Chapter Seven : Things That Cannot Be Explained
[Oh my my... in this chapter we have everyone's favourite form of drama - good ol' fashioned catfights! Learn more about the Airco publishing world, the sacrifices they have to make, and the benefits to be raped reaped. Seamus likes Kenny G? Also, the sad sad story of Lumpy the Moose. ]
Zohra and Joanne Ling may have an agreement between them to destroy Clara's life in Moonway College, but they definitely did not know how to go about doing it. Zohra had amazing Spy Kids-like ideas that were definitely too complex to work (it involved major stalking, paying private investigators for "blots in Clara's past) and would've cost Joanne's family fortune to execute. Therefore, Joanne had told Zohra to leave things to her at the moment. She claimed that she had experience in making girls' lives "a living hell" back in Malacca, so Zohra and Pooya Kasha had stepped back gracefully. It was to Zohra's benefit anyway, as she didn't want to taint her image by being a (too obvious) bitch, especially not before the Moonway Ball.
The Moonway Ball was also another reason why Joanne was aggressively planning methods of sabotaging Clara. She couldn't risk Benedict asking Clara to the ball. She would quite simply die of jealousy.
After Joanne's sinister plans had begun forming, she set to work, with Ar Lian and Ar Huey. That morning, when Clara came into class in a pink floral sundress and heels, Joanne loudly exclaimed to Ar Lian,
"Oh my gawd, why did she wear my grandmother's curtains to class today?"
"Haha. Haha," simpered Ar Lian. "You are soooooo right Joanne. She's got absolutely NO sense of fashion."
"Ugh, we better not sit next to her today. I don't want people to think that I associate with people like that."
However, all they managed to do was throw Clara into a fit of giggles as she sat next to Benedict. Again. Clara even turned behind and said, "Hey, in that case, I guess you don't mind if I permanently sit in front from now on. I mean, I don't think I could fit in the same bench as you girls... looks like Joanne gained a few pounds lately."
Joanne was gaping like a goldfish, and it took Ar Lian and Ar Huey a good three hours to calm her down. After classes, Clara even came up to Joanne and said, "That LV bag of yours is a pretty good knock-off. Where did you get it? Petaling Street?" That riled Joanne up again. It was sooooo not a knock off! She was feeling a bit too violent, so she shoved Clara. Hard.
Clara lost her balance (she was another one who was a fan of stilettos), and came crashing... into Benedict.
"Oh my my!" exclaimed Benedict.
"Ahhh... I'm so sorry Ben! Did she hurt you?" said Joanne, rushing to Ben and trying to push Clara off Benedict.
"Here, let me help you to your feet," said Ben gentlemanly-like.
"Thanks... ouch... I think I sprained my ankle," whimpered Clara.
"She did NOT sprain her ankle! That bitch is faking it! I should know! I said the SAME thing in KLCC? Remember? I mean... look at her foot, it's not twisted in any manner whatsoever!" Joanne was fumbling as she tried to cover her slip up. However, it wouldn't have mattered. As usual, Benedict was only fussing over Clara, and was in a world of his own.
"What made you lose your balance like that?"
"Joanne pushed me just now. I just said that her bag was nice, and I asked her where she got it..." Clara had an evil glint in her eye when she said that.
"WHAT? Joanne?? How could you do that Joanne? You've been really mean towards Clara lately... whatever is wrong with you?" yelled Benedict.
"She did NOT just ask me where my bag was from..."
"The point is you shoved her! I never knew you had an anger management problem. Please - don't EVER call me or sms me again... I don't think I want to associate with you anymore!"
With that, Benedict held Clara by her arm and helped her walk away, leaving Joanne standing with her (supposedly) original LV bag, with eyes brimming with tears. Benedict would so not go to the ball with her now. She picked up her phone and started writing a message to Seamus.
* * * * *
Seamus had to tell the truth. It was eating him up from the inside, and he knew that Ben was being a concerned (and curious friend) by constantly poking the issue. He had to get it out... and he knew that he could trust both Ben and Choong Leeng, but he had doubts in his heart. He knew that Ben looked up to him for being a chick magnet, and if Ben ever found out what happened to him --- he would never be able to look him in the eye again. He picked up his phone, called Choong Leeng and Ben to ask if they could come over to his unit, but they told him that they that they were in the Airco publication room. At 1am in the morning? The student services department isn't even open! If they didn't want to come over to the unit to listen to my problems, then it's fine. They didn't have to come up with such a ridiculous excuse. Well, another day then. It wasn't meant to be. With that, Seamus switched on his favourite Kenny G CD and fell asleep to the soothing sounds of the saxaphone.
Meanwhile, Choong Leeng and Ben were not lying when they said that they were in the Airco room. They had bumped into Soo Ling, another member of the graphics department, and she had told them that the Airco members were running late, and to finish everything on the deadline, they were staying over in college to use the publication room facilities. Soo Ling told them that they could drop by for a visit if they were interested in seeing some of the seniors, so they did.
When they arrived there, they were shocked at the zombie-fied state of the seniors. Igene was asleep on the ping-pong table (Benedict was afraid for the table), Goldie was still at "her PC" and seemed to be boring holes into the monitor with unblinking eyes and Thingy was at her laptop - editing articles with a stony expression. Soo Ling was sprawled on the floor colouring a poster of some sort, so Choong Leeng and Ben decided to join her on the floor. It was safer there, then near the ping-pong table, Goldie or Thingy.
However, as the night wore on... something happened. Ben and Choong Leeng didn't know what it was, but it was truly unexpected. Thingy and Goldie were actually pretty talkative people, and they weren't as cold as they thought they were. In fact, Benedict even joked about her insane eye rolling and how much he scared her - and she didn't decapitate him! They joked and told stories about seniors that Ben admired - Ababi, Dunno How and Lip Shine. Now he even had fodder for blackmail! From that day onwards, Ben and Choong Leeng agreed that it would be cool if they visited the publication room as often as they could, since it wasn't that scary a place anymore.
"Anyway, you two have to come in here for the Airco lucky draw tomorrow... call Seamus along if you want," said Thingy.
"What's the Airco lucky draw?" asked Choong Leeng. Maybe now she could get more blonde highlights for her naturally golden locks.
"Well, you all know that the Moonway Ball is coming up real soon, right? Well, the administration staff wants us to cover the event, so they gave us 10 tickets. Yup, Airco members actually have a table all to ourselves! As an editor, I obviously get 1 ticket, and there'll be one ticket for Edward Khoo, the photographer, one for Dianne Brah, head of fashions and one for Anubisha, reporter for campus news. The other 6 tickets will be given out randomly to other Airco members. So come by tomorrow - who knows you might win the lucky draw," explained Thingy.
"Wow, the ticket is worth about RM60 isn't it? When is it going to be held anyway?" asked Benedict. He was pretty low of funds at the moment (he had bought about 10 new CDs recently, and when he lent them to Eurene, the CDs came back slightly slimy or sticky... and he had to buy replacement CDs for the spoiled CDs), and any form of free entertainment was greatly appreciated.
"Oh, it's somewhere during the first week of the holidays. I'm so going for the event, even if I don't get the lucky draw ticket. After all, it's my last year!" grinned Goldie. Oh yeah, I'm gonna get myself a slow dance, even if it means I'll have to take a guy by force! And if Benedict is going, maybe that cute nerd friend of his - Pee Yin, would go! Ahahahaahahahahahahhahahaa!!!!!!
Goldie had a mad, lusty look on her face after that statement... god knows what was going on in her mind. This pretty much terrified Choong Leeng and Ben, so they made their excuses and went back to their room. But they were both pretty excited about the ball, and Ben kept telling Choong Leeng, "Hey, if you win the ticket, and so do I, why don't you GIVE me your ticket... you don't want to go anyway, and I can invite Clara to the ball with me then!"
"Why don't you give me YOUR ticket, and then I can go with someone?"
"You don't have anyone. I mean, which girl do you plan to date anyway?"
"What do you mean girl?"
"You look like a guy... so the only people who would look normal going to a ball with you would be a girl." Benedict laughed at his own joke.
"Shit you, I don't like girls... I like guys!"
"Haha, then you're gay."
"You're lesbian."
"Gay ass! Go join Setapak Curry House!"
And they fought all the way back.
* * * * *
The next morning, when Thingy and Goldie woke up in the publication room, they were surprised to see Lumpy Lock there. He was one frightened moose when Thingy decided to give him a hug, he leaned away from her so much that he ended up falling off his couch, and landing on Igene (who somehow shifted from the ping-pong table to the floor).
"You stupid moose! You stupid virgin moose! I curse you so that you'll never meet a princess to kiss you!" exclaimed Igene.
"What's with the princess deal anyway?" asked Goldie. She was always the last to get any piece of news. And she had never really bothered to be friendly towards Lumpy the Moose, and therefore, didn't really know why he was .. well, a moose.
"Haven't you heard?" asked Thingy. "Lumpy is cursed to be a moose for the rest of his life, unless a beautiful princess kisses him. Then the spell will be broken."
"Why didn't you guys tell me this sooner?!"
"Why didn't you ask Lumpy himself? I mean - didn't you ever wonder why he had so much body hair? Or why he has antlers? Or why he has hoof-like hands and legs?"
"Well... I always imagined shaving him and using his hair to make myself a fine coat. But I do that for every guy anyway. This publication room is cold. Anyway, yeah, you people should have told me this sooner!"
"It's not like you can help anyway, right?" said Lumpy irritatably.
"I can!"
"What? YOU are a princess? Please don't make us laugh. Even if you are, you'll have to be a beautiful one," laughed Igene derisively.
"Grr... I'm not one... but I know someone who is!! And she's cute to boot."
Lumpy Lock fainted at the news.
* * * * *
Seamus checked his phone the next day and found that his inbox was filled with about 50 new messages. All of them were from Joanne, and she was begging Seamus to help her to apologise to Benedict. Seamus did his best, as he was happy having Joanne's attentions focused on Ben. Who knew, if he didn't help Joanne, she might fall for his dashing good looks again. None of that. Therefore, he persisted and bugged Benedict to the maximum, so that Benedict finally conceded to talk to Joanne again.
"You sure you aren't angry with me anymore, Ben?"
"No I'm not. But do be nicer to Clara in the future, ok?"
"Yeah. Anyway, Ben, are you going to the ball?"
"Errr.... why?"
"Well, I want to go with you."
Benedict nearly died. "I can't go. I don't have the cash."
"If you go to the ball, I'll pay for YOUR ticket. And mine. Please, please, please, I really want to go, and I really want you there."
Benedict didn't even bother to reply that message.
Little did he know that in less than 24 hours, he would be the one messaging Joanne and confirming his attendence at the Moonway Ball!
What made Ben change his mind? Is Clara just a girl who won't take shit from no one, or is she pure evil (as Joanne thinks)? When will Seamus finally get to reveal his secret past? Who is the princess that Goldie knows? Find out next episode!
Zohra and Joanne Ling may have an agreement between them to destroy Clara's life in Moonway College, but they definitely did not know how to go about doing it. Zohra had amazing Spy Kids-like ideas that were definitely too complex to work (it involved major stalking, paying private investigators for "blots in Clara's past) and would've cost Joanne's family fortune to execute. Therefore, Joanne had told Zohra to leave things to her at the moment. She claimed that she had experience in making girls' lives "a living hell" back in Malacca, so Zohra and Pooya Kasha had stepped back gracefully. It was to Zohra's benefit anyway, as she didn't want to taint her image by being a (too obvious) bitch, especially not before the Moonway Ball.
The Moonway Ball was also another reason why Joanne was aggressively planning methods of sabotaging Clara. She couldn't risk Benedict asking Clara to the ball. She would quite simply die of jealousy.
After Joanne's sinister plans had begun forming, she set to work, with Ar Lian and Ar Huey. That morning, when Clara came into class in a pink floral sundress and heels, Joanne loudly exclaimed to Ar Lian,
"Oh my gawd, why did she wear my grandmother's curtains to class today?"
"Haha. Haha," simpered Ar Lian. "You are soooooo right Joanne. She's got absolutely NO sense of fashion."
"Ugh, we better not sit next to her today. I don't want people to think that I associate with people like that."
However, all they managed to do was throw Clara into a fit of giggles as she sat next to Benedict. Again. Clara even turned behind and said, "Hey, in that case, I guess you don't mind if I permanently sit in front from now on. I mean, I don't think I could fit in the same bench as you girls... looks like Joanne gained a few pounds lately."
Joanne was gaping like a goldfish, and it took Ar Lian and Ar Huey a good three hours to calm her down. After classes, Clara even came up to Joanne and said, "That LV bag of yours is a pretty good knock-off. Where did you get it? Petaling Street?" That riled Joanne up again. It was sooooo not a knock off! She was feeling a bit too violent, so she shoved Clara. Hard.
Clara lost her balance (she was another one who was a fan of stilettos), and came crashing... into Benedict.
"Oh my my!" exclaimed Benedict.
"Ahhh... I'm so sorry Ben! Did she hurt you?" said Joanne, rushing to Ben and trying to push Clara off Benedict.
"Here, let me help you to your feet," said Ben gentlemanly-like.
"Thanks... ouch... I think I sprained my ankle," whimpered Clara.
"She did NOT sprain her ankle! That bitch is faking it! I should know! I said the SAME thing in KLCC? Remember? I mean... look at her foot, it's not twisted in any manner whatsoever!" Joanne was fumbling as she tried to cover her slip up. However, it wouldn't have mattered. As usual, Benedict was only fussing over Clara, and was in a world of his own.
"What made you lose your balance like that?"
"Joanne pushed me just now. I just said that her bag was nice, and I asked her where she got it..." Clara had an evil glint in her eye when she said that.
"WHAT? Joanne?? How could you do that Joanne? You've been really mean towards Clara lately... whatever is wrong with you?" yelled Benedict.
"She did NOT just ask me where my bag was from..."
"The point is you shoved her! I never knew you had an anger management problem. Please - don't EVER call me or sms me again... I don't think I want to associate with you anymore!"
With that, Benedict held Clara by her arm and helped her walk away, leaving Joanne standing with her (supposedly) original LV bag, with eyes brimming with tears. Benedict would so not go to the ball with her now. She picked up her phone and started writing a message to Seamus.
* * * * *
Seamus had to tell the truth. It was eating him up from the inside, and he knew that Ben was being a concerned (and curious friend) by constantly poking the issue. He had to get it out... and he knew that he could trust both Ben and Choong Leeng, but he had doubts in his heart. He knew that Ben looked up to him for being a chick magnet, and if Ben ever found out what happened to him --- he would never be able to look him in the eye again. He picked up his phone, called Choong Leeng and Ben to ask if they could come over to his unit, but they told him that they that they were in the Airco publication room. At 1am in the morning? The student services department isn't even open! If they didn't want to come over to the unit to listen to my problems, then it's fine. They didn't have to come up with such a ridiculous excuse. Well, another day then. It wasn't meant to be. With that, Seamus switched on his favourite Kenny G CD and fell asleep to the soothing sounds of the saxaphone.
Meanwhile, Choong Leeng and Ben were not lying when they said that they were in the Airco room. They had bumped into Soo Ling, another member of the graphics department, and she had told them that the Airco members were running late, and to finish everything on the deadline, they were staying over in college to use the publication room facilities. Soo Ling told them that they could drop by for a visit if they were interested in seeing some of the seniors, so they did.
When they arrived there, they were shocked at the zombie-fied state of the seniors. Igene was asleep on the ping-pong table (Benedict was afraid for the table), Goldie was still at "her PC" and seemed to be boring holes into the monitor with unblinking eyes and Thingy was at her laptop - editing articles with a stony expression. Soo Ling was sprawled on the floor colouring a poster of some sort, so Choong Leeng and Ben decided to join her on the floor. It was safer there, then near the ping-pong table, Goldie or Thingy.
However, as the night wore on... something happened. Ben and Choong Leeng didn't know what it was, but it was truly unexpected. Thingy and Goldie were actually pretty talkative people, and they weren't as cold as they thought they were. In fact, Benedict even joked about her insane eye rolling and how much he scared her - and she didn't decapitate him! They joked and told stories about seniors that Ben admired - Ababi, Dunno How and Lip Shine. Now he even had fodder for blackmail! From that day onwards, Ben and Choong Leeng agreed that it would be cool if they visited the publication room as often as they could, since it wasn't that scary a place anymore.
"Anyway, you two have to come in here for the Airco lucky draw tomorrow... call Seamus along if you want," said Thingy.
"What's the Airco lucky draw?" asked Choong Leeng. Maybe now she could get more blonde highlights for her naturally golden locks.
"Well, you all know that the Moonway Ball is coming up real soon, right? Well, the administration staff wants us to cover the event, so they gave us 10 tickets. Yup, Airco members actually have a table all to ourselves! As an editor, I obviously get 1 ticket, and there'll be one ticket for Edward Khoo, the photographer, one for Dianne Brah, head of fashions and one for Anubisha, reporter for campus news. The other 6 tickets will be given out randomly to other Airco members. So come by tomorrow - who knows you might win the lucky draw," explained Thingy.
"Wow, the ticket is worth about RM60 isn't it? When is it going to be held anyway?" asked Benedict. He was pretty low of funds at the moment (he had bought about 10 new CDs recently, and when he lent them to Eurene, the CDs came back slightly slimy or sticky... and he had to buy replacement CDs for the spoiled CDs), and any form of free entertainment was greatly appreciated.
"Oh, it's somewhere during the first week of the holidays. I'm so going for the event, even if I don't get the lucky draw ticket. After all, it's my last year!" grinned Goldie. Oh yeah, I'm gonna get myself a slow dance, even if it means I'll have to take a guy by force! And if Benedict is going, maybe that cute nerd friend of his - Pee Yin, would go! Ahahahaahahahahahahhahahaa!!!!!!
Goldie had a mad, lusty look on her face after that statement... god knows what was going on in her mind. This pretty much terrified Choong Leeng and Ben, so they made their excuses and went back to their room. But they were both pretty excited about the ball, and Ben kept telling Choong Leeng, "Hey, if you win the ticket, and so do I, why don't you GIVE me your ticket... you don't want to go anyway, and I can invite Clara to the ball with me then!"
"Why don't you give me YOUR ticket, and then I can go with someone?"
"You don't have anyone. I mean, which girl do you plan to date anyway?"
"What do you mean girl?"
"You look like a guy... so the only people who would look normal going to a ball with you would be a girl." Benedict laughed at his own joke.
"Shit you, I don't like girls... I like guys!"
"Haha, then you're gay."
"You're lesbian."
"Gay ass! Go join Setapak Curry House!"
And they fought all the way back.
* * * * *
The next morning, when Thingy and Goldie woke up in the publication room, they were surprised to see Lumpy Lock there. He was one frightened moose when Thingy decided to give him a hug, he leaned away from her so much that he ended up falling off his couch, and landing on Igene (who somehow shifted from the ping-pong table to the floor).
"You stupid moose! You stupid virgin moose! I curse you so that you'll never meet a princess to kiss you!" exclaimed Igene.
"What's with the princess deal anyway?" asked Goldie. She was always the last to get any piece of news. And she had never really bothered to be friendly towards Lumpy the Moose, and therefore, didn't really know why he was .. well, a moose.
"Haven't you heard?" asked Thingy. "Lumpy is cursed to be a moose for the rest of his life, unless a beautiful princess kisses him. Then the spell will be broken."
"Why didn't you guys tell me this sooner?!"
"Why didn't you ask Lumpy himself? I mean - didn't you ever wonder why he had so much body hair? Or why he has antlers? Or why he has hoof-like hands and legs?"
"Well... I always imagined shaving him and using his hair to make myself a fine coat. But I do that for every guy anyway. This publication room is cold. Anyway, yeah, you people should have told me this sooner!"
"It's not like you can help anyway, right?" said Lumpy irritatably.
"I can!"
"What? YOU are a princess? Please don't make us laugh. Even if you are, you'll have to be a beautiful one," laughed Igene derisively.
"Grr... I'm not one... but I know someone who is!! And she's cute to boot."
Lumpy Lock fainted at the news.
* * * * *
Seamus checked his phone the next day and found that his inbox was filled with about 50 new messages. All of them were from Joanne, and she was begging Seamus to help her to apologise to Benedict. Seamus did his best, as he was happy having Joanne's attentions focused on Ben. Who knew, if he didn't help Joanne, she might fall for his dashing good looks again. None of that. Therefore, he persisted and bugged Benedict to the maximum, so that Benedict finally conceded to talk to Joanne again.
"You sure you aren't angry with me anymore, Ben?"
"No I'm not. But do be nicer to Clara in the future, ok?"
"Yeah. Anyway, Ben, are you going to the ball?"
"Errr.... why?"
"Well, I want to go with you."
Benedict nearly died. "I can't go. I don't have the cash."
"If you go to the ball, I'll pay for YOUR ticket. And mine. Please, please, please, I really want to go, and I really want you there."
Benedict didn't even bother to reply that message.
Little did he know that in less than 24 hours, he would be the one messaging Joanne and confirming his attendence at the Moonway Ball!
What made Ben change his mind? Is Clara just a girl who won't take shit from no one, or is she pure evil (as Joanne thinks)? When will Seamus finally get to reveal his secret past? Who is the princess that Goldie knows? Find out next episode!