Yan Liang heads towards the west entrance of the school, following what Wen Chou’s text message had told her. As she turns the corner, she sees the door swarmed by Yellow Scarves. “W-Wha?” Her fists tighten from annoyance. “Wen Chou, I swear if you mixed up east and west again…” Yan Liang stands behind one of the brick walls that juts out of the school, by design mind you, hoping to overhear some of what the girls are shouting.

  “Those punks! They locked the door!” one screams out. Yan Liang hears a bang on the door as if she kicked the door in frustration.

  “What uniforms were they wearing?” another voice asks.

  “Looked like some green one I wasn’t familiar with.” Yan Liang smiles hearing this. It sounds like this is where Liu Bei was.

  “The others were wearing those prissy fancy yellow uniforms, like the one obnoxious chick with the big hair wears!” Yan Liang lets out a sigh of relief, it sounds like both Qu Yi and Wen Chou made it inside. She looks down at her uniform. However, her yellow uniform makes her an obvious target. While she’s strong and capable, she certainly doesn’t like the odds and doesn’t exactly know how to fight. She has to get out of here before they notice her.

  Yan Liang turns around and runs to the back of the school. She notices that even the doors to the gym and the locker room are guarded by some Yellow Scarves. She’s running out of options. Her phone vibrates, causing her to pull it from her pocket.

  Wen Chou: We’re in the school. We had to lock the door because we were being chased. We’re heading to the library right now. If you manage to get in, we’ll be there.

  Her grip on her phone tightens. “I need to get in to help them. But how?” She begins pacing back and forth, the tip of her index finger on her chin. After pacing for several minutes, she sighs as she slows down. “It’s no use. I’m not much of an idea girl.” She shakes her head. “No! I can’t give up. What would Qu Yi do? She’d probably try to make friends with them.” She peeks at the ones in front of the locker room doors. “Wait, friends…” She turns around to see the nearby archery range. “That Zhou Cang girl might be able to help.” She nods as she hastily runs in the direction of the archery range.

  Yan Liang enters through the door shaped hole at the front of the pavilion type building. She notices three girls sitting in the corner. “Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!” They say in unison. One cheers, one groans in defeat, and another looks uninterested. She sees all three wearing yellow scarves or hairbands. Worry creeps in, but she then notices one with orange hair that has a goose egg on the side of her head where Wen Chou clocked her.

  “Z-Zhou Cang, right?” Yan Liang lets out, causing the girl with orange hair to turn her head towards her.

  “Hey!” Zhou Cang snaps her finger and points to her, recognizing her after a few seconds, “You’re that one friend of Shrimpy!”

  “U-Um, Qu Yi. Right.” Yan Liang smiles.

  Zhou Cang and the two girls next to her stand up. “These are some of my friends who listened about the flier idea.”

  One is a shorter girl with light green, crudely cut hair past her shoulders. She has a yellow scarf around her neck, and her teal eyes looked welcoming. She wears a yellow and brown top that leaves her midriff exposed. Her yellow sleeves are detached from the top exposing her shoulders as well. She has on a yellow skirt that covers just up to her knees. “I’m Gong Du. Nice to meetcha.” She gives a friendly smile to Yan Liang.

  The girl on the other side of Zhou Cang has light violet shoulder length hair matching her eye color. She sports a yellow hairband keeping her bangs out of her face. She has a very mild expression with one of her hands in the pocket of the half zipped up yellow hoodie she wears. A brown top is exposed from the unzipped hoodie, and she has yellow denim shorts on. “I’m Liu Pi.” She shrugs indifferently. “I suppose you’re one of the ones that is going to help us find Zhang Jue?”

  Yan Liang bows slightly, introducing herself. “I’m Yan Liang. I’m a student of Yuan Shao’s class.” As she stands up straight again, she scratches the side of her cheek. “I’d like to help, but I’ve run into my own problem.” She peeks out of the archery range pavilion they are all in. “While both Qu Yi and Wen Chou made it inside, the Yellow Scarves are guarding every entrance. Apparently, they are also mad that students from my class made it inside, so I don’t think they would enjoy seeing my uniform exactly. So, I’m trying to figure out my own way inside. That way we can help them with the fliers.”

  Zhou Cang and her two friends peek out of one of the window holes in the archery range. “Yeah, looks like they sure are flocking the entrances.” Zhou Cang nods.

  Yan Liang sighs. “I can’t think of any ideas myself to get past all the guards. Each entrance has at least seven guarding it.”

  Zhou Cang turns to Yan Liang studying her. “Hm, so a way to help us get to Shrimpy.”

  Gong Du jumps up. “Well, that’s an easy one!” She turns to Liu Pi. “Liu Pi here commands lots of respect from many of the Yellow Scarf students!” Liu Pi turns around and shrugs at the comment. “All we need is for Liu Pi to give a reason why and we can go in!” Gong Du continues.

  Zhou Cang nods, “Well, yeah, but I don’t think they’re going to buy us letting one of the snooty girls in.” She turns to Yan Liang, “No offense, but I mean. Look at your outfit.”

  Yan Liang blushes as she touches the side of her blouse, feeling self-conscious. “I really think it’s cute…”

  Liu Pi turns around. “Yeah, even if you think it’s cute, it is well off.” Liu Pi says bluntly. “They may listen to me, but there’s no way you’re getting in dressed like that.”

  Gong Du perks up. “So all we have to do is get her a different outfit!”

  Yan Liang looks down. “I-I suppose I can head to my dorm and change-”

  Liu Pi shakes her head dismissively. “No, you’re going to need something, messier.” Liu Pi looks Yan Liang up and down. “She’s about my size. Zhou Cang, can you go grab my uniform from my dorm?”

  Zhou Cang frowns, picking her ear with her left pinky. “Why do I have to? Get Gong Du to do it!”

  Liu Pi looks at her annoyed. “Oh I’m sorry. I thought you were always bragging about how fast and speedy you were. Fastest in the Yellow Scarves, huh? Was that all talk?”

  Zhou Cang jumps up, feeling both insulted and challenged. “Hey! You’ve seen it for yourself! I am fast!”

  “Then prove it.” Liu Pi has her chin raised while she looks up to Zhou Cang who is taller. It feels commanding to her. “Be back here in ten minutes.”

  “What?! To get to your dorm and back? You’ve gotta be kiddin-

  “You’re right. Ten minutes is too slow. Be back in nine.”

  “Ugh! Fine! Just to show you I can!” She bolts out of the archery range into the direction of the western dorm building.

  Yan Liang looks to Liu Pi. She certainly does know her way around people. She examines her up and down, noticing how her outfit doesn’t exactly fit in with the Yellow Scarf standard. “So Liu Pi, speaking of your uniform…”

  Liu Pi shrugs, predicting the rest of the question “Didn’t really want to be a ‘Yellow Scarf’ I just like the color yellow. They just grouped me into it, and gave me a uniform. I don’t know about all this ‘way of peace’ stuff they talk about. I’d rather just be an independent student.” She turns to Yan Liang. “So what’s your life story?”

  Yan Liang blinks silently for a few moments, being caught off guard. “Um, well, I think I was assigned to my class since I came, from… um, middle school?”

  “You think?”

  “Yeah, for some reason a few things get really blurry when I try to think about them hard. My roommate can remember it just fine though, so, maybe I’ve just been studying too much?” She laughs. “She never has that problem.”

  Liu Pi nods. “Maybe. I don’t think it’s a normal thing for people to not remember when they joined the school.”

  Yan Liang rubs her left arm with her right, feeling self-conscious about her lack of memory.

  Gong Du jumps up in between the two of them. “My turn! I’m a Yellow Scarf because it is fashionable!” She does a brief pose. “Wearing a scarf all the time is so avant-garde, and the yellow and brown combination is so bold! Especially with the amount of outfit customization!”

  Yan Liang laughs. “I’m glad you enjoy your uniform also.”

  Liu Pi nods. “Well, give Zhou Cang another few minutes. She’ll be back and then you’ll have something to wear to get in.”

  Back in the school Wen Chou’s and Qu Yi’s loud steps echo through the empty halls. “Should be right around this corner.” Wen Chou skids to a stop before turning left on the bend. The two arrive at a set of four doors to find the library’s lights off and the doors closed.

  “Oh, come on!” Wen Chou begins pulling on the doors angrily. “We came all this way for the one time the place is closed!” She begins pulling on the door with all her might, one foot pushing against the other door trying, to get it open.

  Qu Yi notices a note taped on one of the door windows inside, she reads it aloud, “Staff meeting today, scan your class ID badge for entry.”

  “Huh?” Wen Chou lets go of the door handle, flying backwards.

  Qu Yi runs to her, quickly helping her up. “You okay?”

  Wen Chou nods. “I’m fine. We don’t have time for this.” She pulls out her phone. “I’ll see if I can get a response from the classroom chat, see if they know where this ‘class ID badge’ should be.”

  Lu Kuang: Free Day! Free Day! 12:32

  Lu Xiang: Free Day! Free Day! 12:33

  Lu Kuang: Free Day! Free Day! 12:34

  Lu Xiang: Free Day! Free Day! 12:35

  Ju Shou: You two stop spamming the chat. Take it to direct messages. 12:38

  Lu Xiang: But we already are doing it there. 12:39

  Lu Kuang: Yeah, ever heard of multitasking? 12:39

  Ju Shou: JUST USE THE GROUP CHAT FOR WHAT IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR. 12:41

  Wen Chou sounds out the words as she types them out. “So, if we happen, to have, some sort, of class ID badge, hypothetically, where would, it be?” After a few moments, her phone vibrates, signaling an update to the conversation. She quickly scrolls down to check it.

  You: So if we happen to have some sort of class ID badge hypothetically where would it be? 12:43

  Lu Xiang: Free Day! Free Day! 12:44

  Wen Chou hits her forehead on the brick wall. “Those twins,” she mutters in annoyance.

  Qu Yi jumps in surprise. “W-Wen Chou! Don’t hurt yourself. I-Is everything fine?” She tries to peek at the phone.

  Wen Chou smiles for Qu Yi. “It’s all right, Newbie. Just trying to cope with some people being dumb.”

  Another vibration to her phone. She peeks at it. To her luck it was someone who knows what they are talking about.

  Ju Shou: Normally it would be in the lectern at the front of the classroom, in one of the drawers underneath. Why? 12:45

  Wen Chou quickly says what she types. “Haha no reason.” She puts her phone in her pocket. “All right, Newbie. All we have to find is whatever this ‘lectern’ is supposed to be.”

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Qu Yi perks up, “Well it should be the thing Yuan Shao walks behind to do her personal announcements for the last two days.”

  “Oh! The teacher thingy! Got it!” Wen Chou nods in comprehension. “Let’s go!”

  Their footsteps echo across the empty school as run in the direction of their classroom.

  “Hurry up, Shrimpy’s friend!” Zhou Cang yells at the bathroom that is connected to the archery range pavilion.

  “I-I’m trying!” Yan Liang’s voice shouts from the inside. “A-Also my name is Yan Liang!” Yan Liang looks in the mirror at her reflection. She’s sporting an outfit similar to the Yellow Scarves. She has on a sleeveless brown shirt and a yellow skirt and yellow socks. Each piece is crudely cut as if it is made by the students doing a craft project, but with no idea how to make clothes, and without knowing about the art of sewing. She looks down at the yellow scarf in her hand shaking.

  “Girls?” She walks out of the bathroom sighing. “I don’t know if I can do this.” She is still holding the scarf in her hands. “If I put this on then people will think I’m breaking the rules?” She tenses up/ “The moment I put this on the staff are going to come out and then I’ll be expelled!” She begins to panic. “A-And then I’ll be a shame on my parents, and I’ll have to go to public school where apparently you can see people’s underwear in the locker room! And if someone as adorable as Qu Yi was bullied there, I won’t stand a chance! They’ll point and laugh cause I am strong! N-N-Not to mention boys will be there!” Yan Liang pulls out a brown paper bag and begins hyperventilating into it.

  Zhou Cang sighs, turning away, “She’s hopeless. Even with you leading there will be no way we can get her past the Scarves guarding the entrance if she’s like this.”

  Gong Du stands up in front of Zhou Cang. “Hey! She’s allowed to dislike any fashion she doesn’t want to be a part of!”

  “This isn’t about fashion. It’s about her being scared of breaking a rule!”

  “Everything is about fashion in some way! She changed her clothes, so it’s obviously involved!”

  As both the girls argue in this nature, Liu Pi approaches Yan Liang slowly. “You’re going to need to relax for this to work.”

  “B-But I really hate breaking rules! And normally people who wear this break rules-” She looks up, worried she may have offended Liu Pi. “S-Sorry, I guess that’s a judgmental statement. B-But…”

  Liu Pi ignores the comment. “You want to get in to help your friend, uh, Shrimpy, right?”

  “Her name is Qu Yi.” Yan Liang gets out.

  “Right, Qu Yi. Do you care about her a lot?”

  “Yeah!” She averts her eyes, “I mean, I haven’t known her long technically, but I want to help and protect her! She is so innocent and has a heart of gold! So, I just want to be able to help her and be a good friend to her!” She blushes and looks down. “S-She said she’s not used to having friends… so, I must be the best friend I can be!”

  Liu Pi raises her eyebrows for a moment, but then nods knowingly. “Look, I think you can do this.” She grabs the scarf from Yan Liang and places it around her neck wrapping it up. “If Qu Yi means that much to you, let’s get in there and help her, right?” Yan Liang can swear she saw her smile.

  Yan Liang blinks a few times staring, at Liu Pi before slowly nodding. “Y-You’re right. Qu Yi has been through a lot just to get used to life at this school. I can try harder to help her as well.”

  Liu Pi turns her head to Zhou Cang and Gong Du who continue to argue. “We’re ready to go. You two going to argue all day or are we going to help with those fliers?”

  Zhou Cang turns. “Wait, she’s not just going to cry about it?”

  Gong Du claps in response. “Hooray! See! I told you the scarf looks fashionable! I knew if you tried it, you would be fine with the outfit!” She jumps around Yan Liang cheerfully.

  “All right, lets head through the locker room entrance,” Liu Pi commands the group.

  Yan Liang holds up her phone, “Um, where should I put this? This outfit doesn’t have any pockets?”

  Liu Pi grabs it and places it in the pocket of her hoodie. “I’ll just keep it on me until we get inside.”

  As the four girls approach the group of Yellow Scarves, Yan Liang feels herself get stiffer with each step, becoming more noticeably uncomfortable about getting near the guards.

  “Oi! Liu Pi!” One of the students guarding the locker room perks up, seeing the group coming closer. She has short messy dark green hair, a long yellow scarf with yellow shorts and another brown sleeveless top. As she speaks she has an accent Yan Liang can’t identify, but it seems to make it harder to pronounce H sounds. “Where ‘ave you been? We’re doing this whole rebelling thing, and you’ve been ‘iding from the action!”

  “Yeah!” A short pudgy girl with equally short black hair wearing a similar uniform adds. She’s Guan Hai, one of the girls who encountered Qu Yi on day one.

  Liu Pi seems unphased. “Nonsense, Han Zhong. I just received word from Zhang Bao herself. We need to go inside the school to take care of business.”

  “Mm?” She looks between the four girls. “Mm, Gong Du, Zhou Cang, looks normal- Oi! ‘Oo is this one?” She looks Yan Liang up and down. “I don’t recognize this one!”

  “Yeah!” Guan Hai chimes accusatorily.

  “Act natural,” Liu Pi whispers to Yan Liang as the girl named Han Zhong approaches her.

  “Um, H-Hi. Ms. Han Zhong, ER! I mean, um, Yo, I am, Yan. Um- Yan.” Yan Liang’s mind reached out to grab the nearest name she can think of. “I am Yan Zhong!”

  Zhou Cang hides her face in her hands.

  “Oi? Oi?” Han Zhong looks confused. “But Zhong is my given name!”

  Guan Hai takes a step forward, “Yea-”

  “Oi! Shut it up you!” She quickly turns back to Yan Liang. “You said you ‘ave the same given name as me, yes?!”

  “O-Oh! No, um, yo, you misheard me, I am Yan Zheng! Yeah, yo.” Yan Liang tries to play it off cooly, very late, but there is an attempt. Both Zhou Cang and Liu Pi are trying to look away to pretending not be to affiliated.

  “She’s new! She’s fighting for the cause!” Gong Du speaks up, trying to help Yan Liang.

  Han Zhong looks Yan Liang up and down, examining her, “Well can she prove it? What are the Yellow Scarves favorite color?!” She folds her arms smugly.

  Yan Liang stares at Han Zhong silently for a second. “Yellow.”

  “Oi! She is a true one!” Han Zhong cheers.

  “Yeah!” Guan Hai fist pumps.

  “Yel-low! Yel-low! Yel-low!” the group of Scarves chants.

  “Right.” Liu Pi nods, “Well we’ll get in and do what we need to.” The group heads in the doors as the Scarves continue their chant. The group walks through the locker room to the empty halls of the school.

  “I have no idea how that worked,” Zhou Cang mutters, looking back the way they came.

  Yan Liang lets out an exhausted sigh. “I’m normally a really bad actor, but that time it seemed to have worked.”

  “Please don’t ever act again,” Liu Pi responds bluntly, handing Yan Liang her phone.

  Yan Liang opens her phone and begins texting Wen Chou before looking at the three. “Do you guys know anyone named Yan Zheng?”

  The three yellow scarves shake their heads.

  “Never heard of anyone named that,” Zhou Cang states.

  “No,” Liu Pi adds.

  “I don’t think anyone named that goes to this school,” Gong Du notes.

  “Well, I suppose it’s just a fictional name no one real must have.” Yan Liang smiles awkwardly as she sends the text to her two roommates.

  Qu Yi and Wen Chou continue through the empty school, avoiding any halls near entrances to stay out of sight of any Yellow Scarves guarding the doors. They don’t know how many, if any, Yellow Scarves came inside to look for them, but they don’t want to risk it.

  “All right! Almost there, Newbie!” Wen Chou skids around another corner as she notices something odd. “What? The class’s light is on.” Both Qu Yi and Wen Chou look at each other confused before turning back to the classroom. They slowly approach the class room and hear an unfamiliar voice from inside.

  “As the most noble of the Yuan family, I have this fancy room and have all these adoring fans! Ah, thank you, thank you! Please, you’re too kind. You may cease your applause now.”

  Both Qu Yi and Wen Chou look at each other again before they slowly peek in the doorway. They see a blonde girl who shares a uniform with them. She is even shorter than Qu Yi and has her short hair styled in two large ringlets, each falling down on each side of her face.

  The girl is acting as if she was on stage in front of the classroom. “Oh my? The most amazing person award? Why I’d be honored!”

  Wen Chou coughs, causing the girl to freeze. Her head slowly creaks towards the two of them, a horrified expression on her face. “A-Ah.” She quickly tries to recuperate, although she’s obviously sweating now. “M-My loyal subjects! You see, it is me, the most honorable and beautiful Yuanshao!”

  Qu Yi raises an eyebrow as she enters the classroom. “Um. Excuse us but, what are you doing in our classroom?”

  “W-What do you mean?” The sweat starts flowing faster. “I-It is I your class president, Y-Yuanshao!”

  Wen Chou scoots into the room and leans her elbow on Qu Yi’s shoulder. “Um, yeah, no. You’re shorter than her first of all.” An imaginary arrow strikes the girl.

  “President Yuan Shao doesn’t stutter.” Qu Yi adds. With that another imaginary arrow inflicts pain to the girl.

  “You’re missing, well, the entire back of your hair.” Wen Chou uses her hands for emphasis where Yuan Shao’s hair goes down to. With that, another arrow.

  “Yuan Shao also talks less exaggerated.” Qu Yi moves her head side to side thinking about it. “ Mm, okay, just a little less.” With each response another arrow shoots into the girl.

  “She doesn’t practice her speeches.”

  “You don’t exactly have her posture either.”

  Wen Chou looks to Qu Yi. “She hasn’t laughed this whole time. She normally laughs when she compliments someone, or most likely, herself.”

  Qu Yi nods back raising her finger. “Oh yeah, that’s true.”

  “I-I can do the laugh! Just watch!” The girl pipes up as the imaginary arrows fly outward in all directions. She takes a breath in, the palm of her right hand touching her right cheek, “Uhuhuhuhu!”

  “Not even close.” Wen Chou is shaking her head disapprovingly.

  “Yeah, she does it heartier and with more ‘oomph,’” Qu Yi adds.

  The girl begins to shake. “Hmph!” She stops suddenly and looks up. “It seems you were sharp enough to see through my clever disguise, so, I may as well reveal the truth! I am,” she pauses for dramatic effect, “Pei Yuanshao!”

  Qu Yi raises an eyebrow and looks up to Wen Chou. “Wait, I didn’t know people could have three names.”

  Wen Chou shakes her head in response. “No, that’s not a thing. She’s lying.”

  “It’s not three names!” Pei Yuanshao stomps her foot. “It’s two! My family name is Pei and my given name is Yuanshao!”

  Wen Chou raises an unconvinced eyebrow. “Why did your parents name you a full name?”

  Qu Yi averts her eyes, thinking to her normal name, actually thankful it was changed to Qu Yi to avoid something like this.

  “I don’t know! But it’s my name! And when I got to this school, not only was there a popular girl with it. But-”

  Wen Chou’s phone buzzes and she pulls it out, ignoring Pei Yuanshao’s story. “Oh! Looks like Yan Liang got in. Hurry, let’s grab that class ID badge and meet her at the library.”

  Qu Yi perks up, “Y-Yeah!” She heads to the lectern and opens one of the drawers facing the whiteboard. “Um… I assume it looks something like an ID and a card that I saw teachers scan at my old school.”

  Pei Yuanshao stops talking suddenly and begins to sneak her way out of the room.

  “I’m not really seeing it anywhere.” Qu Yi says as she opens the other drawer beneath it.

  As Pei Yuanshao slowly makes her way to the door, Wen Chou turns around. “Hey, Impersonator. You wouldn’t happen to have any Class ID card in there would you?”

  “A-Ahaha! M-M-Me? S-Stealing anything? Th-That’s unheard of!”

  Wen Chou stares at her with the same unconvinced look as she cracks her knuckles. “You going to make this easy for both of us?”

  “U-Um. No? … AHHHHHHHHHH!” She begins running away screaming her lungs out.

  “You’ve gotta be kidding me!” Wen Chou shouts, as she begins a full sprint, chasing Pei Yuanshao down the hall. “I don’t even like the library anyway!”

  Qu Yi jumps up and begins lightly jogging after the two. She sighs, “This day is just getting crazier and crazier.”

  Yan Liang and her group met up at the library. “No sign of them anywhere.” Yan Liang mutters to herself.

  “Shrimpy better not have flaked on us!” Zhou Cang shouts angrily.

  “Hey!” Yan Liang turns around at her. “Qu Yi would never do that! She’s the one who wanted to help you guys in the first place!”

  The group can hear an echo off in the distance.

  “Ahhhhhh!” a girl screaming.

  Another voice, “You gotta be kidding me!” follows shortly after as the sounds of shoes stomping on the tile can be heard.

  “Hey, that’s Pei Yuanshao!” Zhou Cang perks up.

  “Pei… Yuanshao?” Yan Liang responds, imagining her Yuan Shao doing her trademark laugh.

  Pei Yuanshao turns the corner running towards them. “THANK GOODNESS! ZHOU CANG AND MORE YELLOW SCARVES! HELP!” Pei Yuanshao runs and hides behind Zhou Cang.

  “Get back here!” Wen Chou is sprinting, but stops, seeing the four yellow scarves. “Dang it! Rhey made it in- Wait.” She looks to Zhou Cang and Yan Liang. “Yan Liang? And that girl I punched?” She slows down, smiling to Yan Liang. “I guess that’s how you snuck in.” She shakes her head suddenly. “Introductions can be done later. Can you get that girl behind you? She stole the class ID badge that let’s us into the library.”

  Pei Yuanshao frowns. “They are lying! I didn’t take anything!”

  Qu Yi catches up to Wen Chou, panting, “W-Well, you took one of our uniforms for one.”

  Pei Yuanshao stutters, “W-Well nothing else!”

  “Also tried to steal Yuan Shao’s identity.” Wen Chou adds.

  “W-Well t-that one w-was d-different.”

  “A-And you stole the class ID badge.” Qu Yi smiles.

  “O-Okay, maybe I did three.” Pei Yuanshao shakes her head suddenly. “Wait! No, I didn’t! They are lying! You believe me right, Zhou Cang?” She looks up to Zhou Cang who is nearly two heads taller than her. Zhou Cang doesn’t move at all. “Z-Zhou Cang?”

  With a swift motion Zhou Cang punches Pei Yuanshao in the back of the head who falls straight to the ground, flattening her. “What did I tell you about STEALING?!”

  Pei Yuanshao is sobbing on the ground. “I-It was an accident!”

  “IT WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT! YOU DON’T STEAL SOMEONE’S IDENTITY BY ACCIDENT!” Zhou Cang angrily responds. “One of these times stealing is going to get you killed!”

  Pei Yuanshao sighs, instantly ending her sobbing and making the roommates doubt the validity of it. She knows she can’t fool Zhou Cang. “Fine. Here’s the stupid badge.” She pulls it out from the skirt pocket of Yuan Shao’s uniform. “Why are you guys even working with these preppy snobs anyway?” She frowns, looking between the three girls dressed as Yellow Scarves and Liu Pi.

  Zhou Cang picks up Pei Yuanshao and sets her on her feet. “They’re actually trying to help us get something done without just causing problems at the school.”

  Qu Yi runs up to the group. “Hey, Zhou Cang!” She grins as she grabs the ID card from her.

  Zhou Cang turns to Qu Yi. “Shrimpy! Good to see you still alive and unhurt!” She ruffles the top of Qu Yi’s hair with her hand.

  Qu Yi sighs at the nickname and getting touched, but then smiles, “Um. Thanks. She looks to the two new girls. “So, these are the friends you got together?”

  “Yep!” Zhou Cang points to Liu Pi followed by Gong Du, “This is Liu Pi, and Gong Du.”

  Liu Pi takes one of her hands out of her hoodie pockets, “Hey.” Girl of few words.

  Gong Du jumps up excitedly, “Hi! So you’re Shrimpy?”

  Qu Yi rubs her neck. “Um, W-Well, I’m Qu Yi, actually.”

  Wen Chou nods. “And I’m Wen Chou.”

  Yan Liang smiles. “Um, I’m Yan Liang.” She perks up. “I know everyone here knows me, except the one apparently named Pei Yuanshao.” She looks to Pei Yuanshao. “Anyway. I think since we’re all here because of Qu Yi, she should be the one to explain what we’re going to do.” Yan Liang walks next to Qu Yi.

  “E-Eh? M-Me?” She looks up to Yan Liang and then Wen Chou.

  Wen Chou smiles. “Well, we all wouldn’t be here without you. I think you’re the one with the ideas.”

  Qu Yi clears her throat. “U-Um, h-hello. So, as you heard I am Qu Yi. And…” She looks down for a moment and then looks up, growing confidence. “The Yellow Scarves have been running rampant around the school today and it’s not helping you find Zhang Jue any quicker. All it’s doing is getting any classes that might have helped you to hide from you. I-In fact, I saw a Yellow Scarf quit because of how some of the Yellow Scarves were acting.” She looks down, but a pat on the back from Wen Chou helps gather her thoughts. “So, since you guys aren’t able to use the printer as you haven’t been officially labeled a class yet, my plan is to use my resources to help you. T-That way we can get the message out without needlessly causing havoc. This will hopefully help people be more aware and help stop the Yellow Scarves acting like bullies.” Qu Yi averts her eyes. “S-So, um… A-And… yeah…”

  Yan Liang chuckles. “You know Qu Yi, normally this is where someone would say ‘who’s with me.’”

  Qu Yi blushes looking down. “I-I don’t know if I can say that. It’s a bit cheesy, and embarrassing…”

  “Yeah, Yan Liang she can’t say that.” Wen Chou laughs, “She has to be saying that from higher up for it to work.” Without another word, Qu Yi feels herself be picked up by Wen Chou, who holds her up so she’s taller than everyone. “Now she can do it!”

  “H-Hey! I-I didn’t a-agree to that! P-Please put me down! I don’t like heights!”

  “Not until you say it!”

  The Yellow Scarves are smiling between each other, watching the three share their moment.

  Qu Yi sighs. “F-Fine… W-Who’s with me?” She said very quietly through her blushing face.

  Liu Pi, Zhou Cang and Gong Du all raise their hands smiling. Pei Yuanshao ignores it until Zhou Cang’s other hand forces hers up.

  “C-Can I be put down now?”

  Wen Chou and Yan Liang laugh as they set Qu Yi down. She hurries to the badge scanner in front of the door and scans it, causing the lights to turn on and the doors to open. “Let’s do what we came to do and stop this craziness…”