Turning Red: Changed

Chapter 2 - Karaoke at Abby's

It's just the three of us...again...

Me, Abby and Priya are hanging out together for our karaoke time. I know I should be home after Pearson Middle School. I just need a moment with my girlfriends. How can Mei is not into boys? Abby, Priya and I loved boys.

Anyway, we visited to Abby's place. Her mom doesn't seem to mind having friends over for awhile. So the three of us go karaoke-ing in the basement. Priya and I are just sitting on a dark purple sofa. I was on the left side of the seat. Priya was on my right. Abby was just digging thru her karaoke music collection. O-M-G! How can she have so much cds for just one karaoke machine? I'll never know for certainty. Priya ponders. She looks like her mind was brainstorming about our friend from Chinatown. "Do you think Mei maybe kind of a witch in secret?" Priya wonders. Wait, what? I had to object with her. I frowned at Priya. "No way." I added. "Mei was just helping her mom for keeping the temple clean." I clarified. I heard Abby's grumbling. She comments in Chinese. Or was it Japanese or Korean? Her language sounds confusing. Abby shook her head. "Mei's mom could be a witch before her. I'm saying she's crazy." Abby stated. Oh what the heck.

I sat up from the sofa. Priya observes me stepping forward to Abby. "Mei and her family are just people like us. There's no reason to see that our friend is a witch." I added. I have not ever been so solemn like the last time we hang out. "I think her mom will let her go eventually when Mei's ready to be with us in the afternoon." I told Abby. She did not buy my sympathy. Abby brought out a pop music cd album. "I don't get her, Mir." Abby utters. She was heading to the karaoke machine. I shrugged. "What's not to get, Abby?" I added, wondering. "Mei hasn't try asking her mom before. I'm sure she's been thinking about us by now." I believed.

Priya shook her head. She was unpredictable. "Mei might not hang with us until college." Priya states. Are you kidding me?! Am I the only one here that Mei needs to be herself? Than what her family expects of her to be? I have to put a stand on them. "She is our friend. A good dorky friend like us. I don't care why Mei can't be with us. We have to give her time." I mentioned at them.

Abby and Priya sighs. They have seemed to acknowledge me. Abby inserted the cd into the karaoke machine. She appeared cheerful. Too cheerful in her chaotic way. "Okay, Miriam." Abby added. She was on her verge to cry out. "Let's sing from our hearts out!!" Abby shouted. Priya joins me and Abby. We all have standing in front of a tv. Priya got psyched in her dead-look way. "What's the song, girl?" She asks Abby. I got curious myself.

"Something that will make us larger than life." Abby declared.

The tv got turned on. The song itself started immediately. Oh my god! I know this kind of music. Priya got her eyes widened. Abby raises her roofs up. "We're gonna do this, girls!!" She cried out louder. Man, will Abby ever lower her volume down for just one time? I laughed with her anyway. I stepped forth. I was so prepared for it.

"I may run and hide when you screamin' my name, alright!" I sang. I was beatboxing a rhythm. Abby makes the beat noises from the music. Priya dances with her shoulders. "But let me tell you now there are prices to fame, alright!" I sang. Abby efforts the best noises again. Priya moves her shoulders once more. I glanced at them. I was excited. "Ready?" I wondered. They nodded their heads at me twice. Abby and Priya goes to me. Abby was on my right. And Priya was on my left. We were living our own life of pop.

"All of our time spent in flashes of light, of light, of light, of light!" We sang. We danced like we are on our stage. "All you people can't you see, can't you see! How our love's affecting our reality! Every time we're down! You can make it right! And that makes you larger than life!" We sang so good.

We swayed our hips like we were swaying in our rhythmic ways. I continued on singing. "Looking at the crowd and I see your body sway, c'mon!" I sang. Abby resumed her beat noises to the song. Priya resumes her shoulder dancing. "Wishin' I could thank you in a different way, c'mon!" I sang again. Abby creates beat noises again. Priya wiggled her shoulders. They are ahead of me. I laughed with them. We are so thrilled.

"'Cause all of your time spent keeps us alive, alive, alive, alive!" We sang again. We are living in our dreams. We danced away. "All you people can't you see, can't you see! How our love's affecting our reality! Every time we're down! You can make it right! And that makes you larger than life!" We sang even louder.

We beatboxes a lot of times during the song. By the time we finished singing, someone calls on me. "Miriam! Your dad's here to pick you up!" Abby's mom hollered. I groaned. It's too soon to end my hang out with my besties. I went after my backpack. Priya says something to me which it's so important. "We'll try Mei again after school for our karaoke tomorrow." Priya aforementioned. Abby sighed. She seems disappointed. Abby turns off the karaoke machine and tv. "Yeah, she's our gal-pal!" Abby exclaimed. She also mumbles something in Japanese or Korean. Maybe French? No that's Robaire. Mei's dream-man. It doesn't matter. I stared at them. I stayed enthusiastic as I can. It's not easy when my fun was over already. "I'll see you guys tomorrow, Abby! Priya!" I exclaimed. I waved my goodbyes at them. They witnessed me leaving. Priya waves back at me. Same goes to Abby. "Bye, Miriam!" They exclaimed in unison.

When I go home after karaoke in the afternoon, I got one thing I don't like the most afterwards. I have to do math homework after dinner. Ugh!