My Kiasu Teenage Life in Singapore (8 page)

Sometimes Alisa is quite cold to me. I don't know why and I don't care. For lunch, six of us together with six guys went to KFC at Beauty World. I bought something AGAIN! I must stop spending so much. I bought a white sleeveless blouse. I love the soft silky material. It has a sash to tie at the hips or you can tuck it in and has buttons running down the front. It cost S$20. I also bought a book,
Girl Talk,
for S$6.90.

Val Day is VD which is Venereal Disease!

Alisa said to me during prep, “Pei Yi, sitting beside River's sister” and Pau Leen was just sitting beside me! I've decided not to trust so many people anymore and to keep my secrets to myself. I nearly wanted to tell Sunny and Jen Nee about the flirting book but didn't. I'm not telling my secrets anymore to so many people.

Our Chemistry teacher pronounces her Rs so clearly I giggle every time she speaks. “Good morning, girrrrrls.”

Love, Pei Yi

Wednesday 4 March

Dear Mei Yee

It's not my turn to reply but I just want to talk to you. I came back from St John's Island Camp today. It was quite OK. But I would've enjoyed it a lot more if A) I didn't have my period (what luck to have period during camp!); B) Didn't have headache; C) Didn't have cough and running nose (skipped jogging and exercise because of that); D) You were there.

I missed the hostel and you when I was there. I made many new friends though. I learned how to pitch a tent and cut my finger in the process.

I received a letter from my sister that made me so sad. Yi Hoon said that she misses me. And even when I go back, she still misses me 'coz I'll be spending all my time with you. She said I only stay at home during mealtimes and bedtime. She said I'm like Bimbo (the cat), staying for food only. And she said she's jealous when I talk more to you. I cried when I was reading it. I feel so bad. My whole life is in a mess. Why didn't you apply for the scholarship!? If you were here, I wouldn't be miserable and I'd be able to spend more time with my family when I go back.

It's prep time but I skipped it 'coz of headache. I have been wasting time the whole night. I read a really good book,
The Dream Collector.
It's about a girl buying a book that teaches her how to make her wish come true. Her wish was to get John to like her but when he did, she'd liked Tom instead. I wish my wishes would come true. Jen Nee said sometimes I'm so happy and sometimes so miserable—extreme mood swings—whereas Jen Nee seems to always be quite happy. I've never seen her sad. I think the trick is to be occupied. I'm going to write to Yi Hoon now. Bye.

Love, Pei Yi

Thursday 5 March

Hi Mei Yee

I feel so lonely. Have you ever felt like you don't feel like mixing with anyone? I'm in school now. Earlier, when I got on the bus, River also got on. He went up to the upper deck though. He's SO cute. I'm so sad that there's nothing that can happen between us. Why is it that the guy I like never likes me back?

Love, Pei Yi

Dear Mei Yee

Hi! Just now I had lunch with Serena, my classmate. She's SO crazy and funny. Now she looks like a poodle 'coz she permed her hair wrongly.

We ate KFC and laughed and laughed. A few of my Singaporean classmates thought that I'm Malay and that I'm a Muslim! Ha! Ha! Ha! Once, Serena laughed till her jaw was dislocated! She had to go to the hospital.

Sunny told me she had a friend who keeps accounts of all her expenditures! She opens account journals for every single cent spent, and if she finds a few cents gone, she opens
akaun tergantung
(pending account). So funny!

Teens
mag chooses four girls every month to give them makeovers and see how beautiful they become. Honestly, the girls became uglier. Anyway I entered the contest. Sent two photos of myself. I do have a bookworm look, don't I? Many of my classmates think so. That's why they think I'm studious and all.

Love, Pei Yi

Monday 9 March

Dear Mei Yee

Guess what happened during dinner?! I talked to River!!! Can you believe it? I hardly believe it myself. Unfortunately it was just the one sentence.

Let me tell you about it from the beginning. Sunny and I and a few others were having dinner and Sunny asked me to take more soup for her. I said, “No.” Then Sunny said River is in the queue, waiting in line with his tray. So she said, “Go go go!” I waited for River to go nearer to the soup pot, then I walked over and took some soup. I turned to River and said, “Were you late for school this morning?” He looked a bit surprised then smiled and said, “ Ya.” I wanted to say that Jen Nee and I were also late but I was so nervous that I couldn't. Instead I giggled, sort of half-giggled half-laughed! Can you imagine!? How stupid of me. I just couldn't control myself. Anyway, when I walked back to the table, Jen Nee and Sunny were laughing and laughing. They had heard something like, “Why are you so late?” but I didn't tell them what I really asked. I sounded nervous and shaky when I asked him; I hope he didn't notice. Anyway, that's all there is to tell about this important event.

Today was a BAD day. First, Jen Nee and I were late to school 'coz we missed the bus by one minute. River also missed it. After a long wait—I didn't mind 'coz River was also waiting—the bus came. So many people were going up and a second bus came so we took the second one but River took the first one. We were booked for being late. I'm going to have to do detention class soon.

School was miserable. I don't have close friends in my class. Maybe I shouldn't look so miserable in class. And I know Elaine and Lingling, who sit near me, are bad-mouthing me. I know 'coz when I went near them, Elaine realized I was near but Lingling didn't and Elaine sort of pointed at me, and they stopped talking and looked like they'd just talked bad 'bout me. I don't know why I feel so bothered 'coz of two girls. I realized that I like my classmates better than Jen Nee's classmates. Some of the girls stick to Alisa. They're that kind that stick to pretty girls.

Bye!

Love, Pei Yi

3

Chicken Pox!

Sunday 22 March

Dearest Mei Yee

Jen Nee and I are back in Singapore now! Jen Nee's got chicken pox. She's staying in her room for two weeks and missing school.

I saw River (Niles) in the hostel field today; he was topless. He has a nice, firm body. Sunny made up all these stupid stories about River, and I laughed.

Today, I read Christopher Pike's
See You Later.
A very (10x) good book! Full of suspense and mystery. Quite a sad ending, though. I'm feeling sort of depressed and empty. I think something must be wrong with me to feel depressed so often.

No news about the makeover. Maybe they won't choose me at all. I'm just feeling depressed now. Wish Jen Nee didn't have chicken pox! She can't do anything with me now! Got to sleep, it's past midnight. I wish for the millionth time since coming here that you were here.

Love, Pei Yi

Monday 23 March

Dear Mei Yee

So much work to do!

Sunny and Jen Nee asked Pau Leen if she knows that I like her brother. She replied, “Aiyah …!” which means, “Who doesn't know?” I shouldn't have told people. It all started with me saying he's cute—I didn't even like him then—which is nothing wrong, then I started to like him. They asked Pau Leen if Niles knows about it, and she kept saying, “What do you think?” as usual. Then she said Niles doesn't know. (Phew!) I think I've given up hope chasing guys. Maybe I will end up being single. When you imagine your future, do you always see yourself as a married woman? I do. Hope I do get married.

Love, Pei Yi

Dear Mei Yee

Guess what? I entered 200m swimming heats today. And not only came in last but was SO far behind everyone else!

I feel so desperate about River. I didn't smile at him even when I saw him at the bus stop. It's 'coz he always looks so fierce and unapproachable. But maybe he only looks unfriendly 'coz he doesn't want to be the kind of person who's always smiling. I wish I'd smiled at him!! I should have!! We got on the same bus. I went up to the top deck and later he came up, and sat in the empty seat in front of me. I could have talked to him BUT didn't!! My heart was beating so hard and fast! (Nancy would have called it “thumping against the walls of my chest”.) I was debating with myself whether to talk to him when my bus stop came into sight. My first step is to smile at him. I MUST when I next see him.

Did I tell you about this: Alisa and Pau Leen were watching the Sec 3 and 4 guys play basketball. River was also playing. Alisa told me Pau Leen said, “Pei Yi should be here.”

Love, Pei Yi

Tuesday 24 March

Dearest Mei Yee

Guess WHAT!? I checked the messages today and found out that Penny Kim of
Teens
had called me on 16/3. I called her back but she had already gone home. I think it's about Makeover of the Month. Hope (really hope) that I can be on 'coz she called eight days ago! Maybe she just called to say, “Sorry but your face is too bad, we can't fix it.” I checked the mag and saw that she's the stylist and coordinator. I'm now writing with thumb and middle finger 'coz my index finger's hurting. You should've seen me—I was SO excited 'bout being chosen! I told Sunny, “The Beginning of the Life of a Supermodel.” She joked, “What are you going to model? Dwarf's clothes?” Can't wait to hear the news!

I was so sleepy during AEP. Mr Como was explaining art history and he said, “Don't fall asleep on me.” I felt so bad. Then we drew three sweets. Mine was yucks.

Tomorrow is my Lit test and I'm not even reading! I got back at 5.45 pm after AEP.

Then spent my time being excited over
Teens.
Then dinner and prep (read
Teenage
and wrote letters).

I wonder if we'll ever be studying or staying together in the future. After school and university we'll be working and getting married and living separate lives. I wonder if we'll live in the same town. Will I continue writing letters to you all my life?

Sigh, sigh, sigh, sigh, sigh. Good night.

Love, Pei Yi

Dear Mei Yee

You'll never believe my BAD luck. I WAS chosen for Makeover of the Month but Penny Kim said it's over—during hols. I begged her to put me in for the next month, but she said she couldn't 'coz it wouldn't be fair to the new entrants. I'm so sad and disappointed. I even cried in school. No one understands how much I wanted this and how sad I am. Oh Mei Yee, why, why, why???? I can still send in more entries, of course. But I might not be chosen anymore!

About the lift, you said if the cable breaks and the lift falls, the person inside will crash through the roof? I don't think so 'coz the person will also be accelerating at 10m/s
²
, right? Today we learnt that if the cable breaks, a person standing on a weighing scale in the lift will be weightless. I don't understand why 'coz the lift and the person are accelerating at the same rate.

Love, Pei Yi

Wednesday 1 April
(April FOOL'S Day!)

Dearest Mei Yee

Jen Nee and I went for a medical checkup today. I had to undress completely except for my panties and lie on the bed while the female doctor touched me all over. I laughed and giggled (ticklish) and the doctor was quite grim. She didn't say anything about breast cancer BUT she said I have heart trouble! I have to go for another checkup on 2 May! I was so depressed. I mean, you hear of people getting heart attacks, being raped, getting AIDS etc, but you don't ever think it'll happen to you. Don't tell anyone about this. I only told Jen Nee and Sunny. I'm afraid that something is seriously wrong with me. What if they say I'm going to die soon!? I must stop indulging in self-pity.

Remember I told you about two girls in my class who were bad-mouthing me? Well, actually they weren't. I found out today that I was a jerk. Huiwee, Elaine, Lingling and Serena were actually planning my birthday present, which they gave me today.

I feel like such a terrible JERK. Sometimes I'm really a horrible person. They gave me a letter pad (it's obvious that I always write letters), a lucky troll (very cute) and a compact stationery set. All from Art Box, a very expensive gift shop, the kind I'd like to open next time. They must have spent A LOT on the jerk, yours truly.

Here's a list of my birthday presents:

Nancy—a cute small photo frame, a card

Alisa—potato chips

Betty—poster (that cute kind with a little girl in pastel colours)

Classmates—cards and chocolates

Jen Nee—will give one after her chicken pox

Sunny—a book called
Coping with Periods

I received your letter today. Wow, you and Jay! If Molly knows she'll kill you! But, who cares 'bout her? Do you like him? Are you happy 'bout it or what? Do you mean Jay spoke to you for two hours or
The Magic Flute
was two hours?