"It's just like High School Musical! Only happening in real life!"



I'll cut this short.

Alright, everything's been great so far.

Not in much of a mood these days - It must have been the after-effects of the cold I had closing the end of the holidays.

That mood was almost like that of the undead.

All gnarling for the next meal, indifferent to anything or everything that happens, and slothy.

It almost got so bad that I left an impression on dear CTG 127 that I was "the guy who didn't bother going for orientation-treasure-hunt just to catch an early breakfast".

Hey, the school was huge. And! The food was good. Most generous servings of chicken chops.

EVER.

Oh yeah.

Back to the story.

Orientation wasn't the most interesting thing that happened, so I'll just skip that whole part.

- - - - -

Okay then, so I got informed that my appeal to NYJC was actually a damn SUCCESS!

They gave me a call, told me to go down for an audition on Thursday.

Clarence and I made a pact back in MI that we would strive for NYJC, 'by hook or by crook'. Obviously, I took the 'crook'. Direct Admission via CCA Achievements. Hooks are too sharp and pointy, if you know what I mean.

I got the call around Thursday morning, so that was no big deal, since it was only an audition, and nothing else. I was supposed to magically appear in NYJC the following afternoon.

Heck, what could I even show for the audition?

My solid 'ma bu'?!
Or MAYBE (just maybe) all of my ten strokes of 'si duan jian shu'.
Those ten strokes had better break boulders because it's only ONE-TENTH of the whole swordplay.
Even then, my rusty sword (and my rusty skills) would not have made the cut.

I didn't even bothered turning up in the end.

Funny thing though, the jokers gave me another call the next day, saying that after 'reviewing past records and achievements', they've decided to give me a place in NYJC.

That, of course, is IF I join their pugilistic society.

Yeah, I know. Wushu and stuff. I was pretty surprised, and flattered too, to say the least, because I doubt I did a good job in CCS back in Anderson. Still, a place is a place.

Friday morning came the call, was supposed to pick up some 'confirmation slip' or something from the school the following day (oei, I can't TELEPORT, okay?!) and/or Monday. Common sense would tell you to get the damn thing ASAP, no?

Friday afternoon, and Clarence and I played basketball, a weekly ritual. I didn't tell him about my placing in NYJC, until he told me that he landed an audition for NYJC's band. Him being part of the always-been-strong Bowen Band, needless to say, he eventually landed himself a placing in NYJC.

Monday morning he comes to school to say he has already been accepted by NYJC, and we decided to go to NYJC to pick up our confirmation slips.

Well, after my basketball match, alright?

So he said that he would go first. We would meet in NYJC later. It was around 2pm then.

He calls me around 5pm to ask for my location.

Still in YJC, I say.

And that was definitely a double-meaning right there and then.

Wushu just wasn't my thing.

- - - - -

Anyway, I was posted to CTG 127. It's a great class, everyone all friendly and all. I wasn't the friendliest around though. Too 'bochup'. Or 'dao'.

Meh.

Kinda clicked off with CKY immediately, funny how small Singapore is. It turned out that the fella was the CT classmate of Jerico in NYJC.

And the rest? One of the nicest people one could ever meet. Oh, except Aaron.

He supports Liverpool! Bleh!

But I jest.

Adrian and Yee Kiat, Man U fans through and through.

127's startin' to grow on me, and it has only been two days.

Give it two more years, I bet I'll be sproutin' mushrooms too.

- - - - -

Oh lookie me, I digressed.

Part Two, comin' right up.