The Boy And The Red Panda (Turning Red)

Bending The Rules

It was the night of Tyler's party. Mei and I needed to escape the house somehow. "Let's just tell them it's another mathletes meeting. What could go wrong?" Mei suggested. "Okay, we're headed off to mathletes. See you later." I said. "Wait. What about dinner?" Aunt Ming asked. "I made all of Mei Mei's favorites." Mei began drooling, but remembered the plan. "Thanks, but Miriam's dad is, uh, ordering pizza. Save me leftovers?" Mei lied. "What if I come with you?" Aunt Ming suggested. "You have no idea how happy I am that you and Edwin are finally getting along. What are you doing? Linear equations? Geometry? I have a double jointed elbow! Look! I can make a perfect circle!" "Wow! Yeah, but it'll be super boring." I fibbed. "Wouldn't you rather hang with Uncle Jin? I know I would." "Let's get my flashcards." Aunt Ming said to Mei. Just outside the temple, I heard some familiar voices chatting at the same time. Sounded like Aunt Ming's sisters and her mother. "Uncle Jin, looks like your mother-in-law is here." I said. "And your sisters-in-law."

The aunties were shoving prunes in Mei's mouth, smothering her about the upcoming ritual. "Screw this. I'm going to mathletes." I lied, heading to Tyler's.

As soon as I got to Tyler's party, everyone got their hopes up, until I came to the basement. "Party!" I shouted. "Tenzinga! Where's your fur ball of a cousin?" Tyler asked. "No worries. She's still coming, she's just running late." I explained. "Edwin, where's Mei?" Miriam whispered. "Mei is fine, she just has to dodge a few more obstacles to get here. We just need to keep the guests distracted in the meantime." I replied. "Don't worry, she's on her way. I hope."

Me and the girls tried the best we could to entertain everyone with a game of charades, but the party was still bomb. That's when all of a sudden, the doorbell rang. Mei was finally here, just not as everyone expected. She was dressed in a custom panda costume made from cardboard boxes. "Yo! What up, peeps?" Mei greeted. "What are you wearing?" Tyler asked. "Hey, Tyler. Happy birthday." Mei said. "I'm paying for the red panda, not this garbage!" Tyler complained. "Deal's off!" "Wait! Can garbage do this?" Mei asked, showing off some crappy dance moves. We pulled Mei aside for a private conversation. "Are you feeling okay?" Miriam asked. "Guys, it's hard to explain, but just trust me on this." Mei sighed. "I can't panda anymore. I'm sorry." "Okay, it's fine. You don't have to do it." Miriam said. "We'll just figure something..." "I won't go." Priya interrupted. "What?!" Mei exclaimed. "Priya, you can't not go. Jesse's your soulmate." "But you guys only have enough for three tickets." I recalled. "Then I'll stay home." Abby insisted. "Abby, no! I'll stay home." Mei replied. "Guys, if we can't all go, then none of us should go. Right?" Miriam asked. "I'm sorry, guys." I sighed. Mei grunted, feeling guilty. "Just one last time." Mei grumbled. "Hey, Tyler! You want the panda? You're getting the panda! Let's hear it for the birthday boy!" She transforms into her panda and gets the guests pumped. Everyone loves her panda. She gave out free rides, took more photos, even danced casually with everyone, and for the first time in a long time, she smiled at me.

After a while, we sat on the roof to celebrate our success. "Yeah! We did it!" Mei exclaimed. "We're seeing 4-Town!" "Congratulations, guys." I smiled. "Hey, has anyone seen Mei?" Tyler groaned from his backyard. "Dang, he is working you." Priya said. "He's such a diva!" Abby complains. "It'll all be worth it." Mei sighed. "Tomorrow, we are walking into that concert girls and coming out women." "Literally goosebumps." Miriam said. "What do you think Jesse smells like?" Priya asked. "Probably cheap cologne." I replied. "Milk chocolate and wet rocks." Miriam guessed. "It's happening, Robaire Junior." Mei said to her Tamagotchi. "You're finally gonna meet your daddy!" "And your hot uncles." Abby added and we all shared our laughter. "Mei, what if you didn't do the ritual?" Miriam asked. "What if you kept the panda?" "What?" Mei wondered. "Look at you!" Miriam exclaimed. "You're not the same feather dusting, straight A, goody goody..." "Who we never saw, like, ever." Priya added. "Yeah!" Abby shouted. "Not to mention that you and I actually get along now." I commented. "You're like a total rebel now!" Miriam continues. "Guys, I can't be like this forever." Mei sighed. "My whole family would freak! Especially my mom. All her hopes and dreams are pinned on me." "You don't speak for your whole family." I corrected. "But, you've really changed and I'm proud of you." Miriam said. "Just, don't get rid of all of it, you know?" "Yeah, if it weren't for you, none of this would be happening." Abby added. "You the bomb!" "Word." Priya said. "You the bomb, Mei." All of a sudden, the radio began playing 4-Town music, also advertising their tour. "Alright, homies, next up is 4-Town." The radio DJ announced. "The boys are coming to Toronto on the 25th! So get your tickets now. And check it, they'll be cranking open the SkyDome and performing under a red lunar eclipse." "Abby, you said the concert was the 18th." Mei said. "It is! He's wrong!" Abby reassured us, pulling out her poster. "Look! The 18th, Toronto!" "Uh, this says Toledo." Priya corrected. "Which means the concert is the same night as the ritual." I gasped as Abby was complaining in Korean. "No!" Mei shouted, going full panda. "The same night? What?!" "Mei, chill." Miriam said as I used my inhaler. "It's okay." Priya added. "No it isn't!" Mei snapped. "I can't miss 4-Town! We worked so hard! But the ritual. I'll let everyone down!" "Hey, Panda Girl!" Tyler called out. "What are you doing? We want more rides." "Buzz off, jerkface! I'm busy!" Mei grunted. "You want your money? Then get your butt down here now!" Tyler demanded. "Forget your money and forget you!" Mei snarled. "Mei, let's just go." I warned. "What about our deal?" Tyler asked. "Shove your deal!" Mei snapped. "Fine! Get out of here!" Tyler shouted. "Go back to your psycho mom and your creepy temple, you freak!" Mei jumped down onto Tyler and began yelling at him, just as Aunt Ming arrived. "Mei Mei, stop!" Aunt Ming exclaimed. "What is going on here?" "I'm sorry, just get off of me, please!" Tyler sobbed. Everyone was scared of her.

Tyler's parents argued with Aunt Ming about Mei nearly hurting Tyler. They sent everyone home. Mei was waiting for her punishment, but Aunt Ming walked towards me and the girls. "I can't believe you four would use her like this!"Aunt Ming grumbled. "Especially you, Edwin. I expected better from you!" "What?!" Miriam and I asked. "But we didn't." Priya explained. "No, we'd never!" Abby added. "What?" Mei whimpered. "I knew you were trouble." Aunt Ming grunted. "Putting all these thoughts into Mei Mei's head, parading her around. Now she's lying, sneaking out. She attacked a defenseless boy. You think this is a joke? Do you know how dangerous this is?" "We didn't mean to, we just wanted to see 4-Town." Miriam explained. "4-Town! You manipulated her for a bunch of tacky delinquents?" Aunt Ming snapped. "No, she wanted to..." Miriam tried to explain. "Don't you blame her!" She growled. "She is a good girl, and you have taken advantage of her!" "Mei, tell her!" I begged. Mei looked up at Aunt Ming, but didn't say anything. "What?" Priya wondered. "Dude!" Abby exclaimed. "As for you, Edwin. Your mother will pick you up after the ritual. I can't do this anymore." Aunt Ming said. "Come on, Mei Mei. Let's go."

As soon as we got back, I was forced to start packing my stuff. That's when Mei came in. "Edwin?" She asked. I didn't say a word to her since we left the party. "Come on, Edwin, you can't stop talking to me forever." "I thought you'd be happy. You're finally getting your wish." I responded. "What are you talking about." "Last night, you wanted everything to go back to normal. When I first moved in a few months ago, you wanted me gone. But since you got the panda, you became a better person. You showed everyone this side of yourself that you've kept contained like your panda. You and I were finally getting along." I confessed. "I thought, maybe this time, things will be different, but you're always going to be prissy perfect Mei Mei who will never have the courage to stand up for herself! I wish I never helped you with that stupid concert crap." "Fine!" Mei shouted. "I hope I never see you again!"