"I give up." Jacob groaned and dropped his head on the desk.
Desiree lifted her gaze from her textbook to look at her boyfriend. A frown marred her smooth forehead at the fact that he easily gave up. Another frustrated groan left Jacob's mouth before he turned his head and opened his eyes to look at the pretty girl who was sitting at the desk beside him.
"My hand is starting to feel sore," Jacob complained. He chucked the pen he was currently holding behind him to prove his point and pouted, earning a gentle laugh from Desiree.
Shaking her head fondly, Desire closed her book and reached out to touch her boyfriend's cheek lightly with her fingers before pinching it with a little roughly, eliciting a yelp from him. At once, Jacob sat up straight, caressing the sore spot gently.
"Oww...what did you do that for?" Jacob grimaced. From the outside, Desiree looked like a gentle girl who looked like she could not carry a box full of weights. Well, that was indeed true but she had a hidden strength inside of her that she would reveal only when she was provoked.
"Come on. You are left with only two questions. You can do this. Just concentrate and make sure you get all of them right," Desiree picked up the discarded pen on the floor and placed it gently on Jacob's desk. When Jacob merely sat there and focused on glaring at his math homework instead, Desire flicked her boyfriend's forehead hard, earning yet another suprised yelp from him.
"Hurry up! Or I won't drive you home," Desire crossed her arms, appearing as intimidating as possible.
Eyes widening, Jacob was about to protest when he caught a menacing glint in his girlfriend's eyes. Finding his voice stuck in his throat, Jacob stuck his tongue childishly at her before turning his attention to his homework.
After an hour had passed, Jacob scribbled the last few mathematical workings before raising his hands in triumph, as if he had won a lottery. He watched nervously as his girlfriend examined his answers before turning back at him and shot him a proud smile.
"All correct!" Desiree giggled when Jacob let out a loud cheer before he hugged her, lifting her up from the ground.
"Okay! Okay! Put me down now!" Jacob did not appear to listen and continued to swing her around him repeatedly till they both felt dizzy. They must have caused a commotion because a teacher who was walking past their classroom scolded them and ordered them to leave. Seeing that they were already heading home, they complied, smiling and interlacing their fingers together.
Sunday, 31 January 2016
Saturday, 30 January 2016
Short Story #70: Missing You
The wall clock read 12.34 a.m. and there was still no word from Dahlia. Most likely, her phone battery died out and that would be very inconvenient because there was no way of reaching her to ask where she was.
Chris was worried beyond belief. He must have had bore a hole on the carpet he had been restlessly pacing around on but he just could not help it. He was given the task to take care of his little sister for just fifteen minutes and he could not even do that simple task. Of all the times he could have chosen to be unfocused, he chose those fifteen minutes and now he was dealing with the consequences. What if some pervert chance upon her? Or a serial killer? Chris involuntarily shivered at that.
A loud grunt startled Chris. He nervously glanced at his father who was sitting on the couch with a menacing scowl on his face. Of course Chris knew that scowl was directed towards him - the irresponsible brother who was distracted by a limited edition Batman figurine. Chris really regretted his mistake and would even go on his knees to apologize but he knew very well that in doing so, Dahlia would not just simply appear at their doorstep. If his mother was still alive, she would have been livid as well but she had better patience than her husband in spite of the dire circumstances since what has been done cannot be undone.
Wiping his sweat off his face, Chris let out a heavy sigh. He had spent the past three hours searching for his little sister everywhere in the amusement park but was met with no good news. He even tried asking around but none of the people there noticed the small and petite girl. Trying to control his tears, Chris bit his lip hard that he felt some blood coming out. Guilt was quickly eating him up and the discouraging stares from his father was not helping things. Chris felt suffocated so he headed upstairs to his sister's room.
Dahlia's room was as big as his and was decorated with pink wallpapers with posters of unicorns and some of her favourite cartoons. Chris walked towards the small bed with a pink comforter and slowly sat down at the edge of it. He started surveying the room, taking in all the features of the room and finally realized how much he missed his sister. He had always viewed his little sister as a huge nuisance and had called her a bunch of unkind names without even batting an eye. And now, he regretted doing all that and he may have had no opportunity to apologize to her. Chris tried controlling his tears but a choked sob sounded from his throat and in a few seconds, he was bawling, not caring if his neighbours were woken up from his loud cries.
"Chris? Why are you crying?" Chris whipped his head at the source of the soft, familiar voice to find Dahlia slipping out from the comforter and rubbing her eyes cutely.
"Dahlia?! You're back!" Chris raised his voice, in excitement and relief before enveloping his little sister in a tight embrace, burying his head at the crook of her neck. He could tell that his sister was confused without looking at her but she said nothing and returned the hug. The details could wait. For now, Chris wanted to relish the affectionate moment.
Chris was worried beyond belief. He must have had bore a hole on the carpet he had been restlessly pacing around on but he just could not help it. He was given the task to take care of his little sister for just fifteen minutes and he could not even do that simple task. Of all the times he could have chosen to be unfocused, he chose those fifteen minutes and now he was dealing with the consequences. What if some pervert chance upon her? Or a serial killer? Chris involuntarily shivered at that.
A loud grunt startled Chris. He nervously glanced at his father who was sitting on the couch with a menacing scowl on his face. Of course Chris knew that scowl was directed towards him - the irresponsible brother who was distracted by a limited edition Batman figurine. Chris really regretted his mistake and would even go on his knees to apologize but he knew very well that in doing so, Dahlia would not just simply appear at their doorstep. If his mother was still alive, she would have been livid as well but she had better patience than her husband in spite of the dire circumstances since what has been done cannot be undone.
Wiping his sweat off his face, Chris let out a heavy sigh. He had spent the past three hours searching for his little sister everywhere in the amusement park but was met with no good news. He even tried asking around but none of the people there noticed the small and petite girl. Trying to control his tears, Chris bit his lip hard that he felt some blood coming out. Guilt was quickly eating him up and the discouraging stares from his father was not helping things. Chris felt suffocated so he headed upstairs to his sister's room.
Dahlia's room was as big as his and was decorated with pink wallpapers with posters of unicorns and some of her favourite cartoons. Chris walked towards the small bed with a pink comforter and slowly sat down at the edge of it. He started surveying the room, taking in all the features of the room and finally realized how much he missed his sister. He had always viewed his little sister as a huge nuisance and had called her a bunch of unkind names without even batting an eye. And now, he regretted doing all that and he may have had no opportunity to apologize to her. Chris tried controlling his tears but a choked sob sounded from his throat and in a few seconds, he was bawling, not caring if his neighbours were woken up from his loud cries.
"Chris? Why are you crying?" Chris whipped his head at the source of the soft, familiar voice to find Dahlia slipping out from the comforter and rubbing her eyes cutely.
"Dahlia?! You're back!" Chris raised his voice, in excitement and relief before enveloping his little sister in a tight embrace, burying his head at the crook of her neck. He could tell that his sister was confused without looking at her but she said nothing and returned the hug. The details could wait. For now, Chris wanted to relish the affectionate moment.
Friday, 29 January 2016
Short Story #69: Personal Fable
Ever since I had bought new clothes, I could not wait to wear them. Once I arrived home, I diligently ironed all of them and hung them behind my bedroom door with a huge grin on my face. Yes, I did that. Who wouldn't? People would be lying if they said they never pictured themselves wearing the clothes they just bought.
So, today, for school, I dressed myself in this red sleeveless top with black accents, completing the look with a red cardigan and a not-so-new black slacks. Really, I felt like a new woman! The feeling of the newly-worn fabric to my skin felt wonderful!
After I had crossed the road, something suddenly clicked inside my mind. From the way I dressed, won't I stick out like a sore thumb? I mean doesn't the colour combination of red and black remind anyone of a ladybug? As soon as those awful thoughts came to my mind, my face paled. Oh no! I would not want people giving me odd looks and snickering at my odd sense of fashion. Then I had wished that I had asked for a second opinion before wearing the outfit for the day. So, I shrugged it off and headed to the train station, but still with the thoughts about how a crowd would react to my outfit in my mind.
When I boarded the train, I went inside to where there was plenty of space and stood there while facing the direction where the doors would open. Usually, I preferred to stand up as opposed to sitting down, even when there were vacant seats available. To me, I think other people may need the seats more than me. So, I stood straight while gripping the handrail above me loosely, listening to the music blasting in my ears.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed an old woman ,who was previously staring into space, lifting her gaze towards me and throwing me strange looks. Oh my, has someone already figured out that my outfit made me resemble a certain insect? I maintained a calm and collected demeanor outside but inside, I began to panic, my heart beating wildly in my chest.
A few minutes later, I heard a loud cough from a man behind me despite the loud music in my ears. Then I started to think - did he just choke after seeing my outfit of choice? I glanced to my side, hoping that I could find the culprit there. Were other people starting to notice too? I had no idea of knowing! Suddenly, I felt self-conscious and grew worried but I thought to myself, 'This must be a personal fable that I learnt in class' where I think that the world revolves around me and despite my age, I still have not outgrown it. Immediately, the self-consciousness fades away and I alighted from the train with confident steps and chin up.
So, today, for school, I dressed myself in this red sleeveless top with black accents, completing the look with a red cardigan and a not-so-new black slacks. Really, I felt like a new woman! The feeling of the newly-worn fabric to my skin felt wonderful!
After I had crossed the road, something suddenly clicked inside my mind. From the way I dressed, won't I stick out like a sore thumb? I mean doesn't the colour combination of red and black remind anyone of a ladybug? As soon as those awful thoughts came to my mind, my face paled. Oh no! I would not want people giving me odd looks and snickering at my odd sense of fashion. Then I had wished that I had asked for a second opinion before wearing the outfit for the day. So, I shrugged it off and headed to the train station, but still with the thoughts about how a crowd would react to my outfit in my mind.
When I boarded the train, I went inside to where there was plenty of space and stood there while facing the direction where the doors would open. Usually, I preferred to stand up as opposed to sitting down, even when there were vacant seats available. To me, I think other people may need the seats more than me. So, I stood straight while gripping the handrail above me loosely, listening to the music blasting in my ears.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed an old woman ,who was previously staring into space, lifting her gaze towards me and throwing me strange looks. Oh my, has someone already figured out that my outfit made me resemble a certain insect? I maintained a calm and collected demeanor outside but inside, I began to panic, my heart beating wildly in my chest.
A few minutes later, I heard a loud cough from a man behind me despite the loud music in my ears. Then I started to think - did he just choke after seeing my outfit of choice? I glanced to my side, hoping that I could find the culprit there. Were other people starting to notice too? I had no idea of knowing! Suddenly, I felt self-conscious and grew worried but I thought to myself, 'This must be a personal fable that I learnt in class' where I think that the world revolves around me and despite my age, I still have not outgrown it. Immediately, the self-consciousness fades away and I alighted from the train with confident steps and chin up.
Thursday, 28 January 2016
Short Story #68: Audition
Elena had been waiting for this audition to show she had what it took to be a dancer. For years, she had been practising for hours to no end every day just to prepare herself for this momentous moment. Who would have thought she would be scouted by Paragon Entertainment - the biggest entertainment agency in the country? Definitely not her!
Excited beyond belief, Elena could not help fidgeting in her seat as she waited anxiously for her number to be called. Only the people who would be attending the auditions were able to enter the auditorium so sadly, her parents and boyfriend were not able to support her from a close distance. In order to make up for it, they all sent her encouraging messages and promising her a huge dinner if she were to ace this audition. And even if she failed, they would not love her any lesser. Such sweet words automatically brought a huge grin to Elena's face.
Before she knew it, her number was finally called and she walked nervously to the audition room where she would be performing in front of the judges - all of them being professional dancers and choreographers who won countless number of dancing-related awards and with a prolific resume to their name. She felt extremely small being in the same room with extremely famous people.
Taking a deep breath, she introduced herself and that she would be performing her routine. She chose a pretty tough choreography but she had practised hard in order to excel in it and she felt that this would impress the judges. Forgetting about her nervousness and remembering the immense support from her parents, she danced like there was no tomorrow. As she immersed herself in dancing, she quickly forgot that she was performing in front of crowd and unconsciously smiled, thoroughly enjoying herself.
Once the music stopped, she slowly snapped out of her trance, as if suddenly remembering that there were actually people in front of her. Then it clicked on her. It did not matter if she was rejected. She thoroughly enjoyed dancing and even if her skills were considered inadequate, she never felt happier.
Thanking the judges, she headed out of the room, with her head held high, extremely proud of herself.
Excited beyond belief, Elena could not help fidgeting in her seat as she waited anxiously for her number to be called. Only the people who would be attending the auditions were able to enter the auditorium so sadly, her parents and boyfriend were not able to support her from a close distance. In order to make up for it, they all sent her encouraging messages and promising her a huge dinner if she were to ace this audition. And even if she failed, they would not love her any lesser. Such sweet words automatically brought a huge grin to Elena's face.
Before she knew it, her number was finally called and she walked nervously to the audition room where she would be performing in front of the judges - all of them being professional dancers and choreographers who won countless number of dancing-related awards and with a prolific resume to their name. She felt extremely small being in the same room with extremely famous people.
Taking a deep breath, she introduced herself and that she would be performing her routine. She chose a pretty tough choreography but she had practised hard in order to excel in it and she felt that this would impress the judges. Forgetting about her nervousness and remembering the immense support from her parents, she danced like there was no tomorrow. As she immersed herself in dancing, she quickly forgot that she was performing in front of crowd and unconsciously smiled, thoroughly enjoying herself.
Once the music stopped, she slowly snapped out of her trance, as if suddenly remembering that there were actually people in front of her. Then it clicked on her. It did not matter if she was rejected. She thoroughly enjoyed dancing and even if her skills were considered inadequate, she never felt happier.
Thanking the judges, she headed out of the room, with her head held high, extremely proud of herself.
Wednesday, 27 January 2016
Short Story #67: Photo Album
The memories flooded back as I looked through the photo album.
Years worth of memories were stored in this large box of small rectangular photo albums. To think that I would chance upon them when I was cleaning up the storeroom to prepare for my family's moving out. While the rest of my family went out, I stayed behind and was given the instructions to move this sealed box to the front door.
However, I was struck by boredom and the box piqued my interest so curiosity got the better of me and I ripped open the box. Honestly, I expected it to be filled with a wide-array of gold and silver jewelry because why else would be mundane-looking box like this be taped shut multiple times as if it was hiding a huge and precious secret.
But, inside the box was definitely worth much more than a sparkly bracelet or shiny necklace. It was filled to the brim with multiple photo albums! I must had let out a really loud gasp as I instantly broke into a series of rough coughs, accidentally breathing in the dust that collected around the box.
I reached out to the album perched on the top and glanced through it, my fingers gently turning each page with care and anticipation. The photographs in it showed my parents during their younger years when they had just married and were enjoying their honeymoon. I automatically smiled when I saw the megawatt smiles my parents were sporting in these photos. The loving gazes that my parents sent at each other, the unguarded smiles that they shared together, the ridiculous candid poses that they did together. If that was not love, I do not know what is.
Before I knew it, I had scoured the entire box of albums, pausing at some photos to recall the unforgettable and fun memories attached to them. Shortly after I had neatly placed all of them back into the box and sealed it in the same manner originally, my parents and older brother had arrived back home.
As we brought the last of the moving boxes into the trunk, my brother turned to me and asked, "Why are you crying?"
Eyes widening, I gently wiped said tears and smiled at him, "Just recalling some memories."
Years worth of memories were stored in this large box of small rectangular photo albums. To think that I would chance upon them when I was cleaning up the storeroom to prepare for my family's moving out. While the rest of my family went out, I stayed behind and was given the instructions to move this sealed box to the front door.
However, I was struck by boredom and the box piqued my interest so curiosity got the better of me and I ripped open the box. Honestly, I expected it to be filled with a wide-array of gold and silver jewelry because why else would be mundane-looking box like this be taped shut multiple times as if it was hiding a huge and precious secret.
But, inside the box was definitely worth much more than a sparkly bracelet or shiny necklace. It was filled to the brim with multiple photo albums! I must had let out a really loud gasp as I instantly broke into a series of rough coughs, accidentally breathing in the dust that collected around the box.
I reached out to the album perched on the top and glanced through it, my fingers gently turning each page with care and anticipation. The photographs in it showed my parents during their younger years when they had just married and were enjoying their honeymoon. I automatically smiled when I saw the megawatt smiles my parents were sporting in these photos. The loving gazes that my parents sent at each other, the unguarded smiles that they shared together, the ridiculous candid poses that they did together. If that was not love, I do not know what is.
Before I knew it, I had scoured the entire box of albums, pausing at some photos to recall the unforgettable and fun memories attached to them. Shortly after I had neatly placed all of them back into the box and sealed it in the same manner originally, my parents and older brother had arrived back home.
As we brought the last of the moving boxes into the trunk, my brother turned to me and asked, "Why are you crying?"
Eyes widening, I gently wiped said tears and smiled at him, "Just recalling some memories."
Tuesday, 26 January 2016
Short Story #66: Back Home From School
This morning, I woke up, feeling refreshed and energized despite having only 4 hours' worth of sleep. I had reminded myself countless times to have plenty of sleep lest it would compromise my work performance the next day. But of course old habits die hard. Still, I am still trying my best to heed my own advice.
School break unfortunately came to an end as of yesterday. It was upsetting really. In the blink of eyes, two months just zipped by. The feeling of regret stirred up inside me at the thoughts of me wasting time doing nothing on some days when I could have been really productive. There were so many things that I could have done during my break...so many fun things but I chose to lie down on my bed all day instead.
Well, there was no point dwelling on that now. Time is not reversible. So, I showered and got dressed as usual before drinking a hot beverage prepared by my beloved mother (love you mom!). Somehow, it felt as if there was no school break at all as I felt just right preparing to go to school.
I love the journey to my university. I got the opportunity to listen to good music and simply daydream. Sometimes, I got afraid when I took public transport because I have a weak stomach and it tends to act up at the worst timings. Luckily, that did not happen on the first day back in school. Another reason why I enjoy the one-hour trip to school is because at times, muse just simply comes to me, giving me ideas to write for my own fictional stories. Excitement surged through me when these special instances happen.
Once I reached school and met my friends, lessons started. It was okay at first, then the second lesson was slightly more exciting and stimulating than the previous one but the last lesson of the day was just simply boring. Already dozing off, I tried really hard to stay awake and alert. I could not even focus during the group discussion part. Not to mention, I kept thinking about the remaining course fees that have not been settled yet. Finally, the lesson has ended and I have been freed!
As I reached home, a gloomy expression remained fixed on my face, mirroring the bleak end of my school day. I headed straight to my room and collapsed on my bed, slowly slipping into a short nap. When I woke up and took a refreshing shower, I had dinner and I was invigorated again. It felt amazing! It was as if all the weight from earlier had all been removed. But of course, the reality is that I have to always be on my toes and work very hard this semester.
I can do this.
School break unfortunately came to an end as of yesterday. It was upsetting really. In the blink of eyes, two months just zipped by. The feeling of regret stirred up inside me at the thoughts of me wasting time doing nothing on some days when I could have been really productive. There were so many things that I could have done during my break...so many fun things but I chose to lie down on my bed all day instead.
Well, there was no point dwelling on that now. Time is not reversible. So, I showered and got dressed as usual before drinking a hot beverage prepared by my beloved mother (love you mom!). Somehow, it felt as if there was no school break at all as I felt just right preparing to go to school.
I love the journey to my university. I got the opportunity to listen to good music and simply daydream. Sometimes, I got afraid when I took public transport because I have a weak stomach and it tends to act up at the worst timings. Luckily, that did not happen on the first day back in school. Another reason why I enjoy the one-hour trip to school is because at times, muse just simply comes to me, giving me ideas to write for my own fictional stories. Excitement surged through me when these special instances happen.
Once I reached school and met my friends, lessons started. It was okay at first, then the second lesson was slightly more exciting and stimulating than the previous one but the last lesson of the day was just simply boring. Already dozing off, I tried really hard to stay awake and alert. I could not even focus during the group discussion part. Not to mention, I kept thinking about the remaining course fees that have not been settled yet. Finally, the lesson has ended and I have been freed!
As I reached home, a gloomy expression remained fixed on my face, mirroring the bleak end of my school day. I headed straight to my room and collapsed on my bed, slowly slipping into a short nap. When I woke up and took a refreshing shower, I had dinner and I was invigorated again. It felt amazing! It was as if all the weight from earlier had all been removed. But of course, the reality is that I have to always be on my toes and work very hard this semester.
I can do this.
Monday, 25 January 2016
Short Story #65: An Adventure
In the early hours of Sunday morning, a family of three had woken up to have a very early breakfast together. Even though the time was hours before their regular waking hours, their faces looked refreshed and energized, as if very eager to start the day.
Abigail, the youngest of the three, was unsure whether what they were currently doing was considered normal in the eyes of other people but she remained quiet. It was not that she was afraid of speaking up but she somehow felt an exhilarating rush through her at the thought of an exciting and memorable adventure awaiting them in just a few minutes.
After breakfast, all of them carried their large backpacks, stuffed with clothes, necessities and things of entertainment like books, music player and yo-yo (in the case of her crazy, deviant elder brother). Once they left the house, Abigail felt a spring in her steps as she bounced excitedly along her two older siblings. They smiled fondly at the youngest, secretly gushing on this little bundle of energy joining them in their most wonderful adventure yet.
The journey to the destination unknown only to Abigail took only half an hour. She had suppressed the strong urge to ask just where they were actually headed but she decided against it. Always on the spontaneous side, Abigail would rather wait than spoil the surprise herself.
Finally, after what felt like eternity, her older siblings slowed their pace before halting to a stop outside a shopping mall that was a popular attraction for both locals and tourists alike. To the confusion of Abigail, there was a crowd of people already waiting outside the closed entrance doors of the mall. Abigail stared dumbly at her siblings who prepared to take out an object from one of the backpacks, to later a reveal a folded tent. Still not questioning them, Abigail helped them set up the tent before heading inside and sitting with them on the floor.
Abigail glanced between her two siblings, her eyes heavy with gleeful expectation. "So, what are we doing next?"
Both of them glanced at her from their phones before her elder brother answered, "Now, we wait."
Now, Abigail was confused, her eyebrows furrowed. "Wait...for what?"
"For the Pegasus Boys to show up," her sister replied before tending to her nails.
Abigail groaned, her eyes rolling. She would have known they would be camping out just to arrive early to see the internationally known boy band up-close. So much for an exciting adventure.
Abigail, the youngest of the three, was unsure whether what they were currently doing was considered normal in the eyes of other people but she remained quiet. It was not that she was afraid of speaking up but she somehow felt an exhilarating rush through her at the thought of an exciting and memorable adventure awaiting them in just a few minutes.
After breakfast, all of them carried their large backpacks, stuffed with clothes, necessities and things of entertainment like books, music player and yo-yo (in the case of her crazy, deviant elder brother). Once they left the house, Abigail felt a spring in her steps as she bounced excitedly along her two older siblings. They smiled fondly at the youngest, secretly gushing on this little bundle of energy joining them in their most wonderful adventure yet.
The journey to the destination unknown only to Abigail took only half an hour. She had suppressed the strong urge to ask just where they were actually headed but she decided against it. Always on the spontaneous side, Abigail would rather wait than spoil the surprise herself.
Finally, after what felt like eternity, her older siblings slowed their pace before halting to a stop outside a shopping mall that was a popular attraction for both locals and tourists alike. To the confusion of Abigail, there was a crowd of people already waiting outside the closed entrance doors of the mall. Abigail stared dumbly at her siblings who prepared to take out an object from one of the backpacks, to later a reveal a folded tent. Still not questioning them, Abigail helped them set up the tent before heading inside and sitting with them on the floor.
Abigail glanced between her two siblings, her eyes heavy with gleeful expectation. "So, what are we doing next?"
Both of them glanced at her from their phones before her elder brother answered, "Now, we wait."
Now, Abigail was confused, her eyebrows furrowed. "Wait...for what?"
"For the Pegasus Boys to show up," her sister replied before tending to her nails.
Abigail groaned, her eyes rolling. She would have known they would be camping out just to arrive early to see the internationally known boy band up-close. So much for an exciting adventure.
Sunday, 24 January 2016
Short Story #64: Lunch Break
The messily arranged paperwork on Oliver's table were harshly pushed away and was replaced by skirt-wearing girl who sat on it. Oliver threw a harsh glare at the intruder, without even raising his head.
Samantha Johnson. Oliver had became terribly sick of her intruding his office during their lunch breaks and the thick-headed girl just could not take a hint. Of course, today would not be any different.
"Come on Ollie. You've been overworking these days. It's time for you to have a well-earned break," the crafty woman flirtatiously pulled his tie in an attempt to yank him forward but Oliver held on to his seat firmly. No way was he going to submit to this devil of a woman.
Letting out a heavy sigh, Oliver loosened his tie and removed it from his neck. He suppressed a smirk at the look of utter confusion on Samantha's face. It was as if she was offended that he was not falling for her seduction.
"I have a lot of work to do," Oliver gestured to the scattered paperwork on the floor. At that, Samantha rolled her eyes and slid off the table, straightening her skirt as she let out an annoyed huff.
"I don't get it. Why are you resisting me? A lot of guys in this office would kill to have one-on-one lunch with me," Samantha frowned as she crossed her arms across her chest.
Oliver raised his eyebrows in surprise. It seemed that she was getting sick of being rejected repeatedly so she decided to just confront him directly about it. Secretly, Oliver was thankful that she was being straightforward about it instead of beating about the bush.
"Well, I'm not one of those guys," Oliver answered simply. Samantha's mouth dropped open at the frank response.
"Now, would you kindly please leave so that I can write a 5-page report which is due in..."Oliver paused to glance at his watch. "15 minutes."
Samantha angrily scoffed and stomped out of the room, even slamming the door loudly to make her frustration clear. Chuckling to himself, Oliver pushed up his reading glasses before resuming his Tetris Game.
Samantha Johnson. Oliver had became terribly sick of her intruding his office during their lunch breaks and the thick-headed girl just could not take a hint. Of course, today would not be any different.
"Come on Ollie. You've been overworking these days. It's time for you to have a well-earned break," the crafty woman flirtatiously pulled his tie in an attempt to yank him forward but Oliver held on to his seat firmly. No way was he going to submit to this devil of a woman.
Letting out a heavy sigh, Oliver loosened his tie and removed it from his neck. He suppressed a smirk at the look of utter confusion on Samantha's face. It was as if she was offended that he was not falling for her seduction.
"I have a lot of work to do," Oliver gestured to the scattered paperwork on the floor. At that, Samantha rolled her eyes and slid off the table, straightening her skirt as she let out an annoyed huff.
"I don't get it. Why are you resisting me? A lot of guys in this office would kill to have one-on-one lunch with me," Samantha frowned as she crossed her arms across her chest.
Oliver raised his eyebrows in surprise. It seemed that she was getting sick of being rejected repeatedly so she decided to just confront him directly about it. Secretly, Oliver was thankful that she was being straightforward about it instead of beating about the bush.
"Well, I'm not one of those guys," Oliver answered simply. Samantha's mouth dropped open at the frank response.
"Now, would you kindly please leave so that I can write a 5-page report which is due in..."Oliver paused to glance at his watch. "15 minutes."
Samantha angrily scoffed and stomped out of the room, even slamming the door loudly to make her frustration clear. Chuckling to himself, Oliver pushed up his reading glasses before resuming his Tetris Game.
Saturday, 23 January 2016
Short Story #63: Bad Wi-Fi
Terrence drummed his fingers on the table impatiently as he waited for the video to load. He was trying to watch a live broadcast of a highly anticipated soccer match on his phone. As he waited, he shook his left leg repeatedly, a sign that he was getting more restless after each second with the video not cooperating.
Well, in this case, it was not the video's fault. Terrence was blaming entirely on the bad Wi-Fi in his house. Whenever he had to complete an online assignment for his university module, the Wi-Fi was working perfectly. There were no problems at all throughout the whole time he did his assignment. However, when it came to using it for leisure, Internet connection was terribly slow that it took a whole five minutes for a webpage to fully load. Such annoying circumstances got agonizing during online chatrooms. Due to him replying to every single message five minutes later (four minutes was spent glaring at the computer screen), his chatroom friends got bored of his supposed 'lack of commitment' to the conversation even after he gave his valid reasons. They did not buy it at all.
Thirty minutes later, and still the video refused to load. Groaning, Terrence rose from his seat and walked towards his bedroom, dragging his feet all the way till he collapsed onto his comfy bed full of random objects. He never bothered to tidy his bed before sleeping so he always ended up either hitting his guitar or waking up with weird-looking tracks all over his exposed body (and he always slept half-naked).
Staring blankly at his phone, Terrence secretly wanted to chuck his phone across the room but obviously that was not a rational action. Of course, it would only serve to aggravate his mother's mood and in turn being grounded by her. He had forgotten to run some important errands his mother had personally entrusted him to do so she had been giving him the silent treatment ever since.
A loud knock on his bedroom door snapped him out of his trance. Terrence glanced at Juliette, his adorable little sister staring at him, wide-eyed.
"What's wrong?" Terrence asked, his eyebrows raised.
His sister continued staring at him, clearly stunned. "Did you know that Wi-Fi has been turned off all this time? No wonder I wasn't able to load the Cartoon Network website!"
Eyes rolling to the back of his head, Terrence groaned inwardly.
Well, in this case, it was not the video's fault. Terrence was blaming entirely on the bad Wi-Fi in his house. Whenever he had to complete an online assignment for his university module, the Wi-Fi was working perfectly. There were no problems at all throughout the whole time he did his assignment. However, when it came to using it for leisure, Internet connection was terribly slow that it took a whole five minutes for a webpage to fully load. Such annoying circumstances got agonizing during online chatrooms. Due to him replying to every single message five minutes later (four minutes was spent glaring at the computer screen), his chatroom friends got bored of his supposed 'lack of commitment' to the conversation even after he gave his valid reasons. They did not buy it at all.
Thirty minutes later, and still the video refused to load. Groaning, Terrence rose from his seat and walked towards his bedroom, dragging his feet all the way till he collapsed onto his comfy bed full of random objects. He never bothered to tidy his bed before sleeping so he always ended up either hitting his guitar or waking up with weird-looking tracks all over his exposed body (and he always slept half-naked).
Staring blankly at his phone, Terrence secretly wanted to chuck his phone across the room but obviously that was not a rational action. Of course, it would only serve to aggravate his mother's mood and in turn being grounded by her. He had forgotten to run some important errands his mother had personally entrusted him to do so she had been giving him the silent treatment ever since.
A loud knock on his bedroom door snapped him out of his trance. Terrence glanced at Juliette, his adorable little sister staring at him, wide-eyed.
"What's wrong?" Terrence asked, his eyebrows raised.
His sister continued staring at him, clearly stunned. "Did you know that Wi-Fi has been turned off all this time? No wonder I wasn't able to load the Cartoon Network website!"
Eyes rolling to the back of his head, Terrence groaned inwardly.
Friday, 22 January 2016
Short Story #62: Crazy
What is the true definition of 'crazy'?
Most people have the perception that when a person does any action but to an 'extreme' level, they are instantly labelled as 'crazy'. That if anything is done to an exaggeration, it is not normal, thereby it is 'crazy'. But frankly, if you ask me, people tend to overreact.
Do you know why?
Because people are scared. They do not want to associated with a 'crazy' person, calling such an action as 'second-hand embarrassment'.
Of course, there is some truth in it. However, I just feel that because most people tend to engage in such a manner, people these days have clamped up their real personalities, fearing to obnoxiously croon to their favourite song because they are afraid of being labelled as 'crazy'. So as such, they are not able to let loose.
It truly feels amazing when you are alone. There is no one to judge you for whatever you are doing. The intense fear of being called 'crazy' is completely erased when you are by yourself.
Maybe, there should be day, where everyone can do whatever they want without any restraint. However, that would lead to a lot of complications. I have seen 'The Purge' to see what such extremely risky allocated days tapped into the humans' inner desires and completely change them as a person, ignoring all the ethics they have long practised.
But, what I am trying to say is that everyone should learn how to let loose sometimes. It feels therapeutic. It feels liberating.
Maybe inside all of us, there is a 'craziness' just waiting to be expressed.
Most people have the perception that when a person does any action but to an 'extreme' level, they are instantly labelled as 'crazy'. That if anything is done to an exaggeration, it is not normal, thereby it is 'crazy'. But frankly, if you ask me, people tend to overreact.
Do you know why?
Because people are scared. They do not want to associated with a 'crazy' person, calling such an action as 'second-hand embarrassment'.
Of course, there is some truth in it. However, I just feel that because most people tend to engage in such a manner, people these days have clamped up their real personalities, fearing to obnoxiously croon to their favourite song because they are afraid of being labelled as 'crazy'. So as such, they are not able to let loose.
It truly feels amazing when you are alone. There is no one to judge you for whatever you are doing. The intense fear of being called 'crazy' is completely erased when you are by yourself.
Maybe, there should be day, where everyone can do whatever they want without any restraint. However, that would lead to a lot of complications. I have seen 'The Purge' to see what such extremely risky allocated days tapped into the humans' inner desires and completely change them as a person, ignoring all the ethics they have long practised.
But, what I am trying to say is that everyone should learn how to let loose sometimes. It feels therapeutic. It feels liberating.
Maybe inside all of us, there is a 'craziness' just waiting to be expressed.
Thursday, 21 January 2016
Short Story #61: Stalker
Behind the bushes, Natalie was adjusting her camera that was slung around her neck. Today, she had been assigned a mission by a close associate and she was doing it alone. Well, she was supposed to be doing it with another person but he had the flu.
After counting to five quietly to herself, she emerged from behind the bushes carefully, her eyes searching for her target - Kim Taewon. She reached for her camera when she recognized the familiar mop of brown hair and broad shoulders walking towards a coffee shop. In fear of losing him, she moved from her hiding place and stealthily approached the tall Korean, blending in with the lunch hour crowd seamlessly.
When he entered the coffee shop, she clicked her tongue and quickened her pace to a stop right outside the shop but well-hidden behind a few thick trees. Gazing through the transparent glass, Taewon joined a long queue of customers ordering for a coffee. As he stared blankly at nowhere, she positioned her camera and took some shots before hurriedly hiding behind a tree. People who passed by barely gave her any attention as they were rushing and minding their own business, to Natalie's luck.
After thinking the coast was clear, she turned her head only to come face to face with Kim Taewon himself. At that, she accidentally let out an audible gasp, stumbling backwards by the sudden appearance and almost falling, if not for the Korean steadying her by the waist. She shyly glanced back up to see a handsome smirk on Taewon's face, like he caught her doing something illegal red-handed. Which he did. Kind of.
"So, who is it for this time?" Taewon asked as he crossed his arms, a smug expression on his face.
Deciding to play innocent, Natalie blinked her long lashes repeatedly, secretly hoping that he would dismiss her as a dumbass and let her go without further questioning. But sadly it did not happen.
Sighing, Taewon spoke again, "I know someone paid you to do this...stalking thing. I'm asking you who is it."
Natalie fiddled her with her camera, looking at anywhere except the handsome Korean in front of her. "I'm not allowed to tell you. It's confidential information."
Hearing another exasperated sigh, Natalie got another shock when Taewon snatched the camera from her. It was quite a struggle too as the strings got tangled in her long, untied hair which caused to shriek. With considerable effort, Taewon took the camera in his hands and snapped a photo of him grinning at it. Then he tossed it at Natalie nonchalantly and told her, "There's your winning shot."
Unable to form words in her brain, Natalie merely blinked at the way things had turned out, frozen in her position. Taewon let out a hearty laugh before turning on his heel.
"Next time, don't stalk me," Taewon said over his shoulder before walking off.
After counting to five quietly to herself, she emerged from behind the bushes carefully, her eyes searching for her target - Kim Taewon. She reached for her camera when she recognized the familiar mop of brown hair and broad shoulders walking towards a coffee shop. In fear of losing him, she moved from her hiding place and stealthily approached the tall Korean, blending in with the lunch hour crowd seamlessly.
When he entered the coffee shop, she clicked her tongue and quickened her pace to a stop right outside the shop but well-hidden behind a few thick trees. Gazing through the transparent glass, Taewon joined a long queue of customers ordering for a coffee. As he stared blankly at nowhere, she positioned her camera and took some shots before hurriedly hiding behind a tree. People who passed by barely gave her any attention as they were rushing and minding their own business, to Natalie's luck.
After thinking the coast was clear, she turned her head only to come face to face with Kim Taewon himself. At that, she accidentally let out an audible gasp, stumbling backwards by the sudden appearance and almost falling, if not for the Korean steadying her by the waist. She shyly glanced back up to see a handsome smirk on Taewon's face, like he caught her doing something illegal red-handed. Which he did. Kind of.
"So, who is it for this time?" Taewon asked as he crossed his arms, a smug expression on his face.
Deciding to play innocent, Natalie blinked her long lashes repeatedly, secretly hoping that he would dismiss her as a dumbass and let her go without further questioning. But sadly it did not happen.
Sighing, Taewon spoke again, "I know someone paid you to do this...stalking thing. I'm asking you who is it."
Natalie fiddled her with her camera, looking at anywhere except the handsome Korean in front of her. "I'm not allowed to tell you. It's confidential information."
Hearing another exasperated sigh, Natalie got another shock when Taewon snatched the camera from her. It was quite a struggle too as the strings got tangled in her long, untied hair which caused to shriek. With considerable effort, Taewon took the camera in his hands and snapped a photo of him grinning at it. Then he tossed it at Natalie nonchalantly and told her, "There's your winning shot."
Unable to form words in her brain, Natalie merely blinked at the way things had turned out, frozen in her position. Taewon let out a hearty laugh before turning on his heel.
"Next time, don't stalk me," Taewon said over his shoulder before walking off.
Wednesday, 20 January 2016
Short Story #60: Free
Before my parents went to visit my grandmother's house, they had instructed my brother and I to obediently do all the house chores and those included: vacuuming, mopping, scrubbing the toilets, hanging the wet clothes and ironing the clothes. Admittedly, that was a lot of workload and when my parents left the house, my brother and I traded mischievous looks.
My brother and I were most probably like all siblings. We had our common interests and also issues or things that we disagreed on. We had our fights, some of them ended up physical but nothing bloody and some of them just led to us giving each other the silent treatment for a week. But for that day, we had a plan and we were both 100% on board with it.
While I switched on the faucet to fill the large pail, my brother grabbed as many packets as he could from the kitchen drawer. We did not need so many because our intention was to have fun while minimizing the amount of mess. It was inevitable that it would end up messy - we both had added that in our calculations. So when the pail was almost full, we quickly added water into the plastic packets before tying them up. We felt a rush coming through us, out of enthusiasm and maybe slight fear that our parents would suddenly change their minds and return back home. So we had no time to waste!
After counting off 20 water bombs, I took 10 while my brother took the remaining ones. At the count of five, we would head to our hiding places and then find each other to throw water bombs at each other. There was no point system - the point was to have the time of your life while seizing the perfect opportunity! So in one hour, almost the entire house was drenched, except for the our parents' bedroom of course. Theirs had a lot of books left in the open so it would take quite a long time before each of them dried and this would raise a lot of eyebrows from our parents.
During the entire game, we were both laughing freely and just enjoying ourselves. It was an amazing and liberating feeling. Also therapeutic. It was as if all the weight on our shoulders were lifted and it made us feel so...free.
Of course, we do not know if we are ever going to risk this stunt ever again without raising suspicion. It was a relief that they did not question further when they asked about our incredibly drenched clothes. Maybe they knew. Maybe it was because we had completed all the house chores dutifully and adequately.
Tuesday, 19 January 2016
Short Story #59: The One Time I Didn't Head Home Immediately
My mother had reminded me one too many times to head straight home once my night shift working in a 24-hour grocery store ended. She was terrified that the streets would be quiet and empty - a perfect 'hunting ground' for rapists and serial killers to roam around in search of new victims. I heeded her words of course until one night.
Like any other night, the moon cast over our heads was shining as brightly as ever in the night sky. It was also helpful that the streets were littered with streetlights which were all working and illuminated the entire area. My colleague Shauna had just suffered a harsh break-up with her boyfriend and she painfully waited till the end of shift to tell me the whole story. I may not give any good solutions to cope with problems but I am a very good listener and I know the right times to rub an upset person's back in comfort.
It was a nasty break-up alright. I almost felt sorry for Shauna. Almost. Because I had already known that Thomas was a two-timing bastard. Yes, Shauna and I had caught him shoving his tongue into another girl's throat in a busy supermarket few weeks back. At first, Shauna was in complete denial, insisting that it was actually a twin brother Thomas had never told her about and I was like, girl, let's be real. I had already told her to break up with him but she refused to listen to me. So, I had known something like this was going to happen. But, really, breaking up with your girlfriend while draping your hand around another girl, and a different one from the supermarket one? This guy is a player. One could only wonder what these girls see in this cheater and unfaithful asshole.
As Shauna bawled and laid her head on my shoulder, while I ignored all the drool and snot staining my cerulean dress, I gazed around the empty streets. It was pretty quiet, minus the intense sobbing and the owls hooting. At times, I could feel as though the owl was urgently warning me to come home. I ignored it and patted Shauna's soft, chesnut brown hair gently.
It was strange. The night felt strange unlike any other night. It was quiet - a little too quiet. And before I knew it, a cloth was shoved into my mouth. My screams were muffled and I tried to pry the extremely muscular arms choking my throat off me but my efforts were in vain. In a few minutes, my vision blurred and my whole world faded into black.
Monday, 18 January 2016
Short Story #58: Curiousity
I had no idea what I was doing but I knew I had that Mr. Dell would be furious when he found out that I had not been following him to his office. Not to mention, it was not for a good thing because I had to report to him first before doing my detention. Yes, I was late for the fifth time this year and it was not even halfway through the year yet.
Anyway, enough digressing, I was currently following Daniel Stinson, the resident weird kid, to the school's botanic garden. I had no idea what possessed me but seeing him loitering suspiciously around the empty corridor by himself really piqued my curiousity. Daniel was viewed as a weird kid by the whole school but there was no clear indication that he was indeed weird. It was like suddenly everyone decided to shun him and exclude him from all kinds of activities. No one questioned it and merely followed the status quo. This was high school for you. So alarms inside me ringing, I decided to forgo my detention and find out what the so-called weird kid was up to. Maybe he was not so weird at all and the ugly people who started it was just plotting to ruin Daniel's high school life. Maybe they committed something bad, like smuggling beer bottles to the school and Daniel caught them red-handed and they did this as some sort of twisted revenge. Just my theory. A little far-fetched but cool nonetheless.
I poked my head into the garden and strained my neck to see what Daniel was up to. Strange...A few seconds ago I clearly saw him enter the garden and now it seemed that he had completely disappeared. While my eyes frantically searched for him, I was quietly praying that a teacher (and especially not Mr Dell) would materialize out of nowhere behind me and scare the living shit out of me. Already, I was showing mild signs of obsession over a guy who I had not only spoken to only once (and that was to ask him to pick up my pencil that was on the floor) but was also the person everyone in school avoided for no rhyme or reason.
"What the hell are you doing here?" In an instant, I whipped around only to find Daniel Stinson standing behind me, giving an incredulous look at me. I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God it's not a teacher.
"Nothing. Just wondering what you were up to," I accidentally blurted. Really, I felt like slapping myself. Unexpectedly, Daniel broke into peals of laughter as if I had told him the funniest joke in the world.
I cocked an eyebrow at him and crossed my arms, hoping that I appeared as offended as possible. That I was not any person who could be pushed around. This only served to amuse Daniel more as the his laughter died down but the stupid smirk was still fixed on his face. His handsome face. With an incredibly sharp jawline. So sharp that it slashed my heart. OKAY STOP. I shut my eyes and shook my head frantically to forcefully snap myself out of my trance.
"I don't know what you are trying to do but don't break your neck while doing that," I opened my eyes to narrow my eyes at him intimidatingly. Of course it must had backfired since he was currently laughing obnoxiously like a madman. Actually, worse than a madman.
"Okay okay sorry," he raised his head in surrender. "If you really want to know-"
"I do," I cut him sharply and boy was I proud of myself.
"Haha okay. Since you want to know, I was merely peeing on the beautiful flowers in the garden."
"Well, trying to," he added.
"Why?" I asked without thinking, curiousity getting the best of me.
"Because I love flowers," he simply answered.
I rolled my eyes to the back of my head, groaning. So this was it. All the stalking all morning for this answer. No wonder people call Daniel Stinson weird.
Anyway, enough digressing, I was currently following Daniel Stinson, the resident weird kid, to the school's botanic garden. I had no idea what possessed me but seeing him loitering suspiciously around the empty corridor by himself really piqued my curiousity. Daniel was viewed as a weird kid by the whole school but there was no clear indication that he was indeed weird. It was like suddenly everyone decided to shun him and exclude him from all kinds of activities. No one questioned it and merely followed the status quo. This was high school for you. So alarms inside me ringing, I decided to forgo my detention and find out what the so-called weird kid was up to. Maybe he was not so weird at all and the ugly people who started it was just plotting to ruin Daniel's high school life. Maybe they committed something bad, like smuggling beer bottles to the school and Daniel caught them red-handed and they did this as some sort of twisted revenge. Just my theory. A little far-fetched but cool nonetheless.
I poked my head into the garden and strained my neck to see what Daniel was up to. Strange...A few seconds ago I clearly saw him enter the garden and now it seemed that he had completely disappeared. While my eyes frantically searched for him, I was quietly praying that a teacher (and especially not Mr Dell) would materialize out of nowhere behind me and scare the living shit out of me. Already, I was showing mild signs of obsession over a guy who I had not only spoken to only once (and that was to ask him to pick up my pencil that was on the floor) but was also the person everyone in school avoided for no rhyme or reason.
"What the hell are you doing here?" In an instant, I whipped around only to find Daniel Stinson standing behind me, giving an incredulous look at me. I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God it's not a teacher.
"Nothing. Just wondering what you were up to," I accidentally blurted. Really, I felt like slapping myself. Unexpectedly, Daniel broke into peals of laughter as if I had told him the funniest joke in the world.
I cocked an eyebrow at him and crossed my arms, hoping that I appeared as offended as possible. That I was not any person who could be pushed around. This only served to amuse Daniel more as the his laughter died down but the stupid smirk was still fixed on his face. His handsome face. With an incredibly sharp jawline. So sharp that it slashed my heart. OKAY STOP. I shut my eyes and shook my head frantically to forcefully snap myself out of my trance.
"I don't know what you are trying to do but don't break your neck while doing that," I opened my eyes to narrow my eyes at him intimidatingly. Of course it must had backfired since he was currently laughing obnoxiously like a madman. Actually, worse than a madman.
"Okay okay sorry," he raised his head in surrender. "If you really want to know-"
"I do," I cut him sharply and boy was I proud of myself.
"Haha okay. Since you want to know, I was merely peeing on the beautiful flowers in the garden."
"Well, trying to," he added.
"Why?" I asked without thinking, curiousity getting the best of me.
"Because I love flowers," he simply answered.
I rolled my eyes to the back of my head, groaning. So this was it. All the stalking all morning for this answer. No wonder people call Daniel Stinson weird.
Sunday, 17 January 2016
Short Story #57: Vision
Ricky could not remember the first time he started wearing glasses. It is virtually hard to recall the exact moment when the majority of his childhood was literally spent on playing in the mud with his little brothers who had complete disregard for hygiene (at that time) and taking care of his beloved Dachshund named Eve. And Eve was actually a boy, which Ricky had no idea till he visited the vet when Eve got sick from being fed expired dog food. It gave then five-year-old Ricky such a huge shock and that was on top of his crucial mistake of not checking for the food's expiry date.
That aside, Ricky was pushing his blue lenses up his nose after providing a lengthy and informational explanation about the dangers of global warming to a younger student whom he was tutoring for spare cash when said student posed the question.
"When did you first started wearing glasses?"
How it had anything to do with the lesson at hand, Ricky was totally unsure. But what he was certain about was that his student was easily distracted and that Ricky just simply does not remember. For as long as he started his education, he had wearing glasses. He wore it once he stepped out of his morning shower, and never took it off, unless he had to, until the night time when he would sleep as early as 10 p.m. every night. On another note, he simply did not understand those who sleeps as late as 12 a.m. especially on days with no homework. Why sabotage yourself and limit the number of sleeping hours? He would rather have an adequate amount of sleep so that he could function at his top form during the day than dozing in and out of consciousness during class.
After scolding the student and barking at him to take down whatever he had said, Ricky stared into space and frowned. How come he could not remember a simple memory? How did his myopia start and when? This was seriously roasting his brain and it was barely afternoon. A sigh escaped Ricky's lips and this caused his student to jump, staring at him in terrified suspicious. Secretly, Ricky likes instilling fear in his students because it made him feel feared and immensely respected.
Oh well, who cares anyway. What matters is the present and not some past where- oh now Ricky remembers! It started way back when his English teacher instructed him to read some lines from the board and he could not see a single thing - it was all in a huge blur that it completely terrified him out, thinking that he had became blind.
Ah, sweet memories.
That aside, Ricky was pushing his blue lenses up his nose after providing a lengthy and informational explanation about the dangers of global warming to a younger student whom he was tutoring for spare cash when said student posed the question.
"When did you first started wearing glasses?"
How it had anything to do with the lesson at hand, Ricky was totally unsure. But what he was certain about was that his student was easily distracted and that Ricky just simply does not remember. For as long as he started his education, he had wearing glasses. He wore it once he stepped out of his morning shower, and never took it off, unless he had to, until the night time when he would sleep as early as 10 p.m. every night. On another note, he simply did not understand those who sleeps as late as 12 a.m. especially on days with no homework. Why sabotage yourself and limit the number of sleeping hours? He would rather have an adequate amount of sleep so that he could function at his top form during the day than dozing in and out of consciousness during class.
After scolding the student and barking at him to take down whatever he had said, Ricky stared into space and frowned. How come he could not remember a simple memory? How did his myopia start and when? This was seriously roasting his brain and it was barely afternoon. A sigh escaped Ricky's lips and this caused his student to jump, staring at him in terrified suspicious. Secretly, Ricky likes instilling fear in his students because it made him feel feared and immensely respected.
Oh well, who cares anyway. What matters is the present and not some past where- oh now Ricky remembers! It started way back when his English teacher instructed him to read some lines from the board and he could not see a single thing - it was all in a huge blur that it completely terrified him out, thinking that he had became blind.
Ah, sweet memories.
Saturday, 16 January 2016
Short Story #56: A Simple Mind
Why do brands matter so much to a considerable number of people? And I am not referring to the knowledge about popular brands and of course not the preference of one brand over the other. I am referring to expensive brands and the lengths some people go to in order to attain the status of an up-to-date and rich person.
I mean, there are certain people who only owns certain brands solely because of the brands' extremely reputable name. I just cannot imagine being so obsessed about wanting to be looked in a certain way. A specific way. Like, do some people really get satisfaction out of being recognized as the 'girl who wear Brand YY shoes' or 'the boy who wears this extremely trendy jacket from Brand ZZ'? Labels. Being labelled is not a good thing because you would only be viewed as one thing and not beyond that.
But then again, if chasing after these brands is what constitutes happiness for people, then it is their happiness. Because different people have different definitions of happiness. One of the ways I feel happy is from completing a book or being productive for the day.
I guess I have what people call...a simple mind. I may not remember certain brands by heart but I have certain taste on accessories or objects and would have a preference of a specific brand solely because of its convenience and compatbility. I do not read fashion magazines from cover to cover, memorize the latest fashion trends...No I do not do all of that. Sometimes, I feel that I am pretty unlike any average teenager who knows how to doll himself or herself or dress to the current times. To me, I just feel dolling up and over-accessorize do not do much difference to me. I just have no...thing for such things.
Am I weird for that?
Haha maybe.
I mean, there are certain people who only owns certain brands solely because of the brands' extremely reputable name. I just cannot imagine being so obsessed about wanting to be looked in a certain way. A specific way. Like, do some people really get satisfaction out of being recognized as the 'girl who wear Brand YY shoes' or 'the boy who wears this extremely trendy jacket from Brand ZZ'? Labels. Being labelled is not a good thing because you would only be viewed as one thing and not beyond that.
But then again, if chasing after these brands is what constitutes happiness for people, then it is their happiness. Because different people have different definitions of happiness. One of the ways I feel happy is from completing a book or being productive for the day.
I guess I have what people call...a simple mind. I may not remember certain brands by heart but I have certain taste on accessories or objects and would have a preference of a specific brand solely because of its convenience and compatbility. I do not read fashion magazines from cover to cover, memorize the latest fashion trends...No I do not do all of that. Sometimes, I feel that I am pretty unlike any average teenager who knows how to doll himself or herself or dress to the current times. To me, I just feel dolling up and over-accessorize do not do much difference to me. I just have no...thing for such things.
Am I weird for that?
Haha maybe.
Friday, 15 January 2016
Short Story #55: Love Letter
Never in my life, all in my 19 years of living, that I even dreamt of receiving a love letter. Seriously, ask anyone within my social circle (which is cramped and tiny by the way) and you will get an unanimous response that Lilian Stilson has never had a guy (a sane one) who ever fancied her.
So imagine my shock when I discovered a piece of cream envelope perched on my desk in my classroom. At first, I thought it was a prank. I mean there must be carcass of a dead cockroach or lizard inside it, right? No way would I ever get a harmless, loving gift from anybody. Even with the clean and neat writing of my full name with glitter glue decorating around my name, I still had my doubts. Call me insecure. I do not really care. After all, I once had a painful experience when I mustered enough courage to confess to a cute boy back when I was an innocent 8-years-old. After confessing, the boy smiled at me, planted a small kiss on my forehead and then left. The next day, the whole freaking school heard of my confession and teased me all the way till the end of middle school. It was horrible. And I did not have many friends back then so every time I walked out of the toilet or walked around the school canteen, embarrassing nicknames and labels were thrown at me left and right.
A gusty sigh escaped my lips. I must not think of terrible memories. I shall push them all of them at the back of my mind. Why remind myself of such things when I actually could have a chance at having a boyfriend? Of course, if the boy does not turn out to be a weirdo, which I truly hope he is not.
Please not let my secret admirer be a weirdo. I shut my eyes and prayed hard.
I carefully removed the letter from inside the envelope and read it quietly. Fancy the boy call me sweet words like 'angel from the heavens' and 'having a beauty that surpasses every girl in school'. Such flattering words indeed. Nobody has called me such beautiful names before and I instantly felt attached to this boy.
But during second period Maths, something suddenly clicked in my mind. I let out a dramatic gasp and automatically earned a lot of stares from the class and the teacher. My hand flew to my mouth as I mumbled an apology.
How could I ever forget that I am currently enrolling in all-girls school?
So imagine my shock when I discovered a piece of cream envelope perched on my desk in my classroom. At first, I thought it was a prank. I mean there must be carcass of a dead cockroach or lizard inside it, right? No way would I ever get a harmless, loving gift from anybody. Even with the clean and neat writing of my full name with glitter glue decorating around my name, I still had my doubts. Call me insecure. I do not really care. After all, I once had a painful experience when I mustered enough courage to confess to a cute boy back when I was an innocent 8-years-old. After confessing, the boy smiled at me, planted a small kiss on my forehead and then left. The next day, the whole freaking school heard of my confession and teased me all the way till the end of middle school. It was horrible. And I did not have many friends back then so every time I walked out of the toilet or walked around the school canteen, embarrassing nicknames and labels were thrown at me left and right.
A gusty sigh escaped my lips. I must not think of terrible memories. I shall push them all of them at the back of my mind. Why remind myself of such things when I actually could have a chance at having a boyfriend? Of course, if the boy does not turn out to be a weirdo, which I truly hope he is not.
Please not let my secret admirer be a weirdo. I shut my eyes and prayed hard.
I carefully removed the letter from inside the envelope and read it quietly. Fancy the boy call me sweet words like 'angel from the heavens' and 'having a beauty that surpasses every girl in school'. Such flattering words indeed. Nobody has called me such beautiful names before and I instantly felt attached to this boy.
But during second period Maths, something suddenly clicked in my mind. I let out a dramatic gasp and automatically earned a lot of stares from the class and the teacher. My hand flew to my mouth as I mumbled an apology.
How could I ever forget that I am currently enrolling in all-girls school?
Thursday, 14 January 2016
Short Story #54: Sick
Oh no! This is truly terrible!
One week from my third semester, and I am having the symptoms of a high fever. Well, as a consolation to myself, at least I did not develop a fever during the school term.
But still, it sucks when you are sick. For everyone. I mean...while you have a legitimate excuse to avoid doing house chores and going out to buy breakfast, to me, it feels as if you are forbidden to mingle with the outside world. That is a strange way to put it but it just feels inconvenient when you want to write a story for instance or plan it out, then there is your nose running every twelve seconds and also you have a ear-splitting headache that occurs from time to time.
When I woke up feeling dizzy, I knew that something was wrong at once. There was something definitely wrong with my body - my immune system in fact. Last time I fell incredibly sick was last year on mid-October. It took me two weeks to completely recover from it and if I remember correctly, I was even prescribed antibiotics which automatically meant that my immune system had became weaker.
Not only that, I woke up feeling incredibly parched. So parched that it felt like that I did not drink any water for days! Like I had been stuck in a desert for weeks and just came back!
To put it simply, being sick sucks.
But, at the same time, it made me appreciative of life. Look at how many things I could not do simply because I was sick. This goes to show how important it is to take care of your own health! And this does not includes eating well but also exercising and having adequate sleep too!
No one is Superman but sometimes, we tend to get over-confident and think that we can get by just by having two hours of sleep or just one meal of bread and a hot beverage. We are human beings, not robots.
So, we all get sick so that we learn to take care of yourselves well and that we should know our own limits.
One week from my third semester, and I am having the symptoms of a high fever. Well, as a consolation to myself, at least I did not develop a fever during the school term.
But still, it sucks when you are sick. For everyone. I mean...while you have a legitimate excuse to avoid doing house chores and going out to buy breakfast, to me, it feels as if you are forbidden to mingle with the outside world. That is a strange way to put it but it just feels inconvenient when you want to write a story for instance or plan it out, then there is your nose running every twelve seconds and also you have a ear-splitting headache that occurs from time to time.
When I woke up feeling dizzy, I knew that something was wrong at once. There was something definitely wrong with my body - my immune system in fact. Last time I fell incredibly sick was last year on mid-October. It took me two weeks to completely recover from it and if I remember correctly, I was even prescribed antibiotics which automatically meant that my immune system had became weaker.
Not only that, I woke up feeling incredibly parched. So parched that it felt like that I did not drink any water for days! Like I had been stuck in a desert for weeks and just came back!
To put it simply, being sick sucks.
But, at the same time, it made me appreciative of life. Look at how many things I could not do simply because I was sick. This goes to show how important it is to take care of your own health! And this does not includes eating well but also exercising and having adequate sleep too!
No one is Superman but sometimes, we tend to get over-confident and think that we can get by just by having two hours of sleep or just one meal of bread and a hot beverage. We are human beings, not robots.
So, we all get sick so that we learn to take care of yourselves well and that we should know our own limits.
Wednesday, 13 January 2016
Short Story #53: What Goes Around Comes Around
Mariah marched down the school hallways, her expression livid. Since she was one of the more popular students in the school, the crowd of students cleared a path for her. Despite her $5,000 blouse having an ugly red stain, she still maintained respect among her peers, though in her case, most people feared her because somehow, she had the dirt on everyone else. So, if anyone were to even smile at her misfortune, she would remember their faces and the next day, the victims would be too scared to even leave their house.
But enough about popularity, Mariah did not expect this to happen to her all. No. Not to the fashionable sweetheart Mariah (to the public's eyes). She was just minding her own business by eating her lunch with her usual clique when suddenly, a huge container was thrown in her direction and all its contents burst open, spilling all over her favourite outfit. Her look and sound of alarm must had been so loud because everyone else in the canteen mirrored her shocked expression and loud gasp.
While everyone else wondered who would dare to even do such a thing, Mariah had no shred of doubt in her mind that it was the school's troublemaker, Jason. If you ask anyone, including the teachers, they would say you would best be avoiding Jason.
Jason had an infamous reputation of being a person who just did not give a damn about others' feelings and dignity. In other words, Jason could target anyone. And that included the school principal and the school's most popular girl. Or one of the most. Madison was the most popular girl and she did not use blackmail unlike Mariah. Also, Jason's targets all had something in common. They were all jerks. Jason was kind enough to avoid those people who were goody-two shoes and all-around nice.
And it was about time Mariah received her just deserts as a payback for all the misdeeds that she had done. If you asked Jason, Mariah was way worse than a prankster and troublemaker. Mariah was a conniving and shameless girl who would not think twice about humiliating someone if she thought she did not get the so-called respect that she deserved.
What Mariah deserved was to be hit by a bus. But today, staining her expensive, exclusive blouse would just do.
But enough about popularity, Mariah did not expect this to happen to her all. No. Not to the fashionable sweetheart Mariah (to the public's eyes). She was just minding her own business by eating her lunch with her usual clique when suddenly, a huge container was thrown in her direction and all its contents burst open, spilling all over her favourite outfit. Her look and sound of alarm must had been so loud because everyone else in the canteen mirrored her shocked expression and loud gasp.
While everyone else wondered who would dare to even do such a thing, Mariah had no shred of doubt in her mind that it was the school's troublemaker, Jason. If you ask anyone, including the teachers, they would say you would best be avoiding Jason.
Jason had an infamous reputation of being a person who just did not give a damn about others' feelings and dignity. In other words, Jason could target anyone. And that included the school principal and the school's most popular girl. Or one of the most. Madison was the most popular girl and she did not use blackmail unlike Mariah. Also, Jason's targets all had something in common. They were all jerks. Jason was kind enough to avoid those people who were goody-two shoes and all-around nice.
And it was about time Mariah received her just deserts as a payback for all the misdeeds that she had done. If you asked Jason, Mariah was way worse than a prankster and troublemaker. Mariah was a conniving and shameless girl who would not think twice about humiliating someone if she thought she did not get the so-called respect that she deserved.
What Mariah deserved was to be hit by a bus. But today, staining her expensive, exclusive blouse would just do.
Tuesday, 12 January 2016
Short Story #52: High Tops
At that minute, I really wanted the pair of purple high tops. They looked really comfortable for wear and it was in my favourite colour. Did I mention that it was on sale and that it was the very last pair left?
So as a result of those pressing circumstances, all logic was thrown out of the window. I completely forgot that I had an unpaid debt of $4,000 to the banks and my own friends, that I still had not prepared a budget plan for the month and that I still had not paid my phone bills (which I had not opened yet due to my own fear of seeing a lot of numbers glaring back at me). It was as if an overwhelming force had taken over my mind and my body, and my feet suddenly moved on their own till they arrived inside the shop. My hand suddenly started having a mind of its own too when it reached out for the high tops and tucked it under my arm in a protective gesture, in case there were other people eyeing it and would try prying it off me.
Now I remembered that I even ignored the fact that I was running late for my afternoon lecture. Like I said, all logic was thrown out of the window. Once my gaze caught the large red banner that said 'SALE', my normally functioning brain just halted and my body just instantly reprogrammed. I could feel my brain screaming at me to stop but the voice was really faint and at the back of my mind so I just continued walking to the counter, brimming with unknown confidence that I was not even aware of. I just felt that I had to have this pair of high tops. Not only that my old sports shoes had been tattered and worn out, I could finally jog outside, with a newly-bought sports bra to match.
As soon as I left the shop, my phone vibrated in my pocket, the shock of it almost jolted my entire body into some electrical shock. It was my friend's text message. Seemed that from the message being typed in all caps, it sounded pretty urgent. As I read the content, my eyes automatically widened.
The professor had already arrived in the lecture hall. And what did I do? I sprinted as fast as I could to my university, all while clutching the plastic bag holding my precious high tops protectively against my chest.
So as a result of those pressing circumstances, all logic was thrown out of the window. I completely forgot that I had an unpaid debt of $4,000 to the banks and my own friends, that I still had not prepared a budget plan for the month and that I still had not paid my phone bills (which I had not opened yet due to my own fear of seeing a lot of numbers glaring back at me). It was as if an overwhelming force had taken over my mind and my body, and my feet suddenly moved on their own till they arrived inside the shop. My hand suddenly started having a mind of its own too when it reached out for the high tops and tucked it under my arm in a protective gesture, in case there were other people eyeing it and would try prying it off me.
Now I remembered that I even ignored the fact that I was running late for my afternoon lecture. Like I said, all logic was thrown out of the window. Once my gaze caught the large red banner that said 'SALE', my normally functioning brain just halted and my body just instantly reprogrammed. I could feel my brain screaming at me to stop but the voice was really faint and at the back of my mind so I just continued walking to the counter, brimming with unknown confidence that I was not even aware of. I just felt that I had to have this pair of high tops. Not only that my old sports shoes had been tattered and worn out, I could finally jog outside, with a newly-bought sports bra to match.
As soon as I left the shop, my phone vibrated in my pocket, the shock of it almost jolted my entire body into some electrical shock. It was my friend's text message. Seemed that from the message being typed in all caps, it sounded pretty urgent. As I read the content, my eyes automatically widened.
The professor had already arrived in the lecture hall. And what did I do? I sprinted as fast as I could to my university, all while clutching the plastic bag holding my precious high tops protectively against my chest.
Short Story #51: A Bus Ride
How do people spend their time during a bus ride? I've
always wondered about that. Not that it bugs me every waking second, but this
is just one of those things people just think about briefly before shrugging it
off like how do people spend their holidays or what do people do in the morning
every day? Mundane things like that...
For me, if the bus ride is very long or if I'm lugging a lot
of things, I would like to sit down comfortably so that I could rest and
recharge. And in this case, I'm taking a bus to Kuala Lumpur so obviously all passengers
would be sitting down. Imagine standing up for 5 hours! Anyone would've just
sat on the floor!
Due to the length of the bus ride, I prepared a lot of
things to entertain myself from watching videos in my tablet to reading books.
It is hilarious how I tried to think what shows I want to place inside the
tablet and I have to prepare beforehand because the transfer of video files
could take as long as 2 hours. Luckily, I managed to complete watching all the
clips that I transferred into the device, making my bus ride worthwhile.
Occasionally, I drift in and out of sleep and sometimes my dreams would pick
off the last page from a book that I previously read. Such dreams are so
entertaining. It could go on from me being those characters from the story, living out their roles and such dreams seemed so real that it did not feel like a dream. Sometimes, the worlds in those dreams were so disturbing and crazy and never-ending that I could not get out of. Luckily, I would jolt awake and become glad that they were not true at all and were just false realities created by my brain.
Funnily enough for this trip, I hardly listened to my music for entertainment. It was unheard of but I guess there is a first for everything. It's also amazing that I managed to finish reading two books amid all the busy shopping and sight-seeing. When I returned home from my holiday, it felt as if I went to some far place in my own country. It's like I never left the country at all!
Short Story #50: Hotel Room
Once we entered our apartment in the hotel, we quickly
surveyed the entire compound, eagerly taking in the exquisite surroundings.
It was not at all perfect, or to put it aptly, not meeting
our expectations. I eventually realized that not every hotel held the same
standards despite all of them being located in the same city. Say, one may made
sure to prepare an iron in every room but another one does not provide the same
service.
The most offensive one (in my opinion) is the one that does not
provide free Wi-fi. Imagine having to pay an hourly rate for using Wi-fi! It
was truly a horrible experience and I had to endure my brother's never ending
complaints.
That aside, this apartment is really huge - even bigger than
my own house - so I guess that says a lot? Haha. I don't really have any
complaints about it even when the air-conditioning was a little uncooperative
at first, leaving all of us to feel very uncomfortable. Obviously, my favourite
part is the bathtub. It is really fun to add large amounts of shampoo into a
bathtub-full of water and just submerge your whole body in it. And it is fun to
pretend that you have a beard! Sadly, I could not stay in too long as my skin
would become crinkly otherwise.
I guess another Favourite thing is the free
wifi? Even though to some people that free wifi is pretty much expected, to me,
such simple things are taken for granted that they become overlooked. I am
saying such because as I had mentioned earlier, I had stayed in a hotel where
you have to pay to use wifi and it made me realize that missing something that
has become a habit of your life makes you appreciate it more. When I used the
wifi in the apartment, it feels as if I've never left home. Like I'm able to
resume whatever activities that I had done before I left for overseas. I
enjoyed the feeling so I'm thankful for this hotel for providing free wifi.
As the saying goes, and I know it's super cheesy but absence
does make the heart grow fonder.
Short Story #49: End of Holidays
Trigger warning: Mentions of suicide and implied suicide
"I wish that holidays would go on for another
week," Raymond sighed wistfully.
Michael puffed out a laugh. "I wish it would go on
forever!"
"That'd be great. Then we won't have go to school
anymore and we could just enjoy our lives without any worries," Harry
stared at the beautiful night sky adorned with bright, twinkling stars.
"Even without school, I still have to worry about
paying my phone bills!" Michael snorted out a good-natured laugh. "Tessa
loves to chat for hours without end."
Silence then seeped the air surrounding the quartet as they
dangled their legs over the parapet wall on the rooftop. People from below
would view them as reckless and bold delinquents while the more jumpy ones would
think they were contemplating suicide. It would be hilarious either way.
"Have you guys ever thought what it would be like to be
free from all responsibilities?" Nathan's sudden comment snapped the other
boys from their reverie. They all swung their heads to glance at Nathan.
"Well...I've never thought about that," Harry
admitted.
"Yeah...I mean..." Raymond paused as if
considering his next words carefully. "Isn't it impossible to live without
having responsibilities?"
Despite being the first one to always question the odd
comments in the group, Michael remained unusually quiet. He had been friends
with Nathan for more than ten years, the longest friendship in the group but
even till this day, he still viewed Nathan as an enigma. Just when he thought he
figured the other boy out, the other would effortlessly throw an odd comment, making him go back to square one.
Nathan turned his head to face the other boys and gave them
a strange smile. It did not reach his eyes but at the same time it did not feel
fake or condescending. It just felt...that he was done. Done with everything to
do in this world.
Then everything in Michael clicked. The long, vertical lines
on Nathan's wrists, his deep hatred towards the education system, his clear
indifference towards his parents.
Eyes widening, Michael yelled, "No, Nathan! Don't do
it!"
But it was too late. As Michael desperately called for his
longtime friend, Nathan rose slowly before leaning forward and falling off the
rooftop.
Friday, 8 January 2016
Short Story #48: Assignment
Let me tell something about procrastination. It can be either really fun or really burdensome. It can be really fun when your task got cancelled or postponed last minute. However, it can be really burdensome when the deadline is just the next day and you have not started a single thing on your assignment just hours before its submission date!
Today, it is the latter.
It was when I was playing Game of Life with my family that it suddenly struck me that I had yet to complete my dissertation paper for my English class. A dissertation paper that was supposed to take 3 weeks to conduct thorough research and another 1 week to collate all the relevant arguments tweaked by my own personal voice. At that moment of realization, I just wanted to bang my head onto the game board and I kept casting uneasy glances between the clock and game, silently begging for the game to wrap up quickly. As soon as my character successfully reached the end, I let out an excited cry and hauled myself to my feet, racing to my own room and closing the door.
With 5 hours left to its deadline, I hurried to complete my assignment with additional effort to show that I had taken weeks to perfect my dissertation. At first, I thought I was the only one rushing to do this burdensome work but it turned out two of my other friends were too. I was definitely relieved that I was not alone, but that did not make the urgency to finish the work suddenly disappear into thin air. Far from that, I still had to work my butt off, even sacrificing precious sleep. Well, it was all my fault that I procrastinated in the first place. And, no matter how matter times I told myself to start doing every assignment early, I still ignore that same mistake and procrastinate. It was horrible!
Unfortunately, even after burning the midnight oil, I still have only completed half of the assignment. Before I knew it, the next day had arrived and I had to prepare for school. I had never showered and changed clothes so fast in my life! My situation became worse when I had to bring my laptop along to school to finish the remainder of the task and even print in school. Such was my life.
Once I arrived in school, just less than an hour before the deadline, my heart was pounding so loudly that I could hardly concentrate. However, my mind went totally blank, making my sleep-deprived brain unable to function. I let out a resigned sigh. I had to face the music eventually.
As I turned up for class and waited for it to start, I could not bring myself to resume my work. I just had to turn in that incomplete and half-hearted work. I was miserable. However, when my professor turned up, she suddenly announced that she would be extending the deadline since the entire class was not even close to completing it. Everyone let out a very loud relieved sigh but mine was probably the loudest that everyone, including the teacher were staring at me.
It was a miracle that this procrastination turned out to be really fun. Indeed it was a miracle.
Also, I would going for three-day vacation tomorrow so I would not be publishing any short stories for a while but I'll be writing it out in my notebook. I'll not miss a day which is an opportunity to organize my thoughts and write!
Today, it is the latter.
It was when I was playing Game of Life with my family that it suddenly struck me that I had yet to complete my dissertation paper for my English class. A dissertation paper that was supposed to take 3 weeks to conduct thorough research and another 1 week to collate all the relevant arguments tweaked by my own personal voice. At that moment of realization, I just wanted to bang my head onto the game board and I kept casting uneasy glances between the clock and game, silently begging for the game to wrap up quickly. As soon as my character successfully reached the end, I let out an excited cry and hauled myself to my feet, racing to my own room and closing the door.
With 5 hours left to its deadline, I hurried to complete my assignment with additional effort to show that I had taken weeks to perfect my dissertation. At first, I thought I was the only one rushing to do this burdensome work but it turned out two of my other friends were too. I was definitely relieved that I was not alone, but that did not make the urgency to finish the work suddenly disappear into thin air. Far from that, I still had to work my butt off, even sacrificing precious sleep. Well, it was all my fault that I procrastinated in the first place. And, no matter how matter times I told myself to start doing every assignment early, I still ignore that same mistake and procrastinate. It was horrible!
Unfortunately, even after burning the midnight oil, I still have only completed half of the assignment. Before I knew it, the next day had arrived and I had to prepare for school. I had never showered and changed clothes so fast in my life! My situation became worse when I had to bring my laptop along to school to finish the remainder of the task and even print in school. Such was my life.
Once I arrived in school, just less than an hour before the deadline, my heart was pounding so loudly that I could hardly concentrate. However, my mind went totally blank, making my sleep-deprived brain unable to function. I let out a resigned sigh. I had to face the music eventually.
As I turned up for class and waited for it to start, I could not bring myself to resume my work. I just had to turn in that incomplete and half-hearted work. I was miserable. However, when my professor turned up, she suddenly announced that she would be extending the deadline since the entire class was not even close to completing it. Everyone let out a very loud relieved sigh but mine was probably the loudest that everyone, including the teacher were staring at me.
It was a miracle that this procrastination turned out to be really fun. Indeed it was a miracle.
-
Thursday, 7 January 2016
Short Story #47: Daily Routine
People tend to overlook the simplest things in life. And that includes our daily routine.
Obviously, everyone has their own professions and their own lives to lead. But we are all similar in the way that we all have to eat, drink, sleep and socialize.
This is my daily routine.
Every morning, I wake up at around 6 a.m. and I would try my best to stay awake, especially if I have something important to do like morning class or accompanying my mother to buy breakfast. Afterwards, I would lay down my bed, idly using my smartphone. I love to read fanfictions. I really do and I have a lot of them bookmarked on my phone. I also have a habit of re-reading stories I had already read. However, I think I must speed up my reading pace because some stories are getting abruptly deleted left and right, and this upsets me! Especially when I look forward so much to reading it only to find out my procrastination bit me in the ass later on. Aside from reading fanfictions, I like to watch YouTube videos too! I have to keep in mind not to use my phone too often because I have plenty of physical books to read and some TV shows to watch.
After that, I do my house chores and do some cleaning around the house. I really love to take charge of the cleaning because I tend to be thorough and I love to clean up dust. Dust simply irritates me. Once the house chores are done, I have free time to do whatever I want.
Another nasty habit that I have is when I feel tired and sleepy even when I hardly do anything. So I tend to waste my afternoon taking long naps without realizing it.
When night arrives, I get upset because this means the day is almost over. I would then try to finish up every thing that I had planned to do in those limited time. At times, I regret wasting time during the day and wish that I have been more motivated to be more productive.
When midnight almost approaches, I would be on my laptop, typing away my short story before publishing it into my blog. This is going to be my daily habit.
Once I am done, I would then switch off my laptop and I would lay down on my comfy bed. But I would not sleep yet as I would be reading fanfictions from my smartphone. Eventually, I would feel tired and fall asleep.
I am feeling rather sleepy now.
Obviously, everyone has their own professions and their own lives to lead. But we are all similar in the way that we all have to eat, drink, sleep and socialize.
This is my daily routine.
Every morning, I wake up at around 6 a.m. and I would try my best to stay awake, especially if I have something important to do like morning class or accompanying my mother to buy breakfast. Afterwards, I would lay down my bed, idly using my smartphone. I love to read fanfictions. I really do and I have a lot of them bookmarked on my phone. I also have a habit of re-reading stories I had already read. However, I think I must speed up my reading pace because some stories are getting abruptly deleted left and right, and this upsets me! Especially when I look forward so much to reading it only to find out my procrastination bit me in the ass later on. Aside from reading fanfictions, I like to watch YouTube videos too! I have to keep in mind not to use my phone too often because I have plenty of physical books to read and some TV shows to watch.
After that, I do my house chores and do some cleaning around the house. I really love to take charge of the cleaning because I tend to be thorough and I love to clean up dust. Dust simply irritates me. Once the house chores are done, I have free time to do whatever I want.
Another nasty habit that I have is when I feel tired and sleepy even when I hardly do anything. So I tend to waste my afternoon taking long naps without realizing it.
When night arrives, I get upset because this means the day is almost over. I would then try to finish up every thing that I had planned to do in those limited time. At times, I regret wasting time during the day and wish that I have been more motivated to be more productive.
When midnight almost approaches, I would be on my laptop, typing away my short story before publishing it into my blog. This is going to be my daily habit.
Once I am done, I would then switch off my laptop and I would lay down on my comfy bed. But I would not sleep yet as I would be reading fanfictions from my smartphone. Eventually, I would feel tired and fall asleep.
I am feeling rather sleepy now.
Wednesday, 6 January 2016
Short Story #46: Being Followed
"What do you mean you saw someone following us?" Javier frowned. In an instant, Julie shushed him and tugged his arm till she stopped at a shop window, pretending to look inside.
"There's a tall man wearing hat and sunglasses and he has been following us ever since we alighted from the bus," Julie whispered harshly at her boyfriend, without averting her gaze from the shop.
When Javier was about to turn his body, Julie slapped his shoulder and he hissed in pain. Even though Javier was the quarterback in his school, Julie's slaps were more painful than a full frontal tackle.
"Ouch!" Once again, Julie shushed him. A sigh escaped Javier's lips. "Well, what are we going to do now? Are we going to just avoid this creepy guy or are we going to enjoy our date?"
"We're being followed and our lives could be danger and all you're worried about is some stupid date?" Julie snarled at her boyfriend, pinching his arm roughly.
"Okay! Okay! Stop physically tormenting me!" Javier retreated a little and felt his back hit a sturdy, wide chest. Turning around, he was shocked to find the man fitting Julie's description staring down at him. His heart was about to leap out of his mouth when he saw the man's mouth twisted into a sinister smile.
"Run!" Quickly seizing her boyfriend's arm, Julie propelled him forward into the street before breaking into a run. People around them were throwing them weird stares as they saw the pair's panic-stricken eyes and heavy breathing. It truly looked like they were running away from rabid dogs when it was none of the sort.
When they were certain that they had lost the stalker, they paused to catch their breath. However, they celebrated too soon when the same man suddenly appeared in front of them, as if he had teleported there.
At seeing their startled faces, the man raised his hands in surrender. "Calm down! I am not a suspicious character! I am only here to return you this!"
The pair's gaze traveled to an object in the man's arm and Javier instantly recognized it as his wallet.
"Hey, that's mine!" Javier pointed at it.
Afterwards, the man explained that he boarded the same bus as the duo and noticed Javier's wallet falling out of his unzipped bag. So, he alighted at a bus stop that was not even his stop and went out of his way to return the misplaced wallet. Feeling very apologetic, Julie offered to treat the man lunch to which the man laughed and nicely rejected because he did not want to be home late for his fifth anniversary with his wife.
"There's a tall man wearing hat and sunglasses and he has been following us ever since we alighted from the bus," Julie whispered harshly at her boyfriend, without averting her gaze from the shop.
When Javier was about to turn his body, Julie slapped his shoulder and he hissed in pain. Even though Javier was the quarterback in his school, Julie's slaps were more painful than a full frontal tackle.
"Ouch!" Once again, Julie shushed him. A sigh escaped Javier's lips. "Well, what are we going to do now? Are we going to just avoid this creepy guy or are we going to enjoy our date?"
"We're being followed and our lives could be danger and all you're worried about is some stupid date?" Julie snarled at her boyfriend, pinching his arm roughly.
"Okay! Okay! Stop physically tormenting me!" Javier retreated a little and felt his back hit a sturdy, wide chest. Turning around, he was shocked to find the man fitting Julie's description staring down at him. His heart was about to leap out of his mouth when he saw the man's mouth twisted into a sinister smile.
"Run!" Quickly seizing her boyfriend's arm, Julie propelled him forward into the street before breaking into a run. People around them were throwing them weird stares as they saw the pair's panic-stricken eyes and heavy breathing. It truly looked like they were running away from rabid dogs when it was none of the sort.
When they were certain that they had lost the stalker, they paused to catch their breath. However, they celebrated too soon when the same man suddenly appeared in front of them, as if he had teleported there.
At seeing their startled faces, the man raised his hands in surrender. "Calm down! I am not a suspicious character! I am only here to return you this!"
The pair's gaze traveled to an object in the man's arm and Javier instantly recognized it as his wallet.
"Hey, that's mine!" Javier pointed at it.
Afterwards, the man explained that he boarded the same bus as the duo and noticed Javier's wallet falling out of his unzipped bag. So, he alighted at a bus stop that was not even his stop and went out of his way to return the misplaced wallet. Feeling very apologetic, Julie offered to treat the man lunch to which the man laughed and nicely rejected because he did not want to be home late for his fifth anniversary with his wife.
Tuesday, 5 January 2016
Short Story #45: Betrayed
"What are you going do to us?" I asked the masked man boldly while Minnie gripped my arm in fear. I could tell that in a few minutes that it would start to bruise by the way she was clutching it tightly as if her whole life depended on it.
The evil man did nothing and even though only his mouth was covered, I could tell that it was twisted into a devilish grin from the way his eyes glinted with menace. Minnie and I held our breath as the man reached for something deep in his jacket.
Minutes dreadfully passed by and when it was clear that the man was simply going to stand there, Minnie and I both bolted to the door behind the man, craving for our freedom out of the insane house.
However, before I could reach out for the doorknob, the man threw a few tiny balls harshly into the ground. Soft thumps hit the wooden floorboards and upon impact, green-coloured smoke filled the room. My eyes began to water as my lungs strained for air and my throat seemed to have a disgusting taste. I hastily tried to grab Minnie's hand but I could barely breathe myself. Clearly the effects of the strange smoke, my legs became frozen to the ground and my arms became completely lifeless. As I laid there on the floor vulnerably, I heard loud claps that echoed within the tiny room we were held in.
"Good job, Minnie," I could hear the man praising my girlfriend. What the hell is he yapping about?
"Of course. You have to keep your side of our agreement," Minnie replied smoothly. Huh? Minnie's usual sweet voice became laced with spite.
"That goes without saying," the man responded before breaking into peals of laughter.
I had no idea what was happening anymore. All I knew was that I tasted the bitter taste of betrayal. My eyes slowly drooped and I willingly succumbed to my awaiting fate.
The evil man did nothing and even though only his mouth was covered, I could tell that it was twisted into a devilish grin from the way his eyes glinted with menace. Minnie and I held our breath as the man reached for something deep in his jacket.
Minutes dreadfully passed by and when it was clear that the man was simply going to stand there, Minnie and I both bolted to the door behind the man, craving for our freedom out of the insane house.
However, before I could reach out for the doorknob, the man threw a few tiny balls harshly into the ground. Soft thumps hit the wooden floorboards and upon impact, green-coloured smoke filled the room. My eyes began to water as my lungs strained for air and my throat seemed to have a disgusting taste. I hastily tried to grab Minnie's hand but I could barely breathe myself. Clearly the effects of the strange smoke, my legs became frozen to the ground and my arms became completely lifeless. As I laid there on the floor vulnerably, I heard loud claps that echoed within the tiny room we were held in.
"Good job, Minnie," I could hear the man praising my girlfriend. What the hell is he yapping about?
"Of course. You have to keep your side of our agreement," Minnie replied smoothly. Huh? Minnie's usual sweet voice became laced with spite.
"That goes without saying," the man responded before breaking into peals of laughter.
I had no idea what was happening anymore. All I knew was that I tasted the bitter taste of betrayal. My eyes slowly drooped and I willingly succumbed to my awaiting fate.
Monday, 4 January 2016
Short Story #44: Notice Me Senpai
So, I recently resumed watching anime. It's not that many but within these two years, I have completed One-Punch Man and just started on Ore Monogatari.
Petals of cherry blossoms gracefully fell to the ground, swayed by the gentle breeze. My long chestnut brown hair flew beautifully behind me. It was such a great decision of mine to not tie my hair up to a ponytail that would have flowed as elegantly. I had a feeling that today would be different. No reason whatsoever.
Feeling exhilarated by the thought of an eventful day, my footsteps transformed from normal and light to quick, excited skips. Ignoring the weird stares on me, I happily skipped, my light schoolbag bouncing to every step that I took and marched to school like a devoted soldier ready to protect the nation.
Seeing some of my friends on the way, I excitedly greeted them, slightly startling them but they were as ecstatic to see me nonetheless. The reason why we were giggling and sharing plenty of jokes was because today was the first day of school so we had a lot to catch on. Everyone of us knew that our happiness would be short-lived once the seriousness of examinations kicked in but we would like to savour our limited freedom as much as we could.
After we said our goodbyes, we headed to our respective classrooms. Entering mine while chatting with my best friend, I stopped in my tracks when I saw him. Short, brown hair, wide doe eyes, sharp nose and plump lips. The epitome of the perfect boy was sitting at his seat near the window, staring outside with an unreadable expression on his face. I must have been really deep in my daydream because my best friend shook me really hard to snap out of it.
"Are you okay, Midori-chan?" I nodded my head, a little too vigorously in my opinion. It was rather conspicuous too because I must attracted attention because when I turned my head back, I saw him staring at me, tilting his head in confusion as if trying to figure out the commotion. I felt my face flush so I quickly averted my gaze and headed straight to my seat.
"Midori-chan, you're acting really weird!" I wish I could just smack my best friend on the head because she seriously was irritating me. Instead, I faked a smile at her and proceeded to take out my notebook. Rather surreptitiously, I tried to sneak glances at him while I tried to draw his form to the best of my ability. Never am I going to taint his perfection with ugly strokes so I put a great deal of effort into it. After completing the general sketch, I focused my attention to darken the lines and adding more details. Finally I was done and I smiled at my masterpiece.
"Is that me?" I shrieked and I quickly tried to cover my drawing. I must have blushed really hard because I felt my cheeks turning hot.
"Woah...are you okay? Do you have a fever?" He paused to feel my forehead with his hand. "Hmm...you are feeling quite warm. You should take care of yourself more, Midori-san. Being sick on the first day isn't good."
Not even letting me to explain, he simply smiled at me before heading to his seat to continue staring outside.
Hearing a loud snicker behind, I glared at my best friend who witnessed everything. I guess now I could cross out one of my New Year resolutions which was to have the object of my desire acknowledging me on the first day. I smiled to myself. I was right after all.
Today is turning out to be a great day.
-
Petals of cherry blossoms gracefully fell to the ground, swayed by the gentle breeze. My long chestnut brown hair flew beautifully behind me. It was such a great decision of mine to not tie my hair up to a ponytail that would have flowed as elegantly. I had a feeling that today would be different. No reason whatsoever.
Feeling exhilarated by the thought of an eventful day, my footsteps transformed from normal and light to quick, excited skips. Ignoring the weird stares on me, I happily skipped, my light schoolbag bouncing to every step that I took and marched to school like a devoted soldier ready to protect the nation.
Seeing some of my friends on the way, I excitedly greeted them, slightly startling them but they were as ecstatic to see me nonetheless. The reason why we were giggling and sharing plenty of jokes was because today was the first day of school so we had a lot to catch on. Everyone of us knew that our happiness would be short-lived once the seriousness of examinations kicked in but we would like to savour our limited freedom as much as we could.
After we said our goodbyes, we headed to our respective classrooms. Entering mine while chatting with my best friend, I stopped in my tracks when I saw him. Short, brown hair, wide doe eyes, sharp nose and plump lips. The epitome of the perfect boy was sitting at his seat near the window, staring outside with an unreadable expression on his face. I must have been really deep in my daydream because my best friend shook me really hard to snap out of it.
"Are you okay, Midori-chan?" I nodded my head, a little too vigorously in my opinion. It was rather conspicuous too because I must attracted attention because when I turned my head back, I saw him staring at me, tilting his head in confusion as if trying to figure out the commotion. I felt my face flush so I quickly averted my gaze and headed straight to my seat.
"Midori-chan, you're acting really weird!" I wish I could just smack my best friend on the head because she seriously was irritating me. Instead, I faked a smile at her and proceeded to take out my notebook. Rather surreptitiously, I tried to sneak glances at him while I tried to draw his form to the best of my ability. Never am I going to taint his perfection with ugly strokes so I put a great deal of effort into it. After completing the general sketch, I focused my attention to darken the lines and adding more details. Finally I was done and I smiled at my masterpiece.
"Is that me?" I shrieked and I quickly tried to cover my drawing. I must have blushed really hard because I felt my cheeks turning hot.
"Woah...are you okay? Do you have a fever?" He paused to feel my forehead with his hand. "Hmm...you are feeling quite warm. You should take care of yourself more, Midori-san. Being sick on the first day isn't good."
Not even letting me to explain, he simply smiled at me before heading to his seat to continue staring outside.
Hearing a loud snicker behind, I glared at my best friend who witnessed everything. I guess now I could cross out one of my New Year resolutions which was to have the object of my desire acknowledging me on the first day. I smiled to myself. I was right after all.
Today is turning out to be a great day.
Sunday, 3 January 2016
Short Story #43: Wedding Day
Disclaimer: This is inspired by real-life events (lol)
-
My cousin's wedding went by without a hitch. Well, there were some minor setbacks but fortunately, they were all easily solved and the wedding managed to go on successfully. The thing was, I felt nothing when my cousin got married. Maybe it was because we were both not so close to each other thus there were no feelings of happiness, satisfaction or any emotions whatsoever.
Since we were quite close cousins, my family and I were involved in the preparations and for me, I was in charge of supervising the candy and ice cream corner. People were needed to closely supervise these places because when left unattended, irresponsible people tend to make a mess of such organized plating. However, despite my role, I did not really do anything much. I was not committed to staying at the corner as I flitted to many places, attending to close relatives.
The thing I could not believe was that three days of the new year had passed really quickly without even me realising it. The wedding spanned for two days and I could only go home with my family late at night but we had our cousins bring us home on both days so I was not really complaining. It was fun taking a car home compared to taking a taxi or public transport.
Oh well, I guess people just find someone they could connect with and decide to get married. The marriage preparations were really a lot and to think a lot of people were cashing their time and energy for someone else's happiness for free. It was amazing. Though I did not do much laborious work, I really felt happy and proud of myself for at least contributing to the success of my cousin's wedding even if the contributions were small.
I pray for his happiness and hopefully his love with his wife will last eternally!
-
My cousin's wedding went by without a hitch. Well, there were some minor setbacks but fortunately, they were all easily solved and the wedding managed to go on successfully. The thing was, I felt nothing when my cousin got married. Maybe it was because we were both not so close to each other thus there were no feelings of happiness, satisfaction or any emotions whatsoever.
Since we were quite close cousins, my family and I were involved in the preparations and for me, I was in charge of supervising the candy and ice cream corner. People were needed to closely supervise these places because when left unattended, irresponsible people tend to make a mess of such organized plating. However, despite my role, I did not really do anything much. I was not committed to staying at the corner as I flitted to many places, attending to close relatives.
The thing I could not believe was that three days of the new year had passed really quickly without even me realising it. The wedding spanned for two days and I could only go home with my family late at night but we had our cousins bring us home on both days so I was not really complaining. It was fun taking a car home compared to taking a taxi or public transport.
Oh well, I guess people just find someone they could connect with and decide to get married. The marriage preparations were really a lot and to think a lot of people were cashing their time and energy for someone else's happiness for free. It was amazing. Though I did not do much laborious work, I really felt happy and proud of myself for at least contributing to the success of my cousin's wedding even if the contributions were small.
I pray for his happiness and hopefully his love with his wife will last eternally!
Saturday, 2 January 2016
Short Story #42: Permission
"But Mum, I really want to go!" I protested.
"I already said no! How many times do you want me to say it again?" A harsh sigh escaped my lips as I suppressed my urge to roll my eyes. "Don't you sigh at me! You know I'm doing this for your own good!"
Okay, now that statement really made me lost control and I dramatically rolled my eyes. What made things worse was that I snapped back. "Oh you're just doing this to me cos you never get invited into any popular kid's party!"
I had no idea why of all times where my rebellious instincts kicked was when I had to ask for permission to attend Shay Watkins' 18th birthday party. Shay Watkins was a very big deal in my school. She's the school's top dog that even the teachers fear her, most likely because her father owns a very powerful conglomerate. Popular rumours had it that anyone who crossed his bad side would experience such harshness in life that you wished you had died instead. Of course, being the owner of a very active and wild imagination, I pictured his enemies being shackled with heavy chains and tortured for endless number of hours every single day, ranging from being burned with the lava from volcanoes to having all their teeth forcefully removed. I shuddered at those images.
Anyway! The point I am trying to make is that NO ONE misses Shay Watkins' party. And I repeat, NO ONE. It is already an honour that she invites you to her exclusive party so the response always has to be a 'yes' no matter what. Never in my life would I ever-
SLAP!
I was jolted out of my thoughts after I felt a stinging burn on my right cheek. The force was so strong that face was tilted crookedly and my eyes automatically widened to the size of saucers.
"How dare you! I can't believe my daughter has grown to be so rude and selfish!" And with that, my mother turned on her heel and marched towards her room, even slamming the door loudly for the whole block to hear.
Though one side of my face hurt like thousands of needles prickled onto it, I endured the pain. It was worth it. I have reached the stage where I did not care what anyone thinks, including my parents. That night, I am going to sneak out of my room, wearing my coolest and fashionable outfits to Shay Watkins' party. Even I get disowned by my own parents, I rather not get shunned by the entire school and propel myself to the bottom of the food chain.
I am never going to miss that party, no matter what.
"I already said no! How many times do you want me to say it again?" A harsh sigh escaped my lips as I suppressed my urge to roll my eyes. "Don't you sigh at me! You know I'm doing this for your own good!"
Okay, now that statement really made me lost control and I dramatically rolled my eyes. What made things worse was that I snapped back. "Oh you're just doing this to me cos you never get invited into any popular kid's party!"
I had no idea why of all times where my rebellious instincts kicked was when I had to ask for permission to attend Shay Watkins' 18th birthday party. Shay Watkins was a very big deal in my school. She's the school's top dog that even the teachers fear her, most likely because her father owns a very powerful conglomerate. Popular rumours had it that anyone who crossed his bad side would experience such harshness in life that you wished you had died instead. Of course, being the owner of a very active and wild imagination, I pictured his enemies being shackled with heavy chains and tortured for endless number of hours every single day, ranging from being burned with the lava from volcanoes to having all their teeth forcefully removed. I shuddered at those images.
Anyway! The point I am trying to make is that NO ONE misses Shay Watkins' party. And I repeat, NO ONE. It is already an honour that she invites you to her exclusive party so the response always has to be a 'yes' no matter what. Never in my life would I ever-
SLAP!
I was jolted out of my thoughts after I felt a stinging burn on my right cheek. The force was so strong that face was tilted crookedly and my eyes automatically widened to the size of saucers.
"How dare you! I can't believe my daughter has grown to be so rude and selfish!" And with that, my mother turned on her heel and marched towards her room, even slamming the door loudly for the whole block to hear.
Though one side of my face hurt like thousands of needles prickled onto it, I endured the pain. It was worth it. I have reached the stage where I did not care what anyone thinks, including my parents. That night, I am going to sneak out of my room, wearing my coolest and fashionable outfits to Shay Watkins' party. Even I get disowned by my own parents, I rather not get shunned by the entire school and propel myself to the bottom of the food chain.
I am never going to miss that party, no matter what.
Friday, 1 January 2016
Short Story #41: Becoming More Known
Even though Lily enjoyed being the limelight, she felt her face flush in response to the glances and whispers around her.
She had dreaded going to school the day after her embarrassing video had went viral unexpectedly but eventually, she had to face the music. Even when she was absent in school, there would not be a lack of people gossiping about her behind her back. By coming to school, the gossips would hopefully be in lesser intensity.
In fear of being splashed by drinks, Lily had intentionally wore an old top and tattered jeans, even bringing extra clothes to change into. Lily had never been part of the outcasts and the shunned in high school before. She was lucky to be blessed with above average looks where people would not grimace or wince in disgust when they first laid eyes on her. Also, she was semi-popular because she was close friends with an athlete though she had a dirty secret to blackmail him to force him to hang out with her.
Yes, popularity meant the world to Lily. This was why she dreamt to be massively popular this year and that was one of her many New Year resolutions. After all, when you are popular, you would have a crowd of people stepping away from you to pave a path for you to walk through and you would also have access to countless, exclusive clubs without forking out a single cent or dollar. With social currency, you can do almost anything in the world. Even when you get caught, solely because you are popular, you just get away with it without question. People would automatically back you up without caring who was in the wrong or whether the deed itself is immoral.
That is the perks of high popularity.
However, this was not what Lily had in mind when she wanted to be more popular. No, not having a video of herself jumping into a large pool only to hit on the hard floor as it had not been filled with water yet. Obviously, she was too drunk with all the booze she drank to even tell. Not to mention, her so-called friends constantly cheered on and did not even try to stop her. It was humiliating.
As Lily reached her locker, she hurriedly took out her books and when she closed it, she was instantly splashed by an enormous amount of cola, followed by the sound of a camera shutter. Forcing a smile through her face, she was at least glad that she had seen this one coming from a mile away.
Good call, mom.
She had dreaded going to school the day after her embarrassing video had went viral unexpectedly but eventually, she had to face the music. Even when she was absent in school, there would not be a lack of people gossiping about her behind her back. By coming to school, the gossips would hopefully be in lesser intensity.
In fear of being splashed by drinks, Lily had intentionally wore an old top and tattered jeans, even bringing extra clothes to change into. Lily had never been part of the outcasts and the shunned in high school before. She was lucky to be blessed with above average looks where people would not grimace or wince in disgust when they first laid eyes on her. Also, she was semi-popular because she was close friends with an athlete though she had a dirty secret to blackmail him to force him to hang out with her.
Yes, popularity meant the world to Lily. This was why she dreamt to be massively popular this year and that was one of her many New Year resolutions. After all, when you are popular, you would have a crowd of people stepping away from you to pave a path for you to walk through and you would also have access to countless, exclusive clubs without forking out a single cent or dollar. With social currency, you can do almost anything in the world. Even when you get caught, solely because you are popular, you just get away with it without question. People would automatically back you up without caring who was in the wrong or whether the deed itself is immoral.
That is the perks of high popularity.
However, this was not what Lily had in mind when she wanted to be more popular. No, not having a video of herself jumping into a large pool only to hit on the hard floor as it had not been filled with water yet. Obviously, she was too drunk with all the booze she drank to even tell. Not to mention, her so-called friends constantly cheered on and did not even try to stop her. It was humiliating.
As Lily reached her locker, she hurriedly took out her books and when she closed it, she was instantly splashed by an enormous amount of cola, followed by the sound of a camera shutter. Forcing a smile through her face, she was at least glad that she had seen this one coming from a mile away.
Good call, mom.
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