Gordo's first day at Hillridge High was something like that of a strange dream. Nobody from his middle school seemed to recognize him. After he revealed his identity, they all shared one of two responses: utter shock, or total disbelief. It was amusing at first, but by the time lunch rolled around he'd had enough. Finding Lizzie was no easy task. Luckily he spotted Miranda in one of the numerous lunch lines. He hollered her name and hopped the railing to get behind her in line. They'd had 1st period biology together which was more than he could have hoped for. Seeing her stunned expression was priceless. He had make Lizzie swear not to tell Miranda he had decided to move back home so he could surprise her on the first day of school.

"Cutting in line?" she teased. He offered a simple shrug.

"Like you haven't?"

"Hey, if the opportunities there, why wouldn't I take it?"

"Good point. Have you seen Lizzie?"

Miranda craned her neck and briefly searched the other lunch lines. "Nah, I don't see her yet. Maybe she got held up in her art class again."

"Again?"

"Yeah. Happens pretty often now that I think about it. I don't know, she just really loves that class for some reason."

"Maybe it's a fun class," he offered.

"Or maybe it's an easy A."

Gordo laughed. "We could all use that."

"Oh I hear that. Especially junior year. This is supposedly the hardest year in high school."

"I heard that from my parents all summer long. Right along with prepping for college and stuff." He rolled his eyes.

Miranda was clearly amused. "I see someone couldn't care less about college."

"It isn't that I don't care. Believe me, I do. It's just that I'm trying to deal with this whole moving thing again. Plus I just hate pressure."

"Ah, I hear that too. My advice–don't think about it."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes! When you're not worrying about something, things just flow more naturally. And you're not all tensed up about making mistakes or whatever."

They had finally moved their way into the cafeteria. Gordo grabbed two trays and handed one to Miranda. To his dismay, the food they served at his old high school looked much better than this stuff. From the looks of it, he wasn't even sure if it qualified as food. Miranda laughed at his disgusted expression and pushed him along to the cashier.

"You mean I have to pay for this crap?" he muttered.

They made there way back outside.

"This way," Miranda said. She lead him toward one of the corners where there happened to be one last empty table. Talk about luck.

Miranda popped the tab of her Cactus Cooler and took a quick sip. "So, how has your first day here been so far?"

Gordo didn't get a chance to reply when three boys made there way to the table. Two of the guys that looked like aspiring body builders quickly took a seat on either side of Miranda. The other, who Gordo faintly recognized, gave her a quick hug from behind.

"What's up boys?" she asked.

One of the amazons belched loudly.

"Same as yesterday I see," she said.

"Hey," said the familiar face. He sat beside Gordo. "Remember me?"

Gordo squinted. "I do but I can't say that I remember your name." he laughed in embarrassment. "Sorry man."

"Ah don't sweat it. My name's Daniel."

"Oh right! Pizza guy."

The two burly guys laughed and said in unison: "Pizza Boy!"

He didn't seem to mind their teasing and just smiled. "At least I've got a job."

Miranda laughed and pointed at the two hulks. The one to her left became peeved. "And what about you, huh? You got a job?"

"No but at least I've had a job!"

"At least I never got fired."

She patted his cheek pitifully. "You gotta have a job before you could get fired, sweetie."

Everyone else began laughing. Even the one she'd just burned eventually cracked a smile.

"Where's your manners Randa?" asked Daniel.

"What?"

He elbowed Gordo.

"Oh! Right." she cleared her throat and gestured to the guy on her left. "Harold this is my good friend Gordo. And this," she turned to her right "is Blake." She took another drink of her soda. "They're twins."

Gordo chuckled. "Yeah I could see that."

They looked almost exactly the same. Only an idiot would think otherwise. A girl with longish red hair hesitantly approached the table. "Hey Blake."

He was obviously surprised with her presence and stammered with a simple greeting. "Want to sit down?"

"Okay."

"Hey Denisse," Daniel smiled. "Ready for another year of Miss Franklin's backbreaking homework?"

She smiled a small smile. "Looks like I'll have to be, whether I'm ready or not."

Harold slammed one of his large fists into the table which made both Gordo and Miranda's lunch trays jumps a bit. "Hah you lucky bastard," he pointed at Daniel. "I wish I had Miss Franklin again this year."

"I could only guess why..." Daniel said with a secretive smile.

Harold's laugh was loud. "Same reason any of the other guys like that class. She's quite a looker, that one. Especially with those long legs of hers."

Daniel laughed and agreed. Gordo noticed that Blake hadn't said a word since Denisse had joined them. He was obviously the quiet one of the body builder twin boys. Just then Lizzie made her way over.

"Sorry I'm late guys, but I got caught up in--"

"art class," Miranda finished. "Yeah, I figured." She noticed her empty hands. "No lunch today, Liz?"

"I ate while I stood back in class. I was actually going to stay in there until lunch was over but I forgot that we got a new student today." she turned her smiling gaze to face Gordo. Yet again, he couldn't help but smile back.

"So," she asked as she settled in between him and Daniel. "How do you like it here so far? Better or worse than your other school?

"About the same so far. Too quick to judge just yet." she nodded and took a look around the table. Her face lit up. "Oh hey Denisse! I haven't seen you since school let out last year. How was your summer?"

Her voice was low as she spoke. "Oh...well my family decided to go to Paris for the summer. My dad only stood with us for the first month but then my mom joined us in the middle of August. It was nice."

"How's your brother?" Miranda asked. Daniel looked annoyed.

"He's fine." Denisse smiled her first real smile and she raised her head higher. "I never knew it was possible for a girl to whip Carl into shape. He hasn't been the same since you guys went out."

Harold and Lizzie laughed loudly. "Oh man...are you serious?" he asked Miranda. "I didn't even know you guys went out."

"If you think about it, there aren't too many boys in our class that Randa hasn't dated," Lizzie added.

They both laughed again and slapped hands.

"So this is your car."

Miranda had caught a ride home with a girl from her Spanish class so it was just Lizzie and Gordo. She took him straight to the student parking lot after school to show off her 'baby'. Her parents had bought it for her over the summer after acquiring her driver's license. It really was a nice car. A little white Honda. Nice. They both climbed in and after surveying the interior Gordo commented, "nice too."

Lizzie laughed. "Wow, my car has gotten more compliments over the day then I have."

"Oh I highly doubt that," Gordo said as he buckled his seatbelt.

She was about to question his comment but shook the idea off. "So, where to?"

"Ah, I'm beat." he stretched his arms. "I just wanna head home."

"Destination: home. Got it."

Gordo reached for the dial and turned on the radio. Out of all the stations, there was only one that was tolerable so he left it there.

"Nice choice," she commented.

He laughed lightly. "I don't even know the song. It just sounded good."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, why?"

Lizzie regarded him with a surprised, yet amused expression. "Wow...you've seriously been out of the loop since you left us, haven't you?"

He shrugged. "Nah. Just been listening to different music than before."

It was quiet the rest of the way home. "Home sweet home." she declared as she pulled up in front of her house.

"You didn't even have the decency to park in front of my house? What kind of friend are you?" he pretended to scoff.

"And deprive you the exercise of walking from the curb to your front door." Lizzie looked up. "I wouldn't dream of such a thing."

He nudged her and they both laughed. They both shut their car door's behind them.

"Wanna come in for a bit?"

She checked her watch and frowned. "Sorry I can't. I have to get ready for work."

"You work?" his eyebrows shot up in fake surprise.

Lizzie socked him in the shoulder. "Ah, hey! You really have gotten violent, McGuire. I don't know what I'm gonna do with you."

She laughed. "Well you figure that out for yourself. While you're doing that I'll be getting ready for work." she walked the length to her front door. "I'll see you tomorrow."

He waved. "Later."

"How was your first day back?" He hadn't even had five minutes to himself when his mother suddenly appeared in the kitchen.

"Good." he said simply.

"Oh come now. You'll have to give me more than that. How is Miranda? Your father and I haven't had a chance to see her yet."

He grinned. "Oh she's doing great. Especially in the boys department."

Mrs. Gordon chuckled. "So what Mr. McGuire said was true about the girls?"

"More so Miranda than Lizzie."

"Really?" she seemed quite surprised.

"Yeah...why is that a bad thing?"

"Oh no, dear. Surprising is all. I suppose it has a lot to do with how much things have changed since we've been gone from here. I mean you three aren't children anymore. Things will certainly be different this time around."

He was quiet for a bit. "Yeah, I suppose."

"Well." she offered a great smile. "I hope you three can stay as good of friends as you were before."

"For sure." he saluted his mother as she exited the kitchen.

A/N: I hope you all had a pleasant Valentine's Day. Mine was a bit surprising to say the least. I'd like to say thanks again to all of you who are still reading this story. I just find the thought exhilarating that someone who I've never met or seen is reading this stuff. Feel free to drop me a line. Have fun. Take care. And peace.