The Lizzie Nightmares
The Book
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18
Lizzie smiled the next morning, watching Gordo as he scribbled something down on a large, thick, emerald green book. He took a sip of coffee and noticed her stare. He quickly put down his cup and closed the book.
"Good morning Lizzie" he said getting up from the counter seat to face her. He stuffed the book under a pile of papers lying on the counter next to his laptop. She stood in the door way leading to kitchen; her blonde messy hair draped over her shoulder hanging slightly over her eyes. The clothes she wore from the night before were wrinkled. Along with her nose as she raised her eyebrows looking at his counter and scanning the rest of his apartment in her view.
His apartment was quite messy, not in the sense that clothes and week old take-out where lying around stinkin' up the house, but papers, books, pictures and CDs where scattered everywhere disorganized.
Gordo blushed realizing Lizzie's discovery of his mess and tried to laugh it off, "Yeah, sorry, I just get so busy sometimes I don't get many chances to clean up around here"
She smiled and took at seat across the counter from him, "I don't mind. Actually I have a few days before my classes start, why I don't I help you clean up around here"
Gordo started to say no, but pondered it for a moment, "Uh sure, I guess" he answering sitting back down
Lizzie's eyes questioned his response but she continued, "Yeah Gordo, it'll be fine. Like it'll be my pay back for staying with you"
"Well okay, but you don't have to consider it a pay back. I don't mind-really" he argued
She smiled placing her hand on his, "You can think of it what you must, but I'd feel better if I at least said it was…okay?"
His eyes turn down to look at her hand touching his and pulled away instantly placing his hand around his coffee mug, "Whatever, fine" he answered coldly and looked down, staring at the wet ring of coffee the cup was making on the coaster.
Lizzie's smile disappeared and she looked down at her hands in her lap, feeling like stranger to him and out of place. Gordo watched her as the tips of her fuzzed up, beautiful, blonde hair brushed back and forth on the counter. Her eyes shyly looked back up to him, but then stared back down to her hands, when she saw him staring; acting as if she was almost scared to look him straight in the eye. He immediately regretted his actions and apologized. "Uh-I-I'm sorry Lizzie" he said now looking up from the table.
Lizzie made a short sigh and tilted her head to the side and resting her head on her fist, she ran her fingers through her hair. Her eyes still focusing downward, "It's okay Gordo, I wouldn't expect you to be open with me anymore. One year apart is a long time I guess. It's okay-"
"No." he cut her off, his hand now holding hers. She looked up this time, "You're my best friend Liz"
Lizzie blushed, thinking how he could still use that term of "best friends" with the two of them anymore. She surely couldn't. Even when he was in school with her things hadn't been the same as they had in middle school. But she didn't pull away her hand from him-she couldn't. She smiled, "Thanks Gordo" she said and kissed his cheek.
Gordo, obviously, was surprised by it and his cheek turned a slight shade of red. Lizzie laughed, "Hey I'm going to get dressed and after maybe we can go out for breakfast and you can show me around town, okay?"
"Sure, sounds fun" he answered watching Lizzie walk back to his room and closed the door.
He laughed and soon enough about a second later she walked out, "It might be a good idea to get my clothes from out of my car huh?" she asked sarcastically
"Maybe" be answered and took another sip of his coffee. Lizzie already outside, left the door open and yelled back to him, "You coming?"
"Yeah!" he yelled back and walked slowly looking around for his tennis shoes. He slipped them on half way and scuffed his way towards the outside door. He let out a yawn and fluttered his eyes, then yawned again. Standing in the door way he watched Lizzie at her car. Lizzie bent down reaching in the car the morning sun in her background. A silver car went by, the sun reflecting a glare in his face. She took a step back from the car, her glittering hair falling in her face as the wind took another blow and she laughed giving him her golden smile waving to him in a distance.
He blinked, his eyes now wide open, and repeated to himself again what happened in his head. Lizzie bent down reaching in the car the morning sun in her background. A silver car went by, the sun reflecting a glare in his face. She took a step back from the car, her glittering hair falling in her face as the wind took another blow and she laughing giving him her golden smile waving to him in a distance.
His heart beat faster and took a deep breath trying to clam himself.
"Gordo! What are you waiting for?!!" she yelled to him, her brightness of her smile flashing in his face as he blinked
He coughed, spitting out the coffee once in his mouth. His face got hot and he ran inside, shielding his eyes from her face with the side of his hand and hurried to look for the book. He quickly found it and pulled it out from under the papers. He flipped to the page where he left off and softly, muttered the last words written aloud. "O my-" he stopped, giving himself a chance to take it all in. He took a slow outward breath breathing back in deeply. He shook his head, his curls bouncing slightly and sweat now dripping from his forehead. He stared at the paper in disbelief but every last bit of it was true. He could feel the sunshine touching his face the sweetness of her smile now just closing by his eyes. It was true. But how? It wasn't right, not possible. How co- his thoughts where interrupted by Lizzie's voice,
"You can't hide there forever Gordo!" she yelled to him from outside
He was now speechless and slammed the book closed, shoving once again under the papers. He went back outside, this time making it past the doorway, but now more shocked than before. His hands trembled, but he tried to keep his cool around Lizzie-no, for Lizzie. He took a shaky breath and walked towards her car.
She looked at him rolling her eyes and slamming the door.
"I-I'm sorry Lizzie, I just, uh-bathroom?" Wait! This wasn't happening. He covered his mouth, hoping what he just said he didn't really say. This whole instance was utterly scaring him and he was giving in. What was to hold him back now?
"Don't make excuses Gordo," she answered.
He was again speechless, but tired to cover it up. His heart beat faster as she dragged out the words he knew where coming
"You can't make them forever,"
He closed his eyes hoping they wouldn't come. Caught up in the suspense and tense feeling of the moment, that intense rush running throughout his body, he murmured to himself as he closed his eyes telling himself not to give in over and over again.
"Sooner or later you're going to reject it"
The words rang in his head, he repeated them over to himself until a playful shove interrupted him and he slowly opened his eyes to the relief of his smiling beauty.
He looked at her, a stunned serious expression still on his face. She giggled the sunlight dancing across her face bringing him comfort again. He let out a relieved sigh. It was over. He grinned at her only a few inched from her face now.
"Lizzie I-" he caught himself and choked on the rest of his words now in utter shock once again.
She laughed, bringing him back down to earth and relaxing his thoughts again. He exhaled slowly and smiled.
She laughed, "You're so weird"
He laughed off the remained of the aw struck feeling, thanking God is was over and grabbed the bag setting on the parking lot pavement, "here," he paused to lift up the bag, "let me get these for you"
She titled her head puzzled by his reactions, but shook her head laughing again, "Thanks"
They eyed each other walking back into the apartment and then finally laughed. Gordo was setting down the bag, Lizzie already reclining on the couch, when he pasted by the pile of papers. He let go of the bag's handle and stared at the book hidden under the mess of them. An eerie feeling crossed him, sending chills throughout his body as he stared memorized. Lizzie yelled to him from the den and he took his eyes from the book.
He was too scared to look back.
To be continued…
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