- Last Wish -
Chapter 1
[The Beginning]

“Wake up Glen ! You will be late if you don’t !!!!”
“huh?? Arghhh let me sleep awhile more.....”
“Wake up or you will be late for school...!!!”

I struggled myself up from bed and moved like a snail to the washroom. I hated schools, I hated life, I hated everything which stands in my way. It was my first day in my Secondary 4 and therewasn’t a need to hurry but Mum had other ideas.

She always think that students who goes to school early tends to get higher grades. The bus stop was as usual, full of students and working adults. Just hate the sight of the working class as they always act as if they are very busy.

The bus came later than usual and there were a lot of pushing and pulling while boarding. Soon enough, the bus was full within minutes. I was about to push my way up for the last passenger when I heard a voice from below the bus.

“ex....excuse me but can I take this bus first? I’m in a rush ...so........”
“ Why should I......” as I turned my head around, something struck me as I continued
“..be in a ladies’ way? “ as I stepped down for her .

“ Thanks… you are a very kind person.....” She said as she boarded the bus.
I noticed her school uniform was the same as mine but didn’t have enough time for me to ask her name..

“ hmm.....I guess the school should not be a big place to find a gal”

The next thing I know, I was late for school as the next bus came nearly half an hour later. I ran my way into school and rushed up to my classroom like a physic maniac. When I reached my class, I was panting and sweating heavily and I almost shocked when I heard..

“Hi people, I’m June and I’m transferred here ............”
It was her !!!!! I couldn’t believe it !! I always thought these scenes only happen in the movies.

I walked in and stand beside her and said, “Hi people, I’m Glen and I think I’m late for class.....” as the class ended up in laughter. She handed me a tissue and thanked me for letting her boarded the bus first. I laughed and laughed as I didn’t know what to say her for that moment, however my happiness was short-lived as I was told to stay back after school to clean the canteen as I was late.
During the lessons, I kept spying on her. She looked very normal and didn’t have anything that makes any people to pay attention to but she looks very very special to me.

I kept thinking of her as I heard. “June, will you kindly read the paragraph for the class?” I stood up and found the whole class laughing , then I realized my mistakes and sat down with my face all red.

During break time, she was all alone as none really knows her yet. She was sitting near the garden where the flowers are especially beautiful today. I took my chance as I sat down with her.

“ Alone??”
“ yeah, guess I’m kinda new here and so not many people knows me yet”
“ June..eh.... why are you here? I mean...eh why did you transfer school?”

As she about to answer, a packet drop from her bag to the floor. There were a lot of pills and tablets and some of them came out from the bag. I bended down to help her and before I knew it she drop onto the floor like her bag. She had fainted.

Chapter 2

[The Illness]

“June !!! June !! Are you ok?? answer me!!!”
I called as I held her tightly, the ambulance came within minutes and I accompanied her to the hospital. I was in a total loss, why am I doing this?

Nevertheless my mind was only focus on JuneI really hope that she was alright and nothing else. Her parents came shortly and they seems like unsocial able people as they didn’t even talked to me.

Then her father came to talk to me. “Are you the one who send June to hospital?”

“Yes. She fainted in school this morning and is she alright now?”
“ Now youngster, listen to me carefully. Stay as far away from her as you can understand?”
“Huh? I don’t get it? Uncle I can’t even be her friend?”

He walked away before I could get my answer. I stayed at the information counter for a few minutes as I couldn’t understand what her father is saying. Moments later, I saw June coming out with her father holding her in he’s arms. She gave a faint look and walked away. The next day, she was absented in school and I was really worried about her.

Finally I thought of a plan to get her phone numbers from my form teacher. I gave an excuse of offer to bring June her notes as we lived quite near and hope to call her first before going to her house. After school I rushed home quickly to try my luck. There was no one picking up the phone, I tried and tried and finally someone answered.
“ hello........”
“ hello, may I speak to June please? I’m her classmate and I was told to give her some notes”
“Glen ?? Is it you?”
“June ?? June is it you?? How are you? What happened to you yesterday ??”

There was a lot of questions I wanted to ask her, it seems like we had lost contact for a few years.
“Glen ....I’m afraid we can’t talked over the phone right now...why don’t we meet at the park near our house?”
“ Ok June I waited for you there.....” as I hanged up. At the park, we finally met up.

We walked along the paths as she was talking about her parents.
“My father and mother are quite strict with me and doesn’t allow me to mix with strangers much as I’m quite sickly”
“You sure is ....and really scared the hell out of me you know?”
“You know Glen, sometimes I doesn’t know when my life will end, maybe today, maybe tomorrow or maybe even 50 years later...that depends on the illness”
“ huh??? illness? What illness you have?? Don’t scarred me again please”
“ No Glen, listen to me, I was born with it ..I also don’t know what the hell is happening but I only heard it over my parents when I was in the hospital yesterday”

Suddenly, she broke down crying. I wasn’t sure of how to cheer her up.
The gentle wind blows along the path. The branches of the trees are waving left and right, I held her up and said something which I never said to another gal before.

“June look at the trees, they are talking you know?”
“ huh?? What are trying to say?”
“ Look at the branches, my mother used to tell me that trees can talked and trees talk when there’s wind.. look at the tree over there with the red leaves let’s go there”

“Tell your worries to the trees, they know everything and they will help to pass your message around as the wind blows..........”

I sent her home that day hoping that her father wouldn’t catch me. I went home feeling very strange that night. I couldn’t help think of her but I also wasn’t sure I liked her or not.



Chapter 3
[The Rejection]

After the park meeting, we became the best of friends. We shared our joy and sorrow together and there were no secrets between us. Valentine’s Day was coming and the school was organizing a Dinner & Dance.

Everyone must get a partner to go for the event. I was about to asked June to be my partner when she called me.

“Hi Glen, haven’t sleep yet?”
“Yeah I was thinking about the dinner and dance...”
“Hmm.... me too..guess what? Rick had asked me to his partner!! I cannot believe it he’s the coolest guy in school”
“Well.....what can I say? All the best ?”
“Glen what about you ? Have you found your partner yet?”
“Nah..don’t think I will be going anyway. It wasn’t fun last year..........”
“Oh that’s too bad then..but anyway I gotta call Rick up to confirm.....bye”
“Bye...then..”
I hanged up the phone slowly, there were a lot of mixed feelings within me.

“Am I taking her as a friend only?? If I am, why would I be so sad when she partners others?”

That night was just the beginning of the countless sleepless night I had before Valentine’s Day. The day finally came, it was half day in my school as they prepares for that night’s Dinner & Dance. I went home very early as I didn’t want to see her with Rick.

Night time came really slow and I decided to take a walk in the park. I was walking aimlessly and before I knew it I was standing in front of the big red tree.

(June called it the big red tree as the reds were all red). The branches were swaying furiously up and down. I sat and begin to wonder the relationship between June and me.

“Sigh. I wonder if trees really talked and know people’s problem...if they do wonder if they will understand mine?”

The whole night, I sat below the red tree and started talking to it. Well I was really sad and disappointed, if not I wouldn’t had gone to talked to a tree...

“Tree, tree tell me what should I do? I think I’m falling in love with her but I don’t think she will love me..........”

As I finished, a shadow walked out of the tree, it was June............she looked beautiful with her outfit for the prom. I struggled myself to get up and walk towards her.


“ hey....June?? Why didn’t you at the Dinner & Dance?”
“Glen, the party ended early and Rick send me home, I called your place and your parents saidyou went to the park so I ...”
“ so....did you hear anything??”
“Glen, I don’t know how you feel but I always treated you as a brother and you are the one who I always looked for when I have something joyful or sad. I didn’t know you like me.....”
“Brother? hm......well guess it had always been a one sided affair for me”

I felt something flowing down my cheeks, it was tears...something which I thought doesn’t exist in me the feeling of crying was once again happened as I almost forgot I can cry.............My back was facing her as I was leaving .....

I hated her, but then again it was me who was a fool all this while ......I ran home, slammed the door behind me and cried all night.......what a fool I have been..............................


Chapter 4
[The Quarrel]

The next days in school was awful long for me, especially I have to face her all this time. I hardly listen to the class and flunk almost all my grades. There was a total change in me as I wasn’t the helpful, cheerful guy in class.

I looked liked a criminal to the class and even my buddies couldn’t do anything about me...as for June I heard from a friend that she was very close with Rick. One day, I received a phone call from June and she wanted to meet me at the Red Tree.

I went there and we had a quarrel.

“Glen ..What happen to you?? Why are you failing ??”
“Me ? As if you care???”
“Glen, listen to me ... whatever happened doesn’t mean you have to do this to yourself you know? I don’t wish to see the Glen now, the Glen who I used to know is a helpful, cheerful guy who will help others when they’re in trouble and cheer people up but look at yourself now...don’t you get it ?”

“The only thing I know is things changed as times goes and you cannot do anything to change them back” I said as I walked away from the tree, I knew she cried that day but I didn’t cared.

I kept receiving cards which put on my table which read “Buck Up!”
“Get a hold of yourself” but every time I tore the cards into pieces and threw them inside the dustbin.

At break time that day, Rick went to look for me. He pulled me one side of the canteen and we had a talk.

“Ok friend, I don’t know what the hell you did to June but better get things clear ok? She has been feeling very down these few days and I don’t want you to continue harassing her you get it?”

“Shut up Rick it’s none of your business ok?” Before I knew it, Rick had already threw a punch at my face and we had a fight in the school canteen.

June ran towards us and tried to call us to stop.

“Stop...please, Glen, Rick please stop ...you will get suspension if you don’t!”

There were none who can stop the fight, it was a fight which both Rick and I had in mind, whoever wins gets June.

“ Glen, stop this childish act will you??” June said as she gave me a slap. I stopped and stunned as it was the first time I got a slap from a girl. The worst thing was, the girl who slapped me was the one I loved most.

However Rick didn’t stop as he continued attacking me and I was unconscious within minutes. The thing I knew when I woke up was I was in hospital and my back was injured during the fight. June was sitting beside me.

“You ok?”
“ No...I don’t and in fact I don’t wish to see anyone now!”
“Glen.....please, things are what it seems to be.....Rick and I are only friends...I mean..”

I stopped her before she could continue,

“No point telling me, I’m not your close friend either and whatever you and Rick DOES NOT concern me......Now please leave me alone..”

There were tears in her eyes as she left the room, it was the first time I saw her feeling so sad. I wasn’t feeling better than her, things are worst than what it seems to be. I was discharged a few days later and that night, there was a rainstorm. As I was approaching my block, I saw a figure which was very familiar to me. It was June........


Chapter 5
[The Departure]

June was standing in the rain...soaking wet from head to toe. I walked towards her as she seems standing there aimlessly.
“Why are you here?” I asked when I sheltered my umbrella to her.
“Glen, I’m here to say good bye.....I...will be leaving for America tomorrow.....my father has decided to send me there as he doesn’t want to see me in this state”
“Oh is it? Should I be blame for this? For making you like this? Huh?”
“Glen, stop this, relationships aren’t suppose to be forced. Besides.....I...I....are we still friends?”

For the first time in my life, I began to wake up. I felt like a helpless soul trapped in a love web all along. I was beginning to wonder what had happened over me, what had came over me to do this to a gal I love most.

“Even if you really love someone, that doesn’t mean we have to be together right?”

“Hmm...Good Luck for your studies in America.....I will get over you soon I want to be your lover but became your friend instead, maybe it’s fate....”

She left me without saying another word, I felt as if it was the last time I see her. Her back view became smaller and smaller..soon enough, she was gone. Life was getting back to normal for me as I managed to pass my final exams and went to a polytechnic. The new environment had given me time to settle and make new friends, time flies like hell and soon I almost forget who is June.........

Until I received a parcel last Saturday.

“Glen ! there’s a parcel for you in the living room”
“Ok mum, I go get it.hmm.wonder who is it? It’s Valentine’s Day today.heh hehe”

I opened the as quickly as I could wondering who in my class will do such a thing, maybe it was a practical joke. There was a bottle, a small book together with a letter inside the parcel.

There were a lot of red leaves inside the bottle and it gave out a present fragrance. I took the letter out and sat down and wonder.

“Is this parcel from June?”

Nevertheless I opened the letter and read.


[Glen, this is June’s father mailing from the states. I hope you have prepare for this but June had passed away two weeks ago with her long term brain cancer..

Before she died, she was crying as she said the person she wanted to see last on earth was you......her last wish however was to send you this bottle of red leaves where she always kept as a treasure beside her.

I have also send her diary as I think it is best that you keep it with you. Wherever June maybe now, I think the person she loved most is you......take care]

Patches of wet spots landed on the letter. Tears just keep falling and falling without my control, no words can describe the sadness within me.

I wished that person was me instead, June does not deserved that kind of ending.......she is too young to leave her parents....and me. Why is the world so unfair?

I decided to give Rick a call to at least inform him about June’s death. We had agreed long time ago to forget about June’s case and became friends again.

“Rick?....this is Glen here, it’s about June”
“June ?? I thought she had left for States for months already? Why? What happened to her?”

At this point I couldn’t help it and I cried again.“June.....J..u..ne had...just passed away....”

“What????!!?!? what are you saying?? Are you sure????!!!!? oh well too bad then She didn’t want to be my girlfriend anyway so why should I care??”

The phone conversation ended within a minute. Rick wasn’t concern about June at all and she was lucky enough not to have go steadies with him.


Chapter 6
[The Diary]

After my tears had dried up, I flipped through the pages of her diary one by one. It was dated from 1/2/1994 to 2/2/1995, the first day of her new life after transferred school, the first time we met.

There were a lot of short daily messages except for a few dates when she really wrote her heart out.

[1/2/1994]
Today is the first day of the 11th secondary schools I have been so far for the past three years and I met this gentlemen who was really kind to allow me to board the bus and to my surprise, this guy is in my class !!hmm......life is always full surprises isn’t it? He’s name is Glen...nice name though and he was the first one in class to approach me and start talking. However I think I have really given him a big fright as I fainted in school again but this time is in a new school but he was the one who sent me to hospital...Dad was a big spoiler when he told him to stay away from me...*Sigh* when will I ever see him again?

(June)

[2/2/1994]
He called me today !!!! he said it was about school work but I don’t really think so ..hahahhah we took a walk in the park and I told him about my illness. He seems very concern about me but he seems also very deep because the things which he said I couldn’t understand a bit! What tree talks? Do tree ever talks? Is he a manic or lunatic ???hmm.....

(June)

[10/2/1994]
Today was a very sad day for me... as I have to select my partner for the Dinner & Dance on Valentine’s Day...Rick had asked me but I don’t really know about going with him but he seems very sincere though and Glen is not going to the D&D anyway, guess I have to go Rick

(June)

[14/2/1994]
Tonight I never went to the party, I didn’t want to go with Rick at all. Mother had told me not to fall in love with anyone and I’m suppose to reject anyone who express he’s feeling. What am I suppose to do? I always liked Glen....but I just couldn’t as I really didn’t know what will happen to me the very next day, will I live even? I have no choice but to reject Glen, somehow I got over it after crying..............all night..........

(June)

June always liked me?? What is this? Why is this happening?? I kept asking myself. The girl who I loved most also felt the same for me but why didn’t she accept me? She was afraid that she might die and let me suffer??? Oh God ........why you let this thing happen? Questions arouse as I kept flipping the pages... soon I was at the last page of the diary...

[XX/XX/XXXX]
Today the doctors came and put a lot tubes on my hands and nose, I’m feeling terrible.
I felt as if I’m gonna die soon, I really hope Glen is here to see me ....at least for the last time. If only what Glen said was true, that tree really talks.....I hope they can bring this message to him. It’s a dreadful thing when two lovers can’t be together.

Although what I’ve done to Glen was a bit selfish but it was for his own good. I think it’s better that he forget me as in the way I reject him than in the way of death ......................

I wonder what will happen to me tomorrow? Maybe after tonight, I will not wake up next morning, my headache are getting more more terrible.... if I ever had another chance, I would have still go for Glen, as I know that he’s the only one I loved......my last wish for him is that ......I wish he will not blame me for what I have done to him and remember me forever even if we are worlds apart.........

[June]


Chapter7
[The Ending]

“Wake up Glen !! It’s the first of your final year !! why do you always late for the first day???”
“ huh?..........arrgh.........not again!!! just hated it !!”

I woke up with two dark rings below my swollen eyes. It had been a year after receiving June’s parcel. I finally figure it out myself that all we had been through looks more like a dream than a reality.

I get up from my bed and rush to school. I took a walk to the park and towards the Red Tree (I have been doing it for a year now as I really hope to see June even I know it’s impossible).

There was a shadow from far under the tree, the shadow belong to a girl who was standing there for a long time I guess. I increase my pace hoping to catch a glimpse of the girl. Then came a struck of lightning within me, the girl looked like June !!!

“ June ?!?!? Why are you here?? I mean...where thought? Arrghgh.....” I really didn’t know what to say to her..

“ Hmm.......you must be Glen I guess, don’t be afraid I’m June’s sister Joan. She never tell you anything about me? Oh well, guess all the time I’m in US and she’s here. Nobody really knows”

“ June’s sister?? Huh????!?! you must be joking right???” I said as I get hold of her hand.

“ Hey STOP that !! Who do you think I am? I’m Joan NOT June..She’s DEAD ok?”
“ oh....I’m really sorry, I guess I miss her very much really sorry” letting go her hand.
“ I heard about you from my sister, about this Red Tree where you and her been and a lot of others I think you really loved my sister. ”

She bended down to the soil near the roots of the tree and begin to dig with her hands. Although I didn’t know what she was doing, I offer my help. After digging a small hole,

she took a necklace out from her pocket and placed it inside the soil.

“ Rest in peace Sis, may you be bless from God.................”

I just stand there aimlessly as my pager started to beep.
I look at my watch and it is 9.45 already!! The presentation is going to begin in fifteen minutes.

“ Ok Joan, I guess I have to rush for school now..so where are you going? Maybe I can give you a lift”

Finally I get to drive to school after passing my driving test during the holidays.

“ Yeah me too, it’s my first day in a polytechnic and I guess it’s not wise to be late”“ So ..where are you going ?”

“ eh... Please send me to Temasek Poly if you are on the way”“ What?? You studied there?

Hmm...... seems like we will be seeing each other more often now”

As the car go, it marked the start the beginning of a wonderful relationship. Whether this time it’s friendship or a relationship, Glen knows that he will not let Joan go. They became great friends and as times passes by, they fall in love and start a relationship.

Glen treated Joan as herself and not a replacement for her sister. As for the Red tree, it’s still standing there in the park. People walked past it everyday without realizing it’s existence. However when evening came, there will be a young couple sitting below it.

They still bear the hope of seeing June at the Red tree. They know it’s impossible but it is this hope which keep them going through their whole life......

for this Red tree marked the wonderful love story between a guy call Glen and a girl call June..............................................

one day, they hope......that this Red tree will tell them where is June .

[The End..]