Disclaimer: I do not own That's So Raven or any related characters.
I went to school the next day with all these questions in my head. I wondered if Muffy and Loca ever remember their days with Alana. It saddened me a bit. I mean, what they shared was still a friendship, after all. All my curiosity drove me to do something to try and save a friendship that has absolutely nothing that concerns me. I know that I am driving myself straight into the mouth of trouble, but I knew Alana wanted to save her friendship with Muffy and Loca; and I only want to make things easier for her. I walked passed clusters of people, not even trying to look at anyone or speaking to them. All I have in my mind was to find Muffy and Loca. I arrived by a water fountain and chanced upon Bianca, Muffy and Loca tormenting a thirsty student. They were very easy to spot, since they wore a matching ensemble of purple. They let the water flow and near the guy's mouth to the water, but would then pull him back immediately and stop the water. The three of them laughed offensively at their victim, while I was just there to watch. Somehow, I felt that I wanted to back down on my task, but I remembered Alana. She really wanted to be reunited with Muffy and Loca. I didn't exactly have no choice. I could run away, but I really want to help. So, I shut my eyes, took in a gust of breath and walked forward to confront Muffy and Loca.
"Muffy, Loca!" My voice was loud, as if shouting at them. I didn't know where I got the courage to do that, but it just came to me. Muffy and Loca looked over their shoulders and saw me behind them. I felt their acidic stares burn holes through me. Muffy and Loca turned and faced me. Their shadows seemed to loom over me. Bianca saw me as well and got in front of her two followers. Being rash, Bianca grabbed me by my shirt collar.
"What do you want with them?" Bianca asked venomously. I could feel her hot breath. Kissy Fresh…but it felt so uncomfortable against my face. I shrugged. "You stay away from us if you don't wanna get hurt, you hear?"
"Drop the girl, now!'
The four of us turned our heads, each instantly filled with different emotions. I was happy, Bianca was angry, Loca was shocked and Muffy was uneasy. Bianca let go of me and faced the stranger, while Muffy and Loca couldn't believe their eyes. The students were frozen on the spot, not believing what they're seeing. She walked forward, as the students steered clear, paving a way for her. She walked down that path, her eyes fixed solidly on the four of us. It was like they saw the dead walking the mortal soil once again, surveying her with stunned faces. Whispers instantly flew around. I could her statements like, "Wasn't she sent to military school?" and "She's back! She's alive!" coming from the students. I was relieved and happy to see her, thinking that all will finally be resolved.
"Alana!" I cried, running to her side. Alana smiled at me, taking my hand as I ran to her. "But, aren't you supposed to be…you know?"
"I was released from military school just now." Alana reported happily. "I figured that going back here in Bayside is the first right thing to do."
"Aww, isn't that touching?" Bianca sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "If you came back for your crew, Alana, you ain't never getting them back. They're with me now." Muffy and Loca didn't say anything. They were petrified at the sight of Alana, whom they thought they'll never be seeing again.
"Alana…" Muffy said, taking a step forward, but was barricaded by Bianca's arm. Loca took her back, but she also wanted to go over there to Alana.
"Is that so?" Alana asked. I wasn't sure why she's so confident. Though I root for her side, I really didn't have that much faith in the way she will reclaim Muffy and Loca. "I think it is so low…even for me, to neglect all that we have been through." Alana said. Her words pierced through Muffy and Loca. "I was thrown in military school. I had to leave everything I grew to love here in Bayside. But you know what? Every waking moment, I thought about you guys- Muffy and Loca. I thought about you guys during my time there. Your memories helped me through tough times…at those points when I thought of giving up…"
"Alana…" Muffy called out to her once again. I turned to see that Muffy was crying, her tears smudging her mascara and sending rivulets of blackened tears down her face. I looked at Loca who had her head down, but her tears didn't escape my sight. Alana continued.
"Each memory gave me strength, pushing me to go on and never give up. I thought, if I make it out of here…I will go back to Muffy and Loca. I will go back to my two best friends in the whole wide world." Alana added. Her eyes were becoming clouded with a wall of tears. But odd enough, they just welled in there and didn't flow. "But then…I heard of what you've done." Alana looked at me and back to them again. "You have forsaken me." Muffy then wailed, crying her heart out like she never did before. Loca hugged Muffy, serving as a sort of comforting shoulder for her to cry on.
"Shut up! There ain't no way you're getting them back!" Bianca shouted amidst the drama, pounding her fist on a nearby locker. Alana knew better than to answer her. She continued with her statements.
"I learned that you chose to go with this person," Alana paused and gave Bianca a dirty look. If looks could kill, Bianca would have been dead by now. "Doing crimes that I never ever imagined you would do. I am no saint…but at least I know when to stop."
"You're chicken! You never had it in you to lead a bad gang!" Bianca snapped, circling around Alana. Alana seemed to not see her. She then continued.
"Just like you said Loca, even though I am a mischievous person, I know better than to commit grave crimes." Alana said, looking at Loca. Loca didn't look away. Instead, she looked at Alana straight in they eye and guess what? A smiled formed on her lips. Alana smiled back. Bianca looked over her shoulder angrily and saw Loca smiling at Alana. Bianca looked back at Alana.
"I can do mischief. I can stir trouble." Alana continued. She saw that Loca and Muffy were intently listening. "But I know my limits. I really don't know why you'd follow someone who got kicked out of military school. It shows that you really want to throw away your life." Alana added. Her words seem to grow more and more painful to Loca and Muffy. "A life that we shared…a life in which we spent every second of it together. But you know, even if you did this to me…one thing stayed the same."
All of us waited. I looked at Loca and Muffy, who were obviously being bothered by their conscience. Bianca was furious. I was waiting for Alana to finish.
"Even though you deserted me, I just want you guys to know…" Alana said, walking towards Muffy and Loca. To my surprise, as well as to Loca's, Muffy's, Bianca's and everybody else's, Alana wrapped her arms around Muffy and Loca's shoulders and locked them in an embrace.
"I want you to know…that you'll always be my two best friends…" Alana said tearfully. They shared an embrace that is tight, warm and sincere. I watched as Loca and Muffy unsteadily raised their arms to return the hug. But it came through. Muffy and Loca returned Alana's hug, embracing their mislaid friend for the first time in a long while. Muffy cried hard on Alana's shoulders, as Loca tried to fight her tears, but failed to do so.
"We missed you so much Alana…" Muffy cried, her voice trembling as she spoke. "We're sorry for what we have done…we're so sorry…"
"Alana…never leave us again. Promise us…never leave us…" Loca added, her tears falling hard on Alana's shoulder. The tears in Alana's eyes finally gushed out and dripped along her face. These weren't tears of anger. These were tears of joy. I watched the happy picture, folding my arms across my chest and smiled.
"I've forgiven you long ago…" Alana said. "And I will never leave you guys…I'll stay here with you…until this world crumbles down to nothing, I'll be with you." Bianca couldn't take it anymore. She cracked her knuckles and called for Loca and Muffy.
"Muffy! Loca! Get your selves over here and away from that chicken-wuss!" Bianca snarled angrily. Loca broke free from the hug and so did Muffy.
"Like, are you talking to us?" Muffy asked bluntly, raising one eyebrow at Bianca. "'Cause we don't talk to anyone Alana doesn't like." Bianca was staggered at what she's hearing. She gritted her teeth and pointed a finger at Muffy.
"You will pay for this, Muffy!" Bianca threatened. "I'm gonna beat you so hard, I'm gonna-"
"You're gonna what?" Loca asked, stepping in front of Alana and Muffy, punching her palm with a fist. "If you're gonna hurt my best friends, you're gonna have to go through me first!" Loca said bravely. Bianca's eyes widened like saucers. She knew she'd better keep her distance since Loca was five times taller and stronger than her. Whispers and laughter then started to fly around the hallway.
"Hey, hey! Bianca's not so tough anymore!" A random person from the crowd shouted. "She's nothing more than a weak little pansy!" It was then followed by a roar of laughter. I, too, somehow found it amusing. I laughed along as well, as Bianca found herself alone and surrounded.
"Stop it! Quit laughing, you idiots!" Bianca growled, apprehension creeping all over her spine. She was surrounded by the people whom she tormented and made to look like a fool. The tables have turned, and now she's the one being made a monkey of. Bianca fell to her knees, gripping her head and trying to shut out all the laughter around her. Alana smirked and walked over to the fallen bully. Bianca looked up and saw Alana's shadow looming over her.
"Leave my sight." Alana sternly commanded. Bianca didn't move. "I said leave." Bianca just stared at her. Just then, Loca got herself into the scene and barked at Bianca.
"Hey! Alana said leave!" Loca barked, brandishing a fist.
"…!" Bianca was alarmed, but didn't say anything. She scrambled on her feet and scampered off and out of the hallway. Loca turned to Alana, who gave her a thumbs up. Muffy looked at Alana who ordered her to clear the area, just like she always did.
"Like, buzz off, creeps! Leave now if you don't want to end up like that sorry whatsherface!" Muffy snapped at the bystanders. The people cleared out immediately after the little spectacle. I, however, stayed despite the warning. I watched as Alana and her friends celebrated their reunion.
"Wow, you got better at insulting, Muffy." Alana commended, patting Muffy on the shoulder. "And you, Loca, never lost that bully nerve in you." Alana said to Loca, who smiled at her. Muffy then held Alana's hands and looked at her with a lively shine in her eyes.
"Alana…Loca and I…we are sorry for leaving you." Muffy apologized, grasping Alana's hands tighter as every second passed.
"Aww, that's OK. It's all water under the bridge now." Alana said, hugging Muffy once more.
"But you know, Alana…we do have a reason why we joined Bianca." Loca explained. Alana turned to her and listened. "We didn't join her…because we wanted to make friends with her."
"But why? What is your reason?" Alana couldn't deny it, but a little resentment was still in her heart because of what Muffy and Loca had done to her.
"We…never considered Bianca a friend. We just joined her because…" Muffy spoke. Alana's face grew more curious with each passing moment. "We desperately sought after your shadow, Alana. We looked for you in Bianca." Alana was surprised. All this time, she thought that her friends had completely deserted her. But after hearing this, her opinion changed. She stayed quiet as Loca finished the explanation.
"Bianca was bad…a leader that is strong. Muffy and I figured…that an Alana might be somewhere in there." Loca explained, taking one of Alana's hands. Alana felt her eyes becoming hot and sore again, as a warm liquid built up again. "But…she was far from you. When they said she was bad, they really meant it. She really has no compassion for others…no judgment, no conscience." Alana listened on. "She was no friend. There were so many timed that Muffy and I considered leaving…but were too afraid. Bianca wasn't one who'd take it sitting down, you know." Alana nodded, her curiosity satisfied.
"We desperately sought you…but never found you." Muffy added, finishing the story. "So…that's it. We never abandoned you Alana. You were always in our hearts…both of us." Muffy patted Loca's back. Alana's welling tears flowed down her face again, her heart filled with joy and contentment. She was very happy to know that her friends never wished to leave her, and that they thought of her every in single moment as well.
"You guys are the best!" Alana exclaimed.
"Like, group hug!" Muffy chimed, jumping a bit. The three of them locked on another in one warm hug.
"I love you guys!" Loca said zealously, not knowing that her hug was crushing her two best friends.
"Ermm…Loca," Alana said, gasping for air a bit. "You're crushing my windpipe."
"Yeah, like, mine too!" Muffy added, catching her breath as well.
"Oh, sorry." Loca said sheepishly, letting go of her friends.
"I'm so glad that we're together again!" Alana said. Loca and Muffy agreed. Just then, Alana donned a hero-like stance and started to declare something. I could only watch. They didn't seem to mind me staring. "Look out, Bayside! Alana is back!" Loca and Muffy cheered by her side, as an invisible crowd of people bore witness to this declaration. "We, Alana, Muffy and Loca are together again!"
"And nobody could separate us! Ever!" Muffy cheered in her trademark cheerleader accent.
"Nobody's getting in the way of our friendship again!" Loca said ardently. A student then walked along the hallway and grazed his shoulder with Alana's by accident. He didn't see where he was going because he was reading a book. Alana's face scrunched up in a scowl.
"Sorry, I was reading my book and I didn't see-" The student looked up to see Alana's grimaced visage staring at him. Loca and Muffy were smirking, merely waiting for Alana's orders. "A-A-Alana? Oh no…I'm dead."
"Muffy, Loca," Alana said, looking from side to side. "Get him."
"Like, happy to do it!" Muffy said cheerily.
"Finally, some action!" Loca exclaimed, getting ready to pounce.
"No, no! WAAAAAAAHHHH!" The student dropped his book and ran off for dear life, with Muffy and Loca chasing after him. Alana smiled and watched as the three of them disappeared at the hall corner. Alana turned her attention to me and smiled.
"Now you know the truth." Alana said softly, but I caught it clearly. I merely nodded in response. Alana didn't say anything more and ran off after Muffy and Loca. And there I stood, happiness overflowing in my heart. To others, that may be something that doesn't concern them, but to me, I was happy to at least hear out Alana's story…to know that somehow I did help relieve her pain. But I have to admit, I was pretty dumbstruck when I heard about Muffy and Loca's pasts. I never knew what they had gone through at a very young age. And I couldn't believe how compassionate Alana was before…helping strangers she barely knows. But nevertheless, I was happy that a strong friendship was restored, and maybe will even be stronger that it was before. An image of the three of them happily hanging out together filled my mind. Together forever, never apart. It was then that I finally realized it:
Muffy and Loca will never leave Alana's side. They'll always be there with her, 'till the world with breathe its last. They are willing to sacrifice everything for Alana. They owe their current state to her, for Alana was the one who made their existence today possible.
It was then I realized that the Terrible Trio is absolute, and Muffy and Loca will forever pay their debt to Alana.
But every single moment that will be sacrificed is well worth it.