Thursday, July 30, 2015

U.F.No's (Chapter 5)

Andrea shook Lizzie who fell asleep on her bed the opposite way.
"Wake up, Lizzie," she demanded.
Lizzie quickly opened her eyes.
"Come on, you wanted to do this. If aliens did exist -- which they don't -- and they happened to appear out that window, you'd be the one to miss it."
Lizzie lifted herself up and sat up on the edge of the bed.
"Lizzie, I've been looking through this telescope forever," said Madeline. "I don't think any aliens are going to come."
"You just have to be patient," said Lizzie, rubbing her eye. "They'll come, I know it."
"Oh, there are plenty of things you don't know."
"This slumber party is boring," Skye commented.
"You're telling me," agreed Andrea, sitting by Skye.
"This is not a slumber party," said Lizzie. "This is a social gathering for discovering aliens."
"Well, next time, can you gather other people socially for this? Because there are tons of weird people who believe in aliens."
"You guys are my friends. I rather do this with no one else. Besides, if I believe in something, so should you."
"Lizzie's right," said Debra. "Stop picking on her. You know, there was a time where I thought I was an alien."
"What happened?"
"I began to make more sense."
Lizzie sighed.
"Wow, Saturn is really beautiful when you get to look at it like this," remarked Madeline.
"You are not here to look at Saturn, alright? Let me look myself." Lizzie slid off the bed and picked up the binoculars from the floor. She stood next to Madeline and put the ends of the binoculars on her eyes while viewing the window.
"See any aliens yet?" asked Skye.
"No but I see two kids trying to trespass my fence. Ugh, sometimes, having neighbors can be a real disadvantage."
Lizzie removed the binoculars from her eyes and tucked her bangs behind her ears. Her friends, almost gradually, took a look at Lizzie who had black, smudged rings around her eyes. They all snickered and giggled, trying to hold in laughs which became noticeable anyway.
"What's so funny?" Lizzie asked.
"Inside joke," responded Skye. "It's really inside."
"Aw, how come I don't know about the inside joke?"
"You'll know sooner or later."
Madeline sighed. "You guys crack me up," she mumbled. She continued looking into the telescope.
"I don't understand why the aliens aren't back," said Lizzie. "They were sure having fun stalking me that one time."
"That's weird."
"What's wrong, Maddie?" asked Debra.
"I see something strange in the sky."
"What do you mean by strange?" questioned Skye.
"As in out of place. I don't know, it's just unusual and freaky."
Lizzie gasped. "It might be the U.F.O.: Unusual Freaky Oval. It makes sense."
"Okay, that is not what U.F.O. means," said Skye. "It's probably one of Jupiter's moons."
"Oh, this is not a moon," said Madeline. "It's coming closer."
The girls stood by Madeline and looked out the window.
"What is that?" questioned Debra.
Suddenly, a big, bright green light shot through the window, startling the girls and making them all back up. The light started to blow the girls' hair back as it almost covered the entire room. The girls stared at the window in fear until two separate fuzzy lights began to form right in front of them. The white lights slowly became more solid and started to resemble human bodies. The transparent bodies began to transform into identical organisms who were as tall as most of the girls but had green skin, bulbous heads and metallic apparel. They stood fearless before the girls. The unbelievable sight of them made Skye pass out and fall on the floor.
"Greetings, earthlings," one of them uttered in a nasal voice.
The girls stood still and speechless.
"'Sup?" Andrea spit out nervously.
"We have been anticipating our arrival to settle into this intriguing structure," the alien continued. "I am Zebob and this is my partner, Zimeeb."
"I'm not going to remember those names," admitted Lizzie.
"I can't help to notice that one of your partners have fallen."
"Yeah, that's Skye," said Madeline, glancing at her. "She doesn't really... do that."
"Unusual."
"I can define 'unusual'."
"We are here to communicate with you earthlings to wheedle us into civilizing in this interesting planet called Earth," said Zimeeb.
"Sorry but we have enough civilians," replied Andrea. "We don't need anymore. There is not enough space."
"We can make space. All we have to do is demolish a few dwellings to make room for our space ship. I must remind Zebob and I to not live where you live as we might have a bear problem."
"Bear? No, you did not just say 'bear'." Andrea walked closer to the aliens. "I'm not a bear. Do you understand me? See, I don't care if y'all are aliens. I will tolerate this kind of behavior from some ugly toads who think they can--"
Zebob poked Andrea on the chest with his pointy finger which created a zapping sound. Once Andrea was poked, she silenced and swooned, falling backwards into Debra's arms. The girls stared at Andrea's unconscious body in horror and shock.
"Coming, daddy!" yelled Debra, turning her head. She dropped Andrea and ran right out of the door.
"Her dad isn't here," Lizzie whispered.
"We did not expect this kind of rudeness to come from such earthlings," said Zebob. "Perhaps we should annihilate you beings in order to settle on the earth peacefully."
"No, please, sir," pleaded Madeline, clasping Lizzie's hands. "Don't annihilate us."
"We have so much to live for," shared Lizzie. "I'm still waiting for that Justin Bieber album to drop."
"What is wrong with your eyes?" asked Zimeeb. "Are you a human raccoon?"
"Uh, yeah, she is," Madeline responded. "Stay back or she'll bite you and give you rabies. You wouldn't want that, would you?"
"I don't have rabies," said Lizzie. "What are you talking about? What are they talking about?"
"Oh, we pity you earthlings," said Zebob. "You two absolutely have nothing to live for."
"That's not true," said Madeline. "Not true at all. Please, sir, if we prove to you that we're useful, will you let us go?"
"I don't see why not."
"Excellent. What can we do? What should we do?"
"We could sing," recommended Lizzie.
"Sing a song! That's good, Lizzie. What should we sing?"
"What's that song we know?"
"We know a bunch of songs."
"Yeah but what's the one we know?"
"Are we really having this conversation? I don't know. Uh... how about..."
"'Save Your Soul'!"
"'Who Will Save Your Soul'! Yeah, that's good. Okay, ready? One, two..."
The girls began to sing off-key nearly in unison:
Who will save your soul 
When it comes to the flower
Who will save your soul 
After all the lies that you told, boy
Who will save your soul 
If you won't save your own
La-la-da-da-da, la-la-da-da-da
If you won't save your oh-oh-own
"Fascinating," remarked Zebob.
"Very fascinating," agreed Zimeeb.
"You two have surely proven to us that you are useful. Don't you think that they will love them back home, Zimeeb?"
"Definitely, Zebob. They could be the galaxy's singing strippers."
"Strippers?!" Madeline and Lizzie said at the same time, leaning back.
"Come now," ordered Zebob. "We don't wish to settle on Earth anymore nor destroy it. You two will keep everyone entertained back on Planet Xidee."
The aliens grasped Madeline and Lizzie by the arms and attempted to drag them towards the window.
"That can't be our only option," said Madeline, trying to keep her feet in one place on the ground.
"Please, Mister Zimbabwe, don't make us go," begged Lizzie.
"Don't make us go, please."
"I don't want to be a stripper. I'm afraid of getting probed. Oh, Lord, please. Zachary, Jim Bob, don't make us go. Why do the strippers sing?"

Andrea shook Lizzie who fell asleep on her bed the opposite way.
"Wake up, Lizzie," she demanded.
Lizzie quickly opened her eyes, widening them and moving them around.
"Come on, you wanted to do this. If aliens did exist -- which they don't -- and they happened to appear out that window, you'd be the one to miss it."
Lizzie lifted herself up and sat up on the edge of the bed. "Oh, girls, I had this terrible dream. The aliens came and tried to abduct us. Good thing it wasn't real because I would've had to change my name to Sugarplum Duchess Banks Avenue."
"I swear, Lizzie. You stopped making sense since 2009."
"Did you see anything yet?"
"Nope, nothing," answered Madeline. "But I did see two little kids trying to jump over your fence. That was sort of funny."
From afar, the girls could hear the doorbell. Out of curiosity, they got up and left the bedroom. They walked through the hallway and stopped by the stairs as they could see Lizzie's mother answering the door from below. Outside of the door was an older blonde woman wearing a white bathrobe and slippers.
"Hello, Liza," greeted Lizzie's mom. "What are you doing here at this hour?"
"I caught my boys trying to break into your yard."
"Oh, no."
"Oh, yes. They supposedly left their silver frisbee there while playing. They said it got stuck on your roof then fell. I am terribly sorry and may I have that frisbee back?"
"Of course, Liza."
"Thank you so much. And I will certainly get my sons to write apology letters to you."
The girls stared at Lizzie who wandered her eyes from them.
"A frisbee," said Skye. "The U.F.O. was a frisbee. I told you it was all in your mind."
"No, you said it was either the moon or a balloon," responded Lizzie, "so who's the fool? And keep your binoculars away from me."
Lizzie walked back into the hallway while the girls exchanged looks as they knew of the planned binocular prank.

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

U.F.No's (Chapter 4)

Once the weekend, the girls came over Lizzie's house at night and were let in by her parents. They brought over sleeping bags and pajamas to stay the night. They also bought binoculars and a telescope to observe the "aliens" which they came over for. The girls put on their pajamas and laid out their sleeping bags before Skye set up the telescope in front of Lizzie's window.
"Are you going to order pizza?" asked Andrea, filing her nails with an emery board.
"No," Lizzie answered.
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want greasy pleasure to distract you from seeing the aliens."
"But all I ate before I left the house was an ice cream sandwich. What if I starve?"
"I have hot pockets downstairs in the freezer."
"Girl, please. Ain't nobody like Hot Pockets."
"I like Hot Pockets," confessed Skye, turning her head to look at the girls.
"Then cook yourself one."
"Ha, I will when I'm done looking through the telescope."
"What do you see?" asked Lizzie.
Skye peeped into the telescope. "I see a few planets."
"Are there aliens around them?"
"No but Jupiter does have moons. Since I know what moons look like, I can guarantee that they're not aliens."
"I swear it was an alien space ship! It was not the moon!"
"What did the space ship look like?"
"It was round, it was silver, it was not supposed to be there."
"If we don't see the alien tonight, Lizzie, how many times should we come back to your house?" asked Madeline, smoothing out her sleeping bag.
"Until we see the aliens with our own eyes."
"So until we die?" asked Skye.
"Guys, aliens exist! And you, you will see it. You will believe me."
"It's not that we don't want to believe you, Lizzie," said Debra. "It's just that we don't believe in aliens period so we can't believe you."
"A mind can change, Debbie. A mind can change."
"Yeah, I'm going to get a Hot Pocket," said Skye, standing up and walking towards the door.
Lizzie scoffed.
"Can you cook me one?" asked Andrea.
"You said nobody likes Hot Pockets," Skye stopped.
"Yeah but Drew Barrymore over there is going to starve me to death."
"Fine." Skye walked out the door.
"Can somebody look through the window?" asked Lizzie.
"Relax, Lizzie," said Madeline, getting up. "I'll do it." She walked over to the window and crouched down. She peeped her eye into the small end of the telescope.
"Can we play a game?" Debra asked.
"Ooh, games are good," agreed Andrea.
"Great idea," said Lizzie. "Let's play 'Look Out the Window with Madeline and Help Find the Aliens I've Talking Been About'."
"That's a weird sounding game," smiled Debra awkwardly.
"Lizzie, why do you got to be so uptight?" Andrea asked.
"I'm not uptight," responded Lizzie. "I just don't want you all to think I'm crazy."
"We already think you're crazy so you're too late."
"I'm sorry but this is not a slumber party. This is an alien hunting party."
"The only way we're going to hunt aliens is if we build a rocket-ship to fly to space."
"Oh, that's a perfect idea. Madeline, you're smart. Do you think you can build a rocket-ship for us?"
Madeline looked at Lizzie. "Sure, when wrenches fall out of my butt."
"Have you been eating wrenches?"
"What?"
Skye later entered Lizzie's bedroom with a paper plate of steaming Hot Pockets in one hand and a pamphlet in the other. "Why are your parents trying to make me Mormon?" asked Skye, stopping two feet in front of the door.
"Skye, just tell them your name is not Norman and they won't call you that," said Lizzie.
"Not Norman. Mormon."
"Mormon?" inquired Madeline, looking at Skye.
"They gave me this pamphlet." Skye raised the folded piece of shiny paper that read 'Mormon Camp' on the front.
"Oh, yeah, my parents think that you worship the Devil," said Lizzie.
"Why? Because of the way I dress?"
"Not the way you dress; just how you appear."
"Whatever. I'm not surprised; I just didn't think I'd get a pamphlet." Skye walked further into the room and sat down on the floor next to Andrea.
"What kind is this?" asked Andrea, waving her hand over the Hot Pockets.
"Chicken and broccoli."
"Can we split it?" asked Madeline, crawling towards the two. "I'm on a protein and vegetable diet. Although, I'll take the extra carbs."

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

U.F.No's (Chapter 3)

For about a week, the girls dealt with Lizzie's paranoid alien drama. She obsessed about it so much that the girls got fed up. After school, the girls, except for Lizzie, met up by the lockers before meeting up with Lizzie.
"I called the people of Urban Dictionary, do you think I can convince them to change the definition of 'crazy' to Lizzie?" asked Skye.
"Come on, she's not that bad," shared Madeline.
"Not that bad? You're right, she's worse than bad. What's badder than bad?"
"Worse," responded Andrea.
"Okay, she is that bad," Madeline agreed. "But it's only because she saw a space ship at her house."
"There was no space ship at her house," said Skye. "She saw something else and assumed it was an alien because who else would think that way?"
"Maybe there's an explanation."
"So you believe in aliens as well?" asked Debra.
"Oh, God, no. I'm not a freak."
"Well, whatever she saw, it's going to be an alien until further notice," said Andrea.
"I know. And whatever she saw went away so we can't see it for ourselves."
"That's because it was a balloon," said Skye.
"We need more evidence," insisted Debra.
"You're right," agreed Madeline. "How about this? We sleep over Lizzie's house every weekend until we see the so-called alien."
"I can do that," replied Andrea.
"I can try to make that work," added Debra.
"I don't know," responded Skye. "I don't want all of her crazy to rub off on me."
"Too late," said Madeline. "Now let's go."
The four girls walked down the hallway into a different hall and found Lizzie by her locker. They approached their best friend as she put on her backpack.
"Hey, Liz'," greeted Madeline.
"Hey, non-believers," Lizzie scowled.
"I can feel the crazy already," Skye murmured.
"Lizzie, why are you mad at us?" Madeline asked. "So what if we don't believe in aliens?"
"Doesn't matter if you believe in aliens," said Lizzie. "You're supposed to believe me."
"We want to believe you. But like I said before, you don't have any evidence."
"I need evidence to make you believe me?"
"Well, if you say that a giant teddy bear is breathing fire all over Cincinnati, we're going to need a photograph," said Andrea.
"Maybe a video," added Skye.
"Look, Liz', if this is really important to you," started Madeline, "how about we all sleep over your house this Saturday and try to look for the U.F.O. ourselves?"
"That is a splendid idea," consented Lizzie. "Then you will see that I know what I'm talking about. And fire-breathing teddy bears do not exist."
"Oh, but aliens do?" questioned Skye.
"Aliens don't breathe fire or visit Cincinnati."
Skye shifted her eyes towards Madeline to see if her facial expression matched hers.

Monday, July 27, 2015

U.F.No's (Chapter 2)

The next day, Lizzie was still shook up about witnessing a U.F.O. outside her window the other night. She went to class with an inability to concentrate. Especially in history class where she and the rest of her classmates had to write an essay on anything involving the 1950's. She chose to write about McCarthyism, feeling it was the only thing in class that she understood. After the bell rang, the teacher closed the door and stood in front of the class.
"Good morning, guys," she said. "You know what day it is: essay day. Hooray! So who would like to go first?"
The students sat quiet at their desks.
"Huh, nobody ever wants to go first. That's okay; I'll pick." She pointed towards random students while uttering, "Eenie, meenie, miney, Lizzie." Her finger stopped at Lizzie's direction.
Hearing her name stunned Lizzie. But she did not care. She picked her paper up from her desk and scooted out her chair to get up. She walked up to the front of the classroom and stood facing the attentive students.
"I wrote my essay on McCarthyism," she announced.
"Ooh, fun!" commented the teacher, sitting on her desk.
"'McCarthyism was created by  Jesse McCartney--'"
"Don't you mean Joseph McCarthy?"
"Oh, yeah. That makes sense. Typo. '--who was a senator who believed that communists were working for the government. He accused certain people of communism, causing them to lose their jobs. Some of those people along with others thought that McCarthy was crazy and should have kept his beliefs to himself like how my friends thought when I told them I witnessed an alien outside my window. They looked at me like a lunatic but I saw what I saw.'"
"Um, Lizzie?" The teacher chuckled. "The essay is not supposed to be about you. Okay? It's supposed to be about a subject in the 1950's like McCarthyism. The essay is about McCarthyism, right?"
"Yes, right. I'm sorry; I'll just skip that part."
"Thank you. I'm grading you."
"'People thought that Joseph McCarthy was the real communist because of all of the rumors he spread. Some even called him a criminal for ruining innocent people's lives. But McCarthy wouldn't have said there were communists if he didn't encounter any. Just like how I saw a U.F.O. and told my friends about it but they didn't believe me. What, they think I'm just saying it to say it? No, I am perfectly sure that I witnessed--'"
"Lizzie!"
Lizzie turned around to look at her teacher.
"You're doing it again."
"Oh, yeah. Sorry."
"Lizzie, is that whole essay about your friends and aliens?"
"No! No, no. I was ad-libbing. Just wanted to provide examples."
"Well, can the examples be less personal?"
"Okay. Sorry once again. 'However, McCarthyism, today, can be referred to the use of unfair allegations. For example, to my friends, I 'allegedly' saw a space ship outside of my house. But it's not alleged! I swear I saw a space ship with my own eyes.'"
Tired of the "alien" talk, the history teacher hopped down from her desk and grasped Lizzie's arms to pull her away. But Lizzie tried not to budge. She continued reading her essay to the confused class.
"Okay, Lizzie, that's enough," said the teacher, trying to move Lizzie.
"No, I'm not done," Lizzie waved her arms to shake off the teacher's hands.
"Oh, you're done."
The teacher reached for Lizzie's paper but Lizzie kept twisting and turning to fight shy of the teacher's grabs. She continued to read from her paper:
"The alien parked itself in the sky above my house and probably watched me through my window. I am not happy to witness the alien because he could've seen me undress and that is not a nice feeling."
"Give me the paper!" The teacher continued to grab the paper. But Lizzie kept moving her arms, moving around the paper.
"Back off, oldie!"
"Who you callin' old? I just turned thirty."
Since the teacher couldn't get Lizzie's essay, she grabbed her arms and engaged in a struggle with her. Lizzie attempted to read her paper even though it kept moving around, making it almost difficult to read.
"It may be h-hard to believe but aliens are real. Just check your window: they may already be out there. Take it-- Take it from a witness; believe in... what I believe. Don't think it's the moon or a balloon because it is not."
The teacher grabbed Lizzie from behind, picked her up then wriggled her into her arms, carrying her baby-like style.
"Aliens exist!" Lizzie shouted, holding her now-crumbled piece of paper.
The teacher carried Lizzie out of the classroom as the students watched in incertitude.
"Aliens exist! Aliens exist! Aliens exist!" Her voice faded as the teacher kept walking further and further into the halls.

Sunday, July 26, 2015

U.F.No's (Chapter 1)

"I'm so happy to see you girls," said Lizzie, sitting down on the bench of the cafeteria table next to Skye.
"Why?" asked Skye. "Did we die?"
"You look... stunned," noticed Madeline.
"I am stunned," said Lizzie, throwing her legs under the table.
"Did a cop Taser you or something?" asked Skye.
"No, I'm not black."
Debra dropped her fork on her lunch tray and stuck her tongue in her cheek.
"Sorry. I'm just puzzled."
"Like a puzzle?" Skye quipped.
"What's wrong?" asked Madeline.
"I think I--" Lizzie stopped to looked at her surroundings. She leaned forward, making her friends lean as well. "I think I saw a spaceship," she whispered.
Andrea sat up straight. "A spaceship?"
"Like an alien spaceship," Lizzie continued to whisper.
Madeline sat up straight. "That's ridiculous."
"Well, it's true!" Lizzie straightened.
"How did you see an alien spaceship?" asked Skye.
"I don't know. I was looking out my window and there it was, hovering over my house."
"Are you sure that wasn't the moon?" Madeline questioned, resting her arms on the table.
"Of course I'm sure. I know what the moon looks like."
"Well, are you sure that a spaceship doesn't look like the moon?" asked Andrea.
"Guys, I am not crazy."
"We're not saying you're crazy," said Debra. "We just find it ridiculous."
"Why? Why do you find it ridiculous?"
"Because aliens don't exist," responded Madeline.
"Neither do dinosaurs but they happened. Look, I saw what I saw."
"Maybe you saw wrong," said Skye.
"What else would have it been? And don't say the moon."
"It probably was," Andrea muttered.
"Guys, people, every day, on TV talk about how they experienced a meeting with aliens."
"You're going to believe what TV says?" asked Madeline.
"Yes! Don't everybody?"
"I'm going to have to agree," said Andrea. "I watch The Real."
"Lizzie, you honestly believe that you saw a spaceship hovering over your house?" Madeline questioned.
"Yes," answered Lizzie, "I honestly believe that. I don't know what else would it have been. But these eyes are not wrong."
"Are you sure it wasn't a balloon?" asked Skye.
"What?"
"It was probably a balloon. I saw it on Suite Life of Zack and Cody."
"I am not stupid. I know the difference between a balloon and a flying saucer. I don't have ADHD TV."

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

XBF4E (Chapter 5)

The girls had been attending the Friendship Forever program for about less than a week and Lizzie and Andrea were not getting better. They felt like they were wasting their time going to the program but the other three did not want to give up. They wanted their best friends to make up so they can all spend time together as usual.
"Hoping that this would knock some sense into you two without one of you knocking one another out," started Reginald, "I requested for your friends to write a letter on how they feel about you two fighting."
"Letter?" inquired Andrea. "Why don't you say how you feel to my face?"
"Because it's easier to write things down than say them," responded Debra, "and trust me, I had a lot to say."
"Madeline, do you want to read yours first?" asked Reginald.
"Gladly," she answered, flattening a piece of paper that rested inside her T-shirt, made for the program. "'Dear Liz' and Andy, it hurts me to see you two fighting. You guys seemed like sisters which made me a bit jealous because I've known Lizzie longer than I've known Andrea. But it's good that I was jealous because that's how close you two were. I hope you can do me and the rest of the girls a favor and become sisters again so we can all be family.'"
"Very touching, Madeline. Debra, you?"
Debra cleared her throat and looked down at her paper. "'Lizzie and Andrea, why are you doing this? I know you girls have your reasons but this has been going on for too long. There's no way you hate Lizzie for being an 'idiot' if you've been with her for a long time. And you can't hate Andrea for being mean even though you were with her long enough to notice. Therefore, it's too late to be mad at each other. Besides, think about what you two liked about each other. That can't fade away and neither can your friendship. You two make a flower together; don't stop watering it. Love, Debbie.'"
"Powerful. Your turn, Skye."
Skye unfolded her piece of paper and started to read it. "Lizzie, Andrea, stop it! Okay, you two didn't fight before so why is it okay to fight now? I know Lizzie went to that concert and everything but Pitbull is going to come back. And Lizzie, Andrea is mean to all of us so don't act like you're the only one. Okay, this is bogus. I love you two but you guys just sometimes drive me insane. So make up and we can stop attending this lame program.'" Skye folded her letter back up then crossed her arms.
"That was lovely, Skye," Reginald nodded. "So Lizzie, Andrea, how do you feel about your friends' letters to you?"
"Typical Skye," said Andrea, shaking her head but in acceptance.
"The letters were sweet," shared Lizzie. "It breaks my heart that you all are unhappy with this but I can't be friends with Andrea. She's mean. She's like the dictator in that war who was taking over Cube or Cuba."
"Fidel Castro?" inquired Madeline.
"Exactly! She's Fidel Castro."
"Oh, real rich," Andrea chuckled with a frown. "Every time you talk, you just sound more racist. Castro is a Cuban ruler and I'm from Puerto Rico."
"I thought you were Mexican."
"Ah dios mio, I will hurt you until you die."
"Guys, stop looking into the hate and look for the love," said Madeline. "I know it's still there somewhere and you can't give that up."
"Maddie, people can choose who to not love."
"Good to know because I don't love you," confessed Lizzie.
"This is so ridiculous," groaned Madeline. "Lizzie, remember Giselle?"
"Oh, it hurts to remember her."
"I understand that because she was a lunatic who's going to be locked away for a long time. But before she was, she was going to hurt you. Maybe even kill you. But who saved your life that day Giselle turned?"
"Andrea." Lizzie almost didn't want to say it.
"Exactly. If it wasn't for her, you would've end up looking like a curly fry. Now Andrea, who fought that estranged dog to protect your birthday cake at your quinceañera?"
Andrea crossed her arms. "Lizzie," she almost held her name back like vomit.
"That's right. It was Lizzie. She jumped in front of that dog and got bit enough times to get three rabies shots. If it wasn't for her, we would've never tasted such a delicious cake."
"It's true," Debra agreed.
Lizzie scoffed. "I probably would've been able to defend myself."
"And I've had better cake," said Andrea.
"Alright," said Skye. "I didn't want to have to do this because I didn't want to do this at all. But since you guys are still being stubborn, here goes."
Skye took her phone from her jeans' pocket and turned it on and started swiping on the screen with her finger. The people in the room were silent, waiting for what Skye was going to do. Madeline and Debra had an idea of what Skye was going to do.
"I have been told that this used to be you guys' favorite song ever since it played at a fifth grade dance where you two decided to be each other's dates," she declared.
Skye poked the screen of her phone then music started to play, loud enough for everyone to hear it. It was "True Friend" by Hannah Montana, an old teen pop song. Lizzie's and Andrea's eyes lit up when they heard the song. They glanced at each other, sharing an awestruck expression.
"I haven't heard this song in a long time," shared Lizzie.
"I'm glad for myself that it's been a long time," confessed Skye.

We sign our cards and letters "B.F.F."
You've got a million ways to make me laugh

"I remember this," Lizzie added.
"Well, I don't remember this song," Andrea shared, looking at Reginald. She then switched her eyes to Lizzie who began singing along to the song.

 You know the secrets I could never tell
And when I'm quiet, you break through my shell

Not being able to help it, Andrea decided to sing along, too.

Don't feel the need to do a rebel yell
'Cause you keep my feet on the ground

Then the two, who were singing together, started looking at each other and swaying their bodies to the melodious music. They tried to exert an emotion in their singing but it wasn't too obvious since they were horrible singers.

You're a tru-ue friend
You're here 'til the end
You pull me inside when something ain't right
Talk with me now and into the night
'Til it's alright again
You're a true friend

The girls stopped singing and started crying. They hugged each other into an anticipated embrace, making their friends gesture that they finally got what they wanted. The two girls sobbed into each other's shoulders.
"Oh, Lizzie," quivered Andrea, "I'm sorry for calling you stupid. You're not that dumb."
"Thank you, Andrea," Lizzie whimpered. "But I should be the one who's sorry. I'm sorry for discriminating you. I may be a little racist sometimes but that's because I don't understand your culture. That doesn't mean I don't accept it. I accept your race, Andrea, because you're my best friend."
"No, you're my best friend."
Skye paused the song on her phone. The two released each other and wiped the tears from their cheeks.
"Oh, I ruined your shirt," sniffled Lizzie, looking at the wet black stain on the sleeve of Andrea's program T-shirt.
Andrea twisted her neck to look down at it. "Oh, it's okay. It's an ugly shirt anyway."
"Do you want to go to this new restaurant that's a few blocks from here? We can order some Mexican rice. No, wait, Mexican and Puerto Rican rice."
"Of course, Liz', as long as you're paying."
Andrea wrapped her arm around Lizzie's shoulders; Lizzie did the same to Andrea. They smiled at each other before walking together out of the classroom.
"Aw, happy ending," commented Madeline, placing her hands on her chest.
"Yes, can we leave now?" asked Skye.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

XBF4E (Chapter 4)

Within the two days after, the girls registered themselves, along with Lizzie and Andrea, into the Friendship Forever program as an attempt to reunite them. So one day, they brought Lizzie to a classroom on the first floor after school. To make sure she came, they told her that they were all going to do something other than attend the program. Madeline opened the door to the classroom, letting the girls enter before she did. They stood by the door as they were greeted by a tall gentleman, standing up from his chair that settled in a circle of chairs mostly filled with teenage people.
"Welcome, new members," he gave a friendly grin.
"Hello," Madeline greeted back.
"Oh, are we going to play Musical Chairs?" asked Lizzie.
"No, take a seat, Liz'," said Debra.
The girls sat down in the empty chairs of the circle right next to each other.  
"Did your friends not tell you yet why you're here?" asked the guy.
"Uh, they told me that we were visiting a teacher in a wheelchair," Lizzie responded. "But I see nobody in a wheelchair. Everybody's legs seem to work."
"Would one of you like to tell her?"
"Lizzie, there is no teacher in a wheelchair," said Madeline.
"Are you saying that they don't exist?" asked Lizzie.
"No, I'm saying we lied to you."
"Oh, phooey. Why did you lie?"
"Because we love you," answered Debra.
"But I love you and I don't lie to you."
Their attention turned to the door when it opened and entered Andrea.
"Hey, girls," she greeted with hesitation. "Where's the teacher in a wheelchair?"
"Aw, why don't you take a seat?" requested the guy.
"Why? Is this a cult?"
"No, Andy, it's a program," said Madeline.
"For what?"
"Well, we're tired of you and Lizzie constantly fighting and ignoring each other. So we entered you two in this program so you can get along again."
"Ew!" uttered Lizzie. "I told you guys: I don't want to get along with her again."
"And I don't want to get along with her again," agreed Andrea.
"Girls, please," pleaded Debra. "You got to realize that your broken friendship affects us three as well. We don't want to take sides, knowing that this can be resolved. And if you give this a chance, we promise you that this won't waste your time. So please, do this for us."
Lizzie looked down at the floor. "Fine," she said after thinking about it.
"Fine," Andrea sighed.
"Perfect," remarked the man. "Now please take a seat in the empty chair."
Andrea looked at the only empty chair in the room which was next to Lizzie. "Uh, can I stand up?" she asked.
"Of course not. Standing is distracting. Please take a seat."
"But I don't want to sit next--"
"Sit the frick down!" Skye snapped, standing up.
Skye's tone and face surprised Andrea. She got over it and walked over to the empty seat. She sat down, staring anywhere besides at Lizzie. Lizzie pretty much did the same.
"Okay, since you five are new," started the man, "let me introduce myself. My name is Reginald but you can call me Peg Reg because I love pirates. Argh! Um, you might already know but this program's purpose is to help people make new friends or gain old friends. We encourage peace and love so I would--"
"Stop touching my leg!" Andrea shouted at Lizzie.
"I'm not touching your leg," said Lizzie.
"Yes, you are. You can't feel your skin?"
"I can feel my skin. But I don't want to touch your dirty leg hairs anyway."
Andrea kicked Lizzie's leg, making Lizzie defend herself and kick Andrea's leg. They engaged in a kicking fight until Andrea pulled Lizzie's head down into a headlock. Lizzie tugged Andrea's brown hair, hoping it would loosen her grip. But Madeline and a red-headed member got up from their seats and pulled the two off of each other.
"Okay, number one rule: no doing that," Reginald clarified. "No fighting; violence leads to more violence."
"Hallelujah," Debra agreed.
"So please sit down, separately and quietly, and go through this program."
Madeline and the red head let go of Lizzie and Andrea. The two glared at each other before sitting down into their seats, trying not to touch each other. Madeline and the girl sat back down as well.
"Perfect. Now since I am sensing tons of anger, I would like to ask what is causing the anger. So Lizzie, why are you upset with Andrea?"
"Well, she called me stupid," answered Lizzie.
"Because you are," added Andrea.
"Please, Andrea, Lizzie is talking," said Reginald.
"Come on, she doesn't even know what she's saying most of the time."
"Still, let her speak."
"Yeah, be nice, Andrea," demanded Lizzie, "because I am not stupid. I'll have you know, my mom says I'm the smartest person she knows."
"Yeah because she's the second dumbest person after you," said Andrea.
Lizzie gasped. "Don't talk about my mother. She is Christian; she will have God strike you down."
"Oh, that is a bunch of bull."
"God works in mysterious ways."
"Like you're a Christian. Does it say in the Bible, 'Let the woman dress in clothing that exposes her cleavage like a pair of suns'?"
"I don't know. Does it?"
Andrea rolled her eyes and scoffed.
"Okay," reacted Reginald. "Now Andrea, why are you mad at Lizzie?"
"Well, first, she missed my sister's, Linda, birthday party," replied Andrea. "And that was a big deal because Linda loves Lizzie for some strange apparent reason. And second, I learned she couldn't make it because she attended a Pitbull concert, a singer who I favor very much."
"I love Pitbull. 'International Love' is my favorite song."
"Righteous!"
"Pitbull is okay," commented Lizzie.
"I will run you over with my car."
"I just think you being mad at me is unreasonable."
"Esta loca, unreasonable! That's another problem: you don't listen to me. How many times do I got to tell you so you can get it? My sister bit people."
"Cool it with the Spanish, alright?"
"And she's racist, too. Yeah, I can't tell you how many times that she has called me Mexican then I would have to tell her that I'm Mexican and Puerto Rican."
"What's the difference?"
"And she would say that! Only an idiot and a racist would think that Mexico and Puerto Rico are one thing."
"Hey! Stop right there because how can one person be from two places? That doesn't make any sense."
"It doesn't make sense to you. Nothing makes sense to you. You're a freakin' idiot."
"Now Andrea, no name calling," reminded Reginald. "Name calling hurts people so no need for the pot to call the kettle an idiot or the kettle to call the pot Mexican."
"Repeat that," Skye said with a confused face.
"It's not name calling if it's true," stated Andrea.
"Oh, then your name must be 'Witch'," said Lizzie, "because that's what you are."
"Whatever."
"Whatever."
"Racist."
"Creature."
Instantly, Andrea grabbed Lizzie by the waist and spun her down onto the floor, pinning her down to pummel her. As Lizzie fought back, Madeline got up from her seat, along with a couple of other members, to pull the two apart.
"This is going to take a while," Reginald realized, stretching the collar of his T-shirt.

Monday, July 20, 2015

XBF4E (Chapter 3)

Almost a week had passed and Andrea and Lizzie were still not getting along. Their relationship was getting worse if you were to ask the rest of the girls. They realized how easy it was to hang out altogether when they had to deal with the two girls' refusal to interact with one another. Lizzie would try to steal her friends away from Andrea as Andrea did the same. The whole thing was exhausting, especially one day when the three friends met up after the last period ended. They were ambushed from behind by Lizzie who was happy and unfazed.
"Hey, girls," she smiled.
"Hey, Lizzie," the girls greeted back.
"Do you guys want to hang out later?" She squeezed in between Madeline and Debra. "I have no homework."
"Sure," replied Madeline, "do you guys want to go over my house?"
Skye and Debra accepted the request.
"Of course, Maddie," Lizzie responded. "As long as what's-her-face-and-name isn't there."
"You mean Andrea?" asked Skye.
"Oh, is that her name? I completely forgot about her and her face."
"Lizzie, this is a bit ridiculous," shared Madeline. "Andrea is our friend, too, and we can't avoid her to hang out with you."
"I know but I can't hang out with her. She said some pretty mean stuff to me."
"And you said some pretty mean stuff to her," added Debra.
"She deserved it. I don't want to stop hanging out with you girls but there is no way I'm going to be near forgot-her-name."
Almost in an instant, Andrea popped up from behind the girls and surprised Skye and Madeline certainly when she touched their backs.
"Hey, girls," she smiled. "Do you--"
Andrea stopped talking when the girls stopped and turned around, revealing Lizzie.
"Oh, it's you," Andrea hissed. "What's your name again?"
Lizzie squinted her eyes. "Not a dumb name like Andrea."
"Hey, 'Andrea' is the bomb-dot-com."
"Well, 'Lizzie' is the bomb-dot-net."
"Girls, stop with the URLs," ordered Madeline. "Look, since you girls are here, wouldn't it be a perfect time to apologize?" She circled her hands outward.
"She's right," Lizzie glanced at Madeline. "Apologize to me."
Andrea scoffed. "Ain't nobody apologizing to you! Apologize to me."
"There's nothing to apologize for."
"Then I got nothing to apologize for."
"Ladies, how about this?" insisted Debra. "I'll apologized for you both. 'Andrea, I am sorry for not coming to your sister's birthday party and going to a Pitbull concert instead.' 'Lizzie, I am sorry for calling you stupid and practically a whore.' See, problem solved. You two are friends now."
"I don't want to be friends with Lizzie," Andrea divulged. "She may need me but I don't need her." Then she sang, "You need me, man. I don't need you."
"Please, I wouldn't need you even if I was trapped in a burning building," claimed Lizzie.
"That's a strong statement," remarked Skye.
"Well, it's true. I wouldn't need her even though she lost her fire."
A fire was found but back in Andrea's eyes. After seeing it in her eyes, Lizzie bolted with Andrea dashing pass Madeline and Debra. Lizzie ran around Debra to get up into the endless hallway with Andrea furiously pursuing her. Andrea took off and dropped her backpack so the weight wouldn't hold her back.
"Peace and love!" yelled Debra. "Peace and love!"
"Ain't no peace and love left, Debra," said Madeline.
"Will they ever forgive each other?" asked Skye.
"There's only one way to bring them together: Debra has to talk to them."
"Nuh-uh," replied Debra. "What if they rip each other's heads off and while they're doing that, they rip my head off?"
"You have a strong head," said Skye.
"I need time to think of a solution," said Madeline. "But when I finally do come up with one, Andrea might actually have Lizzie's head."
Skye's eyes widened. "Maybe Lizzie's head is still on her shoulders." She walked towards the wall in front of them which had a bulletin board. She gestured her hands to an orange flyer pinned on it. "I found our solution."
Madeline and Debra walked up to the board.
"'The Friendship Forever Program'?" read Madeline. "Oh, I know about this. I think this might work."
"Girls, I think we're going to get our friends back," said Debra.
"I hope so," said Skye. "Hanging with them separately is pretty annoying."
"They're annoying together," Madeline stated, "but that's what we like. We were altogether the bomb-dot-com."
"No URLs, please."

Sunday, July 19, 2015

XBF4E (Chapter 2)

Andrea did not see Lizzie until Monday afternoon. The girls would regularly see each other in the morning but Andrea parted ways. When she saw Lizzie during lunch, she did not know what to say. The atmosphere was almost awkward, especially for the rest of the girls.
"So it's French Fry Monday," Skye broke the ice, picking up a dry French fry from her cardboard tray. "They should've waited until the week to have French Friday."
Debra and Lizzie giggled.
"Yeah, it's... not that funny. So how was everybody's day?"
"Jackson broke up with his girlfriend," Madeline confirmed, "so I might ask him out this week. If he says yes, I might have to take him out on Friday because I'm going on a date with Guy on Saturday."
"Why are you still going out with that Guy guy?" asked Debra.
Madeline paused but for two seconds. "You just said, 'Guy guy'."
"Oh, I did."
The girls giggled.
Skye jested, "'Hey, what was that guy's name?' 'Guy.' 'Oh, thanks, guy.'"
The girls' laughs became louder.
"Oh, my life is funny," sighed Madeline. "Andrea, you want to say something now?"
Andrea's giggly smile dropped and silenced. "Oh, yeah, of course." She pushed up her crushed aluminum foil of steak residue to make room for her arms to rest. "Um, Lizzie, I need to talk to you."
"Sure, Andy," said Lizzie. "What is it?"
"Well, my sister--"
"Lindsay."
"Linda."
"Oh, yeah, that's right."
"Yeah, she became a little upset when you didn't arrive to her party."
"Oh, how upset was she?"
"Well, she cried, she yelled, she bit people, she cried, got better then cried again."
"Aw, I didn't think my presence was that important."
"Well, ours wasn't," added Skye. "Yours were."
"Oh. I'm sorry your sister cried and freaked out and stuff."
"Hey, she's over it," said Andrea. "For now."
"I'll make it up to her. I can give her some of my clothes."
"No."
"Okay, that's fair. Uh, maybe I'll stop by the mall and buy some perfume."
"That would be nice. You know what, dealing with Linda was very exhausting so I started to be furious at you. But since that day is over, I can't stay mad at you forever just for attending some concert."
"That reminds me," started Skye. "Whose concert did you go?"
"Pitbull," answered Lizzie.
Andrea's warm smile disappeared. "Pitbull?"
Lizzie nodded. "Yeah."
"Mister Worldwide, Pitbull?"
"Yes, it was fun."
Andrea paused with a menacing look. "I'm going to murder you."
"What?"
"I am going to murder you."
"Why? What did I do?"
"What did you do? You should know. I love Pitbull! He's my favorite singer!"
"I thought Jennifer Lopez was your favorite singer."
"Yes but Pitbull's second. And if he's near me, I'm going to be near him, don't you understand? I cannot believe that you went to a Pitbull concert and didn't invite me."
"You were at Linda's birthday party."
"Oh, you said you forgot."
"I did."
"Well, why did you even think about going?"
"Kari was going to go to the concert with a friend but that friend got sick. So Kari offered me the extra ticket."
"Why didn't you give the ticket to your mother or something?"
"Andrea, my mom doesn't like Pitbull."
"I don't care. You went without me. Therefore, I'm going to murder you."
"Andrea, you can't kill me over something stupid."
"Something stupid? You said the concert was fun. You're the one who's stupid."
The girls were silent. They made surprised faces while looking at the two.
"Andrea," whispered Madeline.
"Why would you call me stupid?" asked Lizzie.
"Because you are," responded Andrea. "And everybody knows, Lizzie. They just won't say it because they don't want to hurt your feelings."
"So why are you saying it to me?"
"Because I want to hurt your feelings."
"Really?"
"Yeah. You ask the stupidest questions and you say the dumbest things. I'm surprised that you even made it this far in school because you should be in the second grade."
"Well, you should be taking more classes on how to speak English."
"What?"
"I can hardly understand you anyway."
"So you're going to insult me for speaking Spanish, my first language?"
"You're insulting me for being stupid."
"You are stupid."
"And you're Spanish."
"It's like talking to a baby. You don't even know what three times three equals."
"Don't bring up hard math questions."
"That's a hard math question?"
"You're freaking out over nothing. Pitbull is not a God."
"Yet you still went to his concert. I-- I-- I can't be friends with someone who doesn't care and doesn't understand me because they own a crumb-sized brain."
"Well, I can't be friends with someone who freaks out over nothing like the Hulk from Fantastic Four."
Andrea stood up. "At least my boobies aren't spilling over my top."
Lizzie stood up as well. "You're just jealous because you can't wear tops like this, love handles."
"Oiga, Lindsay Slow-han--"
"Girls, girls," Madeline stood up and put her hands on Andrea's shoulders, planning to push her back down in her seat. "Are you two really going to fight over a concert? I mean, yeah, Pitbull is kinda cool--"
"Kinda cool? He's all that! And I made it very clear to you all that I love him. But somehow, Lizzie didn't get the message so I now know who my real friends are."
"Please, you are no real friend to me," Lizzie confessed, "and you never were. I'm out of here." She took her legs out from the inside of the table then walked around it.
"Not if I leave first," Andrea said, making Lizzie stop. She took her legs out of the table as well. "You can stay here; I'm going to eat with my other friends. Maybe I'll flirt with some boys like your single ex-boyfriend, Hank."
"Fine, you can flirt with him all you want." Lizzie crossed her arms. "You'll probably get him because he does like ugly girls anyway."  
Andrea squinted her eyes in anger. And even though her eyes were squinting, a massive fire appeared in them, alarming Lizzie of the worst to come. She paused then followed her instinct to run. Andrea chased Lizzie out of the cafeteria like a jaguar. The girls looked at the two until they disappeared into the hallway. They then kept their eyes to themselves and fell awfully silent.
"Who wants my French fries?" asked Skye after the long silence.

Friday, July 17, 2015

XBF4E (Chapter 1)

Over the weekend, Madeline, Debra and Skye went over to Andrea's house for a party. It was a birthday party for Andrea's sister, Linda, who was turning ten years old. The party was held in the backyard so that's where the girls head to from inside the house. Madeline brought in a big wrapped box which she sat down on a white table. The party took place in the afternoon and was a normal, traditional bash: there were shiny decorations, beefy and sugary foods and a pinata of a unicorn. It was a small party since the only people there were a few family members, Andrea's friends (missing Lizzie) and two of Linda's friends.
"What's in the box, Maddie?" asked Andrea, who was with her friends far from Linda.
"I'll give you a hint," started Madeline. "It's firm, it's helpful, and almost everybody has one."
"A dog?"
"Nope."
"A robotic dog?"
"No."
"So it's nothing cool?"
"No, it's something cool. It's a stool!"
"Dog stool?"
"No! There's a chair inside."
"What is my sister going to do with a chair?"
"Sit on it?"
"I know how chairs work."
"I just thought she would like it."
"Why do you always got to treat people around you like poor people?"
"Andrea," said Linda, approaching her.
"What's up, Linda?"
"When is Lizzie going to be here? You promised me she would come."
"She will be here soon. Don't worry, she's not going to miss your party."
Linda grinned with a short murmur then walked back to the table she was sitting in.
"Why does Linda like Lizzie again?" asked Skye.
"I think it's because Linda finds Lizzie funny," answered Andrea.
"We're funny, too," said Madeline. "Knock knock."
"Who's there?"
"I."
"I who?"
"I... didn't even come up with a joke."
"So Linda basically doesn't want us here?" Skye questioned.
"I want to say yes but no, she doesn't," responded Andrea.
"Does she not like us?" asked Debra.
"I want to say no but yes, she does not."
"Since it's her birthday, I'm saying nothing," confessed Madeline.
"I'm used to being ignored anyway," admitted Skye.
"Why are we here?"
"Because I asked you guys to be. Plus, Linda doesn't have that many friends so having y'all here would fill up this backyard a little bit. But Lizzie needs to be here. Where is she?"
"I'll text her and find out." Madeline pulled her cell phone from her jeans' pocket and started swiping away.
While Madeline did that, Andrea's father, a tan skinned, chunky man with dark hair on his head and arms, approached the girls. "Hello, girls, I pre-made your plates for you but I want you all to wait so we can say grace." He uttered that with a Latino accent.
Debra looked over at the wooden table covered with plates of foods, mostly hamburgers, hotdogs and chicken breast. "Um, excuse me, Mister Gonzalez," she said, "but do you have any foods that are not on the meat side?"
"Huh?"
"I'm a vegetarian."
"Vegetarian? Esta loca, vegetarian!
"Dad, don't make fun of my friend," ordered Andrea.
"Ella se burla de sí misma por ser vegetariano."
"No voy a tener esta pelea con usted!"
"Yo no cocino para ser irrespetado."
"Nadie te está faltando el respeto, papá."
Andrea's father sighed then looked at Debra. "I got some leftover lettuce. Chop it up and put some cheese on it; you got yourself a salad."
Andrea slapped her father's arm with an embarrassed expression on her face. He shrugged then walked away. After that, Linda walked up to the girls once again in a marching form.
"Where is Lizzie?" she asked, very demanding.
"She's coming, Linda," Andrea responded. "I promise."
"Oh," Madeline said, looking deep into her phone.
"Oh what?" questioned Linda.
"Oh, it's none of your business, Linda," Madeline looked up.
Linda glowered at Madeline with a soft groan then walked from the girls.
"What's wrong, Maddie?" asked Skye.
"Lizzie is not coming," answered Madeline.
Andrea scrunched her eyebrows together. "Why not?"
"She says she's at some concert."
"But I told her fifty times that my sister's party was today and she would really like to see her."
"Well, you know Lizzie."
"I don't believe her. Even though I believe this, I don't believe her."
"What are you going to tell Linda?" Skye asked, successfully holding in a laugh.
"Maybe you can tell Linda," started Debra, "that Lizzie is going to be really, really, really, really, really, really late."
"You want me to tell her that?" inquired Andrea. "So she can wait for her until midnight and stare into the sky like Fault in Our Stars?"
"That was a good book and movie."
"But this is not the book and movie. Okay, she is going to flip."
"No kidding, it was obvious," said Skye.
"You going to tell her?" asked Madeline.
"Frick yeah," Andrea answered. "But I just want you all to know that she is going to kill someone so who's going to be the sacrifice?"
"Not me," responded Debra. "I didn't even eat my lettuce yet."

Monday, July 13, 2015

The One with the Rude Boyfriend (Chapter 5)

That night, Debra called the police on Travis. She finally realized that it was time to take action since she unleashed some on Travis before the cops could. They revealed that they would be going through an investigation but while they did, Travis stayed locked up in a jail cell. Debra went to school on Monday as a new girl. She was back to normal, just the way she liked it. Her friends greeted her with open arms and agreed to talk about everything during lunch. So when lunchtime finally came and the girls got situated in the cafeteria, they were all ready to talk.
"Travis is behind bars until further notice," said Debra.
"Further notice?" inquired Andrea. "We noticed him being a criminal, therefore he should stay in jail."
"But it's good that he's locked up for now," commented Madeline. "If he wasn't, he would still be abusing you, Debra."
"I know," Debra looked down. "It feels good to breathe."
"I don't know if you're ready to answer questions like these," started Andrea, "but why let him keep it up for so long?"
"He was too strong. And he threatened to hurt me, you know, even more."
"That is not love," said Lizzie.
"I know that now."
"But why have a girlfriend just to punch around?"
"I don't know. Maybe he was repressing some feelings and handling them wrong."
"I don't care if he has issues," said Andrea. "What he did was not right and he should've known that."
"I feel like he never knew that. I wanted to help him; that's why I stayed."
"So what made you change your mind?" asked Madeline.
"The fact that he would never listen to me, hear me out. I was tired of getting hurt and he would go home, feeling great without pain."
"You made a great decision to stand up for yourself," commented Lizzie. "How long were you with him again?"
"Two months, but it felt like years."
"When did he start hitting you?" asked Madeline.
"Three weeks after our first date. I thought it was a mistake and he did say sorry after. But the more he did it, the less he said sorry."
"I hate him for doing this to you," said Andrea. "If I ever see him walking around, I swear I will tear him to shreds."
"I'm just so glad you guys saw what I was going through so you could help me."
"We wouldn't have if it wasn't for Skye," admitted Madeline.
"You saw it first, Skye?"
"Yeah," answered Skye. "I knew something was wrong so I called on it. If I didn't, I don't think the other girls would've seen it or at least see it quickly. You're my sister, Debra, and I know you."
"Oh, Skye."
"We're sorry that the rest of us didn't see it immediately," apologized Madeline.
"That's okay. I should've said something about my relationship once it began. I didn't want help because I was afraid of going away. But I learned that if people you can truly trust want to help you, you should let them."
"Just know that you don't need to fight your battles because I can fight them for you," said Andrea.
Debra chuckled. "I know, Andrea."
Her attention shifted to someone else when one of her male friends stood behind herself. She was scared for a short second and felt ultimately relieved.
"Hi, Debra," her fellow with dyed purple hair greeted.
Debra quickly clambered out of the table and stood up. "Hey, Kyle," she smiled.
"I hope this doesn't make things awkward but I heard what happened."
"Oh, you did?"
"Yeah. I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's okay."
"I mean you don't deserve to go through what you did. You're a good person, Debra, and I want you to know that."
"Thank you, Kyle."
"So what is the next chapter for you?"
"Well, the police are still under investigation so they have to ask me and my friends questions about the whole event."
"Well, I hope it turns well for you."
"Thank you, Kyle. You're a good guy."
"Just wanted to make sure you were alright. Wanna talk later?"
"Of course."
"Cool. I'll see you later, okay?"
"Okay."
Kyle walked away, almost not wanting to. Debra watched him walk for a little bit before sitting back down into her seat.
"I got my eye on him," said Andrea.
"Kyle is my friend," Debra clarified.
"I can't trust people who wear motorcycle jackets and have dyed hair."
Debra sniggered.
"Hey!" Skye scrunched her forehead, crossing her arms which were in the sleeves of a black motorcycle jacket. Plus, she savvied her day-to-day hairdo which had bubblegum pink streaks.
That made Debra laugh: a noise that the girls thought was becoming impossible. It gave them permission to laugh as well.
"Sorry," Andrea held in a laugh. "But you know how Asians are into martial arts."
Debra laughed harder. "That is racist, Andy!" she tried to keep a straight face.
"Probably because I've been watching way too many Bruce Lee films, basically trying to learn how to walk on walls."
Debra chortled, wrapping her arm around Andrea's neck in an embrace. Her eyes suddenly went from red with fatigue to clear with happiness. And the exhausted bags from under her eyes had finally disappeared. Debra was unbroken.