My Kiasu Teenage Life in Singapore (7 page)

Niles is so cute. I seldom see him but I did see him at breakfast today. He looks very serious. And VERY CUTE! Actually, I seldom meet any of the guys or talk to them during weekdays.

Love, Pei Yi

Sunday 9 February

Dear Mei Yee

OK, about Leo, the guy you like to hear about. He likes to go to girls and touch them when he speaks to them. He is so sissy-like, my God. He shakes his hand around and he acts like a girl.

Sometimes I feel bad about being a gossip. Why do I gossip so much? I usually know people's crushes and crushees before others know.

Elizabeth mixes a lot with guys. Sometimes I feel bothered when some girls are so buddy-buddy with guys and I'm not sociable with guys. Actually, Elizabeth does treat guys only as friends but Nicole is a flirt. I saw Niles at dinner. He's SO cute. He's often alone. Betty said he is very individualistic. For example if everyone says something is nice, he won't follow them or be influenced—he doesn't follow the crowd. I like that in a guy.

Hi, I'm back from Far East Plaza in Orchard Road. I've gone shopping for three consecutive days! I spent the most. Today I bought:

1  Clip-on earnings (S$7.50)

2  A very tight tight-skirt (S$9)

3  Five blank cassette tapes, 90-minute ones (S$9.50)—blank tapes are so cheap here in Singapore

I love buying things. I saw so many nice things that I wanted to buy. If only I was rich … It's so stupid—some things are actually very cheap, I mean, the material needed to make it is very cheap but because of the packaging and the brand, they are so expensive. The stores must earn a lot. I feel like opening some classy shops when I grow up and make lots of money! I'm going to sell expensive things 'coz the more expensive it is, the more popular it is!

All the food shops in Far East Plaza are so expensive. Jen Nee wanted to eat at one of them, but Alisa said, “Cannot, 'coz you're with Pei Yi!” and I'd eat too much and go broke. So we found a cheaper restaurant.

Leo is so terrible. When this guy chased him to snatch back a book, Leo said, “He raped me!” He asked Alisa, “Do you think Elizabeth is beautiful?” Alisa said yes. Leo whispered to me, “That depends on whether you're talking about her body or her face.” Then Alisa and I (jokingly) asked Leo to leave us 'coz we don't want to be contaminated. (He was starting to touch people.)

I love listening to the radio, the classical channel. I've heard 1812, the one with cannon shots you told me about. I heard a very nice song on the radio, “Let's Talk About Sex”. Have you ever heard it?

You know what?! Pau Leen knows that I say Niles is cute. (I think!) According to Alisa, Pau Leen said to her, “You know, Pei Yi … she … never mind …” No wonder Pau Leen was grinning at me just now. I saw Niles again just now. SO cute!!

Singapore's nice in the sense that it's so small. So if you listen to the radio or read
Teenage,
or read the newspapers, you'll know the places they talk about.

Love, Pei Yi

Monday 10 February

Dear Mei Yee

I was so sleepy in school I fell asleep for a few seconds during chemistry but now I'm trying to sleep and can't.

The SPCA people and a very cute puppy came to give us a talk in school. The man was very funny and interesting. He said, “Don't phone us saying a cat is knocked down by a car and when we come the cat is already flat.” We laughed and laughed. Then he asked some questions. Those who answered got a free SPCA calendar-postcard. Guess who got it? Yours truly (me), of course. It was so weird, people told me I'm so brave to go up and answer the questions for the SPCA.

I'm going to help out in SPCA whenever I'm free. The SPCA man said, “Everyone who goes there wants to bathe dogs but the dogs can only be bathed so many times a day. First someone bathes one, then after a while, someone else comes in and wants to bathe it.”

For an English comprehension test, I got 32.5/50—highest for my class whereas in 3S3, a girl got 43/50. Oh dear, I just got Lit test today and I've forgotten the marks already. Lingling, my classmate, is treating six people, including me, to watch
Hook,
on Valentine's Day. S$7 each!! She'll spend about RM80 in total!!

Tuesday 11 February

Dearest Mei Yee

It's prep time now. I felt sleepy again in school and could hardly stay awake.

During AEP, I asked Mr Como if I could change to Mr Huff's group. I wanted to go although Mr Como is nicer, 'coz I wanted to be with Alisa and Jen Nee. He said if Mr Huff allows, then no problem. Mr Huff said he would have to see first. We drew some beach things today, then added any background we liked. I drew a rainy day background, raindrops falling on the objects. Mr Como said it was very good and later, he said he didn't want me to go to Mr Huff's group 'coz the quality of my work is very good and he said, if I really want to be with my friends, he'll let them join his group. When a Singaporean girl in Alisa's group heard about it, she said bad and untrue things about Mr Como because she didn't want Alisa to change when she herself couldn't change. She's so terrible! I really can't stand her. She tried to influence Alisa.

This morning, Niles was also at the bus stop. He takes the same bus as me sometimes. Betty said he's not cute, his face is like a stone and I said, “Have you ever seen a stone?” She said, “Yes, him” and pointed at him. Alisa's good at fast-dance. Last night, she danced in my room and she really went wild! I got very bothered about my dancing yesterday.

I cried in bed when I was listening to my Kenny G tape and thought of you. I think no one in this hostel is as terrible as me. Maybe in the whole world. I don't think they miss their best friends so much.

Today we saw a woman, thin and wearing a tight-fitting dress, walking and shaking like crazy! I've never, never in my life seen anyone shaking like that when walking. I wonder how she looks when she shakes for dancing!

Sometimes I feel I'm a terrible gossip. I'm trying to NOT bad-mouth anyone anymore. ESPECIALLY Nicole.

My classmate lent me a book full of dirty jokes. Really gross jokes—they use the “f” word and other words I've never even heard of. Another classmate lent me
Tiger Eyes
by Judy Blume. Bye!

Love, Pei Yi

Wednesday 12 February

Dear Mei Yee

I can't wait for your letter before writing to you.

I attended the Prefects' Investiture after school today. Damn boring! I wasted a whole afternoon there. So sleepy. I always resolve to go to sleep at 10 pm but end up talking until midnight or longer. Nicole, of course, enjoyed the Prefects Investiture 'coz there were some guy representatives from boys' schools. No mixing anyway—we just sat in our chairs. Some CHIJ girls were really
hiau.
They acted as if they had never seen guys. One girl who was sitting beside a guy faced away from him and acted giggly and yucky to her friends on her other side. Prefects Investiture is the ceremony where prefects get their ties and take the pledge. The Mass was most boring. I dislike Masses.

Last night, Nicole boasted (like always). She said most girls in the hostel are not sociable and are not close to Sec 4 guys, hinting that she herself is close. So I said, “Who are you close to?” and she said, “Why should I tell you?” Then she went on, “Sigh. I don't know why, every time Leo has a problem, he'll come and talk to me about it …” I dislike, no, hate it, when people boast about something which is not true (in her case, being popular with guys) and act like they're not boasting.

Today she acted like she had a date for Valentine's Day but might not want to go. When I asked, “Who?” she replied, “Why should I tell you?”—the phrase she uses when she has no answer. And she was saying how much she hates RI guys and how spastic and yucky RI guys were to her friends during Prefects' Investiture.

I'm calling Niles “River”. River flowed behind me when I was lining up and getting food for dinner.

Alisa said she doesn't like it when people say she's beautiful 'coz A) It creates a gulf between her and others; B) People praise her in front of her younger sister and she feels “not nice”; C) People might like her for her beauty only.

You know, people treat you nicer if you're pretty. If you're pretty, a lot of people will want to befriend you 'coz they like to be seen with beautiful people. Many people in my school like to mix with Alisa. Well, maybe it's not 'coz of her beauty only 'coz she does has a very nice and friendly personality.

I hope you come for JC (Junior College). If I know that you're coming, I will feel happy coz I'll have something to wait for and the days will go faster.

I'm wondering, if a bird hovers in the bus and the bus moves, will the bird knock the back of the bus? Or if we jump up in a moving train, will we land back in the same spot? Pau Leen just saw me writing the letter and she said, “Again!?” If only she knew I had been writing about her brother!

Love, Pei Yi

Thursday 13 January

Dear Mei Yee

I know I should be doing something more constructive now but I have so many things to tell you.

OK. Ekan asked Alisa out for Val Day last night and she didn't want to go but she said, “I'll think about it.” Just now she went to him and said she's busy and can't go and she asked me to call her so that she wouldn't have to stand there with him so I did. Alisa received three Val Day cards today. Two from a guy she met at Club Med during Chinese New Year hols. The guy is in love with her. One of the cards reads something like, “I don't know you well but I know you're everything that I want and need and I know I'm in love with you.” Alisa was bothered 'coz the guys she's friendly towards always fall in love with her whereas she just treats them as normal friends. So you either get called cheap or snob. She wrote a letter explaining to him that she doesn't feel the same way towards him. Alisa receives so many letters everyday! And nearly all the guys compliment her on her looks. She doesn't like it if we say something about her always getting compliments, though.

Did I tell you, yesterday, Nicole told everyone she's going out with her date on Val Day and she said, “I'm so excited …” but we just found out that the guy Nicole's been boasting about is just a family friend whom her uncle had asked her to meet.

Last night, Alisa, Nancy, Jen Nee and I talked until 12.30 am. I MUST sleep early tonight!! Mr Huff won't let Jen Nee and Alisa come to my group!!! He's so mean. Alisa told him, “If we don't go to Mr Como's group, Pei Yi is going to be miserable” and he said, “Well then she'll have to be miserable for two years!”!! Betty told me, there was a girl who wanted to quit AEP so she told Mr Huff and he said, “You want to go? OK! BYE!” as if he didn't care at all. (He didn't.)

Love, Pei Yi

Friday 14 February
(Valentine's Day!!)

I wonder what happened to you today. Who did you receive Valentine cards from? Alisa received a V card from Ekan and one with unknown initials.

I was waiting for school to be over the whole day.

Nicole came back from her date—which wasn't a date—so happy. Sunny, who used to say that Nicole's OK and that I was prejudiced against her, said today she has changed her mind. She hates Nicole too now—Nicole boasted to her about her date giving her three yellow roses (maybe she bought them herself ) and hundreds of other things.

I don't think you understand how much I wish you were here. Maybe no one does. Maybe God wants me to learn to do without you. Well, reply SOON. I haven't received any letter from anyone since Chinese New Year.

This is one of the times when I feel miserable and I'm listening to Kenny G. The track “Silhouette” is very nice.

Love, Pei Yi

Saturday 15 February

Dearest Mei Yee

I woke up in the morning with a headache at ten o'clock. Then Alisa and I went to Orchard Road, where I bought a book,
The Fine Art of Flirting.
I'm keeping it a secret 'coz if I don't, it'll be embarrassing. I haven't read it yet. I wrapped the cover with paper from a large calendar so that no one will know what I'm reading.

I read
Tiger Eyes
by Judy Blume. It's very sad 'coz it's about a girl dealing with her father's death. I cried.

I saw River at dinner. So cute. Since knowing how individualistic he is, I don't always follow the crowd anymore. For example, if everyone gets together to talk, I would've felt bothered in the past if I was excluded. Not exactly bothered, but I'd feel I should join them and not miss anything. But now, I feel more comfortable doing what I like. Sometimes I really enjoy being alone.

I like Singapore, you know. I've always liked living in an advanced, clean place, living in a hostel, going out when I like. It's very easy to go out here and travel anywhere.

Love, Pei Yi

Sunday 16 February

Dearest Mei Yee

Just now, I watched a show about the Japanese Occupation. The old people told of how they were tortured last time. It's so cruel and disgusting!! I was so horrified I nearly cried. Betty said some pregnant female spies who were not supposed to get pregnant, were tied by one leg to a tree. Then three buckets of water were tied to one leg and the hands, and the body was split up at the vagina and the womb fell out! There were many other inhumane stories. I don't understand how the soldiers could have had the heart to do those things.