Hi!
I'm really sorry for the delay. But college is Hell, you know? I haven't had time to continue this, life has been so hectic…
Special thanks to my dear friend DearLizzie (hehehe), who helped me beta-reading this chapter. I'd also like to invite everyone to read his story "The Long and Winding Road", it's great.
Ryan, man, you ROCK!
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Chapter VIII: I Know Who's the Culprit
-s-
"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."
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.
-s-
After leaving Lizzie and Gordo, Miranda walked into the kitchen to find Mrs. McGuire, but Jo wasn't there. Miranda guessed Lizzie's mom would be upstairs, so she went up to there. Indeed, she found her at Lizzie's room.
"Mrs. McGuire"
"Hey, Miranda, I have to finish folding Lizzie's blankets, and then I'll go to the kitchen to prepare a snack for you guys. Could you help me to finish it quicker?"
"Sure." Miranda replied.
They were in the middle of doing that when Miranda happened to utter:
"It's such a dilemma… what happened today."
"Yeah, it is… I guess we'll send Lizzie to Cresthaven High now. Sam and I will make the arrangements for the transfer and she will go to her new school starting next Monday."
"Cresthaven High?" Miranda asked. "Why there?"
"Well, it's the second nearest school from here after Hillridge High."
At hearing "Cresthaven High" the memory of someone came to Miranda's mind.
"Andie…" she whispered.
She remembered the way Andie pretended to be just like Lizzie when they started 8th grade, and how some people mistook her for Lizzie when she did it. She remembered how bad things finished between Lizzie and her, and how Andie became Kate's friend. She had heard some time ago that Andie was going to Cresthaven High.
"What?" Jo asked.
"Uh… nothing. But if there is any way of proving Lizzie's innocence, and we could pull it off, she shouldn't have to go there… she could stay at Hillridge High…right?"
"What do you mean?" Jo asked, suspiciously.
Miranda thought about telling Lizzie's mom the plan she had made with Gordo and Larry, but considered that she shouldn't know anything about that.
"Well, I don't know… Maybe Mr. Adams would change his mind, maybe we could find a way to show him Lizzie isn't guilty… I don't want Lizzie to go to another school…"
"I know, honey, but there's nothing we can do about it. Besides, I guess nothing will change between you three, you'll always be best friends."
Miranda thought this situation was pretty much the same as when Gordo was promoted to High School. But this time, the person who had to go to a new school, didn't go there for a good reason.
"Well, that's true…" she said, as she continued folding blankets.
-s-
"Kate, what are you doing here?" Gordo questioned, surprised. Lately she would freak him out by appearing at the most unexpected moments.
"Well," Kate answered. "I heard about what happened at school today. I just wanted to come by to say I'm really sorry about what happened, Lizzie." she said this in an incredibly faked tone.
A devilish smile was on her face. Gordo, at listening and seeing her, knew Kate wasn't plotting something good. And he wasn't wrong.
"Thanks, Kate." Lizzie said, dryly. The last hours she had been thinking about the possible culprit responsible for her expulsion from school. And the more she thought about it, the more she was convinced of Kate's guilt. "There wasn't really anyone else in the world who wanted to turn her life into a disaster.. right?" She thought hard. She tried to think of anyone else who hated her so much without a decent reason behind it all.
"No big deal, Lizzie." Kate continued speaking, walking towards them, and sitting down next to Gordo. "I'm sure you'll find a new school so you can start over from the beginning. Maybe you could have better luck there. Maybe you could be popular. Or…"
"Kate, please stop." Gordo said, starting to feel irritated for her obvious lack of caring for Lizzie's situation. "Lizzie is going to return to Hillridge High. She wasn't involved with what they're blaming her for. So, she won't have to find a new school. I'll take care of that. I'll find the real person responsible and I'll make sure he or she receives the consequences of their actions!" he finished, in a loud voice.
At listening this, Kate felt pretty scared. Gordo was taking this very seriously. What if he found out she was behind everything? She tried to hide her surprise and continued talking.
"Awww… Gordo, you're always so sweet. It's so nice that you want to help Lizzie to get out of trouble… She couldn't get any luckier having a friend like you."
Lizzie heard this, and turned back violently to see why in the world Kate would be saying those things to Gordo.
Gordo started to feel a tad uncomfortable about Kate's tone of voice. She held him by the arm.
"Lizzie, I'd like to have one like the one you have…" Kate said, referring to Gordo. "Where did you get him?"
Now, Lizzie and Gordo were looking at her. Lizzie, feeling angry, Gordo, feeling embarrassed.
"What do you mean?" Lizzie asked.
"Come on, Lizzie, I mean, one like Gordo"
"Kate, please, stop your nonsense…" Gordo demanded, trying to get her off of him.
"Does it bother you that someone says nice things about you?" Kate asked.
"No, but…"
"Well, I just wanted to get something from you."
"Something from… me? What?" Gordo asked nervously.
"This…"
With a fast move, she put her hand on Gordo's cheek, pulled him to her and kissed him shortly on the lips, in front of a completely astonished Lizzie.
"But… Kate! What the hell are you doing?" Lizzie shouted. "And, Gordo, why did you let her do that?"
"Doh… wha… eh…" Gordo babbled, trying to understand what just happened, frowning, wiping his lips.
"Well, I'm done here, McGuire. It's been real. See you later Gordo…" Kate said. Then she stood up and walked towards the door.
In that moment Miranda was going to where Lizzie and Gordo were. But at meeting Kate, she stopped in front of her and blocked her way out.
"Kate…? I'd like to know what you are doing here, you snake. Did you come to make fun of Lizzie? Did you come to rub what happened at school in her face?"
"That's not your business, dorkerella. I'm leaving right now."
Miranda tried to slap her, but when she raised her hand and directed it towards Kate's face, the blonde girl held her hand just before getting to her cheek.
The two were staring directly into each others eyes, their faces were separated only by a few inches. Miranda's eyes were injected with blood, and a scorned look were on Kate's ones.
"You'd better stay quiet, Randa." Kate said, and released her hand. Then she pushed past Miranda and was gone.
Miranda saw Kate leaving the house, and then she ran to where Lizzie and Gordo were.
"Lizzie, are you okay?" she asked.
"Actually… I'm not…" Lizzie muttered, with a painful expression on her face. She got up and left, running towards her bedroom.
"Lizzie, wait!" Gordo pleaded. But Lizzie didn't stop. Jo was going down by the stairs, Lizzie bumped into her.
"Lizzie?"
Her daughter didn't pay attention and went into her bedroom, and locked herself there.
"Gordo… what happened?" Miranda asked.
"Something that hasn't quite sunk in yet…"
"What?" Miranda asked impatiently.
"Kate… kissed… me…" Gordo managed to utter out, still shocked and awed by what had happened.
Miranda opened her mouth in amazement, trying to say something, but she was unable to do so.
"Damn! She caught me unawares… I didn't think she was going to do something like that!" Gordo said.
"Oh no, I can't believe it… Let's go to see if Lizzie is fine, come on!"
They went to find Lizzie, and Jo stopped them.
"Who were you arguing with, Miranda? What's going on? Why has Lizzie locked herself in her bedroom?"
Gordo lowered his head and Miranda explained, "Kate was there and she came to bother Lizzie… to rub it in about what happened and.."
"Oh, no…" Jo said, shaking her head. "I don't know what to do. It's got to stop. Lizzie always tells me Kate annoys her… let's go to see how Lizzie is…"
Once at Lizzie's door, they called for her.
"Lizzie…" Jo said.
"Leave me alone!"
"Lizzie, please…" Miranda begged.
"Leave me alone, I said!"
"Lizzie, please, open the door…" Gordo pleaded.
There was no response. They only heard Lizzie sobbing.
"There's no use in continuing to call her. Let's wait her until she calms down." Jo suggested. "Come on, guys. Let's go to the kitchen."
They went down. Miranda nudged Gordo and whispered, "You've got to explain everything…!"
"Okay, okay…" he answered.
-s-
Miranda and Gordo stayed at the McGuire house for a while, and Lizzie was still refusing to talk to anybody.
"Well, Mrs. McGuire" Miranda said. "We'll go. I'll call Lizzie later to try to talk. Please take care of her."
"No problem, Miranda. I'm sure she'll talk when she is calmed down."
"Goodbye, Mrs. McGuire" Gordo said.
"Bye, guys."
Gordo and Mirada crossed the porch and started walking down the street.
"Now, Gordo, tell me exactly what happened there, please."
Gordo breathed deep and said, "See… Lizzie and I were talking… I was comforting her, trying to brighten her up. Then I managed to ask her to go with me to Parker's party and…"
"You invited her?" Miranda asked bluntly.
"Yeah, I did. But…" Gordo sit down on the edge of the pathway and put his elbows on his knees. "I'm so confused now…"
"Gordo…" Miranda whispered and kneeled by the side of him.
"I'm so confused… I managed to invite her… I have to admit that although I was desperate to do it, at that very moment I found it really hard, but I did it… and I hugged her. Then I thought there was no reason to remain silent any longer. Why should I wait to the party to do it? So I was going to tell her how much I love her… I was ready to tell her that I've always loved her…"
Gordo had to struggle to hold back his sobs. But he failed.
"Gordo, please don't..." Miranda said, wrapping her arms around Gordo.
"Then Kate shown up. I knew she wasn't up to anything good. She started to talk to Lizzie in a patronising kind of way… then she talked to me in a very flirtatious way, soon after, she held my arm. And I tried to get rid of her, but I couldn't… and you know the rest. Lizzie must hate me right now."
"Lizzie would never hate you! And you see? You know the reason for Lizzie getting so angry? She loves you!" Miranda assured.
"Damn it! Damn it!" Gordo repeated. "Why can't I tell her how I feel? Why?"
"The opportunity will come, I'm sure… now we have to get ready to start our plan, we have to get the videotapes… so why don't you go home and change your clothes? Wear black ones. I'll call Larry, he said to me he'd get us walkie-talkies and a lockpick, or any sort of master key…, and we will finish making the plan for tonight."
"Ok, whatever you say…"
"And Gordo, please, calm down, I'll talk to Lizzie. Everything's gonna be okay"
They both got up. Miranda had to admit that it was a bit weird situation. Gordo, almost crying… whoa, that was something she had never expected to see. Gordo always used to be the one of the three that would keep it all inside and not let anyone see him hurting.
"Thanks, Miranda." He said and hugged her.
Then they went their different ways heading to their respective houses.
-s-
Lizzie had stopped crying in her bedroom.
"Why did I react that way?" She thought to herself. She knew Gordo would never mean to kiss Kate…
"At the moment of the kiss he didn't do anything to pull her away!" saida voice inside her.
"He was surprised, that's why he didn't react on time!" she shot back to that little voice inside her head.
Jo knocked at Lizzie's door.
"Lizzie, sweetheart, please open the door, I want to talk to you!" she pleaded.
Lizzie thought that if there was anyone who she could talk with about all the things that had happened during the last few days, it was sure to be her mother. Maybe Matt also, but… she was a girl, and her mother would be able to understand her better.
She opened the door and hugged her mother, crying again.
Lizzie talked, talked, and talked. About her date at the Digital Bean with Gordo, about her failed tries to reveal him her true feelings, about how annoying Kate had been the last few months, the incident when she was expelled from school and about Gordo asking her out to go the party. She also told Jo about how much it hurt her seeing Kate kissing the boy she loved.
Jo didn't do anything but listen first. Then she talked to Lizzie, and consoled her, giving some advice, and assuring that she would be always there for Lizzie. Two women, two best friends.
-s-
Miranda, Larry and Gordo had given their excuses to their parents for going out that night.
It was 8:15 p.m. and Gordo took the bus to go to the Digital Bean, the place they had decided to meet in. He looked strange wearing black clothes.
"The color of my clothes goes with my mood…" He thought. He couldn't help feeling terrible for the things that had happened that afternoon at Lizzie's place. He had tried to call her, but she hadn't wanted to talk to anybody.
When he entered the Digital Bean, contrary to what he had thought, he didn't attract the attention of anyone whatsoever.
"Maybe I'm not looking as weird as I thought…"
Immediately, he looked at two known girls at the bottom of the room.
"Kate and Andie?"
Suddenly, he had an idea. He approached silently, trying to hear what they were talking about. A lot of things started to take shape inside his head.
"Someone used a double of Lizzie to get her into trouble. Tudgeman saw that person and wasn't able to say whether or not she was Lizzie. But, the only person who could be so perfectly mistaken for Lizzie is… "
He looked at Andie, hiding behind a plant.
"Lizzie and Andie had a fight… and Andie is a Kate's friend now. Kate hates Lizzie, even more because of me now… "
Suddenly, the two girls got up and walked slowly towards the door, talking. Gordo overheard a part of her conversation.
"Well, Andie, everything went just like as we planned. Lizzie was expelled and it's sure Lizzie is mad at Gordo now. Nobody rejects me, and if I don't get what I want, I make sure nobody else can have what I didn't get." Kate said, grinning.
"Yeah, sure…" Andie answered, sounding not so pleased.
Kate stopped and asked, "What's wrong with you? Didn't you want to have your revenge also?"
"Yeah, but…"
"Don't say anything else, let's go to see if the bag with the wig and the clothes has already been taken from the trash."
"Fine." Andie answered.
Both girls exited the Digital Bean.
"So... they were…" Gordo thought. "That's why Kate wasn't at school today… she thinks that since she didn't go to school, we couldn't suspect of her about the incident... Now, what bag were they talking about?"
Gordo followed them trying his hardest not to be noticed. He saw them in the passage next to the Digital Bean, looking into a trash container.
"It's still there." Kate said. "Let's go, the cleaners will take it later."
The two girls walked through the passage and disappeared at the corner. Gordo approached the container and saw the bag. "It's the same bag they were carrying yesterday..." he thought. Inside the bag were a blonde wig, clothes that were identical to the ones Lizzie was wearing in the morning, and some girl's accessories. "What Miranda and I were thinking was correct. Kate is behind everything."
"Gordo, what are you doing there?" a voice asked.
Gordo jumped and turned back to look.
"Miranda, if you do that again, you'll give me a heart attack!" he said.
"Sorry, but why are you looking in the trash? If you're hungry, come on, I'll invite you for a snack here at the Digital Bean!" Miranda joked, grinning.
"Very funny." Gordo said, feeling a little upset, but at the same time amused by the joke. "But you see, as we thought, Kate was behind everything." He finished, pointing at the bag.
"What do you mean?"
"It seems Kate used Andie to impersonate Lizzie, taking advantage of Andie's talents for copying her. And this is what I was picking from the trash, is the bag that contains the wig and the clothes they used to do it."
"Uh… eh… eh… " Miranda said, grabbing the bag and looking inside. "…But, how did you know?"
"They were here a few minutes ago, and I heard them talking about the plan they had made to get Lizzie expelled from school."
Miranda looked at one side, clenching her teeth, clenching her hands into fists.
"So, it was the bitch… it was Kate…"
"Yeah. We already know who did it. But we have to think of a way to make them confess… and I've got no idea how to do it."
"She really wants to take Lizzie away from you… that's why she's doing this. Gee, she's obsessed! I was assuming something like that, Andie…" Miranda commented.
"Kate is a little… unbalanced. And Andie… we know her. She needs to get a personality." Gordo said.
"We'll think of something to prove Kate's is the culprit. But we still need the tapes." Miranda pointed. "By the way, where's Larry?"
"Hey guys, I'm sorry for the delay." Larry said, joining them.
"At last!" Miranda exclaimed. "I thought you wouldn't show up!"
Gordo told Larry what he had heard and seen. Larry didn't seem that surprised; he knew what Kate was capable of.
"So," Larry said. "things make a lot of sense now... we were right all along."
The trio took a bus to go to school. It was almost 10:15 p.m. when they arrived. Larry instructed, "Here are two flashlights, one for me and the others for you two. Use it only when it's appropriate and necessary to do it, otherwise we could get caught. I mean, we'll use the lights from the corridors. You could use it when you're already inside a room, where the light can't escape out. Now, according to Miranda's plan," - Larry said, winking at her, she returned a smile, Gordo rolled his eyes- "we should be able to slip through the store rooms behind the gym, maybe we will need the flashlights there, those must be dark rooms, but we'd better use them with caution, like I said. You'll wait for me to disconnect the power from the security cameras, according to what I found out, the controls of power are in those rooms. Then we go to the security room. Gordo, you and Miranda will enter there and make a copy of the tapes we need, we can't take them with us, it would be difficult to return them tomorrow. Take these blank tapes. - he said, giving Gordo three small cassettes, "I'll stay outside and watch if any of the guards comes there. We'll stay in contact with the walkie-talkies. Well… are we ready?"
"Ready." Miranda and Gordo said.
"For Lizzie!" Larry cheered and the three friends put their hands in for a team high five.
-s-
Kate was already in bed.
"Perfect" She thought. "It all couldn't have gone better today."
Nevertheless, there was something that wasn't enabling her to sleep. A guilty sensation was growing slowly within her, a sensation that she had ignored all the day.
Kate would start paying for what she did. It would start in her dreams, or rather, in her nightmares.
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Wait for next chapter. Please review, I'd love to hear your comments.
