Go away, I'm depressed. I'm Dare.

I sat on my bed, sobbing for about half an hour. Calli lay next to me, exchanging a look of sympathy. I was still wearing my costume; it was still covered in punch. The pale face paint doesn't come off easily, so the tears and the punch didn't do crap. My makeup was the same except for the eyeliner, which rolled down my face as black tears.

Calli purred in comfort. She rubbed her head on my knee.

"But why would anyone fight for me?" I cried, "I'm just a freak!"

Cal purred again.

"I don't think I could forgive them this time," I replied.

She looked up at me with adorable kitten eyes.

"No Calli, no noms for you," I guessed.

She made a face that said, "Well, I didn't ask for noms!" Noms is food in LOL language.

"Sorry, I didn't understand you that time."

Out of nowhere, the doorbell rang.

Calli twitched her head toward the bell. That means "Go get it."

Aaron got there first though. "What are you assholes doing here? You broke my sister's heart!"

I swallowed. It was Zim and Dib, coming to apologize. Zim couldn't take his eyes off his feet (his face shadowed) and Dib was on the verge of crying.

"We want to talk with Delilah," he said, "It was all our fault and we just came to say that we never knew it was her birthday... And we're really sorry and nothing like that will ever happen again."

"What makes you think I'll believe that?" Aaron yelled.

Also, since I'm part animal (again), I can sense when people are lying or not.

"They're telling the truth, Wolfie," I said as I slowly edged downstairs. Aaron believed me reluctantly, and abandoned the open door for me.

"What do you want?" I hissed at them as I stopped in the doorway.

Zim launched himself at me and burst into tears on my shoulder. "I'm sorry!" he cried, "I'm sorry! I never should have done anything! I shouldn't have taken you to the dance or taunted Dib like that! This is all my-"

"Zim," I cooed soothingly, "I believe you; you're OK."

He looked back up at me, his antenna were down lower than I'd ever seen. His eyes were huge and adorable. And he was still crying. He pulled away from me, saying, "happy birthday,"

"Happy birthday," Dib repeated, "We're sorry we made it suck for you,"

"It's fine," I replied. I hadn't noticed Gir standing behind Dib in his dog suit.

"Merry Christmas!" he shouted happily.

"It's birthday, Gir," I corrected.

"Oh... Merry birthday!"

"Thanks, guys," I said to everybody.

"But we didn't give you our presents yet," Dib stated.

"Presents?" I asked, "I can't-"

"Just except them already," Zim smiled. Dib held out something that looked like a collar with a few doo-dads on it.

"Put it on Calli," he instructed.

"Cals!" I turned and called for her. She sprinted down the stairs, but hid behind me hissing at them. "Calli, it's OK; they're friends again."

I adjusted the collar on her. A little static came from it, but I pushed a button and something AMAZING happened:

"What is this supposed to do? Self-destruct on me!" Calli growled.

W in TF!

Calli was TALKING!

HOLY SHIT!

"She can talk now," Dib said, "And it comes in Spanish, French, Japanese, German, and Dutch!"

"I could always talk, butthead, I just talked my way!" She huffed into the kitchen, doing some kind of cat hair flip on the way.

"I gotcha somethin' too!" Gir cried. He pulled back his doggie hood and popped a cupcake from his head. "Eat the cupcake!" He handed it to me.

"Aww thanks Gir," It was chocolate. I love chocolate! I peeled off the wrapper and sunk my fangs into a bite of icing and cake.

"Mine isn't much," Zim said modestly, "Happy birthday," he said as he held up a tiny bouquet of flowers.

"Flowers?" Dib asked skeptically.

"Zim," I said, ignoring Dib's comment, "these are beautiful; thank you,"

I held out my arms to both of them, "C'mon, boys; group hug!"

We grouped hugged, including Gir.

"Dare," Zim started, "Will you go back to the dance with me?"

I paused a minute. I blinked. I nodded, "Of course, stupid; I love you,"

"But your face! And the dress!" Dib retorted.

"The dress only smells like fruit," I looked at him, "And I like the black streaks down my face."

Dib blinked repeatedly. "Oh... M'kay..."

I took Zim's hand. We walked back to the school dance.