The next day, Lizzie arrived to the cafeteria for lunch late, making her friends wonder where she were. She came late because of taking her driving test earlier before.
As soon as she sat down in her spot at the table, Andrea said, "Hey, Lizzie, where were you?"
"I was taking my driving test," Lizzie replied.
"Oh, yeah," said Madeline. "How was it?"
"Awful."
"Awful?"
"I failed."
"Whoa, why?" inquired Skye.
"Well, the man examining me said that I passed two stop signs, ran a red light, did an illegal U-turn, didn't turn on my light when I left-turned, text while I drove, didn't use my mirrors properly and backed up into a person's license plate."
The girls paused towards her response.
"So you did nothing?" Madeline said.
"Maddie," Debra started.
"Okay, you did everything."
"At least you didn't run over any pedestrians," said Skye.
"Actually, I almost did that," Lizzie added.
"You're making things worse, Lizzie."
"This is all your fault, Maddie," said Andrea.
"What?" Madeline scrunched her forehead. "How is it my fault?"
"You got her hopes all high for nothing."
"It's called 'encouragement'."
"It's called 'discouragement'."
"That doesn't make any sense."
"I know but I tried."
"I can't believe I failed my test," said Lizzie. "I know that red means stop, yellow means slow down, and green means go. But I don't know how to drive a car. Since when did driving become important?"
"Ever since people started getting jobs," Skye responded.
"Well... at least I was right," said Andrea.
"Andrea," started Debra.
"Debra," Andrea mocked.
"Don't worry, Lizzie," said Madeline, patting Lizzie's back. "You can take another test. And pass that... once you learn how to drive."
"What if I never learn how to drive?" asked Lizzie. "My parents refuse to help me. I may never learn how to drive."
"You can watch some online videos about how to drive," recommended Debra. "You can watch them forever."
"You know any websites?"
"Heck no. I ain't going to drive anytime soon."
"What if they don't help me? What if I never know?"
"I can help you," insisted Skye.
"Help me with what?"
"Driving."
"You're willing to do so?"
"Yeah, I have my driver's license and before getting it, I passed my one and only test. So I don't mind trying to teach you."
"Oh, thank you, Skye!"
"Skye, are you sure you want to teach her?" asked Andrea. "She almost ran people over."
Lizzie grew a tiring look on her face.
"Hey, I don't believe she's that bad of a driver," said Skye. "I mean I believe she's a bad driver. I'm just saying she's probably not that bad of a driver."
"Oh, I think she's that bad of a driver," Andrea commented.
"Listen, if any of you girls want to help me--" said Lizzie before being interrupted by the girls disagreeing openly with that idea.
"I don't want to die," Madeline had the last word.
"Okay, then. Skye is going to help me."
"I don't care how long it will take," said Skye. "But once we're through, you will be driving as smooth as butter. Sounds corny but I had to go for it."
"When do you want to start?"
"We can start tomorrow since it will be a weekend."
"If something happens to you two tomorrow," started Andrea, "I promise that I will send a 'Get Well Soon' card."
"Andy, Lizzie will do fine. I'm smart and I know what I'm doing."
"So you know what you're doing now?" asked Madeline.
"Yes, smarty. Girls, none of you never have seen Lizzie drive so she's probably not as worse as she say."
"'Probably'."
"Words are words so her driving's possibly has a lot of flaws. But I got this. You're going to be a good driver, Lizzie."
"Thanks, Skye High," grinned Lizzie.
"I believe you're going to be a great teacher, Skye," remarked Debra.
"Thank you, Debbie," Skye responded.
"Possibly not enough to not be Lizzie's road-kill," said Andrea.
"Red," Lizzie uttered.
Andrea paused. "What?"
"Red."
"Red?"
"Yeah."
"What do you mean by 'red'?"
"Red means stop."
Monday, June 30, 2014
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Who Needs a Driver's License? (Chapter 1)
"I wonder what mulberry taste like," said Madeline, chewing on a blueberry from her container of blueberries.
"Mulberry?" Skye repeated.
"Yeah, mulberry."
"I bet it would taste like a berry," said Lizzie.
"Yeah, but does it have a specific taste?"
"I remember when I was a child," started Andrea, "and I received my first box of crayons. There was one crayon that said it was the color of mulberry. And it was a pink color so there is a possible chance that they could be sweet."
"But mulberry sounds like it would be tangy," said Debra. "Kind of a dirty taste."
"Then why would people eat mulberries if they taste like dirt?" asked Lizzie.
"I've heard if you smoke a lot, every food you eat will taste like dirt."
"That sounds disgusting," said Andrea. "But if you don't eat, you'll starve so there aren't any other choices."
"However, I don't see a lot of people eating mulberries," said Madeline, picking up another blueberry.
"You usually see people eating the most famous fruits like bananas and apples and oranges."
"And people are eating fruits that you would only hear on TV," added Debra, "like mangos and kiwis and pomegranates."
"Maybe there's a chance that mulberries are poisonous," said Skye. "If you don't see people eating them, then they are not something to eat."
"That does make sense," responded Madeline.
"We sound like old people," remarked Andrea.
Madeline chuckled. "No kidding. Let's talk about something that younger people talk about."
"Well, I'm getting my driver's license," Lizzie spilled.
"Get out of town," Debra responded.
"I can't do that unless I drive."
"That's great that you're getting your driver's license," said Madeline.
"Well, I am sixteen which the appropriate age to start driving."
"Yeah, I know. If you pass, you can get your own car and drive me to school."
"Please, Lizzie," said Andrea, leaning forward, " do us all a favor and pass that test."
"Don't you like driving, Andrea?" asked Lizzie.
"When it's under three minutes, yes, I do."
"I feel you, Andy," said Skye. "I passed my driving test a few months ago and got my driver's license. But I don't even drive."
"That's because you don't have a car," said Debra.
"No, it's because I don't want a car."
"Then what's the point of taking a driving test if you don't want to drive?" asked Madeline.
"In case of emergency."
"Oh, if, such as, someone were to force you to hijack a car?"
"Crap happens."
"I don't know how to drive a car but I think I would know if it were to come to that situation," said Debra.
"Gee, I hope I pass my test," said Lizzie. "What if I fail?"
"You're not going to fail," responded Madeline.
"But if you do fail," said Andrea, "that would be embarrassing."
"Don't listen to her, Liz'."
"Don't listen to me? I got my driver's license so I am full of los hechos."
"Yeah. Don't listen to her, Liz'. You're going to pass and I know it. Listen, do you have your learner's permit?"
"Yes," answered Lizzie.
"So you drive with your parents in the car?"
"Yes."
"Do they think you're a good driver?"
"I feel so."
"What do you mean, 'you feel so'?"
"Well, when I drive, they are usually screaming, 'We're gonna die!' or 'I just want to live!'"
Madeline paused. "Okay. That is nothing."
"What do you mean, 'That is nothing'?" inquired Andrea. "That means she can't drive, meaning her parents think she's going to kill them."
"See, parents say the darndest things all the time. They're ninety-nine percent right all of the time but maybe it is their way of encouraging Lizzie."
"They encourage Lizzie's driving by screaming for their life?" asked Skye.
"My parents encourage me in many ways," said Debra, "but they do not do that."
"Girls, we're supposed to make Lizzie feel confident about taking her driver's test," said Madeline.
"We can't make her feel confident if you're lying," said Skye.
"I am not lying. I am trying to feel Lizzie's head with good spirits because we are all best friends here."
"However, when my parents do scream, they take the wheel afterwards," added Lizzie.
"It's a challenge."
"It is not a challenge!" said Andrea.
"Okay, it's not a challenge but Lizzie, you are a great driver... probably. And we should make her feel confident about that."
"Lizzie, you're going to pass your driving test," said Debra.
"Thank you, Debbie," Lizzie responded.
"Lizzie, when your mind says, 'No, you can't'," started Skye, "tell your mind, 'Yes, I can'."
"Did you steal that from Obama?"
"No... I think. No."
"If you fail, Doll, then I was right," said Andrea.
"I appreciate your honesty," said Lizzie.
"See, Lizzie," said Madeline, "we got your back."
"Thank you, girls. Even if this comes with second thoughts, I need the motivation."
"We deeply hope you pass, Lizzie," said Andrea. "I dislike being the only one with a car."
"It's a nice car."
"Thanks but sometimes I wish it was a spaceship. Because I know you girls don't feel safe getting in a spaceship."
"I wouldn't mind being on a spaceship," Debra commented.
"Then I'm lucky that my car's not a spaceship, Debra."
"Or a yellow submarine," Skye joked.
Debra giggled. "I do like that song, though."
"When is the test?" asked Andrea. "Tomorrow?"
"Yep. If there's a wishing star tonight," started Lizzie. "I'm going to wish on it."
"I don't believe in wishing stars," said Skye.
"But why would they call it a wishing star if you can't make wishes on it, Skye?"
Skye stared at Lizzie for a while. "So every rich kid can go to Disneyland."
"I'm rich but I don't want to go to Disneyland," Madeline mumbled. "Lizzie, I do hope for the best for you. I really do."
"Thanks, Maddie," said Lizzie. "But if I don't pass my driving test, I'll always know one thing.
"What is the 'one thing'?"
"The taste of mulberries."
"And what would that be?"
"Death."
"Mulberry?" Skye repeated.
"Yeah, mulberry."
"I bet it would taste like a berry," said Lizzie.
"Yeah, but does it have a specific taste?"
"I remember when I was a child," started Andrea, "and I received my first box of crayons. There was one crayon that said it was the color of mulberry. And it was a pink color so there is a possible chance that they could be sweet."
"But mulberry sounds like it would be tangy," said Debra. "Kind of a dirty taste."
"Then why would people eat mulberries if they taste like dirt?" asked Lizzie.
"I've heard if you smoke a lot, every food you eat will taste like dirt."
"That sounds disgusting," said Andrea. "But if you don't eat, you'll starve so there aren't any other choices."
"However, I don't see a lot of people eating mulberries," said Madeline, picking up another blueberry.
"You usually see people eating the most famous fruits like bananas and apples and oranges."
"And people are eating fruits that you would only hear on TV," added Debra, "like mangos and kiwis and pomegranates."
"Maybe there's a chance that mulberries are poisonous," said Skye. "If you don't see people eating them, then they are not something to eat."
"That does make sense," responded Madeline.
"We sound like old people," remarked Andrea.
Madeline chuckled. "No kidding. Let's talk about something that younger people talk about."
"Well, I'm getting my driver's license," Lizzie spilled.
"Get out of town," Debra responded.
"I can't do that unless I drive."
"That's great that you're getting your driver's license," said Madeline.
"Well, I am sixteen which the appropriate age to start driving."
"Yeah, I know. If you pass, you can get your own car and drive me to school."
"Please, Lizzie," said Andrea, leaning forward, " do us all a favor and pass that test."
"Don't you like driving, Andrea?" asked Lizzie.
"When it's under three minutes, yes, I do."
"I feel you, Andy," said Skye. "I passed my driving test a few months ago and got my driver's license. But I don't even drive."
"That's because you don't have a car," said Debra.
"No, it's because I don't want a car."
"Then what's the point of taking a driving test if you don't want to drive?" asked Madeline.
"In case of emergency."
"Oh, if, such as, someone were to force you to hijack a car?"
"Crap happens."
"I don't know how to drive a car but I think I would know if it were to come to that situation," said Debra.
"Gee, I hope I pass my test," said Lizzie. "What if I fail?"
"You're not going to fail," responded Madeline.
"But if you do fail," said Andrea, "that would be embarrassing."
"Don't listen to her, Liz'."
"Don't listen to me? I got my driver's license so I am full of los hechos."
"Yeah. Don't listen to her, Liz'. You're going to pass and I know it. Listen, do you have your learner's permit?"
"Yes," answered Lizzie.
"So you drive with your parents in the car?"
"Yes."
"Do they think you're a good driver?"
"I feel so."
"What do you mean, 'you feel so'?"
"Well, when I drive, they are usually screaming, 'We're gonna die!' or 'I just want to live!'"
Madeline paused. "Okay. That is nothing."
"What do you mean, 'That is nothing'?" inquired Andrea. "That means she can't drive, meaning her parents think she's going to kill them."
"See, parents say the darndest things all the time. They're ninety-nine percent right all of the time but maybe it is their way of encouraging Lizzie."
"They encourage Lizzie's driving by screaming for their life?" asked Skye.
"My parents encourage me in many ways," said Debra, "but they do not do that."
"Girls, we're supposed to make Lizzie feel confident about taking her driver's test," said Madeline.
"We can't make her feel confident if you're lying," said Skye.
"I am not lying. I am trying to feel Lizzie's head with good spirits because we are all best friends here."
"However, when my parents do scream, they take the wheel afterwards," added Lizzie.
"It's a challenge."
"It is not a challenge!" said Andrea.
"Okay, it's not a challenge but Lizzie, you are a great driver... probably. And we should make her feel confident about that."
"Lizzie, you're going to pass your driving test," said Debra.
"Thank you, Debbie," Lizzie responded.
"Lizzie, when your mind says, 'No, you can't'," started Skye, "tell your mind, 'Yes, I can'."
"Did you steal that from Obama?"
"No... I think. No."
"If you fail, Doll, then I was right," said Andrea.
"I appreciate your honesty," said Lizzie.
"See, Lizzie," said Madeline, "we got your back."
"Thank you, girls. Even if this comes with second thoughts, I need the motivation."
"We deeply hope you pass, Lizzie," said Andrea. "I dislike being the only one with a car."
"It's a nice car."
"Thanks but sometimes I wish it was a spaceship. Because I know you girls don't feel safe getting in a spaceship."
"I wouldn't mind being on a spaceship," Debra commented.
"Then I'm lucky that my car's not a spaceship, Debra."
"Or a yellow submarine," Skye joked.
Debra giggled. "I do like that song, though."
"When is the test?" asked Andrea. "Tomorrow?"
"Yep. If there's a wishing star tonight," started Lizzie. "I'm going to wish on it."
"I don't believe in wishing stars," said Skye.
"But why would they call it a wishing star if you can't make wishes on it, Skye?"
Skye stared at Lizzie for a while. "So every rich kid can go to Disneyland."
"I'm rich but I don't want to go to Disneyland," Madeline mumbled. "Lizzie, I do hope for the best for you. I really do."
"Thanks, Maddie," said Lizzie. "But if I don't pass my driving test, I'll always know one thing.
"What is the 'one thing'?"
"The taste of mulberries."
"And what would that be?"
"Death."
Monday, June 23, 2014
Live From Coachella... (Chapter 5)
Later the day the girls arrived to Coachella, Debra spent all night talking to her new friend, Morgan until sleep caught up to them. The next morning, the girls packed their bags up for home since that day was a school day. Before leaving and going back to Laguna Beach, Debra received a phone number from Morgan. Skye could relate to Debra as she received a number from Morgan's friend, Leo. The day after, the girls were ready for school and were ready to discuss their fun time at the festival with absentees, Madeline and Andrea. However, they were able to discuss every detail during their lunch period. As an unusual moment, Lizzie, Skye and Debra gawked at Andrea and Madeline, trying to listen to music on a MP3 player, which they listened to by each wearing an earphone attached to the player.
"So..." Lizzie said, trying to break the awkwardness, "you got that boy's number, Debra?"
"Yep, I did," answered Debra. "He was so sweet. And so cool. I want to call him today."
"Whoa, you can't call a boy a day after seeing him," said Skye.
"Why not?"
"It reads 'desperate'. You got to wait a few days. Maybe a week."
"So he can see how laidback you are," Lizzie jumped in.
"Yeah, then he's going to be calling you like he needs you."
"Wow, so much I've never learn," said Debra. "Are four days okay?"
"Four days are A-Okay."
"So when are you going to call Leo?"
"Maybe four days, also. Or three. Or today."
"What?"
"I really like him. What if he doesn't answer my call in four days?"
"Well, he's not going to answer your call today if you're crazy," said Lizzie.
Skye tilted her head. "I'm not crazy. I'm just crazy for him!"
"Oh, little Skye," said Debra, "you're overreacting."
"You need to underreact," said Lizzie.
"You're right," agreed Skye. "It's just that Leo was so cool. I had a connection with him that I had with no one else."
"Well, what if Leo was a cat murderer?"
Skye stopped to think. "You're right; I'm overreacting."
Lizzie and Debra nodded.
Lizzie then turned her attention to Madeline, who was still listening to music. "Madeline? Maddie?"
"Candy Andy?" Skye said, taking out Andrea's earphone.
Andrea grabbed the earphone. "No, don't!" she panicked.
"Don't need to holler."
"What are you guys listening to?" asked Debra.
"Fall Out Boy," answered Madeline.
"I thought you guys said that you didn't like rock," reminded Skye.
"Well, we lied," said Andrea.
"Over the weekend, we listened to songs," started Madeline, "by Queen and Cobra Starship and Rob Zhombie."
"We went to your house to listen to them."
"My house?" Skye squinted her eyes.
"Yeah, your room is full of CDs. We actually get it now."
"Get what?"
"The meaning of listening to rock," said Madeline. "Every song has a message. Every song is a poem."
"Rock rocks," Andrea giggled, making Madeline giggle.
"Are electronics allowed in the cafeteria?" asked Lizzie.
"We don't know. But we need to get every last drop of rock as we can."
"I feel like I breathe in it now," Madeline confessed.
"You guys are acting weird," Debra commented.
"We don't care. If you're going to Coachella next year, Skye, we are in."
"In like a spin," said Andrea.
"But if you're going to a Marilyn Manson concert at a certain time, count us in."
"He makes me hallucinate."
"Well, that's interesting," said Skye. "At least you guys like rock now."
"You're just weird about it," Lizzie commented. "It's okay to hallucinate?"
"No," answered Madeline. "But for now on, we're going to express our love for such a genre of music."
"That's good to hear," said Debra. "Now can we talk about our time in Coachella?"
"Sure."
"Did you girls meet any guys?" asked Andrea.
"Yeah," replied Debra, "me and Skye did."
"And you didn't, Lizzie?"
"Hey, what's done is done," Lizzie responded.
"I want to call Leo," said Skye. "I want to call Leo so bad."
"Gee, Skye, you're acting like a girly-girl," said Madeline.
"No, I'm not. I'm just acting psycho."
"Which makes more sense."
"But you don't get it. He's in a band just like me and he worships Bono just like me and he wants to marry Jack White just like me."
"Are you sure he's straight?" asked Andrea.
"Yeah, he's straight. He's just so cool."
"Reminder: cat murderer," reminded Lizzie.
"But cool can mean anything."
"Overall: Coachella was the best," Debra confessed. "If Coachella went on every day for a whole year, I would definitely stay there for that whole year."
"You can't eat snow cones forever," said Skye.
All of the girls laughed.
"Oh!" Madeline uttered. "Andrea, you got to hear this song," she said, feeling the earphone in her ear.
Andrea picked up the other earphone and placed it in her ear. "Oh, is this by Boys Like Girls?"
"It sure is!"
"Yes!"
"Yeah, you guys are still weird," said Lizzie after pausing.
"You guys didn't scratch my CDs, right?" questioned Skye.
"So..." Lizzie said, trying to break the awkwardness, "you got that boy's number, Debra?"
"Yep, I did," answered Debra. "He was so sweet. And so cool. I want to call him today."
"Whoa, you can't call a boy a day after seeing him," said Skye.
"Why not?"
"It reads 'desperate'. You got to wait a few days. Maybe a week."
"So he can see how laidback you are," Lizzie jumped in.
"Yeah, then he's going to be calling you like he needs you."
"Wow, so much I've never learn," said Debra. "Are four days okay?"
"Four days are A-Okay."
"So when are you going to call Leo?"
"Maybe four days, also. Or three. Or today."
"What?"
"I really like him. What if he doesn't answer my call in four days?"
"Well, he's not going to answer your call today if you're crazy," said Lizzie.
Skye tilted her head. "I'm not crazy. I'm just crazy for him!"
"Oh, little Skye," said Debra, "you're overreacting."
"You need to underreact," said Lizzie.
"You're right," agreed Skye. "It's just that Leo was so cool. I had a connection with him that I had with no one else."
"Well, what if Leo was a cat murderer?"
Skye stopped to think. "You're right; I'm overreacting."
Lizzie and Debra nodded.
Lizzie then turned her attention to Madeline, who was still listening to music. "Madeline? Maddie?"
"Candy Andy?" Skye said, taking out Andrea's earphone.
Andrea grabbed the earphone. "No, don't!" she panicked.
"Don't need to holler."
"What are you guys listening to?" asked Debra.
"Fall Out Boy," answered Madeline.
"I thought you guys said that you didn't like rock," reminded Skye.
"Well, we lied," said Andrea.
"Over the weekend, we listened to songs," started Madeline, "by Queen and Cobra Starship and Rob Zhombie."
"We went to your house to listen to them."
"My house?" Skye squinted her eyes.
"Yeah, your room is full of CDs. We actually get it now."
"Get what?"
"The meaning of listening to rock," said Madeline. "Every song has a message. Every song is a poem."
"Rock rocks," Andrea giggled, making Madeline giggle.
"Are electronics allowed in the cafeteria?" asked Lizzie.
"We don't know. But we need to get every last drop of rock as we can."
"I feel like I breathe in it now," Madeline confessed.
"You guys are acting weird," Debra commented.
"We don't care. If you're going to Coachella next year, Skye, we are in."
"In like a spin," said Andrea.
"But if you're going to a Marilyn Manson concert at a certain time, count us in."
"He makes me hallucinate."
"Well, that's interesting," said Skye. "At least you guys like rock now."
"You're just weird about it," Lizzie commented. "It's okay to hallucinate?"
"No," answered Madeline. "But for now on, we're going to express our love for such a genre of music."
"That's good to hear," said Debra. "Now can we talk about our time in Coachella?"
"Sure."
"Did you girls meet any guys?" asked Andrea.
"Yeah," replied Debra, "me and Skye did."
"And you didn't, Lizzie?"
"Hey, what's done is done," Lizzie responded.
"I want to call Leo," said Skye. "I want to call Leo so bad."
"Gee, Skye, you're acting like a girly-girl," said Madeline.
"No, I'm not. I'm just acting psycho."
"Which makes more sense."
"But you don't get it. He's in a band just like me and he worships Bono just like me and he wants to marry Jack White just like me."
"Are you sure he's straight?" asked Andrea.
"Yeah, he's straight. He's just so cool."
"Reminder: cat murderer," reminded Lizzie.
"But cool can mean anything."
"Overall: Coachella was the best," Debra confessed. "If Coachella went on every day for a whole year, I would definitely stay there for that whole year."
"You can't eat snow cones forever," said Skye.
All of the girls laughed.
"Oh!" Madeline uttered. "Andrea, you got to hear this song," she said, feeling the earphone in her ear.
Andrea picked up the other earphone and placed it in her ear. "Oh, is this by Boys Like Girls?"
"It sure is!"
"Yes!"
"Yeah, you guys are still weird," said Lizzie after pausing.
"You guys didn't scratch my CDs, right?" questioned Skye.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Live From Coachella... (Chapter 4)
Within that day, Skye, her aunt and her friends were already deep into the festival of Coachella, enjoying musical performances and eating snow cones. They wandered around and mostly spent their time together. By the looks on their faces, they were all having a good time.
While walking and fixing her shawl, Debra bumped into a teenage boy with long, brown hair and a red guitar, making a bit of her snow cone drip on her arm.
"Oh, I'm sorry," said the boy.
"Oh, it's okay," responded Debra. "I should've kept my head up." She licked the wet ice off of her arm.
The boy chuckled. "I'm Morgan," he threw his hand out.
Debra shook it. "I'm Debra. You can call me Debbie for short."
The boy chuckled again.
"Why do you have a guitar with you?"
"Oh, I'm in a band."
"Get out! Which band?"
"Oh, it's a band that you probably never heard of."
"Is it a famous band?"
"No, but we're getting there. It's called Winter Fire; we got a gig to perform a little bit here."
"Oh, that's so cool! Plus, I dig that name."
"Thanks. My buddy, Leo, came up with it."
"When are you going to perform? Or did you already perform?"
"Oh, we're going to. After Chromeo."
"Coolio."
"Chromeo, not Coolio."
"Oh, no. I meant 'coolio' as in 'cool'."
"Oh, sorry. I have trouble hearing sometimes."
"Well, when you're in a rock band, someone's managed to get their ears blown off."
Morgan chuckled. "Yeah. Hey, what are you doing later?"
"Well, basically the same thing--"
"No, I mean are you going to go to sleep when night comes?"
"Oh, I might if I'm really tired. Why?"
"I was thinking maybe later--"
Suddenly, Skye comes up to Debra.
"Debra, can you tell my aunt to stop showing Lizzie her tattoo?" she asked.
"Why can't you tell her?" asked Debra. "She's your aunt."
"But I think it would be better if there's a second opinion."
"Before I end up seeing Fee's tattoo--"
"Don't call her Fee."
"Before I end up seeing your aunt Felicia's tattoo, I would like to introduce you to Morgan."
Morgan waved. "Hi, how are you?"
"I've been better," answered Skye.
"This is my friend, Skye," said Debra.
Instantly, a boy with full, red hair and black earrings, holding a blue guitar, rushed up to Morgan.
"Hey, Morgan, did you get the water yet?" he asked.
"No, I was just about to get it," said Morgan. "Leo, this is my new friend, Debra, and her friend, Skye," he introduced the girls.
"Hi, how's it going?" Leo asked.
"I am way much better," responded Skye, grinning.
"Hey, Skye's a cool name."
"Thanks, my parents gave it to me."
Leo chuckled.
"So you're in a band with Morgan?" asked Debra.
"Yep," Leo answered. "Ever since we were twelve."
"That's cool. Skye is in a band, also."
"Really?"
"Yes, I am," said Skye.
"Hey, wanna talk?"
"Yes, I do."
"Morgan, I'm going to get the water, alright?"
"Sure, dude," Morgan responded.
Leo walked off with Skye to his destination while creating a conversation.
"They look like a happy couple," Morgan commented.
"Agreed," said Debra. "So you were saying?"
"Saying what?"
"The thing you were going to say when my friend came over to me."
"Oh, yeah, that thing. I was wondering if you want to chat later and stay up all night to that."
"Oh, I would love to."
"Awesome. Well, I'm going to go check with my friends, Brady and Dick, who are also in the band."
"Okay, tell them I said good luck."
"I will. Thank you. Debra."
"Morgan."
He chuckled. "Okay, see you later. Just come find me."
"Okay. See ya."
Morgan smiled to himself as he turned around and walked away.
Debra smiled to herself, also. Then she turned her head to look for Felicia.
"Fee, what kind of tattoo is that?" she shouted, walking towards her.
While walking and fixing her shawl, Debra bumped into a teenage boy with long, brown hair and a red guitar, making a bit of her snow cone drip on her arm.
"Oh, I'm sorry," said the boy.
"Oh, it's okay," responded Debra. "I should've kept my head up." She licked the wet ice off of her arm.
The boy chuckled. "I'm Morgan," he threw his hand out.
Debra shook it. "I'm Debra. You can call me Debbie for short."
The boy chuckled again.
"Why do you have a guitar with you?"
"Oh, I'm in a band."
"Get out! Which band?"
"Oh, it's a band that you probably never heard of."
"Is it a famous band?"
"No, but we're getting there. It's called Winter Fire; we got a gig to perform a little bit here."
"Oh, that's so cool! Plus, I dig that name."
"Thanks. My buddy, Leo, came up with it."
"When are you going to perform? Or did you already perform?"
"Oh, we're going to. After Chromeo."
"Coolio."
"Chromeo, not Coolio."
"Oh, no. I meant 'coolio' as in 'cool'."
"Oh, sorry. I have trouble hearing sometimes."
"Well, when you're in a rock band, someone's managed to get their ears blown off."
Morgan chuckled. "Yeah. Hey, what are you doing later?"
"Well, basically the same thing--"
"No, I mean are you going to go to sleep when night comes?"
"Oh, I might if I'm really tired. Why?"
"I was thinking maybe later--"
Suddenly, Skye comes up to Debra.
"Debra, can you tell my aunt to stop showing Lizzie her tattoo?" she asked.
"Why can't you tell her?" asked Debra. "She's your aunt."
"But I think it would be better if there's a second opinion."
"Before I end up seeing Fee's tattoo--"
"Don't call her Fee."
"Before I end up seeing your aunt Felicia's tattoo, I would like to introduce you to Morgan."
Morgan waved. "Hi, how are you?"
"I've been better," answered Skye.
"This is my friend, Skye," said Debra.
Instantly, a boy with full, red hair and black earrings, holding a blue guitar, rushed up to Morgan.
"Hey, Morgan, did you get the water yet?" he asked.
"No, I was just about to get it," said Morgan. "Leo, this is my new friend, Debra, and her friend, Skye," he introduced the girls.
"Hi, how's it going?" Leo asked.
"I am way much better," responded Skye, grinning.
"Hey, Skye's a cool name."
"Thanks, my parents gave it to me."
Leo chuckled.
"So you're in a band with Morgan?" asked Debra.
"Yep," Leo answered. "Ever since we were twelve."
"That's cool. Skye is in a band, also."
"Really?"
"Yes, I am," said Skye.
"Hey, wanna talk?"
"Yes, I do."
"Morgan, I'm going to get the water, alright?"
"Sure, dude," Morgan responded.
Leo walked off with Skye to his destination while creating a conversation.
"They look like a happy couple," Morgan commented.
"Agreed," said Debra. "So you were saying?"
"Saying what?"
"The thing you were going to say when my friend came over to me."
"Oh, yeah, that thing. I was wondering if you want to chat later and stay up all night to that."
"Oh, I would love to."
"Awesome. Well, I'm going to go check with my friends, Brady and Dick, who are also in the band."
"Okay, tell them I said good luck."
"I will. Thank you. Debra."
"Morgan."
He chuckled. "Okay, see you later. Just come find me."
"Okay. See ya."
Morgan smiled to himself as he turned around and walked away.
Debra smiled to herself, also. Then she turned her head to look for Felicia.
"Fee, what kind of tattoo is that?" she shouted, walking towards her.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Live From Coachella... (Chapter 3)
During that day, Madeline invited Andrea over her house just like she planned at school days ago. She came over at two O'clock in the afternoon with Madeline answering the door. Then afterwards, they spent most of their quality time in Madeline's bedroom.
"We should've went to Coachella," said Andrea, looking into a small mirror in her hand.
"Why?" Madeline responded, dusting her white desk with a feather duster.
"Most of our gang went. So we should've went."
"But we don't rock music. Just because we're best friends doesn't mean we have to go everywhere together."
"Right, right."
"Unless Skye's band had a gig at Coachella. Then I would go."
"Same here."
"Yeah because we would be supporting her. Plus, I do like her music."
"Me, too."
"A New Yesterday's music since it's a band and not her."
"Yeah."
"But otherwise, I wouldn't go."
"Yeah. Why are you using a feather duster?"
"It helps get the dust off of stuff."
"But who uses a feather duster anymore?"
"A bunch of people."
"Like who?"
"My parents."
"Oh, so I'm assuming that that's your parents' feather duster."
"Of course. It's not like I asked for a feather duster for Christmas."
"That sounds like something you would do."
"But I didn't! Andrea. So I am using it to clean my desk and my desk is dusty."
"What is on your desk right there?" Andrea pointed.
"Right where?"
"Right in front of your feather duster."
Madeline picked up the object, which was a CD case. "Oh, it's a Queen CD."
"Oh."
"Yeah, my parents love this band. They listen to it almost every day."
"Why do you have it?"
"I actually kind of like some of their songs. I mean, I'm not obsessed with them like my parents are. But yeah, I would say I'm a fan."
"You listened to the whole CD?"
"Not really. Only two songs. 'Sweet Lady' and 'You're My Best Friend'. Don't know where I heard them from but they're cool."
"Can I have a listen?"
"Sure, Andy."
Madeline opened the CD player on her desk. She opened the case and popped out the CD. She placed the CD in the player and closed it. She pressed the 'Play' button and pressed more buttons to skip some songs. She stopped until she heard the 'You're My Best Friend' song.
Later, the girls decided to listen to the whole album to give "rock music another chance". Once they went through the whole album, which took almost forty minutes, they started to get hooked.
"Wow, Queen is an amazing band!" Andrea commented.
"So amazing," Madeline agreed.
"I could listen to that band forever."
"Well, too bad. It's my parents'."
"Hey, do you know what we should do?"
"Go over Skye's house and look through her CDs?"
"Dang, you're smart."
"I take hits."
"Let's go!"
The girls decided to hop into Andrea's car and drive all the way to Skye's house. They asked Skye's parents if they could have permission to come in even though Skye was gone. They consented, letting the two girls into their home. They went for Skye's bedroom and found her stash of rock CDs. For one and a half hours, they listened to several of Skye's CDs on her CD player.
"Oh, my God," said Madeline. "AC/DC is the bomb-dot-com!"
"I was just about to say that," said Andrea.
"What should we listen to next?"
Andrea took the first CD from the long stack of CDs. "Uh, how about Panic! At The Disco?"
"We've already listened to their album."
"Yeah, but this is a different album. It's called 'Vices and Virtues'. We listened to 'A Fever That Can't Sweat Out'."
"Oh, yeah, right. Wait!" Madeline bent down and picked up a CD that was laying on the floor by Skye's bed. "What about this album by Marilyn Manson?"
"Who's Marilyn Manson?"
"We're about to find out." Madeline rushed to the CD player and opened it, taking out the AC/DC CD. She opened the Manson case and took out the CD, then placing it into the CD player. She closed it, then pressed 'Play'.
"Yes, play it!"
Madeline looked at the case. "Is this a man or woman?" She showed the case to Andrea.
"I want to say woman but women don't look like that in the twenty-first century. I have to go with 'man'."
"We should've went to Coachella," said Andrea, looking into a small mirror in her hand.
"Why?" Madeline responded, dusting her white desk with a feather duster.
"Most of our gang went. So we should've went."
"But we don't rock music. Just because we're best friends doesn't mean we have to go everywhere together."
"Right, right."
"Unless Skye's band had a gig at Coachella. Then I would go."
"Same here."
"Yeah because we would be supporting her. Plus, I do like her music."
"Me, too."
"A New Yesterday's music since it's a band and not her."
"Yeah."
"But otherwise, I wouldn't go."
"Yeah. Why are you using a feather duster?"
"It helps get the dust off of stuff."
"But who uses a feather duster anymore?"
"A bunch of people."
"Like who?"
"My parents."
"Oh, so I'm assuming that that's your parents' feather duster."
"Of course. It's not like I asked for a feather duster for Christmas."
"That sounds like something you would do."
"But I didn't! Andrea. So I am using it to clean my desk and my desk is dusty."
"What is on your desk right there?" Andrea pointed.
"Right where?"
"Right in front of your feather duster."
Madeline picked up the object, which was a CD case. "Oh, it's a Queen CD."
"Oh."
"Yeah, my parents love this band. They listen to it almost every day."
"Why do you have it?"
"I actually kind of like some of their songs. I mean, I'm not obsessed with them like my parents are. But yeah, I would say I'm a fan."
"You listened to the whole CD?"
"Not really. Only two songs. 'Sweet Lady' and 'You're My Best Friend'. Don't know where I heard them from but they're cool."
"Can I have a listen?"
"Sure, Andy."
Madeline opened the CD player on her desk. She opened the case and popped out the CD. She placed the CD in the player and closed it. She pressed the 'Play' button and pressed more buttons to skip some songs. She stopped until she heard the 'You're My Best Friend' song.
Later, the girls decided to listen to the whole album to give "rock music another chance". Once they went through the whole album, which took almost forty minutes, they started to get hooked.
"Wow, Queen is an amazing band!" Andrea commented.
"So amazing," Madeline agreed.
"I could listen to that band forever."
"Well, too bad. It's my parents'."
"Hey, do you know what we should do?"
"Go over Skye's house and look through her CDs?"
"Dang, you're smart."
"I take hits."
"Let's go!"
The girls decided to hop into Andrea's car and drive all the way to Skye's house. They asked Skye's parents if they could have permission to come in even though Skye was gone. They consented, letting the two girls into their home. They went for Skye's bedroom and found her stash of rock CDs. For one and a half hours, they listened to several of Skye's CDs on her CD player.
"Oh, my God," said Madeline. "AC/DC is the bomb-dot-com!"
"I was just about to say that," said Andrea.
"What should we listen to next?"
Andrea took the first CD from the long stack of CDs. "Uh, how about Panic! At The Disco?"
"We've already listened to their album."
"Yeah, but this is a different album. It's called 'Vices and Virtues'. We listened to 'A Fever That Can't Sweat Out'."
"Oh, yeah, right. Wait!" Madeline bent down and picked up a CD that was laying on the floor by Skye's bed. "What about this album by Marilyn Manson?"
"Who's Marilyn Manson?"
"We're about to find out." Madeline rushed to the CD player and opened it, taking out the AC/DC CD. She opened the Manson case and took out the CD, then placing it into the CD player. She closed it, then pressed 'Play'.
"Yes, play it!"
Madeline looked at the case. "Is this a man or woman?" She showed the case to Andrea.
"I want to say woman but women don't look like that in the twenty-first century. I have to go with 'man'."
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Live From Coachella... (Chapter 2)
When the weekend came, Lizzie and Debra met Skye at her house before preparing themselves for the Coachella festival. Once they got their things together, the girls hopped into the van that Skye's aunt, Felicia, was driving. She drove for at most two hours to Indio, California while the girls had their every-day conversation.
"Do you girls want to sing a song?" recommended Lizzie.
"Why would we want to do that?" asked Skye.
"It's been a long drive. And it could take forever to get there starting now. So we can sing a song to make the time go by."
"That's okay, Lizzie."
"You don't want to sing a song, Debra?"
"I'd love to but I rather not," replied Debra.
"I'll sing with you," insisted Felicia.
"Aunt Fee, you're not in this conversation," Skye reminded.
Felicia frowned.
"Come on, girls," said Lizzie. "What about 'Camptown Races'?"
"You know the words to that song?" asked Debra.
"No, but I was hoping you guys would know the words."
"No, thanks, Doll," said Skye.
"I know the words," Felicia admitted.
"Aunt Fee!"
"Right."
"Girls, Indio is five-hundred hours away," complained Lizzie. "Why can't we sing?"
"Because I'd rather die," Skye responded.
"But you love to sing."
"Not 'Camptown Races'."
"And Indio is two hours away from where we live," said Debra, "so we have five minutes left to get there."
"And until we get there, there will be no singing. Let's talk about normal stuff."
"Okay," Lizzie agreed.
"You want to talk about boys?" asked Felicia.
"Fee!" Skye's voice started to get deeper.
About five minutes after, Felicia stopped her car in an empty parking space near a big festival setting, known as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts festival. The girls opened the doors and hopped out of the van, gazing upon the festival filled with wandering people and eye-catching decorations.
"Lizzie, I forgot to tell you: I love your outfit," said Felicia, closing her door to the van.
"Thanks, Miss Hayden," Lizzie replied, putting on her black sunglasses.
"Yeah, you didn't wear your hooker boots," said Skye.
"Hooker boots?"
"That's what they looked like."
"W-- You know what? They did. They did look like that."
"Wow, this place looks cool," said Debra.
"I know," said Skye. "I hope it's more fun than it looks."
Felicia lifted up the trunk door of the van. "I can't wait to have some fun. I love music and art!"
"Miss Hayden, you like rock music?" questioned Lizzie.
"For sure!"
"Did she say 'for sure' or 'fo' sure'?" Debra asked in a whisper to Skye.
"I heard Foster the People would be performing and let me tell you: I love Foster the People."
"Really?" Lizzie inquired.
"Yeah, 'Pumped Up Kicks' is my jam. Plus I love Muse and Lana Del Rey. And Nas is my boyfriend!"
"Shut up! In real life?"
"No, silly. Music is my passion."
"I see where you get your passion for music from, Skye," said Debra.
"I didn't get it from my aunt Felicia," Skye responded. "I got it from Marilyn Manson."
"Isn't Marilyn Manson the woman with the white dress and likes to stand over fans?" asked Lizzie.
"That's Marilyn Monroe."
"Got it. How old are you, Miss Hayden?"
"I am thirty years old," answered Felicia.
"Too old to be listening to Foster the People," Skye commented.
Felicia looked up to the sky and put her hands on her hips.
"Your aunt is not old," defended Lizzie. "I'm looking forward to being thirty one day."
"Becoming an age isn't a goal," said Skye.
"Well, when I'm thirty, I'll be happy."
"That's a good way to look at it," said Felicia. "That's why I'm a cool aunt. So for now on, you girls can call me Felicia or Fee since I find it hipper."
"That's groovy."
"Don't say groovy," Skye closed her eyes.
"She can say 'groovy' if she wants to," said Felicia. "Now help me get the suitcases with our tents in it out of the van."
Skye walked over to the trunk and pulled out a red suitcase as Felicia pulled out a similar red suitcase out from beside it.
"You girls got your tickets?" asked Felicia.
The girls pulled out their tickets and agreed.
"Alright, let's go," she said, pushing down the trunk door and locking the doors to the van with her keys.
The girls cheered.
"Let's boogie-oogie," said Lizzie.
"Wrong context," Skye commented.
"Do you girls want to sing a song?" recommended Lizzie.
"Why would we want to do that?" asked Skye.
"It's been a long drive. And it could take forever to get there starting now. So we can sing a song to make the time go by."
"That's okay, Lizzie."
"You don't want to sing a song, Debra?"
"I'd love to but I rather not," replied Debra.
"I'll sing with you," insisted Felicia.
"Aunt Fee, you're not in this conversation," Skye reminded.
Felicia frowned.
"Come on, girls," said Lizzie. "What about 'Camptown Races'?"
"You know the words to that song?" asked Debra.
"No, but I was hoping you guys would know the words."
"No, thanks, Doll," said Skye.
"I know the words," Felicia admitted.
"Aunt Fee!"
"Right."
"Girls, Indio is five-hundred hours away," complained Lizzie. "Why can't we sing?"
"Because I'd rather die," Skye responded.
"But you love to sing."
"Not 'Camptown Races'."
"And Indio is two hours away from where we live," said Debra, "so we have five minutes left to get there."
"And until we get there, there will be no singing. Let's talk about normal stuff."
"Okay," Lizzie agreed.
"You want to talk about boys?" asked Felicia.
"Fee!" Skye's voice started to get deeper.
About five minutes after, Felicia stopped her car in an empty parking space near a big festival setting, known as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts festival. The girls opened the doors and hopped out of the van, gazing upon the festival filled with wandering people and eye-catching decorations.
"Lizzie, I forgot to tell you: I love your outfit," said Felicia, closing her door to the van.
"Thanks, Miss Hayden," Lizzie replied, putting on her black sunglasses.
"Yeah, you didn't wear your hooker boots," said Skye.
"Hooker boots?"
"That's what they looked like."
"W-- You know what? They did. They did look like that."
"Wow, this place looks cool," said Debra.
"I know," said Skye. "I hope it's more fun than it looks."
Felicia lifted up the trunk door of the van. "I can't wait to have some fun. I love music and art!"
"Miss Hayden, you like rock music?" questioned Lizzie.
"For sure!"
"Did she say 'for sure' or 'fo' sure'?" Debra asked in a whisper to Skye.
"I heard Foster the People would be performing and let me tell you: I love Foster the People."
"Really?" Lizzie inquired.
"Yeah, 'Pumped Up Kicks' is my jam. Plus I love Muse and Lana Del Rey. And Nas is my boyfriend!"
"Shut up! In real life?"
"No, silly. Music is my passion."
"I see where you get your passion for music from, Skye," said Debra.
"I didn't get it from my aunt Felicia," Skye responded. "I got it from Marilyn Manson."
"Isn't Marilyn Manson the woman with the white dress and likes to stand over fans?" asked Lizzie.
"That's Marilyn Monroe."
"Got it. How old are you, Miss Hayden?"
"I am thirty years old," answered Felicia.
"Too old to be listening to Foster the People," Skye commented.
Felicia looked up to the sky and put her hands on her hips.
"Your aunt is not old," defended Lizzie. "I'm looking forward to being thirty one day."
"Becoming an age isn't a goal," said Skye.
"Well, when I'm thirty, I'll be happy."
"That's a good way to look at it," said Felicia. "That's why I'm a cool aunt. So for now on, you girls can call me Felicia or Fee since I find it hipper."
"That's groovy."
"Don't say groovy," Skye closed her eyes.
"She can say 'groovy' if she wants to," said Felicia. "Now help me get the suitcases with our tents in it out of the van."
Skye walked over to the trunk and pulled out a red suitcase as Felicia pulled out a similar red suitcase out from beside it.
"You girls got your tickets?" asked Felicia.
The girls pulled out their tickets and agreed.
"Alright, let's go," she said, pushing down the trunk door and locking the doors to the van with her keys.
The girls cheered.
"Let's boogie-oogie," said Lizzie.
"Wrong context," Skye commented.
Monday, June 16, 2014
Live From Coachella... (Chapter 1)
"Where's the meat?" asked Lizzie, pointing at the sandwich in Madeline's hands.
"What do you mean?" Madeline questioned.
"I see no meat in your sandwich."
"Well, there's meat."
"It look like it's all lettuce," remarked Andrea.
"Well, it's not all lettuce."
"So what is on your sandwich?" asked Debra.
"The usual: tomato, ham, turkey--"
"Then where is it?" asked Lizzie.
Madeline took off the slice of bread from the top of the sandwich to expose the ingredients of it. "It's right here!"
"Ha, I love messing with Madeline."
"Why is the turkey and ham so balled up in the sandwich?" asked Andrea.
"I rushed making it," answered Madeline.
"She was trying to make a salad sandwich," Lizzie joked.
The girls giggled.
"Very funny," smiled Madeline.
"So what are any of you girls going to do this weekend?" asked Skye.
"I was thinking about getting a manicure," said Madeline, "but there's this unopened nail polish in my room that's calling my name."
"How can nail polish call your name?" asked Lizzie.
Madeline's smile turned stiff.
"I don't think any of us have plans," said Debra. "Why'd you ask?"
"I'm going to Coachella with my aunt Felicia over the weekend," said Skye, "and I was thinking if any of you wanted to go."
"Coachella?" Debra inquired. "I've always wanted to go. But I got to ask my parents."
"I don't need to ask my parents to go to the biggest festival of all," said Lizzie. "You can count me in!"
"Madeline, Andrea..." Skye waited for answers.
"Isn't Coachella that festival where a lot of bands play rock music?" asked Madeline.
"Of course."
"I don't listen to rock."
"Me, too," said Andrea. "I'm Latina so you know what kind of music I listen to."
"Of course, Latin pop," said Skye.
"Latin pop? I listen to hip hop. 'I like it when you call me Big Poppa!'"
"Well, I guess that's cool. I didn't expect all of you to come with me anyway."
"Where is Coachella anyway?" asked Lizzie.
"In Indio."
"Ew, far. How are we going to get there?"
"My aunt Felicia will be driving. She has a van so there's enough space for three people in the back."
"Ooh, free ride."
"Who will be performing at the festival?" asked Debra.
"So far, who's going to be performing, I've heard CHVRCHES, Foster the People, Bastille, Haim, and the 1975. Oh, there will be hip hop performers at Coachella, Andrea."
"I still don't want to go," said Andrea.
"Okay."
"Okay, I have to beg to my parents for me to go," said Debra.
"You should; it's going to be a lot of fun."
"I wish I listened to rock so I could go," said Madeline. "I want to see the celebrities."
"You don't know those celebrities."
"They're still celebrities."
"And since it's Coachella, we have to dressed laid-back so no tight, knee boots."
"Aw," Lizzie uttered. "I wanted to wear my tight, knee boots."
"Which ones?" asked Madeline.
"The black ones."
"Yeah, don't wear those," said Skye. "We're going to be walking a lot so wear sandals or something."
"Hey, I can walk a straight hour in heels; I think I won't need sandals."
"Have you really walked a straight hour in heels?" asked Debra.
Lizzie hesitated. "No, but a girl can try."
"No, a girl can't," said Madeline.
"Wear sandals or your feet will bleed," said Skye.
"My feet bled once," started Andrea. "I stepped on a bunch of thumb tacks."
"How did you step on a bunch of thumb tacks?" asked Madeline.
"That is a question that is not meant to be answered."
"But-- But it has an answer."
"Maddie, Andy, are you guys sure you don't want to come with me to Coachella?"
"Yeah, I'm sure," replied Andrea.
"Me, too," Madeline agreed. "Hey, Andrea, do you want to hang out with me during the weekend?"
"Sure, Mads'. What do you want to do?"
"You can come over to my house."
"Awesome."
"Too bad you girls will be missing out on Coachella-awesomeness with me, Liz', and Debbie," said Skye.
"Yeah, it's not that bad."
"Can thumb tacks go through sandals?" Lizzie asked out of the blue.
"That's a question that is not meant to be answered either," joked Skye.
The girls giggled, leaving Lizzie confused.
"What do you mean?" Madeline questioned.
"I see no meat in your sandwich."
"Well, there's meat."
"It look like it's all lettuce," remarked Andrea.
"Well, it's not all lettuce."
"So what is on your sandwich?" asked Debra.
"The usual: tomato, ham, turkey--"
"Then where is it?" asked Lizzie.
Madeline took off the slice of bread from the top of the sandwich to expose the ingredients of it. "It's right here!"
"Ha, I love messing with Madeline."
"Why is the turkey and ham so balled up in the sandwich?" asked Andrea.
"I rushed making it," answered Madeline.
"She was trying to make a salad sandwich," Lizzie joked.
The girls giggled.
"Very funny," smiled Madeline.
"So what are any of you girls going to do this weekend?" asked Skye.
"I was thinking about getting a manicure," said Madeline, "but there's this unopened nail polish in my room that's calling my name."
"How can nail polish call your name?" asked Lizzie.
Madeline's smile turned stiff.
"I don't think any of us have plans," said Debra. "Why'd you ask?"
"I'm going to Coachella with my aunt Felicia over the weekend," said Skye, "and I was thinking if any of you wanted to go."
"Coachella?" Debra inquired. "I've always wanted to go. But I got to ask my parents."
"I don't need to ask my parents to go to the biggest festival of all," said Lizzie. "You can count me in!"
"Madeline, Andrea..." Skye waited for answers.
"Isn't Coachella that festival where a lot of bands play rock music?" asked Madeline.
"Of course."
"I don't listen to rock."
"Me, too," said Andrea. "I'm Latina so you know what kind of music I listen to."
"Of course, Latin pop," said Skye.
"Latin pop? I listen to hip hop. 'I like it when you call me Big Poppa!'"
"Well, I guess that's cool. I didn't expect all of you to come with me anyway."
"Where is Coachella anyway?" asked Lizzie.
"In Indio."
"Ew, far. How are we going to get there?"
"My aunt Felicia will be driving. She has a van so there's enough space for three people in the back."
"Ooh, free ride."
"Who will be performing at the festival?" asked Debra.
"So far, who's going to be performing, I've heard CHVRCHES, Foster the People, Bastille, Haim, and the 1975. Oh, there will be hip hop performers at Coachella, Andrea."
"I still don't want to go," said Andrea.
"Okay."
"Okay, I have to beg to my parents for me to go," said Debra.
"You should; it's going to be a lot of fun."
"I wish I listened to rock so I could go," said Madeline. "I want to see the celebrities."
"You don't know those celebrities."
"They're still celebrities."
"And since it's Coachella, we have to dressed laid-back so no tight, knee boots."
"Aw," Lizzie uttered. "I wanted to wear my tight, knee boots."
"Which ones?" asked Madeline.
"The black ones."
"Yeah, don't wear those," said Skye. "We're going to be walking a lot so wear sandals or something."
"Hey, I can walk a straight hour in heels; I think I won't need sandals."
"Have you really walked a straight hour in heels?" asked Debra.
Lizzie hesitated. "No, but a girl can try."
"No, a girl can't," said Madeline.
"Wear sandals or your feet will bleed," said Skye.
"My feet bled once," started Andrea. "I stepped on a bunch of thumb tacks."
"How did you step on a bunch of thumb tacks?" asked Madeline.
"That is a question that is not meant to be answered."
"But-- But it has an answer."
"Maddie, Andy, are you guys sure you don't want to come with me to Coachella?"
"Yeah, I'm sure," replied Andrea.
"Me, too," Madeline agreed. "Hey, Andrea, do you want to hang out with me during the weekend?"
"Sure, Mads'. What do you want to do?"
"You can come over to my house."
"Awesome."
"Too bad you girls will be missing out on Coachella-awesomeness with me, Liz', and Debbie," said Skye.
"Yeah, it's not that bad."
"Can thumb tacks go through sandals?" Lizzie asked out of the blue.
"That's a question that is not meant to be answered either," joked Skye.
The girls giggled, leaving Lizzie confused.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Number Six (Chapter 5)
The week after, the girls assembled as usual for lunch in the cafeteria as it started. Madeline started off the conversation to make things less weird between the girls and Lizzie. However, Lizzie did call the girls over the weekend to tell them what happened to her.
"The last time, I went to the mall," Madeline started, "I saw these pair of socks I thought that were cool."
"How cool were they?" asked Skye.
"Pretty cool."
"Cool."
"Guys, I'm sorry," said Lizzie.
"Why are you sorry?" questioned Madeline. "We're the ones who should be sorry."
"But I yelled at you and that's bad."
"You had the right to yell. We were acting like jerks."
"It wasn't your fault the girl was a bag of nuts," said Skye.
"I know," said Lizzie. "But I'm still sorry. You guys just didn't want to lose a friend."
"But we shouldn't have been selfish at all," said Madeline. "If you want a new best friend, then we should you let go."
"I don't need a new best friend." Lizzie put her arm around Madeline's shoulders. "You were my first best friend. All of you girls are my best friends."
The girls smiled.
"Aw!" uttered Debra. "We're back together."
"So what happened to Giselle?" asked Skye.
"She got suspended," answered Andrea.
"Yeah, suspended as in 'not expelled'," said Lizzie. "Which means she could come back, which means she could go after me again, which means I'm going to die."
"If she's going to hurt you," said Andrea, "she has to go through me."
"What were you doing before you saved Lizzie?" Debra asked.
"Mister Himelfarb wanted to give me detention and to not get detention, I convinced him that I should sweep his classroom."
"Why did you almost get detention?" asked Madeline.
Andrea sighed. "I was putting my gum under my desk."
Debra groaned.
"I didn't feel like throwing it away."
"So you were going to come back for it?" Madeline questioned.
"Let's not talk about it, okay? The point is that I was sweeping Himelfarb's classroom and I heard a ruckus. So I went over to the sound and I whacked Giselle in the head when I saw her."
"Since when do you say 'ruckus'?" asked Skye.
"Since yesterday so be proud of me."
"Can you imagine what would have happened if Andrea wasn't there?" Madeline groaned.
"I can't imagine wearing my shoes backwards," said Lizzie.
"That's happened to you, too?" asked Debra.
"I'm glad to be friends with all of you. I never realized how much you guys love me. But now, it's going to be harder to make friends. Being choked is not fun."
"It was never fun," said Madeline.
"You're stuck with us forever," Skye joked.
"And I don't mind," Lizzie giggled.
"We got your back," said Andrea. "If Giselle comes back and tries to do anything, I can just get the broom again."
"I didn't know it was impossible to knock someone out with a broom," said Debra.
"It's possible when you're me."
"We promise to never be selfish ever again," said Madeline.
"We'll just mask it," added Skye. "And Madeline will be a pro at doing that because she's an actress."
"An aspiring actress. But I'm flattered."
"Depending on what the matter is," said Lizzie, "I think that's really helpful. And I thank you for being honest."
"Not a problem."
"Uh, girls?" Debra inquired while digging into her fringe tote bag.
The girls laid their attention upon Debra.
"Do you know what this is?" She took out a torn and taped photo of Giselle and Lizzie, similar to the one Lizzie saw last week.
Lizzie moaned in horror. "I've seen that before!"
"It's probably nothing," said Madeline, giggling nervously. She then took out a banana from her lunch bag and paused. She slowly reached into her bag and pulled out a similar photo.
Lizzie moaned again.
"What the--" Skye started to digging into her jacket as something was bothering her. At the same time, Skye pulled out the exact photo from her jacket while Andrea pulled out the same thing from the back pocket of her jeans.
Lizzie moaned once more.
"Oh, my god, Lizzie, there's something in her shirt," said Madeline, spotting a white corner sticking from the bottom of Lizzie's sweater.
"What?" Lizzie said, panicking.
Madeline pulled at the white corner, taking out the same photo.
The girls settled into shock and fright until Madeline said:
"I'm gonna go to the office."
All of the girls got up from the benches and agreed with no hesitation. They all grouped together and made their way, hastily, out of the cafeteria.
"I think we got voodoo on us," said Andrea.
"The last time, I went to the mall," Madeline started, "I saw these pair of socks I thought that were cool."
"How cool were they?" asked Skye.
"Pretty cool."
"Cool."
"Guys, I'm sorry," said Lizzie.
"Why are you sorry?" questioned Madeline. "We're the ones who should be sorry."
"But I yelled at you and that's bad."
"You had the right to yell. We were acting like jerks."
"It wasn't your fault the girl was a bag of nuts," said Skye.
"I know," said Lizzie. "But I'm still sorry. You guys just didn't want to lose a friend."
"But we shouldn't have been selfish at all," said Madeline. "If you want a new best friend, then we should you let go."
"I don't need a new best friend." Lizzie put her arm around Madeline's shoulders. "You were my first best friend. All of you girls are my best friends."
The girls smiled.
"Aw!" uttered Debra. "We're back together."
"So what happened to Giselle?" asked Skye.
"She got suspended," answered Andrea.
"Yeah, suspended as in 'not expelled'," said Lizzie. "Which means she could come back, which means she could go after me again, which means I'm going to die."
"If she's going to hurt you," said Andrea, "she has to go through me."
"What were you doing before you saved Lizzie?" Debra asked.
"Mister Himelfarb wanted to give me detention and to not get detention, I convinced him that I should sweep his classroom."
"Why did you almost get detention?" asked Madeline.
Andrea sighed. "I was putting my gum under my desk."
Debra groaned.
"I didn't feel like throwing it away."
"So you were going to come back for it?" Madeline questioned.
"Let's not talk about it, okay? The point is that I was sweeping Himelfarb's classroom and I heard a ruckus. So I went over to the sound and I whacked Giselle in the head when I saw her."
"Since when do you say 'ruckus'?" asked Skye.
"Since yesterday so be proud of me."
"Can you imagine what would have happened if Andrea wasn't there?" Madeline groaned.
"I can't imagine wearing my shoes backwards," said Lizzie.
"That's happened to you, too?" asked Debra.
"I'm glad to be friends with all of you. I never realized how much you guys love me. But now, it's going to be harder to make friends. Being choked is not fun."
"It was never fun," said Madeline.
"You're stuck with us forever," Skye joked.
"And I don't mind," Lizzie giggled.
"We got your back," said Andrea. "If Giselle comes back and tries to do anything, I can just get the broom again."
"I didn't know it was impossible to knock someone out with a broom," said Debra.
"It's possible when you're me."
"We promise to never be selfish ever again," said Madeline.
"We'll just mask it," added Skye. "And Madeline will be a pro at doing that because she's an actress."
"An aspiring actress. But I'm flattered."
"Depending on what the matter is," said Lizzie, "I think that's really helpful. And I thank you for being honest."
"Not a problem."
"Uh, girls?" Debra inquired while digging into her fringe tote bag.
The girls laid their attention upon Debra.
"Do you know what this is?" She took out a torn and taped photo of Giselle and Lizzie, similar to the one Lizzie saw last week.
Lizzie moaned in horror. "I've seen that before!"
"It's probably nothing," said Madeline, giggling nervously. She then took out a banana from her lunch bag and paused. She slowly reached into her bag and pulled out a similar photo.
Lizzie moaned again.
"What the--" Skye started to digging into her jacket as something was bothering her. At the same time, Skye pulled out the exact photo from her jacket while Andrea pulled out the same thing from the back pocket of her jeans.
Lizzie moaned once more.
"Oh, my god, Lizzie, there's something in her shirt," said Madeline, spotting a white corner sticking from the bottom of Lizzie's sweater.
"What?" Lizzie said, panicking.
Madeline pulled at the white corner, taking out the same photo.
The girls settled into shock and fright until Madeline said:
"I'm gonna go to the office."
All of the girls got up from the benches and agreed with no hesitation. They all grouped together and made their way, hastily, out of the cafeteria.
"I think we got voodoo on us," said Andrea.
Monday, June 9, 2014
Number Six (Chapter 4)
The day after, Lizzie was standing by the school building as it just ended, calling her friend, Giselle, on her cell phone. She and Giselle had made a plan to visit each other at a cafe after school so Lizzie decided to call her to see if they could walk together if Giselle haven't already left yet. Her phone rang in her ear but there was no answer. As she saw a girl walk by, she had to ask.
"Hey," Lizzie caught her attention.
The girl stopped and looked at her.
"Do you know Giselle Thompson?"
"I'm sorry?" the girl said.
"Giselle Thompson. She goes to this school. You know, hazel eyes, Caucasian, great sense of style, long brown hair like yours. Just more... neater."
"Yeah, thanks. You said Giselle Thompson?"
"Yeah."
"Are you friends with her?"
"Yeah, we're like best friends."
"Oh, no."
"What's-- What's wrong?"
"You're friends with Giselle Thompson?"
"Well, yeah. We've been saying her name enough to know she's my friend."
"Okay, I don't know you but it's better if you knew."
"Knew what?"
"I'm going to tell you: Giselle is crazy."
"Crazy? What do you mean?"
"You know, crazy. She's loony, psycho, cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs."
"Okay, there is no way that's true."
"Tell that to the girl with experience. I befriended Giselle when we were freshmen. She seemed like a cool girl who loved books and shopping. Then one random day, she turned on me. She thought I was going to dump her and not be friends with her anymore. So she tortured for almost a week; bad enough where my hair started to fall out. Thank goodness I didn't become bald. But my family had to file a restraining order against her. I forgot that she was still going to this school. And now, she has found another victim. If I were you, I'd run. I'd run before it's too late."
Lizzie laughed nervously. "You can't be serious. Giselle is much more sweeter and saner than that."
"I still get nightmares about her. I had to buy a teddy bear to hold onto while I sleep. And I'm sixteen!"
"But me and Giselle was going to get a Frappuccino later."
"Well, when you're not looking, she's going to put rat poison in your Frappuccino. And you're going to get butt-sick because you didn't listen."
Suddenly, Lizzie's phone rang. She saw Giselle's name on the screen and gasped. The girl looked at the phone, also, getting a stunned expression on her face. Lizzie clicked "Answer" on the phone and put it against her ear.
"Hello?" she said.
"Hey, Lizzie," answered Giselle.
Lizzie giggled nervously. "What's up, my girlfriend?"
"I see you called. I'm sorry I didn't pick up."
"Oh, that's all good in the neighborhood."
"So what did you call for?"
"I-- I was going to see if we could meet up before we go to the café. But if you already left school, that's fine."
"No, it's okay. I'm actually still in school."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Meet me in Room 305, okay?"
"Okay, Room 305."
"See you then."
"Okay, bye, Gissy."
Lizzie clicked a button on her phone to hang up.
"Wow," said the girl. "You're in some deep manure."
"What's your name, by the way?"
"Nuh-uh, I ain't telling you what my name is. I don't want Giselle after me."
The girl walked away, leaving Lizzie puzzled deep in her mind.
Lizzie opened the half-cracked door of Room 305 in the top level of the school. She peaked her head in then slowly entered. She noticed how dark it was in the small classroom and the only bit of light was seeping from behind the door.
"Giselle?" she called. "Giselle? Gissy? Is this the right room? It said '305' but it could've said '306'. I read fast. Giselle?"
Giselle peeled herself from the wall beside the door and closed it. "Hello, Lizzie."
Lizzie jumped and yelped. She turned around. "Oh, you scared me."
"I tend to do that."
"Okay. W-Why are we here? This class doesn't look like it's in session."
"I have to show you something." Giselle reached into the pocket of her jean skirt and pulled out what seemed like a folded piece of paper. She unfolded the paper, revealing two torn photos taped together. "Cool, right?"
Lizzie looked at the photo, seeing that it is a separated picture of her and a separated picture of Giselle stuck together. "That didn't happen. We-- We didn't take a picture together."
"I know. I made it. For us."
"Oh, this is just like the Roommate. Giselle, we need to talk."
"Are we officially BFFs now? Can we take our first official 'selfie'?"
"No and no. I think-- Maybe we should-- It's better if-- [sigh] We can't be friends anymore."
Giselle snared. "What?"
"Giselle, I heard from a What's-Her-Face that you tried to ruin her life. That's not cool. But we can give each other some occasional glances and 'Hi's' in the hall when we pass each other."
Giselle started to breathe heavily. "We're best friends, Lizzie. You said it yourself."
"Actually, you said that. I just nodded and hopped. I can still call you Gissy."
"You think that makes me feel better?"
"N-Not actually. I'm just afraid, alright?"
"Afraid? I'll show you afraid. We're going to be best friends forever and ever and ever and ever and ever!"
"That's a lot of 'ever's'."
"You want to leave me? You got to get through my hands."
"Mama mia."
Giselle wrapped her hands around Lizzie's necks and started to choke her. Lizzie held onto Giselle's arms and tried to make her let go, but she was too strong for Lizzie. She screamed as loud as she could, looking into Giselle's evil eyes.
"Please don't kill me," said Lizzie in a hoarse voice. "I want to have children to raise."
"Can't do anything," Giselle said with an evil smile. "You hear me?! You can't do anything!"
In an instant, a broom forcefully whacked Giselle on the head, making her quickly fall down. Her body laid unconsciously flat on the floor with Lizzie staring down at her, gasping for air.
"Andrea?" Lizzie looked up to her side.
Andrea held the broom over her shoulder. "It has just been revoked."
"Thank you so much."
"Aw, anytime. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I think so. I can't believe that was the side of Giselle I never got to see."
"Well, you've only known her for, like, a week."
"Still, that was crazy."
"Look, me and the girls are sorry for even considering defriending Giselle."
"I guess that's okay. You guys just didn't want to lose your best friend."
Andrea smiled. "Well, let's go report the crazy girl and walk home." She walked around Giselle and lifted up her paralytic-like legs. "You grab her arms; I'll take the legs."
"No! Leave her!"
"Hey," Lizzie caught her attention.
The girl stopped and looked at her.
"Do you know Giselle Thompson?"
"I'm sorry?" the girl said.
"Giselle Thompson. She goes to this school. You know, hazel eyes, Caucasian, great sense of style, long brown hair like yours. Just more... neater."
"Yeah, thanks. You said Giselle Thompson?"
"Yeah."
"Are you friends with her?"
"Yeah, we're like best friends."
"Oh, no."
"What's-- What's wrong?"
"You're friends with Giselle Thompson?"
"Well, yeah. We've been saying her name enough to know she's my friend."
"Okay, I don't know you but it's better if you knew."
"Knew what?"
"I'm going to tell you: Giselle is crazy."
"Crazy? What do you mean?"
"You know, crazy. She's loony, psycho, cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs."
"Okay, there is no way that's true."
"Tell that to the girl with experience. I befriended Giselle when we were freshmen. She seemed like a cool girl who loved books and shopping. Then one random day, she turned on me. She thought I was going to dump her and not be friends with her anymore. So she tortured for almost a week; bad enough where my hair started to fall out. Thank goodness I didn't become bald. But my family had to file a restraining order against her. I forgot that she was still going to this school. And now, she has found another victim. If I were you, I'd run. I'd run before it's too late."
Lizzie laughed nervously. "You can't be serious. Giselle is much more sweeter and saner than that."
"I still get nightmares about her. I had to buy a teddy bear to hold onto while I sleep. And I'm sixteen!"
"But me and Giselle was going to get a Frappuccino later."
"Well, when you're not looking, she's going to put rat poison in your Frappuccino. And you're going to get butt-sick because you didn't listen."
Suddenly, Lizzie's phone rang. She saw Giselle's name on the screen and gasped. The girl looked at the phone, also, getting a stunned expression on her face. Lizzie clicked "Answer" on the phone and put it against her ear.
"Hello?" she said.
"Hey, Lizzie," answered Giselle.
Lizzie giggled nervously. "What's up, my girlfriend?"
"I see you called. I'm sorry I didn't pick up."
"Oh, that's all good in the neighborhood."
"So what did you call for?"
"I-- I was going to see if we could meet up before we go to the café. But if you already left school, that's fine."
"No, it's okay. I'm actually still in school."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Meet me in Room 305, okay?"
"Okay, Room 305."
"See you then."
"Okay, bye, Gissy."
Lizzie clicked a button on her phone to hang up.
"Wow," said the girl. "You're in some deep manure."
"What's your name, by the way?"
"Nuh-uh, I ain't telling you what my name is. I don't want Giselle after me."
The girl walked away, leaving Lizzie puzzled deep in her mind.
Lizzie opened the half-cracked door of Room 305 in the top level of the school. She peaked her head in then slowly entered. She noticed how dark it was in the small classroom and the only bit of light was seeping from behind the door.
"Giselle?" she called. "Giselle? Gissy? Is this the right room? It said '305' but it could've said '306'. I read fast. Giselle?"
Giselle peeled herself from the wall beside the door and closed it. "Hello, Lizzie."
Lizzie jumped and yelped. She turned around. "Oh, you scared me."
"I tend to do that."
"Okay. W-Why are we here? This class doesn't look like it's in session."
"I have to show you something." Giselle reached into the pocket of her jean skirt and pulled out what seemed like a folded piece of paper. She unfolded the paper, revealing two torn photos taped together. "Cool, right?"
Lizzie looked at the photo, seeing that it is a separated picture of her and a separated picture of Giselle stuck together. "That didn't happen. We-- We didn't take a picture together."
"I know. I made it. For us."
"Oh, this is just like the Roommate. Giselle, we need to talk."
"Are we officially BFFs now? Can we take our first official 'selfie'?"
"No and no. I think-- Maybe we should-- It's better if-- [sigh] We can't be friends anymore."
Giselle snared. "What?"
"Giselle, I heard from a What's-Her-Face that you tried to ruin her life. That's not cool. But we can give each other some occasional glances and 'Hi's' in the hall when we pass each other."
Giselle started to breathe heavily. "We're best friends, Lizzie. You said it yourself."
"Actually, you said that. I just nodded and hopped. I can still call you Gissy."
"You think that makes me feel better?"
"N-Not actually. I'm just afraid, alright?"
"Afraid? I'll show you afraid. We're going to be best friends forever and ever and ever and ever and ever!"
"That's a lot of 'ever's'."
"You want to leave me? You got to get through my hands."
"Mama mia."
Giselle wrapped her hands around Lizzie's necks and started to choke her. Lizzie held onto Giselle's arms and tried to make her let go, but she was too strong for Lizzie. She screamed as loud as she could, looking into Giselle's evil eyes.
"Please don't kill me," said Lizzie in a hoarse voice. "I want to have children to raise."
"Can't do anything," Giselle said with an evil smile. "You hear me?! You can't do anything!"
In an instant, a broom forcefully whacked Giselle on the head, making her quickly fall down. Her body laid unconsciously flat on the floor with Lizzie staring down at her, gasping for air.
"Andrea?" Lizzie looked up to her side.
Andrea held the broom over her shoulder. "It has just been revoked."
"Thank you so much."
"Aw, anytime. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I think so. I can't believe that was the side of Giselle I never got to see."
"Well, you've only known her for, like, a week."
"Still, that was crazy."
"Look, me and the girls are sorry for even considering defriending Giselle."
"I guess that's okay. You guys just didn't want to lose your best friend."
Andrea smiled. "Well, let's go report the crazy girl and walk home." She walked around Giselle and lifted up her paralytic-like legs. "You grab her arms; I'll take the legs."
"No! Leave her!"
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Number Six (Chapter 3)
After the girls left school and done all of their homework, they all met up at the Laguna mall. As Lizzie and Giselle had a wonderful time shopping, the other girls felt uncomfortable throughout the whole day at the mall. They felt bad that they have learned that they don't want to spend time with Giselle but she and Lizzie had so much fun that they basically ignored the other girls. So after that day, all of the girls, except Lizzie and Giselle, discussed their feelings. They have decided to tell Lizzie how they feel about their new "friendship" with Giselle. It only took two days for the girls to have a talk with Lizzie. They felt that the time was right when school was ending and Lizzie was by her locker, nowhere near Giselle. They approached her as she placed her books into her backpack.
"Hey, girls," greeted Lizzie, zipping her glossy red backpack closed. "What's new?"
"Lizzie, we need to talk," said Madeline.
"I have a mustache?"
"What?"
"I have a mustache, do I? I knew it; I told my mom it was more than peach fuzz."
"It's not about your mustache... which you don't have."
"Is it something bad?"
"No, not really."
"Actually, it's really bad," Skye jumped in.
"Thanks, Skye. You're making it so much better," Madeline said sarcastically. "It's about Giselle."
"Isn't she great?" smiled Lizzie.
"Yeah, she's a unicorn ball of sunshine. But that's not why we're here."
"Then why are you here?"
Madeline took a deep breath. "We think Giselle is an amazing girl."
"You didn't think she was that amazing when she 'took' your best friend," said Andrea softly.
"Shush!" Madeline quickly turned her head. She turned it back around to face Lizzie. "We like Giselle; she's sweet and everything. But we don't want to hang out with her."
"What?" Lizzie replied with her eyes squinting.
"I mean, we do want to hang out with her. But not everyday. Do you get what I'm saying?"
"No."
"Okay, how can I rephrase this? We don't want another best friend."
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, you see, there are five of us. And five is a lot. It's like the Bratz where there are four of them. No, there are five of us. And having six of us as best friends, that is impossible. Five is a lot, meaning six is too many. And before we know it, we're splitting into two separate groups of three. It could be worse: three groups of two. And we found each other in ten years, a long time. So we can't just get separated after everything. Do you get it now?"
"No."
"Okay, Lizzie, what do you get?"
"I get that you girls are being selfish."
"We're all being selfish or is it just Maddie being selfish?" asked Debra.
"You're all being selfish. Giselle was looking forward to making new friends and you all just want to dump her like a diaper."
"Not a smelly diaper," said Andrea.
"Girls, we're best friends. Does six really make a difference?"
"Yes," answered Madeline. "Six people can't all be best friends. It is so many people that we won't be as close anymore."
"But me and Giselle are so close. I can't just leave her behind; her only friends are us. But I guess her only friend is me."
"We're not trying to be mean."
"That's because you are all naturally mean."
"Lizzie--"
"We're friends and friends don't leave friends behind. I like Giselle and I'm not going to stop being friends with her to make things easier for you four."
"No, you don't have to stop talking to her. We just don't need an extra best friend."
"Well, maybe I do! Maybe I need an extra best friend because my real best friends are being the Wicked Witches of West Virginia."
"West Virginia?" Skye mouthed to herself in confusion.
"You girls are supposed to be open. You're supposed to be the nicest girls I've ever met. You're being selfish. All just because 'six is too many'?"
"Lizzie, please don't get mad," said Madeline.
"Well, too late. I'm already mad! I'm infuriated, angered, 'vest'!"
"Do you mean 'vexed'?"
"That, too! You know what? Maybe you guys aren't the girls I thought I was friends with. You know something else? I'm going to call Giselle later and try to hang out with her. You know why? Because she is ten times more nicer than any of you!"
Lizzie picked up her backpack and threw it over her shoulder, getting one of her arms into the straps.
"Come on, that can't be true," said Andrea.
"Speak for yourself, underwear girl."
"You know that you could've gotten me a better gift!"
"Whatever," Lizzie said, putting her other arm in the second strap. "I'm leaving."
"Please, Lizzie, let's just talk about this," Madeline closed her eyes.
"There's nothing else to talk about, Madame."
She held onto her straps and walked away deep into the hall.
Madeline sighed and relaxed her shoulders.
"That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," Debra admitted.
Madeline groaned. "We're jerks."
"We're not jerks," said Skye. "You're a jerk."
"Yeah, I would've told Lizzie in a much more nicer way than you did," said Andrea.
"Like you know how to break things down more gently," Madeline rolled her eyes.
"I can break your face more gently if you don't stop rolling your eyes."
"Lizzie's right," said Debra. "We're not so nice after all."
"I'm actually proud of that," Skye confessed.
"Hey, girls," greeted Lizzie, zipping her glossy red backpack closed. "What's new?"
"Lizzie, we need to talk," said Madeline.
"I have a mustache?"
"What?"
"I have a mustache, do I? I knew it; I told my mom it was more than peach fuzz."
"It's not about your mustache... which you don't have."
"Is it something bad?"
"No, not really."
"Actually, it's really bad," Skye jumped in.
"Thanks, Skye. You're making it so much better," Madeline said sarcastically. "It's about Giselle."
"Isn't she great?" smiled Lizzie.
"Yeah, she's a unicorn ball of sunshine. But that's not why we're here."
"Then why are you here?"
Madeline took a deep breath. "We think Giselle is an amazing girl."
"You didn't think she was that amazing when she 'took' your best friend," said Andrea softly.
"Shush!" Madeline quickly turned her head. She turned it back around to face Lizzie. "We like Giselle; she's sweet and everything. But we don't want to hang out with her."
"What?" Lizzie replied with her eyes squinting.
"I mean, we do want to hang out with her. But not everyday. Do you get what I'm saying?"
"No."
"Okay, how can I rephrase this? We don't want another best friend."
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, you see, there are five of us. And five is a lot. It's like the Bratz where there are four of them. No, there are five of us. And having six of us as best friends, that is impossible. Five is a lot, meaning six is too many. And before we know it, we're splitting into two separate groups of three. It could be worse: three groups of two. And we found each other in ten years, a long time. So we can't just get separated after everything. Do you get it now?"
"No."
"Okay, Lizzie, what do you get?"
"I get that you girls are being selfish."
"We're all being selfish or is it just Maddie being selfish?" asked Debra.
"You're all being selfish. Giselle was looking forward to making new friends and you all just want to dump her like a diaper."
"Not a smelly diaper," said Andrea.
"Girls, we're best friends. Does six really make a difference?"
"Yes," answered Madeline. "Six people can't all be best friends. It is so many people that we won't be as close anymore."
"But me and Giselle are so close. I can't just leave her behind; her only friends are us. But I guess her only friend is me."
"We're not trying to be mean."
"That's because you are all naturally mean."
"Lizzie--"
"We're friends and friends don't leave friends behind. I like Giselle and I'm not going to stop being friends with her to make things easier for you four."
"No, you don't have to stop talking to her. We just don't need an extra best friend."
"Well, maybe I do! Maybe I need an extra best friend because my real best friends are being the Wicked Witches of West Virginia."
"West Virginia?" Skye mouthed to herself in confusion.
"You girls are supposed to be open. You're supposed to be the nicest girls I've ever met. You're being selfish. All just because 'six is too many'?"
"Lizzie, please don't get mad," said Madeline.
"Well, too late. I'm already mad! I'm infuriated, angered, 'vest'!"
"Do you mean 'vexed'?"
"That, too! You know what? Maybe you guys aren't the girls I thought I was friends with. You know something else? I'm going to call Giselle later and try to hang out with her. You know why? Because she is ten times more nicer than any of you!"
Lizzie picked up her backpack and threw it over her shoulder, getting one of her arms into the straps.
"Come on, that can't be true," said Andrea.
"Speak for yourself, underwear girl."
"You know that you could've gotten me a better gift!"
"Whatever," Lizzie said, putting her other arm in the second strap. "I'm leaving."
"Please, Lizzie, let's just talk about this," Madeline closed her eyes.
"There's nothing else to talk about, Madame."
She held onto her straps and walked away deep into the hall.
Madeline sighed and relaxed her shoulders.
"That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," Debra admitted.
Madeline groaned. "We're jerks."
"We're not jerks," said Skye. "You're a jerk."
"Yeah, I would've told Lizzie in a much more nicer way than you did," said Andrea.
"Like you know how to break things down more gently," Madeline rolled her eyes.
"I can break your face more gently if you don't stop rolling your eyes."
"Lizzie's right," said Debra. "We're not so nice after all."
"I'm actually proud of that," Skye confessed.
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Number Six (Chapter 2)
The next day, lunch had started and the girls were already seated, eating and chatting as usual.
"Aw, man!" uttered Lizzie, looking down at herself.
"What is it, Liz'?" asked Madeline.
"I'm wearing a navy top."
"So?" questioned Andrea.
"So I thought my top was black. But now seeing it in this light, it's navy and that's terrible because I'm wearing orange shoes."
"Maybe that's good," said Skye. "I heard blue is the opposite of orange."
"Where'd you hear that?" asked Andrea. "Nickelodeon?"
Skye glared. "No, my color wheel."
"What channel is that?"
"It's a chart of colors!"
"Whatever you're trying to say, Skye, is making me feel better," said Lizzie. "So thank you."
"What's in your salad?" asked Debra, pointing at Lizzie's lunch in a clear container.
"Uh, leaves?"
"Yeah, I know that... in a way. But what's in it? Are those croutons?"
"No, they're crushed potato chips."
"Ew," uttered Madeline. "Why would you put chips in your salad?"
"I saw it in a magazine."
"It actually sounds good," said Skye.
"Oh, it is. Too bad I'm ruining the history of salads since they're supposed to be healthy for you. But because of the potato chips, I'm just going to get fatter."
"A bad day to wear a crop top," said Andrea.
"Yeah, but I don't care. I love potato chips too much."
"Enough to let fat stick out of your crop top?" asked Madeline.
"Pretty much, yeah."
"Hey, Lizzie," greeted Giselle, who had just started walking up to the girls.
Lizzie turned her head. "Oh, hey, Giselle."
"Giselle?" Andrea uttered quietly to herself.
"Have a seat."
Giselle laid her tray of food on the table next to Debra and sat down on space of the bench beside her.
"Girls, meet Giselle. Giselle, these are my friends Madeline, Debra, Andrea and Skye."
"Wow, long names," said Giselle.
"That's okay; they have nicknames."
"Yeah, I don't feel comfortable letting some people call me by my nickname," said Andrea.
"Is it because your nickname is Andy, a boy's name?"
Andrea paused. "Now it is."
"That's okay," said Giselle. "I have a strong memory."
"Yeah, unlike others," mumbled Andrea.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Lizzie asked.
"Who forgot my birthday last year?"
"Listen, I was close."
"Yeah, by three months."
"Which is very close. Six months or more is a long time."
"I'd have rather you remember it the next day than three months later."
"At least I gave you a gift."
"You gave me underwear."
"What's wrong with that?"
"You wore them."
"Well, I guess you win."
"Sorry, we don't argue this much all the time," said Madeline to Giselle.
"It's okay," said Giselle. "When you argue, it means you care."
"And I care a lot about you, Andrea," said Lizzie.
"I care a lot about you, too," Andrea responded. "It's good to get a gift than to not get a gift at all. Even though I didn't want used underwear for my belated birthday."
"You're welcome."
"So it's nice to meet everyone," Giselle continued. "I met Lizzie at the school library yesterday if you want to know why I'm here."
"Lizzie, you were at the library?" asked Madeline.
"You go to a library?" asked Debra.
"You know what a library is?" asked Skye.
"I'm shocked as you are, honestly," Lizzie responded to all of their questions. "But I went to find a book for English class. And my new friend, Giselle, helped me find a book that I enjoy reading by the way."
"You enjoy reading a book?" asked Madeline.
"You're reading a book?" asked Debra.
"You know what a book is?" asked Skye.
"Guys, I'm not stupid," said Lizzie.
"Yeah, we know," responded Madeline. "But it is our jobs to ask questions."
"Yeah, you're right."
"What is the book called?" asked Andrea.
"'Mrs. Princess'."
"'Mrs. Princess'? That sounds like a kids' book."
"It's actually not. It won awards."
"What kind of awards?"
"You know, awards like Corretta Stone."
"Scott," corrected Madeline.
"Scott," Lizzie repeated. "And since I am so far into the book, I might be finished writing my report by tomorrow. And it is all thanks to Giselle, who looks a lot like Gisele Bundchen."
"You're welcome, Lizzie," said Giselle, "who looks a lot like Ashley Judd."
"In what country?" asked Andrea.
"Who's Ashley Judd?" inquired Debra.
"It's a compliment," said Lizzie. "Deal with it."
"Oh, Madeline, I love your shirt," complimented Giselle.
"Oh, thanks," said Madeline. "I got it at a sale at TJ Maxx."
"Really?"
"No. I just like saying that."
"Her shirt may be cute," said Lizzie, "but Giselle, your top is bumping!"
"Thank you," Giselle smiled.
Skye snickered. "Bumping."
"I love your top as well," said Giselle. "Especially with those orange heels."
"Thanks, girl," said Lizzie. "I did that on purpose."
Madeline shook her head.
"We should go to the mall later."
"Oh, my gosh. Let's do it!"
"Anybody onboard?"
The girls hesitated and mumbled to a point where all of their answers were bunched and jumbled up like a big speech knot.
"You girls don't want to go to the mall?"
"See, the way that my bank account is set up..." said Andrea in a soft voice.
"No, way! You girls love going to the mall."
"And we still do," said Debra.
"We'll think about it," Madeline made a compromise.
"Oh, Giselle, we're going to have so much fun," squealed Lizzie.
"Totally," Giselle agreed. "I could really make some new friends."
"Don't worry; my gal pals are your new friends. Right, girls?"
The girls mumbled again as a response.
"Um, I'll just take that as a yes. Welcome to the club, Giselle!"
"Oh, my first best friend," said Giselle softly. "I can't believe it."
"Hang on a second," Madeline muttered.
"We're going to be such good friends, Lizzie."
"Totes McGotes!" Lizzie smiled.
The two girls held hands straight across Debra and squealed in excitement. Debra leaned back so their hands would not touch her.
"We got to give you a nickname."
"No, no," mumbled Andrea.
"What about Gissy or Elly? Ooh, maybe Elle like the magazine."
"Or People like the magazine," Skye joked.
"Good idea!"
Skye crinkled her forehead.
"I like Gissy, actually," insisted Giselle.
"Then that's settled," said Lizzie. "We'll call you Gissy."
"Best friend?" Madeline exclaimed, still thinking about Giselle's past comment.
"Oh, do you want to go some snacks from the vending machine?" asked Giselle, ignoring Madeline.
"Cheez-Its?" inquired Lizzie.
"It's like you're reading my mind."
The girls let go of each other's hands and got out of their seats to walk together through the cafeteria for the vending machines.
"Am I the only one who doesn't agree with what's going on right now?" asked Andrea.
"No, you are not the only one," agreed Skye.
"Yes, same here," Debra jumped in.
"How can they become best friends?" Madeline exploded, still thinking about that comment. "They knew each other for a day. I've know Lizzie for twelve years! She's my best friend."
"Excuse me," said Andrea, "but we're all best friends."
"I know; it's just that Lizzie was my first best friend. I found her first!"
"Yeah, we all know," said Skye.
"Relax, Maddie," said Debra. "Maybe this is only temporary. Besides, Lizzie can be friends with whoever she wants."
"Yeah," responded Madeline, "but she can't just go and become best friends with whoever she wants. We're best friends."
"You mean we're all best friends," mentioned Andrea.
"Yeah, I know. I don't want to hold back Lizzie from other friendships and at the same time, I feel bad because we weren't our nicest to Giselle. The last thing I want to be is selfish."
"But you are selfish," said Skye after a short pause.
"Either way, I think we should tell Lizzie how we feel."
"I do want to hang out with Giselle," admitted Andrea, "but not like this."
"Yeah, now I'm starting to feel bad," said Skye.
"How about this?" started Madeline. "We go to the mall with Giselle later and see if we feel comfortable hanging out with her. If we do, then we'll just start hanging out with Giselle more often. If we don't, we tell Lizzie A.S.A.P."
"On that day?" questioned Andrea.
"No, the next day."
"But if I don't want to hang out with Giselle that day, then I'm going to stop hanging out with Giselle that day."
"But we shouldn't be rude."
"So if we're not feeling it, we should lie?" asked Skye.
"No, guys. You're making this hard."
"You're making this hard," said Debra.
"Look, let's just go to the freakin' mall after school."
"Whatever doesn't kill us," Skye agreed.
"I should've told them to buy me some Cheez-Its," Andrea acknowledged.
"Aw, man!" uttered Lizzie, looking down at herself.
"What is it, Liz'?" asked Madeline.
"I'm wearing a navy top."
"So?" questioned Andrea.
"So I thought my top was black. But now seeing it in this light, it's navy and that's terrible because I'm wearing orange shoes."
"Maybe that's good," said Skye. "I heard blue is the opposite of orange."
"Where'd you hear that?" asked Andrea. "Nickelodeon?"
Skye glared. "No, my color wheel."
"What channel is that?"
"It's a chart of colors!"
"Whatever you're trying to say, Skye, is making me feel better," said Lizzie. "So thank you."
"What's in your salad?" asked Debra, pointing at Lizzie's lunch in a clear container.
"Uh, leaves?"
"Yeah, I know that... in a way. But what's in it? Are those croutons?"
"No, they're crushed potato chips."
"Ew," uttered Madeline. "Why would you put chips in your salad?"
"I saw it in a magazine."
"It actually sounds good," said Skye.
"Oh, it is. Too bad I'm ruining the history of salads since they're supposed to be healthy for you. But because of the potato chips, I'm just going to get fatter."
"A bad day to wear a crop top," said Andrea.
"Yeah, but I don't care. I love potato chips too much."
"Enough to let fat stick out of your crop top?" asked Madeline.
"Pretty much, yeah."
"Hey, Lizzie," greeted Giselle, who had just started walking up to the girls.
Lizzie turned her head. "Oh, hey, Giselle."
"Giselle?" Andrea uttered quietly to herself.
"Have a seat."
Giselle laid her tray of food on the table next to Debra and sat down on space of the bench beside her.
"Girls, meet Giselle. Giselle, these are my friends Madeline, Debra, Andrea and Skye."
"Wow, long names," said Giselle.
"That's okay; they have nicknames."
"Yeah, I don't feel comfortable letting some people call me by my nickname," said Andrea.
"Is it because your nickname is Andy, a boy's name?"
Andrea paused. "Now it is."
"That's okay," said Giselle. "I have a strong memory."
"Yeah, unlike others," mumbled Andrea.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Lizzie asked.
"Who forgot my birthday last year?"
"Listen, I was close."
"Yeah, by three months."
"Which is very close. Six months or more is a long time."
"I'd have rather you remember it the next day than three months later."
"At least I gave you a gift."
"You gave me underwear."
"What's wrong with that?"
"You wore them."
"Well, I guess you win."
"Sorry, we don't argue this much all the time," said Madeline to Giselle.
"It's okay," said Giselle. "When you argue, it means you care."
"And I care a lot about you, Andrea," said Lizzie.
"I care a lot about you, too," Andrea responded. "It's good to get a gift than to not get a gift at all. Even though I didn't want used underwear for my belated birthday."
"You're welcome."
"So it's nice to meet everyone," Giselle continued. "I met Lizzie at the school library yesterday if you want to know why I'm here."
"Lizzie, you were at the library?" asked Madeline.
"You go to a library?" asked Debra.
"You know what a library is?" asked Skye.
"I'm shocked as you are, honestly," Lizzie responded to all of their questions. "But I went to find a book for English class. And my new friend, Giselle, helped me find a book that I enjoy reading by the way."
"You enjoy reading a book?" asked Madeline.
"You're reading a book?" asked Debra.
"You know what a book is?" asked Skye.
"Guys, I'm not stupid," said Lizzie.
"Yeah, we know," responded Madeline. "But it is our jobs to ask questions."
"Yeah, you're right."
"What is the book called?" asked Andrea.
"'Mrs. Princess'."
"'Mrs. Princess'? That sounds like a kids' book."
"It's actually not. It won awards."
"What kind of awards?"
"You know, awards like Corretta Stone."
"Scott," corrected Madeline.
"Scott," Lizzie repeated. "And since I am so far into the book, I might be finished writing my report by tomorrow. And it is all thanks to Giselle, who looks a lot like Gisele Bundchen."
"You're welcome, Lizzie," said Giselle, "who looks a lot like Ashley Judd."
"In what country?" asked Andrea.
"Who's Ashley Judd?" inquired Debra.
"It's a compliment," said Lizzie. "Deal with it."
"Oh, Madeline, I love your shirt," complimented Giselle.
"Oh, thanks," said Madeline. "I got it at a sale at TJ Maxx."
"Really?"
"No. I just like saying that."
"Her shirt may be cute," said Lizzie, "but Giselle, your top is bumping!"
"Thank you," Giselle smiled.
Skye snickered. "Bumping."
"I love your top as well," said Giselle. "Especially with those orange heels."
"Thanks, girl," said Lizzie. "I did that on purpose."
Madeline shook her head.
"We should go to the mall later."
"Oh, my gosh. Let's do it!"
"Anybody onboard?"
The girls hesitated and mumbled to a point where all of their answers were bunched and jumbled up like a big speech knot.
"You girls don't want to go to the mall?"
"See, the way that my bank account is set up..." said Andrea in a soft voice.
"No, way! You girls love going to the mall."
"And we still do," said Debra.
"We'll think about it," Madeline made a compromise.
"Oh, Giselle, we're going to have so much fun," squealed Lizzie.
"Totally," Giselle agreed. "I could really make some new friends."
"Don't worry; my gal pals are your new friends. Right, girls?"
The girls mumbled again as a response.
"Um, I'll just take that as a yes. Welcome to the club, Giselle!"
"Oh, my first best friend," said Giselle softly. "I can't believe it."
"Hang on a second," Madeline muttered.
"We're going to be such good friends, Lizzie."
"Totes McGotes!" Lizzie smiled.
The two girls held hands straight across Debra and squealed in excitement. Debra leaned back so their hands would not touch her.
"We got to give you a nickname."
"No, no," mumbled Andrea.
"What about Gissy or Elly? Ooh, maybe Elle like the magazine."
"Or People like the magazine," Skye joked.
"Good idea!"
Skye crinkled her forehead.
"I like Gissy, actually," insisted Giselle.
"Then that's settled," said Lizzie. "We'll call you Gissy."
"Best friend?" Madeline exclaimed, still thinking about Giselle's past comment.
"Oh, do you want to go some snacks from the vending machine?" asked Giselle, ignoring Madeline.
"Cheez-Its?" inquired Lizzie.
"It's like you're reading my mind."
The girls let go of each other's hands and got out of their seats to walk together through the cafeteria for the vending machines.
"Am I the only one who doesn't agree with what's going on right now?" asked Andrea.
"No, you are not the only one," agreed Skye.
"Yes, same here," Debra jumped in.
"How can they become best friends?" Madeline exploded, still thinking about that comment. "They knew each other for a day. I've know Lizzie for twelve years! She's my best friend."
"Excuse me," said Andrea, "but we're all best friends."
"I know; it's just that Lizzie was my first best friend. I found her first!"
"Yeah, we all know," said Skye.
"Relax, Maddie," said Debra. "Maybe this is only temporary. Besides, Lizzie can be friends with whoever she wants."
"Yeah," responded Madeline, "but she can't just go and become best friends with whoever she wants. We're best friends."
"You mean we're all best friends," mentioned Andrea.
"Yeah, I know. I don't want to hold back Lizzie from other friendships and at the same time, I feel bad because we weren't our nicest to Giselle. The last thing I want to be is selfish."
"But you are selfish," said Skye after a short pause.
"Either way, I think we should tell Lizzie how we feel."
"I do want to hang out with Giselle," admitted Andrea, "but not like this."
"Yeah, now I'm starting to feel bad," said Skye.
"How about this?" started Madeline. "We go to the mall with Giselle later and see if we feel comfortable hanging out with her. If we do, then we'll just start hanging out with Giselle more often. If we don't, we tell Lizzie A.S.A.P."
"On that day?" questioned Andrea.
"No, the next day."
"But if I don't want to hang out with Giselle that day, then I'm going to stop hanging out with Giselle that day."
"But we shouldn't be rude."
"So if we're not feeling it, we should lie?" asked Skye.
"No, guys. You're making this hard."
"You're making this hard," said Debra.
"Look, let's just go to the freakin' mall after school."
"Whatever doesn't kill us," Skye agreed.
"I should've told them to buy me some Cheez-Its," Andrea acknowledged.
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Number Six (Chapter 1)
On a breezy afternoon, the school day had ended and the school library was open. Since it was, Lizzie decided to stop by to check out a book for an assignment in her English class. She went down an aisle called "Adventure" and walked slowly to observe all of the books on the shelves. As she became distracted by the many, colorful books, she accidentally bumped into a teenage girl, making the girl drop her books.
"Oh, sorry," said Lizzie. She bent down and picked up the three books. "I'm kind of clumsy," she added before handing the books to the girl.
The girl flipped her caramel-brown hair behind her shoulder before taking the books. "It's okay. I'm clumsy, too."
Lizzie chuckled.
"I like your outfit."
Lizzie looked down on her outfit which consisted of a white, cropped, flower-printed top with puffy, long sleeves and a canary-yellow miniskirt. "Gee, thank you. My parents don't know I'm wearing it."
"Because it's inappropriate?"
"I want to say yes but I don't find it inappropriate. My belly's got to breathe now and then."
"Agreed," the girl giggled. "I'm Giselle, by the way."
"I'm Lizzie. My real name is Elizabeth but I can legally go by Lizzie, too, so there's that."
Giselle giggled. "How come I don't see you at the library very often?"
"Do you go here everyday?"
"Yeah, it's like my second home."
"Is your first home full of books, too?"
"No," she giggled. "I just like to read. And explore."
"I like exploring. Not so much reading."
"Well, that explains it. What are you looking for?"
"I am looking for an interesting book to read for a book report. But right now, I don't see anything that looks interesting."
Giselle stuck out her left hand, which was holding a yellow book with a picture of a golden crown under the title. "How about this?"
"'Mrs. Princess'?"
"It's about a girl who is a princess and wants to become a normal girl. So she runs away and tries to attend school."
"And this is appropriate for an English class?"
"Yeah, this book won about three awards."
"An award-winning book? I think that's what my teacher intended for us to read. Plus, the cover is pretty so it has to be perfect for me." Lizzie received the yellow book and observed the cover more. "Wait, I can't take this book from you."
"Why not?"
"Because what if you want to read it?"
"I've already read it."
"Oh, yeah. You just told me the summary. Wait, does two sentences make a summary?"
"Possibly."
"Magical. Thank you so much."
"No problem."
"Hey, when do you have lunch at school?"
"Around eleven. Why?"
"You should hang out with me."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah, you seem like a cool girl. With a nerdy sense in books."
"Thank you."
"We can just talk and eat. Oh, you should sit with me. I sit with my four best friends. Seems like a lot but it's not."
"Cool. I could really make some friends."
"You don't have any?"
"No, not really."
"Well, why?"
"I don't know. Who wants to be friends with a girl who hangs out at a library almost every day?"
"Uh, I do! Don't worry; my friends are the friendliest people you'll ever know. Except Andrea. She might be the fourth friendliest person you'll ever know. But she won't beat you up or anything."
"Awesome."
"Well, I'm going to go check out this book."
"Okay."
"I will see you tomorrow, Giselle. That's your name, right?"
"Yes, it is."
"Ah, I remembered. Next time, if I forget your name, I'll just think of Gisele Bundchen."
"That's fine by me."
"Plus, you look like Gisele Bundchen."
"Really? Thank you."
"You two don't look identical but you two do look very similar. You guys have the same similarities. It's very helpful, though, for me."
"Thank you... again! Do you know who you look like?"
"No, who?"
"Ashley Judd."
"Girl, I try."
"Oh, sorry," said Lizzie. She bent down and picked up the three books. "I'm kind of clumsy," she added before handing the books to the girl.
The girl flipped her caramel-brown hair behind her shoulder before taking the books. "It's okay. I'm clumsy, too."
Lizzie chuckled.
"I like your outfit."
Lizzie looked down on her outfit which consisted of a white, cropped, flower-printed top with puffy, long sleeves and a canary-yellow miniskirt. "Gee, thank you. My parents don't know I'm wearing it."
"Because it's inappropriate?"
"I want to say yes but I don't find it inappropriate. My belly's got to breathe now and then."
"Agreed," the girl giggled. "I'm Giselle, by the way."
"I'm Lizzie. My real name is Elizabeth but I can legally go by Lizzie, too, so there's that."
Giselle giggled. "How come I don't see you at the library very often?"
"Do you go here everyday?"
"Yeah, it's like my second home."
"Is your first home full of books, too?"
"No," she giggled. "I just like to read. And explore."
"I like exploring. Not so much reading."
"Well, that explains it. What are you looking for?"
"I am looking for an interesting book to read for a book report. But right now, I don't see anything that looks interesting."
Giselle stuck out her left hand, which was holding a yellow book with a picture of a golden crown under the title. "How about this?"
"'Mrs. Princess'?"
"It's about a girl who is a princess and wants to become a normal girl. So she runs away and tries to attend school."
"And this is appropriate for an English class?"
"Yeah, this book won about three awards."
"An award-winning book? I think that's what my teacher intended for us to read. Plus, the cover is pretty so it has to be perfect for me." Lizzie received the yellow book and observed the cover more. "Wait, I can't take this book from you."
"Why not?"
"Because what if you want to read it?"
"I've already read it."
"Oh, yeah. You just told me the summary. Wait, does two sentences make a summary?"
"Possibly."
"Magical. Thank you so much."
"No problem."
"Hey, when do you have lunch at school?"
"Around eleven. Why?"
"You should hang out with me."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah, you seem like a cool girl. With a nerdy sense in books."
"Thank you."
"We can just talk and eat. Oh, you should sit with me. I sit with my four best friends. Seems like a lot but it's not."
"Cool. I could really make some friends."
"You don't have any?"
"No, not really."
"Well, why?"
"I don't know. Who wants to be friends with a girl who hangs out at a library almost every day?"
"Uh, I do! Don't worry; my friends are the friendliest people you'll ever know. Except Andrea. She might be the fourth friendliest person you'll ever know. But she won't beat you up or anything."
"Awesome."
"Well, I'm going to go check out this book."
"Okay."
"I will see you tomorrow, Giselle. That's your name, right?"
"Yes, it is."
"Ah, I remembered. Next time, if I forget your name, I'll just think of Gisele Bundchen."
"That's fine by me."
"Plus, you look like Gisele Bundchen."
"Really? Thank you."
"You two don't look identical but you two do look very similar. You guys have the same similarities. It's very helpful, though, for me."
"Thank you... again! Do you know who you look like?"
"No, who?"
"Ashley Judd."
"Girl, I try."
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