Second period started on a bright early morning and Madeline had attended her complicated mathematics class. She always would participate in that class very confidently as she got A's in everything so she usually had nothing to worry about. Her confidence was one of the things that caught Chad Welch's attention. The two would always flirt with each other through text messages, phone calls, E-mails and even notes.
When Madeline finished completing the class drill, she waited for further instructions. As she did, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned her head to see Chad, who sat behind her, smirking and holding a folded piece of paper. She smirked back and took the paper, purposely grazing her fingertips on his fingers. She turned her head back and and unfolded the piece of paper. On top of it was written, "You look stunning today."
Madeline rolled her eyes in gratitude. With her pink inked pen, she wrote under the statement, "Do I?" She looked up to see the teacher at her desk. She was busy organizing papers froms students. Madeline didn't want to caught passing notes but she couldn't not do it. So she looked at the teacher to make sure she was not looking at her. Madeline put the piece of paper on her lap and folded it back up. She placed it between her fingers and swung her arm behind herself to hand to Chad. He received it and read her response. He wrote down his response to that.
After folding it back up, he tapped Madeline on the shoulder with it. She took it and placed it on her lap. She unfolded it to see Chad's response: "You know you always are."
Madeline cocked her head and hid a giggle. She wrote down below that response, "That's true." She looked up, seeing the teacher still shuffling papers. The note passing became a routine as it went back and forth.
Chad wrote, "You're so cocky."
Madeline responded, "But you already knew that."
"Yeah and I like it."
"Do you now?"
"You make my mouth water."
"Easy now! I'm not apple pie."
"I was thinking more of cherry pie."
"That's not funny."
"I'm sorry."
"Just say something else."
"Your eyes look really nice today."
"That's better."
As they continued to pass notes, Madeline stopped looking at the teacher for caution. The teacher eventually walked around the classroom to return classwork. When Madeline put the paper on her lap to read Chad's response, the teacher walked by and slapped a packet down her desk. The sound made Madeline look up immediately. She looked at the completed packet with marks made over the questions and answers in marker. But what attracted Madeline the most was the big D next to 61% on the right hand top corner of the front page. She stared at the D, making sure it was the right letter. She held her packet up and squinted. The D was not changing. Madeline scrunched her forehead in anger. She never had a D in her life for anything. In fact, she never had any grade under a high B. She raised her hand to capture the teacher's attention.
The teacher turned around and spotted Madeline. "Yes, Madeline?"
Madeline put her hand down. "Uh, Miss Locksmith, I think you graded my test wrong."
"No, I think I graded it right."
"But, Miss Locksmith, I don't get D's. I get A's, like, all the time."
"Well, this time you don't."
"W-- This-- This is an outrage."
"Madeline--"
"How could I've failed the test?"
"Many ways and reasons. Maybe look over the test and you'll see why."
The teacher turned around to ignore the infuriated Madeline.
Madeline groaned and melted in her chair.
"Don't worry, Madeline," said Chad. "There's better luck next time, right?"
Madeline folded her lips in. She sat up straight and picked up her pen. She wrote down a response on the piece of paper that laid in her lap. After she was done, she slapped the paper down on Chad's desk and didn't look back.
Chad looked surprisingly at the response on the paper which read, "Shut up!!!"
Friday, May 15, 2015
Monday, May 11, 2015
The History of BF4E (Chapter 5)
"I can't believe you didn't like me when we were kids," said Lizzie.
Madeline lowered her slice of sandwich to respond to Lizzie. "I didn't not like you. I just thought you were... a bit clingy."
"Clingy?"
"But I got used to it. If I didn't like your clinginess, I still wouldn't be with you."
"That's true. But I'm not clingy!"
"Just go with it, Liz'," said Andrea.
"Is it wrong that I saw you more of a bodyguard than a companion?" asked Madeline.
"As long as you don't see me like that now."
"Then we're good." Madeline waved her sandwich in the air.
"I think it's awesome that you broke Pamela's nose," Skye remarked.
"And a thing is you didn't even hit her," said Lizzie. "You just crunched her nose."
"What can I say?" Andrea inquired. "I got hands of steel."
"I got to make sure to never make you mad."
"But let's talk about someone who can't get her nose broken like Debra Darling."
"Oh, please, I hurt like everyone else," said Debra.
"But nobody can take a punch and handle it like a champ," Madeline said, leaning on the table.
"I guess that's true."
"You had no black eye," Andrea mentioned. "No black eye! But if you did, you'd look stronger."
"Well, I pray that I don't get a black eye anytime soon."
"I know Skye wanted to give me a black eye," Madeline realized.
"That is not true," Skye responded.
"Well, you didn't like me."
"Doesn't mean I wanted to clobber you."
"Skye is definitely the same girl now as she was then," noted Lizzie.
"That's because you only knew me for a year."
Debra giggled.
"So it absolutely makes sense to why she's still so talented," commented Madeline.
"Stop it, you're making me blush," Skye said sarcastically.
"It's so thoughtful that you got Skye in a band which she happened to desire," remarked Debra.
"Hey, I thought Sean would fall in love with Skye so he could leave me alone," spilled Madeline.
Skye scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"But no, seriously, I wanted her to feel encouraged to pursue a career in music."
"Well, it helped because I wouldn't even be in a band if it wasn't for you," said Skye. "Honestly, I never had so much fun."
"Really?" asked Lizzie.
"Yeah... but I have lots of fun with you guys."
"Aw, that's what I wanted to hear," smiled Andrea.
"I'm glad we're friends," admitted Debra.
"Me, too," Lizzie grinned.
"If we stop being best friends, then there is something wrong with us," Madeline confirmed. "We are clearly made for each other."
"But what if one of us happens to find a better friend?" asked Lizzie.
Madeline frowned. "Lizzie--"
"I'm just saying; it's possible."
"Doll, we should have no reason to part," said Andrea. "Especially from Madeline, okay, because she's got money."
"I'm not rich; my parents are rich," asserted Madeline.
"Then if we do part from Madeline, let's be friends with her parents."
Madeline lowered her slice of sandwich to respond to Lizzie. "I didn't not like you. I just thought you were... a bit clingy."
"Clingy?"
"But I got used to it. If I didn't like your clinginess, I still wouldn't be with you."
"That's true. But I'm not clingy!"
"Just go with it, Liz'," said Andrea.
"Is it wrong that I saw you more of a bodyguard than a companion?" asked Madeline.
"As long as you don't see me like that now."
"Then we're good." Madeline waved her sandwich in the air.
"I think it's awesome that you broke Pamela's nose," Skye remarked.
"And a thing is you didn't even hit her," said Lizzie. "You just crunched her nose."
"What can I say?" Andrea inquired. "I got hands of steel."
"I got to make sure to never make you mad."
"But let's talk about someone who can't get her nose broken like Debra Darling."
"Oh, please, I hurt like everyone else," said Debra.
"But nobody can take a punch and handle it like a champ," Madeline said, leaning on the table.
"I guess that's true."
"You had no black eye," Andrea mentioned. "No black eye! But if you did, you'd look stronger."
"Well, I pray that I don't get a black eye anytime soon."
"I know Skye wanted to give me a black eye," Madeline realized.
"That is not true," Skye responded.
"Well, you didn't like me."
"Doesn't mean I wanted to clobber you."
"Skye is definitely the same girl now as she was then," noted Lizzie.
"That's because you only knew me for a year."
Debra giggled.
"So it absolutely makes sense to why she's still so talented," commented Madeline.
"Stop it, you're making me blush," Skye said sarcastically.
"It's so thoughtful that you got Skye in a band which she happened to desire," remarked Debra.
"Hey, I thought Sean would fall in love with Skye so he could leave me alone," spilled Madeline.
Skye scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"But no, seriously, I wanted her to feel encouraged to pursue a career in music."
"Well, it helped because I wouldn't even be in a band if it wasn't for you," said Skye. "Honestly, I never had so much fun."
"Really?" asked Lizzie.
"Yeah... but I have lots of fun with you guys."
"Aw, that's what I wanted to hear," smiled Andrea.
"I'm glad we're friends," admitted Debra.
"Me, too," Lizzie grinned.
"If we stop being best friends, then there is something wrong with us," Madeline confirmed. "We are clearly made for each other."
"But what if one of us happens to find a better friend?" asked Lizzie.
Madeline frowned. "Lizzie--"
"I'm just saying; it's possible."
"Doll, we should have no reason to part," said Andrea. "Especially from Madeline, okay, because she's got money."
"I'm not rich; my parents are rich," asserted Madeline.
"Then if we do part from Madeline, let's be friends with her parents."
Friday, May 8, 2015
The History of BF4E (Chapter 4)
The freshmen were led by their teachers to the auditorium for the talent show. The students were given permission to sit wherever with whoever. So it did not take long for fourteen-year-old Madeline to decide who she wanted to sit with. Individually but quickly, she found Lizzie, Andrea and Debra. They sat together in the middle second row for the first six segments. After each one, they quietly discussed their opinion on them.
"Is magic real?" asked Lizzie.
"No," answered Madeline.
"Uh, I disagree," said Andrea.
"What? Magic is totally fake."
"How do you know?" Lizzie questioned.
"I've seen videos on how to accomplish magic tricks without the use of actual magic."
"That's for amateurs," said Andrea.
"No, it's for anyone or should I say everyone because everyone can't do magic."
"What do you think, Debbie?" asked Lizzie.
"I think anything's real as long as you determine yourself enough," answered Debra.
"Oh, what a way to squirm yourself away from a question," commented Andrea.
The students quieted down once they saw a man walk onto the stage with microphone. "Our next act is a new student," he declared into the microphone. "She says this performance would help introduce herself to the students. She loves rock music so it's not a surprise that the song she's singing is 'Teenagers' by My Chemical Romance. Everyone, give it up for Skye Carter!"
The man walked off the stage clapping, making the audience clap. The red curtains opened, exposing a short girl with pale skin and long blonde hair. She sung immediately into her microphone once the music started playing. Skye sung sweetly along the guitar riff:
They're gonna clean up your looks
With all the lies in the books
To make a citizen out of you
Because they sleep with a gun
And keep an eye on you, son
So they can watch all the things you do
Because the drugs never work
They're gonna give you a smirk
'Cause they got methods to keep you clean
They're gonna rip off your heads
Your aspirations to shreds
Another cog in the murder machine
They said all
Once the music got louder, Skye started hopping and her voice sounded more confident.
Teenagers scare the living crud out of me
They can care less
As long as someone'll bleed
So darken your clothes
Or strike a violent pose
Maybe they'll leave you alone
But not me
Whoa, yeah
When the bluesy guitar solo hit, she jumped up and down while flipping her hair back and forth. The audience stared at her in a more puzzled way than an impressed way.
They said all
Teenagers scare the living crud out of me
They can care less
As long as someone'll bleed
So darken your clothes
Or strike a violent pose
Maybe they'll leave you alone
But not me
All together now
Teenagers scare the living crud out of me
They can care less
As long as someone'll bleed
So darken your clothes
Or strike a violent pose
Maybe they'll leave you alone
But not me
After one pump of her fist as the song ended, the students continued to stare at her. The applause occured but slowly. Skye, feeling a bit embarrassed, walked off behind the curtains.
After the rest of the acts, the students were asked to head to their next classes. Half of them exited from the back while the other half exited through the front doors. The girls happened to leave through the front doors. As they walked together in the lounge, they passed by Skye who was sitting on a bench, wiping her cheeks. Madeline split from her friends and approached the sad Skye. The girls stopped to watch her.
"Hi," Madeline greeted.
Skye sniffled and looked up. "H-Hi."
"I'm Maddie."
"So?"
"I liked your performance."
"No, you didn't."
"If I didn't, then why did I clap?"
"Sympathy."
"Skye, you're an amazing singer. Why are you pushing me away?"
"I'm not. I... I know who I am."
"Well, we don't know who you are," said Lizzie, walking up to the two girls. "I'm sure I would like to know."
Madeline nodded.
"That sounds nice, Paris and Nicole," responded Skye, "but I would like to be left alone."
Suddenly, Madeline was approached by a white boy in a smell jacket with brown, messy hair. "Hey, Madeline," he greeted in an almost deep voice. "I just want to say I'm sorry for smelling your hair earlier. It's just that your hair was in my face and I couldn't control myself."
Madeline looked at the boy then looked at Skye. "It's okay, Sean," she forgived. "Um, did I happen to overhear you earlier about how you needed a singer in your band?"
"Yes."
"Well, I happen to have found the perfect singer for your group." Madeline motioned her hands to the wide-eyed Skye. "I would like you to meet Skye."
"Hey, Skye. You sing?"
"Yeah," answered Skye bashfully.
"Oh, would you like to sing in this band I'm forming."
"Sure. I've always wanted to be in a band."
"Cool. Thanks, Madeline."
Madeline nodded before backing up with Lizzie to be aligned with her friends. Skye stood up to engage in conversation with Sean. But that was soon broken when fourteen-year-old best friends, Pamela and Mauricia, stopped by.
"Nice performance... not," commented Mauricia.
"Yeah, like what was that?" asked Pamela.
"So not cool."
"Definitely so not cool."
"Hey, she did amazing," hissed Andrea. "Beat it!"
"Uh, we can't give our opinion?" questioned Mauricia.
"We have a right to hate, you fake J-Lo," said Pamela.
"Who are you talking to, Miss Nosejob?" Andrea responded.
Skye snickered.
"The only reason my nose got a job in the first place is because you broke it," Pamela explained.
"Don't think I'll break it again, cochina?" Andrea stared deep into Pamela's eyes.
Scared for her, Mauricia pulled Pamela away by interlocking her arm with hers. Andrea crossed her arms and broke eye contact, flipping her hair over her shoulder using her head.
"Thank you," Skye smiled, looking at all the girls. She walked away, out of the lobby, with Sean while conversing with him.
"Is magic real?" asked Lizzie.
"No," answered Madeline.
"Uh, I disagree," said Andrea.
"What? Magic is totally fake."
"How do you know?" Lizzie questioned.
"I've seen videos on how to accomplish magic tricks without the use of actual magic."
"That's for amateurs," said Andrea.
"No, it's for anyone or should I say everyone because everyone can't do magic."
"What do you think, Debbie?" asked Lizzie.
"I think anything's real as long as you determine yourself enough," answered Debra.
"Oh, what a way to squirm yourself away from a question," commented Andrea.
The students quieted down once they saw a man walk onto the stage with microphone. "Our next act is a new student," he declared into the microphone. "She says this performance would help introduce herself to the students. She loves rock music so it's not a surprise that the song she's singing is 'Teenagers' by My Chemical Romance. Everyone, give it up for Skye Carter!"
The man walked off the stage clapping, making the audience clap. The red curtains opened, exposing a short girl with pale skin and long blonde hair. She sung immediately into her microphone once the music started playing. Skye sung sweetly along the guitar riff:
They're gonna clean up your looks
With all the lies in the books
To make a citizen out of you
Because they sleep with a gun
And keep an eye on you, son
So they can watch all the things you do
Because the drugs never work
They're gonna give you a smirk
'Cause they got methods to keep you clean
They're gonna rip off your heads
Your aspirations to shreds
Another cog in the murder machine
They said all
Once the music got louder, Skye started hopping and her voice sounded more confident.
Teenagers scare the living crud out of me
They can care less
As long as someone'll bleed
So darken your clothes
Or strike a violent pose
Maybe they'll leave you alone
But not me
Whoa, yeah
When the bluesy guitar solo hit, she jumped up and down while flipping her hair back and forth. The audience stared at her in a more puzzled way than an impressed way.
They said all
Teenagers scare the living crud out of me
They can care less
As long as someone'll bleed
So darken your clothes
Or strike a violent pose
Maybe they'll leave you alone
But not me
All together now
Teenagers scare the living crud out of me
They can care less
As long as someone'll bleed
So darken your clothes
Or strike a violent pose
Maybe they'll leave you alone
But not me
After one pump of her fist as the song ended, the students continued to stare at her. The applause occured but slowly. Skye, feeling a bit embarrassed, walked off behind the curtains.
After the rest of the acts, the students were asked to head to their next classes. Half of them exited from the back while the other half exited through the front doors. The girls happened to leave through the front doors. As they walked together in the lounge, they passed by Skye who was sitting on a bench, wiping her cheeks. Madeline split from her friends and approached the sad Skye. The girls stopped to watch her.
"Hi," Madeline greeted.
Skye sniffled and looked up. "H-Hi."
"I'm Maddie."
"So?"
"I liked your performance."
"No, you didn't."
"If I didn't, then why did I clap?"
"Sympathy."
"Skye, you're an amazing singer. Why are you pushing me away?"
"I'm not. I... I know who I am."
"Well, we don't know who you are," said Lizzie, walking up to the two girls. "I'm sure I would like to know."
Madeline nodded.
"That sounds nice, Paris and Nicole," responded Skye, "but I would like to be left alone."
Suddenly, Madeline was approached by a white boy in a smell jacket with brown, messy hair. "Hey, Madeline," he greeted in an almost deep voice. "I just want to say I'm sorry for smelling your hair earlier. It's just that your hair was in my face and I couldn't control myself."
Madeline looked at the boy then looked at Skye. "It's okay, Sean," she forgived. "Um, did I happen to overhear you earlier about how you needed a singer in your band?"
"Yes."
"Well, I happen to have found the perfect singer for your group." Madeline motioned her hands to the wide-eyed Skye. "I would like you to meet Skye."
"Hey, Skye. You sing?"
"Yeah," answered Skye bashfully.
"Oh, would you like to sing in this band I'm forming."
"Sure. I've always wanted to be in a band."
"Cool. Thanks, Madeline."
Madeline nodded before backing up with Lizzie to be aligned with her friends. Skye stood up to engage in conversation with Sean. But that was soon broken when fourteen-year-old best friends, Pamela and Mauricia, stopped by.
"Nice performance... not," commented Mauricia.
"Yeah, like what was that?" asked Pamela.
"So not cool."
"Definitely so not cool."
"Hey, she did amazing," hissed Andrea. "Beat it!"
"Uh, we can't give our opinion?" questioned Mauricia.
"We have a right to hate, you fake J-Lo," said Pamela.
"Who are you talking to, Miss Nosejob?" Andrea responded.
Skye snickered.
"The only reason my nose got a job in the first place is because you broke it," Pamela explained.
"Don't think I'll break it again, cochina?" Andrea stared deep into Pamela's eyes.
Scared for her, Mauricia pulled Pamela away by interlocking her arm with hers. Andrea crossed her arms and broke eye contact, flipping her hair over her shoulder using her head.
"Thank you," Skye smiled, looking at all the girls. She walked away, out of the lobby, with Sean while conversing with him.
Thursday, May 7, 2015
The History of BF4E (Chapter 3)
During lunchtime at Thurston Middle School, several people were allowed to take charge of stands promoting Earth Day outside of the cafeteria. Twelve-year-olds Madeline and Lizzie owned their own stand that sold pots of different kinds of flowers. To grab more attention, the two best friends wore showy sweaters with plastic flowers attached to them. Their stand was inbetween the stand for friendship bracelets and the stand for donations for preventing deforestation.
"Come on, people!" shouted Madeline. "Buy a flower, be a flower, all that yadda-yadda-yadda."
"Don't get frustrated, Maddie," calmed Lizzie. "So far, we made..." She grabbed the jar for cash and looked inside. "... one dollar."
Madeline glared at the smiling Lizzie. Almost instantly, they turned their attention to Andrea who stormed out of the cafeteria, being followed by a girl of Asian descent.
"Andrea, you can't get mad at me when you didn't tell me," said the girl.
Andrea stopped and turned, making the girl stop. "Fine, Kim. So why don't you dump Kevin so I can have him?"
"No way, Fannie May. He likes me and I don't want to punish him."
"Then I'll punish you, Sandra Oh."
Andrea pulled on Kim's black hair, making her shriek. She reacted by pulled on Andrea's curly hair, making her scream. The girls ran in a circle in the middle of the hallway, latching onto each other's hair like a bunch of lions. Suddenly, a skinny African-American girl ran from behind her bracelet stand and stuck her arms between the fighting girls. She shook them off each other, extending her arms out to give the girls space.
"Ladies, ladies," the girl started, "why are you fighting like this? You two are girls and what you are doing is unladylike. If you make violence, the world will just fill with more violence. It's like a chain, a cycle. Look, you may not be sisters by genetics but technically, we are all God's children. So frankly, you two are sisters in spirit. And sisters are made to love so settle your differences with love. Spread the message of love, not pain. Please settle your differences."
Andrea relaxed her shoulders and sighed while the black girl took a step back. "I'm sorry, Kim," Andrea sincerely apologized. "I love you."
Kim smirked. "I'm not and I don't. I'm still going to hurt you."
She grabbed Andrea's shoulder.
"Now wait a second--" said the black girl, trying to step in front of the girls to break them up again. Unfortunately, the girl stepped in too quick as Kim struck her fist in the girl's face, the punch being meant for Andrea.
Kim stepped back surprised as the black girl fell back into Andrea's arms.
"Kimberly!" called an approaching male teacher. "How dare you punch that poor girl in the face!" He grabbed her arm and pulled her away furiously. "You're coming with me."
Andrea tried to help the girl stand up. "Man, are you okay?" she asked.
The girl almost lost her balance but soon stood up steadily on her own. "Yes, I'm alright," she answered, holding her nose. She blinked away the pain and shook her head, showing herself unfazed.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
"She just punched you."
"Yes, I know."
"But you seem fine."
"I know that, too."
"Girl, talk to me 'cause we are so cool right now." Andrea began to smile.
"Hey!" called a Caucasian girl from behind the bracelet stand. "Debra, we got bracelets to sell!"
"Aren't you going to ask her if she's okay?" Andrea rose her eyebrow.
"Oh, yeah. Debra, are you okay because I need you to sell these bracelets and no one's going to buy them from a zombie."
"I'm coming," Debra said. She walked over to the stand.
"Stop fooling around. We need to raise enough money so I can get that bike."
Debra's eyebrow raised. "Bike?"
The girl's eyes widened. "I mean... raise enough money for the trees. The trees are important... like bikes."
"Mona, are you still thinking of that bike you saw in the commercials last week?"
"Please, I almost forgot about that."
"Were you going to sneakily use the cash to buy that bike?"
"What's wrong with treating oneself nicely?"
"Nothing but we would've made enough money to pay for the bike, meaning none would get donated."
"You watch commercials?" asked Lizzie.
"Debra, when are you gonna stop being such a tree freak for once in your life and think about me, your best friend?" asked Mona.
"Hey, that's not very nice," Madeline commented.
"Shut up, pageant queen."
"Don't tell that strange girl to shut up," said Debra.
"Oh, what are you going to do about it?"
"Wait, strange?" inquired Madeline.
"I meant as in 'unfamiliar'," explained Debra.
"Of course that's what you meant, you idiot," Mona remarked.
"Wait, the name's Mona, right?" asked Andrea.
Mona nodded with a look of disdain.
"Of course. That kind of reminds me of the Mona Lisa. Or at least it reminds me of its definition in Clueless." While speaking, Andrea walked over to her friends' stand and dug her fingers into a pot of a daisy. "I remember Cher saying that a Mona Lisa is when, 'from far away, it looks alright. But up close, it's a big ol' mess." Andrea held tightly handfuls of soil and walked over to Mona to slam the moist dirt onto the top of her head. "And that's what I see so clearly. Your name suits you well."
Mona's mouth gaped and breathed heavily as the dirt tumbled off her brown hair and down into her eyes and onto her nose. "Debra, we are not friends anymore!" Mona, with her eyes closed, idly walked out from behind the stand and attempted to run off.
"I'm sorry about that, Debra," said Andrea, looking into Debra's saddened eyes.
"It's okay," she responded. "I would've done that if I wasn't so chill."
"Hey, chill is good. I wish I can be chill sometimes."
"And Andrea is definitely not chill," Lizzie added.
Andrea turned her head to look at Lizzie but quickly turned it back.
"Thanks for standing up for me," shrugged Debra. "But now, I lost my only friend."
"That's not true," said Andrea. "I'm your friend."
Madeline stood and approached Debra. "I'm your friend, too."
Lizzie approached Debra as well. "Count me as a third," she smiled.
Debra's mood lightened up. "Wow, diverse friends!"
"How does she know I'm diverse?" whispered Lizzie to Madeline.
"Come on, people!" shouted Madeline. "Buy a flower, be a flower, all that yadda-yadda-yadda."
"Don't get frustrated, Maddie," calmed Lizzie. "So far, we made..." She grabbed the jar for cash and looked inside. "... one dollar."
Madeline glared at the smiling Lizzie. Almost instantly, they turned their attention to Andrea who stormed out of the cafeteria, being followed by a girl of Asian descent.
"Andrea, you can't get mad at me when you didn't tell me," said the girl.
Andrea stopped and turned, making the girl stop. "Fine, Kim. So why don't you dump Kevin so I can have him?"
"No way, Fannie May. He likes me and I don't want to punish him."
"Then I'll punish you, Sandra Oh."
Andrea pulled on Kim's black hair, making her shriek. She reacted by pulled on Andrea's curly hair, making her scream. The girls ran in a circle in the middle of the hallway, latching onto each other's hair like a bunch of lions. Suddenly, a skinny African-American girl ran from behind her bracelet stand and stuck her arms between the fighting girls. She shook them off each other, extending her arms out to give the girls space.
"Ladies, ladies," the girl started, "why are you fighting like this? You two are girls and what you are doing is unladylike. If you make violence, the world will just fill with more violence. It's like a chain, a cycle. Look, you may not be sisters by genetics but technically, we are all God's children. So frankly, you two are sisters in spirit. And sisters are made to love so settle your differences with love. Spread the message of love, not pain. Please settle your differences."
Andrea relaxed her shoulders and sighed while the black girl took a step back. "I'm sorry, Kim," Andrea sincerely apologized. "I love you."
Kim smirked. "I'm not and I don't. I'm still going to hurt you."
She grabbed Andrea's shoulder.
"Now wait a second--" said the black girl, trying to step in front of the girls to break them up again. Unfortunately, the girl stepped in too quick as Kim struck her fist in the girl's face, the punch being meant for Andrea.
Kim stepped back surprised as the black girl fell back into Andrea's arms.
"Kimberly!" called an approaching male teacher. "How dare you punch that poor girl in the face!" He grabbed her arm and pulled her away furiously. "You're coming with me."
Andrea tried to help the girl stand up. "Man, are you okay?" she asked.
The girl almost lost her balance but soon stood up steadily on her own. "Yes, I'm alright," she answered, holding her nose. She blinked away the pain and shook her head, showing herself unfazed.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
"She just punched you."
"Yes, I know."
"But you seem fine."
"I know that, too."
"Girl, talk to me 'cause we are so cool right now." Andrea began to smile.
"Hey!" called a Caucasian girl from behind the bracelet stand. "Debra, we got bracelets to sell!"
"Aren't you going to ask her if she's okay?" Andrea rose her eyebrow.
"Oh, yeah. Debra, are you okay because I need you to sell these bracelets and no one's going to buy them from a zombie."
"I'm coming," Debra said. She walked over to the stand.
"Stop fooling around. We need to raise enough money so I can get that bike."
Debra's eyebrow raised. "Bike?"
The girl's eyes widened. "I mean... raise enough money for the trees. The trees are important... like bikes."
"Mona, are you still thinking of that bike you saw in the commercials last week?"
"Please, I almost forgot about that."
"Were you going to sneakily use the cash to buy that bike?"
"What's wrong with treating oneself nicely?"
"Nothing but we would've made enough money to pay for the bike, meaning none would get donated."
"You watch commercials?" asked Lizzie.
"Debra, when are you gonna stop being such a tree freak for once in your life and think about me, your best friend?" asked Mona.
"Hey, that's not very nice," Madeline commented.
"Shut up, pageant queen."
"Don't tell that strange girl to shut up," said Debra.
"Oh, what are you going to do about it?"
"Wait, strange?" inquired Madeline.
"I meant as in 'unfamiliar'," explained Debra.
"Of course that's what you meant, you idiot," Mona remarked.
"Wait, the name's Mona, right?" asked Andrea.
Mona nodded with a look of disdain.
"Of course. That kind of reminds me of the Mona Lisa. Or at least it reminds me of its definition in Clueless." While speaking, Andrea walked over to her friends' stand and dug her fingers into a pot of a daisy. "I remember Cher saying that a Mona Lisa is when, 'from far away, it looks alright. But up close, it's a big ol' mess." Andrea held tightly handfuls of soil and walked over to Mona to slam the moist dirt onto the top of her head. "And that's what I see so clearly. Your name suits you well."
Mona's mouth gaped and breathed heavily as the dirt tumbled off her brown hair and down into her eyes and onto her nose. "Debra, we are not friends anymore!" Mona, with her eyes closed, idly walked out from behind the stand and attempted to run off.
"I'm sorry about that, Debra," said Andrea, looking into Debra's saddened eyes.
"It's okay," she responded. "I would've done that if I wasn't so chill."
"Hey, chill is good. I wish I can be chill sometimes."
"And Andrea is definitely not chill," Lizzie added.
Andrea turned her head to look at Lizzie but quickly turned it back.
"Thanks for standing up for me," shrugged Debra. "But now, I lost my only friend."
"That's not true," said Andrea. "I'm your friend."
Madeline stood and approached Debra. "I'm your friend, too."
Lizzie approached Debra as well. "Count me as a third," she smiled.
Debra's mood lightened up. "Wow, diverse friends!"
"How does she know I'm diverse?" whispered Lizzie to Madeline.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
The History of BF4E (Chapter 2)
Three years has passed and Lizzie never left Madeline's side. First, she found Lizzie annoying but started to appreciate her friendship. They stayed strong friends ever since they were three. But as six year olds, they attended a third grade class together. In the middle of school hours, their teacher allowed the kids to go to the playground for recess. At the playground were another third grade class yet the kids had no problem intermingling.
Madeline and Lizzie sat together on the short wooden border of the playground. They had a thing for watching the other kids play. At a moment, they observed two girls talking to another girl, obviously of a Spanish descent.
"Who are those two girls?" asked Lizzie.
"I have no idea," answered Madeline. "They don't seem very nice."
"They remind me of the pitbulls that chased me down the street once."
"You were chased my pitbulls?"
"Down the street."
"Why?"
"That's what I asked the dogs but they kept running after me."
"At least you're okay."
"Yeah, a part of me is."
Afterwards, the two girls turned around and spotted Madeline and Lizzie. They did not hesitate to approach them.
"Oh, peanut butter, they're coming our way," Lizzie alarmed.
"No, they're not," said Madeline.
The girls, one with tan hair and white skin and the other with chestnut hair and darker skin, stood a foot away from Madeline and Lizzie.
"Hi," the girls greeted at the same time.
"I told you," whispered Lizzie to Madeline.
"Hi," Madeline greeted back.
"Where did you get that shirt?" asked the tan-haired girl.
Madeline looked down at her fuzzy pink sweater. "I don't know. My mom bought it."
"Can you ask her if she got it from 'Ugly-ville'?" the dark-skinned one questioned.
That girl and her friend laughed.
"That's a store?" asked Lizzie.
"That's not very nice," commented Madeline.
"Neither is your face, Airbud," said the tan-haired one.
"Who are you?" Lizzie questioned.
"I'm Pamela."
"I'm Mauricia," the dark-skinned girl answered.
"And you better recognize, Matilda."
"What did we do to you?" asked Madeline.
"You look too much like Lizzie McGuire," responded Pamela.
"And you look too much like her friend, Miranda," added Mauricia.
"And we frown upon that."
"Frown!"
"I thought I looked like Matilda," Lizzie remarked.
"Hey!" called the Latina girl from earlier. She walked up towards the four girls, confronting Pamela and Mauricia. "Why are you bothering them?"
"Um, we're done with you," said Pamela.
"So what? Since you're bored with me, you have to go to them?"
"Nobody told you to come here," Mauricia said.
"So why don't you go and find Boots, Dora the Explorer?" Pamela inquired.
Angered, the Latina quickly gripped onto Pamela's nose, making her squeal with pain with her head back. The Latina gave Pamela an evil look while pinching onto her nose for a long time.
"She's got my nose!" complained Pamela, holding onto the girl's arm. "She's got my pretty nose!"
The Latina let go of Pamela's nose, making Pamela jolt back and getting caught by Mauricia from behind. Mauricia, scared of what the girl would do to her, ran away while dragging Pamela with her in her arms.
"Wow, you hurt her unusually," Lizzie stood up.
"I know," said the Latina. "I'm Andrea."
"I'm Lizzie."
Madeline stood up as well. "I'm Madeline."
"Long name, right?"
"She can call me Maddie if she wants."
"Well, you can call me Andy if you want," said Andrea. "But not so much."
"Okay, Andy," said Lizzie.
"Do you want to eat a piece of candy with us?" asked Madeline.
"Eso suena bien, mi amiga," Andrea uttered.
Lizzie gasped. "Are you an alien?"
Madeline and Lizzie sat together on the short wooden border of the playground. They had a thing for watching the other kids play. At a moment, they observed two girls talking to another girl, obviously of a Spanish descent.
"Who are those two girls?" asked Lizzie.
"I have no idea," answered Madeline. "They don't seem very nice."
"They remind me of the pitbulls that chased me down the street once."
"You were chased my pitbulls?"
"Down the street."
"Why?"
"That's what I asked the dogs but they kept running after me."
"At least you're okay."
"Yeah, a part of me is."
Afterwards, the two girls turned around and spotted Madeline and Lizzie. They did not hesitate to approach them.
"Oh, peanut butter, they're coming our way," Lizzie alarmed.
"No, they're not," said Madeline.
The girls, one with tan hair and white skin and the other with chestnut hair and darker skin, stood a foot away from Madeline and Lizzie.
"Hi," the girls greeted at the same time.
"I told you," whispered Lizzie to Madeline.
"Hi," Madeline greeted back.
"Where did you get that shirt?" asked the tan-haired girl.
Madeline looked down at her fuzzy pink sweater. "I don't know. My mom bought it."
"Can you ask her if she got it from 'Ugly-ville'?" the dark-skinned one questioned.
That girl and her friend laughed.
"That's a store?" asked Lizzie.
"That's not very nice," commented Madeline.
"Neither is your face, Airbud," said the tan-haired one.
"Who are you?" Lizzie questioned.
"I'm Pamela."
"I'm Mauricia," the dark-skinned girl answered.
"And you better recognize, Matilda."
"What did we do to you?" asked Madeline.
"You look too much like Lizzie McGuire," responded Pamela.
"And you look too much like her friend, Miranda," added Mauricia.
"And we frown upon that."
"Frown!"
"I thought I looked like Matilda," Lizzie remarked.
"Hey!" called the Latina girl from earlier. She walked up towards the four girls, confronting Pamela and Mauricia. "Why are you bothering them?"
"Um, we're done with you," said Pamela.
"So what? Since you're bored with me, you have to go to them?"
"Nobody told you to come here," Mauricia said.
"So why don't you go and find Boots, Dora the Explorer?" Pamela inquired.
Angered, the Latina quickly gripped onto Pamela's nose, making her squeal with pain with her head back. The Latina gave Pamela an evil look while pinching onto her nose for a long time.
"She's got my nose!" complained Pamela, holding onto the girl's arm. "She's got my pretty nose!"
The Latina let go of Pamela's nose, making Pamela jolt back and getting caught by Mauricia from behind. Mauricia, scared of what the girl would do to her, ran away while dragging Pamela with her in her arms.
"Wow, you hurt her unusually," Lizzie stood up.
"I know," said the Latina. "I'm Andrea."
"I'm Lizzie."
Madeline stood up as well. "I'm Madeline."
"Long name, right?"
"She can call me Maddie if she wants."
"Well, you can call me Andy if you want," said Andrea. "But not so much."
"Okay, Andy," said Lizzie.
"Do you want to eat a piece of candy with us?" asked Madeline.
"Eso suena bien, mi amiga," Andrea uttered.
Lizzie gasped. "Are you an alien?"
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
The History of BF4E (Chapter 1)
"Pick your seats, kids," declared the full-figured, brunette teacher. "Class will begin soon. Just pick your seat."
A small girl was already sitting in one of the small tables. The rest of the kids in the classroom were standing around until the teacher said something. They all scrambled, filling as many empty tables as they can. The small girl, with marble skin and golden ringlets, waited for someone to sit at her table. But it seemed like they were all avoiding her, making the girl feel sad. But eventually, the last girl to sit down chose to sit with the blonde girl. The blonde girl's posture improved and her attitude lightened. It is possible that the cheery attitude coming from the girl with inky hair and big, brown eyes rubbed off on the blonde one.
"Hi," greeted the brunette.
"Hi," the blonde girl responded.
"I'm Elizabeth but my parents call me Lizzie."
"I'm Madeline."
"Ooh, long name. That's probably why my parents call me Lizzie."
"Probably."
"Is this your first day?"
"Um, I think this is everybody's first day."
"Cool."
Madeline rolled her eyes.
"I like your bracelet."
Madeline looked down at her wrist. "Thank you."
"Is it made out of macaroni?"
"Yeah, I made it last year in Pre-K."
"What type of macaroni is it?"
Madeline's face stiffened. "I don't know."
"Cool."
"Are you new?"
"Yeah. I'm from Italy."
"Oh, I'm from Canada."
"Is that in Italy?"
"No."
"That explains why I've never seen you."
"Have you seen anyone here before?"
"No."
"That's why."
"Is everybody here from Canada?"
"Boy, you are stupid. But you're a kid so you're supposed to be stupid."
"But you're smart for your age. Wait, how old are you?"
"Three."
"Me, too! I think."
"You don't know how old you are?"
"Uh, I said I think I'm three. So I know."
"No, you don't."
"Are you my friend now?"
"Well, something tells me I'm going to be stuck with you for a long time. So, yeah, I'm your friend."
"Cool! Can I have your animal crackers?"
Madeline looked down at her plastic bag full of cookies. "Why?"
"Because you're my friend and friends share, I was told."
"What happens if I tell you no?"
"Then I'll forgive you."
"Then no."
"I forgive you." Lizzie put her hand on Madeline's shoulder.
She hugged her with Madeline having a baffled look on her face.
A small girl was already sitting in one of the small tables. The rest of the kids in the classroom were standing around until the teacher said something. They all scrambled, filling as many empty tables as they can. The small girl, with marble skin and golden ringlets, waited for someone to sit at her table. But it seemed like they were all avoiding her, making the girl feel sad. But eventually, the last girl to sit down chose to sit with the blonde girl. The blonde girl's posture improved and her attitude lightened. It is possible that the cheery attitude coming from the girl with inky hair and big, brown eyes rubbed off on the blonde one.
"Hi," greeted the brunette.
"Hi," the blonde girl responded.
"I'm Elizabeth but my parents call me Lizzie."
"I'm Madeline."
"Ooh, long name. That's probably why my parents call me Lizzie."
"Probably."
"Is this your first day?"
"Um, I think this is everybody's first day."
"Cool."
Madeline rolled her eyes.
"I like your bracelet."
Madeline looked down at her wrist. "Thank you."
"Is it made out of macaroni?"
"Yeah, I made it last year in Pre-K."
"What type of macaroni is it?"
Madeline's face stiffened. "I don't know."
"Cool."
"Are you new?"
"Yeah. I'm from Italy."
"Oh, I'm from Canada."
"Is that in Italy?"
"No."
"That explains why I've never seen you."
"Have you seen anyone here before?"
"No."
"That's why."
"Is everybody here from Canada?"
"Boy, you are stupid. But you're a kid so you're supposed to be stupid."
"But you're smart for your age. Wait, how old are you?"
"Three."
"Me, too! I think."
"You don't know how old you are?"
"Uh, I said I think I'm three. So I know."
"No, you don't."
"Are you my friend now?"
"Well, something tells me I'm going to be stuck with you for a long time. So, yeah, I'm your friend."
"Cool! Can I have your animal crackers?"
Madeline looked down at her plastic bag full of cookies. "Why?"
"Because you're my friend and friends share, I was told."
"What happens if I tell you no?"
"Then I'll forgive you."
"Then no."
"I forgive you." Lizzie put her hand on Madeline's shoulder.
She hugged her with Madeline having a baffled look on her face.
Friday, May 1, 2015
Girls Like Athletes (Chapter 5)
Lizzie woke up on one of the benches with her friends and Warren surrounding her. Warren pressed a Ziplock bag of ice on her forehead while she was unconscious and coming to.
Madeline leaned over Lizzie. "Lizzie, are you okay?" she asked.
Lizzie groaned. "Is this real life?"
"I don't know how to respond to that," admitted Skye.
Lizzie sat up. Warren took off the bag of ice. "What happened?" she asked.
Andrea responded with, "You got knocked the--"
"Andrea, language," Madeline stopped her.
"You fell down," Andrea said instead.
"Oh, yes, I remember," Lizzie touched her cold forehead.
"Take deep breaths," ordered Debra. "It will help you gain consciousness."
"She's already conscious," said Skye.
"Debbie knows best," Debra said after a chuckle.
"Um, not to be rude, can I speak with Lizzie alone?" asked Warren.
"Yeah, sure," answered Madeline.
"You so good-looking," Andrea remarked.
Madeline interlocked her arm with Andrea's and led her away from the two. Debra and Skye followed so Lizzie can be sort of alone with Warren.
"Hi," Lizzie said.
"Hi," Warren replied.
"I'm really embarrassed."
"Don't be. People knock themselves out all the time."
"I guess that's true."
"But why did you put yourself in danger like that?"
"'Cause I wanted you to notice me."
"Well, it worked. But why?"
Lizzie sighed. "I have a little crush on you. And I heard that you don't date girls who don't play sports. So I tried to prove to you that I play sports but I don't. I'm terrible at sports."
"So you tried to pretend to be someone you're not?"
"No, I was all me. The only thing that was pretend was the athletic part."
"Uh-huh."
"Oh, you probably still don't like me anyway. Now I look like a big, lying creep."
"Hey, I don't think you're a creep."
"So you think I'm big and lying?"
"No, I didn't say that. Lizzie, you seem like a nice girl--"
"A nice girl who doesn't play sports. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know; I get the picture. I'm just sorry for... being a creep."
"Lizzie. I-- I don't see many beautiful girls like you. In fact, I don't meet many girls who are as bubbly and funny like you. Girls like you are rare and if I don't like you, that would be my loss."
Lizzie looked up to think. "So... I should tell you to screw off?"
"No, I mean that... I'm asking you out."
Lizzie opened her eyes more wide. "Really? What's with the change of heart or mind?"
"I just know that I'm not a fool and I would like to get to know you more."
"Oh, jolly day! Wait, do people say 'jolly day'?"
Warren grabbed Lizzie's neck softly and pecked his lips on her forehead. "They do now."
Lizzie grinned. "I think I'm gonna pass out again."
Madeline leaned over Lizzie. "Lizzie, are you okay?" she asked.
Lizzie groaned. "Is this real life?"
"I don't know how to respond to that," admitted Skye.
Lizzie sat up. Warren took off the bag of ice. "What happened?" she asked.
Andrea responded with, "You got knocked the--"
"Andrea, language," Madeline stopped her.
"You fell down," Andrea said instead.
"Oh, yes, I remember," Lizzie touched her cold forehead.
"Take deep breaths," ordered Debra. "It will help you gain consciousness."
"She's already conscious," said Skye.
"Debbie knows best," Debra said after a chuckle.
"Um, not to be rude, can I speak with Lizzie alone?" asked Warren.
"Yeah, sure," answered Madeline.
"You so good-looking," Andrea remarked.
Madeline interlocked her arm with Andrea's and led her away from the two. Debra and Skye followed so Lizzie can be sort of alone with Warren.
"Hi," Lizzie said.
"Hi," Warren replied.
"I'm really embarrassed."
"Don't be. People knock themselves out all the time."
"I guess that's true."
"But why did you put yourself in danger like that?"
"'Cause I wanted you to notice me."
"Well, it worked. But why?"
Lizzie sighed. "I have a little crush on you. And I heard that you don't date girls who don't play sports. So I tried to prove to you that I play sports but I don't. I'm terrible at sports."
"So you tried to pretend to be someone you're not?"
"No, I was all me. The only thing that was pretend was the athletic part."
"Uh-huh."
"Oh, you probably still don't like me anyway. Now I look like a big, lying creep."
"Hey, I don't think you're a creep."
"So you think I'm big and lying?"
"No, I didn't say that. Lizzie, you seem like a nice girl--"
"A nice girl who doesn't play sports. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know; I get the picture. I'm just sorry for... being a creep."
"Lizzie. I-- I don't see many beautiful girls like you. In fact, I don't meet many girls who are as bubbly and funny like you. Girls like you are rare and if I don't like you, that would be my loss."
Lizzie looked up to think. "So... I should tell you to screw off?"
"No, I mean that... I'm asking you out."
Lizzie opened her eyes more wide. "Really? What's with the change of heart or mind?"
"I just know that I'm not a fool and I would like to get to know you more."
"Oh, jolly day! Wait, do people say 'jolly day'?"
Warren grabbed Lizzie's neck softly and pecked his lips on her forehead. "They do now."
Lizzie grinned. "I think I'm gonna pass out again."
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