Hi everyone.
I know. It has been a long time since the last update. I'm sorry for that.
I'm considering changing the name of this story to "Why can't I tell you what I feel?", I think it sounds better and has the same sense of the story and the current title. If I do it, don't get alarmed. The story remains being the same.
This is a long chapter. So, get comfortable and read.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Chapter VII: Expelled
Someone knocked at the door of the 10th grade classroom.
"Mr. Patterson," the History teacher said, pointing to the door. "Please get that."
The boy did what the teacher ordered. Mr. Dig was at the door.
"Ms. O'Connell, I need to take Miss McGuire to the Vice-Principal's Office for a while. Her presence has been requested there." He said this in a serious tone that scared everyone who was in the room.
And when Lizzie heard that, she jumped up, startled. Gordo and Miranda gave each other looks of surprise as did the rest of the class. Why Lizzie, to the Vice-Principal's office?
"Me?" Lizzie said in a low voice.
"Yes."
"You heard that, Miss McGuire," The history teacher said. "Go with Mr. Dig to see why they need you there."
"But... but…"
"Let's go now. Please," Mr Dig asked.
Lizzie got up from her desk, as everyone looked her. When someone is called to go to the Vice-Principal's office, it only can mean that something really good or something really bad has happened. And Mr. Dig's visage didn't give a sign that they needed her there to give her a medal or something like that. She left then, accompanying Mr. Dig.
Miranda y Gordo whispered.
"Why do you think they need Lizzie there? When they ask you to go there nothing good can be happening…" Miranda said.
"I don't know… I'm worried… I don't have a clue why Lizzie was taken there… I only hope she'll be fine… Oh, my God, what happened?"
The teacher heard the whispers, and addressed them:
"Mr. Gordon, Miss Sanchez, you'd better stay quiet if you don't want to be taken out of this class."
"Sorry..." they said.
Gordo thought: "Lizzie, Lizzie, what's happening?"
-s-
As Lizzie walked with her teacher, she asked:
"Mr. Dig… Why has Mr. Adams called me?"
"Lizzie, why did you do such a terrible thing? I never thought of you being capable of doing what you have done…"
"Do what? What are you taking about?"
"Lizzie, please… I always thought you were a good and calm girl. I feel really sad for you. I really don't understand."
"Mr. Dig, please don't confuse me more… I don't know what's the matter here… what terrible thing do you think I did?"
Mr. Dig was about answer, when they arrived at the Vice-Principal's Office.
"Miss McGuire," the vice-principal said, as he thumbed the sheets of a folder. "Sit down, please."
Lizzie obeyed mechanically. A storm of doubts was untied inside her mind. Why the heck was the good girl McGuire there?
"Well," the Vice-Principal said. "The act of indiscipline committed by you pushed the boundaries, someone has been hurt. I really don't like to do this, but I must inform you that you have been expelled from this school. I'll…"
"Wait!" Lizzie said. "I don't know what's going on here, but I'd like someone to tell me why I'm here. With all respect, Sir, I haven't done anything to be expelled. For heaven's sake, what's happening?"
"Miss McGuire, you know it well. Please..."
"I tell you, I don't know!"
"Miss McGuire, you greased the floor of the exit of the Principal's Office, and when he came out, he fell and broke his arm. Now he has been taken to the hospital to receive the appropriate treatment. And those responsible for this action must be punished. I thought you were too grown up to be still making these kinds of jokes, even when you know someone can be hurt."
"Sir, I swear, I haven't done anything like what you are saying!" Lizzie said, almost crying.
"Right. See it for yourself. Mr. Dig, put the tape in the VCR."
The teacher took the tape that was on the desk and put it in the VCR. Then the images started to run. Lizzie's mouth almost hit the floor in astonishment as she viewed the video. That girl was… her… greasing the floor, and after that, the Principal coming out of the office and falling, and touching his arm, which seemed to be hurt.
"It can't be… it can't be… that girl is not me…" Lizzie said, crying.
"The images don't lie, Miss McGuire. Now you have to face the consequences of your actions."
"Mr. Adams, I swear, I didn't do that!"
"I'm sorry, Ms. McGuire. I'll call your father."
"No, please, there's a mistake here…"
"There's no mistake. You did it last period. I'll call Ms. O'Conell to prove it. You must have come out of the classroom this period. Mr. Dig, please tell Ms. O'Connell to come here."
"Yes, sir," he said, and left.
Mr. Adams asked Lizzie for Sam's work phone number. After telling him, Lizzie started to cry again.
"My God, who did this and is trying to blame me? And why?" Lizzie thought.
-s-
The bell rang, indicating the end of the period, when Mr. Dig arrived at Lizzie's classroom.
"Well, students," Ms. O'Connell said. "See you tomorrow. Please study today's lesson for the exam."
Dig entered the classroom and asked the teacher to go with him to Mr. Adams's office. Then Miranda and Gordo approached him to ask him about Lizzie.
"Mr. Dig," Gordo said, "why did you take Lizzie to the Vice-Principal's Office?"
"Yes, Mr. Dig., what happened?" Miranda asked.
"Lizzie has done something very wrong. Something I never thought she could do. Now she will be expelled from school."
"WHAT!" the two friends asked with one voice. Miranda asked: "What is it Lizzie did? She can't have done anything bad… surely they are misunderstanding things…. What do they think Lizzie did?"
"She made the Principal fall in the corridor by his office, and he broke his arm in the accident. The security cams caught her while she was greasing the floor, and she did it during last period. She came out from the classroom at least one time during that period, didn't she?"
Both Miranda and Gordo were completely thunderstruck. In fact, Lizzie had asked for permission from her teacher to leave the classroom for a moment. Gordo answered:
"Yes, she left the classroom one time, but…"
"You see? I didn't want to believe either, but the evidence is on the tape... I'm sorry, I also feel grieved for all this, but Mr. Adams has made a decision, and he's about to call Sam McGuire to notify him."
Some tears were drawn on Miranda's eyes. A puzzled expression came to Gordo's face.
"I'm sorry…" Mr. Dig said, as he exited the room with Ms. O'Connell.
"It can't be... Lizzie is incapable of doing that… Someone else has to have done that. It's obvious someone is plotting against her." Gordo said.
"But… Gordo… Mr. Dig says they have the evidence, and indeed she left the classroom for a while…"
"What? How can you think Lizzie did that?"
"Sorry… I didn't want to doubt Lizzie…"
"You shouldn't. Now we've got to figure out how to help her. Though they say they have the evidence, I don't believe it. I can't believe this. We will find out who's behind everything."
"Well." Miranda said. "But let's pick up Lizzie's stuff. The period has finished."
"Ok. Let's go to Mr. Adams's office."
-s-
"Mr. Dig, why are we going to the Vice-Principal's office?" Ms. O'Connell asked.
Mr. Dig told her what had happened that morning. She couldn't believe it. And they arrived at the office.
"Ms. O'Connell," Mr. Adams said. "I suppose Mr. Dig informed you of the reason you've been called here. Now tell us: Lizzie McGuire left the classroom during this period?"
"Well… yes, she did."
"So, let's not discuss this anymore. I'll call Mr. McGuire. I'm sorry, Lizzie."
In that moment Gordo and Miranda arrived at the office.
"Miranda! Gordo!" Lizzie said.
"Students, what can I do for you?" Mr. Adams asked.
"We need to talk to you." Gordo answered. "Lizzie is not guilty of what you accuse her."
"Sorry, students, but it isn't open to debate. There is evidence that shows Lizzie is guilty. Now go back to your classes. The next period must have started now."
"But, sir…" Miranda begged.
"I've told you. Or do you have proof to prove the contrary?" he said, feeling slightly angry.
Gordo wanted to speak, but he stopped dead. He didn't have any proof.
"You have to listen to us, see…" Gordo said, but Mr. Adams interrupted him.
"Go to your next class." The Vice-Principal said. He was reluctant to listen.
"Well," Gordo said, irritated, then he addressed Lizzie. "But Lizzie, I promise you, I'll get you out of this. I believe in you, and I know you didn't do it."
"Mr. Gordon, please go now. I don't want to have to reprimand you, when you are such a good student." Mr. Adams threatened.
Everyone felt the tension floating in the air. Lizzie, Miranda, Mr. Dig and Ms. O'Connell felt scared, looking at Gordo and Mr. Adams. Gordo was feeling really angry, but he decided to obey. If he wanted to help Lizzie, he'd better not get into trouble.
"Fine. Let's go, Miranda."
Miranda followed Gordo, and said to Lizzie: "Here is your knapsack, Lizzie. Everything will be fine. I promise."
"Thanks, Miranda. I hope the same."
They left the office. As they headed towards their next class, they tried to figure out who could have done this thing intending to get Lizzie in so much trouble.
"I'm sure it has something to do with the witch, Kate." Miranda said, without hesitation. "That snake enjoys making Lizzie's life torture"
"That's the most probable thing, Miranda." Gordo answered. "She has not come to classes today, but that doesn't mean anything.
"I can't believe Lizzie will be expelled from school… I can't…" Miranda said with a little voice." Some tears slid down her cheeks.
"Don't cry, Miranda. I tell, you, we'll solve this problem and will help Lizzie to get through this. Now let's hurry, or we will be late for our next class."
At the same time, Larry Tudgeman was going to class, and when he saw Miranda crying and Gordo worried, he confirmed what he had heard, the rumors about Lizzie and Mr. Freeman's accident. Now he understood where the cry he heard had come from when he was at his locker. He didn't believe Lizzie did that, not at least by what he had seen.
"Hi, guys…" Larry said approaching Gordo and Miranda. "I know what happened."
"Hi, Larry, don't you think it's unfair? You think Lizzie could do anything like that?"
"Of course, she wouldn't. Lizzie is a good-hearted girl and she's not capable of hurting somebody in that way."
"Larry, please help us to solve all this… Gordo and I are sure that someone else did it, not Lizzie, please help me to find the responsible person…"
The expression in Miranda's black eyes touched Larry, more than anyone else's sight would have done. He decided to help them. Besides, it was his duty as Lizzie's friend.
"Of course I'll help you. We've got work to do."
"Right, Tudgeman. Let's talk about this at lunch," Gordo said.
"Well. Now let's sit down, the teacher just arrived."
The three teens sat down, and as they were listening in the classroom, they tried to put together the pieces of the puzzle, a puzzle they would resolve at any price.
-s-
Meanwhile, Sam arrived at the school. He didn't understand why he had been called there. Lizzie was a role model and she didn't cause any trouble. She had proved that these last months. She was completely responsible, she didn't fight with her brother anymore, and she could stay home alone and take perfect control of the situation. She got good grades at school… well…
When he arrived at Vice-principal's Office, Sam McGuire met Lizzie and she hugged him, with tears in her eyes. Mr. Adams told him about the events of this morning and showed him the video that incriminated Lizzie. But when the teacher finished his explanation, Sam didn't believe it. They discussed for a while.
"Mr. Adams, I know my daughter and I can tell you the person who is in the video is not my daughter. Someone is impersonating her."
"Mr. McGuire, there's no mistake. The proof is indisputable."
"You can say whatever you want, but that's not my daughter."
"I'm sorry, but there's nothing left to do."
Lizzie looked his father with an anguished look. She said "Let's go, Dad. Any effort is vain. I'd better pick up my stuff and we should go…"
"Mr. Adams, please…" Sam said.
"Mr. McGuire, believe me, I hate doing this, but I can't leave unpunished this indiscipline act."
"Well…" said Sam, giving up.
Lizzie and Sam got up from their chairs and left the office.
"Dad, I don't know who did this… now that I'm expelled I won't be able to see Miranda and Gordo everyday…"
"Don't worry, Lizzie. Nothing will change between you. But I don't understand yet who did that…"
Lizzie thought: "Kate…"
She didn't want to blame her… but… who besides Kate tried so hard to make her life miserable? Nobody else, at least, nobody else she knew.
-s-
Time continued passing. At fourth period Miranda, Gordo and Larry knew Lizzie had been expelled from school already, and that Sam had took her home.
At lunch, the three sit at a table in the cafeteria to talk.
"Well, guys, what have you thought about all this?" Miranda asked.
"Mr. Adams said that supposedly Lizzie did that during first period. Tell me, how many times Lizzie left the classroom at first period?" Larry asked.
"Just one, to take her medicine." Gordo answered.
"Well, during the first period I was at the corridor and saw her two times…"
"Two times? That's impossible! Lizzie left the classroom just one time!" Miranda exclaimed.
"The weirdest thing about this is that the first time, she didn't want to look me directly in the eyes, her voice sounded… I don't know… a little funny… and the second time I saw her, it surprised me to see her passing by there again and when I asked her how she had done that, she told me it was the first time she left the classroom…. So…"
"…So, you suggest someone was pretending to be her." Gordo finished.
"Exactly. Lizzie left the classroom to go to the bathroom, but she found it closed. I saw her trying to open the door. She didn't go anywhere else. If she only came out from the classroom just one time, it's impossible it was her who played that joke on Mr. Freeman."
"But, Larry, didn't you see clearly who the first 'Lizzie' you met was?" Miranda asked.
"No. I told you she didn't let me clearly see her face. But her clothes and her hair were identical to Lizzie's, I saw well. Her height was the same as Lizzie. Without considering her voice and her strange attitude, I would swear the first person I saw was indeed Lizzie."
"So, we can say that someone has imitated Lizzie," Miranda concluded. "But tell me, Larry, what were you doing outside? Why did you miss the first class?"
Larry blushed.
"Eh… uh… well… Miranda, why do you ask that? That's not important now. What is important now is to know how to prove the girl on the tape is not Lizzie."
Miranda and Gordo looked at Larry suspiciously. But since he was helping them, it wasn't probable Larry would be plotting something. Besides, as everybody knows, it's Tudgeman…
"Well, but I'm sure Mr. Adams won't give us the tape," Gordo said.
The three stayed silent for a while, thinking.
"What if we 'borrow' it without Mr. Adams noticing? Gordo, we can take it to your house and analyze it with your video-editing program!" Miranda proposed.
The two boys looked at her with a surprised look. Larry said:
"That's a good idea but… you want we steal it?"
"No! I just said we could 'borrow' it! We'll take it back after."
"But, how?"
"We could come tonight to school and take the tape. And the tape of the camera that watches the locker's corridor! That way, we will be able to see what really happened!"
"Right, but what if they catch us? Then we will have to join Lizzie looking for a new school!" Gordo said.
"Nobody will catch us! We'll be careful! And we'll figure out a way to sneak into the office without the guards noticing… and why are you worried? I'm talking with the smartest boys in tenth grade, maybe of all the school! We'll do it!" Miranda said, smiling.
"Well." Gordo said at last. "What's the plan?"
"Basically: We will come tonight, jump over the fence, enter through the store rooms behind the gym, look for the keys in the janitor's office, enter the office of the Vice-Principal to take the tape, find the other tape at the security room and leave again where we entered. Are you with me?"
Gordo sighed.
"Fine. We'll do it."
"I'm also with you. I'll prove my well-known James Bond's skills!" Larry joked.
Gordo and Miranda looked at him with a "cut-that-out" look.
"What? Can't I make a joke?"
Miranda laughed. Gordo shook his head and smiled.
"Tudgeman…" the two said.
-s-
At the end of the day, Miranda and Gordo came out from school.
"Let's go, Gordo. Lizzie needs us." Miranda said.
"Let's go," he answered.
They called their houses to tell their parents they would be later at home, and walked towards Lizzie's house.
When they arrived at the McGuire house, Jo welcomed them.
"Miranda, Gordo, I'm so glad to see you! Come in, please."
"Thanks, Mrs. McGuire." Gordo said. "We've come to see how is Lizzie."
"She's feeling sad... everything has been so sudden… when I first heard it, I really doubted whether or nor Lizzie did it… with a proof like the one the Vice-Principal had, I think anyone would have doubted, but Sam told me what he saw, and he says the girl on the video isn't Lizzie."
"We don't think it was her either."
"I'll cook something for you. Lizzie is in the backyard."
The two friends went to where Lizzie was. She was sitting on the little stairs of the terrace in the backyard.
"Lizzie…" Miranda called.
Lizzie turned back to look, and when she saw them, she ran to give them a hug.
"Miranda, Gordo, thanks for coming…"
"Lizzie, I know this could sound stupid, but… are you feeling better?" Miranda asked.
"Yeah, a little. I guess I'm getting used to the idea of going to a new school."
"That never!" Gordo exclaimed. "Do you remember what we promised when we finished 8th grade? That we would finish together high school?"
"But, Gordo, I was expelled! I can't return to Hillridge High! Somebody faked me and the cameras caught that person! I can't to anything against that!"
"Of course we can! Miranda, Tudgeman and I will track down the culpable…"
"How?"
"We have a plan. And I promise: we'll find out who did that as soon as we can, we'll clean your name and we'll make sure that person is punished!"
"But…"
"There's nothing left to say, Lizzie. Trust us. Trust me…"
Gordo looked at her with a tender look, and Lizzie gazed him the same way. Upon seeing that, Miranda realized she probably should be anywhere but there at that moment, so she said:
"Ehmm… eh… I… I'll go to see if Mrs. McGuire needs help in the kitchen… I'll be back in a while."
"Well." Gordo answered. And with a thankful look, without words, he said her: "Miranda, you're fantastic!"
Once they were alone, Lizzie started speaking.
"Gordo, I'm felling terrible with all this…"
"Me too."
"I don't want to go to a different school… I don't want to get away from Miranda and you…"
"That won't happen. I promise."
"Thank you."
A silence made its way between them. An uncomfortable silence.
"Lizzie." Gordo said, at last.
"What's the matter?"
"I don't know if even with all this that's happened, you're still thinking about going to Parker's party."
"I asked my parents yesterday… and they told me I could go. But I don't know if they want it now… I myself don't know if I want to go… I don't want to face the strange looks of everybody from school... the same looks they gave me when I was coming out of the school with my father. I know, you always have told me I shouldn't care about what people say, but I don't think I could stand it…"
"Lizzie, don't worry…"
She gazed him again. He breathed deeply and continued speaking.
"Lizzie, if I could fix everything like I've promised you, well, before Friday… would you like to go with me to Parker's party?"
"Lucky guy or dead guy I am…" Gordo thought, as he felt time stopping.
Lizzie felt happy, she hoped everything could be fixed, she was hoping go to that party with Gordo.
After a few seconds, seconds that seemed like centuries for Gordo, Lizzie finally said:
"Sure… I'd like to."
"Sure… I'd like to…
Sure… I'd like to…
Sure… I'd like to…"
The phrase resounded inside Gordo's mind.
"Really, Lizzie?" Gordo exclaimed, excited. But he realized that that reaction was too exaggerated for a simple acceptance from Lizzie to go with him to a dance, so immediately he said:
"Eh… I mean… Thanks, Lizzie. We're going to have a lot of fun."
"Yeah…" she answered.
He wanted so badly to hug her, that he couldn't restrain himself from doing it. Lizzie did the same.
They remained hugging for a while, when the heard a voice behind them, a voice in a tone that made them feel a chill running through their bodies.
"Hi, McGuire" someone hissed, wickedly.
Lizzie and Gordo turned back to look.
It was Kate.
- - - - - - - - - - -
