XXII | Age ❦ Sunday morning,I thought of texting Rowan to apologise but I foundthat I don’t have her number. So at the hottest time of the day,I got out of bed and went to the nameless chicken rice shop. Grey shutters covered the glass doors. In big painted red letters a sign:CLOSED ON SUNDAYS. … Read more
XXI | No Choice ❦ The baristawho made our coffeeis new, Shuhui says. That’s why the coffee’s so badly calibrated. We’re in the handicapped toilet. Together. It’s cold.A bit dusty. I got herto leave her cigarettebehind. Her lips still taste like ash. Ash and crayon. She smells like flowers though.‘Life sucks,’she whispers. For some reason,that … Read more
XX | Torn ❦ Rowan stares at mewithout saying anything. We don’t speakbut everything I have to sayis clearly visible in my eyes. She pulls her arm from my grip. ‘You don’t want to see her,’she says. I don’t reply. I search her gaze,to find out how her expressionless black eyes can see the … Read more
XIX | Zoo ❦ I haven’t visited the zoo since primary school. It’s stupid.Singapore imports all the animals. We buy ticketsand go inside. Rowan’s wearing a bucket hat,a long black skirt.She looks like an auntiewith that free National Day tote bag. I don’t know whereI’m supposed to look. Yesterday I told her about the … Read more
XVIII | Empty ❦ In the end,I don’t join my friendsat the park. I’m here at this chicken rice shopthat used to be a bar. It’s empty when I walk inside. There’s no sound when the door opens—there’s none when it closes either. Inside, it looks like a museum exhibitand hasn’t been touchedfor a … Read more
XVII | Lost ❦ I can’t concentrateon what the teacher is saying. There’s hieroglyphics on my worksheetsand mud in my brain. The bell rings(I think). I follow my friends to the back gate(I think). Rowan watches me from underneaththe rowan tree. Her eyes follow me even though I’m sureshe doesn’t know it’s the same Ria. … Read more
XVI | Seat ❦ I skip assembly today. I’m not the only one.Half the class did too. Most of them are already in classstudying. So hardworking. My seat is occupied. I find myself looking into Ria’s eyes. She’s wearing lipstickor I’ve already forgotten the colour of her normal lips. She stares at me … Read more
XV | What’s Real ❦ After a long time,‘Let me show you something.’ Rowan leads meinto the back alleybehind the shophouse. There’s a giant blue dustbin by the backdoorof every shop in the row. Every shophouse alley in Singapore looks like this. I don’t think there’s anything to see. The alley is narrow,paved with … Read more
XIV | Date ❦ For some reason, we’re eating chicken rice at a bar. ‘What’s the shop called?’Rizwan asks,looking around. There’s an aquarium glowing in one corner, water bubbles rising,fake plants dancing,no fish. The walls of the bar are painted black,peeling in some places,decorated with chalk drawings. A futile attempt to cover upmarks ofpreviouscarpenteringadventures. … Read more
XIII | Rain ❦ ‘Eat dinner with me.’ Rowan stares at mewith her expressionless black eyes. ‘No.’ But the tips of her ears are angry red. She continues reading her Bible. She’s sitting under therowan tree like the first day we met, reading her book … Read more
