Lizzie drew a thick stack of letters and cards bound together by a long red ribbon out of the box. She smiled remembering what good pen pals she and Gordo had become while they were both away at their separate schools. Naturally they emailed and talked on the phone a lot too, but they had become more partial to hand-written letters and cards as they were more personal and romantic. Lizzie had been right, the time apart from one another had been good for them. While they missed each other like crazy, it gave them both a chance to step back from their relationship and see it in a different way. But, by the end of their sophomore year Gordo was begging Lizzie to consider transferring to UCLA so that they could be together again. Lizzie hadn't let him in on the secret right away, but that was exactly her plan.

Earlier that year, during the first semester of her sophomore year Lizzie ended up taking a fashion course to fulfill a general election and fell in love with it. Before the second semester began she met with her guidance counselor to officially change her major to fashion. She had really found her calling and all her teachers were impressed by the talent she showed in fashion. Near the end of the semester one of her teachers called her aside and told her that if she was truly serious about fashion, someone with her talent should really be at UCLA. Lizzie had started secretly making the arrangements immediately. With her parents help she rented a one-bedroom apartment within walking distance of the campus. Less than a week after the end of the semester she was moving into her new apartment. She still remembered how she surprised Gordo with the news.

With a grin on her face she carefully dialed Gordo's number and waited for him to answer. "Hello?" A familiar voice answered.

"Hey, it's me," Lizzie said.

"Hey, I've been trying to call you for the last two days and haven't been able to reach you. Is everything okay?" Gordo asked.

"Yeah, everything is fine. So, have you started summer classes yet?" Lizzie asked.

"No, they start on Monday," Gordo said, sounding slightly puzzled by the obvious subject change.

"I miss you," Lizzie said.

"I miss you too," Gordo replied.

"You should come visit me," she told him.

"You know that I would love to, but I can't afford a plane ticket to Seattle right now. Besides, my classes start back up on Monday," Gordo said dejectedly.

"I know, I know. But, do you have gas in your car?" Lizzie asked.

"Yeah, but I don't see how that helps anything. By the time I got there I'd have to turn right around and come home to make it in time for classes. Besides the cost of gas right now would wipe out what little money I do have," Gordo said.

"What if I told you that the amount of gas you'd need to get from your apartment to mine would cost you less than 5 cents," Lizzie asked.

"Lizzie," Gordo started, sounding exasperated, "you know that's not even possible. Unless, "he said hopefully, starting to get an idea of what she might mean," you don't live in Seattle anymore."

"Right on the nose!" Lizzie said excitedly.

"So, where are you?" Gordo asked, equally as excitedly.

"In my new apartment, mere blocks from the UCLA campus," Lizzie told him.

"Really," Gordo asked, "You wouldn't tell me that as some kind of cruel prank would you? Because if you are pulling my leg, I don't think my heart could handle it."

"Nope, it's for real. Remember how I told you that I changed my major to fashion?" Lizzie started to tell him.

Gordo interrupted her to say, "Which, is a brilliant move as far as I'm concerned, no one knows fashion like Lizzie McGuire."

"Thank-you. Well, one of my professors told me that someone with my talent should really be at UCLA if I was serious about having a career in fashion. So, I applied, was accepted and as soon as classes were over my parents helped me move down," Lizzie said.

"That is so great. I can't believe that now I can see you whenever I want to. Give me your address, I'll be right over to help you unpack," Gordo said.

Lizzie and Gordo quickly fell into a routine that they loved. During the day they didn't usually see each other since they each had their own schedule of classes to keep. But every evening they had dinner together. Sometimes they had it at her place, sometime at his and sometimes out, but always together. After dinner they would both work on their homework and sometimes they spent the night together. Weekends became very a special time that they could completely devote to one another and spend reconnecting after the two years spent mostly away from each other.

At the holidays they went back home to Hillridge together and their families were glad to see them. Jo and Roberta had started to talk to each other about when they thought that the couple would get engaged. They were sure that Lizzie's move to UCLA to be closer to Gordo and to go into fashion was a good sign that an engagement was pending. Yet, each mother was slightly disappointed when the kids returned to school after the New Year and no engagement announcement had been made.

Lizzie too was disappointed that Gordo had not proposed to her. She was sure that the holidays would have been the perfect time to do it since they were home with their families. Jo and Roberta had made no secrets about their hopes for an engagement, Lizzie however, told no one. She did her best to blow it off and fall back into their familiar routine. She was sure that Gordo would propose to her when he was ready.

Her course work in fashion was keeping her busy. She barely had time to remember her disappointment and soon forgot to worry about the engagement at all. When she did think of it one day she wondered if their mothers' excitement over an engagement had influenced her own level of excitement as well. Now that she was back at school immersed in her classes she was happy just to be with Gordo and live each moment to it's fullest.

The week before Valentine's Day Gordo asked Lizzie if she could make time in her hectic schedule to spend the day with him on Valentine's Day. Lizzie agreed of course. The week preceding their Valentine's date was one of the busiest she'd had since she'd been at UCLA. It was almost midterms and she had a lot of big projects due and tests to study for. The day before Valentine's Day she'd nearly forgotten what the next day was, much less that she'd promised to spend the day with Gordo. When she got an email from Gordo reminding her of their plans she had to double check her calendar to make sure it would still work Amazingly enough she was ahead of schedule on most of her work and her only class for that day had been cancelled by a professor who probably had Valentine's plans of her own. She was thrilled to have a day to relax a little and engagement was the furthest thing from her mind.

Gordo had asked her to meet him at their favorite local movie theater. It was an old movie house that had been restored to its original beauty and played old pictures. When he arrived in the lobby he kissed her and handed her a single red rose. She thanked him and asked what they were seeing. "It's a surprise," was all that he would tell her. They bought some concessions then found their way to the right screen. Lizzie was surprised when the lights dimmed that they were still the only ones in the theater. The screen in front of them flickered to life and in the center it said, "A Gordon Production."

"What is this?" Lizzie asked.

"Shhhh," Gordo admonished, "You'll see."

Lizzie watched in amazement as "Our Love Story, By David Gordon," played out on the screen in front of her. Gordo had created a film that retraced their relationship, starting all the way back when they were babies and their mothers were friends. The film included many photos of them together as well as interviews with friends and family members. When the film reached current time it ended and across the screen in large font it read, "To Be Continued…"

At this point Gordo turned to her and said, "I have been working on this film for a while. It serves two purposes. The first was to remind you of all we have been through before I asked you this." Gordo took her hand and led her out into the main isle of the theater before dropping to one knee and asking, "Elizabeth Brooke McGuire, will you do me the great honor of marrying me and being my wife?"

With tears in her eyes she whispered, "yes," before she threw herself into his arms and crushed her lips to his. After much kissing and many whispered 'I Love You's,' Lizzie asked, "What was the second purpose the film serves?"

"It is kind of a living history. Someday our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren can learn all about the life and love of David and Elizabeth Gordon," he said.

"You were that sure that I'd say yes?" Lizzie asked teasingly.

"Well," Gordo said blushing, "I had high hopes."

"I can't believe you went to so much trouble to ask me to marry you!" Lizzie exclaimed.

"Well, I know that our mothers have been putting ideas in your head for a while. I wanted it to be very special and to catch you off guard a little bit," Gordo said.

"I think it's fair to say that you succeeded," Lizzie said with a smile.

As they exited the theater and entered the lobby the theater employees craned their necks to see what the final outcome was. They had all heard about the young man who rented out a screen in order to propose to his girlfriend. When Gordo nodded his head in affirmation they all started to applaud and congratulate them.

After they finally left the theater they went to their favorite restaurant and had a late lunch, over which they called home on their cell phones and let their parents in on the wonderful news.

Lizzie smiled over the memories of that Valentine's Day. It had been perfect. Lizzie put the stack of letters, her movie theater ticket and the dried rose into the hatbox.

Author's Note: I am SO sorry that it has been so long. It has been nearly 4 months since I've update this story (or any of my others.) The story has been in the back of my mind the whole time and I knew that one day I would get back to it. I got promoted at work and that has meant more work for me. (Good and Bad.) I hope to have the last chapter or two of this story done shortly (and I mean it this time.) I hope everyone will forgive me and leave nice reviews of the current chapter. It is my favorite chapter—I know I said that of one of the last ones too, but this one really is my favorite. I am still smiling—and I wrote it. Thanks!