COMPATIBLE INDIFFERENCE

Chapter 8

I took up Clinical Psychology. The result of my love for crowd-watching finally made sense. Jam took up Law, so yes, the seriousness of our courses threw us off our balance. In the beginning, we thought we had no time to mess around but that's not the case. When Louise visits us at our dorm, once every 6 or 12 months, we become teenagers again. We would enjoy late evening drives and karaoke nights even on a school night. We'd talk about Louise's adventure in New York and the fine men she has met that she'd like to introduce to Jam and I. Jam would excitingly oblige but I prefer not to.

The girls wondered if I ever was interested in anyone because of my passive reaction to such topic. I would just shrug my shoulders and say, "No one is interesting enough." But at the end of my freshman year, I met a guy. Simon, a third-year in Linguistics, who I thought was interesting enough to spend a year and a half of my developing adult years. When I realized that his loyalty was misplaced like Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter Series, we broke up.

Erickson and Freud became my boyfriends since then. I've had enough of the alive, conniving ones. I've been to a few dates but nothing really piqued my interest. Nasty business, relationships are. I stuck with the books even more. That I thought I could never get more serious than I have already been with my studies. But there is a beauty in it that most people have a difficulty finding. It's all about that Aha moment.

On our senior year, the girls and I had a great spring break. Together with their current boyfriends, we went to Malibu to clear our heads. Over the phone, my mom was like, 'Okay. Have Fun. Don't get drunk. Be safe.' My dad though was more worried, as always. I was the only daughter, you see. But three brothers taught me to be tough with a few learned self-defense tips.

It was a week free from a pile of books, screaming deadlines, and enclosed rooms. When the girls are on the beach strutting their butts off with their boyfriends, I'd hang around at our hotel's veranda. I'd lie in the hammock with the waves crashing as my playlist while answering my emails from emperor_frost.

I was doing research about virtual human connection back in my freshman year. I found a popular site and chatted with a few subjects until I finally found my perfect match. Emperor_frost. We mutually decided not to share personal information and photos, still, I hoped he was not one of those psycho hackers. Due to the natural flow of conversation, we eventually figured out each other's gender. He was a very fun subject. After a year of continuous exchanges, we became good friends on the internet. Eventually, I told him the initial intention of why I joined the instant messaging world, but he didn't mind at all. My research ended but we stayed in touch.

Instead of enjoying his spring break, the emperor said he was currently finishing his thesis about hair dye. He seemed geeky but we don't talk geek. We talk about sports, politics, current events, music, movies, and books. Ok, yeah. I admit we talk geek. But that also includes anything under the sun. Why Caucasians love sunbathing and why Asians hate it. Why do people spend so much on impractical things but complain about their important expenditures. Why dinosaurs are extinct. The importance of mustard and ketchup on food, etc.

The girls came into the room, breaking my thoughts and invited me for a swim. Looks like they're done with their boyfriends for the day. I grinned at their invitation and suggested that surfing might be a better idea. I laughed when I saw the horror on their faces.

After almost two thousand sleepless nights, I'm not yet done. I have five more years to complete my MD and Ph.D. Degree. It's a mouthful but as I looked at my classmates whose eyes are fired up to continue that route (hopefully), I'm more than happy to oblige and be an example. I gave them a speech full of encouragement and passion mixed with our boring classroom jokes that never get old.

After the ceremony, I found myself alone staring at the stage absently. Most graduates have left one by one in preparation for the party later that evening at Four Seasons. But before that, the girls and I will have a sumptuous meal with Amanda, Jam's mother and the rest of my family.

Fumbling my medal, I suddenly remembered Thomas Jacobs in high school and our so-called competition for recognition. I smiled at the thought and said unknowingly, "Jacobs, I kinda miss you." When I heard myself, I chuckled and turned my back to leave. Only, someone is in my way.