Disclaimer: I don't own Lizzie McGuire or the characters. Disney does.
Gordo stepped forward, "It was my idea. Lizzie really is sick. I convinced her to go out with me anyway…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause any trouble."
"Lizzie, go up to your room, get in bed. And this time, stay there."
"Yes Dad." Lizzie slumped her way to the stairs, looking back to give Gordo a wide eyed meaningful look.
"Gordo, we expected more from you! We thought you had Lizzie's best interests at heart!"
Gordo took a calming breath and took their criticism resolutely…for Lizzie. After a while, they'd finally had their fill of scolding him and he headed out into the backyard where it was quiet.
He sighed deeply- wow, what a day. He should be feeling self-satisfied from being proven right, but an I told you so just wouldn't be gratifying. He should be feeling irritation and misunderstood for taking the blame for something he didn't do, but to be honest it didn't bother him as much as it should. He'd do anything to make sure Lizzie was happy.
The sun was starting to set when he heard the door swish open and close, and then a timid voice call his name, "Gordo?"
Gordo's body perked up at the knowledge that she was near, but he forced himself not to turn around. Even if he wasn't honestly angry, Lizzie still needed to learn a lesson here. "Shouldn't you be tucked into bed?"
"I snuck down…I just wanted to talk to you."
Gordo gave her a quick glance, subtly allowing her the floor.
Lizzie leant against the porch rail next to Gordo, watching his face lit from the lights inside the house and the myriad of colours from the sky. "Thanks for taking the blame like that."
Gordo shrugged, "If we'd told the truth about the whole sickness scam and the party, we both would have been in a lot more trouble."
"Still…I mean, after everything you said. You did warn me, and I-"
Gordo shook his head, "It's okay, it doesn't matter Lizzie."
There was a moment of silence, and then Lizzie said, in a most sincere tone, "I'm really sorry."
Gordo graced her with a small but genuine smile.
Lizzie smiled fondly back at him and then followed Gordo's gaze out toward the sunset.
She glanced at him a couple times, biting her lip, and then started with an awkward, "Gordo?"
Gordo turned to look at her, surprised with how close she was. He swallowed nervously, "Um, Yeah?"
Lizzie looked like she was going to talk again, but instead, her delicate hand came over and touched his jaw and she leaned in.
And she kissed him.
Her lips pressed surprisingly boldly against his, and they were so beautifully soft. He realised that he'd just stood their dumbly for the first second, and at least managed to regain some muscle-use to lift his jaw from the ground, and give her a bit of a kiss back.
All too soon, she pulled away, and Gordo's eyes popped open to stare at her. She seemed just as surprised by the turn of events as he was, her deep warm eyes wide, although sparkling a little.
Gordo decided that he should say something, stop the awkwardness in the air, that had migrated to his stomach. Instead of something smooth and charming, he opened his mouth, and out came, "Thanks."
"You're welcome," Lizzie replied quickly, sounding just as embarrassed.
Gordo stumbled a step away, pushing aside the thought of just how cute that embarrassed giddy grin on her face was. "You-you should get inside- before we get in anymore trouble."
Lizzie motioned her hands frantically, as she did whenever she felt nervous, "You're right, I can't afford any more trouble."
When Lizzie was at the door, Gordo said, "I'll be up soon." His eyes widened in horror- he sounded like his parents! "I mean, you know, it won't be too comfortable hanging out with your family tonight. So, we can hang."
"No, I…I'd like that," Lizzie gave his a shy smile and then turned and hurried inside.
Gordo bit down on his own giddy smile and gave one more glance to the setting sun.
When he got up to the room they were sharing, Gordo found Lizzie on the floor setting up a game.
"Scrabble?"
Lizzie looked up at him, smiling at him sheepishly, "Yeah, I thought we could play. It's like, the only game in this house. I didn't think-"
"No, it's fine. I love scrabble," Gordo sat on the floor, setting aside his shoes.
"You do?" Lizzie looked at him strangely as she held out the bag to take some letters from.
Gordo chuckled, "Are you serious, don't you remember- spelling bee champ three years running!"
Lizzie rolled her eyes and grabbed her own letters. She took a look at them and groaned, "Ugh, all I have is 'dump'."
Gordo saw the pout and couldn't resist, "You can take some new letters if you want."
Lizzie beamed at him, but was laughing, "Gordo! This is a game. We're in competition against each other! Stop being so sweet!"
Gordo blushed at being called sweet, although secretly he loved it.
They continued with the game. Strangely enough, most of Gordo's words were peculiarly inclined to a certain theme. So far, he's made 'cherry' and 'gloss' and 'lip'. He'd also made 'fat' but only because he'd run out of good letters and it was the only possible option left.
By the time they'd run out of letters and spaces to put new words, they were almost neck and neck. Lizzie was ahead by five points, and it all depended on Gordo's last turn. He stared down at his handy two letters that would slide in perfectly on the board, and looked up at Lizzie's face.
Gordo smiled and shrugged, "I got nothing, looks like you win."
Lizzie threw up her arms, "Yes! Oh yeah! I beat Gordo, I am the greatest!"
Gordo smiled as he watched her happy, glowing face.
She paused and looked from him, down to the back of his letter blocks, and back up to his face. Her eyes narrowed and she lunged across the board. Gordo smothered his letters under his hands and chuckled as Lizzie tried to get to them.
After trying to pry his fingers away, she finally got him to show her with a stern, "Gordo."
He sighed and revealed his letters.
"Gordo!" Lizzie exclaimed, glaring at him, "You let me win!"
"Yeah," Gordo gave a slow smile.
"Urgh," Lizzie slapped his arm, and then stopped and gazed at him for a while. She finally questioned in a soft voice, "You did that because I'm your girlfriend?"
Gordo shook his head, hearing his own voice come out soft, and raw, "No. I did it because you're Lizzie."
Lizzie stayed close to him, looking into his eyes, normally calm blue now alight with emotion.
Gordo couldn't help himself, his eyes drawn down to her glossy lips, almost like they were caught in the stickiness also. Like an ant to honey.
He swallowed harshly, contemplating whether he was allowed to kiss her. Would it be rushing or moving too fast? Would it make them awkward? Was it even allowed, or was the previous kiss a special occasion?
Before he could think on it more, she kissed him again. This time practically melting onto his lips for a microsecond before pulling away.
Gordo stared at her forlornly, as she just moved further away.
"I'm gonna get ready for bed, I'm getting tired," Lizzie closed the bathroom door.
Gordo sat in the same place, touching his lips, finding a slight stickiness. What he wouldn't give for a chance to really kiss her. For more than a second. So he could hold onto the feeling. Because at the moment it was already slipping out of his memory too fast.
When they were both snug in their beds, they exchanged goodnights, and went off to sleep to dream sweetly about each other.