Humming cheerfully to herself, Miranda Sanchez pushed open the door to the coffee place that she and her boyfriend regularly had cappuccinos at before their classes, and instantly spotted him on their usual couch in the corner of the shop. Sauntering over, she leant down to give him a kiss then stopped in surprise when he carefully avoided her clumsily aimed mouth, looking distinctly uncomfortable. Sliding down opposite him, she crossed her arms and gave him her best frown.

"Okay, what's wrong?"

"We need to talk." He muttered, staring into his coffee cup with great concentration. She sighed heavily, already predicting where this would go. He would accuse her, they would get into a huge argument and make up in true teenager-style by the end of the day. It was getting quite old.

"What about?"

He put his cup down and looked her in the eye for the first time that day. There was something unreadable in his expression, but she knew that she didn't like the look at all.

"I think we should break up." His voice, in risen tones, carried across the coffee shop and Miranda winced as several of her classmates looked across at her in sympathy. Trying desperately hard to ignore the stares, she returned his stare.

"Why?"

"I don't need you anymore." He said casually. "And we both know that you're still cheating on me. I saw you with him last night."

"What do you mean, you don't need me anymore?" She demanded. "Okay, so I'm still seeing him. It never bothered with you before."

"No, but now it's an incentive to break up with you. If anyone asks, that's why we've broken up, okay?"

She stared at him in confusion. "Then… why are we breaking up?"

He shrugged. "I told you. I don't need you anymore. You've been cheating on me, and I've been using you. I've been writing to her and speaking on the phone to her, you know, letting her know all that's going on between us. I thought it would make her jealous and realise what a mistake she made." He looked wistful. "She was too late, the poor girl."

"What the hell are you on about?" Miranda exclaimed. "What girl? Are you talking about Lizzie? Lizzie McGuire, from junior high?"

"Indeed." Gordo said cheerfully. "Sorry to disappoint, Miranda, but I never loved you. I never stopped loving Lizzie, and I thought that being with you would make her realise that I'm actually too good to pass up."

"You're an arrogant twat." Miranda told him furiously. "But it's okay. I'm not too distraught, considering you're too cold-hearted to ever be loved. I don't know why I put up with you this long, actually."

"The sex, my dear." He smiled. "I know that, you don't need to pretend. I'm sorry we can't do it anymore. But I'm sure you're glad that you can go about with this guy in public now. You love him, don't you?"

"Yes, I do." She stared at him through dry eyes. "He is everything that you're not. What suddenly possessed you to break up with me, anyway?"

"She's gone." He put a pitiful expression onto his face. "Terrible, really. I got a phone call from her mother last night – she was kidnapped a week ago. I don't think we'll ever hear from her again. Shame, really."

Miranda felt her body stiffen in shock. "Lizzie? Kidnapped?"

"Yes. She really ought to have been more careful, walking about the streets at midnight."

Tears stung at her eyes as she recalled the quirky blonde she had been best friends with for so long, the girl she hadn't spoken to in two years. They had tried the phone calls and letters at first, but Lizzie and Miranda had both found new friends, new lives, and the letters grew from once a week to once a month to finally, never.

"I can't believe it." She whispered. "Lizzie… oh God." Blurred vision from the tears in her eyes, she stared at Gordo. "Why are you so – normal? I thought you loved her? You just said you loved her."

"Oh, I did. I do." He raised his hands upwards. "But who knows where she is now. Like I said, we'll probably never hear from her again, so I guess I got to get over it."

She wiped the tears from her cheeks. "You really are dead inside, you know." She informed him in a choked voice. He gave her a wry grin and said nothing. "I'm glad to be out of this emotionless relationship." Miranda added, sobs hurting her throat, as she got to her feet and grabbed for her purse. "Have a nice life, loser."

He stretched his arms above his head and grinned at the ceiling as the door slammed behind his ex-girlfriend. Finally. Free.