YAYYY!!!

Most of the FYE results have been returned and I'm quite satisfied with my marks, although some are still not that good ._.
I'll blog my final results another time, after I receive my Report Book (say, after school ends).

What I'm most excited about is for my English Composition, when I received a 25/30 marks for it! :D
This is my FIRST time scoring that high for English Compo, my last recorded high score was 23/30 for Sec 3 Term 2 SA1.

I did on the topic "Fear" and written a narrative story.
Leon said it's very very nice so I'm very very happy that people like my story! :)


Background info:
This story was inspired by watching America's Next Top Model Cycle 12, by model contestant Tahlia.
She was a burns victim but escaped alive. However, she had burn scars on her body ever since the accident.
Burn scars are not a pretty sight, or that's what conventional thinking shows, with people teasing or bullying others who have burn scars.
Victims with burn scars have to hide their scars forever, in fear or shame that they might be mocked by others.

Tahlia, on the other hand, showed bravery.
Although she had burn scars on her body, she dared to take on the challenge to be a model (therefore showing bare skin) and inadvertently, showing her burn scars.
I was inspired to write a story based on burn scars, so I shall share my story I wrote for my SA2.

NOTE: I have changed the grammatical mistakes so that the story... flows much smoothly. But I have not changed the "weird expressions" because... that's how I express it! HAH!
Phrases that are underlined means that the expression used there was "strange", as perceived by the marker.
Words that are coloured in green means that I think it's quite a good word (:

I walked down the unfamiliar corridors of the new college. I crossed my arms across my chest, feeling cold even when it was the hot season. I saw laughter on the students' faces, as they chatted, bantered and played with each other. Rivulets of sweat trickled down my forehead as I entered the classroom. Everyone was talking noisily amongst one another and did not notice a poor, pitiful boy entering the classroom. I chose a seat at the back of the classroom and sat down.

Feeling the familiar solitude I have learnt to endure, I sat quietly and looked around at the fresh new faces. At the corner of the class sat a group of girls who were laughing loudly and teasing each other with snide remarks. New college, new life and cute boys. Alright, common bantering. They seemed like sort of a sorority - forbidding, scary, yet amusing. At the other side of the class sat a group of boys who wer talking about soccer and their usual games and fantasies. I averted my gaze and looked down at my MP3 as I started to look for the songs I wanted to hear.

Just as I was plugging in an earpiece, a tall boy jumped from the side of my peripherals to right in front of me. "Hi, I am Darius. First day of college is crucial for making friends. It is imperative to fraternise," he said as he stuck his right hand out. I felt weird. There was a strange feeling of animosity between me and him, yet I wanted to know him. I shook his hand and said, "I'm Gareth. Nice to meet you."

From then on, I had been only talking to Darius and had not made any effort to know the other students. I was known as an anti-social guy who only stuck to himself. During recess, I hid at a corner in class and never looked at anyone. People ignored me the way I ignored them. This ignorance felt very comfortable and I was glad that no one, except for Darius, ever noticed me.

One day, we had our first session of Physical Education. Everyone had to change out of their uniforms into a more comfortable attire. I headed into the boys' toilet and saw them changing. Their bodies were like sculptures of art, each body immaculately built and flawlessly clean. I felt embarrassed, or rather more, a sense of fear. I had something to hide and I did not want the others to know. Should I change with them? Or should I hide myself in a cubicle and lock myself away from them? My heart palpitated, as I deliberated between the two choices. I was scared. Scared others might know. I did not want others to think I am scared and timid, not daring to change in front of them. However, I had something to hide. I cannot let the others know, for I will be mocked at and this humiliation will continue in perpetuity. I had a choice. Quickly, I flung myself into an empty cubicle and hoped no one saw me. The door slammed loudly and instantly, I felt fearful that the others might laugh at me. However, the laughter never came. I was scaring myself. I changed into my PE attire.

Later at recess, I mustered what little courage I had inside me and headed towards the canteen to eat as I was famished. As I entered the packed canteen, I felt heads from all directions swerving and staring at me. I felt scared. Scared that these students knew of my secret. Scared that they might suspect me of something strange. Scared that they were plotting something behind my back. My stomach was so full of fear that I turned around and ran back to class. Clearly, aloofness brings you attention.

The last period of the day was Swimming. It was compulsory for all new freshmen. I saw the boys changing into their swimming trunks. I looked away as I slipped into a cubicle and changed.

At the swimming pool, everyone was staring at me. I was the only boy wearing a one-piece swimsuit. Some scoffed at me while the others just ignored me. I felt relieved.

However, the coach came and as everyone greeted him, he shouted my name. I took a step out as he scrutinized me. I felt nervous with everyone looking at me now. The coach then shouted, "You're a boy! The boys are supposed to wear swimming trunks as their attire! Go and change!"

I stared at him as my heart started beating quickly. "No, I cannot," I replied timidly.

"Change now, or I will strip your swimsuit until it looks like a trunk!" the coach ordered.

"No!" I shouted, yet fear struck in my tone.

Furious I refused to obey his commands, the coach stomped towards me and tried to pry my swimsuit out of my body. A sense of trepidation filled me. No, I could not let him do this to me. I would be humiliated. I would be mocked. I would be ostracised.

Tearfully, I lashed out at him, defending myself from his violent approach. Darius ran towards us and tried to stop the fight but was pushed away by the muscular coach. The others stared in bewilderment.

I fought tooth and claw with the coach. No way was I going to reveal my secret! However, just as the coach clung onto my swimsuit, I pushed him away with such force and the top part of my swimsuit tore.

There I stood. I felt naked as my body was exposed to everybody. The lines of wear and tear were etched across my chest. I knew it. I had shown my burn scars. Fear was replaced with embarrassment. Without thinking, I ran towards the locker room and changed, then ran out of school.

The next day, I looked down as I walked into class. I was embarrassed. I thought that no one would find out about my burn scars. From young, I was burned yet I escaped and survived the fire. I hid my burn scars wherever I went, wearing baggy and opaque shirts. I was always afraid. Fearful that others would know of my condition. I feared being mocked at and humiliated. I feared others would ostracise me and abandon me. Ridicule me. I feared I would be hated and laughed at. I was fearful of being the butt of jokes. Everyday, constantly, I lived in fear.

As I plopped down at my seat, I saw my classmates all approaching me at the same time. I knew my time had come.

However, instead of hearing laughter and mockery, I heard consolations. I was surprised. I did not know what to feel, actually. Darius looked at me in the eyes and said, "No matter who you are or what history you have, you must know that we'll accept you for who you are and not what you are."

Tears streamed down my cheeks. I never felt so touched before, it was a new feeling and sensation that was foreign to me. Suddenly, the once alienated me felt so open and willing to actually interact with others. I was glad that these people accepted me. I felt happy.

I realised that sometimes, you have to let others know about yourself, for that is when they can truly accept you for who you actutally are. I feel that fear is just an illusion that makes us hide the truth. This intangible feeling delusionalise us to thinking what might not be.

Now, with my secret out, I do not fear much at all. I feel confident and much stronger than before.

I have conquered my fear.



Words In Green:
bantered: I learnt this word in one of the books from Private: The Novel

rivulets of sweat: I learnt this phrase from the book where they exposed Ariana Osgood of
delivering the killing blow to Thomson (or w/e his name was) in the Private: The Novel

solitude: I learnt this word in a Choir song we sang in P6

sorority: I learnt this word in one of the book from Private: The Novel

peripherals: I learnt this word from a Physics Worksheet in Sec 2 -__________-

imperative: I learnt this word from the movie WildChild

fraternise: I learnt this word from the movie WildChild

animosity: it just popped into my head during the examinations -_-

anti-social: I wouldn't have learnt this word if Yi Herng didn't mention it in Sec 2

immaculately: actually, I already know this word. But I've been "reminded" of this word when I saw it in Dion's MSN Personal Message!

palpitated: I learnt it from Chiu Yang's essay in Sec 2! Although I was confused with this word and palpable in the beginning :P

deliberated: I learnt this word from Ashley Tisdale's song, "He Said She Said"

perpetuity: I learnt this word from ANTM Cycle 4, when the models had to sign a fake contract which would have legally bonded them to it if without the last clause (:

trepidation: I learnt this word from one of the books from Private: The Novel

ostracised: I learnt this word from 987FM in 2008 when The Muttons were making a joke about it and 'ostrich-sized'... or was it Dan & Young?!?!

alienated: we learnt this word in one of the vocab tests in Sec 3? But I was reminded of this word again when Naima Moore in ANTM Cycle 4 asked Michelle if she felt alienated

intangible: I learnt this word from The Learning Lab!

delusionalise: I learnt this word from... I think it was a Symphonic Metal song :P


Okaaay haha! So that's why I felt that America's Next Top Model (ANTM) helped me in my getting of my highest recorded mark so far~! :D
Quite happy!



Okay bye bye! I'll blog about some new songs in my next blog post!
Countin' 1, 2, 3! :D