It turns out that tow-truck took a bit longer than the half hour they had initially promised. They arrived 10 minutes shy of two hours after Denisse had placed the call. She even tried calling back but was never told anything promising. The night dragged on slowly as we all grew heavy with boredom and drowsiness. It was the middle of October and "chilly" was a bit of an understatement. Lizzie suggested we sit in Denisse's car with the heater running but Miranda told us that the car wouldn't even start up.

"Why don't we just sit in your car and use the heater?" she asked.

Lizzie shook her head in response. "Because I don't want to waste my gas when we're not even sure these clowns will show up." She checked her silver wrist watch. "It's been well over an hour--"

"I'm sure they'll come," I assured everyone at once. Miranda rolled her eyes. "They'd better! It's already starting to get close to my curfew."

"I thought you didn't have one.." Lizzie inquired.

"I don't, but that's how badly I just want to get the hell outta here."

"She's right," Denisse chirped in. "It's getting late."

"Look," I cut in. "Why don't we give it another 20 minutes or so, and if these fools don't show we'll have to call someone's parents."

The three girls groaned in unison.

"Hey c'mon, you guys have a better suggestion?"

Miranda raised her hand. "I think we should get a time machine, and Denisse should've just let her brother drive us to the party."

"Hey!" she yelped. "I suggested that but you said, and I quote, 'oh god just keep you stalker brother' away." Miranda was tight lipped.

Lizzie suddenly burst into laughter and Miranda swatted her with the back of her hand. "Well it's true! He's always leaving messages on my cell and following me around at school."

"He doesn't follow you!" Denisse defended her brother. "You just happen to share a lot of the same classes."

Miranda wasn't about to relent that easily. "I think he follows me. And he's like always pretending to not be looking at me, but I know he is."

"I think your exaggerating, is all." I reasoned.

Miranda groaned in exasperation. "Fine! Don't believe me."

Lizzie hugged herself in her thin jacket and her teeth began to chatter. "Okay guys, I may not use the heater in my car, but its better than standing outside in this frigid weather." She retrieved the car keys from her coat. "Who's with me?"

We all agreed wholeheartedly.

As soon as she unlocked the door Miranda slid past her to sit in the driver's seat.

"Hey!" Lizzie protested.

"C'mon girl, you never let me drive your car. The least you can do is let me sit in the darn seat."

"Fine."

Denisse ran around to the passenger side and hopped in.

"What-?"

Denisse smiled a sweet smile. That girl could have any guy if she knew the full effect that demure smile, myself included. "Please? I like to play DJ."

She was referring of course to Lizzie's stereo system which was recently installed only a week ago. It had all the perks--including satellite radio and a connection to mp3's.

Lizzie sighed and looked to the sky. "These are my friends?"

I laughed and pulled her into the back seat with me. "Come on McGuire, you were the one that was complaining about the bad weather. Get in here."

The car had been vacant of any body heat and the engine hadn't been running in nearly two hours. The bitter weather from outside somehow trapped itself inside the vehicle.

"Good God!" Miranda exclaimed. "It's even freezing in here!"

Denisse was fiddling with the buttons on the radio. "At least the cold wind isn't hitting us in the face anymore."

"Or up our dresses," Miranda added.

Denisse blushed and focused all her attention on the radio.

I began to chuckle quietly until Lizzie socked me in the shoulder. That only made me want to laugh even harder. Somehow I managed to suppress it into a cough. It must have been obvious because Miranda threw me an amused smiled and rolled her eyes.

Lizzie suddenly linked her arm through mine. We had already been sitting close trying to stay as warm as possible, not to mention there wasn't much room back here to begin with.

"Cold?" I asked

Her teeth were still chattering, but not nearly as much as they had been outside. She gave me a small smile and looked up. "Does it show?"

As I laughed I finally took notice as to just how cold it was. I could see my breath. It was a bit chilly but I was comfortable. One of the perks of being a guy, not to mention the double layered jacket I was wearing.

"Here," I unlinked her arm from mine and took both of her hands into to mine. Her hands were so much smaller than mine which surprised me for some strange reason. I rubbed them together at a quick steady pace and occasionally brought our hands up to my mouth to blow some warm air. I had learned this trick during my first winter in New York. The weather back east was much more harsh than the present one I currently found myself in, so I adjusted well enough.

"I see Lizzie has her own personal heater back there." Miranda commented. Denisse turned in her seat and raised her brow in surprise. I didn't know what to make of her expression so I simply ignored it.

Lizzie's expression was smug as she regarded Miranda. "Hey, you're sitting in the driver's seat. The most comfortable spot in this whole car. I only think it's fair that I get some kind of consolation while sitting back here in this cramped space."

Miranda grinned back. "Maybe we should trade seats."

"Mmm, no thanks." I had stopped trying to warm her hands when Denisse gave us that undecipherable expression. It made me self-conscious and I had no idea why. So instead I just opted to sling my arm around her. Lizzie cuddled closer and threw her arm across my middle. "I'm pretty content with my little heater back here."

I suddenly realized just how cramped it was back here. I wasn't aware of the little space her backseat had to offer until Lizzie cuddled closer. I started to squirm but she didn't seem to mind and stood right where she was.

Just then the tow-truck arrived.

"Hallelujah!" Miranda yelled. I couldn't agree more...

I was beat and tried to stay awake as Lizzie drove both Miranda and Denisse home. I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew:

"Hey, come on wake up. Hello? Anybody home?"

I groaned and sunk lower into the seat. I had opted to ride in the back with Denisse and was too lazy to climb into the passengers seat after we had dropped both the girls off, so I was still sitting behind Lizzie.

"Gordo. Gordo?"

My eyes were still closed and I shook my head. I wasn't going anywhere.

"You realize I could just leave you here all night, right?"

I shrugged and pulled my jacket more tightly around me.

She giggled. "Why do I put up with you?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," I asserted.

Suddenly I felt fingers lightly rake through my hair. I instantly popped open one of my eyes to give her a quizzical stare. She seemed amused by my reaction and a knowing smile played on her lips. "C'mon," she said quietly.

Surprisingly I was wide awake faster than I thought waspossible. I walked her to her front door which she didn't expect.

"Afraid I'll get mugged while I walk the driveway?" she jested.

"Just wanted to make sure you didn't forget your key again."

Her eyes were cheerful. "Oh shush."

About a week ago Lizzie had come home late from a party and was way past her curfew. Unfortunately her key was in her other purse. An honest mistake, she had said. Anyways. She couldn't knock on the door for fear of waking up her parents. Her mom would probably be more aggravated about being woken up in the middle of the night than her daughter having broken curfew. So, it was Gordo to the rescue. She climbed the hedge to reach his window. After maybe 5 minutes of continuous tapping he was finally roused from his slumber. He always had a spare key to her house, and then more than ever was Lizzie grateful.

Now, she quietly opened her door and threw a smug expression over her shoulder.

I raised my arm in defeat. "Okay I was wrong. I'll go home before you rant about how wrong I was."

She watched me walk across the lawn to my house. I gave her an odd smile and walked up to my front door. I reached into my pocket. Where the hell we're my keys? I always kept them in my right pocket. I checked my other pockets, including the ones in my jacket. Nada.

"It looks like I'm not the only scatterbrain."

I wasn't aware she was still watching me from her porch and mycheeks tinged with embarrassment. I realized I wasn't going to be able to get inside my house without waking either of my parents. That was out of the question considering the time of night so I walked the short distance to Lizzie's porch with my head down. Damn this was embarrassing.

"Well, well, well." I couldn't recall the last time I had seen such a satisfied grin on her face. "It looks as though the shoe is on the other foot."

My hands were deep in my pockets. "I get the feeling this is going to be worse than the 'Virgin Driver' bashing."

She gave a light chuckle and shook her head. There were a few moments of silence until I finally had some of my confidence back and looked up at her expectantly.

"You gonna help me out?"

She slowly sobered as if she suddenly realized something. "Ugh!"

"What?"

Lizzie covered her mouth with her hand. "Ohmygosh! I can't even help you out."

"What? Why not?"

"Your mom never gave us back the spare key after your family moved back."

Shit. I ran my hands through my hair in frustration. Great, what the hell was I supposed to do now?

Lizzie seemed to read my mind. "Listen, I have an idea."

"What is it?"

"Let's go inside first, it's getting colder by the minute."

After she had quietly locked up she turned to face me and kept her voice low. "Okay we both know you're not getting into your house tonight, right? Just stay here tonight. We'll wake up really early tomorrow and go out, and I'll drop you off at home when we know your parents will be awake. That way, they'd be up to let you in."

My drowsiness must have been kicking in again because that didn't make any sense. "What good is that going to do?"

"Hear me out for a sec. Your parents completely trust you, right? Mr. Responsible is pretty much how they view you."

We both knew it was true so I simply nodded.

She continued, "They wouldn't suspect you never came home. They'd simply assume you decided to wake up early to go hang out with your friends or whatever."

That didn't sound half bad. There seemed to be only one flaw to this plan. "What about my clothes?"

"What about them?"

"Wouldn't they find it odd that I'd be wearing the same thing as the day before?"

She waved it off as nothing. "That's too easy. If they do happen to question you about it, say it was too early in the morning to pick an outfit–therefore you just stuck with what you had on the night before."

I shrugged. Whatever. I was getting tired again.

"Come on," she waved me upstairs.

She kicked off her shoes as soon as entered her bedroom. Lizzie grabbed the pajamas that were tossed casually across bedspread and walked into her bathroom. "Be right back."

I shook off my jacket and draped it across the chair that sat in front of her computer. After I removed my shoes I collapsed onto her bed. She could kick me off when she gets out of the bathroom.

"Gordo!" a harsh whisper.

I groaned. "What?"

"You're not the only one that needs some sleep."

My face was practically buried into her mattress somy words came out muffled. "Who's stopping you?"

"Oh I don't know...the fact that you're taking up all the room."

I grunted and rolled over, giving her some room.

"Gordo!"

Now what? "What?"

"Your laying on top of all the blankets and I'm cold!"

"I'm trying to sleep here."

"Gordo!"

I grunted again. "Fine!" I climbed over her to lay on her side of the bed and hastily slid her body to the space where I had been lying.

Out of nowhere she began to giggle. I had had my back toward her so I turned to face her out of pure curiosity.

"What?"

Her giggles had suddenly ceased, as if surprised to hear my voice. She turned to face me and then fell into another fit of giggles which, this time, appeared to hold more humor. I couldn't help but smile at the sight. I poked her side. "What is it?"

When her giggles finally subsided she cleared her throat to speak but her grin was still in place. "Nothing, it's just that I've never seen you so aggressive before." Her smile then became a teasing one. "And in bed, of all places."

I was so embarrassed that I could literally feel my entire face burning. I picked up one of the pillows and covered my face.

"Oh no you don't..." She started tugging at the pillow in an attempt to pull it away.

"Don't you think you've make me feel like I fool enough tonight?" I murmured into the pillowcase.

She laughed. "Not nearly enough."

She kept tugging, obviously not willing to give up just yet. I'd had more than enough for one night and I just wanted to sleep. In several quick motions with very little pause in between, I chucked the pillow away, managed to seize both her wrists in my hands and pinned her down. "Please go to sleep."

She had obviously been caught off guard and her expression was that of great suprise. But as quick as it came it transitioned itself into a mischievious grin. "You've proved me right with your physical force yet again."

I groaned in exasperation, let her go, and retrieved back to my side of the bed. This girl will always know how to drive me up a wall.

A/N: I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter but the result was worth it. Can you all believe it's already going to be May? Ahh! Prom and graduation are around the corner for yours truly. And I still can't tell if I'm scared or excited. lol! Look forward to more updates because we all know that as the school year winds down, so does the workload. (I hope that pertains to all of you...if not I feel like a bitch who's bragging.) Okay I'm just prattling now.I'll shut up now. I promise. PROMISE! Oh yeah, leave a review if you want. Lata:D