Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! Wow, I was really touched, coming
back home from my trip, to see all the positive thoughts about my story.
Thank you all, again. I truly, truly appreciate it.
Okay, here's chapter four. It's a short chapter, but I wanted to get it up since I haven't updated in awhile. Please read and review!
~ HM
******************************************************************
When David heard Lizzie's voice, he felt himself instantly being transported back in time, as if he was sixteen years old again. Lizzie's melodic voice gently pierced his sullen heart, letting loose a torrent of emotions that David had been refusing to feel for over a decade. He was flooded with feelings of passionate joy and with feelings of deep, melancholic longing. He began to weep, silently, closing his eyes and trying to grapple with the reality of his senses. *I've missed you so much, Lizzie!* whispered David to himself.
"David, are you there?" said a quizzical Lizzie. There had been no response to her hello.
David grabbed the microphone, composed himself, and replied, "I-I'm here, Lizzie. I'm here." He could not believe it. . . he was once again talking to his best friend. Is this what it feels like to be God, David wondered. "How are you, Lizzie?"
"I'm great! I just went shopping with my friend Miranda, and after I dropped her off, I stopped by Gordo's apartment to say hello!"
"Gordo's told me a lot about you, Lizzie. He tells me that you're a wonderful friend," said David, with a quiet awe in his voice. This is so surreal . . .this can't be real, this can't be real, this can't be real, this can't be real. . .
"Awww.Gordo's sooo sweet! I wouldn't know what I would do without him. He's my best friend, and I know he's always got my back. I'm sure you know this, David, Gordo's the greatest friend anyone could ever have! Except when I need to buy some bras," giggled Lizzie.
David smiled, and blushed, moved immensely by Lizzie' compliment, but not knowing quite how to respond; after all, Lizzie had no idea that she was complimenting *him.* David wiped away streaming tears with his fingers, took a deep breath, and wished with all of his heart that this moment would never end, hoping that this wasn't just all a dream, loving every moment of it, and yet, at the same time, feeling angry that he could not see and *be* with Lizzie, angry that he couldn't feel her soft, loving embrace, nor gaze into her soulful eyes, nor see her flirtatious smile, nor breathe in her soft, rosy fragrance. David felt both blessed and cursed, grateful that he was at least able to talk with Lizzie, but frustrated that he couldn't have more of her, frustrated that he could only take her in with but a solitary sense.
David took another deep breath, then responded, "Uh, yeah, Gordo's a great guy," said David, slightly discomforted about talking about himself in the third person. "And he's a great judge of character."
Lizzie laughed. "Well, if Gordo's telling you great things about me, then I agree! Gordo *is* a great judge of character!"
David smiled, and just as he was about to respond, he was suddenly hit with a wave of sadness and guilt, as his mind began to replay the fight that he had with Lizzie on the night of her death. "I'm so. . . so sorry, Lizzie," whispered David into the microphone, with an audible tremble in his voice.
"Huh? Why are you sorry, David? Sorry for what?"
David slapped his head, realizing that he shouldn't have said what he just said to Lizzie. "Uh, nothing, Lizzie. I was just talking to myself, about something that happened to me in the past. Don't worry about it."
"You sound. . .really sad, David. I can hear it in your voice. Are you okay? Is there anything I can do to help?"
The soft-spoken concern in Lizzie's soothing voice brought more tears to David's eyes. He didn't know how much longer he could keep talking to Lizzie without completely losing control of his emotions.
Don't leave me, Lizzie. Don't die, don't die, don't die, don't die. . .that's how you can help me, Lizzie, that's how you can help me. . .
"Thanks for your concern, Lizzie, but don't worry, I'm alright."
"You're welcome. But, I can tell from your voice that you're missing someone who's very close and dear to you. I know, because Gordo's voice can get the same way. Like last summer, my family and I went vacationing in Hawaii for three weeks, and when I called Gordo to say hello, the first thing Gordo said was how much he missed me, with the same, sad voice that you have, David. We hadn't ever been apart for so long before. And it was really touching and sweet, and that's why I know in my heart that Gordo will always be there for me." David could hear Gordo in the background sheepishly protesting Lizzie's compliments.
David's heart ached with even greater intensity, as he could actually feel the love from Lizzie' voice seep deep inside his very being, awakening more dormant feelings and memories that he thought he had laid to rest forever.
"You're very . . .insightful, Lizzie. You're right, I am missing my best friend, right now, a friend who died a long time ago. Memories of her are really weighing on my heart right now," said David.
"Ohhhh. . . I'm really sorry, David. She sounds like someone who was really special to you. I can't begin to imagine what it would be like to lose someone like that from your life."
'Yes, she was truly special, the most precious person I'd ever known my entire life. I . . . I-miss you . . . I mean, I mean I miss *her* terribly, I miss her terribly. When I lost her, it was as if a piece of my heart was taken away from me."
"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. I wish I could be there with you and give you a hug."
So do I, thought David, so do I. "Thank you, Lizzie. I truly appreciate your thoughts. But, uhh, I don't want to keep you any longer and weigh you down with what I'm going through right now."
"That's no problem! But, you're right, I do have to go. It's been wonderful chatting with you, and I hope to be able to talk with you or even meet with you sometime. Please take good care of yourself, okay, David? And I want you to know that I'll be thinking of you, and wishing you the best."
"Thanks, Lizzie. I will. And, Lizzie . . ."
"Yes?"
Should I tell her? David wondered. Should I tell her what happens to her tomorrow night? Will that prevent the most awful thing that has ever happened to him?
"Lizzie, please take good care of yourself, too. I really enjoyed talking with you." David decided against telling Lizzie the truth. It would probably do nothing except to scare her and worry her needlessly, thought David. Besides, with Gordo's intervention, they would be able to save Lizzie without her ever having to know how close she came to dying at the tender age of sixteen.
"Thanks, David! And here's Gordo again! Take care!!"
"Hi David, it's me, Gordo again. Lizzie's gone, so we're free to talk again about what happens tomorrow."
"Gordo . . . I want to thank you for letting me talk with Lizzie. Oh my god, I still can't believe that for a few moments, I was with her again."
"You're welcome, David. You're welcome. To tell you the truth, it was really hard to hear you guys talking, knowing what's going to happen tomorrow. But, you have me completely convinced that everything you said is true, and I'll do anything, *anything,* to keep Lizzie alive. Just tell me what I need to do."
David heard a measured, confident conviction in Gordo's voice, which made him feel cautiously optimistic, cautiously optimistic that, possibly, just possibly, he would be able to see and be with Lizzie McGuire once again, and that he would never have to feel the horrific grief that has tortured him ever since her death. With that thought, David began to tell Gordo what happened on the fateful night . .
Okay, here's chapter four. It's a short chapter, but I wanted to get it up since I haven't updated in awhile. Please read and review!
~ HM
******************************************************************
When David heard Lizzie's voice, he felt himself instantly being transported back in time, as if he was sixteen years old again. Lizzie's melodic voice gently pierced his sullen heart, letting loose a torrent of emotions that David had been refusing to feel for over a decade. He was flooded with feelings of passionate joy and with feelings of deep, melancholic longing. He began to weep, silently, closing his eyes and trying to grapple with the reality of his senses. *I've missed you so much, Lizzie!* whispered David to himself.
"David, are you there?" said a quizzical Lizzie. There had been no response to her hello.
David grabbed the microphone, composed himself, and replied, "I-I'm here, Lizzie. I'm here." He could not believe it. . . he was once again talking to his best friend. Is this what it feels like to be God, David wondered. "How are you, Lizzie?"
"I'm great! I just went shopping with my friend Miranda, and after I dropped her off, I stopped by Gordo's apartment to say hello!"
"Gordo's told me a lot about you, Lizzie. He tells me that you're a wonderful friend," said David, with a quiet awe in his voice. This is so surreal . . .this can't be real, this can't be real, this can't be real, this can't be real. . .
"Awww.Gordo's sooo sweet! I wouldn't know what I would do without him. He's my best friend, and I know he's always got my back. I'm sure you know this, David, Gordo's the greatest friend anyone could ever have! Except when I need to buy some bras," giggled Lizzie.
David smiled, and blushed, moved immensely by Lizzie' compliment, but not knowing quite how to respond; after all, Lizzie had no idea that she was complimenting *him.* David wiped away streaming tears with his fingers, took a deep breath, and wished with all of his heart that this moment would never end, hoping that this wasn't just all a dream, loving every moment of it, and yet, at the same time, feeling angry that he could not see and *be* with Lizzie, angry that he couldn't feel her soft, loving embrace, nor gaze into her soulful eyes, nor see her flirtatious smile, nor breathe in her soft, rosy fragrance. David felt both blessed and cursed, grateful that he was at least able to talk with Lizzie, but frustrated that he couldn't have more of her, frustrated that he could only take her in with but a solitary sense.
David took another deep breath, then responded, "Uh, yeah, Gordo's a great guy," said David, slightly discomforted about talking about himself in the third person. "And he's a great judge of character."
Lizzie laughed. "Well, if Gordo's telling you great things about me, then I agree! Gordo *is* a great judge of character!"
David smiled, and just as he was about to respond, he was suddenly hit with a wave of sadness and guilt, as his mind began to replay the fight that he had with Lizzie on the night of her death. "I'm so. . . so sorry, Lizzie," whispered David into the microphone, with an audible tremble in his voice.
"Huh? Why are you sorry, David? Sorry for what?"
David slapped his head, realizing that he shouldn't have said what he just said to Lizzie. "Uh, nothing, Lizzie. I was just talking to myself, about something that happened to me in the past. Don't worry about it."
"You sound. . .really sad, David. I can hear it in your voice. Are you okay? Is there anything I can do to help?"
The soft-spoken concern in Lizzie's soothing voice brought more tears to David's eyes. He didn't know how much longer he could keep talking to Lizzie without completely losing control of his emotions.
Don't leave me, Lizzie. Don't die, don't die, don't die, don't die. . .that's how you can help me, Lizzie, that's how you can help me. . .
"Thanks for your concern, Lizzie, but don't worry, I'm alright."
"You're welcome. But, I can tell from your voice that you're missing someone who's very close and dear to you. I know, because Gordo's voice can get the same way. Like last summer, my family and I went vacationing in Hawaii for three weeks, and when I called Gordo to say hello, the first thing Gordo said was how much he missed me, with the same, sad voice that you have, David. We hadn't ever been apart for so long before. And it was really touching and sweet, and that's why I know in my heart that Gordo will always be there for me." David could hear Gordo in the background sheepishly protesting Lizzie's compliments.
David's heart ached with even greater intensity, as he could actually feel the love from Lizzie' voice seep deep inside his very being, awakening more dormant feelings and memories that he thought he had laid to rest forever.
"You're very . . .insightful, Lizzie. You're right, I am missing my best friend, right now, a friend who died a long time ago. Memories of her are really weighing on my heart right now," said David.
"Ohhhh. . . I'm really sorry, David. She sounds like someone who was really special to you. I can't begin to imagine what it would be like to lose someone like that from your life."
'Yes, she was truly special, the most precious person I'd ever known my entire life. I . . . I-miss you . . . I mean, I mean I miss *her* terribly, I miss her terribly. When I lost her, it was as if a piece of my heart was taken away from me."
"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. I wish I could be there with you and give you a hug."
So do I, thought David, so do I. "Thank you, Lizzie. I truly appreciate your thoughts. But, uhh, I don't want to keep you any longer and weigh you down with what I'm going through right now."
"That's no problem! But, you're right, I do have to go. It's been wonderful chatting with you, and I hope to be able to talk with you or even meet with you sometime. Please take good care of yourself, okay, David? And I want you to know that I'll be thinking of you, and wishing you the best."
"Thanks, Lizzie. I will. And, Lizzie . . ."
"Yes?"
Should I tell her? David wondered. Should I tell her what happens to her tomorrow night? Will that prevent the most awful thing that has ever happened to him?
"Lizzie, please take good care of yourself, too. I really enjoyed talking with you." David decided against telling Lizzie the truth. It would probably do nothing except to scare her and worry her needlessly, thought David. Besides, with Gordo's intervention, they would be able to save Lizzie without her ever having to know how close she came to dying at the tender age of sixteen.
"Thanks, David! And here's Gordo again! Take care!!"
"Hi David, it's me, Gordo again. Lizzie's gone, so we're free to talk again about what happens tomorrow."
"Gordo . . . I want to thank you for letting me talk with Lizzie. Oh my god, I still can't believe that for a few moments, I was with her again."
"You're welcome, David. You're welcome. To tell you the truth, it was really hard to hear you guys talking, knowing what's going to happen tomorrow. But, you have me completely convinced that everything you said is true, and I'll do anything, *anything,* to keep Lizzie alive. Just tell me what I need to do."
David heard a measured, confident conviction in Gordo's voice, which made him feel cautiously optimistic, cautiously optimistic that, possibly, just possibly, he would be able to see and be with Lizzie McGuire once again, and that he would never have to feel the horrific grief that has tortured him ever since her death. With that thought, David began to tell Gordo what happened on the fateful night . .