"What's up, my hookers?" she carelessly greeted them.
"She's calling us hookers again," Lizzie whispered to Madeline.
"Debra, what are you doing?" Madeline asked.
"I'm getting rid of these nose sores called candles. Since I'm going to change myself, I might as well change my room. Oh, and don't call me 'Debra' anymore. My name is now 'Dirty Debra'."
"I understand why," said Andrea. "You smell horrible. Maybe you should keep the candles; they might block that roadkill smell."
"Listen, this is me. Like it or leave it."
"And we will like it," said Madeline, "after we know that this is finally you."
"I told you: this is finally me."
"But you can't automatically change yourself because you can't go to yoga club anymore," apprised Skye.
"Hey, that club was very important to me. What will I be a part of now?"
"A different club," responded Madeline.
"Well, it's not that easy. Besides, this could be a sign. Maybe the world is telling me that things you love will be taken away from you so a part of you has to go."
"Or this is the world saying that when things get taken away from you, it's only to make you stronger which is a good thing."
"Hey, my change can be a good thing."
"Debra, you farted in a cup, sealed it and sent it to my house."
"It was funny."
"It was smelly."
"Oh, you don't have a sense of humor."
"I actually do because this whole thing -- this new you -- is a joke. And when you get over it, we will all laugh about this. Ha ha ho!"
"Well, this is serious, Madeline. I am seriously changing and you're going to have to accept it."
"Debra, remember when Madeline tried to go through a 'change'?" asked Skye. "She was failing so she thought that she was going to be the girl who didn't care about anything. And we told her that that was stupid because she couldn't just change who she was just because she was getting bad grades. Also, Madeline can't really go through a whole day with her hair not done so it was like a wake-up call. But anyway, we helped her because we knew the real her. And we know the real you so we're going to help you."
"I don't need help, okay?" Debra stepped closer towards Skye. "That's how life is: people change and end of story. I'm flattered but I don't need your help."
Skye gagged briefly, stopping herself by covering her mouth. "Geez, what have you been eating?" she questioned through her hand. "Toilet soup?"
"I told you yesterday. I stopped brushing my teeth."
"But I didn't think your breath was going to stink that bad. Look, we don't have to help you but please help yourself to some toothpaste. It probably misses you."
"Excuse me, Skye," Andrea moved in front of her. "Look, Debra, we're worried for-- Oh, God, your breath does stink. Debra, we're worried for you; that's why we want to help you. We're afraid that you're going to take a bad route that you don't want to take."
"Oh, what do you know about bad routes, amazon? You've taken more than I have and that's every day. But I shouldn't say anything; you've got plenty of bad 'routes' in your hair."
Andrea raised her eyebrows then furrowed them. "Okay, you didn't have to go there. Now I'm going to take out all of your teeth before the gingivitis does so, Halle Tosis."
Madeline squeezed herself between the fearless girls. "Girls, we won't learn anything with violence. Sounds familiar, Debra? That's something you would say because you're smart and you want everyone to get along."
"Well, it's a dumb saying. Therefore, you're dumb for saying it."
"Ooh, she just called you dumb," said Lizzie.
"Debra, remember that time I had a shopping addiction?" Madeline asked.
"Yeah, so?" Debra replied.
"Well, I haven't forgot the pressure point."
Madeline began to tackle Debra, throwing herself into her body and knocking her down onto the floor. The two rolled over each other numerous times as the rest of the girls watched and tried to make room. The two screamed, holding onto each other and trying to pin one another down. Madeline succeeded in pinning Debra down although Debra did struggle.
"Calm down or I'm going to pee on you," threatened Madeline.
"You won't dare," said Debra.
Madeline began unbuckling her leather brown belt, which caused Debra to freak out and shriek, "No!" She forcefully climbed on top of Madeline, knocking her over, then scrambled up, towering over her.
"You always do this to me!" Madeline shouted.
"Debra, Maddie only attacked you to help you," Skye reminded.
"Well, am I helped?" Debra asked furiously, walking towards her.
"You tell me, dude."
"You don't want to change, do you?" asked Andrea.
"I really don't," answered Debra. "If you love me, accept me. But if you can't do so, I will chase you out of this house with hammers. That's right; I bought hammers."
"We can't accept you if this isn't who you are," said Lizzie.
"Yeah, you freak," Madeline agreed, lifting herself up.
Debra quickly turned her head and glared at Madeline. Slightly frightened, Madeline laid back down on the floor.
"Wait, so you're completely changed?" questioned Skye.
"A hundred percent charged with change," responded Debra.
"Her corniness hasn't left," Andrea commented.
Debra cocked her head and pursed her lips.
"I'll be right back," Skye said before leaving the room.
"If she tries to hurt me, will you protect me?" Lizzie whispered to Andrea.
"I got your back, girl," Andrea responded quietly.
Debra crossed her arms. "I'm not going to hurt anyone unless you decide to break off our friendship."
Madeline sat up a bit, leaning on her elbows. "You hurt me and I thought we were still friends."
Debra gave Madeline another death glare. Because of that, Madeline laid back down on the floor again.
"Listen, I know you guys don't like the idea of me," started Debra, "but as your friend, you have to accept it. I don't like some of your characteristics but I dealt with them because we're friends. However, if you can't accept me, I will find new friends. New, motorcycle-riding, platform-wearing, trouble-causing, doobie-smoking friends. You understand?"
"What's a doobie?" questioned Lizzie.
Debra crossed her arms and cut her eyes on Lizzie. Just when she did that, Skye reentered the bedroom with a half-wrapped cheeseburger in her left hand.
"What's that?" Debra asked.
"What does it look like, Dirty Deb'?" Skye responded. "It's a cheeseburger."
"Skye, don't eat my McDonald's," said Andrea.
"Shush! You said you're completely changed, right?"
"Yes," Debra answered.
"So that means you're not a vegetarian anymore, right?"
"Uh, what?"
"Uh-t-uh! You heard me."
"I guess not."
"You guess not. Then eat this hamburger."
"What?"
"I didn't stutter. Eat this hamburger."
"Right now? All these extra calories?"
"Hey, that's my thing," Madeline reminded, still laying on the ground.
"Right," said Skye. "You're not a vegetarian anymore, meaning you eat meat now. If you truly don't care about the cows or the chickens or the pigs in the world, then eat this burger."
Debra froze, staring hard at the cheeseburger in Skye's hand. She started to shake like she was having a seizure. The girls looked at her puzzled, waiting for an answer. Then she stopped vibrating and gave her response.
"No! No, I can't eat it. I-I just can't do it."
"Ah-ha!" uttered Skye. "I knew it! I knew it 'cause I know you. You haven't really changed so you can't say you are. I'm so awesome!"
"Dang, Skye, you don't got to be so arrogant," said Andrea.
Before Debra spoke, she began tearing up. "I'm sorry, guys. It's just that... yoga club was a part of my daily routine. And now it's been ripped away, I don't know if it's a sign that yoga in general is going to be taken away from me." She sniffled and her voice started to quiver. "What if it's fate telling me that since I'm growing up, I can't be who I am anymore? What if it's taking away the things I love so I can change?"
"Oh, Debbie," said Skye, "it's okay to change but too much change can be a pain in the butt crack."
"You're fine just the way you are," added Lizzie. "Maybe fate is telling you something else like, 'Do more yoga'."
"You think so?" asked Debra.
"Yeah, maybe it's telling you to keep on being you," replied Andrea. "It's telling you... be more you."
"And if you are going to change," started Skye, "you can change into a better person than Dirty Debra. But we love you and we love you because there's something to love. Things are going to change as we grow up. Change can be good but it can be bad, also. Don't ever change, Debra."
"Yeah, don't change, Debra," Madeline agreed.
"Get up, Madeline," Debra gestured to her.
Madeline sprung up on her feet and rushed over to Debra to hug her. That allowed the other girls to hug her as well at the same time.
"I love you, girls," confessed Debra. "You're the only ones who understand me. Now get that burger away from me. The smell is making me sick."
The girls giggled before letting go.
"Don't worry," said Andrea. "I'll get rid of it."
Andrea swiped the cheeseburger away from Skye and began eating it.
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