Turning Red: Changed

Chapter 6 - Panda or No Panda

On the next morning, I was skateboarding to Chinatown to meet Abby and Priya there.

I halted myself from riding my skateboard. I picked it up by my right foot. I caught my skateboard after it flew up. They are baffled. I have to ask. I was puzzled myself. "What's up, girls?" I wondered. Abby gestures me out. "Check that out here." She replied. I looked at the entrance of the China Temple. The Lee Family Temple. There was a sign on it.

CLOSED

Due to Family Emergency

There words under 'CLOSED' and 'Due to Family Emergency' are written in Chinese. Great. I was not happy. How am we going to see Mei if she's okay? Then, the voice called on us from across the street.

"Are you ladies looking for someone?!"

We glanced from our backs. Priya detects the caller. She looks up at an elder in the balcony. "We're trying to find Meilin Lee, sir." Priya replies. Abby and I glimpsed at him. According to Mei, she told me once she says hi to Mr. Gao every afternoon. Mei always does that after middle school every day. He was knowledgeable about her. "I can be sort of help to tell you where she lives." Mr. Gao insists. The three of us are glancing at each other. I have no idea this nice guy was willing to assist us. I guess his direction to Mei's house paid off.

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Abby, Priya and I are outside of Mei's house. The two girls are behind me. I knocked on the front door four times. We have patiently waited for someone to answer. After a minute or two, we heard someone opened the door. We did not anticipate to meet Mrs. Lee. She doesn't look pleased to see us.

"May I ask why are you three here for today?" Mrs. Lee wonders firmly. I don't know if she don't like us. Or was it about last night's episode she pulled at the Daisy Mart. I sighed. "We are here to see Mei, Mrs. Lee. Honestly." I told her solemnly. Priya took one step forward. "We just wanna talk with her." She said.

Mrs. Lee shook her head. "I'm afraid Mei-Mei can't talk with any of you today." She aforesaid sternly. Abby got in front of me. She seems concerned. "Mei is our friend, Mrs. Lee. We wanted to give her our regards with comfort." Abby begged her. Mrs. Lee sighs. She appeared to be distressful than angry. Mrs. Lee made a pretend delight expression. "Mei-Mei hasn't been feeling well since yesterday. It's just a cold. And it will last no longer than a week." She added. I was so bewildered. How is Mei sick? She wore a red beanie hat and drank something out of her thermos. I don't think Mei's ill. "You three will see her at school soon until she's well again, okay?" Mrs. Lee told us. We have just nodded our heads at her twice nervously. She was confident yet odd. "Good day, girls." Mrs. Lee said. She slammed the door on us. Unbelievable.

We were about to leave Mei's house. Mr. Lee peeps from the inside. "Pardon me, Miriam." He whispers at me. I have not discern him saying something to me. We encountered him. I was befuddled. "Yes, Mr. Lee?" I inquired. Abby and Priya stared at him blankly. "Mei can hear you girls at her window." He added. Mr. Lee was instructing us to her bedroom window. "It was right near the backyard. On the left. Have a nice talk with her." He aforesaid said to us. Mr. Lee got hollered at by Mrs. Lee. He got startled. "Jin! Help me with the vacuum cleaner!" She screamed. Mr. Lee moved away from the window. He was in a hurry. "Coming, Ming!" Mr. Lee exclaimed. The three of us make our haste to Mei's bedroom window. Mrs. Lee is crazy.

Me, Abby and Priya walks gradually to one side of Mei's house. We heard her moaning from her bedroom window. We are all so fearful of her. We went close to Mei's bedroom window. She sounds troubled. "Oh why? Why?" Mei moaned. I can barely see her empty bedroom thru her window.

I can't stand my friend suffering with her stomach cramps like this. I have to check her out. She was embarrassed. I have to cheer her up now. I knocked couple times on her bedroom window. "Mei, it's us, open up!" I exclaimed at her. I heard her moving fast. Did she just shut her window curtains? "Crud, no!" Mei added, exclaiming. "Guys, what are you doing here?" She asked us. I was going to answer her question. Yet, Mei was not expecting us. "Go away!" She exclaimed at us. This is getting ridiculous. Priya has been thinking the same thing. "Are you okay?" She added, asking. "Tap if you can hear us." Priya told her. Abby became tense. "One for yes, two for no!" She exclaimed. Mei did not reply. I can't stand her being so distraught. I pitied her. "We were so worried. We thought you died of embarrassment." I uttered to her. Priya considered about her stomach cramps. "You need more pads?" She added, wondering. "I brought extra." Priya mentioned. Abby was going for what's important. She got a flyer out of her suspenders pocket. "Forget that! 4-Town's coming to Toronto!" Abby shouted. And then, Mei opens her window curtains quickly. For what we see in her bedroom window is not our friend.