Disclaimer: I don't own Lizzie McGuire or anything related to it. The song 'Harder Everyday' belongs to Ashlee Simpson and 'Find My Way Back' to Michelle Branch.

Chapter 2. Find My Way Back

Lizzie looked over at her clock and sighed. She was still working on her lyrics, but couldn't get through it easily, as she did back home. She took another glance at the clock and left her notebook on the floor, getting up. She released her hair from the bun it was in and walked to the kitchen, only to grab the number of a Chinese Food Delivery. 30 minutes later, she dug through her little box with the sticks, bored. She looked at the phone and sat next to it, back on the floor.
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Gordo walked into his department and played the messages on his recording machine. There was one from his mother (reminding him their dinner that night) and another one, from Lizzie.
"Hey, it's Lizzie… I don't know, I guess I'm a little homesick. Can you guys call me back? I'll go face the recording set tomorrow… it's kinda scary. I just need to know I'll have you there, backing me up," she said. Gordo sighed and closed his eyes. "Anyway, call me!" He sat on his couch, head buried on his hands. Calling her? That would only make everything harder. Bella walked in and looked at him, fixing her dark hair with a hair clip.

"Gordo, are you ready? Your parents are waiting," Bella said, placing a necklace around her neck. He nodded slowly and walked to his room, changing his worn-out jeans for a nice pair of pants.

"Yep, let's go," he said. Bella nodded and they started heading out.

"I forgot, are there any messages?" she asked. Gordo bit his lip and shook his head.

"Nope," he replied, sliding his arm around her waist. She rested her head on his shoulder as they walked out.
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Lizzie heard the phone ringing and reached for it with her hand, sleepy, then turned on the light.
"2 am?" she groaned. "Uhm, hello?"

"Sorry! Wrong number!" a female voice said, hanging up quickly. Lizzie groaned again and hung up as well, brushing her bangs away from her face. She sat down, her back against the couch and looked around. The phone hadn't rang through the whole night, that was for sure. Why hadn't he called? She could've really used his support. She got up and headed to the kitchen again, making some coffee. 4 hours later, she was still up. She had already taken a shower and changed into plaid jeans and a blue and white long-sleeved t-shirt. Her hair was straight (natural) and in a high ponytail. She had a box filled with his stuff, which she had brought along, stashed near the door. She had to take it out. Sighing again, she grabbed her keys and headed out. It was her time.
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"Are you ready for this?" they asked. Lizzie, putting on her earphones, took a deep breath and nodded. She had to shine now.
"Well it's 9pm and you still haven't called me back
And if I try again I think you'll feel like you under attack
I don't think I can take it I don't think I can make it
I just want this to go away

Trying to be someone that you know you're not
It gets harder everyday
All the lonely days
There's no one left to love
You wish life would go away

Now it's 2am and I'm pacing around on the floor
I wait for you to come home but you never come walk through that door
Now I'm trying to fake it I just can't seem to shake it
I just want this to go away

Trying to be someone that you know you're not
It gets harder everyday
All the lonely days
There's no one left to love
You wish life would go away
You wish life would go away

I know one day I'll get through this
I know one day we'll be done
I know one day I'll find a way
To see you

Now it's 6am and I smashed all the you left behind
I gotta throw this away these things that'll never be mine

Trying to be someone that you know you're not
It gets harder everyday
All the lonely days
There's no one left to love
You wish life would go away

Trying to be someone that you know you're not
It gets harder everyday
It gets harder everyday," Lizzie sang. They all clapped and she smiled shyly, taking the earphones off.

"Totally a pro," her band mate, Jay, said. He gave Lizzie and admiring look and she smiled at him.

"You rock!" the only girl from the band, Callie, agreed. The girls high fived. Callie tossed her thin long straight brown hair behind her shoulders and looked over at the last member, Ryan. Her green eyes glowed as he nodded.

"So, got any plans for the day?" Jay asked, while unplugging his guitar. Lizzie shook her head. "Awww, how come?"

"Well, I'm pretty much new in this city," Lizzie said. Callie nodded.

"We were all going out for some drinks. Wanna come?" Callie asked. Lizzie nodded as well and Callie grinned widely, hitting her drums with the sticks. "Great! I'm glad I found another girl to hang out with"

"We always seem to scare them away," Ryan said. Lizzie smiled and they all walked out.
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"Gordo? What's wrong?" Bella asked, concerned. He was sitting on the couch, the phone in his lap. "Expecting a call?" He looked up at her.

"Nope, not really. Have you heard from Lizzie?" he said. She shook her head and sat next to him.

"I was going to call her in a while. Wanna talk?" she said. He nodded slowly and she grabbed the phone, dialing Lizzie's cell phone.

"Omigosh! Stop it!" Lizzie's voice exclaimed, then they heard some laughter. "Hello?"

"Liz? It's Bella!" Bella said, trying to hear something from all that noise.

"Oh, hi Bella! How are you?" Lizzie asked.

"W-We're fine. And you?" Bella said.

"I'm so fine! Just chillin' with my band…" Lizzie said. Bella arched her eyebrows.

"I can't believe you just used that word!" Callie exclaimed. Lizzie laughed and Bella placed the phone a little away from her ear.

"You sound busy. Do you want me to call back?" she asked.

"Oh, no, please. They never call back," Lizzie said, dead serious. "I will call you tomorrow… after recording and the hung over"

"You've been recording?" Bella said, surprised, then shook her head. "Anyway, you'll tell me about it tomorrow. Take care!"

"I will! Tell Gordo I can't believe how much I cried over him," Lizzie replied. Bella shot Gordo a look and he shrugged. "Though… if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here right now. Later!" Lizzie hung up and Bella sat there, a confused look on her face, then shook her head again and got up.

"Did anything happen between you two?" she asked. Gordo shrugged.

"Not that I know of," he lied. Bella nodded and walked to the bathroom, turning on the shower, as Gordo sighed.
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Lizzie groaned. It was the 2nd time the phone woke her up, and she wasn't exactly in the best of the moods. She couldn't put up with too many drinks.
"Hello?" she mumbled, her headache growing harder. "Who is this?"

"It's Gordo," his voice said. She sat up quickly and groaned again. "Hung over, right?"

"Yep. What's up?" she asked.

"I-What are you trying to do with me? You know what my feelings are," he said. She closed her eyes.

"Why did you call, Gordo? I can't take this again… it's too much to me. Why do you think I left?" she said.

"Lizzie, running away won't solve a thing!" he said. She frowned. She would've thrown daggers at him if he was close.

"I'm sorry, but… aren't you the same guy who left to London for College, thinking he couldn't face me and my sister?" she replied. "Gordo, you've gotta be freakin' kidding me"

"I-I can't give up on you so easily. You've been, and still are, my first love," he whispered. She bit her lip.

"And what about Isabella? Your girlfriend for over… 3 or 4 years and my sister, if you don't remember," she said. "Sorry, dude, you've lost me" She hung up quickly and tears welled up in her eyes, knowing she hadn't gotten anything.

End of chapter.

"I used to get away with so much
Now I can't get away
I even thought that it was simple
To say the things I wanted to say
And you told me everything I wanted to hear
And you sold me
Now I don't know how I should feel
I should know me
And baby, you would think I knew better

Chorus:
I'm finding my way back to you
And everything I used to be
And waiting is all that I can do
Until you find your way back to me

What if I said what I was thinking?
What if that says too much?
When everybody's got a reason
I feel like giving up
And you told me, everything I wanted to hear
And you sold me
Now I don't know how I should feel
I should know me
And baby, you would think I knew better

Chorus:
I'm finding my way back to you
And everything I used to be
And waiting is all that I can do
Until you find your way back to me

Until you find your way back to me
Oh, Until you find your way back to me

I used to get away with so much

Chorus:
I'm finding my way back to you
And everything I used to be
And waiting is all that I can do
Until you find your way back to me

And waitin' is all that I can do
Until you find your way back to me

I used to get away with so much..."

AN: We're back! This feels so great! Special thanks to Cka3ka-13 and Hotchic12 for reviewing! You guys rock!
Lots of love,
LGFever.

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