Chapter Eight

Lizzie's Worst Nightare Encounter

"Ok… where should we go first?" Asked Lizzie, once she and Miranda got to the mall.

"It doesn't matter to me. Where do you want to go?"

"Um… I guess we could go over to Music Mania. I know there is this old Charlie Parker record that Gordo's been dying to get."

Music Mania was the only place that Lizzie knew of that still sold... records. Gordo was the only person she knew besides her parents that actually owned a record player. She liked that about Gordo though. He didn't care what anyone said or thought about him. He did his own thing.

"Sure… Ok. Sounds good, I mean, you know him best!"

Lizzie was appalled by Miranda's emphasis of the word, you.

"Miranda… what do you mean by that? You know Gordo as well as I do."

"Not as well." Lizzie thought she heard Miranda mutter. Whatever. Lizzie just wanted to get this over with. They went to Music Mania and Lizzie found the record.

"Ok, you have something… now what am I going to get him?"

"Um… well, Gordo likes Jelly Beans. We could go over to Candy Corner and you could get him some?"

"Jelllybeans?" annoyed Miranda, "You get him the Charlie Parker album he wants, and I follow up with Jelly Beans?"

Toon Lizzie: "Hey…what's wrong with Jelly beans?" She asked stuffing her face with Jellybeans.

"Well, it's a start... Oh, I know. Why don't we go check out the DVDs? I know Gordo has also been dying to get Spiderman on DVD."

"Oh that's right. Does he still want to be Peter Parker?"

Both girls are laughing.

"No, I think got over that phase in the Third grade… but you never know!"

Miranda laughed.

"Hey, remember that time he came to school with a bed sheet tied around his neck, and then he tried to fly off the jungle gym?"

Lizzie was hysterical with laughter now. It was fun remembering all these things with Miranda. As if remembering something as well, Miranda snapped back in to attitude mode.

"Come on! At the rate were going, the mall will be closed by the time we finish!" She snapped.

Toon Lizzie: "I miss MY Miranda... " She said sucking her thumb and holding on to Mr. Snuggles.

The girls headed over to the DVD section and Miranda bought the movie for Gordo. Now, the girls were headed back towards the food court. That is where Lizzie's Dad always picked them up. Or, she hoped he would be there. Lizzie just realized that she forgot to call her Dad. The girls were approaching the food court when of all people, Ethan Craft was heading towards them!

"Hey Ladies, looking' fine!"

Both girls blushed.

"Hey Ethan, looking good yourself, there!"

"So what's up, Ethan?" Miranda asked.

"Well, a bunch of my friends and I--" he gestured towards a table full of cheerleaders, including Claire, resident Ice Queen, "Were just about to head to the theater to catch a movie! You girls in?"

"NO" Lizzie screamed.

"SURE!" Smiled Miranda

Both girls look at each other.

"Uh, Ethan, excuse us for one second?"

"Okay, but hurry up. Cheerleaders! Can't keep 'em waiting!"

"No… Of course not." Said Lizzie sarcastically.

Miranda dragged Lizzie over by the pay phones.

"Lizzie, Ethan Craft invited us to see a MOVIE… with HIM! Why are you saying NO?"

"Uh, Miranda… I have to be home in like half an hour!"

"Oh…well that's too bad. I don't have a curfew!"

"Miranda! You would let me walk home by myself?"

"Of course not. Can't your mom or dad come get you?"

Toon Lizzie: "That's it. This means war!" Toon Lizzie is painted up like Mel Gibson, In "Braveheart"

"Well… what's it going to be, Ladies?"

Miranda glared at Lizzie and replied, "Count me in, Ethan!"

"Sweeeeet, Lizzie?"

"Um… maybe next time. I'm sorry. I have to get home."

"No problemo! We will catch up with you later, ok?"

Ethan smiled at Lizzie.

"Okay!"

Lizzie smiled back.

Miranda barely muttered "Bye, Lizzie." before heading off to the cheerleader table led by Ethan Craft. A stunned Lizzie McGuire just stood there staring at Miranda and Ethan.

Toon Lizzie rose up a white flag. "I surrender…"

Lizzie took out her cell phone and called her dad to come pick her up from the mall. On the way out, she had to pass right next to the cheerleader table, at the food court. Why oh why did they have to pick the table right next to the entrance? She thought. Lizzie was so angry at Miranda that moment that she stormed right up to her.

"Miranda! I can't believe you would ditch me for THESE people!" Lizzie gestured towards Claire.

"Oh, hey Loozie! What's the matter? Are you upset because your friend Miranda got wise and picked a better crowd to hang out with?"

"Oh. Yes… it's breaking my heart!" She said sarcastically.

Toon Lizzie: "It really IS breaking my heart. Randa and I have been friends almost as long as Gordo and I. Why did she hate me so much all of a sudden?"

"Miranda, I want to know what is UP with you? And I want to know… now!"

"Why, Lizzie? What ever do you mean?" She said sarcastically.

"Miranda! You know exactly what I mean. Ever since school started, you've been a whole new person! First you flirted with Gordo, then, you and Gordo show up at the Digital Bean, and I happen to catch you there; without so much as an invite from you. Then, you give me some lame-o story about how you assumed I knew that we were supposed to meet there." Lizzie was almost shouting. "Last time I checked, Miranda, I am NOT a mind reader! Oh, and I wasn't even finished yet...then you mysteriously show up in Gordo's Marine Biology class… I mean, if I remember correctly, I remember you saying, and I quote "EEEEWW GROSS! When Gordo mentioned he was signing up for that class. Then, I see you flirting with Tudgeman… and now... to top it ALL off, you are sitting with a table full of my worst nightmare? And what used to be YOURS?"

Miranda was speechless. No, she was angry. Even Claire and her little Empire kept quiet knowing that this was going to get ugly.

"Lizzie! You… you… you have nerve coming over and telling ME off? I ... I can't even believe what a hypocrite you are!"

"ME a hypocrite?"

Lizzie pointed to herself.

"How so, Miranda?"

"Well, you have a lot of nerve coming over here and lecturing me on the do's and don'ts of friendship!"

"Miranda, what are you talking about?"

"Well...lets see... last time I checked, BEST FRIENDS are supposed to tell each other everything!"

"But, Miranda, I DO tell you everything!"

"Oh, really? So… there isn't one teeny, tiny thing that you haven't told me?"

Now Lizzie was starting to worry. Miranda couldn't possibly know about her and Gordo. Could she? Nah. She thought.

Lizzie went out on a limb here and said, "No, Miranda, except that you are acting really weird and I want my old Miranda back!"

"Well, Lizzie… in this world, we don't always get what we want!"

"Last chance, Lizzie, anything you want to tell me"

Toon Lizzie sits in an interrogation room.

"I didn't do it. I swear. I'm innocent, I tell ya!"

Lizzie remained silent and looked at Miranda to see what the heck she was talking about.

"Miranda… I thought we were BEST FRIENDS?"

"Yeah Lizzie… we were. We're not anymore. Best friends don't lie to each other about something big. Lizzie, I know about you and Gordo!"

The entire table of cheerleaders gasp

Toon Lizzie was being dragged away and locked into a jail cell. She banged on the bars.

"Let me outta here! I'm innocent… I didn't do it!"

"You… you do?"

"Yeah… I do. I saw you two together outside the Digital Bean; the night that you met up with Gordo and I... I saw you two kissing! You can't get much more "together" than that! LIZZIE! How could you not tell me?"

Toon Lizzie, still in jail cell "MOMMYYYYYYYY!"

"Miranda… I can explain… I ... We…"

"Save it Lizzie. I don't care anymore. At first I did, I couldn't imagine why my best friends couldn't trust me with such important information. I gave you ample time to tell me about it, but both of you chose not to. That showed me how much my friendship means to you, to both of you. As far as I'm concerned, Lizzie… this friendship is officially over. Adios. "

Miranda turned to walk away leaving Lizzie feeling terrible now.

She called after Miranda.

"MIRANDA? RANDA! WAIT!"

Miranda didn't even look back once. She kept right on walking in the direction of the movie theater, where she linked arms with Ethan Craft, and they headed inside. Lizzie was on the verge of falling apart, when Claire suddenly spoke up.

"I'm glad you and your little boyfriend Gor-dork finally stopped drooling over each other and got together already."

She thought that Claire ALMOST felt sorry for her, and she thought that this was the nicest thing she was going to get out of Claire.

"Uh, thanks." Lizzie muttered.

"Whatever! Later, Loozie."

Claire gave her an icy laugh… and turned around to resume talking to her friends.

Lizzie turned around to leave the mall, but didn't get more than five feet before the tears started. She had to dry them before her dad picked her up. She didn't want to re-live the whole gruesome scene again! Lizzie sat down on the bench outside the food court and waited for her dad. From where she sat, she could see Ethan Craft and Miranda standing in line to buy movie tickets together. She decided to look in another direction. She saw Claire's table snickering and laughing, most likely about her. Lizzie was surrounded. She couldn't wait for this day to end!

Wow poor Lizzie, this is just not her best year. First, her best friend gets mad at her, then her brother started acting weird, then Larry treats her horribly. What is going on here? Please read and review, thanks!