The World We Live In's story
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Here is the story for "Titanic Book" Collection's The World We Live In.
[edit] Table of Content
[edit] Notice and "Thank You"s
This story may reflect your personal experiences as most part of this story is about real life experiences by most, if not all of the contributors who shared to me their personal experiences. In addition, these stories reflect most of the common issues that Singapore has faced.
Please take note that this story is just for pure entertainment, like all of my previous stories. It is not a story that is against anyone, attacking anyone or hurting anyone�s feeling.
But still, if you feel offended and/or insulted after reading this story, I would like to apologise to any of you who feel offended and/or insulted after reading a part that is talking and/or referring about you whether it happened to you in real life or it did not.
To the following people, thank you for contributing your ideas and/or your personal experiences:
- Jeremy Low Wei Feng
- Muhammad Yacob B Abdul Aleem
- Nicholas Makoto
- Tan Sheng Li James
- Timothy Quek Wei Leong
- Zhu Liqi Reuben
[edit] Chapter 0: Introduction
The world we live in is filled with many problems, either about family, or about school, or about other reasons. These problems usually focus on any of the following: money, family, relationship, sex, divorce, school and racism. These things are usually caused from some everyday topics such as drug, adoption, child abuse, gangsterism, smoking, pornography and rape. These problems differ between the types of family background we come from: low income, middle income and high income. Every country in the world usually has all of these problems. Even the smallest country like Singapore will have it.
There is a particular school located in Singapore where every class in that school are equally the same; same characteristic, same behaviour. But there is a particular secondary two class in that school that is different from the other classes, and that class is 2B2. Everyday in class since from the start of the year, there will always be at least a quarrel. The worst case scenario is that there will be a fight, which happens only at least once per week. Most of the students from that class claims that it is all because of one particular boy, Gabriel.
Gabriel (or most commonly being called as Perumal) is a trouble maker of the class. Gabriel is an Indian, and he is a Catholic. He said that he wants to become a priest when he grows up, but he will always insult other people and their race and religion, especially his own race. Most of the time, he insult the Chinese. And on other cases, he will insult the foreign students, mostly on Andrean and his country, Indonesia. Gabriel claims that he is not fat, but he is actually overweight (and fat of course). He will always tell other people who he thinks that he is fat to lose weight and tell them to eat healthily, but from what his classmates have observed, he�s been eating unhealthy stuff. Some of his classmates also claims that he suck up to teachers.
There is also another student who some classmate claims that he sucks up to teachers, and that student is Keith. But Keith only sucks up to female teachers. Keith also claims that he is a �rojak�, meaning that he come from a family background of different races. Some of his classmates don�t like him because they claim that Keith back stabs some of them. There is also a group of gangsters, but one of them is a true gangster; his name is Dexter. When he was in primary school, he was a good boy. But after he entered secondary school, his behaviour has changed. He started smoking, and even joins a group of gangster in secondary three and four. On few occasions, he would be defiant to teachers. In fact, he is the only boy in his class that dared to shout back at teachers.
But putting aside all of those bad stuff, there are also some good behavioural students in that class. Some of the students are Aran, Benjamin, Daniel, Ezekiel, Jeremy, James, Timothy Quek and Reuben. Aran is one of a few quiet boys in class. But unlike the quiet boys, Aran is a little bit more talkative in class. He was actually a Buddhist but ever since a classmate of his, Reuben, introduced Christianity to him, Aran have to decide whether he should change to Christianity or remain a Buddhist. Aran claims that he is one of the few students in the class who comes from a low income family (Dexter is one of the others), but some of his classmates think otherwise.
Reuben, although he appears to be a good boy in class, he is actually quite talkative. Other than talking to Aran about Christianity, he always likes to sing in class, but not that loud until the teacher can hear. Reuben is a little daring too. Like some of the students in school, he always uses his handphone in class. Benjamin is one of the five class monitors. But some of his classmates are still wondering how he can get to be a class monitor. Benjamin is very talkative in class and for most of the time, he always disturb the lesson. This made some of his classmates think that he is an attention seeker. Although he is rich, he always pretends that he is actually poor. He did this by telling people that he lives in a �longkang� (longkang means drain) and always wear the same uniform everyday. By telling people that he lives in a �longkang� means that he stay in a poor-type of house. But some people have already found out that he is rich. Benjamin always treats everyone as his friends, but some people actually don�t like him for his behaviour.
But there are some classmates who like some students to be his friends. One of the students that everybody wants to be his friend is James. James is a very friendly student. He is always very active in class, but on some occasion, he will day dream in class. This caused some of his classmates to call him a dreamer. However, no one knows so far what he was dreaming about. James had never told anyone about his dream. Some of James best friend includes Jeremy and Timothy Quek (most commonly called as TQ).
Every student in 2B2 sure has something unique among themselves. Behaviour and characteristics can be observed from their friends and classmates, but sometimes, these behaviour and characteristics sure have a reason or secret behind it, and these people kept their reason or secret deep inside their heart and never reveals it or tell their friends about it until one day, their friends have found out what it happening...
[edit] Chapter 1
On one morning on a particular day in March 2007, some students from 2B2 have arrived to school before assembly have even started. Keith and Vimmal sat down as one group and are chatting. Makoto, Jason, TQ and Aran are talking to one another as another group. Andrean and Hakesh sat at the back of the row and talk to each other. More and more students then arrive to school. At around seven in the morning, James arrived to school and sat down where Makoto, Jason, TQ and Aran, together with Ryan and Reuben, are talking to each other. TQ then notices some cane marks on James� upper arm.
TQ: James, why are there some cane marks on your arm?
James quickly pulls down his sleeves as low if possible.
James: What cane marks?
TQ: Just roll up your sleeves. I think I saw some cane marks on your upper arm.
James: There�s nothing on my arms.
Ryan: Just roll up your sleeves for a while.
James: Don�t need lah. There�s nothing, seriously.
Makoto, famously known for changing a topic (for talking) quickly, knew that James is trying to hide something and didn�t want anyone to talk about it. Makoto then quickly change the topic.
Makoto: Aran, I heard from someone that your mother own an eatery.
Aran: Ya. And it�s not an eatery. It�s just a food stall.
James: Really? Where is it located?
Aran: In Tekka Centre. In fact she own two food stall. She rent the other stall to one of my uncle.
Reuben: What type of food did your mother sell?
Aran: Snacks like pau and ice cream. Her famous food is the burgers. Customers usually come to her stall to buy burgers.
They then continue to talk about other stuff. Later that day, Benjamin told Aran that he live in a Semi-D located in Bukit Timah, one of the most expensive private housing in Singapore. Later that year in April, some of the classmates knew that TQ got pornography on his handphone. Nicolas Wong then asks TQ to send him some of them. In Dexter�s house, Dexter and his family, a father and two sisters (12 yrs old Elvira and 16 yrs old Lorraine), was told that their mother was arrested for selling drugs and she will be jailed for a period of time. Later next month, Uncle Andy, the person who rented Aran�s mother�s stall, did not pay for the rental. Uncle Andy promise to pay the rent next month as he claims that his business is not that good. Aran�s mother however doubts so but she still allows him to rent the stall.
Later that month, TQ was walking along Orchard Road one day when he bumped into a girl, Jocelyn. Somehow, they became fond of each other and eventually, they love each other. One day in school later that month, Benjamin told Aran that he have three houses (the other two houses are a HDB unit in Jurong West and an apartment unit in Orchard), two cars (one of the car is a Mercedes Benz) and a lot of dogs. He even told Aran that when his father loss $1000 dollars, his father don�t care about it, claiming it is just less than 1% of their total savings. His father also doesn�t even work at all; he just plays in stock everyday.
Somewhere in mid-May at James� home, the whole family is asleep at night. James� father then enters James� sister�s room (James� sister�s name is Aurelia) and lock the door. The father then lies down on Aurelia�s bed and starts to take off her clothes. During the process, Aurelia woke up and was aware what the father was doing. However, she has no choice but to let him continue as even though if she screams for help, the rest of the family can�t do anything to stop the father. The father then starts to do some sexual intercourse and notice Aurelia is awake. He, however still continue to it. During the process, Aurelia started to cry. At that point of time, James is walking towards the toilet and as he walks pass Aurelia�s room, he can hear someone cry. Thinking it was Aurelia, he quickly run to his parent�s room. He opens the door and notices that his father was not in the room. He then quickly alerts his mother.
James (while shaking his mother): Mom, wake up!
His mother then woke up.
Mother (still half asleep): What is it?
James: Mom, Aurelia is crying. I think daddy is raping her.
His mother was then fully awake and checked whether her wife is sleeping beside her. Knowing that he is not, both of them quickly runs to Aurelia�s room. While running to Aurelia�s room, the father then walks out of the room. Everyone then stop at their tracks.
Father: James, you told your mum what I did, right?
James, knowing that he�s in trouble, took a few steps back. The father then walks towards James.
Father: You like to tell her what I did, right? Huh? So I will do it to you and see if anybody will save you.
The mother then tries to shield James. Mother (shouting to James� Father): You�re not going to do it! The father then tries to shove the mother out of the way. The mother then tries to hold him back. Mother (talking to James): James! Run to your room! Lock the door! James then run to his room and lock the door. He then hears his mother screaming in pain. Thinking that they are fighting, James then lean his back against the door and tears starts to roll down his cheeks. He then kneels down with his arms �hugging� his knee, �hide� his head between his arms and cried even more. A few minutes later, the noise died down. James then tries to stop crying and he knows that it is not safe to open the door yet. Suddenly, he realized that his parents have the key to open any locked door from outside. He then heard someone trying to open the door from outside. He quickly gets up and walks away from the door.
The door opened and James turned around. He saw his father holding a cane. The father then starts to beat James up like crazy. James then tried to protect himself by crouching beside the bed. A while later, his father stop caning and leave the room, leaving James injured and crying. James mother then quickly enters James� room and lock the door. She rushes over to James and tries to comfort him. Using medicated oil, she then rub the oil on the cane marks, hoping that it will go away. It then starts to rain; it rain the whole night.
[edit] Chapter 2
On the next day, the students have to assemble at the classroom as the assembly area was wet due to the rain the night before. The students from 2B2 that had arrived early to school were waiting outside the classroom for the teacher to come and open the door. James later arrived and everybody notices that James was wearing a sweater.
TQ: James why are you wearing a sweater?
James: I�m cold, that�s why.
Makoto: James, first time we see you wear sweater ah.
Aran: That�s right, hor?
Aran then notice some cane marks on James leg. Aran then stood up, walk over to James and whisper some things to him.
Aran: James, follow me. I need to talk to you.
James then stood up and follows Aran. TQ was curious and he decided to follow them secretly. Aran and James walk to a corner and started to talk to each other secretly. TQ hides himself and listen.
James: Why do you want to talk to me?
Aran: James, remember somewhere around March? TQ asked you about the cane marks?
James: Ya.
Aran: Makoto then talk about other stuff, right?
James: Ya. Why do you want to ask all that?
Aran: After school later that day, I ask Makoto about this and he told me that you were probably caned by your parents and trying to hide the cane marks away from anyone. That�s the reason why Makoto wanted to change the topic. And today, you are wearing a sweater. If you think people can�t see your cane marks, think again. I saw some cane marks on your leg. James, were you beaten by your parents? James look away from Aran and did not reply. He appears to be depressed and looks like he is about to cry.
Aran: James, what�s wrong?
James then started to cry. Aran then tries to comforts James.
James (still crying): I was being child abused by my father.
Aran: James, you can tell me later. Just stop crying.
James then tried to hold back its tears.
James: The child abuse was started all the way back in March. Some of you guys noticed some cane marks on my arms, right? On the night before that day at around eight, my father came back home, pick up the cane and starts to cane me like crazy. After that, he drags his sister into her room and starts to rape her. Ever since then, he will continue to do that. We still don�t know why he has been doing that. Last night, my father raped my sister and he also canes me like crazy when I told my mother about this. We�
Teacher: TQ, what are you doing here?
Aran and James then stopped their conversation and saw TQ and their form teacher.
Teacher: What are you guys doing here?
Aran: We�re just talking.
Teacher: Okay then.
The teacher then walks away.
James: TQ, have you been eavesdropping on us?
TQ: No. I�
Aran: Don�t lie.
TQ: Fine. I�ve been eavesdropping on you guys.
James: So you know what we are talking about, right?
TQ: Yes. I promise not to tell anyone, okay?
Aran: You better be. Just keep the secret amongst ourselves.
James: If you tell anyone about this, see you in hospital.
They then walk back to class. On the May 25, the secondary two�s are having a 4 days, 3 nights camp on Bintan island. Nothing special happened on the first day, but on the second day at around eight at night, words have been going around about Gabriel injuring himself. It turns out to be that during a mountain climb earlier that day, Gabriel, while climbing down the mountain, he slipped on a rock and he hit his crotch on the rock. Most of the campers, if not all of them, who knows who Gabriel is (in fact almost the whole school know who he is) are very happy that his crotch was hit on the rock. Some of them even say that this was his punishment for insulting other people. After the camp has ended and the students went back to Singapore; Dexter immediately went home. Knowing that his sisters were out, his father was alone at home. Dexter opens the main door and out of the blue, he saw his father lying on the floor, unconscious. Dexter then drops his camping gear and rush over to his father.
Dexter: Dad, wake up! Dad, dad!
He quickly called the ambulance and a short while later, the ambulance had arrived. Dexter�s father is now being sent to the hospital. Upon reaching the hospital, Dexter�s father was sent to a ward and Dexter quickly called his sisters about the situation. A few minutes later, Dexter�s sisters have reached to the ward and they saw Dexter.
Lorraine: Dexter, what happened to pa?
Elvira: Ya. What happened to him?
Dexter: I don�t know. I saw him lying on the floor unconscious when I reached home.
A doctor then walks out of the ward. Dexter and his sisters then rushed towards him.
Dexter: Doctor! What happened to him?
Doctor: I�m sorry that he died. It was due to lung cancer and it was caused by smoking.
The doctor then walks away. Dexter and his sisters rush over to the window and cry over the loss of their father. From what they heard from the doctor, Dexter took out the box of cigarettes that he has with him and throw it away. With the help from his relatives, a funeral service was held for Dexter�s father. Dexter�s mother was aloud to visit the funeral service for a short period of time. The father�s body was then cremated at Mandai Crematorium.
The June school holidays came and every student in Singapore are taking a break from studying. Later that month, Uncle Andy, again, did not pay for the rental and he once again promise to pay the rent next month, with the same reason he used in the previous months. Aran�s mother then decided to kick him out of the stall. Uncle Andy then called his brother, Aran�s father, about the situation. At night later that day, Aran�s parents discussed about this situation and they decided to ask Andy to pay back the money he owns Aran�s mother. A few days later, Andy did pay her back the money.
Somewhere in June, James� mother had suspected that her husband is keeping a mistress as her husband seems to have child abusing his children less. In addition, her husband�s handphone bill has been rising, making her thinking that her husband has been calling and sms-ing to his mistress. She even ask James to secretly check his father�s handphone if there is any names that she had never heard before after marrying James� father; and there�s came one name that she never heard before: Shanice. James, however, seems to have hear it before, like it�s the name of one of his friend�s mother.
[edit] Chapter 3
On the same month, TQ when to Jocelyn�s house and since they know that Jocelyn will be alone at home for about two weeks, they decided to be a little bit more daring. They went into Jocelyn�s room, turned on the computer and the webcam and position it so that it is facing the bed. Long before TQ went to Jocelyn�s house, he wore a condom to prevent any unwanted pregnancy. They then climb onto the bed and started to have some sexual pleasure. During the �fun� they have, they were recording it using the webcam. After they have enjoyed the �fun� both of them had, they saved what they have recorded using the webcam on the computer and download the video on their handphones. At Daniel�s house, everyone is doing their own work and it was quite quiet when there was a knock on the door. Daniel�s mother went to open the door and saw a man that she knew long ago: Wei Xiang, her former husband.
Wei Xiang: Hi Felicia.
Felicia: What the hell are you doing here?
Wei Xiang: Felicia, I�m so sorry about what I did twelve years ago. I hope...
Felicia: You hope what? You want to marry me again? Or you�re just here to take away my son? Whatever it is, I don�t want you to come back here ever again!
Felicia then slams the door. Felicia�s husband (Daniel�s father) then walks out of the room.
Father: Felicia, who�s that?
Felicia: Wei Xiang.
Father: Your ex-husband?
Felicia: Ya.
Father: Why is he here? Trying to take away our son?
Felicia: I don�t know. Can you please stop talking about him? I want him out of my life.
Father: Sorry dear. I�ll stop talking about him, okay?
They then continue to do what they are doing. The school holiday ended and school has reopened. During the weekends, Ezekiel was walking out of the cinema after watching a movie with his friends. All of the sudden, something has caught his attention: a woman that looks like his biological mother. Leaving his friends without saying anything, he quickly follows her. A few minutes later, the woman seems to have walking faster and faster, knowing that someone is following her. She then walks around a corner. Ezekiel then follow suite but lost sight of her.
Somewhere around mid-July after school, TQ was downloading a pornographic video to Nicolas Wong secretly at a staircase people barely use. After the download is complete, they were about to leave when a female teacher opened a staircase door.
Teacher: Pass me your handphones. I�m going to confiscate it.
TQ: Why are you confiscating our handphones? It�s after school hours. Don�t tell me that there�s a new rule.
Teacher: No. We teachers have been investigating this case since March and we have suspected that both of you have pornography in your handphone.
Nicolas Wong: Damn.
They then pass their handphones to the teacher.
Teacher: Consider yourselves lucky since it is already after school and all of the discipline masters have gone home. Tomorrow after school, report to the principal�s office. If you don�t report at the principal�s office, you guys will get a worse punishment. The teacher then left. TQ and Nicolas Wong then make their way home.
Nicolas Wong: This is not my first time. There was once when I was in primary six, my handphone was also confiscated for the same crime. I was actually supposed to get a caning but I didn�t. I think this time I will get it.
TQ: Count yourself lucky. I think I will get a worse punishment than you.
Nicolas Wong: Why?
TQ: During the June holidays, my girlfriend and I had a little �fun� together...
Nicolas Wong: You two had...
TQ: Yeap. And we also recorded it on the webcam and put the video in our handphones.
Nicolas Wong: Wah. You are very unlucky already. If they browse through your videos and happen to saw the video of you and your girlfriend having �fun�, prepare for some counselling.
The next day after school, TQ and Nicolas Wong did report to the principal�s office. The teacher who caught them the day before then walked into the office.
Teacher: Sir. Here are the phones that I have confiscated from them.
The teacher then bends down and whispers some words to the principal. She later walks out of the office.
Principal: Nicolas Wong, is this your handphone?
Nicolas Wong: Ya.
Principal: All of the pornography pictures and videos have been deleted already. Usually, the punishment for this crime you have done in school will be caning. But I�ll let you go this time round because your behaviour in school is good. But if we caught you committing the same crime again, you will be caned. Here�s your handphone.
Nicolas Wong then collected his handphone.
Principal: We have already contacted your parents about this. You can go home now.
Nicolas Wong: Thank you sir.
He then walks out of the principal�s office.
Principal: As for you (referring to TQ), we have already deleted all of your pornographic videos. You should know what the punishment is by now. I really wish that I could pretend that all of these had never happen, but in your video collection, we saw you committing an underage sex with a girl. I�m not sure who is she or whether she has her consent to allow you to do that, but for the sake of your future and your health, we all actually have planned to report this to the police. But since we do not want to have a permanent record on you as it will affect your future, we have decided to put both you and that girl in the video for counselling. We hope that this counselling will help to change both of your habit. Now, we need you to co-operate with us and hope that the principal of the other school that the girl is in does not report this to the police. Here is a pen and a paper and I want you to write down what the name of the girl is and where...
With the co-operation of TQ, the principal of both of the schools, Jocelyn and the counsellors, TQ and Jocelyn have agreed to go for two months of counselling. However, their parents had received the news of TQ and Jocelyn who did an underage sex and they were not happy. They, however, let bygones be bygones; forgetting about the past and move on in life. Strangely enough, the parents even allow both TQ and Jocelyn to date with each other.
[edit] Chapter 4
Nearing to the end of July, the students were going home after school has ended. James was waiting for a bus at a slightly crowded bus stop located just outside of the school. He later met Ezekiel and Jeremy at the bus stop.
Jeremy: Hi James.
James: Ya hi.
Ezekiel: James, today got any homework or not?
James: I think there�s maths homework.
Jeremy: Hey, isn�t that Hamster?
James: Ya.
A Mercedes Benz car then stops beside Benjamin at the bus bay. Benjamin then opened the car door and got in.
Ezekiel: Wait, why is he getting inside the Mercedes Benz car?
James: I don�t think that is Hamster, is it?
The car then drove pass James, Jeremy and Ezekiel. Benjamin had happened to be looking towards the bus stop when he saw James, Jeremy and Ezekiel staring at him. All four of them then got shocked.
James: Okay. He is really Hamster.
Jeremy: But I though he is not rich? How could his family afford a Mercedes Benz car, let alone a second-hand one?
Ezekiel: I don�t know. Let�s ask Aran tomorrow.
James: Ya, since we all know that Aran and Hamster are probably best friends.
In the morning the next day before assembly at school, Aran had arrived to school and sat with the usual group (Makoto, Jason, TQ, Ryan, Reuben, James, Jeremy and Ezekiel).
Aran: What you guys have been talking about?
James: Hey Aran, are you and Hamster best friends?
Aran: Not exactly. We�re just friends. Why you ask?
Jeremy: Yesterday, James, Ezekiel and I saw Benjamin getting on a Mercedes Benz car at the bus stop.
Ezekiel: Since we though that Hamster may have tell you whether he is actually rich or not, that�s why we ask you that question.
Makoto: We hope that you can tell us the truth.
Jason: If you don�t tell us or lie to us, I�ll keep on insulting you forever ah.
Aran: Who says I�m not going to tell you guys. Since you guys want the true, I�ll tell you all lor.
Ryan: Quickly tell us. Hamster may come any moment now.
Aran: Okay. Benjamin is actually rich. He has three houses, a bungalow in Bukit Timah where he is currently staying at, a HDB unit in Jurong West and an apartment unit in Orchard, two cars, on of them is a Mercedes Benz that some of you guys have seen, and a lot of dogs. His father doesn�t even work and he plays stock everyday.
Reuben: Now we know that he is rich, but I didn�t expect him to be that rich.
Jason: You�re not joking, right?
Aran: Of course not lah! I lie for what?
TQ: Does he have any maid or not?
Aran: I don�t know. Maybe less than what you have. Why? You want to challenge with Hamster to see who have more maids ah?
Ryan: There�s one thing that I�m confuse. If Hamster is rich, why does he always wear the same uniform everyday?
Aran: From what he told me, he did that so that people won�t think that he�s rich.
Jason: Hey, Hamster�s coming.
Benjamin: Hi guys.
Ryan: Ya hi.
James: Hamster, was it you who entered a car yesterday after school at the bus stop?
Hamster: I entering a car after school? You must be joking. I took a bus home yesterday.
Ezekiel: You sure or not?
Benjamin: Ya. I think you guys must have seen somebody else that look like me.
Jeremy: No lah. James, Ezekiel and I really saw you entering a Mercedes car yesterday at the bus stop. You even stare at us.
Benjamin: Stop talking cock lah.
Benjamin then walks away. Later during lesson, Benjamin told what exactly happened.
Aran: So it�s true then.
Benjamin: Ya. Ay, don�t tell anybody else ah.
During assembly in school one day in August, a teacher walks up to Gabriel and asked him to go to the principal�s office. Later that day during Science lesson, a teacher entered the classroom and called a couple of boys to go to the principal�s office. More boys were then later called to go the principal�s office during the Maths lesson, making nearly a third of the class gone. About half an hour later, the Maths lesson was about to end when everybody, except Gabriel, went back to the classroom. The students, and the teacher, then started to ask them what has happened.
Andrean: What the hell. Perumal is going to get a suspension.
James: Really? What happened?
Benjamin: You see right, when we got to the principal�s office, we saw Perumal. The principal then ask all of us (who got sent to the principal�s office) why we all bully Perumal. At first the principal sided with Perumal, but...
Andrean: We all kept on saying that Perumal is the reason why we all bully him. So in the end, he got in-house suspension starting from tomorrow onwards.
Teacher: Then why is he still at the principal�s office?
Marc Xu: We don�t know. Maybe call his parents or something.
The lesson was later over and they went for their next lesson. About a week later, Gabriel was back in school after his suspension. He was then told by the principal to write down anybody who bullies him and send it to the principal�s office. This goes to the rest who was also sent to the principal�s office. During History lesson on that day, their History teacher was on leave and a relief teacher took over. Luckily for them, the relief teacher decided to have no lesson for that day; everybody was talking to each other. The relief teacher, after returning back some worksheets to the students, went out of the classroom to attend to some things. Gabriel (who would just never learn) asks James how much did he get for the test that everyone just got back. With Gabriel�s marks higher than James�...
Gabriel: Ha. You see, I study everyday until I can beat you. I don�t know why your mother gave birth to a person like you.
Without warning, James immediately stood up, grab Gabriel�s collar with his left hand, clench his right fist and bring it backwards until its level with his right ear; he�s all getting ready to punch Gabriel. The whole class had witness this; some of them even tried to calm James down to prevent James from getting into trouble. James eventually has cooled down and let go of Gabriel; giving him a warning not to insult again. Gabriel then recorded down this event. James saw this and instead of being angry towards Gabriel, he is now trying to convince Gabriel to erase the event that he just recorded down together with the other events.
Gabriel: No way! I�m not going to do it!
James: Please, tear away that paper. If you don�t tear it away and my father knows that I caused trouble in school, I going to be in deep shit.
Aran: Why? Your father is going to cane you?
James: Worse than that. You should know why.
Aran: Oh. Now I see. (Talking to Gabriel) Perumal, you better tear away that paper. If not, James will get so depressed and may end his life.
TQ: Why?
Aran: Do you remember that there was once you eavesdropped on me and James and you heard everything? That�s one of the reasons why he will get depressed.
TQ: Like that ah? (Talking to Gabriel) Perumal, you better tear away that paper, seriously.
Gabriel: Why? I don�t understand you guys.
James: I guess I have to tell the truth then. Okay. If you guys want to listen, don�t� tell anybody else, okay?
Gabriel: Okay lah.
James then told Aran, TQ, Gabriel, Jeremy and Benjamin about it. Gabriel then changes his mind and tears away the paper; with James promise not to insult and �attack� Gabriel anymore no matter in what circumstances.
The month of July and August has been very tough for Daniel�s family. Daniel�s former father, Wei Xiang, kept on knocking on their door everyday, just because Wei Xiang wanted Daniel back. They eventually agreed to go to the Subordinate Court Family Division to settle this situation. After a couple of days, the judges decided that Daniel�s mother should take care of Daniel and Wei Xiang must keep a distance away from Daniel and his family.
From that day onwards, Wei Xiang stops disturbing their family and was never to be seen again. On one Sunday afternoon, Ezekiel�s foster father was walking back home after a church session when someone caught his attention: a woman in a distance who looks like Ezekiel�s biological mother. But this time, that woman was staring back at him. The father then realise that she is Ezekiel�s biological mother. He was about to run towards her when a bus drove by, blocking the father�s view of the woman. The bus moved away and she was no longer in sight, leaving the father a little disappointed.
[edit] Chapter 5
On one night at James� house, his father hasn�t arrived home yet and everyone was sleeping soundly. James� father then came back home, feeling a little bit dizzy after drinking a lot at a pub in Clarke Quay. He stumbles while trying to climb up the stairs and enters Aurelia�s room. He then undresses himself, climbs onto Aurelia�s bed and starts to take of her clothes. Awoken by this, Aurelia then realises that her father is raping her and, unlike previous incident, she this time tried to escape and shouting for help. Unfortunately, she couldn�t escape.
Awoken by the shouting, James and his mother immediately jumped out of the bed and ran into Aurelia�s room. James couldn�t stand his father raping his sister anymore and he tried to protect his sister by push him off the bed and pin him down. He managed to push his father off the bed and he was about the pin his father down when his father suddenly sprang up and attacks James, causing a struggle between both of them. Due to some safety concerns, James drags his father out of the room and continues to struggle with each other. As it is safe now, the mother rush towards Aurelia and comforts her.
The struggle then turns deadly when his father throws James onto the floor and started to strangle James. James then tried to take the father�s hands away from the neck but couldn�t as his father was stronger than him. As the seconds goes by, James felt weaker and weaker. He began to struggle less. James is now on the verge of dying. He�s starting to lose all of his strength; his eyelids start to close; he can feel his heart beating less.
James� chances of survival seem to be deteriorating when James� mother picked up a wooden pole and starts to hit her husband. This ultimately forces the father to stop strangling James as he now tries to protect himself. The moment the father releases his hands of James� neck, he inhale deeply and started to breathe normally again. The mother continues to whack her husband while saying some words to him.
Mother: You beast. Why must you ruin our lives? Why must you kept on raping your daughter? Why must you kept on beating up your son? Why must you kept on child abusing your children? They are your children after all! We raise them together, we feed them together, and we waste our times just to spend some time with them. And yet, you treat your children like this? What type of father are you? Why are you behaving this way? Last time you�re very kind-hearted and a loving father, but now? (AT this point, the mother stop whacking up her husband) You�re just a bloody father who mistreated your children! Is it because you�re having a mistress that you�re behaving this way?
Father (filled with anger): Ya! I have a mistress! That�s why I�m behaving this way! So what are you going to do?!
The mother heard this and it sent shivers down her spine.
Mother: You have a mistress?
Father (shouting): Ya! So what? She is much better than you!
Mother: In what way?
Father (shouting): You don�t need to know! And I want a divorce!
Mother: You want a divorce? Okay. Then we shall divorce!
Father: Fine! We shall divorce!
The father then walks out of the house, leaving the mother feeling sad and heart broken. She then leans against the wall and started crying. She then kneels down and �hugs� her knee, �hid� her head between her arms and cried even more. Her children then walk towards her and try to comfort her. She then hugs her children tightly.
Aurelia: Ma, please stop crying.
James: Ya. We�ll feel sadder if you continue to cry.
Aurelia: Ya. If you cry, it means you�re crying for pa.
Mother: Okay. Mommy will stop crying ah.
She then held back her tears and wipes of the tears from her eyes. Her children then help her to stand up and bring her into the parent�s room. The mother then sat down on the bed. The children then follow suite.
Aurelia: Ma. Are you really going to divorce daddy?
James: Aurelia. Don�t say that.
Mother: Never mind. It�s okay. I�m really going to divorce your father.
Aurelia: Then who will be our new father?
James: Never mind, I�ll try to find you guys a new father, okay?
Aurelia: Okay.
The phone in the room then rings; James picked up the phone and answers the call.
James: Hello?
When the response came, the caller seems to be sobbing.
Caller: James, is that you.
James: Jeremy? Is that you? Are you alright?
Jeremy (sobbing): Ya. Is just that my parents are quarrelling, that�s why I�m upset.
James: You�re parents are quarrelling? They�re quarrelling about what?
Jeremy (still sobbing): I�m not sure, but I think is about that my mother having an affair with someone. And my mother wants a divorce too.
James: Wants a divorce? What a coincident.
Jeremy (sobbing less): What you mean?
James: My father wants a divorce also. He also has a mistress.
Jeremy (stopped sobbing): Oh my goodness.
James: Wait a minute. There�s something fishy about this. Jeremy, can you tell me your mother�s name?
Jeremy: Her name is Shanice. Why?
James: Looks like I�ve guess it right.
Jeremy: Huh? What do you mean?
James: There was one time my mother suspect that my father got a mistress so she ask me to check my father�s handphone to check if there is any names we never heard before. And Shanice was found on his handphone. None of us have heard it before.
Jeremy: Shanice? Are you sure that person is my mother? There are more that one Shanice in the world leh.
James: Then tell me, why...
Jeremy: Sorry. I have to go now. Somebody is trying to enter my room.
And Jeremy hangs up. A few weeks later, since both James� and Jeremy�s parents file for a divorce, they went to court to settle who should take care of the children. The judges decided that the children should go with the mother. This means that Jeremy now have to suffer from the child abuses after James� father and Shanice married each other after the divorce. However, Jeremy�s mother doesn�t care about Jeremy, leaving Jeremy being child abuse almost everyday.
A few days later in school during a lesson, Keith was sitting beside Aran and since have the feeling that both Yacob and Makoto is going to do something evil to him, Keith decided to find a person that he can use to spy on them. Vimmal actually agreed on this but Keith though that one person isn�t enough; he needs to find someone that is a friend to both Yacob and Makoto. Since Aran is a friend to both of them, he decided to tell him a fake secret to see if he can trust him.
Keith: Hey Aran.
Aran: Ya.
Keith: Can I trust you to keep this secret about me?
Aran: Well, of course. What is it?
Keith: It is about my family background.
Keith then told Aran a white lie about his family background and Aran actually believed it.
Keith (thinking in his mind): Oh my goodness. I don�t believe that Aran actually believe what I�ve just said. This is so easy.
On the following morning in school, Yacob and Makoto decided to form a group, called the Anti-Keith Gang (AKG), as both of them are anti-Keith since both of them hate Keith the most. Both of them spread the news about this gang and Gan Chai, Jason, Jeremy, Nathanael, Kenny, TQ and Reuben decided to join this group. Their aim now is to make more people to hate Keith and join the gang. Aran, Ezekiel, Ryan and James later arrived at school and Yacob immediately asked them whether like, neutral or hate Keith. All of them, except Ezekiel, gave a neutral answer and didn�t join the gang, saying that although they knew about Keith�s behaviour, they don�t find anything wrong with him. Aran, however, couldn�t find anything wrong with his behaviour. Ezekiel, although he is anti-Keith, he didn�t want to join the gang. The gang member decided not to try to convince Keith�s friend, especially Luke and Vimmal, as they knew that Keith got only three friends left.
However, Keith and Vimmal somehow over heard the conversation and decided to find out more about it. Later that day, the whole class was dismissed late for recess. Aran, Keith and Luke decided to skip recess and help out to tidy up the classroom. Aran and Keith then went to the next classroom for their next lesson. They waited outside the classroom for the recess to end. Keith used this advantage to try to find out more about the gang.
Keith: Hey Aran.
Aran: Ya.
Keith: This morning, I heard somebody from the group that you sat with this morning about me. What are they talking about?
Aran: Well. Yacob and Makoto ask everybody in the group whether we are either anti, neutral or pro Keith. Nobody answered pro-Keith but most of them said anti. I said neutral.
Keith: Why are they doing this?
Aran: I don�t know. I ask them why but they never answer.
Keith: Who were the ones that said anti?
Aran: Yacob and Makoto, of course. Erm... I think Ezekiel, Jason, Jeremy, Kenny, Reuben, TQ, Nathanael and Gan Chai also. James and Ryan said neutral.
Keith: I also heard something about forming a gang. What is it?
Aran: That one ah. Sorry to say this but those who are anti-Keith, except Ezekiel, formed a gang called the Anti-Keith Gang. They said that their aim is to spread the news about you behaviour and trying to convince more people to join their gang.
Keith: Did they say anything bad about me?
Aran: They said a lot of things but I only can remember a few.
Keith: Just tell me.
Aran: Well, from what I hear, they said that you...
Keith: Never mind. Tell me later. Our classmates are coming now.
Both of them then quickly change the topic.
[edit] Chapter 6
A few days later during Science lesson, everyone was sitting quietly in the laboratory and is paying attention to the lesson. Like other classes, however, there were some students who secretly communicating to each other or even dared to use their handphones. Dexter, since he was always caught talking to Darren, his classmate and friend, the teacher made to sit at the back of the laboratory a few lessons ago.
Like all of the other students who were punished in her class, the students who were punished may choose to listen to the teacher or choose to do whatever he wants to do, as long as he doesn�t break the school rules. Usually on every lesson, Dexter would usually dose off after he greets the teacher. But on this lesson, he looks through the contents in his bag. He then took out a pink Zippo lighter from his bag and starts to look at it. Unfortunately for him, the teacher caught him holding the lighter.
Teacher: Dexter bring that thing you�re holding here.
Dexter then gangster walks to the teacher�s table and put the item on the table.
Teacher: Why you bring the lighter to school?
Dexter: I cannot is it?
Teacher: Okay lor. You answer or don�t answer; I�ll still write down that you brought a lighter to school on the CMR (Classroom Monitoring Record).
Dexter started to panic a little as he knew that he will be sent for detention for this offence he made.
Dexter (shouting): Oi. Just one small matter you have to write down ah?
Teacher: Ay. How dare you shout back to your teacher?
Dexter (shouting): I cannot is it?
Teacher: Never mind. I�ll just write it down on the CMR.
Dexter (shouting): Write then write ah! You think I care ah?
Dexter then gangsterly walks back to his seat.
Teacher: Dexter. After school, you better look for me in the staff room ah. If not, you�ll be in big trouble.
The teacher then continues the lesson. After school, Dexter, eventually, meet the teacher in the staff room. Instead of acting in a gangsterly manner, the teacher saw him looking like he is guilty; Dexter knew the consequences for shouting at the teacher. The teacher, however, have no choice but to send him to the principal�s office. In the principal�s office, after receiving the news from the principal that he is expelled from school, Dexter immediately dash towards the door and tried to run out of the principal�s office; he is on the verge of crying. The teacher, however, grab him tightly so that he couldn�t run away.
Dexter: Let me go! Let me go!
Tears then started to roll down his cheeks. He later stop struggling to free himself and started to cry. The teacher and the principal then tries to comfort him. The principal also wish that he could give him another chance to remain in school but couldn�t as there were so many offences he had made. The news of Dexter�s expulsion was then quickly spread around the schools and everyone knows about it.
A few weeks later, James� mother, Aurelia, James and Jeremy�s father decided to get Jeremy�s mother and James� father to jail as they wanted to stop them from child abusing Jeremy. They gang up and try to find a plan for this. A few days later, Aran, Makoto and Kenny went to Reuben�s house to revise for the upcoming end-of-year examinations. All four of them decided to focus on mathematics first as most of them don�t understand some parts of the syllabus. They went to the void deck and start to revise. About two hours have gone by and they decided to take a break. They then start to talk about their classmates.
Makoto: Hey guys, you believe Keith got girlfriend?
Kenny: What the? I don�t even think he got girlfriend at all.
Reuben: Ya. His girlfriend is a Caucasian some more.
Kenny: Oh my goodness. When he showed me his picture of his girlfriend, I almost feel like puking.
Reuben: Ya. She looks more like the actor of Hannah Montana.
Makoto: Oh my goodness. She looks so ugly. I don�t even like her singing and acting at all.
Aran: Who is Hannah Montana?
Kenny: A character in a Disney�s show called Hannah Montana.
Reuben: Hey Aran, did Keith show you a picture of his girlfriend?
Aran: Ya.
Reuben: You believe that she is his girlfriend?
Aran: When he first showed me a picture of his girlfriend, I don�t even believe that he has one. Some more, he said that both of them met each other is because that there was once where he went shopping and both of them bumped into each other. They both like a particular item and that how they love each other.
Makoto: What a lame answer. He told me that he and his girlfriend like a same movie so they like each.
Reuben: I guess it right. He will always tell us a different reason every time, but it is always the �we both like the same thing� type of reason.
Kenny: Ya. He told me that both of them like the same subject. What the heck? Lame right?
Makoto: Ya lah. Hey Aran, join the Anti-Keith Gang lah.
Reuben: Come on lah. Why don�t you want to join the gang?
Aran: I don�t understand. What is so bad about Keith that you guys want to form this gang?
Kenny: Don�t you know? Keith always back-stabs every one of us; the only people that he wills never back-stabs are his best friends except Luke and Vimmal. Even though Jonathan (Jonathan is a Caucasian) is also his friend, he still back-stabs him.
Aran: You said that he back-stabs every one of us. What did he say about me?
Reuben: Something about you are a gangster�s son and about how �your father� became violent.
Aran: That son of a...
Makoto: Mind your language.
Kenny: Hey, not only he back-stabs everyone, he also suck up to female teacher.
Reuben: Ya lah. He�s something like Perumal.
Aran: Suck up to female teacher? But I don�t think so.
Makoto: Okay. A few days ago during Geography lesson, Perumal was asking Cassie Chong (the Geography teacher) some stupid questions. Keith then told Cassie not to listen to Perumal.
Reuben: And on other occasions, he will on most of the time talk to the female teachers.
Aran: Now I get the picture.
Reuben: But that�s not all. Do you know why Keith always makes around with Jonathan?
Aran: Why?
Makoto: It is because he wants to be a Caucasian.
Aran: You sure or not?
Kenny: Ya. There was once me told me about this...
Kenny Reuben and Makoto continue to tell Aran about the truth of Keith. Eventually, although Aran in the end didn�t join the gang, he is now anti-Keith. The September school holiday came and everyone is having fun. However, that is not the case for Aran.
On one night, Aran was watching the television while his parents are in their room discussing about whether both of them agrees to adopt a daughter of the father�s late-brother. A few days ago, the father�s elder brother suffered from lung cancer due to smoking and passed away, leaving his wife, two sons aged 16 and 17, and a two years old daughter. Knowing that the daughter needs a father during her childhood, Aran�s father wanted to adopt the daughter.
His wife, however, doesn�t want to adopt her as she said that although she wishes to adopt her, she can�t afford to feed another person in her family. Aran was just watching the television in peace when he heard a quarrel from the parent�s room. Like some time ago, Aran�s parents will always seldom quarrel and Aran always has no choice but to listen to them quarrel. He always can handle the quarrels, but this time is different.
[edit] Chapter 7
Aran could not handle it any longer so he immediately ran out of the house, slamming the door during the process. His parents heard the door slamming and quickly rush out to the living room and saw that Aran is no longer in the living room. Both of them then frantically search the whole house for him, but he wasn�t at home. They quickly rush down to the bottom of the HDB apartment to search for Aran; they fortunately saw him kneeling down in the playground, hugging his knees and hid his head; he seems to be crying. His parents quickly rush over to him.
Mother: Aran, why did you run away from home?
Aran didn�t response; he just kept on crying.
Father: Aran, what�s wrong?
Aran then tried to hold back his tears and lift up his head and look at his parents.
Aran (sobbing): What�s wrong? What�s wrong? Do you know how I feel when you two quarrelled, huh? I always have to listen to you two quarrel at least more than once each year. Do you know that I always feel hurt that you guys always quarrel?
His parents then look at each other for a while then look back at Aran.
Aran (sobbing): I don�t know why both of you must always quarrel. Why can�t you guys just spare a though for me? When you guys quarrel, do you know that you guys have always given me a lot of stress?
Father: Aran, we�re sorry that we have given you a lot of stress when we quarrel.
Mother: Ya. We�ll promise not to quarrel again.
Aran (not sobbing anymore): You promise?
Father: Ya. We�ll keep our promise. If we quarrel again, we�ll try to think about your feelings when we quarrel.
Mother: And then stop quarrelling.
Aran: Fine. You guys better keep your promise.
Father: Okay. Now, come on, let�s go home.
And they went back home.
The class of 2B2 was having their lesson when the principal enters the classroom; everyone then greet him.
Principal: May I know who is Ezekiel?
Ezekiel: Ya. I am.
Principal: Follow me to my office.
Feeling anxious, Ezekiel then follows the principal to the office. The principal was about to open the door when...
Principal: Ezekiel, these people really wishes to meet you. They are someone dearest to you.
The principal opens the door and two people in the office turned around and stare at Ezekiel. Ezekiel saw their faces and couldn�t believe what he has seen: these two people are his biological parents.
Ezekiel (feeling with joy): Mum! Dad!
Mother: Ezekiel!
Ezekiel then runs towards them and they hug each other tightly.
Ezekiel: Mum; Dad. I though I would never see you guys again. I miss you all.
Father: We miss you too, son. We miss you two.
After a while, they stop hugging each other.
Principal: Ezekiel, for today only, you may choose to excuse yourselves from school so that all three of you can spend your time together.
Ezekiel: Mum, Dad, can I excuse myself from school just for today? I want to spend more time with you guys.
Mother: That what we wish to do also, but since your examinations are just around the corner, go back and study ah.
Ezekiel: But mum...
Father: Son, we both also really wish that we ca spend some time with you, but since you still have school, maybe we could spend some time together after school. How about that?
Mother: Ya. Just study hard and do us proud. Go back to and study, can?
Ezekiel: Well, okay then. After school then I�ll meet you, okay?
Father: Sure. We�ll be waiting for you in school.
Ezekiel: Okay dad.
Ezekiel then went back to the classroom and the moment he is back, everybody started to question him about what has happen. Ezekiel then told everyone the good news. Hour later, the school has ended and Ezekiel met not only his biological parents, but also his foster father. They then spend time together and when they got back home, they chatted for hours about how Ezekiel and his biological parents are doing, how the foster father is taking a very good job in raising Ezekiel, why his parents abandoned him and many other topics. They sure have a good time together.
However, their happiness did not last that long. October arrived and the end-of-year examinations came and pass. After the examinations have ended, the class of 2B2 were having fun in the classroom when two policemen entered the classroom. The noise then died down.
One of the policemen: May I know who is Ezekiel?
Ezekiel: Ya. I am.
The other policemen: Would you please follow us to the hospital?
Ezekiel: Why?
One of the policemen: Your father had an accident.
Ezekiel (shocked): What?!
One of the policemen: Your father had an accident and he has not much time left, so that�s why we need you to follow us.
Ezekiel then follows the policemen to their police car. With the sirens on, they race through the traffic to drive as fast as they can to the hospital where Ezekiel�s father is being hospitalized. They even beat one of the traffic lights along the way. They arrived at the hospital and the policemen direct Ezekiel to the emergency room his father is in. Once he reached to the emergency room, he saw his mother, who is crying, and his foster father.
Ezekiel: Ma. What happened to pa?
Foster father (feeling sad): Your father was crossing the road when a speeding car knocked him down. The driver then stopped his car and quickly called for an ambulance. He is now sitting over there, feeling guilty. Ezekiel was about to run towards the driver when the doctor walk out of the emergency room. Everybody then rushed over to the doctor.
Mother: Doctor! How is my husband?
Ezekiel: Ya. How is my father?
Doctor: He lost too much blood, so... we couldn�t save him. I�m sorry for the loss of your dearest.
The doctor then walks away. The mother then feels so miserable and cried even more. Her body then feel weak and she nearly collapses onto the floor. Luckily, Ezekiel and his foster father managed to catch her quickly and let her seat on the benches provided. Everyone was feeling miserable, including the driver. A funeral was held for Ezekiel�s father and the driver was sentenced to two years suspension from driving after being released from prison and originally one year imprisonment since this is his first time that he knocked down a pedestrian while speeding.
However, since the driver stopped his car and helped the person whom he knocked down, his imprisonment sentence was reduced by half a year, making the driver a little happy. With a promise from Ezekiel�s father to Ezekiel�s foster father, both Ezekiel�s mother and his foster father got married and take care of Ezekiel. They eventually adopted a nine years old daughter. A few days later, the police arrested Wei Xiang as two policemen caught him splashing kerosene on Daniel�s home�s main door. Wei Xiang was then fined S$ 350 000 and sentenced to five years imprisonment for attempting to destroy a house by fire, or for short, attempted arson.
A few nights later, Dexter and his younger sister, Elvira, were sleeping on the sofa, waiting for their elder sister to come back home. The door bell then rang and had awoken Dexter and Elvira. Dexter went to open the door and saw Lorraine, his elder sister, crying. Dexter helped her to seat on the sofa and asked her what has happened. She then told Dexter that she was raped by a group of boys at their HDB apartment void deck. Feeling with rage, Dexter asked her who raped her and she replied that it was the whole group of Dexter�s gang�s enemy. He left the house and immediately called his gang to come and bash up their enemies. Dexter and his gang met each other and saw their enemies.
Dexter then starts to confront them and after a couple of exchange of words, both of the gang starts to attack each other. Some of the residents living there called the police and the police arrived shortly, forcing both of the gang to split up and run away. Unfortunately for Dexter, he was caught by the police and was sentenced to a year in the boys� home, leaving Elvira and Lorraine to fend for themselves. Those in Dexter�s gang who managed to escape from the police agreed to protect his sisters if they got to any trouble. Also, some of Dexter�s neighbours agreed to take care of his sisters, giving the sisters hope to continue to live life normally and study hard.
Another good thing had happened to another family: James� father and Jeremy�s mother was arrested for child abusing Jeremy. Their (James, Aurelia, James� mother and Jeremy�s father) efforts have well paid off after they manage to find evidence that Jeremy�s mother and James� father was child abusing Jeremy. Jeremy was glad that they have won the case and he went back to his father. Both of them then decided to stay with James and his family to offer some protection for all of them. On one morning during assembly in school, Aran arrived in school and sat together with Keith as the rest of his friends aren�t there yet.
Keith: So, did you find out why people are saying bad things about me?
Aran: Well, there were quite a lot of reason but I could remember most of them. Here�s what I could remember. Firstly, they told me that you back-stab everyone from our class except Vimmal and Luke.
Keith: Back-stab? Me? I didn�t do such a thing!
Aran: You sure?
Keith: Ya.
Aran: Well, I�ll just continue anyway. The other reason is that some people says that you make friends with Jonathan is because that you want to make with white people. Some of them even said that you told them that you wish that you could become white.
Keith: Oh, that one. I said that when I was young. I didn�t know what I was saying at that time. Maybe is because that, you know, since most of the dramas and shows you seen on TV are mostly acted by white people mah.
Aran: Okay then. Another reason is that...
Keith: Jason�s coming.
They then quickly change the topic and Jason joins them since only the three of them are around from their class. Later that day, Aran was asked by Makoto what he has found out from Keith and Aran just told him what Keith said. With only a week of school left, everybody can�t wait for the school to end. Aran, Kenny, Makoto and Yacob were taking a taxi together with Reuben to his house to play games and just to have fun. While in the taxi, Reuben told his friends that his parents promise him that they will buy for him an Xbox 360 this November. He also told them that, however, that his parents could not keep their promise, just like a couple of incident that happened to him.
November came and passes and Reuben still didn�t get his Xbox 360. Reuben then stared to scold at his parents for not keeping their problem. He soon realised that his parents are actually in some sort of financial difficulties. Reuben later apologized to his parent for scold them and a few weeks later, Reuben got his Xbox 360 on Christmas Day and was grateful to his parents. The New Year came and the students started to went back to school after it has reopen. The students of 2B2 in 2007 were split into different classes and they made new friends.
Their story continues in the year 2008 and 2009, and they then pursue want the want to be after completing their secondary education. In October 2008, Dexter was released from the boys� home and wanted to go back and study at his school; he promised to turn over a new leaf during his stay at the boys� home. The principal of the school, however, didn�t allow him to come back to his school. Instead, the principal agrees to help Dexter find another school. He eventually manages to get into another school and continued his education from then onwards.
[edit] Chapter 8: Life of the main characters after their secondary school life
Reuben
In December 2010, Reuben and his family were flying back to Singapore after going on a mission trip to a village in Southern China. Reuben was talking to his parents about the mission trip when all of the sudden, gunshots were heard in the cockpit. Seconds later, everybody on the plane felt that the plane seems to have change in speed. Some of the passengers looked out of the window and released that the plane is nose diving towards the ground.
Knowing that they all are going to crash, they brace themselves for the impact. As the plane is gaining speed as it approaches towards the ground, they were just seconds away from disaster. The plane inch closer and closer and CRASH! The plane had crashed into a building in a town located in Southern China, killing everybody onboard the plane and in the building; Reuben and his family did not survive the crash. It was later revealed that the pilot attempted suicide by nose diving towards the ground.
James and Jeremy
Also in December 2010, James� father somehow managed to escape from prison. He then stole a knife from a nearby stall near James� house and climbed over the fence of James� house. He managed to break into the house and started to kill everyone he saw: James, Jeremy, Aurelia, their parents, everybody; no one was spared. After killing everybody, he eventually stabs himself in the heart and he ultimately died.
Benjamin
A few months later, Benjamin�s father eventually loss everything in stocks and almost faced bankruptcy. Fortunately, he manages to earn some money back by selling the bungalow and stay in their 3-rooms HDB apartment he have in Jurong West. He sold all of his vehicles that he owns except his van and sold a property he own in Orchard. Benjamin even sold his dogs away. Benjamin�s parents then tried to find a job to gain back what they had lost. They suffered this hardship they are going through for more that ten years and they managed to gain back what they have lost. With the hardship they have gone through, they promised to spend their money wisely to prevent any huge money lose again. They eventually upgraded into a 5-room HDB apartment ands enjoy life to the fullest from then onwards. Benjamin eventually got married and bought two 5-rooms HDB apartments from different part of Singapore just to play save. Benjamin also got a job.
Gabriel
While Gabriel was serving National Service in 2011, he still continues to insult his fellow recruits. This made everyone hates him. Almost every night, Gabriel will also be the victim of a blanket party. Throughout the whole two years of National Service, Gabriel will always have to suffer from this and no one was caught doing this. However, he still continues to insult other people, even when his National Service has ended. This then cause him his life. While walking back home one night, Gabriel entered the lift and the lift door was about to close when a masked man quickly prevent the lift door from closing and stabbed Gabriel a couple of times at the heart. The masked man quickly ran away with the knife and left Gabriel bleeding to death.
The lift door eventually closed and the lift went to the floor Gabriel wanted to go. Throughout the whole night, no one took the lift and blood is gushing out of his body. The morning came and a couple of residents saw the dead body of Gabriel surrounded by a big pool of blood that covered the whole lift floor with some blood dripping down the lift. One of the residents who have saw Gabriel�s dead body called the ambulance and Gabriel was sent to the hospital. However, Gabriel was already dead hours ago. The murderer was still at large and his spirit haunts the lift forever, waiting for the murderer to appear to get his revenge.
Ezekiel
In 2020, Ezekiel and his wife (Ezekiel was 27 by then) went to a honeymoon in Miami, Florida. While on the way to Miami, they had to make a flight transfer at London Heathrow Airport in the UK as the plane they are currently on, Singapore Airlines flight SQ308, doesn�t fly directly to Miami. Instead, they have to transfer to American Airlines flight AA113 to fly directly to Miami. During the flight, the plane has to fly through the infamous Bermuda Triangle.
A few minutes after the flight entered the Bermuda Triangle region, Miami International Airport, the airport where the plane is going to land at, had loss contact with the plane. An immediate search party was then conducted by the US navy, but there was no sign of the plane or any wreckage found. An US navy boat was then never to return back to the naval base, filing a missing case of both the plane and the US navy boat that never appeared again.
Keith
During the same year, Keith flew to the US and married a Caucasian woman. However, she had fled away with all of Keith�s money and belongings and was ordered by the Singapore government to return back to Singapore to face bankruptcy charges. With the help of the US government, an immediate warrant arrest was made to Keith and he was to be arrested if Keith appeared at any checkpoint in the US and must fly back to Singapore. Keith, living in exile in the US, made himself missing so that he would not face the bankruptcy charges against him.
Aran, Daniel and TQ
Aran, Daniel and TQ got married to their girlfriends and lived in peace in Singapore. All three of them got a job each; Aran got his dream job as a city-planner in the Urban Redevelopment Authority, a government company in Singapore. He was then select to go some other countries in the whole to help to plan certain towns and cities of the other countries. He eventually got rich and bought a five-room HDB unit in Bishan. He led a good life together with his family for so many years.
However, while he was flying on Singapore Airlines flight SQ026 to New York City via a stopover at Frankfurt Airport in Germany, the plane he was on exploded into a huge fireball immediately after the plane has parked at Terminal 4 of the JFK Airport in New York City. The plane engulfed the whole plane and ultimately killing everyone onboard, including Aran, and wounded more people at the terminal. Investigations later concluded that a small fire somehow was ignited and make contact with the bomb filled with deadly mix of chemical which eventually exploded into a huge fireball. It was still unclear how the bomb managed to get inside the plane�s luggage compartment.
Dexter
Dexter has finished his education and after he has finished serving his National Service, he, together with some of the other ex-gangsters, formed an organisation to help current gangsters to turn over a new leaf and stop their habit of the gangster. His organisation eventually became successful and this changes the lives of the gangsters from every age, from the youngest member of eight to the oldest member of 42, and ultimately gaining more popularity. This caused the number of gangsters in Singapore to dramatically decrease. His organisations eventually became well-known worldwide and gangsters from other countries join the organisation as they wanted to change their lives.
