The Life of Orphans - Chapter 20

The week before the school holidays (The long term break),
Zax: Wonder how our little "genius" did in her exams?
Cyndi: It's none of your business. You usually don't care about my results.
Sam: It's because we now know that you are not hiding your results because that they are poor.
Cyndi: (whispered to Sam) Someone failed a paper here. Stop talking about results.
Sam: Oh yeah. (Suddenly realized that and took a glimpse at Tony)
Tony: Huh? Talking about me? I'm fine. Don't worry.
Zax: Nobody is talking about you.
Tony: Nevermind. (Suddenly remembers something and walks away with his hand phone in his hand)
Cyndi: You upset him!
Zax: What did I do?
Cyndi: You are acting innocent again.
Jason: Here we go again.
Zax: Jason! (As if he just noticed him) You are here?!
Cyndi: He's always here and don't try to change to topic.
Sam: Come on, the two of you stop quarreling for once?
Cyndi: He started it.
Zax: Who started it?
Cyndi: You!
Zax: But...
Tony came running back.
Tony: Hey, guess what?
Sam: What?
Tony: I still get my old job back.
Zax: So?
Tony: Are you guys forgetting that the school holidays are near?
Zax: Oh yeah, I almost forgot.
Sam: That reminds me, I should remain my old job too and maybe find a permanent one.
Cyndi: Aren't you going to further your studies?
Sam: Naah, I'm not really good at studies. My goal is always as long as I don't fail a paper I’m happy enough. So I don't think I want to continue.
Hebe: Hi!
Cyndi: Hi!
Hebe: Planning about the holidays?
Sam: Uh-huh. What about you? Anything on during the holidays?
Hebe: I'm not sure yet. I'll have to discuss with my parents first.
Zax: That's means you're going back home?
Hebe: Yup. How about all of you? Don't you guys have to go back to the orphanage?
Cyndi: Naah, we are already "graduated" from there. We hardly go back now.
Tony: We go back there just for visits.
Hebe: Oh, I see. Then you all stay at school for the whole holidays?
Jason: We have part time jobs.
Hebe: Wow! You guys work?
Sam: is that very surprising?
Hebe: Not really. Catch you later; I’m off to see a teacher.
Tony: Ok. Bye.
After Hebe left,
Sam: We'll have to call to confirm that we remain our old job.
Jason: I agree. (Took out his hand phone)

The Life of Orphans - Chapter 19

After school,
Cyndi: How come you are walking alone? Where's Tony?
Zax: He's kind of down now.
Jason: Why?
Zax: He failed one of his papers.
Cyndi: Oh. Where is he?
Zax: He said he wanted to be alone now.
At Tony's side,Tony: How can I fail? I did study; I did all the revisions I need. Why did I have to be so careless on not reading the title thoroughly? A small stupid mistake made me fail the whole thing! How can I be so Stupid?! (Buried his head into his arms)
*Author: Tony is a person that really cares about his studies and wanted to be sucessful. So, failing a subject means failing everything to him. (That’s explains why his so upset)*
Tony is somewhere where hardly anyone passes by. But...
Someone tapped Tony on the shoulder.
Voice: Are you all right?
Tony: (whose head is still buried in his arms) Yes, I am. Please don't bother me.
The person said nothing and sat beside him.
Tony lifted up his head a little so that he could see who's sitting beside him. Then he saw that the person was looking at him so he quickly buried his head down again.
Voice: I know you are very upset but failing a subject is not end of the world yet.
Tony: What do you know? (Looked up)
Angela: As if I never failed before. This must be your first time then? I failed a hundred times more than you!
Tony: No way. If you failed before how can you be in 5A2?
*Author: The school stream students according to their academic performance. 5A(Hebe's Class) and 5A2 is the best class in Form five. *
Angela: I wasn't a bright girl. My results were like C's and D's everywhere. Until I reach high school, a friend taught me how to study and revise smartly instead of trying hard to remember everything by heart. Then, I started to achieve B's and slowly to A's.
Tony: Ni hao you heng xin.
Angela: Thanks. (Blushed a little) So, how are you feeling now?
Tony: A little better. Thanks to you.
Angela: (blushed even more) Me? I didn't do anything.
Tony: We were same class for almost a year but it's seems like I just know you or something.
Angela: Really? It's not too late yet. I don't really know a lot about you either.
Tony: So... Funny situation. We know each other for almost a year but we just get to know each other.
Angela: Since I told you my story. Why don't you tell me yours?
Tony: Me? I don't really have a story to tell. I am an orphan, I guess you knew that. There were five of us, Zax, Sam, Jason and Cyndi. You know Zax right?
Angela: Yup, I know him.
Tony: All of us grew up together. We are closer than our families.
Angela: Don't you miss your parents of family?
Tony: Not really. I was sent to the orphanage since I was very little. I don't really remember my family or how do they look like.
Angela: Oh. Well, I...
Tony: Feel that you were very lucky to have a family?
Angela: Yes! How did you know?
Tony: (smiles) I just know. But there's one thing you don't know.
Angela: What?
Tony: I'm happy with or without a family. If it's not I was an orphan, I won't get to know Zax,Sam, Jason and Cyndi. And I might won't even get to know you. I think I’m much luckier not having a family because I don't have to please anyone else but myself. Some students get good grades to pleased their parents but I do that for myself. I don't have anyone to stop me from doing anything. I have my freedom all up to myself.
Angela: (Quite shock of hearing those words) It seems like you are a nice person from inside.
Tony: What do you mean?
Angela: Well, if someone has his or her freedom all to themselves they might misuse it.
Tony: Oh, I get what you mean. I don't deny that I’m a nice guy.
Angela: Yeah right.

The Life of Orphans - Chapter 18

Some boys were practicing basketball and the five of them were watching at the side of the court,
Zax: Yes! Another one! Sam, you are going to owe me $5.
Sam: Who said so? The game hasn’t over yet.
Zax: Yeah right. The red one is leading so much now. Do you think that the blue will catch up so easily?
Sam: Why not? Anything can happen!
Cyndi: That’s right. We won't know who's the winner until the game is over.
Zax: Say whatever you like. My instinct tells me that they are going to win.
Just then a player was passing the ball to a teammate but that guy missed it so the ball flew out from the court and heading to a girl.
Tony: Look out!
Girl: What? Huh? Oh no!
Tony quickly push her a side and caught the ball. Then he threw it back to a player.
Player: Sorry!
Tony: (To the girl) Are you ok?
Girl: I'm fine. Thanks.
Tony: Anytime.
After the game,
Zax: I told you they would win.
Sam: Haha. Here your $5. You'd better not spend that because I’ll be winning it back.
Zax: You can try.
Cyndi: Tony, saw you talking to a girl just now.
Tony: We are classmates. You know her too; Zax.There's nothing going on.
Cyndi: I haven't even asked anything. Why are you so freaked out?
Tony: I am?
Zax: So there is something going on, huh?
Tony: No. Nothing is on, everything is off.
Sam: What is that "everything"?
Tony: From now on I’m zipping up my mouth. You all won't get anything from me.
Zax: Someone is feeling guilty here.
Jason: Yup.
Tony: Don't you guys have anything better to say? (Sigh)
Cyndi: Who's that anyway, Zax?
Zax: Her name is Angela.

The Life of Orphans - Chapter 17

In class,
Teacher: (the school bell rang) I guess that's all for today. And remember the end year exam just have one more week to go. I hope all of you are ready.
Zax: Time does fly. One more week to exam, wonder if I’m able to finish my revision in time?
Tony: You will sure be.
Zax: I hope so but I’m more anxious about the holidays after the end year exam.
Tony: I can't wait either. On the other side,
Sam: The end year exam is near now.
Cyndi: So?
Sam: Are you going to continue your game of purposely failing your papers?
Cyndi: Maybe yes maybe no.
Sam: You should be serious about this.
Cyndi: You think I should? I think that being able to control your results is a great thing.
Sam: But you should think of your future now. Just don't repeat your game anymore.
Cyndi: We'll see. (Smiles)
Jason: (blur) See what?
Cyndi: Never mind.
Jason: Huh? Ok.
Cyndi: Why are you always so blur? (Sigh)
_____________________________________
Zax: (open the door)
Cyndi: What are you doing?
Zax: What do you think?
Cyndi: You are not studying right?
Zax: Well, I was... but I’ll take a break for a while. So, what is it?
Cyndi: Nothing much, just boring. Everyone is studying; it's so quiet all around.
Zax: Of course everyone's studying! Aren't you aware of the end year exam?
Cyndi: I didn't say that they are not supposed to study but not so much. everyone will go nuts like that.
Zax: What about the others?
Cyndi: Sam's exam result is important for him. Jason... not sure if he's studying or not. Tony? He's nuts.
Zax: Isn't he always like that?
Cyndi: Yup, that why he's N and N.
Zax: What N and N?
Cyndi: Nuts and Nagy.
Zax: Haha! Don't let him hear you saying that.

The Life of Orphans - Chapter 16

Someone knock Cyndi's room door,
Cyndi: (Open the door) Hi.
Hebe: Hi, can I come in?
Cyndi: Can I say no?
Hebe: You are busy? It’s ok. I'll come another day.
Cyndi: (tug hebe's hand) I'm just kidding. Come on in.
Hebe: ...
Cyndi: So... Anything important?
Hebe: Umm... It's not very important but it's considered important also...
Cyndi: Then? Is it important or not and the most important thing is what is it?
Hebe: Can you tell me more about the guys?
Cyndi: Oh, you mean Tony and gang. That's easy job. I thought you want me to do something big.
Hebe: What big?
Cyndi: Nothing. You found the right person to ask. I know them more than anyone in this world. So, whom do you want to know?
Hebe: All of them.
Cyndi: Ok. Let's start with Tony. He's a gentleman. He'll never use his fist unless he really need to. He's a nice tempered person. Now, it's Zax. He's a naughty one when we first meet him in the orphanage he play tricks on almost everyone in the orphanage. I was one of his victim. Hehe. He put a frog into my bag and ends up being bashed up by Sam and Tony. Later then ...
Hebe: Then what?
Cyndi: He started to plan tricks on Sam but all of them failed.
Hebe: Why?
Cyndi: Jason.
Hebe: Jason?
Cyndi: Yup. He was very quiet and no one really notice him when he's around so Sam told him to keep an eye on Zax and tell him whatever he's doing. Until once, we played a trick on him and we became friends.
Hebe: Your life is fun.
Cyndi: Well, it's quite fun. Who now? Ah yes, Jason. He's a quiet person and he's straight like a stick. But you'll get use to it after you know him for a while and he'll talk to you more then. Sam, he's a great person. Always there to stand up for you. You'll feel safe when you are with him (smiles).
Hebe: I see that.
Cyndi: You see what?
Hebe: You like him, don't you?
Cyndi: Who?
Hebe: Sam.
Cyndi: I don't think so.
Hebe: How can you don't think so? It's so obvious!
Cyndi: Uh... (Thinking hard to change the topic) ... Why do you want to know so much about them? Is one of them your target?
Hebe: You can see that? Is it that obvious?
Cyndi: [I was just kidding. But since this is her reaction, I’ll act a little] Umm... quite.
Hebe: Really? Promise you won't tell anyone.
Cyndi: [I wonder which one is the one you like?? What should I say to make her spill it out herself??] Ok, I won't tell anyone. So, when did it happen?
Hebe: Umm... I’m not sure. The feeling just came.
Cyndi: [ Aaahh! Why can't you just say who's that??]
Hebe: Does he feel anything?
Cyndi: Who?
Hebe: Jason.
Cyndi: [So he's the one] I don't think so. Anyway he's a stick, you know. He won't know these things until you tell him.
Hebe: Heh. ( smile )
Cyndi: (smiles back) You want me to help you?
Hebe: How?
Cyndi: Tell him.
Hebe: No way! That's so embarrassing! What if he doesn’t like me?
Cyndi: Ok. I think if I tell him this, he might be so stunned.