Mandatory study time at 19:30…

It was my habit to be there thirty minutes earlier. Lambo was my best mate in those days. So, after I gobbled down garlic rice with beef stew and salad, I found him outside our classroom. Standing in yellow street lights. Lambo was the only guy I knew was well aware of me being too shy to express my feelings for Suzie. But little did I know what is coming does not beat a drum. I was going into his trap.

Lambo joked in his yellow Nike pants. “Hey my G! Last time I saw you like a decade ago.”

“Ha-ha! You never run out of sarcasm G.”

He rested his hand on my shoulder and pointed with his finger at our transparent large classroom window.

“Look who scraped a red dress for study time.”

I got wowed. “Yo, you gotta be kidding me, is that Suzie?”

Immediately, Lambo called her out, “Suzie! Suzie! You’re wanted here!”

I freaked out. “Aaah! Dude seriously, what are you doing?”

“Calm down, I’m doing you a favour.”

“Come on dude, I told you I’m not ready for it. Why are you trying to uncover my feelings for her?”

“Relax G, I’ll only be chatting with her about my own stuff, cool?”

“Phew, alright G.”

Suzie stepped out of the classroom. I got very nervous. I knew Lambo trapped me to win her that moment but I couldn’t blame him. He was my best pal. He wanted the best for me.

“Oh no, Suzie saw me kissing Pryannah in class in the afternoon. This is very awkward,” I fretted in my mind.

“Hey, you look so majestic tonight,” Lambo praised Suzie, stretching out his hands to hug her.

“Thank you candy,” she said, wrapped in Lambo’s chest.

“My hug gives you energy remember?”

“Hm.. k.. Mr. hugger.”

“Aw, are you trying to be rude to me in front of my friend?”

“Hm, not really,” she said softly, smiling at him.

“You can’t even say hi to him,” Lambo rattled her, creating a situation for me.

“I was about to, you talk a lot… What’s his name?” she asked Lambo, avoiding eyegaze with me.

Lambo unhugged her. “He speaks and his voice never disappoints,” he said, patting me on my back.

I felt weird about myself and started talking. “Uh, I’m Nick Hara,” I said to her, clearing my throat.

“Okay, what class are you?”

“Geez! Nick is our classmate,” Lambo interrupted.

“Oh, sorry. Every teacher puts me in the front row, so I don’t know some new faces in our class.”

“It’s okay. Don’t feel bad about yourself,” I said, my eyes locked on her glowing face.

I felt kind of strange that she didn’t recognize me as her classmate but I got that. I was shy and quite in class to be fair. All of a sudden, Lambo shouted at Tazi walking in form 4 corridors. “Hey Tazi! The blue painted house deal G!?”

“We don’t talk like that in public, come over here goon!” Tazi shouted back.

“Hung on guys, I’ll be right back,” Lambo said to us, jogging to meet Tazi.

I went anxious. I knew the tactic Lambo did. He left me with Suzie deliberately so that I could express all my feelings for her. Silence ensued. All I could smell from her was Tommy girl fragrance. Stars twinkled in the sky. She twinkled between me and evergreen junipers.

“Oh my goodness, she’s too pretty. Look at her generous busts and hips, gleaming eyes and those hearty lips… Also how perfect are those neat eyebrows, is she a doll?” I wonderstruck myself in my mind.

Pressure was mounting on me. I was in total dilemma whether to protect my mum’s promise or break it that time. Also, I had no idea what was Suzie’s take on those weird kisses I exchanged with Pryannah in class.

“Robot, this is your chance, please say something,” I ridiculed myself in my mind. It was 0×G endgame.

Fortunately, she broke the spooky silence. “Nice to know you, I’ve to go back inside,” she said.

“Nice to know you too,” I said, grabbing her arm. “Wait, are you related to Lambo?”

“He’s my couzy,” she replied, flabbergasted by me holding her arm.

I couldn’t believe my eyes that I was indeed holding her fine arm. My desperation transpired out of nowhere. “Oh, okay nice… but Su, your looks have been tormenting me. Will you be my sweet girl?” I proposed her.

“Uhm… Let’s just be friends,” she said, looking uncomfortable. “Will you let my arm go?”

Before I could digest let’s just be friends, Pryannah walked by with Tina going for study time. She stopped singing ‘Post to be’ hook by Omarion and looked at us with heed as Tina continued to class.