Meredith has a strange understanding of what a teen is. She believes being a teen is being rebellious and slutty without actually being a slut....I don't even know what that means, but based off all of my teen fic books, no one likes a slut. So I don't want to be one.

"So, are your parents gonna freak out if you don't come home on time today?" She asks.

"Probably, but its not like they are going to be home to know." I say, curious as to why she even asks this.

"Great! We are going to go and do teenish things! Like shop, and dance... Oh! Annnnd we can try and get you a hottie!" She exclaims. I look at her with utter fear. What did I get myself into? She's like a little blonde, hyper squirrel!

"A hottie?" I ask. What does she mean by that? Like for me to date? Or to hook up with? Or what? I dont want either of those things! I just want to go to school and get good grades, so that I can finally go to Harvard. My dream school. And its only a couple of months away.

"We are so, going to the mall later. Anyway, your next class is the second to last door to your left. You have my number. Call me if you need me. Bye!" She says and strides away.

I sigh and reluctantly head to my class.

As I walk in, I see unfamiliar faces all look in my direction. I nervously walk to my teacher and hand him the schedule. He looks at it and smiles.

"You're in the right place! If you don't mind, you can introduce yourself." He says with a friendly smile.

"I do mind." I say honestly, flinching at the thought of publicly saying my name.

"Oh come on, this is a very interactive class, you have to get used to it anyway." He says pushing me forward. I gulp.

Okay, through all the books I've read, no one likes a weakling, I have to be loud and confident and amusing. I have to show.....CHARISMA! I've got this!

"Hey.." I wave.

"I know you probably don't care, but its kind of traditional to do this soooo...." I start. I see a few crack a smile at that.

"I am Takara Yoshida. No, I am not a foreign exchange student, No, I am not Chinese. I'm a Japanese-American and my favorite food is pizza, not fried rice." I say and everyone laughs.

I smile and take a seat in the middle of the class. The only seat left.

"Awesome. Thanks for sharing Takara, now that everyone's here, Hi! I'm Mr. Adams and I will be yo...." I tune him out, reflecting on what just happened.

I wasn't a complete flop! I was actually funny and liked! Awesome.

"You may all talk amongst each other and mingle, don't forget to grab a syllabus before the bell rings!" Mr. Adams finishes.

I sigh, getting nervous again. What if no one tries to talk to me?

You know what? I'll talk to them.

I stand and tap a girl on her shoulder. She spins around and gives me a friendly smile.

Before I could say anything.

"Oh, Hey! Takara right? You're so funny. I'm Kellie!" She says holding her hand out. I smile and shake it.

"Thanks." Is all I say.

"So, what school did you come from?" She asks.

"I was home schooled." I say. She nods.

"How was that?" She asks.

Before I could respond someone grabs both Kellie and I by the shoulders. Kellie doesn't seem surprised but I on the other hand was startled.

I turn to see an unknown boy smiling down at us. The first thing that popped in my head was stranger danger.

"Excuse me!" I say and elbow him in the side. He grunts and holds his ribs.

"Jesus! Get a grip kid! I was just saying hello. No need to use your kung fu on me!" He shouts. I roll my eyes and cross my arms.

"Okay, that was extremely racist, I just elbowed you! Kung fu isn't even a Japanese thing!" I say. He rolls his eyes and Kellie does too but not at me, at him.

"What do you want Chip?" She asks and I go bug eyed.

"Chip?" I ask. He looks at me as if I slapped him or something.

"Oh, do not try to make fun of my name Takara." He says. I gasp and he mocks me.

   "Did your parents name you Chip?" I ask.

  "Did your's name you Takara?" He answers my question with a question I roll my eyes at him.

    "You're frustrating." I say.

  "And you're violent." He says.

  "Don't put your hands around a stranger!" I say.

   "Okay, cool it out Wendy Wu, I was being welcoming." He says and my eyes go wide, not for the first time in this interaction.

   "That was EXTREMELY racist! Wendy Wu is CHINESE! Also, that's not welcoming, it's invasion of personal space." I say and he steps closer to me and I stand my ground.

    "I like your spunk kid, but watch who you're messing with in this school." He says and I raise my eyebrows at him.

I don't know what burst of confidence was instilled upon me but I scoffed.

   "Hmm, So you must be that super popular kid that thinks everyone loves you, but really...you're just a little boy who no one likes, but everyone tolerates because you're extremely obnoxious, rude, RACIST, but rich." I say with a sneer and his eyes go wide.

    "I'm not going to lie Jeannie Mai, that really turned me on." He says with a huge crooked smile.

   I blinked at him.

   "Wow, you're saying everything but, the right nationality aren't you?" I ask. He nods and smirks.

   "You got it, Jackie Chan." He says and pats my shoulder before walking away and I would have slapped him if I didn't think he was mentally challenged.

   I looked at Kellie who stared at me like I won the lottery.

   "What?" I ask.

  "You are so awesome! You just stood up to Chip, while still being on his good side, and maybe even becoming one of the most popular people in school just by doing so." She says and I squint at her.

I know, it's an Asian reflex. We squint.... A LOT! But, she just didn't make any sense.

   "How could I have possibly done that?" I ask, extremely confused as to how I could have insulted the most popular guy in school and then became popular.

  Usually in the books I would become the worst enemy.

   "Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE just heard that. You kept your cool and you were super witty and hilarious the whole time. Chip had no choice but to like you. You were even flirty!" She whispers at me.

  "Okay! In what way was that flirty? I was insulting him!" I say and Kellie chuckles.

   "Oh come on! Witty banter is the new flirting. Keep up Takara." She says and I sigh.

The LAST thing I wanted to do was flirt with him.

   He's super disrespectful. To me, to my culture, it's not right!

   "Well I wasn't trying to flirt, he was being super rude." I say and she sighs and places her hand on my shoulder.

   "He means no harm, if you really feel uncomfortable about him saying those things, come to him maturely and privately and he'll understand." She says right as the bell rings.

   "Okay." I say and walk out of class to see Meredith.

   "Step one; shopping." She says, as we walk down the hall.