Author's Note: Thanks for all the great support on this story! Just a few notes before I get back into the story. Everyone seems to be wondering what happened or why Lizzie and Gordo aren't together. Well, you'll have to wait until the end to find out, but I will say this: it is probably not what you think it is…so keep an open mind. Stormynights78613 : Ronnie was Lizzie's first kiss, but I was actually talking about Gordo and Lizzie's first kiss together, sorry if you were confused.
Lizzie had taken a break from the 'Gordo' box. She sorted through some other boxes and cleaned out some drawers, after all there was a lot to go through, not just the 'Gordo' box. It was however, the most important box. Lizzie shed tears over old memories and mementos that she found in each box and drawer, but the ones in the 'Gordo' box remained the most touching and dear. Lizzie drew in a deep breath and settled herself again in front of the 'Gordo' box. She closed her eyes, reached in and pulled out a birthday card, along with a few other items, from the first birthday she'd had after they'd become a couple. It had been her fifteenth birthday and they hadn't yet told each other that they loved each other, that came about a month and a half later when she'd broken her arm. But both knew that this was something extra special.
On the morning of her fifteenth birthday Lizzie woke up smiling. She knew that it was going to be a great day. She and Gordo had been dating for nearly a year and she couldn't wait to spend her birthday with him. A month earlier they'd celebrated Gordo's birthday. Lizzie had told him that they'd do whatever he wanted to do all day long. So the two had spent the day at the movie theater, seeing movie after movie after movie and eating lots of French fries. A few of the movies they'd even sat through more than once because they'd been too busy making out to pay attention the first time. For his birthday Lizzie had bought him a light meter, something that was typically used by serious photographers and filmmakers. Lizzie knew that Gordo was going to make her day extra special and she couldn't wait to start the day.
Lizzie was in the shower when her Mom stuck her head into the bathroom and said, "Something was delivered for you, I'll just leave it on your desk." When Lizzie emerged from the bathroom she found a vase holding an arrangement of calla lilies and pink roses. The card poking out of the arrangement simply read, "Whatever your heart desires." Lizzie squealed in delight knowing that the flowers and card were from Gordo and he was offering her the same deal she'd offered him on his birthday.
Lizzie decided on the mall. She actually would have preferred the ocean or the amusement park, but at fifteen their mode of transportation was limited to their mothers and there were limited destinations that their mothers would agree to bring them to and retrieve them from. So, the mall it was. Jo dropped Gordo and Lizzie off at the mall on her way to the grocery store and Mr. Gordon had offered to pick them up on his way home from work. Miranda was going to meet them at the food court around lunchtime; she'd been invited to spend the entire day with them but her mother had scheduled her a dentist appointment for that morning. Lizzie and Gordo were glad to have a few hours where it would just be the two of them.
Once Jo had dropped them off Gordo asked, "So, do you want your present now or later?"
"What is it?" Lizzie asked.
"I can't tell you that," Gordo laughed.
"Well, how can I tell you if I want it now or later if I don't know what it is?" Lizzie asked.
The logic of her question eluded him but he played along a little, "Well, I can't tell you exactly what it is, but I can give you a hint that might help you decided."
"Okay," she said giddily.
"It's small enough that it fits in my pocket and it's semi-romantic," Gordo said.
"So, Miranda would probably be uncomfortable if she had to watch me open it and gush over it," Lizzie asked.
"Probably," Gordo said.
"Okay, let's open it now then," Lizzie said.
Gordo had wanted her to say that she wanted it now. When she opened it he wanted to tell her how he felt about her. He had a feeling that she knew and that she felt the same way, but he still wanted to tell her. It would not be their moment alone if Miranda were there too. Gordo led Lizzie to the center of the mall where there was a fountain, potted trees and benches. Together they sat on a bench and he handed her the gift bag he had been carrying. His heart quickened a little as she pulled out the card, he couldn't believe that he was finally going to tell her. He had taken great care in selecting just the right card. He wanted it to be the perfect opening to what he wanted to tell her. On the front of the card was an artist's picture of a garden. It was twilight, so you could just see the twinkling stars coming out and several fireflies were lighting up the garden with their glow. On the inside it simply said, 'Happy Birthday to the one who makes me feel all sparkly inside!' Lizzie smiled as she read the card and said, "Awh Gordo, that is so sweet." She started to open the gift but he stopped her.
"Lizzie, wait, I want to tell you something," Gordo said a little shakily.
"Okay," Lizzie said slightly confused.
"Lizzie, I want you to know that I…."
Just at that moment Miranda's voice came booming over to them from the other side of the fountain, "Hey guys, guess what!" Miranda sat down unaware of what she was interrupting and told them all about how her dentist appointment had been cancelled because the guy with the appointment before hers had an allergic reaction to the dentist's latex gloves and had to rushed to the hospital. "So, what did I miss?" she asked innocently.
"Well, Gordo had been just about to tell me something," Lizzie said, "Go ahead Gordo."
Not wanting to tell Lizzie that he loved her right in front of Miranda Gordo covered and said, "Oh, I just wanted you to know that I have a gift receipt if you don't like it." He pushed the gift bag toward her and she blinked a little, sure that he had intended on telling her something else before Miranda arrived. She smiled at him and pulled the gift bag toward her. She reached into the bag and pulled out a jewelry box. In the box was a silver pendant with a heart. In the center of the heart were both of their birthstones side by side.
"Gordo, it's beautiful. It's too much though, how could you afford this?" Lizzie asked.
"I've been saving my money since Christmas," Gordo confessed, "I saw it at the mall when I was shopping for your Christmas gift and decided it was perfect for your birthday."
"Wow, thank you!" Lizzie said, "Help me put it on."
Gordo fastened the necklace around her neck then spun her around so she was facing him. He admired the necklace on her then gave her a quick kiss.
Miranda rolled her eyes and said, "Now open mine." She had gotten Lizzie a Hello Kitty tee shirt and some new super shine lip-gloss.
"Thanks Miranda, I love it!" Lizzie exclaimed, less enthusiastically than she had over Gordo's gift.
The three had lunch and spent the day wandering around the mall. About an hour before they were going to be picked up by Gordo's Dad, Miranda announced that she was going to call her Mom to come get her.
"Why are you leaving Miranda?" Lizzie asked, "Just ride home with us when Gordo's Dad gets here."
"I forgot that I was going to help my Mom with something this afternoon," Miranda said lamely.
"Just do it when you get home," Lizzie pleaded.
"No, I should go now," Miranda said.
Miranda left, despite all their best efforts to convince her to stay. She claimed that nothing was wrong and that she just had something important to do at home, which neither Gordo or Lizzie were stupid enough to believe. Gordo could tell that Lizzie felt sad about Miranda leaving, but he could also see that Miranda was starting to feel like a third wheel when the three of them spent time together. He needed to figure out a way to stop her from feeling like that. But for now he needed to make Lizzie feel better, it was her birthday after all.
"Do you want to go to the arcade?" Gordo asked a somber Lizzie.
"Sure," Lizzie said.
"Cheer up, it's your birthday!" Gordo said.
"I know, I just wish Miranda would have stayed," Lizzie said. "You know what the problem is don't you?"
"What?" Gordo asked.
"She feels left out when she's with us now," Lizzie said.
"Yeah, that's what I was thinking too," Gordo said.
"What can we do about it," Lizzie asked.
"We'll think about it, okay, but for now can we just celebrate the rest of your birthday?" Gordo asked.
"Okay," Lizzie said, starting to smile again, "Look, they have a photo booth here!"
"I hate those," Gordo said.
"No you don't," Lizzie said, "Come on." They sat for two sets so each could have 4 pictures to themselves.
"These are so cute!" Lizzie said, "I'm totally going to frame these."
When Gordo's Dad picked them up they sat in the backseat together. Lizzie leaned her head on his shoulder and asked, "So what were you really going to tell me before Miranda showed up?"
Not terribly surprised that she'd seen through his cover Gordo said, "I can't tell you."
"Why not?" Lizzie pouted.
"Well, the perfect moment has passed and we'll just have to wait for another one," Gordo said.
"Why does it have to be perfect," Lizzie asked.
"I don't know, but just be patient," Gordo said.
Lizzie knew that he had wanted to tell her that he loved her. She was ready to tell him too, but she could sense that he wanted to say it first. It was killing her to keep it inside, but she didn't want to crush his ego, she would wait.
Lizzie placed the card, jewelry box and photo booth pictures into the hatbox. It had been a good birthday, but it had been the start of a rift between the three amigos, which they never fully recovered from. Lizzie had known at the time that the rift would eventually happen, but she also knew that someday when Miranda understood more thoroughly the relationship that developed between a boyfriend and girlfriend she would come back to them. Lizzie was right; when Miranda got a serious boyfriend of her own she understood why things had changed between the three of them. But, it had been too long and the three of them were never as close again. They were all still friends, just not best friends anymore.