Joy Part 2. Not really joyous.

He picks up another pebble and throws it as far as he can. The sounds of wind and pebble dropped into the black lake bring satisfaction to him somehow. “This is for screwing up my life!!” he throws another pebble while shout the words as loud as he can. Nobody can hear him because he’s all alone there. The lake was muddy and probably an ex mine, hidden from the big road he used to cycle home from school every day. He considers the spot his sanctuary, a place he can be himself. Away from hypocrisy of the world he is forced to live in. It’s not a pretty sight, it’s gloomy and spooky, but it’s better than real world. “Am I a psychopath?” He thought to himself. He watched Oprah last night about a guy who mastermind the murder of his family because he felt he doesn’t live up to his parents’ expectations, so killing them ease the burden to be someone he’s not. But the fact he loves watching Oprah definitely makes him as normal as any kid his age. Or mature (i.e geekier) than any of the kids. He feels relieved in that sense but depressed in latter because he’s not like the people in his age group, who loves MTV and Indie bands, who think skinny jeans and box shaped shirts are the ultimate fashion statement and shuffle is the thing you have to know to appear cool and have thousands friends on MySpace. Blame the internet for deciding popularity and latest culture ones should adopt.

After absorbing his mind in the serenity of the lake, he feels at ease. “Tomorrow is a promissory note, don’t count on it. Just use the cash you have today man.” Philosophy always bring some motivation for him to face another day, especially when shit happens. And today is a shitty day. It started with the fact he woke up late, that led to he forgot to bring his wallet and had to starve the whole day at school. And to make things worse, he had to do public speaking at today’s assembly on, sardonically, Eating Disorder. To add the double dose of humiliation, his stomach grumbles with a loud sound at perfect timing when he’s saying something about not eating will give you more health problem than being skinny. One of them even shouts “Don’t worry, we’ll help you dude!” Followed by stream of laughs and he eventually forced a fake chuckle to cover his already red face. So it ended up with people shot him a mixture of pity, concern and smirk all day long. “What a great day to start your final year of high school,” he sighs. There’s only one thing he is looking forward to this year: the photography club. He has saved up money during school break and bought a DSLR. Nikon D60. The perfect camera for a beginner. One might argue between Canon and Nikon but he always think Nikon is better. Just because. If money is no objection, he would definitely buy a Leica. Classic and one of a kind, it feels like him. Besides, he has practiced taking pictures of flowers, grass and water drops (some says they are essentials in photography, or what he had observed from Flickr).

While he was thinking about what would be the first assignment in the photography club this year, someone is creeping slowly through the grass, eyeing him with a devilish grin. Slowly, the person tip toed and right as he’s about to throw another pebbles, a pair of soft hands covered his eyes, “Guess Who??” A voice so familiar he smiles and the stress he felt a moment ago seem to reduce greatly. “Geez, I have no idea. Please don’t kidnap me because I’m broke and a burden to society. A total waste to you,” giggling while turning him around, the hands loosing the grip, and he can catch the glimpse of an oval shape almond eyes with that familiar smile he hasn’t seen in ages. “Ilia, what the hell are you doing here! I thought you are supposed to be in some land of the Gladiators right now?” He seems to have the urge of hugging Ilia but being a good guy, he just hold her hands and lead her into the bush where he came from to his bicycle. “Ah, why are we going out? I want to hang out here and talk to you.” “Oh, no. We’re not. I can’t risk having real kidnapper here and having your dad cut off my head for endangering the life of his favorite and only princess. I know he wants to for some times now.” Laughing at his statements, she put her hands around his shoulder. “So, BFF, what’s up? Or down, judging from your emotional let out just now? Rested against his bicycle, he sighs. “Can I just say life is a major suck up? Well, maybe with the exception of having a perfect BFF who knows when to show up at the same time I feel like a lake is my current best friend.” Laughing heartily, Ilia look simply radiant. Her hair is long and wavy, and she has gotten an inch taller than the last time he saw her.

She had moved to Italy just when they were about to enter secondary school. She was his best friend from the moment he picked her as his assistant monitor in Standard 2. He had a major crush on her during that time, but it gradually disappeared (or maybe not completely) as they became best friends until she moved to Italy. He was so upset he didn’t talk to her for about a year, but thanks to the technology, they’ve started to chat on YM, gradually see each other when she visited Malaysia and continued to do so until this very day. He knows everything that’s going on with her, from her first boyfriend, to her first kiss (yeah, they are more liberal there) and she’s been doing part time modeling there, no wonder she’s looking so good now. “Guess what?!! I’m going to finish my O Level here! Meaning we’ll see each other more often, isn’t this wonderful??” He knocks out his bicycle for the shocking news. “Er, and where are you studying?” He is really hoping for a different answer than what’s coming. “Yours, like duh! It’s an international school right? I want to go to school everyday with you, like we used to. Oh, it’s going to be so much fun!” Her excitement is what dreading him all these while. Never thought his worst predicament would come true. He likes the way it’s already is. The long term and long distance friendship he has developed with her. “Oh, Syafiq, she’s about to discover what a loser you are at school. Prepare for trouble.” Forcing a fake smile, he tries to impersonate the level of excitement she is having. “Sure Ilia, it’ll be like the good old times.” Walking back together with Ilia, he knows what little truth lays in that statement.