“This is a dream come true” I claimed.
It was, actually. All my life, I have dreamed to enrol myself into a decent boarding school. After numerous rejections, I have come to my sense that it was just not meant to be. I finally let the childhood dream fade away into the corners of my mind. Never to be thought again. I’ve had my share of heart breaks upon saying my goodbyes to my dear lucky friends who is able to be accepted into boarding schools around this country. Somehow, just when you least expect it life comes knocking on your doorstep. Knocking you off your feet.
* * *
Congratulations!
You have been accepted to MJSC Langkawi
Date of Registration: 1 April 2007
I blinked emptily at the screen of the computer as the result of my application flashed through the translucent plastic. I was barely breathing, quite astonished and somehow speechless.
It’s amazing how this few little words would soon change the course of my life forever. I knew it would never be same again from now on. But I just didn’t realise it. I was too absorbed with my happiness.
1st April 2007
My heart was not at ease. The previous excitement has definitely died off. The flame was now a dying fire, almost covered in its ashes. I was now left with a strange hollow feeling, deep in the depths of my heart. It doesn’t feel right. I was like a little child that was given all the toys that she has ever wished for but somehow realises that she might not want any of it after all. It was finally time for my parents to go. I wasn’t ready for any of it. Not yet.
I hushed my little heart and tried to be strong. I know one day I’ll be glad I opened this chapter in my life.
But time has a way playing with my fragile little heart. Out of a mere second, they were gone.
I was now alone.
I cried myself to sleep that night. And the night after that.
This condition continued throughout the whole fortnight. It was hard for me to adapt to this new life. It was very different. I knew I did not belong here.
I find it very easy to pick out every flaw that was present in this school. Every reason would bring me a step closer to the exit of my endless misery. At least that’s what I had thought. I guess I was wrong.
Out of dismay, I slowly started to adapt to the new boarding school life. The food didn't taste right on my tongue but I never missed a meal. The early morning wake up’s was horrible but I was never late to the morning prayer.
Maybe life isn’t that hard. Maybe I could get used to this. There were a lot of maybes.
My first few friends are still the ones that I remain in contact with. The occupants of class 4 Radium. The original ones. It was the very few first times I was happy in Langkawi. We were rather fond of our class. Mostly because it was the only fully female populated class in the whole uninety batch. The other students didn’t seem to have bothered about our existence. We were after all the late intakes. It was a cruel prescription to be given to us but we didn’t give much thought about this situation. We were all happy in our self made little world.
I developed a few new interests in this new school of mine. Everyday seemed to pass even slower. I was still counting the days till the next break. But the habit was beginning to wear off, so as the feeling of not belonging in this most sought after boarding school.
I tried out basketball, prior to an advice by a dear friend of mine. It was rather an excruciating feeling to be able to get the ball into the hoop. I made a total fool out of myself. The seniors were very welcoming towards me. Generous with their playing skills advices. Kak Sara, Kak Ama, Kak Mai, Kak Yat, just to name a few. I can still recall their hype and very energetic games.
My stay in this school was getting rather comfortable. The warm feeling that I used to have when returning after a whole day in school was starting to apply in MJSC Langkawi. I just needed to give it an amount of time.
I had a new addition in my new boarding school life with my new homeroom mates.
The Al Qurtubians. That’s what we called ourselves. The name was pretty cheeky but the people in it were nothing less than extraordinary. I finally felt that I belonged somewhere for the first time in a very long time. We had lots of visits to the advisors house. We cooked, laughed to Piah and Adam’s silly jokes, Asrul would be the peace maker but also sometimes the teaser. Nana would be the one being bullied. What a laugh we had. Papa Sam would just watch us and laugh along with his adopted children. The fun part would always be the late night runs back to our dorms, hoping that the warden won’t catch us.
Life was starting to get better. But somehow I was still stubborn enough to admit that it was.
The next addition to the new life was my ohana. My new classmates. We didn’t go along very well with each other at first. It was after all, a mixture of very different group of people. The months went by without any fights in the class. A casual outing to Bella Vista proved to be rather beneficial to the whole class. The outing had made all of us bonded to each other more than anyone could have ever imagined. Aynn definitely remembered the trip most of all. Giggles dear.
I walked back from the basketball court and dribbled the ball gently in my hands. Leeya was next to me trying to take the ball away. We were laughing like crazy, having the least care at the boys who were watching us from the football field.
The sorrows were completely gone now. My heart was healing on its own. And most importantly, I was glad I had a chapter in my life that had consisted of MJSC Langkawi.
My life was complete.
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