Chapter 01: Anticipation

May 20th. It was the day before just about all Hillridge High School seniors were to depart from their secondary school lives and move on to bigger and better things that came with adulthood. The "tres amigos," Elizabeth "Lizzie" McGuire, Miranda Sanchez, and David "Gordo" Gordon, each sat around in the only son of the Gordons' bedroom enjoying one another's company for the last time as high school seniors. Not one of them could believe that by tomorrow it was all "over," but they also knew that the summer that was to come was to prove the strength and bond of their friendships.

"So, where is your mom tonight Gordo?" asked the now eighteen year old Lizzie, while flipping through her best friend's CD collection.

So much had changed since the beginning of high school for all of them. But, none had seemed to had gone through more than Gordo had. By the beginning of his sophomore year, his father, Howard Gordon, had passed away from a heart attack. His death was truly unexpected and shook up the lives of all that knew him. But, Gordo's friends were there to help him heal. He was extremely lucky to have both Lizzie and Miranda in his life, because, as he reminded himself everyday, without them, he might not have been able to get through such a hard period.

But now, it had been almost three years since Howard's death.

"She's out on a date," Gordo replied.

"Ooh!" Miranda's eyes shot up. It had only been recently that Gordo's mother had started dating once again. "Wow."

Gordo shrugged. "She said not to wait up, that she'll be back in time for graduation in the morning…"

"It's so weird to have your mom dating again," Lizzie commented.

"My mom deserves to be happy again. I hadn't seen her this excited about anything in such a long time…I'm happy for her. Plus, the guy…Ted…he's a pretty nice guy, I guess…"

"He coming to the graduation tomorrow?" Miranda asked.

"I'm not sure…I'm not sure who else my mom gave the tickets to…" Gordo thought for a bit. "It doesn't matter though. I'm just glad to be graduating tomorrow."

Miranda laughed. "I bet you are, Mr. Salutatorian!"

"Hey, it's no big deal…no big deal. It's not like I'm valedictorian or anything…"

"Close enough!" Lizzie giggled. "You know Larry Tudgeman only beat you out by like, a point! C'mon!"

"Yeah Gordo…I mean, after everything you've been through…this is pretty big. You have to admit," the other girl explained. "Plus, we are pretty proud of you."

Gordo simply shook his head and laughed. "Yeah…yeah…yeah."

"Guys, do you know how much I'm going to miss this when we all go away to college?" Lizzie admitted.

The amigos were going off their separate ways to different colleges by the end of the summer, and for each of them it was heartbreaking. They had never quite imaged a life without it being the three of them since they had met, and now after the summer, it was going to come true. Their dreams and worse fears were both coming true at the same time.

"Guys, promise me that this won't be the last time we do this."

"Lizzie, don't worry, we have a whole summer ahead of us. I promise you, we'll make this summer one you won't forget," Miranda comforted her best friend. She walked over to the blond and hugged her tightly, reassuring her that things were going to go okay this summer.

Gordo groaned jokingly. "Ugh. Girls."

"Shut up Gordo," Miranda giggled.

After releasing from the hug Lizzie checked her cell-phone and noticed the time. It was 6:44pm. "Oh my God guys, I have to go! We're having this graduation dinner thing back home, so I promised mom that I'll be back by seven."

"It's okay Lizzie. We'll see you tomorrow," Gordo told her.

"Yeah Lizzie, don't worry about it."

"Okay guys…well, I guess this is it. I'll see you both tomorrow…" Lizzie smiled widely from ear-to-ear. "At graduation! I'm so excited!"

The remaining two laughed as they waived goodbye to their friend as she departed. Her excitement was undoubtedly contagious.

Miranda made her way over to Gordo's bed and sat down just when it all hit her. "Oh my god, I'm graduating tomorrow."

Gordo laughed. "Yes Miranda…so am I. So is Lizzie. Even Ethan."

"No, no. You don't understand Gordo. I'm graduating. I'm my parent's first daughter…and all their hopes and dreams and stuff have gone into me, and I'm graduating!" she said all in one breath. "And everyone is going to be there! My parents, my little sister, my baby brother, my aunt, my tio, my little cousins, my--"

"Miranda, Miranda…slow down," he laughed as he took a seat next to her. "It'll be okay."

"No Gordo! What if somehow I manage to trip, or fall, or slip, or--"

"Miranda! Stop. You have nothing to be nervous about. If anything, I should be the one who's nervous. I'm the one with a speech to give…"

"Oh yeah, you do have that speech to give…" she laughed as she fell back on the bed. "Good luck."

"Hey!" Gordo turned around and hit her playfully. "I was trying to make you feel better, if you didn't notice."

"Mission accomplished," she laughed.

Both fell silent as they lied next to each other on the bed. They simply just enjoyed each other's company for the moment. It had been awhile since the two were able to just sit in silence and enjoy the other's company. When the three entered senior year they vowed the spend every moment they could having fun with each other since they knew that it was possible that by the time the fall after graduation came around they would be separated by college. So they tried to make up for it now.

"You're going to do well with your speech Gordo," Miranda said after about twenty minutes of silence. "You are…trust me."

"And you're going to make your family proud Miranda. Trust me," Gordo told, smiling as he looked over at her.

She laughed as she turned over to him. "Thanks Godo."

"What's with the laugh? What, you don't believe me?"

"No, no. It's not that. Just thinking about old times," she giggled. "I must say David Gordon, you've come a long way."

"I think we all have. We've all grown up pretty well--even you."

"Hey! What's that suppose to mean?"

"I'm just saying…I never expected you to grow up and be so…"

"So what Gordo?" Miranda laughed. "What are you trying to say?"

"I don't know…I just didn't realize when my best friend grew up to be so…so…" At this point he was at a loss for words. He never had this moment quite rehearsed in his head, and now he felt as though he was caught in an awkward position. But, he was just simply speaking honestly. "…beautiful."

The girl lying next to him blushed. She didn't expect to hear that from her best friend. Especially when she never thought he would be one to notice. "What can I say…I've been a work in progress since the late 1980s," she laughed.

"Long progress," he added in.

"Hey!" She lightly hit him as they both laughed. "What am I going to do without 'this' when I go to college? I'm going to miss you…and Lizzie. I can't picture my life without you guys."

The room fell silent once again. It was getting late, and Miranda knew that she had to go soon. But, something inside her told her to stay, enjoying the company of her best friend. Each just stared at each other as thoughts of the day to come ran through their heads. Both had waited so long to grow up, and now all they wanted to do was stay the way they were for as long as possible.

"Miranda?"

"Yeah?"

"I just want to thank you for being there for me…you know, after my dad died…" Gordo let out to his best friend.

"Gordo, that was almost three years ago…"

"Yeah, I know…but I really appreciated it…and I wasn't sure if I ever told you…and--"

Miranda cut him off. "It's okay Gordo," she smiled.

"Oh, and Miranda…"

"Yeah Gordo?" She looked up at him once more.

"One more thing…" Next thing Miranda knew, Gordo leaned in and kissed her.