Day 2, 1:30 PM – Bugis MRT Station
The walk towards the Bugis MRT station was awkward and silent. I finally reached for Vince’s hand, then slowly slipped my fingers between his. “I miss you too… And you can still talk to me about anything, everything.” I said after giving his hand a tight squeeze.
“I know.” He replied, squeezing my hand back. When we got inside the train station he asked if I’d like to spend the rest of the day with him and I said yes. For some reason there was that unsettling feeling at the pit of my stomach. I don’t even know what to make of it. Maybe it was guilt. Maybe I am guilty for giving into selfish feelings, of wanting to spend a little bit more time with him before he ties the knot. Or maybe I am more guilty of leading myself on more than I should.
“Thanks.” He exclaimed and he was back to his chirpy self. My lips twitched in what seemed like half a smile and I nodded.
“You’re welcome.” I mumbled back as we got inside the train.
I let out a heavy sigh and briefly closed my eyes to brace myself for whatever fate has in store for me. And as the train speeds up to get to the next stop, I let my mind take me a fourteen years back.
Freaky Friday
It was a Math Club party and since I was from the Science Club, I really didn’t have anything to do with it. But because I was too eager to put some spare time to good use and maybe earn some extra “pretty” points from Vince, I excited said yes when he asked me if I wanted to volunteer for clean-up committee.
Besides our regular exchange of his and hellos and our casual five minute conversation which rarely happens anyway, I haven’t really been around him a lot since I pulled off that Jollibee spaghetti-stained love note at the Induction party. And I thought perhaps, it was a good opportunity to catch up.
I quickly scanned the room for Vince. And since he was the only Chinese kid in the committee, it wasn't so difficult to find him in the crowd. He was wearing his favorite green stripe polo shirt, khaki pants and Jec’s maroon and gold Wildcats basketball jacket. Laureen was right next to him, flipping her hair while strategically brushing his arm every two minutes or so. Vince was obviously so engrossed with the conversation that he didn’t even notice me deliberately waving my arms across the podium. They were flirting with each other, it wasn’t hard to miss. He was beaming at her widely with sparkling eyes as she carelessly exposed her emotions without inhibitions. I thought I didn’t want to take him away from his moment so I let my feet take me as far away as they could.
I was dead jealous. I cannot even lift a finger to touch his hair, moreover wipe a spectacle of dirt off his sleeve. I felt my heart literally fall to the ground, run over, broken then crushed.
What am I doing here? I thought I had to figure out a way to just get the hell out. I swore I’d grab any chance to bail out but there was no turning back. I just had to do what I need to do – be the party’s clean up girl. I did buzz a few tables and had collected several bottles of soda. Yet my head was beginning to spin with Aqua’s Barbie Girl and Backstreet Boys’ I’ll Never Break Your Heart repeatedly played on the dance floor packed with kids, mostly sophomore girls flirting with older boys from the junior class.
I couldn’t stand any of it any longer so I finally decided to ditch it. I was ready to forget the whole “get Vince to notice me” mission when I thought to get something to drink first before going home. On my way to the soda corner, I bumped into Phoebe, who invited me to Trisha’s Freaky Friday party, while Katrina and Bianca invited a few other seniors. I politely declined and bid Phoebe a good night.
As I exited the auditorium, Vince was on his way back in and grabbed my shoulder.
“Hey, are you going to Trisha’s party?” He asked and I blinked for a few seconds to reconsider my decision, thinking that it could my chance to get him to notice me again. But I thought I already had put myself through all the horror of being the buzz girl for crying out loud so why bother again right? Wrong!
