Author's Note:

This is the second in my Gordo-Verse series, coming right after "Love Finds David Gordon." You can read "Gordo's Girls" on its own, and it will still make sense, but there is a richer experience if you read "Love Finds David Gordon" first.

This story follows our hero through most of his sophomore year in high school, where he will be subjected to additional angst, and perhaps…a Happy Ending?

IMPORTANT: "UPDATED 2024!"

This story has been updated for 2024. But any of my other stories that do NOT include a notification in the Author's Note that the story has been updated in 2024 are still the ORIGINAL version that was posted almost two decades ago! You can read ahead if you want, but if so, you may not be reading the best version of that story. At this time, I am working on editing and reposting a better version of all my original FanFiction stories.

Enjoy!

CHAPTER 1: NICOLE

David Gordon opened his wallet, pulled out a tattered copy of his 10th grade reading list and peeked inside the folds. Yep, it was still there. One condom, in a bright blue glossy wrapper. Just in case.

Not that he really expected anything to happen tonight, but it didn't hurt to be prepared. He had never been a Boy Scout, but he had the Boy Scout mentality.Be prepared.

And in the spirit of being prepared, he brushed his teeth one more time and gave himself a final squirt of Tommy Hilfiger (the cologne heartily recommended by his older cousin Adam) before slipping into his jacket and heading out the front door.

The place: Holy Rigatoni, the nicest restaurant within walking distance of his house. The Girl: Nicole Hessler, the most beautiful girl in the entire 10th grade class, and the sweetest girlfriend imaginable. The occasion: their anniversary. Exactly one year ago today they had gone out on their first date, and ever since it had been David and Nicole, Nicole and David…as it had never been Lizzie and Gordo in middle school.

In middle school Gordo had eyes for nobody but Lizzie McGuire, but during their first semester of high school, Lizzie made it plain to Gordo that she considered him nothing more than a "friend." No, no. What was it she had said? As a brother. With his heart broken, Gordo had been fortunate enough to have Nicole come immediately to his rescue, picking him out of the pit of despair. But Nicole was so much more than a replacement, an alternate, a second choice. They spent a wonderful year getting to know each other better. He wasn't exactly sure what love was supposed to feel like, but if this wasn't it, then it was surely something close.

And now, tonight, during this dinner at The Holy Rigatoni, Gordo hoped to remind Nicole of how many times she had said "I would never take it to the next level until I've been with someone at least one full year."

Gordo arrived at the restaurant and put his name on the list, then went outside to wait for Nicole. Generally they would have hooked up earlier and spent the afternoon together, but today she had a "family thing" so her dad was going to drop her off in front of the restaurant by seven o'clock. Gordo checked his watch. It was seven now. He sat on a bench, restlessly swinging his feet as he waited under the bright lights lining the busy sidewalk.

The next level…the next level.What did that mean? He knew what he thought it meant, and when he asked Nicole, she had blushed a deep crimson and only said, "You know… doing more…stuff…"

Nicole was a good girl, a respectable girl, and Gordo respected that. Hearing her restrained response, Gordo did not pursue the issue. He knew the time would come for them, if only he was patient. After all, they were only in tenth grade. He was aware some guys were already "doing it" or at least claiming to, but the voice of reason told him fifteen was probably way too young for all that emotional commitment and responsibility.

However, he reasoned, looking down the street, searching for the arrival of Nicole's family van, if there were any two fifteen-year-olds more emotionally committed to each other, those two were Nicole and himself. And as for being responsible…well, he pulled out his wallet one more time, checking the folds of his tattered tenth grade reading list.

He was in fact looking directly at the condom when, from the corner of his eye, he saw the silver minivan pull up in front of the restaurant. Quickly, sheepishly, he returned his wallet to his pocket, and stood up to greet Nicole as she disembarked. He waved to Nicole's father, receiving a wave in return, but tonight there was no conversation between them, though Gordo had come to feel quite sure Mr. Hessler thought him a suitable boyfriend for his only daughter.

Mr. Hessler drove away and Nicole came directly into Gordo's arms, hugging him fiercely.

"Hey, hey!" he laughed, running his hands over her long silky hair. "Calm down there, girl!"

"David…oh, Davey, " Nicole said. "You know how much I love you, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do. Of course I do, Nikki. What's wrong? What's going on?"

He pulled her back and looked at her. She had been crying, that much he could tell. "Nikki," he repeated softly. "What is it?"

"Family issues. I'll tell you all about it. Inside. Let's go in and we'll sit and we'll talk. Did you get us a table?"

"We're on the list," Gordo said. "It shouldn't be long now."

As they went in, the hostess said, "Gordon? Your table is ready," and they were led to a quiet booth in the back. Nicole slid in on one side, Gordo on the other. The waitress approached and began to recite the daily specials. Gordo held up a hand and asked, "Nikki, do you want to try something new, or just the usual?"

"The usual," Nicole said quietly, and David ordered for both of them.

Alone at last, Gordo looked across the table at his girlfriend who appeared about ready to cry again. He took her hands in his and said, "Okay now. Tell me what's going on."

"Oh, Davey…it's terrible!" Nicole exclaimed in distress. "It's the absolute worst thing I could imagine. I don't know how I'm going to be able to get through this. I don't want to do this. You have to understand this is not my idea, not at all, my parents are forcing me to do this."

"To do what? Nikki, look at me. To do what?"

Nicole lifted her head. Her eyes were filled with tears. "Well," she began quietly. "You remember how last summer my family made me go with them to Minnesota to visit my aunt and uncle? You remember how awful that was, being apart for so long?"

"I remember," Gordo said. "But we made it through. We're still together, Nikki. What is it now? Winter break? Do you have to go away for the holidays?"

"Worse!" Nicole bawled. "We're leaving over winter break. But we're not coming back. We're going to Minnesota to live there! My uncle has a job for my dad. They're going into business together. It's supposed to be really good for us as a family, we're going to make so much more money and be able to go to the very best schools, and everything is going to be just peachy, yeah, just peachy, but…but… Davey, I have to leave! And I'm not going to see you anymore, except maybe once in a while if we come back down for a vacation, but who knows when that might be…"

Gordo sat for a moment, stunned, feeling like his guts were somewhere outside his body and his brain was spinning out of control about to crash through the ceiling. He couldn't move. He couldn't do anything but sit there and listen to Nicole weeping, her hands held over her face.

David and Nicole. Nicole and David. Only not anymore. David Gordon felt his world turning inside out. Everything had been going so well, and now…and now…

The only thing Gordo could think at the moment was,Oh, crap! Life, as I know it, is over.