Turning Red

Chapter 8: The Hustle

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Mei and his friends were know outside playing dodgeball at gym class.

"Eyes on the balls guys! Be water! Be..."

The coach yelled, as a kid got hit in the face.

"That presentation was bomb-dot-com. I cited all my sources. I had sparklers!" He threw the ball he was holding. "And she still said no!"

"My parents said I could go when I'm thirty." Priya complained, as she dodged the balls.

"Mine called it stripper music. What's wrong with that?" Abby asked, as she caught a ball with her teeth.

"Mine said yes, but I have to buy the ticket. Who the heck's got that kind of cash?" Miriam asked, as she dodged a ball.

"Mine said no too. I think they're worried it'll turn me into some kind of felon or something." (Y/n) said.

"I know my mom's worried, but sometimes she's just so...so..."

"Wacko?" Miriam finished.

They all looked at her at she pointed over to the fence. They turned and saw Ming sitting in her car holding binoculars.

The same security guard from before came running over to her.

"Ma'am! Please!"

Ming started her car and drove away.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Lee! I see you!"

From the other side of the court, Tyler could be seen laughing at Mei.

"Little momma's boy!" He mocked. "No wonder Mei is such a loser. How can someone like (Y/n) even be around someone like him?"

Mei tightened his grip on the dodgeball he was holding and he clenched his teeth.

His arm turned into a panda arm, and he threw the ball as hard as he could at Tyler. Tyler screamed and ducked, and the ball burned some of his hair off before smashing into the window.

The teacher blew his whistle. "Illegal throw! You're out Lee!"

"What?! But Mr. K, he..." The four girls grabbed him and dragged him off before anything else could a happen.

...

"Calm down Mei!"

"Yeah, just chill out."

They dragged Mei into the girls bathroom.

"Dude keep it together."

"I can't. We need to see this concert! Why doesn't my mom get that? I never ask for anything! My whole life I've been her perfect little Mei-Mei. Temple duties, grades."

"Violin!" Abby added.

"Tap dancing." Priya chimed in.

"Yeah. We've been so good. If they don't trust us anyway, then what's the point?"

"Wow! Who are you?" Miriam asked.