A/N: If there happens to be anyone out there still reading this story I'd like to beg for your forgiveness. I just lost interest in this website and started writing entirely different stuff. Anyways. With Christmas vacation coming up and everything I figured I might have some spare time. Plus it might be fun toget back into these stories. Here goes

Lizzie was in a bit of a daze. Gordo calling after his long period of silence. Then again, things weren't much better on her side of their friendship. Who was she to judge when she hadn't even made an effort to call or leave a simple e-mail. And then...what he had just mentioned to her. She was shell-shocked.

"Lizzie? Did you hear what I said?"

"Uhh...wow."

"Yeah I know." He breathed deeply into the phone. "I'm really confused right now, McGuire. I feel like I'd be starting all over."

"What are you talking? That's crazy."

"How so?"

"Gordo. Think about it. You spent your entire life here. Well...minus the last two years. But still it--"

"Exactly! I just feel like two year's is long enough for me to feel outta place there, ya know?"

He sounded so vulnerable. She didn't know if she was supposed to offer any advice. And if so, then what?

"I know you're gonna be thinking about this night and day--"

He gave a breathy laugh. "You've got that right."

"–but it's all going to come down to your own decision. Don't let anyone else influence your choice. Okay?"

Silence.

"Gordo?"

"Sorry, it's just that, that was a little surprising is all."

"What?"

"Your advice."

"Why?"

"'Cause it's totally true. Wow. McGuire's right about something. How 'bout that..."

Lizzie laughed in spite of herself.

"Vicki!"

"Well well well." She stopped dribbling the basketball and walked toward him. "Come to challenge me?"

Gordo removed his hat. The last of the summer heat was slowly dragging away, but still the weather made things a bit irritable at times.

He shook his head. "Where's Danielle?" he asked.

She grinned. "On a date."

Gordo's mouth dropped.

"Lookin' a little surprised there, Davey."

He gave a nervous chuckle and tried to collect himself. "Well you can't blame me."

Vicki laughed. "Trust me, I don't. Been getting the same reaction from just 'bout everyone else."

"I'll bet."

She shrugged. "She's gotta grow out of her shyness sometime."

"I guess. I just never really thought it'd be so soon."

She laughed again. "So soon?" She looked at him as if he were missing a limb. "Homegirl s'16!"

"All right." he said, defeatedly. "I've got it. Stop hounding me."

"Awww..." she squished his cheeks together in one hand and spoke to him as she would a small child. "Is somebody jealous?"

Gordo swatted her hand away. "No. It's just that I see her like a little sister. Stop looking at me like that, I'm telling you the truth."

She sobered but remained smiling. "I know what you mean. I can't help but feel the need to protect her too. But don't worry. I scoped out the guy before they went out. He's clean."

Gordo's eyebrows shot up in amusement. "Scoped? Clean? You sound like you're in the mafia."

"Hey! I know people." she walked toward him in defiance. He knew she was playing a gave a little chuckle while holding both his hands up in surrender.

"Sooo..."

"Soooooo..."

"Why'd you come here Davey?"

He grew serious. "Actually I really needed to talk to both of you about something. But I'll wait til' later on tonight."

She watched him closely in corcern. "Are you okay? Are you in some kind of trouble or something?"

"No no. It's nothing like that, but there is something that I need to talk to you both about."

"But it's nothing bad, right?"

He had already began walking out of her driveway. "I'll call you later on tonight. Hopefully Danielle will be back from her date with Mr. Clean."

She flipped him the bird. "Haha Davey. You're hysterical."

"I know." he grinned.