The Cousins Clue Crew (Chapter 2)

 

*Disclaimer*: This is a work of fiction. Some events may be based on real life, but some events are made up.

               Clang! The prison door shut behind him. He slumped down and remembered the words of his partner in crime, "Find a way out, Nabal. Find a way out." He started searching. There was a window high up, but he couldn't reach it, besides, it was way too small for him to fit in, anyways. Nabal sighed, why had he become friends with the Lee family? One of the kids, Mingmei, had gotten him into this mess. He clenched his hands into fists. The Lee family would definitely pay, especially the good for nothing Mingmei. Little did he know, that Mingmei was already having enough troubles of her own.

Mingmei

            The plane landed in San Jose, Oregon. Isabella headed first, her face hardened and determined, her chin high. I was sobbing in Ye Ye’s lap, with Ye Ye patting my shoulder. Clara was nervously standing over the two, and my aunts (Aunt Emily and Aunt Meigui) and Nai Nai were bustling around, collecting themselves together, and grabbing the backpacks. Austin and Malachi tried to lighten the mood with, “Why did the Chicken cross the road?” ‘Because, Bock, bock, bocket-ey bock,'' as they flapped their arms like chickens. Ava chuckled a little as she removed her Airpods, but nobody else even bothered to look up. 

         How could Austin and Malachi be making jokes at this time? My emotions were all trying to take over me. I don’t even know what my emotions were! Why couldn’t my mom have been with me? Ye Ye was kind, yes, but he wasn't my mom. And then Isabella turned around and gave me the most ferocious glare a girl could give. Under Isabella’s glare, I wished I could just sink through the floor. I felt weird and I started to wobble. Then I…….

The next thing I knew, I heard Isabella say, “Humph! See, Clara, Mingmei is just a good-for-nothing-fainting girl." I couldn’t stand it, I had to do something! But what! After all, Isabella was my friend, whether she acted like it or not. Right? And I couldn’t just, I don’t know, do something horrible to her! (And honestly, she was kind of scaring me) So I did the only thing I really felt I could do at the moment. I cried.YeYe patted me on the shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay, Mingmei,” he said softly. “It’s okay.” 

           And he shot Isabella a glare, who in response said, “Humph.” 

Then, at that very moment, I realized we weren't on the plane anymore. We were sitting on a bench with YeYe sitting next to me, Clara glancing at me from her Cheesy Bears, the moms chatting lightly, Austin and Malachi and Hayden joking about whatever they joke about, Isabella pounding her fist on, what was that? A water fountain? And Nai Nai gave Isabella a warning glare. 

“Come, come,” YeYe said soothingly. “Let’s get home to get some sleep.” Everyone strapped up their backpacks and started walking towards the luggage pickup. YeYe held my hand. Isabella walked in front, Clara trailing behind her and whispering things to her. Isabella kept glaring at Clara and then seeing me looking at her, glared at me. I shuddered. I didn’t like the feeling of being scared of my own friend. But then a thought dawned to me. What if Isabella was trying to say she wasn’t my friend anymore? What if she didn’t even like me from the beginning? What if we just weren’t meant to be together? My thoughts were cold and threatening, but I just couldn’t lose them in the abyss that was a mind. The grownups grabbed the luggage, and we were whisked into the cold evening air. 

Clara

We all walked towards the Lee Family bus. I got on with Isabella and waved to Ming. Isabella and I sat down in the back where we had always sat for as long as I could remember. I didn’t want to end my friendship with Isabella. I wished we never met Mingmei, but then, I did like Mingmei a lot. I couldn’t understand why Isabella was so mad. She’d never been jealous of Bing, my other friend (If you remember), but then, Isabella had been silent then. I didn’t even know half of what was going on in Isabella’s mind. 

“Want to eat an orange snack?” I said a little nervously. Isabella used to get really calm when she ate one. Isabella grunted and I took one out of my hair. (Don’t worry, they were wrapped in tin foil) She popped the orange hard candy in her mouth and her expression softened a little. 

           "Why are you angry, Isabella?" I asked. Isabella looked confused, so I pressed further, "Is it Mingmei?" Suddenly Isabella's expression darkened. She turned to me and pointed her finger in the direction of Mingmei.

           "What are you? Her pet dog? Listen, Clara, if you still want to be my friend, stop talking about her! If you say one more thing to her, I'll never talk to you again." With that, Isabella stared at me with her cold, brown eyes. "Please, Clara." Isabella's expression softened a little. What should I do? 

I hope you enjoyed The Cousin's Clue Crew. Make sure to check out the rest of my blog!!!

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