AN: Thanks for the reviews. We appreciate it. Here's Chapter 3.
Chapter 3: Elisabeth
I was going to be late for school, all because my mom couldn't find her Gucci purse. I was not about to have my perfect attendance record botched because my mother's outfit didn't coordinate. "Mom!" I tried again, ear buds in my ears and backpack slung over my shoulder.
"Oh, fine." my mom finally said, settling on a white one. She grimaced.
"No one has died from their accessories not matching their outfit, mother. You just might be the first though." I told her.
"Don't use that tone with me, Lizzie." she told me.
I looked so much like my mother but I sure didn't share her passion for fashion. My blonde hair was clumsily pulled into a braid that I had done myself. I followed her out to her sleek, black Lincoln and climbed into the front seat, listening to the rhythmic clicking of my mom's Dior heels on the concrete as she got in the driver's side. I clicked my seatbelt and pulled my door shut. I turned up the music hoping to avoid an awkward conversation on the way to school. Luckily, it worked. In the school car loop, I smiled when I saw Jane's Boston Homicide cruiser ahead of us. I hugged my mom tight.
"Have a good day at school, Lizzie! Be productive! And remember, wash your hands. There can be at least three thousand species of bacteria in any given area." my mom told me, kissing my head. I ran over to Jane's car and peeked in the window.
"Hey, kiddo! How are ya? Can't stay long, Frost just texted me. We got another one." she told me.
"Oh, cool! Does mom know?" I asked.
Jane smiled, waving her phone. "She does now." she answered, winking.
"Bye, Mom!" Gabriella said, kissing her mother's cheek.
"Be good, you two. I don't want to have to arrest you. I don't know how I'd explain that to your mother, Lizzie." she said, laughing.
I kissed her cheek and told her to be careful as she and my mother drove off. Gabby turned to me and we walked toward school.
"What was that text about?" she asked, looking at me.
"What text? Oh, the one this morning? Nothing." I replied.
"Come on, you know I know I know you better than that, Lizzie." she said.
I hesitated, and the bell rang, freeing me from the awkwardness of the conversation. I ran into the building, Gabriella trailing behind me.
…...
All throughout the day, Gabriella tried catching my eye, but I looked down at my eighth grade writing prompt, avoiding her. After the end-of-day bell rang, she cornered me by my locker. "Look, if you're mad at me, tell me. Just don't avoid me like this!" she said angrily.
"I'm not mad at you, I have a secret. I've never told anyone this, not even my mom." I said, looking down.
"What?" she said.
"I want to be…a medical examiner." I finally said.
"What? I thought you said-" Gabby began. I cut her off.
"I know what I said, but I changed my mind. I've been taking the medical classes here behind mom's back." I admitted.
"How did you-" she started.
"Dad signed off for them but I begged him not to tell her." I said.
"Why? She'd love it. She'd be so proud." Gabriella insisted.
"I couldn't. I told her once that I would never be one and it broke her heart." I said.
"Ok, fine. If you won't tell her, I will, when we walk home." Gabriella told me.
"No, don't! She'll kill me. It will go something like this: Hi, mom. I lied before and now I really do want to be an ME. Sorry for almost breaking your heart and yeah, I've been hiding all my school report cards because then you would know I was taking medical classes behind your back. How do you think that'll go over? She'll start the freaking waterworks and then I'll feel horrible for lying to her." I tried.
"Like I said, if you don't, I will." she said again. Oh crap, I was in so much trouble. This…was not going to be fun.
When we got to my house, I smelled cookies. "Hey, Mom! You're home early. Quick case?" I asked, grabbing a cookie from the plate.
"Yes. Very." My mother replied.
Gabriella started to talk. "Hey, Maura. Lizzie has something-" I clapped my hand over her mouth, dropping my bag to the floor.
"No, it's ok." I said, smiling as mom came out and offered the plate to Gabriella. I took my hand off her mouth as she grabbed a cookie.
"Good day at school? Did you learn anything new?" Mom asked me.
"Not really." I said, biting my cookie. She threw her shoulder length blonde hair behind her shoulder and smiled at me.
A few seconds later, before my brain could register it, Gabriella blurted, "Lizzie wants to be a medical examiner." and that was when I fainted.