Hey everybody, I'm not updating here, just editing, for both the good of
the story and for the Sully Van Alter Ego Awards. YEAH!
--
Favorite Fluff Favorite Romance Favorite Overall
LittleGypsy25
[email protected]
PG
--
Anyway now that that's done...
Disclaimer: Yeah I'm poor, I own nothing.
I Was Once Loveless
Chapter 1: When In Roma
He watched as she smiled, her blonde head shaking, moving slowly towards the camera's blinding flashes, the babble of Italian calling her,
"Lizzie! Over here!"
"Smile!"
"Lizzie!"
"Lizzie!"
He shook his dark curly head. Her name was on everyone's minds, but he had been thinking of her the longest. How long ago had he fallen for her deep brown eyes, her soft blonde hair? The smell she always had, like vanilla with a touch of cinnamon. How many times he'd held her against his small, skinny frame, wishing that she returned that touch the way he wanted her to, as more than just her best friend?
His blue eyes, brilliant even in the dim evening light, blinked quickly, he wanted to absorb as much of her as he could. He loved to look at her, and now he could stare without anyone noticing.
"Lying is below you, Mr. Gordon." Came a voice behind him, "Even if it is for your best friend."
"I know, I'm a spinelessly brownnosing jelly fish with a hidden agenda." He looked over at Miss Ungermeyer, a surge of guilt jetting through his stomach. "I know, I got it."
"But you lied for something good." She smiled, at his surprised face, "Little Miss Diva over there filled me in on the details, turns out you're a pretty good friend Gordon, and that gets you off my list. Just think; we got the next four years together." She clinked glasses with him and then walked over to the buffet, in her normal swaggering stride.
He let out a sigh, four years with Lizzie too, but what would happen in those four years? What would happen after them? He was tired of living in the wings, standing to the side, being the best friend no one noticed. But how was he supposed to change it?
Gordo turned, leaving his glass on the table, and headed toward the elevator, perhaps hiding out would give him some time to think. He turned to hit the button but suddenly whipped around, as he heard the first set of doors re-open themselves,
It was Lizzie.
"One more sneak-away for old time's sake?" she asked, flashing her normal bright smile.
"Sure" he nodded, his stomach lurching with nerves and happiness all at once. Lizzie hit the button next to him, leaning against the opposite wall of the tiny elevator.
The walked up the dimly lit stair well, illuminated by a low green light, and walked into the cool June evening, a view of Rome before them, a field of stars above them.
"Are you going to miss it here?" he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Yeah, Kate says I should just ship all my stuff over, because it won't be the same without me.
"Well as usual, she's wrong."
"Really...you think?" she twisted a strand of blonde hair around her finger.
"Trust me, you had it in you all along." He answered honestly,
"Yeah, I guess I did." She leaned against the thick stone rail, her eyes skimming the soft sparkly Roman lights, and suddenly, as she glanced over at her best friend, she lost it, she wasn't sure how, but she saw those eyes, perfect blue, the mop of hair, the smile that made her knees go weak...
"Gordo?" she whispered, something fluttering through her stomach.
"What?" he could barely get the word out; she leaned over, grabbed his chin carefully, and kissed him.
She let go a few moments later, awkwardly, looking at him for a second, and then glancing away.
His nerves surged, he didn't know what to say but he finally got the word, "Thanks..." out rather nervously, and she replied very warmly,
"You're welcome."
He bit his lip, a lip that had just brushed with hers, her soft lips that he dreamt for so long of kissing, of working up the guts to just do it...but he never had.
"You think we should get back to the party?" he asked, still nervous, waggling his thumb in the direction of the door. "We don't want to get into anymore trouble."
"Yeah, and trouble is something I can't afford to have any more of." She turned to leave, but he glanced out one more time, trying to soak in every last minute of this...every perfect second.
--
The courtyard smelled softly of garlic and oregano, as a minstrel strummed quietly in the corner, it was like being transported back a thousand years.
He glanced at her again, reaching for her hand; he wanted to make sure she was still there, that this was still real. It couldn't end, not yet.
She looked over at him for a second, feeling the color rising in her pale cheeks. His hand fit just right in hers. Why did it take her so long to notice?
Kate was sitting, she noticed, across from Ethan, smiling, and chatting with him, in a kind, NICE sort of way. She looked up suddenly though and saw Lizzie enter the sleepy atmosphere, and noticed the dizzy smile on her face. She grinned at Ethan and pointed.
Their hands were locked, as they clung close to each other it seemed, like in a minute one of them was to be pulled away forever.
"Way to go Gordon, my man." Ethan muttered, and sent a smile Gordo's direction.
He didn't notice however because the McGuire family had gotten up from their photography session, then grabbed a table, and they were then beckoning Lizzie and Gordo to join them.
She let go reluctantly of his warm palm and sat down next to her mother, Gordo on her other side. Under the table though she reached for his hand again, just so glad to be holding it, just so glad that this was right, everything was right for a change.
Mrs. McGuire smiled at Lizzie, and realized the way she kept glancing over, the way her right hand and his left hand were both missing for the tabletop, and she couldn't help but to laugh to herself. Lizzie was so beautiful, she'd grown up so much, and Gordo, she didn't mind Gordo being the one. Jo had known him before he could crawl; he was like a third child. Gordo was always there for Lizzie, and Mrs. McGuire always wanted a boy that would treat her daughter the way he did.
Secretly she'd always fancied the idea of them together. Gordo was the kind of kid ever mother wanted for her daughter. He was smart, good- mannered, respectful...not to mention the fact that David Gordon would never dream of hurting Lizzie...or putting a move on her for that matter.
Lizzie glanced up suddenly at her Mom, noticed her smile and laughing eyes, and mouthed the words, 'I love you...thank you.'
Jo could feel the tears welling up, oh God...her baby, she was so grown up...she was in love with a wonderful boy...and just...everything felt so incredibly scary.
Then through the sweet evening air came music, three new string players had joined the minstrel, as well as a man with an accordion, and soft sounds of romantic Italian worlds gone by filled the little courtyard. Couples got up here and there, dancing in a cobblestone paved area. Lovers together with arms around each other, heads leaning on shoulders, hands intertwined.
Gordo looked up, "Would you like to dance?" he asked softly. He didn't even care that there were people around, or that Mr. McGuire was looking right at him. It didn't matter, because all he saw was Lizzie.
She nodded, as he helped her up from her seat. The walked over to the many others, as she put her arms around his shoulders, his hands resting on her small waste. This wasn't the first time they'd danced together, but she got closer to him, and, fortunately her shoes were low, and she could rest her head on his thin shoulder, the soft smell of Ivory soap filling her nose.
"Lizzie..." he murmured.
She lifted up her head and looked into those pools of blue. "What?"
"I just want you to know..." he paused for a moment, worried over her reaction, "I love you. I don't know how long, I don't know if you feel the same, but I do..."
It was his turn; he leaned in and brushed her soft lips, seeing fireworks explode, over his head, the midnight sky filled with dancing colors.
She leaned away and looked up, but her attention was drawn to his face, "I love you too. Not just like, I really do love you."
He smiled, "I'm glad." And he kissed her again, longer more passionately, not caring what anyone else said or did, all it matter was that she loved him, and he hoped the whole world knew...because he wanted them too.
When the song ended, he took her hand, and they weaved through the crowds, walking to a private table, and after pulling her chair out, he sat down, feeling as if he had been taken to heaven.
There was no need for talking, words failed them both, they knew, after fourteen years of friendship what the other was thinking.
Lizzie was thinking of that, 'fourteen years of friendship', would it lead to the next four years in love? Would it last...longer?
He smiled reaching over for her white hand, and felt like the world was just right...even for a moment...it was perfect.
--
"Do you want the window seat this time?" He asked.
"No, I can sleep on your shoulder again." She answered sweetly as he sat down, in the grey cloth airplane seats. "I still can't believe that I did that..." she giggled. Gordo thought for a moment of that long fourteen hour flight, of her struggling to find a way to sleep, him lucky enough to have a wall to rest his head. She had nothing, and struggled in disgust with her pillow, the yellowish golden one, with the silky edge. He'd stolen that pillow every- time he slept over, just because it smelled like Lizzie's hair, like a combination of fresh cut roses, and lilacs. He felt bad for her, their blanket laying over the two of them, both sort of squashed into the little seats.
And then finally, he'd drifted off, into a half-uneasy slumber. But somewhere his head fell, right on top of that bed of lilacs and roses, the blonde strands right on his cheek for a moment. But it smelled so perfect, and he wanted to be next to her so much, and his head just leaned over, perched on hers, a blonde braid falling down his shoulder, where she had finally found sleeping comfort.
He looked back up at her, as she put her things on the compartment above, before relaxing next to him, a wide smile on her face. For a while they just sat and talked, or they listened to music, sharing each others CDs...Gordo making faces in disgust to a burned track of "Oops I did it again!"
Ungermeyer was seated behind them, her nose buried in 'Jane Eyre' when she glanced over at the seat in front of her own, she saw them asleep, head's rested so simply, Lizzie on his shoulder, Gordo on her blonde tresses. The looked so perfectly cute, and she sighed.
"There is a reason those two are so close, they are so happy to be with each other, no matter what."
She put away the troubled heart-aches of her Bronte classic, and closed her eyes, dropping off into her own sleep world like everyone else.
Lizzie stirred softly, for no particular reason, and could see a soft outline of a nose and face above her, she jiggled her head on his shoulder and drifted away again thinking of how her life used to be before she understood how she felt for Gordo.
But she realized now, that her life before, without this, without that love...it was never a life at all.
--
More to come soon folks! Stay tuned.
Yes I'm still working on "I'm With You a Best Friend and More"
Jenny
--
Favorite Fluff Favorite Romance Favorite Overall
LittleGypsy25
[email protected]
PG
--
Anyway now that that's done...
Disclaimer: Yeah I'm poor, I own nothing.
I Was Once Loveless
Chapter 1: When In Roma
He watched as she smiled, her blonde head shaking, moving slowly towards the camera's blinding flashes, the babble of Italian calling her,
"Lizzie! Over here!"
"Smile!"
"Lizzie!"
"Lizzie!"
He shook his dark curly head. Her name was on everyone's minds, but he had been thinking of her the longest. How long ago had he fallen for her deep brown eyes, her soft blonde hair? The smell she always had, like vanilla with a touch of cinnamon. How many times he'd held her against his small, skinny frame, wishing that she returned that touch the way he wanted her to, as more than just her best friend?
His blue eyes, brilliant even in the dim evening light, blinked quickly, he wanted to absorb as much of her as he could. He loved to look at her, and now he could stare without anyone noticing.
"Lying is below you, Mr. Gordon." Came a voice behind him, "Even if it is for your best friend."
"I know, I'm a spinelessly brownnosing jelly fish with a hidden agenda." He looked over at Miss Ungermeyer, a surge of guilt jetting through his stomach. "I know, I got it."
"But you lied for something good." She smiled, at his surprised face, "Little Miss Diva over there filled me in on the details, turns out you're a pretty good friend Gordon, and that gets you off my list. Just think; we got the next four years together." She clinked glasses with him and then walked over to the buffet, in her normal swaggering stride.
He let out a sigh, four years with Lizzie too, but what would happen in those four years? What would happen after them? He was tired of living in the wings, standing to the side, being the best friend no one noticed. But how was he supposed to change it?
Gordo turned, leaving his glass on the table, and headed toward the elevator, perhaps hiding out would give him some time to think. He turned to hit the button but suddenly whipped around, as he heard the first set of doors re-open themselves,
It was Lizzie.
"One more sneak-away for old time's sake?" she asked, flashing her normal bright smile.
"Sure" he nodded, his stomach lurching with nerves and happiness all at once. Lizzie hit the button next to him, leaning against the opposite wall of the tiny elevator.
The walked up the dimly lit stair well, illuminated by a low green light, and walked into the cool June evening, a view of Rome before them, a field of stars above them.
"Are you going to miss it here?" he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Yeah, Kate says I should just ship all my stuff over, because it won't be the same without me.
"Well as usual, she's wrong."
"Really...you think?" she twisted a strand of blonde hair around her finger.
"Trust me, you had it in you all along." He answered honestly,
"Yeah, I guess I did." She leaned against the thick stone rail, her eyes skimming the soft sparkly Roman lights, and suddenly, as she glanced over at her best friend, she lost it, she wasn't sure how, but she saw those eyes, perfect blue, the mop of hair, the smile that made her knees go weak...
"Gordo?" she whispered, something fluttering through her stomach.
"What?" he could barely get the word out; she leaned over, grabbed his chin carefully, and kissed him.
She let go a few moments later, awkwardly, looking at him for a second, and then glancing away.
His nerves surged, he didn't know what to say but he finally got the word, "Thanks..." out rather nervously, and she replied very warmly,
"You're welcome."
He bit his lip, a lip that had just brushed with hers, her soft lips that he dreamt for so long of kissing, of working up the guts to just do it...but he never had.
"You think we should get back to the party?" he asked, still nervous, waggling his thumb in the direction of the door. "We don't want to get into anymore trouble."
"Yeah, and trouble is something I can't afford to have any more of." She turned to leave, but he glanced out one more time, trying to soak in every last minute of this...every perfect second.
--
The courtyard smelled softly of garlic and oregano, as a minstrel strummed quietly in the corner, it was like being transported back a thousand years.
He glanced at her again, reaching for her hand; he wanted to make sure she was still there, that this was still real. It couldn't end, not yet.
She looked over at him for a second, feeling the color rising in her pale cheeks. His hand fit just right in hers. Why did it take her so long to notice?
Kate was sitting, she noticed, across from Ethan, smiling, and chatting with him, in a kind, NICE sort of way. She looked up suddenly though and saw Lizzie enter the sleepy atmosphere, and noticed the dizzy smile on her face. She grinned at Ethan and pointed.
Their hands were locked, as they clung close to each other it seemed, like in a minute one of them was to be pulled away forever.
"Way to go Gordon, my man." Ethan muttered, and sent a smile Gordo's direction.
He didn't notice however because the McGuire family had gotten up from their photography session, then grabbed a table, and they were then beckoning Lizzie and Gordo to join them.
She let go reluctantly of his warm palm and sat down next to her mother, Gordo on her other side. Under the table though she reached for his hand again, just so glad to be holding it, just so glad that this was right, everything was right for a change.
Mrs. McGuire smiled at Lizzie, and realized the way she kept glancing over, the way her right hand and his left hand were both missing for the tabletop, and she couldn't help but to laugh to herself. Lizzie was so beautiful, she'd grown up so much, and Gordo, she didn't mind Gordo being the one. Jo had known him before he could crawl; he was like a third child. Gordo was always there for Lizzie, and Mrs. McGuire always wanted a boy that would treat her daughter the way he did.
Secretly she'd always fancied the idea of them together. Gordo was the kind of kid ever mother wanted for her daughter. He was smart, good- mannered, respectful...not to mention the fact that David Gordon would never dream of hurting Lizzie...or putting a move on her for that matter.
Lizzie glanced up suddenly at her Mom, noticed her smile and laughing eyes, and mouthed the words, 'I love you...thank you.'
Jo could feel the tears welling up, oh God...her baby, she was so grown up...she was in love with a wonderful boy...and just...everything felt so incredibly scary.
Then through the sweet evening air came music, three new string players had joined the minstrel, as well as a man with an accordion, and soft sounds of romantic Italian worlds gone by filled the little courtyard. Couples got up here and there, dancing in a cobblestone paved area. Lovers together with arms around each other, heads leaning on shoulders, hands intertwined.
Gordo looked up, "Would you like to dance?" he asked softly. He didn't even care that there were people around, or that Mr. McGuire was looking right at him. It didn't matter, because all he saw was Lizzie.
She nodded, as he helped her up from her seat. The walked over to the many others, as she put her arms around his shoulders, his hands resting on her small waste. This wasn't the first time they'd danced together, but she got closer to him, and, fortunately her shoes were low, and she could rest her head on his thin shoulder, the soft smell of Ivory soap filling her nose.
"Lizzie..." he murmured.
She lifted up her head and looked into those pools of blue. "What?"
"I just want you to know..." he paused for a moment, worried over her reaction, "I love you. I don't know how long, I don't know if you feel the same, but I do..."
It was his turn; he leaned in and brushed her soft lips, seeing fireworks explode, over his head, the midnight sky filled with dancing colors.
She leaned away and looked up, but her attention was drawn to his face, "I love you too. Not just like, I really do love you."
He smiled, "I'm glad." And he kissed her again, longer more passionately, not caring what anyone else said or did, all it matter was that she loved him, and he hoped the whole world knew...because he wanted them too.
When the song ended, he took her hand, and they weaved through the crowds, walking to a private table, and after pulling her chair out, he sat down, feeling as if he had been taken to heaven.
There was no need for talking, words failed them both, they knew, after fourteen years of friendship what the other was thinking.
Lizzie was thinking of that, 'fourteen years of friendship', would it lead to the next four years in love? Would it last...longer?
He smiled reaching over for her white hand, and felt like the world was just right...even for a moment...it was perfect.
--
"Do you want the window seat this time?" He asked.
"No, I can sleep on your shoulder again." She answered sweetly as he sat down, in the grey cloth airplane seats. "I still can't believe that I did that..." she giggled. Gordo thought for a moment of that long fourteen hour flight, of her struggling to find a way to sleep, him lucky enough to have a wall to rest his head. She had nothing, and struggled in disgust with her pillow, the yellowish golden one, with the silky edge. He'd stolen that pillow every- time he slept over, just because it smelled like Lizzie's hair, like a combination of fresh cut roses, and lilacs. He felt bad for her, their blanket laying over the two of them, both sort of squashed into the little seats.
And then finally, he'd drifted off, into a half-uneasy slumber. But somewhere his head fell, right on top of that bed of lilacs and roses, the blonde strands right on his cheek for a moment. But it smelled so perfect, and he wanted to be next to her so much, and his head just leaned over, perched on hers, a blonde braid falling down his shoulder, where she had finally found sleeping comfort.
He looked back up at her, as she put her things on the compartment above, before relaxing next to him, a wide smile on her face. For a while they just sat and talked, or they listened to music, sharing each others CDs...Gordo making faces in disgust to a burned track of "Oops I did it again!"
Ungermeyer was seated behind them, her nose buried in 'Jane Eyre' when she glanced over at the seat in front of her own, she saw them asleep, head's rested so simply, Lizzie on his shoulder, Gordo on her blonde tresses. The looked so perfectly cute, and she sighed.
"There is a reason those two are so close, they are so happy to be with each other, no matter what."
She put away the troubled heart-aches of her Bronte classic, and closed her eyes, dropping off into her own sleep world like everyone else.
Lizzie stirred softly, for no particular reason, and could see a soft outline of a nose and face above her, she jiggled her head on his shoulder and drifted away again thinking of how her life used to be before she understood how she felt for Gordo.
But she realized now, that her life before, without this, without that love...it was never a life at all.
--
More to come soon folks! Stay tuned.
Yes I'm still working on "I'm With You a Best Friend and More"
Jenny