her bed for another moment before she got dressed.

Animated Lizzie: "Should I tell Miranda what's going on? About everything in Rome and everything now? I'm just so confused!"

About thirty minutes later Lizzie had gotten dressed and plopped herself in front of the television while waiting for Miranda to arrive. Then she heard the phone ring. Again.

Animated Lizzie: "Please don't be Gordo, Please don't be Gordo, Please don't be Gordo..."

"Lizzie, honey, Gordo's on the phone," Jo called from the kitchen.

Animated Lizzie: "Great. What should I say? Be cool McGuire; he won't suspect a thing."

Lizzie picked up the phone with a trembling hand. She was so nervous to talk to her best friend. It was weird. And what was even weirder is that he has no idea what is going on.

"Hey Gordo," Lizzie said in an upbeat tone.

"Hey, what's up?" Gordo asked. "Do you wanna do something tonight?"

Gordo Thoughts: "Maybe I'll finally be able to tell her how I feel. I mean, we did almost kiss last night, and we did kiss in Rome. That's got to mean something!"

"Ummm... I dunno Gordo. Miranda and I were going to work on our lyrics, and I'm so bad at stuff like that it may take us all night," Lizzie responded.

Animated Lizzie: "What a lame excuse! Could I not have come up with something better? I can't be alone with him tonight though... it's just too soon."

"Oh," Gordo said with a pained tone in his voice. "Well I understand."

Animated Lizzie: "Oh no, now I feel guilty! After all, it's not his fault that he doesn't like me!"

"But if we finish early I'll call you," she added.

"Okay, that's cool," Gordo said, still with a twinge of hurt. "I guess maybe I'll see you later then. Good luck on the lyrics."

But before Lizzie could say thank you or bye she heard the dial tone.

Animated Lizzie: "I just wonder what goes on inside Gordo's head."

Miranda had finally got to Lizzie's and they were sitting in the McGuires' living room trying to decide how things were going to work. Who was going to sing lead? Who was going to sing back up? Or should they take turns?

"This is so much harder than I thought," Miranda said. "I mean who knew this would be so complicated?"

"I know," Lizzie agreed glumly.

"Lizzie, what's wrong? You have been pouting like all afternoon."

"It's nothing Miranda," Lizzie said, still unable to make eye contact with Miranda.

"Lizzie, I can tell when you're lying," Miranda commented. "Spill."

Animated Lizzie: "Should I tell her the truth about Rome and everything?"

"I'm just so blocked about these lyrics," Lizzie lied. I mean, what should we write about?"

"Just write what you feel; your inner most thoughts," Miranda insisted. "I've already written some lyrics but I don't wanna take all the credit," Miranda said.

"Ooh I have an idea!" Lizzie said, happy to finally stop thinking about Gordo for awhile.

"What!?" Miranda asked excitedly.

Mr. Dig was in charge of this year's talent show. He had volunteered since he was still substituting at both Hillridge Junior High and Hillridge High.

"Remember the other day Mr. Dig said that each act gets to audition twice? Well we could audition once with your song and once with mine," Lizzie suggested.

"That's a great idea Lizzie!" Miranda exclaimed. "Now who sings what?"

"How about I sing lead and you sing back up for my song, and then vice-versa for your song?" Lizzie proposed.

"Sure!" Miranda was ecstatic. "That way we're both even and we get to play both songs."

"This is gonna be so much fun!" Lizzie shouted.

"Girls, what's going on in here?" Sam interrupted them. "I could hear ya'll all the way in the kitchen. What's the exciting news?"

"Nothing!" both Lizzie and Miranda exclaimed as they jumped for joy up to Lizzie's room to work on their lyrics.

Back in Lizzie's room she was stumped. She had no idea what to write about. All she could think about was Gordo. She glanced over at Miranda who was putting the finishing touches on her song.

"Let me see that!" Lizzie screeched as she got up from her desk and took the lyrics from Miranda who was sitting on the bed. She was amazed at how well written they were. All the words flowed together and made perfect sense. This is what she read:

I'm an angel - I'm a devil - I am sometimes in between

I'm as bad as it can get - And good as it can be

Sometimes I'm a million colors - Sometimes I'm black and white

I am all extremes

Try to figure me out - You never can

There's so many things I am...

CHORUS:

I am special - I am beautiful

I am wonderful and powerful - Unstoppable

Sometimes I'm miserable - Sometimes I'm pitiful

But that's so typical of all the things I am...

I'm someone filled with self-belief - I'm haunted by self-doubt

I've got all the answers - I've got nothing figured out

I like to be by myself - I hate to be alone

I'm up and I am down

But that's part of the thrill - Part of the plan

Part of all of the things I am...

REPEAT CHORUS

I'm a million contradictions

Sometimes I make no sense

Sometimes I'm perfect

Sometimes I'm a mess

Sometimes I'm not sure who I am...

REPEAT CHORUS TWICE

Sometimes I'm miserable - Sometimes I'm pitiful

But that's so typical of all the things I am

Of all the things I am

Lizzie looked up at Miranda and she was breathless.

"What?" Miranda worried. "Is it not very good?"

"Good? Miranda, it's amazing!" Lizzie exclaimed. "How did you do that?"

"I dunno, it just came to me," she shrugged.

"Miranda, you are genius! There is no way my song will be even near as great as yours."

"Thanks Lizzie, but don't give up, just try. I know you have it in you."

"Okay, I'll try. What is the name of your song Miranda?"

"I Am," Miranda said. "Very simple."

"I love it!" Lizzie expressed again.

"Now, lets get to work on your song," Miranda insisted.

Lizzie groaned and let her head hit her desk.

Yes, I know, another Hilary song, but listening to the words, that one sounded a lot like Miranda to me. That's all of Chapter 9; hope you enjoyed it! Since this one was pretty short I am updating Chapter 10 today too! Please R&R!

Carrie