Goodbye, School (Chapter 5)

    The no-longer-seniors were directed out of the auditorium into the outside. More people gathered, hugging and talking to their best friends. Skye eventually found Madeline and began singing to her.

School's out for the summer
School's out forever

    Madeline turned around and grinned at Skye. She squeezed the life out of her.
    "Hey, not without me!" said Andrea as she approached the duo.
    Madeline motioned for her to come over and hug them. "Ugh, aren't you guys still mad at me?" she asked her friends.
    "No way," replied Andrea. "I am an adult now and we need to do good things."
    "Like stop beating people up?" Skye guessed.
    "Uh, I have to rethink that one."
    "Well, I'm glad you guys are not mad at me. I hate it when you guys resent me. I need you in my life."
    All of a sudden, Lizzie came zipping towards Madeline in tears and hugged her like she was going away for a while. She cried harder than she did earlier.
    "There, there, Lizzie," Madeline said, patting Lizzie's head.
    "I see nothing has changed after graduation," said Debra after coming up.
    Lizzie let go of Madeline to hug Debra.
    "I can't believe we aren't high school students anymore," shared Skye.
    "I know," said Madeline. "I loved school."
    "Of course, you did, Margaret Thatcher."
    Madeline cocked her head and pursed her lips. "School was like a refuge to me. Like, what is us without school?"
    "She's got a point," agreed Debra, still holding Lizzie.
    "You guys, I want to go to college but I'm not ready to lose you. That's why, on this day forth, we are going to have the best summer ever. No out's."
    "What if I got to go to summer camp?" asked Andrea.
    "No out's, Andrea. And you would die at summer camp."
    "I'm all in," smiled Debra.
    "Me, too," Lizzie blubbered.
    "Hey, I got nothing better to do," said Skye.
    "Aw!" uttered Madeline. "Group hug!"
    The girls gathered and embraced each other. Lizzie was still crying.
    "Ugh, Lizzie, calm down," Madeline commanded. "You're going to get snot on my gown."
    "It's not like you're gonna wear it again," mentioned Skye.

Goodbye, School (Chapter 4)

Afterwards, one of the staff members went through an alphabetical list of seniors and individually announced each name. The person who heard their name came up on stage and received their high school diploma from the principal. The girls' names were called, along with other friends, boyfriends and familiar faces.

Homer Wakefield Anderson
Skylar Tara Carter
Kevin Cameron Christie
Elizabeth Carmela Duvall
Andrea Rose Melinda Alejandra Martina Jenni Cantina Gonzalez
David James Geraldson
Samantha Annette Harrington
Kent Christopher Hamm
Alexander James "A.J." Hart
Sean Maya Hemingway
DeMarcus Michael Jones
Warren Terrance Kerr
Madeline Louise King
Kari Michelle Lancaster
Calvin Lee Layfield
Debra Shawna Lincoln
Kyle Lin Liu
Randall Cumberbatch Lowe
Pamela Porticia McAdams
Mauricia Nicole Palette
Jeffrey Xavier Parks
Jackson Stanley Payne
Hank Harvey Reynolds
Chrissy Martine Walker
Chad Robert Welch
Denny Benedict Winchester

When every senior received their diploma and were at their seats, the principal let Madeline go back to the podium.
"Alright," she said. "Are you ready for this moment? Everyone, take your tassel and turn it to the other side."
Every senior reached for the tassel hanging from their caps and moved it over from the right side to the left side.
"Congratulations, Class of 2016. You have officially graduated from Laguna Beach High School. Can I get a 'Suck that, world'?"
"Suck that, world!" every student hollered.
"You guys rock." Madeline took off her cap and threw it in the air, prompting everyone to chuck their caps in the air.
Everyone's friends and families stood up and applauded them. After catching their hats, every student either cheered or hugged their neighbors, engaging in merry conversation.

Goodbye, School (Chapter 3)

"Please welcome our valedictorian -- and my favorite student -- Madeline King!" declared the principal.
Everyone clapped as Madeline got up and walked behind the podium.
"He didn't have to say who's his favorite student," whispered Madeline's friend, Chrissy, to her friend, A.J.
"How is everybody doing?" Madeline asked into the microphone. "Wow, you all look good. You should look good; you're graduating high school. You're becoming somebody different. I'm going to tell you all a little personal story if that's okay with you.
"I was not always the smart one. I was not always the pretty one. I was not always the confident one. Actually, I still have my insecure moments. Am I smart? Am I pretty? Am I confident? But I guess that it's important to have insecurities. We need to be reminded every day that we are human. We are no different than the person you sit next to. Forget about race, gender, sexuality, favorite singer. We are all the same because we're human and we go through a ton of issues.
"I used to think I was perfect. But -- I know this will seem a surprise -- I am not perfect. I grow hair on my legs, I wax my chin, I pop pimples, I will even pass a little gas. But guess what, so do you. So do all of you. And that is totally fine. However, I used to think that was not fine. Do you know who snapped me out of it? My friends.
"Yes, the four girls I hang out with almost every day of my life. And get this: they are all different from me. Usually, girls like me will hang out with... girls like me. But I didn't do that. There was something about each of these girls that made me gravitate towards them. I've known these girls for almost my entire life. The last friend I made, I met one of them during my freshman year. What's interesting is that we all changed at a certain period of time yet we are still friends. They changed me, only for the better. I can't tell the future but I know that we are best friends forever and I believe that.
"Some of you may not have friends like me. Some of you may not have any friends. But know this: your best friend has to be yourself. You have to know yourself before anyone can know you. You have to love yourself before anyone can love you. Your best friend has to be yourself. And I know that sounds selfish but hear me out. If you don't think you have self-worth, who will? You got to believe in yourself in order to achieve your goals. Nobody goes through life moping around and being suicidal. Everyone deserves to live but it is what you do with your life that determines the influence of your presence.
"Now after this, we won't be students of Laguna Beach High anymore. But some of us will still be students. Is that a bad thing? No. What if you don't go to college? That's fine. What if I live with my parents until I'm fifty years old? As long as you're helping them pay rent, you can do no wrong. We all have a future. It is what we do now that affects our future. Whatever your goal is, start now. Not tomorrow, now. If you don't have time today, then start tomorrow. But you can't start any later than tomorrow. You just can't. You want something, go for it. But you have to do good things. When you leave, remember this: do good things. Be a good person. Be a good best friend. Be good to yourself. Just know that you're going to make mistakes along the way. But you know you're giving it a try when you make mistakes. Thank you."
The audiences applauded for Madeline as she started to leave the podium.
"And if anyone finds a sparkly, peach lip gloss anywhere, notify me. I can't find mine."
        Some of the audience members laughed.
        "I'm serious. I need my lip gloss back. It's my only peach one."

Goodbye, School (Chapter 2)

The seniors were later directed from the lobby to the gymnasium. They sat on the bleachers alphabetically for half an hour until they were assembled into a line. That line was directed into a mega auditorium where they were surrounded by their loved ones in the stands. Everyone was cheering, calling out their children's names and taking pictures. The seniors sat down in the chairs in the center and watched the stage where the principal and star students were standing. Madeline happened to be one of the star students.
The principal stood in front of the podium and spoke in the microphone. "Welcome to the 2016 Graduation Ceremony of Laguna Beach High School!"
Everybody cheered like they were at a concert.
"I just want to say that I am proud of my students and the direction that they've decided to take. And I will honestly miss most of them as they go. These students deserve to move on from their lives at Laguna Beach and pursue successful careers that will take them to the greatest heights. Before I let some of my favorite students speak, I want us to loosen up a bit. I feel that it is important for a graduation ceremony to not only be serious but to be fun. So let's get jiggy with it as I'd like to welcome a student band, A New Yesterday!"
The audiences clapped as the spotlight shined beside the stage. There was Skye behind a microphone. Sean and David was on each side of her with their guitars and their own microphones. And Kent was right behind her on the drums. They still had on their caps and gowns but they didn't mind. They were very much prepared.

Paper bags and plastic hearts
All are belongings in shopping carts
It's goodbye...
But we got one more night
Let's have fun and ride around
And make peace with an empty town
We can make it right

The musicians stopped for a second before playing louder. Skye even sang louder when she began the chorus.

Throw it away
Forget yesterday
We'll make the great escape
But we won't hear a word they say
They won't know us anyway
Watch it burn, let it die
'Cause we are finally free tonight
All of the wasted time
The hours that were left behind
The answers that we'll never find
They don't mean a thing tonight

David started playing an epic guitar solo. Then Skye and David took turns singing.

Throw it away
Forget yesterday
We'll make the great escape
We won't hear a word they say
They don't know us anyway

Skye held a note in the first line of the chorus. Sean and David helped sing the chorus as they strummed their guitars.

Throw it away
Forget yesterday
We'll make the great escape
But we won't hear a word they say
They won't know us anyway
Watch it burn, let it die
'Cause we are finally free tonight

The musicians played quieter for the ending. Kent rapped on the cymbals before Sean stopped playing his bass and David plucked some strings for the outro. When they were done, the seniors gave the band a standing ovation. Skye jumped up and gave David a hug while he spun her around. He then let her down so the band could take a bow before the audiences.

Goodbye, School (Chapter 1)

Today was the day: graduation day. Every senior from Laguna Beach High School was gathered inside a fancy college before attending their ceremony. They were all standing in the lobby in their caps and gowns, waiting for further instructions. Friends talked to friends; lovers talked to lovers. They laughed, smiled and even cried. Actually, it was only Lizzie who was crying.
"What's wrong, Liz'?" asked Andrea.
"I don't want to graduate," answered Lizzie, choked up through sniffles. "I want to... stay at school... forever."
"You're lucky you're even graduating, Liz'," said Skye, almost muttering.
"Hey, don't cry," Madeline said, putting her arm around Lizzie.  "You should be happy. You're becoming an adult."
"I don't want to be an adult," wept Lizzie. "Adults die."
"Kids die, too, Lizzie."
"Kids die all the time," shouted Skye.
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" asked Lizzie.
"I guess not," said Madeline. "Listen, nothing is going to change. You're gonna go to a new school in a few months. Isn't that exciting?"
Lizzie wiped her nose. "I guess so."
"Right. So you should feel good about that."
"Okay."
"Okay, so stop crying. You're ruining your makeup."
"It's a good thing you guys are going to college," said Skye. "But while you're getting an education, I'll be out rocking." She pretended to play an air guitar.
"While you'll be out rocking, we'll be here knowing... stuff," said Madeline.
"I can't believe your band is going to release your first album," shared Debra.
"Just make sure you pick up a copy," reminded Skye.
"So you're not going to college at all?" questioned Lizzie, wiping her wet cheeks.
"That's correct."
"It's so weird that after we graduate, we'll be completely abandoning each other," said Andrea.
"We're not abandoning each other," said Debra. "We're going to the same school."
"Yeah, except for Madeline and Skye. I'm happy for all of you but can a sister get a warning?"
"Sorry that I'm going to Harvard," Madeline apologized. "But I'm not sorry. We should've already known that we're kinda going to go our separate ways."
"But I feel like we should've discussed it more."
"What is there to discuss? We're going to college. It's not like we're becoming magicians."
"That would be really cool if we were," shared Lizzie.
"We're best friends," mentioned Andrea. "Don't you think the state of our friendship should've been discussed?"
"She's right, Maddie," Debra agreed.
"Don't get mad at me because I'm going to Harvard," said Madeline. "Look, we still have the summer so how about tomorrow we watch a movie like Dirty Dancing?"
"I'm not gonna watch a movie about a pedophile," stated Skye.
"Hey, he was not a pedophile. Baby was seventeen, going on eighteen. And if she were to turn eighteen, she would've looked the same so it was not pedophilia. It was okay."
"Heck, if Kylie and Tyga were allowed to date, then there's nothing wrong with that movie," said Andrea. "Still, you can't bribe me with classics." She marched off and pushed herself through a crowd.
"Geez, there's no need to be upset. This is the present, turning into the future. We were very aware of that."
"Yeah, but you can't leave us without saying goodbye," mentioned Skye. She walked off as well.
"What is this? Walk Away Land? I'm being honest. I'm spitting truth."
"I got to find Kyle," said Debra before walking off, too.
"Oh, that's your excuse?" Madeline looked at Lizzie, who was still standing by.
"I would leave," confessed Lizzie, "but I don't want a bunch of people to see how messed up my makeup is."

Is This the End? (Part Two) (Chapter 5)

Couple of days later, over the weekend, there was a big bash over at Lizzie's fellow cheerleader, Celeste's, house. The Cow Belles were the first ones to be invited and since Pamela was the head cheerleader, she let the girls know that they were definitely coming to the party. But the Cow Belles didn't know that Celeste invited Lizzie, who was thinking about going. When she decided to actually go, she brought her friends.
It was an hour in and Celeste's expensive home was already getting trashed with spilled beer, knocked-over food and traces of saliva. Everybody did their own thing, especially Madeline who brought along her boyfriend, Homer. As she chatted with him, her two best friends decided to talk to him as well.
"Do you like the sweater Louise got you?" asked Pamela.
"We helped her pick it out," added Mauricia.
Homer tugged his small, tight, green-and-blue striped sweater from the bottom to get comfortable in it. "Um, yeah," he said. "It's-- It's nice. It's really-- I appreciate it."
"You're so lucky," said Pamela.
"Yeah, Louise is really pretty," smiled Mauricia.
"Thanks, guys," Madeline grinned.
"But you're prettier," Pamela admitted to Homer.
"Way prettier," Mauricia agreed.
"You're so hot."
"Hot like a sock cooking in a pot at a foxtrot."
"Ooh! Good word play."
"Thanks, sister."
Homer chuckled. "Thank you."
"I got to pee," confessed Pamela. "Mauricia, do you got to pee?"
"Oh, yeah, I have got to pee," replied Mauricia. "Louise, do you got to pee?"
"Uh, no, I'm fine," Madeline responded.
"Okay, weirdo," Pamela giggled. "Come on, Mauricia. Let's find a toilet."
"I hope it's a clean toilet," said Mauricia.
The two walked together, arm in arm, out of the crowd to search the home for a bathroom. Madeline watched the girls leave until they vanished. She then turned her attention to her boyfriend.
"You do know this shirt doesn't fit me, right?" Homer questioned.
"Yeah, I kinda noticed," Madeline replied.
"Then why did you buy me this if you knew it wasn't my size?"
"Because it was the only shirt in the store that looked like that."
"But I don't care what kind of shirt you get me... unless it's pink with rainbows and monkeys. And I don't get it; why are they calling you 'Louise'?"
"It's a long story."
"Well, whatever the story is, I don't think you should be friends with them."
Madeline scoffed. "Why not?"
"Because they're forcing you into situations you want no part of. Wouldn't you rather be friends with someone who accepts your values?"
"I-- Yes, I would."
"I think you should make up with your old friends."
"I do miss them."
"Then tell them that. Speak to them. They're right over there."
Madeline turned her head and noticed her old friends hanging with each other yards away from her. They appeared to have moved to that spot while she was talking to Homer. Madeline looked at her boyfriend who raised his eyebrows at her. She sighed then made her way to the girls. The girls turned their attention towards her when one of them took a glimpse of Madeline coming their way.
"Hey, girls," smiled Madeline politely.
"Well, well, well," started Andrea. "If isn't the girl who called me fat and a T.H.O.H."
"We don't want any trouble, princess," said Skye.
"I'm not looking for trouble," said Madeline. "Listen, guys, I know I've said some harsh things to you. I just wanted to apologize. Andrea, I'm sorry for calling you overweight and a T.H.O.H.-- That Ho Over Here. Debra, I'm sorry for basically calling you a pothead. Skye, I would like to apologize for calling you a stripper. You're going to be successful one day; possibly, more successful than me. But whatever happens, I'll be proud of you. And Lizzie, I apologize for standing you up. This friendship means the world to me and the least I could've done was to be there for you. I apologize to all of you. You don't deserve a bratty friend like me. And if you can't accept my apology, I understand."
"What did I say, girl?" asked Andrea. "We're friends--"
"Forever and always."
"Exactly. Look, I must admit: I was packing on a little something. I was on a Cheeto spree not too long ago. I was bloating like a fish so you were right to call me out on my weight gain."
"No, I was just being mean. But hey, guys love thick girls and guys love you."
"And don't you forget about it, chica."
Madeline giggled.
"I accept your apology," granted Debra.
"Yeah, I guess I accept your apology, too, you slut," Skye joked.
Madeline laughed then looked at Lizzie. "Lizzie... how do you feel?"
Lizzie just stood there. Her eyes then filled with tears. And impulsively, Lizzie ran up to Madeline and gave her a big hug. She cried into her shoulder as Madeline hugged her back, swaying themselves side to side.
The girls were so heartfelt that they joined in. They held onto each other for what felt like forever. When the girls let go, Madeline said:
"And I promise that I won't be catty... sometimes."
"That's my girl," smiled Skye.
The girls did a group hug once more. While they embraced each other, the Cow Belles came out into the living room and witnessed the action.
"Louise, what are you doing?" Pamela questioned sternly.
The girls released each other and looked at the duo.
"You do not hug them," reminded Mauricia.
"Those basic girls," added Pamela.
"Those basic knuckleheads."
"Who's Louise?" asked Lizzie.
"Hey, they are not basic knuckleheads," stated Madeline. "They're my friends."
"Oh, is that right?" inquired Pamela, crossing her arms. "You're just gonna go back to them after everything we've done for you?"
"What have you done for me besides buy me clothes?"
"Uh, lots of things."
"Lots and lots of things," Mauricia added.
"You can't betray us. We're yum; they're um."
"What does 'um' mean?" asked Debra.
"It means, Santigold, that you guys have no definition. We have a definition."
"Is that definition, 'a bunch of stupid girls who belong in melodramas'?" queried Skye.
"Uh, no!" responded Mauricia.
"You're not gonna desert us, Louise," ordered Pamela. "We brought you here so you're leaving with us."
Pamela reached for Madeline's wrist and grabbed while her and Mauricia walk around the girls. Andrea grabbed Pamela's wrist and pulled her hand off of Madeline's wrist.
"Don't be touchin' on our friend," demanded Andrea.
She stuck each of her hands on each of the Cow Belles' faces and pushed them backwards. Andrea was so strong that the girls backed up and twisted around, going heads first into a box of large pizza that was sitting on the table behind them. Andrea and her friends stared wide-eyed at the Cow Belles, who seemed to be drowning in the pizza covered in multiple toppings.
The Cow Belles lifted themselves up slowly. When they regained their balance, they turned around and revealed their faces which were covered in tomato sauce, cheese, pepperoni slices and diced green peppers. The girls couldn't help but laugh at the duo.
"We should call them 'the Pizza Belles' from now on," recommended Skye.
The Cow Belles balled their hands up into fists and freaked out. They stomped past the witnessing teenagers who made space for them to avoid getting pizza residue on themselves.
After the duo left, Madeline's flimsy friend and journalist, Calvin, appeared before the girls' eyes.
"Hello, Madeline," he nicely greeted. "And Madeline's friends. I couldn't help but notice that you five made up and are now friends again."
"Were you eavesdropping?" asked Skye.
Calvin laughed. "Yes. Anyway, I'm working on a story in the newspaper on strong friendships. May I interview you all?"
The girls consented.
"Great. Before I do that, I got to get a picture of you all." Calvin pulled out his touch screen cell phone from his jeans' pocket and turned it on.
"How's my hair?" asked Andrea, combing her fingers through her curly hair.
"Flawless as always," responded Madeline.
"Ooh, girl, you flatter me."
Calvin held up his phone to get a good angle of the five. They posed in their own ways, looking towards the camera lens on the phone. After they smiled, Calvin snapped a picture of the five. He took the perfect photo of their perfect friendship.

Is This the End? (Part Two) (Chapter 4)

The next day, it was like any other day at school. Since Lizzie, Andrea, Debra and Skye were friends again, they sat together at their usual table. Since Madeline was a part of the Cow Belles, she sat with them at their table, which was situated within the back row of the cafeteria. They sat on the same bench with Madeline in the center of them. They put down their lunchboxes and opened them up.
"Gee, I'm starving," confessed Mauricia.
"That's because you've been on a juice cleanse," reminded Pamela.
"Oh, yeah, that's right."
"Pamela, I'm loving that shade of brown on your lips," complimented Madeline.
"Thanks," Pamela smiled. "I got my shade from Kylie Jenner's lip kit."
"Shut up! I got the lip kit."
"No way!"
"I got it, too," agreed Mauricia.
"We should all stop by my house and put it on together."
"Yeah, we should totes do that."
"Speaking of Kylie Jenner, since I'm eighteen and practically an adult, I was thinking about getting my lips filled."
"Yeah, you should def' do that."
"You would look amazeballs with fuller lips," commented Madeline.
"Thank you, Mads," Pamela raised her shoulder. "You should get plastic surgery with me. You could use some botox."
Madeline scrunched her forehead. "What?"
"You have some wrinkles going on around your mouth."
Madeline touched her cheeks to feel if any wrinkles were present. "But I'm eighteen. I can't get wrinkles unless I smoke or anything like that."
"No, you can get wrinkles just from laughing," said Mauricia. "That's why we try not to laugh sometimes."
"Yeah but you don't start forming actual wrinkles until you're thirty."
"How do you know?" asked Pamela.
"It just-- I-I don't know."
"Don't get all insecure, Maddie," said Mauricia. "We're all gonna need a little botox. All the hottest celebrities get it and we're as hot as celebrities."
"I guess we are."
"Guess?!" Pamela inquired.
"I mean we totes are."
"Definitely!" said Mauricia.
"I know I don't want to walk around looking like Bruce Jenner before the tuck," admitted Pamela.
"What happened to Bruce Jenner anyway?"
"I don't know. I think he died. But his sister came back to life or something."
Madeline watched the girls as they indulged in saltless crackers from their lunchboxes. "Uh, so I was thinking about going shopping at Forever 21 at the mall later. Are you girls down?"
"Uh, no!" Pamela and Mauricia uttered at the same time.
"We don't shop at Forever 21," said Pamela.
"We only wear designer clothing," noted Mauricia.
"You know that."
"I know," said Madeline, "but my friends and I... I mean--"
"Madeline, we do not speak about them."
"We refer them as 'the basic knuckleheads'," admitted Mauricia.
"Sometimes, 'those basic girls'."
"Or just 'them'."
"Yeah. They are not your friends anymore. We're your friends."
"That's right."
"You shouldn't even be friends with them anyway. They're dumb; we're yum."
"Yum."
"We're cookies and crumbs."
"Crumbs."
"They are to be forgotten. But us, you'll always remember."
"You know why?"
"Because we're fierce. And we hang out with fierce people. That's why we're hanging out with you."
Madeline smiled. "Thanks, girls. Or should I say, my sisters."
Pamela giggled. "Excellent. And another thing: you have to change your name."
Madeline raised her eyebrows. "My name? What?"
"Your name starts with an 'M'."
"And my name starts with an 'M'," Mauricia noted.
"And we can't have two M's. That's way too confusing."
"What's your middle name?"
"Louise," Madeline answered.
"So that settles it," said Pamela. "Your name is Louise."
"Oh, I don't know about--"
"Louise!" uttered Mauricia.
"Louise, please," Pamela said in singsong.
Madeline awkwardly chuckled before making a weird face.

Is This the End? (Part Two) (Chapter 3)

The next day, the four girls decided to walk together in the hallway while they were at school. They were transitioning in between classes and spotted one another in the hall. So they decided to make conversation for a few minutes. As they ambled, they noticed the students in front of them inside the halls divided into two groups. The groups walked closer to the lockers, creating a space in the middle. The girls knew that meant the Cow Belles were making their way through. They hated that but they did what everyone else did and walked closely by the walls. As the Cow Belles sashayed down the hall, everyone, including the girls, noticed a new addition to the duo. There was a girl about the same height as them and dressed like them who was walking with them, in between them. Lizzie, Andrea and Debra dropped their jaws when they saw that girl was Madeline.
"I told you all," said Skye.
When the Cow Belles, including Madeline, walked past, the girls stopped walking and stared at the trio.
"Madeline's friends with the Cow Belles?" queried Andrea. "¡Asqueroso!"
"I don't understand this," said Lizzie.
"A lot of things you don't understand," Skye murmured.
"How did this happen?" asked Debra.
"I'm not sure," responded Skye. "But Madeline was getting a bit 'witchy'... if you replace the 'W' with a 'B'. So it does not surprise me that she's with them."
"I got to talk to her," said Lizzie before marching towards the Cow Belles.
The girls followed Lizzie until she caught up with Madeline and tapped her on the shoulder. Madeline stopped and turning around, flipping her blonde hair. When Madeline stopped, Pamela and Mauricia stopped as if they could also feel the tap on her shoulder.
"Hey, Madeline," greeted Lizzie.
"Uh, did you just say 'hi' to us?" asked Pamela.
"No, we say 'hi' to you," said Mauricia.
"And then we insult you."
"It's what we do."
"Not you."
"Uh, I didn't say 'hi' to you," said Lizzie. "I said 'hi' to Madeline. Well, not 'hi'. It was 'hey'."
"You speak to one of us, you speak to all of us," clarified Madeline.
"That's how life goes," added Pamela.
"What do you want anyway?"
"What do you mean?" Lizzie questioned.
"You never know what I mean, do you?"
"That's because she's empty-headed," said Pamela.
"Her head is empty," said Mauricia.
"I couldn't agree with you more," smirked Madeline.
"Maddie, what's wrong with you?" asked Lizzie. "I just wanted to see how you were doing."
"I'm doing well. Thanks for asking. Now leave."
"Yeah, leave," repeated Pamela.
"Buh-bye," waved Mauricia.
"Can you two shut up?" ordered Andrea.
"Uh, we can do whatever we want," Pamela responded.
"Yeah, it's a free country," agreed Mauricia.
"The United States of America," added Madeline.
"What is going on?" Andrea mumbled, looking away.
"Listen, Madeline," started Lizzie. "We got the gang back together. And we should put our silly ways behind us and become friends again."
"Why would I want to do that?" asked Madeline.
"Because we got the gang back together?"
Madeline chuckled. "I thought I made it clear; I don't want to be friends with any of you."
"I don't get it, Madeline," admitted Debra. "Why do you feel this way?"
"Because Erykah Badu, I found better friends. Cooler, prettier, way glamorous friends."
"Ain't that the truth," said Pamela.
"Yeah!" uttered Mauricia.
"Madeline, think about the good times we've had together," said Skye. "Are you really going to throw that all away?"
"Uh, isn't that what trashcans are for?" Madeline inquired. "So yeah."
"Man, you are such a brat."
"See? That's why I don't want to be friends with you. It's because you keep insulting me."
"Look, I'm sorry."
"I don't care! You said it and you had a reason so you're not sorry. I just can't take all this abuse anymore. I never felt such a weight lift off my shoulders after we fell apart. I need to be away from all of you. You guys are ungrateful."
"Ungrateful?" repeated Andrea. "This friendship was the best thing that ever happened to me. I remember the first time we became friends and I haven't forgot the rest. You're ungrateful for wanting out."
"Leave her alone," commanded Pamela.
"She's eighteen years old," mentioned Mauricia. "She can make her own choices."
"Sit your pancake butts down," Andrea demanded.
Pamela and Mauricia gaped.
Madeline made a step forward. "They have bomb butts, thank you very much. These are my new friends and you have no right to talk to them like that. So we're gonna leave. Nice seeing you. Not really."
The new Cow Belles turned around at the same time and started strutting away. The girls just stood there, watching the backs of them.
"Wow," said Lizzie. "Madeline became a real witch."
"With a 'B'," added Skye.
"Yeah, totally."

Is This the End? (Part Two) (Chapter 2)

Later that day, Lizzie's boyfriend, DeMarcus decided to take his girl to the mall after school. He noticed that she's still a little down so he thought shopping would cheer her up. They walked hand-in-hand through the hall, passing by many alive shops, concentrating on each other.
"Sweetums, I don't think any of your friends like me," noted Lizzie.
"What?" said DeMarcus. "Of course my friends like you. They just-- They-- Uh... They're just not used to you. Yeah, that's the right word for it."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. But maybe if you didn't try so hard while you're talking to them, they would probably like you better."
"I'm trying to make them feel comfortable."
"Well, you're making them feel uncomfortable, baby."
"So I should just talk like myself?"
"Exactly. If you be yourself, my friends will accept you and maybe they'll let you sit with me again."
"You have such good friends. I'm envious but I'm happy for you."
"Thanks, babe. And since you're with me, they'll become your friends one day. And hey, we can all see Tay-Tay someday together."
"Really?"
DeMarcus chuckled. "No. They're not into that."
"I'll try to act more like myself around your friends."
"Good. Just be you. You can have some slickety-slang in your speech since everybody got some slang. But keep it subtle. And whatever you do, do not say the N word."
"What's the N word?"
"Good girl. I'm gonna go buy a pretzel. Do you want one?"
"Sure, sweetie."
"Alright. I'll be back before you can say, 'Football'."
"Football."
"Not for real."
"Sorry." Lizzie awkwardly grinned.
"It's okay."
DeMarcus grabbed Lizzie by the cheeks and pecked her nose. They smiled at each other before DeMarcus walked off to find the pretzel stand.
        When he left, Lizzie looked around and loitered a bit. Then she laid eyes on the window of a store called, "Forever 21". She walked closer to it, getting a better view of the clothing on the mannequin inside the window. The mannequin had on a short dress which was white on the top and black on the bottom. This is so my style, Lizzie thought. After being mesmerized by the dress for a few seconds, Lizzie realized that there was another person, who was inside the store, eyeing the dress from behind the mannequin. Lizzie locked eyes with Skye and the two immediately jumped. They looked closely into the window to make sure they were actually seeing each other. Lizzie waved to get rid of the awkwardness. But Skye awkwardly waved back. Relaxing her shoulders, Lizzie zipped inside the store and faced Skye who didn't try to move.
"Hi," Lizzie politely smiled.
"Hi," Skye responded.
"Oh, boy. This is the first time we talked in months."
Skye chuckled. "Yeah, I know."
"So h-how are you?"
"Good. You?"
"Good."
"That's cool."
"How's the band?"
"Great. We learned these three new songs and filmed ourselves performing them. We're gonna upload them to YouTube."
"That's great. I can't wait to watch them."
Skye nodded her head, rolling her closed lips inside her mouth. Lizzie nodded a bit with a slowly fading smile.
"Lizzie?" a girl said aloud.
Lizzie turned her head to the voice which came from the entrance. Skye turned her head, too, and the two girls looked Debra. She was almost frozen then she approached the two.
"Skye? I didn't know you two still talked."
"Oh, we don't," said Lizzie. "We just started... talking to each other."
"Yeah," Skye nodded.
"Oh, that's good," said Debra. "How are you two?"
"Skye's gonna upload some videos to YouTube," responded Lizzie, answering Debra's question for Skye.
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah, I recorded my band playing a few new songs," said Skye.
"That's good. How bout you, Lizzie?"
"Oh, I'm good," Lizzie smiled. "T-Thanks for asking."
"No problem."
Andrea was about to enter the store but when she looked up, she saw her old friends right inside, out in the open. Since she hadn't spoken to them in a while, she thought the best reaction would be to avoid them. As she turned around, Lizzie just randomly looked at the store just to look. She caught Andrea almost walking away and called her name.
Andrea stopped and balled her hands into fists. "Aw, frick!" she muttered, banging the air one time.
She turned around with a calm look on her face. She quickly walked into the store and got near the girls.
"Hey, guys," she said with a bit of awkwardness in her tone.
The girls quietly greeted her back.
"How's life?" asked Lizzie.
"Life is pretty good," answered Andrea. "It's been treating me very well."
"Is your grandfather okay?"
"Yes."
"That's good as well."
"Why did you ask about my grandfather?"
"Because I know you love him and I just wanted to make sure he was okay."
"Oh. Thank you."
"What have you been up to?" asked Debra.
"Oh, I joined the hip hop club. I learned that I really like to dance so I figured, 'Might as well join a club'. So I've been enjoying it, learning new moves." She flipped one side of her long, curly hair behind her shoulder by flicking her head. "Watch me whip."
"That's awesome that you're in a club," commented Skye. "It's perfect for you."
"I know. Thanks anyway."
"I've noticed that your style changed a bit, Lizzie," noted Debra.
Lizzie looked down at her body. Her style did change a bit. She replaced her high heels for white sneakers and covered her chest with a pink hooded jacket.
"Oh, yeah," said Lizzie, looking up.  "I don't know. I just wanted to dress in something a bit more... comfortable, I guess. And I got this shirt..." She began to unzip her jacket. "... after Andrea called me a virgin who can't drive and I found it so I bought it." Lizzie stretched the flaps of her jacket outwards to expose her T-shirt which said, "You're a Virgn Who Can't Drive" in bold, black, capital letters.
The sight of the shirt made Skye laugh.
"Oh, funny," Andrea giggled awkwardly.
"Where's the 'I'?" asked Skye.
"What?" said Lizzie.
"There's no 'I' in 'Virgin'."
Lizzie looked down at her shirt and noticed the missing "I" in the word "Virgin" which is supposed to be in front of the "N".
"Oh, my gosh," laughed Debra.
Andrea's giggles became less awkward.
"That is so-- Oh, my God!" Skye cracked up.
Lizzie began to laugh, joining in with the girls who were laughing like nothing has changed.
"How did you not notice that?" questioned Skye.
"I have no idea," responded Lizzie. "I recognized the phrase so I bought the shirt."
"Well, until you can find the definition of 'virg-in'," started Andrea, "you cannot wear that shirt anymore."
"Maybe people will think it's Latin," said Skye.
"I know Latin," mentioned Debra.
"Okay, people other than Debra will think it's Latin."
Andrea cackled.
"Hey, it could be worst. Your shirt could've been missing the 'You're' and dropped the 'W' for 'who'."
"Really, Skye?"
"I'm sorry; I was thinking it so I had to say it. No offense, Lizzie."
"I'm not offended," Lizzie smiled. "So... are we friends again?"
The girls calmed down to process what Lizzie asked seriously. They took glances at each other, waiting for someone to say something first.
"Yes," Debra smiled at Lizzie. Her smile made Lizzie smile.
"I said this once and I'll never forget it," started Andrea. "We're girls, forever and always."
"I guess," responded Skye. "I've been pretty bored lately."
Debra scrunched her forehead at Skye.
"I'm kidding! Of course we're friends again."
"Yay!" Lizzie cheered. "We're back together again."
"Not quite," said Debra. "We didn't talk to Madeline."
"I haven't seen her since the fight," noted Andrea. "Does anyone know what happened to her?"
"Oh, I know what happened to her," Skye replied. "Let's just say Madeline... not too long ago joined the Dark Side."
"Skye, I don't understand science friction talk," admitted Lizzie.

Is This the End? (Part Two) (Chapter 1)

It had been a month since the girls decided to stop spending time with each other. Their argument moved them into different directions and they almost forgot that they were ever friends. They made new friends or connected with old ones. Where they sat in lunch was a story of its own. Lizzie sat with her boyfriend, DeMarcus, and his friends, all African-American. Andrea sat with the members of a hip-hop dance club which she decided to join earlier. Debra sat with her boyfriend, Kyle, and friends which consisted of hipsters and bohemians. And Skye sat with her bandmates, David, Sean and Kent. Where Madeline sat was a mystery. Nonetheless, they all avoided the table that they would sit every time they went to lunch. They left it cold and empty for a month.
Lizzie, unlike the girls, thought about her friends every day and was learning gradually to cope with the breakup. She tried to enjoy all the time she was spending with her boyfriend and make nice with his friends, who weren't that nice to her.
One day, during lunch, one of DeMarcus' friends, Jermaine, was telling a story to the group.
"So I get in the car and my girl says, 'That's not your car.' And I said, 'Yes, it is my car.' And she said, 'No, that is not your car.' And I said, 'LaQuisha, how are you going to tell me what's my car and what's not?' And she says, 'Because your car air freshener was Apples and Cinnamon and this car air freshener says, 'Peaches and Cream'.' So I said, 'Oh, shoot, I'm sorry. My bad.' So we get out of the car and it turns out that I parked a couple yards away from that car. If whoever that owned that car saw me get in it, he would've got your boy locked up."
"We know that you don't want to get arrested again, Jermaine," said DeMarcus.
"Hey, I was not arrested. They put me in the car, changed their mind and took me out. It don't count."
"Yes, it do," said another friend, Quincy.
"Man, whatever."
"Yo, yo," Lizzie started in an urbanized voice, "I got a crazy sto'y myself. L-L-Let me get to it. See, I was at my girl's house, right? And she had this cousin who was trippin'. She was just all kinds of trippin'. Me and my crew thought that she was trippin' 'cause she was sicky-sick. So one d-d-day, we were over at her house and the girl, the cousin, had a bat. And she was swingin' it. Just swingin' it. Like she was about to busta-bust our heads in. So then my girl, Andrea, A.K.A. Candy to the Andy, just took her by the face and dropped her down the stairs. Man, it was 'cray'. You shoulda been there. But we got paid. Mad paid, son. So it worked out in the endy-end."
DeMarcus' friends didn't respond to Lizzie's story. They just sat there and stared at her. Lizzie didn't know what else to say or do so she just glanced at everybody. After a while, they ignored her story and started talking to each other again.
"So Chantel, where'd you get the new weave?" asked Jermaine.
"I got it at the hair store across the street," answered DeMarcus' female friend, Chantel. "You know I'm always getting something there. I figured I needed a change, thank you very much."
"Girl, do you think I can go blonde?" asked her friend, Shanica, who was feeling Chantel's straight honey-colored hair.
"Most def, girl!"
"Yo, I can hook ya up if you wanna holla at me," said Lizzie, still speaking in an urban way. "See, I was givin' myself a haircut. You know, a snippy-snip. But I chopped it up, my sista. I chopped it all like chop suey. I didn't want to be seen in public, ya nah mean? So I bought these hair extensions, girl, and wore them until my flow came back in. I own a bunch of them extensions, girl. If you want, I can hook you up. Holla at me!"
Lizzie's boyfriend's friends just stared at her again. They still didn't know how to respond to her. Jermaine leaned towards DeMarcus and patted him on the arm.
"De, how long is this white girl gonna be sitting here?" he whispered to him.
"J, that white girl is my girlfriend," DeMarcus whispered back.
"Yeah, how long is she gonna be sitting here?"
"Dude, my girl lost all her friends. I'm her man and I didn't want her to feel lonely so I want her to sit here from now on."
Jermaine clicked his teeth. "Alright, man. But she needs to stop talking like she was one of us 'cause she's not."
"Then don't talk to her."
"Nobody's talking to her."
"Well, maybe you should."
"Did anybody hear that they're making a new Barbershop movie?" asked Quincy.
His friends agreed.
"Yeah, Nicki Minaj is in it and everything," said Shanica.
"Yo, I love me some Nicki Minaj!" said Lizzie. "Ya hear 'The Pinkprint'? Holla! Yo, do you know who's cool? Do you really wanna know who's cool? Iggy Azalea. That girl is the bomb. Oh, man, she be gettin' big time! I was gonna go to her concert last year but I traded in my tickets to see Tay-Tay. She got that bad blood for real, dawg. She bad-bad! Whoop-whoop!"
"Get out," ordered Jermaine.

Independence Day (Chapter 5)

After almost an hour, Andrea was spending time with her new friend on a bench far away from the crowd. All she did was persistently chat with him since they both seemed interested. Once Andrea looked at his attractive face with big, brown eyes and mesmerizing smile, Andrea knew that she didn't want to walk away from him.
"Where are you from?" the guy asked with a Jersey accent.
"New York but I was born in Puerto Rico."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I lived in New York for seven years before my family moved to Laguna."
"I knew I was getting a bit of a J-Lo vibe from you."
"Oh, stop it. I-- I don't-- I'm not anything like J-Lo. Besides, my mom is Mexican so..."
"Yeah and so was Selena."
"You got me there. You got me there, Marty. Thank you, though. So where are you from?"
"New Jersey."
"Oh, I guessed from the accent."
"That always gives it away."
Andrea giggled.
"You know, you got a great laugh."
"No, I don't. I mean I do but I don't."
"No, you do. It's really sexy."
"No, it's not. It is but it's not."
"Andrea!" a male voice called.
She turned around, only to see her ex-boyfriend, Kevin, approaching the two from ten feet.
Andrea turned back around. "Oh, Jesus..."
Kevin leaned against the bench from behind. "Hello, guys. What's up?"
"Nothing, Kevin," Andrea said through her teeth.
"Who are you?" he asked Marty.
"I'm Marty," he responded.
"Like the giraffe from Madagascar?"
"I guess."
"You know, you kinda look like him since you have a long neck and you're covered in splotches."
"Some people like to compare me to Gloria," spilled Andrea, "because if I sit on you, I'd be killing you." She stared hard and coldly at Kevin.
"You're not heavy enough."
"Kevin, why are you here?" Andrea stood up and faced him.
"Chrissy invited me."
"That doesn't mean you have to bug me."
"I'm not bugging you."
"Yes, you are! Look at me-- I'm bugged!"
"I just want you back."
"Kevin, you need to understand that I don't want you anymore."
"But I--"
"But nothing. Listen, I broke up with you the first time because you made me feel unwanted. And now that you want me, I don't feel the same way. Please, you'd be doing yourself a favor if you stop pursuing me. Plus, you're popular and good-looking; anyone would be lucky to have you. You just need to move on because I already have."
Kevin dropped his shoulders. "You're right. I'm sorry for bothering you. I'll leave you alone now."
"Thanks, Kevin."
Kevin shortly smiled before turning around and walking away, slow like a zombie. Andrea sat back down next to Marty who fully gave her his attention.          

An hour into the party, the teenagers barely budged. Yet their attention was paid towards something else when they all heard a high-pitched noise of something being shot up into the air. They looked up and gazed upon the electric green that burst within the black sky, causing an echoing pop sound. More colors exploded in the sky: aquamarine blue, fire orange, grape purple, Christmas red. The fireworks put a glow on the teens' attentive faces. Some of them cheered at the beauty that painted the night. And although the sky was covered in nothing but busted light, everybody at Chrissy's party felt that every firework came with different kinds of love which sprinkled upon the kids as each firework faded away. Madeline and Debra squeezed each other, reminding themselves the importance of their friendship. Skye shared her first kiss with her boyfriend, Jeffrey, as they wrapped their arms around each other. DeMarcus embraced Lizzie by the neck from behind and rocked her back and forth as he kissed her on the cheek. Lizzie softly gripped his arms while grinning like no other. And Marty offered to take Andrea away. So he held Andrea by the hand and led her to his car which was parked from afar.

Independence Day (Chapter 4)

An hour later, the girls got into Madeline's car and she drove them twenty minutes to the open field by the supermarket. They sung along to pop radio on their way there to pump themselves up. Madeline parked on fresh grass next to other cars when she got there. The girls got out of the car, gazing upon the crowd of teenagers attending the bash who were standing by a smoking grill and blankets on the ground. The girls walked together further into the field.
"Hey, girls," Chrissy approached the five.
The girls stopped.
"Hey, Chrissy," Madeline greeted.
"Glad you girls came," admitted Chrissy. "I have a friend who is going to set off the best fireworks that you guys have never seen."
"Really?" asked Lizzie.
"Really. So enjoy yourselves and have some barbecue."
"Oh, I don't eat barbecue," said Debra.
"Geez, Debbie, live a little." Chrissy tucked a long lock of her brown hair behind her ear. She turned around and walked away from the girls.
"Since when does she call me Debbie?"
"It doesn't matter," said Madeline. "Let's just get out there."
The girls began walking again closer into the party.
"Hey, Skye," Jeffrey waved from the distance.
"Hey!" Skye responded, parting herself from the girls. She sprinted a few yards towards her boyfriend. When she got close enough to him, she hugged him then walked away with him, hand in hand.
"Well, Skye's busy," said Andrea.
"I'm happy for her," confessed Madeline. "She has finally found someone. And he's quiet so he can never talk back."
Lizzie stopped, with her friends still walking, when she felt several taps on her shoulder. She turned and spotted a handsome, teenage African American boy in a blue and black striped sweater.
"Hi," he grinned, bearing his sparkly white teeth.
"Hey, black guy," Lizzie replied.
He chuckled awkwardly. "Black guy has a name."
"Oh, of course. Sorry, what's your name?"
"My name's DeMarcus."
"Oh, I've heard of you. My friend says that you've been eyeing me at school."
"Well, your friend is right."
"But why have you been eyeing me? You don't know me."
"You're right about that. I'm sorry; I'll stop eyeing you if it bothers you."
"No, it's okay. I like to be eyed."
"You do? Then I'll keep eyeing you. In fact, I'm eyeing you right now."
Lizzie giggled. "You know, my favorite letter is I."
"Really? My favorite letter is D."
"Why?"
"Because it's part of my name, DeMarcus."
"Oh! My name is Lizzie, by the way."
"I'm DeMarcus."
"I know."
"I know, too. I just wanted you to know."
"You wanted me to know that you know?"
"No, I wanted to know that you know so I'd know."
"Wait, what do I know?"
"I don't know. But I know you're beautiful."
"Oh, I know."

While Lizzie was having the "perfect" conversation with her new friend, DeMarcus, the rest of the girls were having one of their regular conversations.
"That guy has been checking you out ever since we got here," Madeline told Andrea while pointing at a guy far away with very tan skin and dark, short gelled hair.
Andrea scoffed. "Please, what would I do with a guido?"
"Oh, come on. You liked Pauly D."
"Yeah but where's Pauly D now?"
"DJing and-- and taking care of his biological baby. But that guy is not Pauly D, okay? It's not like you're waiting on Kevin Christie."
Andrea began chuckling. "Oh, please. I don't want Kevin no more."
"Then grab some dulce, Candy Andy."
"You're right!"
Andrea sprinted away towards the guy who was ogling her nonstop.
"He has so much gel in his hair," commented Debra.
"I know," Madeline agreed. "I should've sent Andrea off to somebody else."

Independence Day (Chapter 3)

Once the fourth of July came, the girls were all ready for anything. Madeline got the approval from her friend, Chrissy, to come to her party for Independence Day. So Madeline told the girls before the day came. So in the afternoon, the girls prepared themselves to look like the most fashionable girls that they were. Madeline told them that when they were ready, they could stop by her house so she could just drive them to the bash. Around five, all of the girls have arrived and hung out in Madeline's bedroom.
 "Girls, as much as I want to hang out with you all," started Skye, "but I invited Jeffrey so I might spend most of my time at the party with him."
"That's fine," said Madeline. "It's understandable that you want some alone time with your boyfriend."
"Just because he's my 'boyfriend' doesn't mean you have to call him my boyfriend."
"That's exactly what that means."
"Whatever."
"What would he address himself as?" asked Andrea. "Your pretty pal who you make out with from time to time?"
"That has a ring to it."
Andrea rolled her eyes and chuckled.
"Do you know if Warren will be at the party?" asked Lizzie, interlocking her fingers.
"No but DeMarcus will," responded Madeline.
"De-who-cus?"
"DeMarcus. He was the new quarterback of our school's football team. Rumor has it that he's been eyeing you."
"Why would he be eyeing me if he doesn't know me?"
"Because that's how crushes start. Sometimes love at first sight."
"Oh, I believe in love at first sight. But he can't love me; I don't know him."
"I didn't say he loved you. I'm just saying try to look for him and give him a chance."
Abruptly, muffled Latin music began playing. The girls turned their heads to Andrea as she pulled her cell phone out of her jeans' pocket. She looked at the bright screen and groaned. She answered the call and pressed the phone against her ear.
She said, "Kevin, if you call me again, I'm going to come to your house with a cheese grater."
She hung up then buried her phone in her arms as she crossed them.
"Why would you come to Kevin's house with a cheese grater?" questioned Lizzie. "Are you going to make pizza with him?"
"Sure, Lizzie."
"You still won't forgive Kevin?" asked Debra.
Andrea tucked her phone back into her pocket. "No, he's a dog. And I don't date dogs; I date wolves."
"A wolf is a dog."
"I know what a wolf is."
"If he's calling sixty times a day, maybe he's seriously sorry," said Madeline.
"I don't care if he's sorry. I broke his heart once so I'm not afraid to break it again."
"You can't be angry at him forever."
"Look, maybe one day, one day I'll get back together with him. But it's not now, it's not tomorrow, it's not ever."
"Then how are you going to get back together with him if you won't ever?" asked Lizzie.
"Because-- I don't know. Don't ask me so many questions."
"I asked you two."

Independence Day (Chapter 2)

After all of the girls were called, they went on with their separate lives. Andrea was especially hanging out in her bedroom, organizing the shirts in the middle drawer of her dresser. After taking out all of the shirts and folding half of them, she heard music all of a sudden. It was her ringtone, "Papi" by Jennifer Lopez, blasting from her cell phone was which lighting up on her bed covered in leopard printed sheets. She stopped what she was doing and walked over to her phone. She looked at the screen, reading the name, "Kevin". She rolled her eyes and groaned before answering the call.
"What's up?" she responded.
"Hey, Andrea," Kevin replied.
"What do you want?"
"You."
"Heh, I think I'm more of a 'who' than a 'what'."
"Sorry."
"Really, what it is?"
"I just wanted to apologize."
"You apologized forty-three times. You think I'm going to just forgive you the forty-fourth time?"
"What about the forty-fifth time?"
"No, Kevin."
"But I'm actually sorry."
"That doesn't mean I should accept your apology. You said you liked me then flirted with another girl in front of me."
"I know; it was wrong. I only dig you, baby."
"As sweet as that sounds, I don't dig you anymore so you should drop it and look for Pamela 'Blanderson' since you wanted her so much."
"I don't want her... anymore."
"Oh, so you actually wanted her? No, get off the phone."
"Come on, baby. Give me another chance. I mean don't you want to be with the junior prom king?"
"Just because you're royalty means I have to come crawling back to you?"
"No but think about it."
"Oh, I've already thought about it. And I think that you should stay far away from me."
"Come on--"
"No, stay far away from me."
"We have to go to school together. I can't stay far away from you any longer."
"You can take a shortcut."
"I don't know any shortcuts."
"Then when school starts, wear a cup."
Andrea hung up on Kevin then chucked her phone on the bed.

Independence Day (Chapter 1)

Madeline got up from her neat bed and began dialing on her pink cell phone. She then held the phone up to her ear.
"Hello?" Lizzie responded from the phone.
"You don't sound so excited," said Madeline.
"I'm always excited. Maybe it's because I was eating grapes."
"Probably. So I got some news for you."
"Some new news?"
"That's why they call it 'news'."
"Oh!"
"See, I heard that my not-so-close friend, Chrissy, is throwing an Independence Day party at an open field by the supermarket. So I'm going to call her to see if we're invited. And I know she'll invite us 'cause we're awesome."
"Is the Independence Day party on the fourth of July?"
Madeline scrunched her forehead. "Yes."
"Oh, okay."
"Why? Are you busy that day?"
"Well, I thought we decided to see that movie, 'Syphilis', on July fourth."
"You mean Selfless?"
"The one with Ryan Gosling?"
"Ryan Reynolds."
"They're different people?"
"Look, Lizzie, we can see that movie on your birthday. Doesn't that sound better?"
"Yeah, that's fair."
"Can you tell the rest of the girls about the party? I'm about to take a bath and my skin really needs it."
"Sure, Mads."
"Thanks, Liz'."
"Wait! Ryan Gosling is with Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds is with Eva Mendes, right?"
"It's the other way around."
"Blake Lively is with Eva Mendes?"
"Lizzie, I really got to go."

Cabo Wabo (Chapter 5)

The next morning, the girls woke up, all in different moods. They called one another and made a plan to eat breakfast together. They prepared themselves by putting on clothes, brushing their teeth and washing their face. Felicia took them downstairs to the breakfast bar and they took their food outside to one of the outdoor tables. Felicia did not join the girls immediately as she stayed in the bar to flirt with a man she met in a line.

"Your aunt Felicia is going to get her freak on," Andrea opined. "Just saying."

"Oh, don't say that to me," groaned Skye, holding her head. "It paints a picture in my head."

"Those pictures are called thoughts," said Lizzie.

"That party was... something, wasn't it?" asked Debra.

"Yeah, it was interesting," said Skye before taking a sip of orange juice.

"A dude touched my butt so I gave him a titty twister," Lizzie admitted.

"You go, girl," said Madeline. She high-fived Lizzie.

"The girl refused to play good music," said Skye.

"Good music was playing there," Andrea responded.

"You think so because you think you're black and all that. But not one hint of rock music. I was starving for rock music."

"Hey, kids change their taste in music every day," Madeline stated.

"Well, their taste sucks."

"I should've researched how long Gary knew Keeley," said Andrea. "Because if I knew that they had a thing for each other, I would've never gone for it."

"I think it's cute Gary and Keeley are a couple now," admitted Lizzie. "They're good-looking."

"But it's too bad that the good-looking white people can't appreciate a good-looking Latina like me."

"There will be plenty of good-looking white people who will appreciate you," said Madeline. "And don't be so focused on white guys, you racist."

Andrea giggled at her little joke.

"Did you have a good time last night, Maddie?" asked Debra.

"Um, it was okay," Madeline answered.

"Oh, it had to be more than okay," said Lizzie. "You left with Terry and came back with Terry."

"Tell us, Madeline," demanded Andrea. "Do you have Terry fever?"

Madeline chuckled. "He's a good guy. First, I thought he was a weirdo but it turned out he was sweet and cute and gentle."

"We have one more day left," reminded Skye. "You're going to see him tonight?"

"Does an elephant have a trunk?"

"You don't know, Maddie, because everybody knows," Lizzie inquired, unaware that the question was rhetorical.

"Do you think he'll ask for your number?" asked Debra to Madeline.

"No," she answered, "because I'll be getting his number!"

"Oh!" the girls uttered with enthusiasm.

"Girls, we are going to have a great time here in Fake Cabo," Madeline declared. "Because whatever happens in Cabo, stays in Cabo. Am I right, ladies?"

The girls cheered as a response.

"I'm so lucky to have you guys as friends," confessed Lizzie.

"I agree," consented Debra.

Madeline raised her glass of orange juice. "Cheers to one more great night."

The girls raised their glasses. "One more great night!" they all said. They clinked their glasses together, making a couple of them spill the juice on the girls' arms. The girls giggled and put their glasses down. As they cleaned their arms with napkins, they laughed their way to a perfect vacation.