Chapter 13
Everyone that I know believes that love is something that everyone should witness and experienced at some point of their life. It is often believed that ‘one will know the meaning of life when he seek and understand what true love is’.
Throughout my years of search, I have come across amazing stories about love. I have seen and heard many individuals doing incredible things just for that someone that he or she treasured the most.
Many people told me their beliefs and theories on what true love should be, as well as many of those who asked me what I think about love.
I often tell people that it is very difficult that two persons of different lifestyle and background come to know each other, let alone be together.
Fate is finding that someone whom you treasure.
Who you are will determine the treasure is for yourself.
Today I witnessed the wedding ceremony of a couple close to me.
The solemnizer reminded us the whole purpose of the marriage ceremony is to ensure that there is no ‘forced’ marriage between any two individuals under the laws of Singapore. I silently laughed to that, knowing that there shouldn’t be such cases nowadays I hoped.
As I sat back and listened to their exchange of marriage vows, each ending with ‘I do’ and ‘I will’ respectively.
It almost same with the one I took two years ago when we decided to tie the knot.
I took a quick look at my wife then I looked at the couple.
In my mind, I suddenly thought about the vows that all couples made before they are ‘pronounced’ as husband and wife.
What is the purpose of having one?
Why must one made a promise to love another regardless of who you are and what you will become?
Do we all need to make promises in love?
When love in all our minds is supposed to be self responsible and magically defined?
There are a lot of people who believe that love happens the moment that you’ve found that someone.
I believe love starts when two becomes one.
When the two of you finally live together and facing each other almost every minute of the day. You would realize that there are many things and habits which you never know. She would realize how stingy you have suddenly become.
There will be comparison between each other.
Which sometimes led to argument?
Might sometimes lead to a period of cold war.
Would sometimes result in a bitter end of a relationship.
When that happens, will anyone remember that he/she took a faithful vow infront of God and all the people who attended the ceremony?
I vow to take this lovely lady as my beloved bride.
Whom I promise to take care of her through good and bad times, though health and sickness and whom I promise to be faithful always.
This is Love… by vow only.
The school bell rang at the stroke of half past ten to signal the end of recession time. The students dragged their feet head back to their classrooms for the latter half of the educational dosage.
The corridor was extremely quiet as the teachers went back to their classrooms for the next lesson. The four late students were made to stand at the four pillars outside the principals' office till lunch time as a punishment.
The pillars spread the four of them like the four corners of the sea, each equally distanced from each other yet clearly in the visible path.
“You’re Edwin?”
Adrian was clearly the one with the least patience as he stared into Edwin’s face.
Edwin nodded quietly in acknowledgement, without exchanging glances.
“Why were you with Janet?”
“I… I… er”
Edwin was clearly loss for words thinking of the punishment that was coming.
“So?”
“Erm… we overslept…”
Edwin quickly shot an answer to Adrian.
Adrian ran towards him and grabbed hold of his shirt.
“What the fuck you mean overslept? You slept with Janet?”
Adrian was about to throw a punch at the helpless Edwin when he felt someone holding him back.
“Adrian, stop it please. Don’t be mistaken”
“Jan? What mistaken?”
“We overslept on the bus you idiot. Edwin is not those people so please stop whatever you are going to do”
“Hahahhaah, one of THOSE people”
Jolynn suddenly laughed.
“Adrian quick, someone’s coming”
Jolynn alerted the trio in the tussle.
Adrian and Janet quickly walked back to their respective pillars as a group of teachers walked past them.
“Edwin? Why are you doing here?”
Miss Lee was shell shocked to see one of her top students standing in front of the principal’s office.
“Miss Lee, sorry but I was late for school today”
“Something must had happened, Edwin, why didn’t you explain to the principal?”
“Nope, nothing happened. Just overslept on the bus”
The more she asked, the more guilt he felt.
“Oh my, you must have study too late in the night again huh? Why are you standing together with these students over there?”
Miss Lee pointed at the different pillars.
“Hey, Miss.. what you mean by these students?”
Jolynn overheard as she was the closest to Edwin’s pillar.
“Erh.. We just happen to be late together”
“Good… Please make sure this won’t happen again ok?”
Miss Lee gave a pat on Edwin’s shoulder as she walked towards her office.
The rest of the day went by slowly, as different group of students gawked at them and whispered among them.
“The four of you, come inside the office now.”
The discipline master ordered.
“You know why we are so strict about lateness?”
The principal looked at them for answers as the four of them stared at each other blank.
“Being late itself symbolize one’s unprepared for the upcoming event. If you are not prepared for the road ahead, how would you prepare yourself for your life ahead?”
The principal paused for a moment.
“Even King Louis XVIII of France once said, ‘Punctuality is the politeness of kings.’”
“We are truly sorry, Sir. We will make it a point to come in early for class from now on”
Janet spoke on behalf of the group.
“I want the four of you to write me an essay on “How to better prepare yourself” and submit to me by next week and please submit original work.”
The four of them then left the principal’s room and went back to their respective class.
Edwin and Janet walked separately from the other two as they were having music lesson till end of school.
“Win…”
“Yeah?”
Edwin looked back.
“Sorry again…”
Janet couldn’t help but felt that all the bad things that happened to Edwin was because of her.
“It’s ok, nothing’s happened? We only missed today’s lesson only mah”
Edwin tried to comfort her again.
“Besides.. I’ve already self-revised this whole week’s lesson at home so it’s not a big deal. I can teach you if you want?”
“It’s ok, I don’t feel like studying”
“Huh? Why?”
“Nothing, just have this feeling that I’m bond all the limitations in school, in life by my dad. I was asking myself whether my whole life would become like that.”
“A life that had nothing but rules, there’ll always be someone to tell you what to do, when to do and all the things that you are not suppose to do.”
“I hate myself”
Edwin suddenly did something which he wasn’t prepared.
He held her hand.
“You know, there were times when I used to think this way too. My life has nothing, no money, no toys and actually not much friends. Then…”
“Then?”
Janet asked.
“Then you came along… you showed me a different side of the world which I had all along.”
“Perhaps this is life, where happiness is at our back. We always see other people’s back and admired their happiness without realizing that a lot of people are also admiring what we have.”
They continued their journey.
“Perhaps you are right”
“Don’t worry; your life will be great.”
Edwin continued.
“You promised?”
Janet asked.
“Yeah I promised”
Edwin let out a huge smile.
“Win…”
“Yeah?”
“How well you know about the school rules?”
“Oh… very well I suppose.. how come?”
“You know… students are not supposed to hold hands in school right?”
“Oh no!”
Edwin quickly released Janet’s hand as they almost reached the music class.
“Haha! You are blushing again! Your face so red”
Edwin just looked down.
“You look so cute when you blushed! Haha”
Janet whispered to him before she opened the door to the music class.
The last two hours of the day was one of Edwin’s least favorite as he was unable to excel in any musical instruments that was taught. However, Janet was really good with the piano and she was certainly one of the music teacher’s favorite students.
“Janet, would you like to play us a tune before we call it a day?”
Everyone in class cheered for their piano princess.
“Oh… ok”
Janet lilted the cover and laid her fingers on the keyboard.
“Hmmm… This song is something which I composed and hope to dedicate to someone special…”
The whole class was quiet and soon came the sound of the first note.
Soon enough, the class was wowed by her as Janet began her masterful display of musical talent, if there were anyone that can match Edwin’s academicals it had to be Janet’s musical grades.
Janet picked up piano at the age of four and it was in fact one of her first toy to play with.
Half the influence also came from her mum who was a well known pianist in her days.
School was over and all the students were on their way home.
“Janet, you are so great in piano. I bet I won’t be able to play like you this life”
Edwin commented on her previous performance.
“Thanks! Too bad I can’t let you copy in music class”
“It’s ok, I will try my best.
“Ok, I’ll be waiting for Jolynn.”
“Yeah, ok. I’m going to the library so I had to go to the other bus stop. See you”
Edwin waved goodbye to Janet as they walked separately.
As he reached the bus stop, he was caught by the stares of a few students.
One of them was Adrian, the guy who was punished together this morning.
“Are you Edwin?”
One of them asked.
“Yeah, can I help you?”
Edwin felt threatened by the surrounded group.
“Oh, we just want to invite you to a little conversation.”
One of the taller guys roped his arm around Edwin’s neck and ushered him away.
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“Hey Jolynn, what took you so long?”
Janet asked when she came.
“Oh, just went to the toilet.”
“By the way, have you seen Adrian?”
Janet began her real intention.
“Nope. Why?”
“Er.. nothing. Cos two of you same class mah. Thought you would have seen him”
The two of them began to walk towards to their bus stop.
“He told me he got some business to settle and he went off early.”
“Ok… By the way Jolynn…”
“Yeah?”
“Thought you said you not coming to school today? Why were you with Adrian?”
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The whole group came to the void deck of the neighborhood block.
There were 5 of them, shirts tucked out from their attire and few of them were smoking.
Passerby looked on but hurried away.
Adrian was sitting in the middle of the group.
“Edwin, how well do you know Janet?”
“Eh… we are just classmates.”
“Classmates got so close together?”
One of them asked.
“Really… we are just classmates. I help her with her studies that’s all”
“Can you stay away from her?”
Adrian asked politely.
“Ehh…”
“Don’t make us make you to promise that”
One of them threw away his cigarette butt.
“I don’t want to promise anything…”
Edwin grabbed his bag and ran away from the group.
The group gave chase.
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“Jan…”
“I thought you already told me that you don’t like Adrian anymore?”
“Errhh…”
“Why are you asking so much again?”
“I’m sorry Jolynn, I was really curious that’s all”
Janet was disgusted with her contradiction.
“Hey there’s a fight going on opposite side”
Someone changed the two girl’s attention.
“Hey it’s Edwin”
Janet exclaimed.
“Adrian and his friends are going after him?”
Jolynn added.
Edwin was running like he never ran before, like a frightened kitten being chased by a pack of ferocious hounds .
“Shit.. I need to get to the other side of the road.”
Edwin thought as he dashed across the road.
*Thump*
An oncoming van hit him on the side as he dashed through.
“Shit!”
Adrian and the rest ran separate ways as the traffic came to a halt.
“Edwin!!”
Janet shouted from the opposite side of the road.
[To be Cont]
