It was a bright and sunny day at Hildridge Junior High and Lizzie, along with her two best friends, Miranda and Gordo sat eagerly awaiting the lunch bell in their 3rd period English class. Mr. Digs, who was substituting for that class because the regular teacher was out sick with the flu, was in the middle of a rather interesting lecture about William Shakespeare.

"Will was a revolutionary author and even today his works are used in movies and books." Mr. Digs explained. "Take the story Westside for example. This story is a modern adaptation of Romeo and Juliet"

*Animated Lizzie *

"I'm all for love and tragedy," (changes into a medieval type dress and holds heart in a dramatic pose) "but even Romeo and Juliet took a lunch break" (table with turkey legs, mashed potatoes and peas on platters along with a goblet, appears in front of Lizzie as a chair appears under her, she sits and picks up the turkey leg as she finishes her line)

Mr. Digs continued, "To fully understand the drama and romance in this story I want all of you to go out buy or rent the book Westside, read it, and tell me what you think love is."

"RIIIIIIINNNNNNG! RIIIIINNNNNGG! RIIIIIIIINNNNNG!" the bell bellowed from its perch on the wall. The students began gathering their things and wait for Mr. Digs to dismiss them to lunch.

*Animated Lizzie*

(Head shakes from the loud bell in comical fashion as she is about to take a bite out of her turkey leg) "Love! Love!" (She drops the leg, the table chair and food all disappear and she returns to her regular outfit) "How am I supposed to know what love is? I'm only fourteen!"

"Please keep the paper under five pages!" He said over the rustling and bustling as he dismissed the class. "I want to have enough time for all of you to present them!"

"Can you believe this?" Lizzie complained to Gordo and Miranda as they made their way through the lunch line, "We have to know what love is. I don't know about you but I don't think that we're supposed to know what love is until we're, like, older."

Gordo, who was right behind her in the lunch line, calmly stated, "Oh come on Lizzie, its not he's asking us too define the meaning of life or anything. I mean love is like, really simple to understand if you know where to look."

"Easy for you to say." Miranda said from in front of Lizzie, "You're, like, a genius or something, while me and Lizzie are, like, just your average Joe Student. We are so gonna fail this assignment."

"Nonsense!" Gordo replied. "Your both intelligent individuals and I'm sure you'll both do fine on the assignment."

"Gordo," Lizzie couldn't help but laugh as she picked up a carton of milk, "Your beginning to sound like my mom."

*Animated Lizzie*

(Spins globe like a basket ball on her index finger) "Moms all over the world must be part of a global conspiracy to integrate themselves into our brains,"( globe turns into a metal hat on Lizzie's head with wires attached to it from a machine that appears next to her) "Just so they can tell us what to do when they're not around."

"Sorry." Gordo said as he shuddered. He selected a glass of juice and continued, "Anyway, You guys can always count on me for help. I'm always available."

"Thanks Gordo." Both Miranda and Lizzie gratefully replied as they picked up their trays and headed for the nearest vacant table.

They had no sooner than sat down when Kate Saunders sauntered by with her cheerleading posse in tow.

"I, for a fact know that I will have no problem on this assignment. I have plenty of experience in such matters, unlike (humph) some people." She said as she indicated Lizzie's table.

"Are you trying to say that me and Lizzie can't get boyfriends or that Gordo can't get a girlfriend?" Miranda retorted.

"Miranda, Miranda, Miranda." Kate replied arrogantly, "I'm not trying to say anything. I am flat out saying it." She erupted into a fit of giggles. Her posse soon joined in

"Just ignore her," Lizzie said as she pulled Miranda back into her seat. "And maybe she'll go away."

Kate narrowed her eyes into a sullen glare which Lizzie was more than glad to return. The two stood like that for a few seconds more when Kate's best friend Clair suddenly said,

"Come on Kate, hang around these losers too much and they might start rub off on you." She paused with a look of evil triumph, "We don't want that to happen now do we?"

Kate gave Lizzie one last glare and with the swish of her skirt was off prancing towards her table, like she was some super model. Most, if not all the boys stopped to get a good look at her, and Kate was more than happy to return it..well return it to the cute and popular guys at least.

"I can't believe that Kate!" Miranda exclaimed as she took a bite out of her sandwich. "I mean, she thinks she owns this school"

"I'm with you." Lizzie replied, navigating a spoonful of food towards her mouth. She the began to wash it down with her milk when she noticed Miranda frozen in mid-bite, her sandwich an inch away from her open mouth.

"Oh-my-gosh," Miranda managed to squeak, "Its Ethan Kraft!"

Lizzie turned around to find a tall, hansom, young man with a head full of glistening blond-brown hair.

"Hey Lizzie!" He said in his cool, charming way

"Hey!" Lizzie said, flushed.

"You know that assignment that Mr. D. gave us?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, ya know, I've been havin' trouble wit it. This love stuff is confusing. Not that the Ethan-miser has trouble wit da ladies and all but still, ya know?"

Gordo shook his head. It was obvious that Ethan would have trouble defining such a deep subject as love. Ethan wasn't exactly the brightest crayon in the box.

"Hey I have an idea," Lizzie said as if it suddenly came to her, "Why don't you meet me at the Digital Bean after School? Maybe I can help you."

"Sweet!" Ethan said nodding, his hair catching even more light, "See ya there."

"Yeah see ya." Lizzie said. She then turned back towards a rather stunned Miranda and a rather disgusted Gordo.

"Oh-my-gosh!" Miranda squealed, "You just asked Ethan out ..on a date!"

"Yeah I guess I did" Lizzie said smugly

"I'm so jealous of you!"

*Animated Lizzie*

"Did I just do what I think I did? Did I just ask Ethan out on a date, a real live date?"

Lizzie then began to shriek and squeal along with Miranda until Gordo hushed them.

"I just don't get what you see in that guy. I mean, he could be brain dead for all we know, and here you are squealing your lungs out over him like some insane teenyboppers and for what? Him asking you for a little help on his school work? You guys are impossible."

"You know you could be a little more excited for me!" Lizzie retorted.

"Yeah!" Miranda agreed.

"Whatever, Listen I'm gonna go and get check some stuff out of the library, any-one care to join?"

"The Library?" Lizzie exclaimed "You have got to be kidding; I have, like, a ton of stuff to do to get ready for Ethan."

"Yeah." Miranda said. She then grabbed Lizzie and walked off asking her about a million questions, "So Lizzie what are you going to wear? How are you going to do your hair? Makeup? What about shoes? You can never be to careful picking out the right shoes..."

"Girls." Gordo shook his head and muttered as he walked off towards the library.