See You Next Year

I was nine when i got transferred to a new primary school closer to home. The two previous years was traveling back and forth between KL and Kajang as i was placed in St.Mary.

Then i met these two chinese girls. They were just transferred there too and we were the only chinese girls in the class. So, basically, that left us with not much choice but to hang out with each other but problem is, both of them speaks mandarin. Now, I have never spoken a word of mandarin at home. I was fluent in cantonese, english and teochew. Communicating with them was HARD.

And i submitted. In order to get to know them better, i started learning mandarin. Especially with this one girl whom i am particularly close with for some odd reason. She's this chinese that look so much like an eurasian. Brown hair, fair skin, pretty nose and brown eyes.

We were like duck and chicken at first but somehow, we just found our rhythm. Sometimes i do mandarin and sometimes i do english. And most of the time, she wonders what am i talking about. I remember the first word that totally boggled me. The word "sa-sa" meaning crazy. I found it so funny, i kept saying it, i kept laughing at it. =D

We got close and do what kids do. We play. We talk. We laugh. We joke. We bonded. We were in the same class from standard three up till form three. we had our ups and downs. I hate arguing with her but i know in the end, we'll be okay.

We got separated in form 4 due to.. not streaming but more of the school's system of separating an equal amount of elite students into two classes. and just our luck, we got separated. And then we fell out. She found her group of friends whom she can be with and i stick back to those whom i am familiar with. I tried to keep in contact, hanging out but at that time, i have no idea whether it was me or her but we just.... stopped.

I was sad for the first week. I was sad after that. But in the end, i learnt the lesson. We have our journey, and now it's time to learn to let go. And i let go.

We walk down different paths. She, A levels, Me, STPM. then she got into Nottingham and me, UKM. We still hang out once in awhile when we could find the time. we do our catch-ups. and when we do, we really do.

I find it comforting knowing that, we may not be close but somehow, we have a special place for each other despite time and changes in ourselves.

and now, she finally manage to pursue her dream, which is to go overseas to study. although it is only for a year but a year, the experienced gained is definitely unmeasurable. she went off to UK last night, and i wasn't there to say goodbye but i have in the morning. the gifts and the letter. at least, we made our peace at that.

I am never a person good with goodbyes, in fact, i hate the airport if i am there not because of a holiday but because of sending off someone close to the heart.

I just wanna say,

Thank you for all the memories.

See you next year with that british accent. ;)