I hope you guys like this chapter.The reason I say it is that I already got my first flame feedback on it.From my little sister no less!(shaking my head here).For this chapter to work I just need you all to remember Miranda hot head and how that mixed with pride can be a hard thing to work with.So with no more chit chat here is the next chapter of the story.
TITLE- IT'S REALLY YOU!
"Miranda?" Gordo asked in a quiet voice as he stared at the woman he knew was his long lost missing best friend. As he waited for her answer Gordo found that he was almost afraid to take his eyes of her. He was afraid that if he did she might disappear out of his life again "Is it really you?"
What the hell was she doing here in this diner? Hell what was she doing in New York City? But more importantly why the hell had she not been home these last six years? , Gordo thought to himself as he tried to get his fast beating heart and his emotions back under control.
"Yeah Gordo it's really me." said Miranda softly as she felt a rare smile start to spread across her face.
"OH MY GOD!! IT IS YOU!!" yelled Gordo as he grabbed a laughing Miranda around the waist, lifted her up off the ground and started spinning her around in place "IT REALLY IS YOU! OH MY GOD I DON'T FREAKING BELIEVE IT!!!"
"GORDO PUT ME DOWN YOU BIG IDIOT!" the laughing Miranda yelled not meaning a word of it as she found herself starting to enjoy the feeling of her old best friend arms wrapped around her. Miranda continued to laugh as Gordo spun her around and around the old greasy diner, neither caring one bit about the strange looks they were getting form the rest of the diner patrons.
"My God Rand!" said Gordo as he finally put her down on the ground and stepping back to take a good look at her "Where have you....what happened....why are you here?"
"Which one of those questions do you want me to answer Gordo?" asked Miranda the smile on her face still getting bigger as she stared at the shocked look that was still on Gordo face.
"All of them!" Gordo sighed in frustration.
But before Miranda could open her mouth to say another word Carl her boss came storming over. He looked extremely pissed off over the broken dishes and the fact that she was just standing around not working.
"God damn it Sanchez!" he shouted looking back and forth at Miranda and the tray of broken dishes that she had dropped in the floor "Do you have any idea how much replacing all those dishes you just broke are going to cost me? Do you?!"
"Look Carl I'll replace....." Miranda started but was cut off by an irate Carl.
"Your damn right your going to replace them Sanchez!" yelled Carl"Because if you don't....."
"Uhh excuse me?" Gordo said clearing his throat loudly behind Carl getting his attention "First off it was I who bumped into Miranda here, which made her drop the dishes. So I'll be the one paying for all of them that were broken." said Gordo who held up his hand when he saw that Miranda was about to start protesting his little white lie.
Carl turned to look at Gordo sneering at him "And just who the hell are you mister? And what the hell do you want?!"
"Ohhh can I take this one Boss, please?" John asked as he stepped up in between Gordo and Carl.
"By all means John." said Gordo smiling as the man who could have passed for Arnold Schwarzenegger body double except for the fact that he was black, stepped up next to the suddenly paling Carl.
"Excuse me sir?" asked John with a big smile as he put his rather LARGE arm around Carl shoulder and started leading him away "But are you the owner of this fine dining and eating establishment here?"
"Uh yeah I am." said Carl getting more nervous as he and the large man started moving back toward the back of the diner.
"Well, that's very good to hear friend!" said John "Because me and my partner there," John moved his head nodding toward Gordo "are here to bring you in on a sweetheart of a deal.One that could make you a nice large chunk of money. That is if your interested?"
"Really?" Carl asked suddenly less nervous and suddenly very interested when the words nice large chunk of money were thrown out.
"That's right my friend a very nice amount of money. So why don't we leave these two old friends to themselves and lets me and you go somewhere to talk a little business." John said in a very force full tone but still with a friendly smile on his face.
"Uh sure" said Carl who than looked over at Miranda "Sanchez why don't you go take an hour break or something."
"No now that won't do." said John shaking his head "Why don't we let her have the rest of the day off.That way they can catch up on old times."
"Sure" Carl said looking back and forth between Miranda and the large man next to him "Sanchez you just take the rest of the day off now you hear?"
"With pay" added John smiling.
Seeing how that smile reminded Carl of the jaws of one of those large great white sharks he once saw on his tv he quickly did what he was told "Uh yeah with pay." gulped Carl.John smile only got bigger and he patted Carl on the back and started herding him once again toward the back of the diner.
As Gordo started laughing next to her Miranda watched stunned as her boss who was normally mean and ill tempered toward everyone practically fall over himself getting Gordo friend into his office in the back. The whole time that they were walking to the back Carl was asking just how much money were they talking about here and what did he have to do to get it.
"Alright Miranda" Gordo said suddenly and Miranda turned to face him "Now that your off work why don't me and you go somewhere and grab us a coffee. Than you can start telling me all about where the hell you've been these last six years."
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER IN STARBUCKS
"Gordo would you quit staring at me like that." Miranda said smiling as she sat across the table from her old friend watching him watch her.
"I can't help it Miranda." said Gordo as his own huge smile started spreading across his face as he held his cup "I've got this bad feeling that if I let my eye off you for one second, you might up and disappear again."
"Ok first off Gordo you can let your guard down and relax some because I'm not going anywhere." said the smiling Miranda as she took a sip from her coffee cup.
"Well, are you ever going to tell me just what the hell happened?" asked Gordo trying very hard to not let the anger and the hurt that he felt to show in his voice "Like why the hell you disappeared?"
"I will explain it to you if you would let me!" said Miranda starting to get irritated at Gordo holier than thou attitude.
"Fine" said Gordo holding up his hands "Please explain to me why you just dropped out of our lives and have been missing for six years."
"Well, Gordo if you want to know the whole story than you'll have to go back to when we were in our junior year at college." Miranda said her eyes downcast playing with her coffee cup "It was the weekend that you and Lizzie were gone to Mexico on Spring Break."
"I remember." Gordo said nodding his head "You stayed behind because you couldn't get off work. And when me and Lizzie came back the living room was trashed and you were packed up and gone. No note no nothing."
"Well, after the third day that you two were gone my parents decided to stop by to pay me a little visit." said Miranda looking up to look into Gordo eyes "And lets just say they didn't come for a happy family reunion."
FLASHBACK
SIX YEARS AGO AT THE APARTMENT OF LIZZIE,MIRANDA AND GORDO CLOSE TO THE UCLA CAMPUS
"HOW DARE YOU?!" yelled Miranda as she jumped out of the chair she was in to stare down at her parents. Miranda could feel the blood in her veins start to boil over in anger.
"Hija would you please just listen to what we're saying?" Miranda's mother softly pleaded a tear in her eye "That boy you are dating, he is no good for you."
Miranda was not about to let her parents just come here and sit quietly while they slandered her boyfriend name like this "First off mother his name is Kyle, not that boy! And second how dare you come to MY home and tell me who I can and cannot date?! I'm not some fourteen year old girl living in your home anymore! I'm in college and an adult now!"
"Than it's about time you grew up and started acting like one young lady!" Edward Sanchez shouted out at his daughter.
"Edward!" Daniella Sanchez started to admonish her husband.
"No Daniella we've been talking about this for the last three months!" the man said turning to look at his wife "You and I both know that boy she is dating is nothing more than a bum who is living off our daughter!"
"Kyle is not a bum dad!" said Miranda.
"Well, Miranda answer me this than!" Miranda father asked her sternly "What do you call a man who has no job, no money and who has dropped out of college to live off the money you let him borrow?"
"It's not that simple dad!" said Miranda rolling her eyes at her father "Kyle is trying to make it in the music world here in LA and yes he borrows money from me from time to time but he's planning on paying me back. The problem is he's just in between gigs right now!"
"In between gigs right now," muttered Mr.Sanchez this time he was the one who rolled his eyes "He's a bum and he always will be a no account bum. And I will not allow my oldest daughter to be brought down to his level. You will stop seeing this boy immediately! Do you understand me my daughter?"
"You don't know what the hell you are talking about dad?" Miranda asked letting the anger she was containing start to blow out.
"You watch how you speak to your parents young lady!" said Miranda mom suddenly getting back into the conversation.
"No, I won't!" said Miranda shaking her head vehemently "Like I said you come into my home, talk down about my boyfriend and than tell me I have to stop seeing him! And than you want me to show you respect! Not in this life time!"
Miranda began to pace the room when she found she couldn't stand still anymore. It was on the second lap across the living room when she thought of something. "Just how is it that you two know all this stuff about Kyle anyway?" she asked her parents.
"We've been talking to David and Elizabeth for the last few months on the phone. "Miranda mother said softly hoping to calm the situation down some.
"Oh really." said Miranda as the knowledge of her two best friends plotting with her family behind her back started to sink in.
"Yes when we called asking about your boyfriend they were the one who told us about how that bum doesn't work and is always taken money from you." said Miranda father.
"We just went over this dad!" sighed Miranda as she fell back down in her seat and put her hand over her eyes in frustration "Kyle doesn't take money from me I loan it to him!"
"Well, from this moment on you will not loan him anymore money and you will stop seeing him."
"Dad I've already told you I'm an adult now and if I want to see someone now I will do so." said Miranda looking her father in the eye not blinking or backing down an inch.
"Well, I'm sorry to hear that hija but if that's the way it has to be." Her father said as he and her mother looked at one another and stood up and heading for the door. As they reached the door to the small apartment Mrs.Sanchez walked out the door without saying another word to her daughter but Mr. Sanitize turned to face Miranda "The way I see it young lady you seem to like to talk now about how much of an adult you are now. Maybe your mother and I should start treating you like one?"
"What are you talking about?" asked Miranda in confusion.
"As an adult you are responsible to pay your own way." Her father said sternly "From this moment on you will get no more money from your mother or I to live off on or to give to that bum."
"That's not a problem." said Miranda gloating a little "I make enough at my job at the coffee shop to pay my share of the rent and bills here."
"Yes, that maybe true," said Mr. Sanchez getting ready to deliver his coup de grace "but your mother and I will also no longer be paying your college tuition from now on. You will be responsible for that when this next semester rolls around."
"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS?!" shouted Miranda not believing her ears over her fathers last comment.
"Oh I'm dead serious young lady." said Mr. Sanchez ever most seriously.
"But the cost of my tuition after what the scholarship pays for is still way to much for me to afford!" shouted Miranda "Not to mention I still have to pay my share of the bills around here!"
"Well, than my dear." said Mr. Sanchez said looking at his daughter "I guess your going to have to decide what is more important. Your college education or that bum you call a boyfriend. When you wise up and drop that bum, you can call your mother and me at home. But until you do not call us asking for money or anything else for that matter." And with that Mr.Sanchez walked out of the apartment and out of his daughter life.
"DIOS ASSHOLES MALDITOS!!" Miranda yelled as she reached down and flipped over the coffee table in anger. "HOW DARE THEY COME HERE TO MY HOME AND FORCE AN ULTIMATUM DOWN ON ME LIKE THAT! HOW DARE THEY TREAT ME LIKE SOME STUPID LITTLE CHILD!"
But it wasn't just her parents that Miranda found herself angry at. Oh no, Lizzie and Gordo now had their own little spot in her book now. How dare they go behind her back to her parents and snitch lies about her boyfriend! Miranda had always known that Lizzie and Gordo had never liked Kyle but she had no idea that they would take their dislike this far. It was this betrayal that hurt worse than anything that her parents had just done to her.Miranda destructive nature to the apartment was cut short when the doorbell started to ring.
"WHAT?" yelled Miranda as she flung the door open half expecting her parents to be back.
"Gees baby you having a bad day or something?" came the laughing voice leaned up against the door frame.
"Kyle!" Miranda shouted in joy as she grabbed her boyfriend and pulled him into the room and into a long kiss.
"Well, that was a very nice way to say hello." said Kyle after Miranda broke the long kiss. "Damn baby what the hell happened to this place?" Kyle asked as he got his first good look at Miranda destructive handy work to the apartment.
"My parents were just here." sighed Miranda still with her arms around Kyle waist.
"Did the three of you have World War III in here or something?"
"Something like that." smiled Miranda knowing how close Kyle was to that remark "Not that I'm upset that you are but what are you doing here? Isn't the part of the day where you and the band are in town trying to line up auditions?"
"That's why I'm here baby." said Kyle as he let go of Miranda and sat down on the sofa.
Miranda walked over to sit down next to him "What's going on Kyle?"
"Well, hon I have some good news and some bad news."
"I need some good news so tell it to me first." said Miranda.
"Well, my cousin called me today and told me he has a job for me and the band." Kyle said with a large amount of pride in his voice.
"Kyle that's great!" shouted Miranda as she leaped into Kyle lap and kissed him again "I always knew you guys could do it! Where are you guys going to be playing? Anywhere I know? Some place close by?"
"Oh no hon"sighed Kyle "I'm afraid that's where the bad news comes in."
"What are you not telling me Kyle?"
"My cousin and the gig he got for us is in New York City."
"NEW YORK CITY?!" exploded Miranda as she leaped out of Kyle lap and stood over him "Your leaving for New York City?!"
"I hate to hon," Kyle said holding his hands out in surrender "but it was the only work me and the band could find."
Miranda just stood there and let the million thoughts start to go through her already pissed off brain. And just like the millions of people everyday who make bad choices in the heat of anger,Miranda made hers.
"OK when are we leaving?"
Kyle couldn't have been more floored at that moment had Miranda ripped off her face to show that she was really an alien life form passing for human.
"You want to go with me?" Kyle asked in surprise "To New York?"
"Yes, I do." said Miranda nodding her head and liking this idea the more she thought of it.
"But what about your college plans? What about your friends?"
"Well, it seems that I can no longer afford college. So it's no longer an option for us to conceder." said Miranda "And it also seems that my so called friends like to go behind my back and spread lies. So why should I care about them?"
"What the hell are you talking about baby?" Kyle asked not having one clue about what was going on.
"I'll explain later hon." said Miranda "So when are we leaving for New York?"
"Uhh anytime your ready, baby." said Kyle still not knowing what to make of all of this. He had plans to come here and break up with Miranda so he could have a clean start when he got to New York. The last thing he ever thought would happen would be for her to want to go to New York with him.
"Good." said Miranda as she gave Kyle a kiss on the cheek "Give me just a few minutes to pack my things and than we can go." And with that Miranda went into her and Lizzie bedroom to pack up her belongings.
BACK TO STARBUCKS PRESENT DAY
"And after a few days of a very long and very boring cross country car trip," smiled Miranda as she took a sip from her coffee cup "we finally made it here to New York."
"God damn it Miranda! Are you trying to tell me that you've been gone out of our lives! Out of my life for six years because you thought me and Lizzie betrayed you?!" yelled Gordo not believing the story he had just heard "We never betrayed you or tried to hurt you!"
"I know that now. I let my stupid hot headiness take control over me. Gordo.You of all people should understand that about me" Miranda sighed eyes down cast "And if it makes you feel any better all of you were right about Kyle. He turned out to be even worse than what you all thought of him."
"What did he do to you, Miranda?" Gordo asked ready to seek out and kill the no account bastard right that second if he had hurt Miranda.
"About two years after we got here police broke into our apartment one morning" said Miranda "Before we knew what was going on we both had handcuffs slapped on us and thrown into a police cell."
"Holy shit, Miranda!" said Gordo staring at her in shock "What did Kyle do?"
"Well, it seems that Kyle was pushing a lot more than just his music around town." sighed Miranda.
"Drugs?" asked Gordo already knowing the answer to his question.
"Yes, heroin" said Miranda "it seemed that Kyle cousin who got them the job here in New York was a big time drug dealer around here. He was using Kyle to distribute the drugs around town whenever they went somewhere to play."
"So when the cops found out you didn't have anything to do with it they let you go right?" asked Gordo.
"Yeah, but only after about six hours of questioning" smiled Miranda happy over Gordo support of her "And how did you know I didn't have anything to do with Kyle drug trade?"
"Lets just say I know you alright." said Gordo smiling 'Even after six years I know you wouldn't have anything to do with drugs."
"Thanks Gordo" said Miranda as she reached across the table and placed her hand over his.
"But what I don't understand Miranda," said Gordo looking down at her hand over his and than back up at her "is after Kyle arrest why didn't you just come home to us?"
"My foolish pride wouldn't let me Gordo."
"Your pride?"
"How could I have gone back after I had made such a fool of myself with you guys?"
"None of us would have cared about that Rand!" said Gordo "Lizzie, your parents and I would have welcomed you back."
"I know you all would have Gordo." Miranda said embarrassed "But I started putting off going home for one month, than another and before I knew it six years had gone by."
"Well, none of that matters now because we got you back now and we're not letting you go." said Gordo and this time he placed his other hand over the one she had on his.
Miranda could only smile at how the contact of his hand on hers caused happiness to start to flow through her. After looking up at the clock on the wall and seeing the time, Miranda took her hands out of Gordo and got up from her side of the table. "Come on Gordo it's time for us to go."
"Where are we going?" Gordo asked as he started slipping his coat back on.
"To my place." said Miranda as they started walking to the front door of the Starbucks and back out in the cold New York City winter.
"Isn't it a little early for that?" Gordo asked with a small mischievous look in his eyes "I mean I've only taken you out for coffee one time.Shouldn't we at least go out once or twice more before you take me to your place?"
"Shut up Gordo." said Miranda laughing as she playfully socked him on the arm loving the old joking camaraderie that they had fallen back into "I'm taken you back to my place because there is someone I want you to meet."
TBC