Alright everyone, 4th chapter. This one is a little longer than the rest, and is completely plot oriented. I won't tell you now what happens, but I'll let you know that it's setting the stage for the final chapter of our story. Let's see what comes out of it, hm?
"Are you sure you guys have the ladder?" Gordo called down, trying to peek over his shoulder at the girls.
"We've got you! Just go!" Miranda called back. David slowly scaled the ladder, his bush of a hairstyle shaking around with every step. As he reached the top, he saw Lizzie's dad rounding the corner of the house, and as fast as he could, fell into her window with a resounding thud.
"Lizzie? What're you doing with the ladder?" Sam McGuire asked, scratching the back of his head and raising his eyebrows.
"Oh! Dad! Um…I thought I saw a…squirrel on the roof, and he looked…hurt, yeah, I wanted to help him." Lizzie sputtered, tapping the creativity well dry on excuses.
"A squirrel?" He put his hand to his brow, blocking the sun from his eyes, and squinted, looking for the furry critter.
"Oh, I guess it was just some leaves or something." Lizzie shifted her eyes. Mr. McGuire shook his head, confused.
"Uh…just put the ladder back when you're done, alright?" He breathed.
"Okay Dad, see ya'." Lizzie pulled the ladder down, and quickly enough, she and Miranda, who had stayed silent throughout the entire ordeal, got the ladder away within minutes, and rushed up to find Gordo sitting on Lizzie's bed, thumbing through one of the books she had strewn about her room.
"You know, you don't have a whole lot to read up here. You should get some more interesting stuff." Gordo looked up.
"I'm not too sure if you're here to critique my reading material," Lizzie crossed her arms and tapped her foot.
"Yeah, you're here to hang out with us all night long, doing all the girly stuff we do at sleepovers." Miranda narrowed her eyes and smiled with an evil air.
"Right. Why did I come again?" Gordo put the book down and rolled his eyes.
"Because you love us?"
There was that word again. Chills hit Miranda and Gordo at the same time. Lizzie, who had said it, didn't think too much of it, although she did later wish she would have used a different word.
"Yeah, that must be it." Gordo pushed through his chills.
"So, movies and popcorn?" Lizzie suggested.
"Sounds good to me," Miranda said, grabbing Gordo's wrist in an attempt to get him off the bed.
"Hey, ow, watch it!" He near-yelped, pulling his hand back. "I think I hurt my hand when I fell in."
"Aww, let me see." Lizzie cooed, gently grasping his hand, pulling it closer to her face. "Just looks like a bruise, you'll be fine."
"You want me to kiss it and make it all better?" Miranda teased, pulling his hand and touching her lips to the bruise. Gordo's cheeks blushed slightly, as he pulled his hand away. "All better?"
"Uh…yeah…" Gordo's eyes glazed. Miranda had never done anything like that before.
"So, are we going watch movies or what?" Lizzie spun around and clicked on her television.
"Lizzie! Are you and Miranda up there yet?" Jo McGuire called from the stairs, slowly climbing them.
"Ack! My mom! Hide Gordo, hide!" Lizzie hushed her yell.
"On it." David said very plainly, sliding under the bed. The door creaked open, and Mrs. McGuire's glasses adorned head filled the crack.
"You guys aren't indecent, are you?" She murmured, trying not to actually look in the room.
"We're good Mom, it's cool." Lizzie droned, having gone through this every sleepover.
"Good then. Just so you know, we've got snacks in the kitchen, all restocked, and there's plenty of drinks too." Jo babbled. "Oh, and Matt's going to be over at Manny's tonight, so you won't have to worry about him."
"Thanks Mom." Lizzie gave Miranda a look.
"Oh, thank you Mrs. McGuire." Miranda agreed. With that, Mrs. McGuire gave them a smile and left the room. There was a pause, and then Lizzie and Miranda sat on the bed, letting their legs dangle off. "That was close."
"Yeah, tell me about-AAH!" Lizzie squealed and jerked her leg. Miranda gave her an incredulous look, and then looked down, seeing Gordo's outstretched hand, grasping at air from under the bed.
"Gordo!" Lizzie yelled accusingly.
"Just call me Snortimer." He chuckled, his laugh muffled by the mattress.
"Who?" Miranda raised her brow.
"Never mind." He gave up on his reference. "Just call me the monster under the bed."
"Oh, you jerk, this is what you get." Lizzie scowled, flicking her clunky sandal off of her food, right under the bed and right into Gordo.
"Ow! Hey! That's dangerous!" He groaned. "At least my hair cushioned the blow." He added in as an afterthought.
"Let's just start the movie." Miranda spoke after she and Lizzie's laughter died down. Gordo pulled himself out and the three stationed themselves comfortably on the floor. Lizzie set up a random movie from her collection, and the trio quickly became wrapped up in the drama. As the movie progressed however, Gordo became more indulgent in his thoughts rather than the screen. When Miranda kissed his hand, he felt a pulse resound throughout his entire being, although he did his best not to let it show, despite the rush of blood to his cheeks. He couldn't help but take a quick glance at Miranda, and felt a little of that same blood rush down his arms. What was going on?
He glanced up, and the credits were rolling. Lizzie stifled a tear, as did Miranda. Gordo barely snuck out "Some ending, huh?" hoping the others wouldn't notice he had paid no attention to the latter parts of the film.
"You said it." Lizzie agreed, still sounding glum.
"So, what now?" Miranda's voice cracked, but the others glanced over it.
"We could give each other pedicures?" Lizzie shrugged a little.
"No way, no chance, not in this lifetime." Gordo spat quickly.
"Fine, fine, what about truth or dare? " Lizzie threw out.
"Oooh, that sounds fun!" Miranda's lips pulled into a smile.
"Yeah, alright, just as long as the dares aren't that bad." Gordo hoped for the best.
Many rounds passed, and many secrets were unveiled. Giggles and gasps were abundant after the answers to the questions of truth were uncovered. As for the dares, nothing too bad: Miranda had to steal and hide the newspaper from the totally bewildered Mr. McGuire, and Lizzie had to eat a spoonful of the anchovy paste Mrs. McGuire always kept in the fridge. The turn fell to Gordo, who instinctively would have picked true, but off of a dirty look from both girls, quickly changed his answer to
"Dare, I pick dare." Gordo hastily said, shuffling his hands.
"Dare, huh? Alright…" Miranda trailed off. She grabbed an empty soda bottle from Lizzie's dresser and put it on the floor. "It'll be like spin the bottle, and whoever the bottle lands on, you have to kiss.
"Oooooh!" Lizzie implored childishly, gaining a big goofy grin in the process. "Now this sounds interesting."
"Well, if you say so." Gordo half-rolled his eyes and reached for the bottle. "Ready?" The girls nodded. The bottle spun.
In that instant, Gordo's mind almost exploded. Who knows what this could lead to, and what was he thinking about Miranda before for? Did he like her too? Was it just the kiss? The bottle kept spinning: Lizzie, Miranda, Lizzie, Miranda. What if it landed on Lizzie? He had liked her forever, so what if this opened up some new world? What if it was Miranda? Would they go far? Would Lizzie get jealous? Their friendship could be hanging on the chance of a spinning bottle! The bottle kept spinning: Lizzie, Miranda, Lizzie, Miranda.
Well, maybe not the friendship, his logical side suddenly burst in. It was only one innocent kiss, what was the worst that could happen? Would anyone really get so jealous? They obviously knew the other could get the kiss, maybe it would be nothing. The bottle kept spinning: Lizzie, Miranda, Lizzie, Miranda.
It slowed incomprehensibly slowly, time seeming to hang on the bottle, slowed more, driving all three insane with anticipation, and finally stopped after an antagonizing longer-than-normal spin.. Gordo could feel the resounding pulse in his stomach emanate through his body as he anxiously looked up towards where the bottle was pointing…Lizzie.
"Looks like I'm the lucky girl." She smiled again. "C'mon Gordo, pucker up."
"Alright, alright." Gordo scooted in closer, somewhat embarrassed, and leaned towards her. A steel hammer hit Miranda's stomach. Her eyes widened as their lips moved closer and closer together. Her hands shook and she bit her lower lip as they moved closer still. She couldn't take it anymore.
"Noooooo!" She shrieked and then instantly slapped her hands to her face, aware of what she had just done. Gordo and Lizzie, who had not kissed yet, both stopped dead and snapped their heads towards Miranda.
Silence devoured the room.
They knew whatever came next could change everything.
Forever.