The Beast Within (Chapter 5)

Next week, Lizzie accompanied Debra after school on her way to a club that she had decided to join: environmental club. The girls spoke as they entered the assigned location which was outside behind the large school.
"I'm so glad that you found another club to attend," admitted Lizzie.
"Thank you, Lizzie," responded Debra. "That means a lot."
"What happens if they decide to wipe out this club? What would you do?"
"Well, change is normal. Change can be good or it can be bad. But whatever happens, I'll just have to deal with it."
"Ooh, what a good answer."
"Thank you."
"I hope that you stay in this club forever because you were crazy."
"I know."
"No, you don't know. You were a full jar of crazy. Sometimes, you can be a little crazy. Just a little bit but a good amount. But the last few days, you were more than crazy. Loony, mad, nuts. You were like the Cocoa Puffs bird: you were cocoa... for Cocoa Puffs."
"I think I get it, Lizzie."
"You even looked like a bird."
"Thank you, Lizzie. I get it. I was crazy."
"But you found a club so you don't have to be crazy anymore."
"Yeah."
"It makes sense for you to join the environmental club. You love the environment."
"I sure do."
"I'd join it with you but I don't like getting dirty. And I don't like bugs. And I don't want to wear boots. And someone told me that trees were out to get us."
The girls soon reached the club's location which was on top of a hill. After approaching it, they were greeted by an attractive, African-American male in a multicolored plaid shirt. He had a clipboard in his hands and a good smell that hit the girls right on the noses.
"Hello, how can I help you?" he asked in a deep voice.
"My best friend, Debra, heard about this club and would like to be a part of it," answered Lizzie. "I just wanted to take her here."
"Awesome! All I need for you is to sign some papers and when you do, you can have a seat." He gestured over to the organization which were umpteen teens sitting on the grass. He reached his hand out for a shake. "I'm Trevor."
Debra shook his hand. "Coolness. I'm Debra."
"Your name is Trevor like the rapper?" asked Lizzie. "Trevor Porter? You know, I thought he was one person but two years later, I learned that he's two persons. It's like Van Halen."
"You're not joining, right?" Trevor asked.
"No."
"Good. Glad that you're joining, Debra. Hey, do you wear makeup?"
"A little bit," Debra replied. "Not a lot."
"That means 'a little bit'," elucidated Lizzie.
"Wow, you're very pretty," Trevor commented.
Debra grinned. "Thank you."
"I like your necklace also."
She grabbed her hand-made crescent moon necklace. "Thank you."
"Are you a fan of the moon?"
"Yeah, I find moonlight really relaxing. But sunlight is very much important. Nothing brings me into a good mood like sunlight."
"Wow, that's beautiful."
"I think so."
"Do you want me to leave?" asked Lizzie.
"Yes," Debra and Trevor answered honestly together.
"It was a rhetorical question."
"Not really," said Debra, shaking her head.

The Beast Within (Chapter 4)

Over the weekend, the girls stopped by Debra's house uninvited. Madeline drove them all there after discussing that they were going to have a talk with their transformed friend. Debra's worried father let them in when they arrived. They knew where to go, walking down the hallway and pushing Debra's open bedroom door in to enter. They caught Debra gradually collecting her sea of candles and throwing them away in a garbage bag. She was wearing attire similar to the one she wore at school days ago.
"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.

The Beast Within (Chapter 3)

Couple of days after, Madeline and Lizzie walked down the hallway together after third period had ended. They swaggered down the hall full of zig-zagging students, engaging in conversation.
"Have you seen Debra at all?" asked Madeline.
"Nope, I thought you saw her," Lizzie replied.
"I feel so worried about her. She had been acting weird ever since she told us she got detention."
"Why did she get detention again?"
"Because she fed her history teacher his tie."
"Is she still angry about yoga club?"
"Apparently. Why else would she stick a tie in a teacher's mouth?"
"Maybe he was hungry. Or there was candy on his tie."
"That was a rhetorical question, Lizzie."
"Oh. Do you think Debra will get over the yoga club thing?"
"Of course. Debra is the calmest person I know. She's not going to freak out continuously over a club."
As the two walked together, they were unaware what was happening in the background. Rapidly came down a specially decorated Debra who pushed every student out of her way. She was wearing a black leather fringe jacket over a multicolored vest which was over a brown T-shirt dress. She also wore ripped black tights with chunky brown combat boots and a colorful Indian headdress. Her makeup was different, going from natural to harsh with raccoon eyes and bold eyebrows. Her countenance changed; she used to appear calm but now, she seemed irritated. She walked down the hall fast enough to catch up with her two girlfriends. When she did, she squeezed herself right in-between them and put her arms around them.
"Hey, tramps," she greeted with a grin. "What's up?"
Lizzie yelped when she laid eyes on Debra.
"What?"
"Debra, why do you look like George Clinton from Parliament Funkadelic?" asked Madeline.
"Oh, Maddie. You and your old people."
"I thought you were a bird," said Lizzie, putting her hand on her chest.
"A bird, Lizzie?" Madeline inquired.
"They're sneaky."
"Debra, what's with the get-up?"
"Well, let's see," Debra started. "When I got up, I wanted to wear this."
"But why?"
"Because it's so me."
"It's so not."
"Of course, it is, overbite. I thought that it was time for a transformation. The old Debra is dead and gone. Now you're going to have to deal with the new Debra."
"But can you bring old Debra back from the dead?" asked Lizzie. "You do look like a witch doctor."
"Old Debra is no more. You're my friends; deal with it."
"We're obviously not going to do that," said Madeline.
"That's fine. I can always make new friends. I met these guys in detention that were so bomb. They offered me a smoke. I should go ask them for one now if I still have a chance."
"But you don't smoke."
"Old Debra doesn't smoke, but new Debra would. That's right; I'm going to be getting holes in my throat left and right. So be prepared!"
She smacked her friends on the back of their heads before storming away from them. The girls covered their heads to possibly stop the throbbing pain.
"Why would she want holes in her throat?" asked Lizzie. "Does she need somewhere to keep her change?"

The Beast Within (Chapter 2)

The next day, a school day, Debra couldn't concentrate. She found herself in second period, fidgeting in her chair. She set her head in the palm of her hand as her elbow rested on the desk. She looked up to the ceiling, hardly blinking, and she had a hard time breathing. As the teacher got into the first lesson of the day, Debra could barely listen to him.
"Who can tell me when was World War I?" he asked. After going through a visual maze of students, he caught his eye on Debra. "Ah, Debra?"
Debra didn't hear him. She still wasn't listening, distracted with angry thoughts in her mind.
"I said Debra."
She sat up straight. "What?"
"Can you tell me when was World War I?"
"Uh, did I raise my hand?"
"No."
"Then I don't have to answer that question, do I?"
"Well, I called on you and I'm the teacher so you do have to."
"Well, I don't want to."
"What's with your attitude?"
"My attitude? I don't want to be somebody's welcome mat. That's my attitude."
"What are you talking about?"
"I've been nice and patient for too long. I thought that the world was good to me but apparently, it's not. And I'm not going to sit here and be a good person when good people can't get what they want."
"Well, someone should have told you that when you live in a world like this, you can't always get what you want."
"And that's where you're wrong." Debra pushed her chair back and stood up. "You see, I go to school, I do my work and I go to yoga club. Basically my school routine. But now, since yoga club has been pulled, my routine is a little different. Because it's different, I should be different. Isn't that how the world goes? You come and you change."
"Is that why you're freaking out? Because yoga club is gone?"
"Yes, why wouldn't I? And they replaced it with K-Pop club. Who listens to that?"
"I listen to that," said a Caucasian brunette with bangs who sat behind Debra.
"You listen wrong," Debra looked at the girl with a snarky smile.
"Debra, please sit down," the teacher demanded.
"No!" Debra approached her teacher. "I will stand up. I mean, what's the point of learning relaxation when it basically gets taken away from you every single day? Which is why I will not relax; I will react. Because emotions are normal; anger is normal and I shall feel angry every day because it makes me a human being." She poked her finger in the teacher's chest.
"Alright, Ms. Lincoln. I understand that you are angry and I agree that it's normal. However, this is a learning institution and here, we expect our students to learn how to become civilized adults. And Ms. Lincoln, I suggest that you act like an adult, sit down and get your education."
Debra gave her teacher a big, cold stare into the eyes. Her scowl became a sinister smile before she did the unthinkable. She grabbed the end of her teacher's red striped neck tie and lickety-split, she stuffed his tie into his mouth. The teacher was surprised and so were the witnessing students. His eyebrows furrowed as he stood glaring at the fearless Debra.
"Try to catch me," she said softly.
She ran out of the open classroom with the teacher following her, yelling muffled, incomprehensible words through his neck tie.

The Beast Within (Chapter 1)

After school, Debra opened up her locker and took out a bag of clothes and a rolled up yoga mat along with her backpack. She went into one of the bathrooms to change out of her bohemian attire into some comfortable clothing. She head off outside to participate in yoga club. Debra had been going to yoga club since freshman year. Since this was her last year, she decided to make the best of it. Once she arrived at the grassy knoll where the club took place, he laid down her lavender-colored mat between two fellow mats. She put down the rest of her things next to her and sat down on the mat with her legs criss-cross. She waited patiently for the yoga instructor to arrive. As she waited, one of the members, an unattractive male, who sat next to her, were cutting his toenails with a toenail clipper. A piece of nail would fly off his feet every time he struggled to cut a single toenail. When a nail clipping flew across her lap, Debra decided to say something.
"Excuse me, not to be rude but do you have to do this now?"
"Sorry, toots," said the curly-haired milksop. "But I forgot to clip this morning. And I don't like stretching with claws."
Debra simpered politely as the boy continued to clip his toenails. She was still annoyed and grossed out at the sight.
Soon, the twenty-something yoga instructor arrived before the members' eyes. They all applauded her appearance. She smiled awkwardly before making a declaration.
"How is everyone doing today?"
"Oh, I bet we're jolly-goodness," Debra answered.
"That's good because I have terrible news."
Debra lost her smile as she awaited the news.
"The school decided to pull yoga club."
The members began murmuring and looking at each other in worry.
"What? But the school year had just begun," said Debra. "Shouldn't they have pulled this out earlier?"
"I know," said the blonde instructor. "They needed to think this over and they've decided that yoga club will be replaced with K-Pop club."
"K-Pop? People actually like that?"
"Of course, Debra."
"I don't listen to that."
"Then don't join the club."
"This is an outrage!" Debra's voice raised a pitch.
"Debra, calm down. Release the evil spirits trying to consume you and take in the good spirits to hydrate your mind."
Debra stared at the peaceful educator. "I don't have to listen to you anymore. You're not my yoga instructor. Yoga club is destroyed. I have nothing to look forward to in this school."
"Relax, toots," said the curly-haired boy, who was still trimming his nails.
"Stop clipping your toenails or I'll clip your face!"
"Hey, that's not very nice."
Debra stood up. "You know what's not nice? A bloody nose!"
She dove at the boy and started tackling him. The yoga instructor and a few members surrounded the brawl and grabbed Debra, attempting to pull her off. Soon, they successfully parted her from the defenseless fool.
"No!" The yoga instructor stuck her finger in Debra's face. "That is not how people solve their problems in yoga club."
"Do you hear yourself?" Debra asked. "There is no yoga club. I will do what I want."
"Debra, please, I ask you, simmer down. Now, yoga club may be gone but that doesn't mean you can't find your happy place. So close your eyes."
Debra shut her angry eyes.
"Take a deep breath through your nose and smell the delicious roses planted in your mind. Now exhale and taste those precious flowers."
Debra exhaled deeply through her mouth, relaxing her entire body and finding lost peace. However, the boy clipped one of his toenails and it shot Debra right in the eye. Suddenly, that peace was gone.
"That's it," she opened her eyes. "You won't be able to breathe when all you'll be tasting is blood!"
Debra ran towards the guy who screamed like a girl before Debra fiercely wrestled him down into the ground. The instructor, along with a few members, sprinted towards Debra and tried to peel her off again.