Disclaimer: I don't own Lizzie McGuire or the characters. Disney does.

"Hey! It's Lizzie."

"Who?"

"Uh, Lizzie."

"Well, I used to know a Lizzie, but I haven't heard from her in a long time."

"It's not even been a week."

"…"

"Miranda, come on, it's been a busy week and…ok- there was something I wasn't ready to tell you…"

"Okay…what?"

"First, do you forgive me?"

"Okay, okay, okay, just spill."

Lizzie sighed, taking a deep breath to gather herself, "Alright. First, promise me that you won't make a big deal out of this. It's just at the beginning point right now."

"Lizzie! Stop it, just tell me."

"I went on a date with Gordo," Lizzie rushed out quickly.

Miranda was silent, and Lizzie got more anxious by the second.

"Are you kidding me?"

"No," Lizzie squeaked out smally.

"You went on a date with Gordo!?" Miranda shrieked.

"Yeah."

"Oh My God…"

"…Miranda?"

"Oh mygod."

"Miranda, please don't feel weird about this-"

"I don't…wasn't it strange?"

"Well, Yeah…"

"So?"

Lizzie blushed, not wanting to say it, but also wanting to blurt it more than anything. In the end, the feeling won out, "But then he kissed me."

"Oh My God EW!!"

Lizzie giggled, replying quietly, sincerely, "No, it wasn't."

"What? On the lips?!" Miranda's voice shrieked at the end, as if in horror.

"No! No, on the cheek."

"Oh. And it was that good?"

"Oh yeah."

"Gross. So, because of that kiss, you want to see him again."

"Yeah, the date was horrible. He acted like this fake, polite gentlemen the whole time. And because you aren't here, and I've only seen Gordo during the date, I kinda miss my friends."

"Maybe if you called more often."

"No, but what should I-? I want to have Gordo around as my best friend-"

"But you also want to snog him?"

Lizzie blushed, admitting, "Yeah."

"Well, I guess talk to him, tell him that."

"Oh yeah? You haven't seen us try to talk to each other."

Miranda snorted and started laughing, "Really? Actually, you know what, knowing the two of you, I shouldn't be surprised. Come on Lizzie, you've known him your whole life, he's just Gordo."

"Not anymore. Now, he's Gordo." Lizzie emphasised significantly.

"Again-EW!"

"Miranda, seriously.

"Right, well, tell him you want to hang out more, and after a while, you'll naturally get more comfortable with each other again, but on a different level."

"You know, that sounds like really good advice, I just hope it's true."

Miranda was silent for a while, which was completely against character, "Miranda? You there?"

"Yeah, I'm here," Miranda sounded preoccupied.

"Is something wrong?"

"…are you sure?" Miranda almost whispered.

"What?"

"Are you totally sure about this? Cause…it's going to change a lot of things, you realise."

Lizzie didn't answer.

"What happens if you break up? Do you think you can stay friends with him? What about me- where do I fit into this new situation?"

Lizzie both at once realised what Miranda was worried about, and started worrying about it too, "Miranda, you're my best friend, that will never change. And everything with Gordo, well…it's still too soon to tell."

"But Lizzie, don't you get it, once you cross over that line from friendship to relationship, everything changes, and you can't just change it back. You have to stop before you start."

Lizzie sighed, "Honestly, I think we've already crossed over that line. I don't think you realise…I can't control how I feel…I have to at least try."

"Okay," Miranda said in defeat and worry. "Just, keep me updated."

"I promise."

"Go talk to Gordo."

"Alright."

Gordo spotted Lizzie walking through the carefully watched doorway of the digital bean. He caught her gaze, and glowed as she matched his eyes and smiled.

He stood as she reached the table, feeling the usual nervousness, "Hey Lizzie."

"Hi Gordo."

"You-uh-wanted to see me?" Gordo tried to keep his voice from cracking.

"Yeah…um, sit down," Lizzie offered carefully.

Realisation hit Gordo in the gut. This was Lizzie trying to let him down gently. He'd known he'd completely stuffed up the date, but he really thought that kiss had made up for it in end.

And so, he decided to block the hurt before it could get to him, "Okay, you know, I get it, last night was really awkward…Some things just aren't meant to happen. We can just forget everything. Go back to how it was before."

Underneath all the anxiety, and the urge to keep his dignity, Gordo felt intense disappointment and frustration in himself.

"You're right-"

Gordo kept a straight face as his heart broke.

"-it was a pretty bad date. And you're right about how things should go back to how it was before. But I didn't invite you here to 'break up' with you."

"You didn't?" Gordo's voice did crack this time.

Lizzie smiled fondly at him, shaking her head, "No. I think I want exactly what you want."

Gordo felt utter relief and excitement. This was the first time that he knew that fact for sure. It was truly his dream come true. "Really!?"

They shared a shy, understanding smile and then Lizzie turned thoughtful and serious. "But…that doesn't erase the fact we had a crappy date, every time we see each other it's so uncomfortable, and that for the last few days I've really missed you- where usually we'd be hanging out all day."

"Lizzie, we're dating, no longer just friends…that's what happens."

"It doesn't have to be. Aren't you the one who always says that we shouldn't follow the crowd?"

Gordo noticed the determined expression on Lizzie's face and couldn't help but grin. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"So, do you wanna go to the mall and poke fun at all the couples on first dates?" Lizzie grinned mischievously

"Yeah, I'd like that." They both stood and started making their way out of the digital bean. Gordo opened the door for her on the way out.

Lizzie ducked passed and rolled her eyes, "Oh and Gordo?"

He quick stepped up beside her, "Yeah?"

"Stop holding doors open and paying for me."

"What?"

Lizzie giggled at his distressed, confused face, and looped her arm through his, "You don't have to try so hard to impress me, you already have."

Gordo blushed happily and cherished their bare arms touching and her body so close to his.

Gordo let Lizzie open the door of her house for him and they shared a laugh. Lizzie led the way upstairs, "I still can't believe we saw Kate knock a soda all over her date. It made my day."

Gordo shook his head at typical Lizzie. "You know, it also makes our date look not so bad."

Lizzie turned back at him doubtfully, "…well, I guess that's one thing that didn't go wrong, no spilling of food items. And I am the biggest klutz!"

Lizzie opened and closed the door for Gordo again.

"Okay, would you stop doing that."

Lizzie laughed, flopping down on her bed, "See, how do you like it!?"

"Point taken. But you know, we've been raised as young males to act a certain way in a dating situation. And women perpetuate this behaviour by complaining when it's not done. You should just tell a guy what you want, isn't that what the feminist movement is all about."

Lizzie smiled slowly, "That is what I want."

"Uh, what?" Gordo said, confused.

Lizzie sat up and grabbed his wrist, dragging him down beside her on the bed, "That. You're factual tangents where you rant about something. I haven't heard a Gordo rant in a long time, I missed them."

"You missed them?" Gordo's lips flickered into the beginning of a helpless smile.

"Well…no. I just…well, I missed you, the real you."

Gordo met her gaze, smiling bigger on noticing her beautiful sunny smile.

Lizzie's smile faltered, and she blinked as her eyes focused intently, flicking involuntary down to his lips. Realisation dawned on Gordo and he panicked at the same time as his adrenaline shot through the roof. His heart started racing and his hands felt shaky and sweaty. Everything went kind of blurry and he felt hot and stuffy.

He leaned in like he was drawn by a magnet.

The door swung open, "Lizzie, I thought I heard-"

Gordo snapped his eyes open, realising that he'd closed them, and been leaning in for a kiss. A deep red blush covered every inch of his skin in utter embarrassment.

"Mom!" Lizzie squeaked, snapping upright, dropping Gordo's arm and shifting away.

Gordo saw that Lizzie's Mom knew very well what she had just interrupted.

"Gordo, hello, I didn't realise you were here."

"Hi Mrs McGuire," was all Gordo managed to squeak out.

"Lizzie…" the tone was covered in parental disapproval. "Don't you think you and Gordo should find something to do outside, or maybe downstairs?"

"Sure," Lizzie jumped up and headed to the door. Gordo followed hastily, just knowing that he could never look Mrs McGuire in the face again.