[EnigmaofSorrow]

I finally made it to a Polytechnic after missing that years Joint Admissions Exercise. I was two batches late so everyone else was around two years younger than me.

Truthfully, I felt alone as I did not know if I could connect with my classmates. Anyway, I studied a business course.

Everyone always says that the prettiest girls come from the business schools of the various polytechnics. I beg to differ. Perhaps they do dress better than those from IT or engineering, and some of them are more open minded, the best girls are actually from Design, or even communications.

Initially, I regretted my decision to quit JC, and I was not used to the poly system of group projects, and independent study. I hate orientation camp, where the facilitators were either my age, or even younger, and yet I still had to listen to them and do the stupid things they made us do.

Orientation wise, nothing happened. I managed to skip all the stuff I could skip and I still survived.

My first group was normal. Two guys and two girls. I did not pay much attention to the girls as they were not really my type, mandarin-speaking Ah Lians, who wore the bare minimum and had their faces caked in make-up every day. The guy in my group was a really hardworking Malay guy. I found out later that he was actually from a really good school and was single-pointer potential before he had a nervous breakdown during his O Levels and only managed to make it to poly. I decided not to mention that I was from a JC. So basically I acted like a dumb fuck who did not know anything. Anyway, the bulk of the work was done by me and the Malay guy while the two Ah Lians breezed their way through the first semester without much effort. I wondered if they were giving favors to the Malay guy in exchange for doing their work, but in the end, it did not really matter as I managed straight 'B's for the first semester.

My second semester was a little more interesting though. The Malay guy was still in my group, but the two Ah Lians disappeared. This time, a Eurasian guy, and a Chinese girl joined us.

The Chinese girl a was normal, plain Jane kind of girl, with long hair tied up in a pony tail, really fair skin, as though she was a vampire, and always wore t-shirts and jeans, much unlike the rest of the girls in my course. I could tell she actually had a really good body, but either she was shy, or really innocent, and chose not to show off like the rest of them.

The Eurasian guy was the highlight of the group though. He was around 1.85m tall, broad-shouldered, lean, natural light brown eyes and even with his mop of messy hair, he still could pass off for a model. Girls often flocked to our table during group discussions trying to get to know him, but the good thing about him was that when it came to work, he really worked. Not surprisingly, my grades improved again and I was scoring almost straight As.

We maintained the same group entering into year 2 as well and this was where things got interesting. Let's call the Eurasian guy Derek, the Chinese girl, Amanda, and the Malay guy, Hafiz.

D: Hey group. I'm celebrating my 18th birthday this week. You guys wanna come?

Me: Sure, why not? What would you like us to bring?

D: Oh, just yourselves. Hafiz, you coming? I'll make sure the food is Halal.

H: Er. Ok. Where is it?

D: It's at my place in East Coast. Condo. You guys can swim or use the sauna or something.

A: Who else is going?

D: I've only invited you guys from school. The rest will be my close friends from outside. Don't really gel well with the rest of the course...

Me: I know that feeling.

H: Will there be alcohol?

D: Well, there is. But I'll keep it away from you.

H: Don't worry. I actually drink.

Me: You do?

H: Long story. Sec 4 was a really bad year...

Me: Oh.

H: And if I'm the only Muslim there, don't bother about getting Halal food.

D: Seriously?

H: Yeah. Let's just say I'm not a very, erm, religious person.

D: Well, it's a BBQ. No pork anyway.

Me: So, what time do you want us to be there?

D: It's on Friday. We end at twelve. Let's say around seven? Unless you wanna use the pool or something...

Me: Just give us the address and we'll be there.

D: Alright then.

Derek then left as we concluded our group discussion.

I turned to Hafiz and Amanda.

Me: Wanna get him a present? We could share.

A: Sure, why not?

H: I think he plays the drums. Wanna get him a pair of sticks?

Me: He does? I thought he's a guitarist?

A: Oh well, maybe he's a musician...

H: So what do we get him?

Me: How about a pair of drumsticks, a guitar strap, and some picks?

A: Sounds expensive.

Me: Not really. I know a place at Peninsular... I can go down and take a look. We'll split the cost?

H: Sure.

Me: Amanda?

A: Alright. When are you going?

I checked my handphone. It was three.

Me: Now I suppose?

H: Oh count me out, I have to fetch my sister from school.

A: I'll go with you. It's near Funan right?

Me: Yeah. But it's ok. I can go alone. Or don't you trust my taste?

A: Nah. I'm free and bored. Might as well walk around the area.

H: No boyfriend to accompany?

A: Nope. No boyfriend.

Me: Ok. Let's go then.