Model Compositions
A Second Chance
Have you gotten a second chance before? Most of the time, you get second chances because other people see a lot of potential in you. If we get a second chance, we should make the most out of this second chance and try our best to succeed. We should not be discouraged and continue to persevere. Momo was given a second chance after she failed her audition. She remained resilient and she overcame her challenges. This is her story…
The cold wind brushed against Momo’s face as she walked home after a long day at school. She gazed at the lush greenery of the trees ahead of her as the bright golden sun slowly sank lower. The beautiful scenery calmed her senses and took her mind off her school work. Just then, Momo came across a bright, colourful poster pinned on a tree.
“Hm? What is this?” Momo muttered under her breath. Curiosity got the better of her and she stood rooted to the spot. As Momo scanned the poster, she realised it was a poster from an entertainment company. The words “Audition Now!” stood out in a bold red colour.
“This must be the audition Sana told me about!” Momo said to herself. She remembered the words her friend, Sana, had said and they echoed in her mind. As she walked back home, the audition was the only thing that lingered in Momo’s mind.
“You should audition!” chirped Sana’s cheerful voice from Momo’s phone. The two friends were on a phone call. Filled with confidence, Momo exclaimed, “Yeah! Maybe I should!”
Day after day, Momo practised her singing and dancing skills. She practised every dance move she knew until the ground shook. She did not rest until she was satisfied with her progress. Every day, her mother could hear her belting out a high note just from outside her room. Thinking her practise was enough, Momo decided to stop practising for a few days before the audition.
On the day of the audition, Momo walked into the company’s building. A blast of cool air from the air-conditioner relieved her from the humidity and warmth of the outdoors. In the building, she saw posters of the company’s most famous singers and bands. Momo gazed in admiration as she saw her favourite girl group’s photo hung proudly on the wall. Since it was a walk-in audition, the waiting room for the audition was flooded with other young hopefuls. All of them wished they could pass the audition. However, that sight did not make Momo lose her confidence. After waiting for a long time, it was her turn to audition. She walked into the judges’ room confidently with a big smile on her face.
“Good afternoon! My name is Hirai Momo and I’m here to audition,” Momo exclaimed as she smiled from ear to ear. Immediately, she went on the audition. As the music for the song started to play, Momo tried to recall the different dance moves and the steps she had to take. Momo started to dance with such power and sharpness in her moves. She still maintained the huge smile plastered on her face. When she finished dancing, she went on to sing her heart out in the next part of the audition. She tried her best to hit every note and sing out every lyric. At the end of the audition, she bowed to the judges as a way of saying “Thank you for your time”.
“We’ll call you to tell you whether you fail or pass the audition,” one of the judges said in a monotonous voice. Momo nodded and walked out of the room. “I think I did well!” Momo told herself. She skipped out of the building with a big smile that looked like it belonged to the Cheshire cat.
A few days passed and Momo still had not received a call from the company. “Maybe they’re still deciding?” she questioned. She did not know whether that was a good sign. She hoped for the best to come. Just then, Momo heard a ringing sound coming from her phone. Immediately, she picked it up and found out that it was from the entertainment company. Momo’s heart was pounding hard against her ribcage. Sweat was dripping down her forehead.
“We’re sorry, Miss Hirai Momo,” the woman on the phone mumbled. “You did not pass your audition.” Those words completely saddened Momo. Tears began to fall down her cheeks like rivulets. She could not believe it.
“O-oh, okay” Momo sniffled. She put down the phone. She tried to wipe her tears away but they kept falling. All her practices seemed wasted.
“Did I try my best? Did I do good enough?” she asked herself. Everything felt so surreal. Nevertheless, Momo tried to keep her spirits up.
“There are other chances out there,” she told herself. Each day, she practised her dance moves until they were up to standard. She also sharpened her singing skills by practising every high and low note. These helped her regain her lost confidence. “There are other chances,” she told herself again and again.
A few months later, Momo’s phone began to ring. It was not her friends, but from the entertainment company.
“Hello, Miss Hirai Momo!” a cheerful woman’s voice chirped. “We’re pleased to tell you some good news! After some consideration, the company has decided to recruit you to be our newest trainee! We saw a lot of potential in you.” Momo could not believe it. How did this happen? Tears of happiness flowed down her cheeks. “Thank you so much!” She exclaimed. With this second chance, she was able to work even harder to reach her goals.
From this incident, she learnt to persevere in tough situations. With this second chance, she was able to make the most out of it. She learnt not to take this chance for granted as well. She tried her best to succeed and reach her full potential.
Written by: Rhiann Gabrielle Lustestica
Class: 6 Integrity
Content
17 / 20
Language
18½ / 20
Total
35 ½ / 40
A Second Chance
“It is time for the next singer to come onstage!” the commentator for the National Singing Competition Auditions announced. “Mariel!” Mariel’s trembling hands gripped her chest tightly as cold sweat trickled down her forehead. “How is it my turn already?” Mariel asked herself in shock. Mariel tried to walk out from the back of the stage but her legs felt like lead. No matter how hard she tried to walk forward, an invisible force tried to pull her back. Mariel could not stand the pressure anymore and bolted out of the audition venue through the back door.
Mariel sat on the floor outside the auditorium with tears rolling down her cheeks. “Why did I run off?” she asked herself. “If I had spent so much time preparing but why am I still so afraid?” Mariel heard footsteps of someone approaching her. Mariel’s eyes widened and she was startled to see one of the judges walking towards her. “Why are you crying, young one?” the judge asked as he smiled at Mariel. “I ran out of the auditorium when it was my turn to sing because I was too nervous,” responded Mariel,\. “I spent so much time preparing but I am defeated by my nervousness.”
“Don’t worry,” the judge assured Mariel, “I happened to hear you sing before the audition started at the corridor.” Mariel’s eyes widened in surprise. “Your singing was amazing and we think that you have potential,” the judge continued. “The judges and I have already decided to give you a second chance. Come to the second audition a week later.” Mariel was filled with gratitude for the judge and she thanked him profusely. From that day on, Mariel began to practise singing as hard as she could.
One day, Mariel’s family asked her to sing in front of them during dinner. Mariel agreed, thinking that she had practised enough. Mariel stood in front of her family and began to sing when something caught her voice. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she struggled to let words out of her mouth. Mariel gave up and gasped for air as she apologised to her family for not practising hard enough. Mariel’s mother smiled and said, “Mariel, it is not that you have not practised enough but it is because you are too nervous. You have to learn to calm yourself down.” Mariel realised her weakness and decided to work on overcoming her nervousness. Mariel soon began singing in front of her family members. Once she was confident enough, she tried to sing to her classmates and gradually sang in front of more and more people.
The day of the second audition was finally here. Mariel sat at the back of the stage singing to the other singers. All of the singers applauded as soon as she finished singing. “I have practised for so long to try and overcome my weakness,” Mariel thought to herself. “Today is the day when I will show the judges what I’m capable of.”
“Mariel, please come onstage!” the announcer said. Mariel stood up and walked towards the stage. As she was on stage, she started to feel nervous again but Mariel saw the bright and warm smiles of the judges and strength surged through her. Mariel began to sing with a voice as beautiful as a nightingale and the judges were impressed. After finishing the song, the judges applauded her and told her she passed the audition. Mariel was over the moon as she whooped with joy, “I did it!” Mariel exclaimed, “I overcame my weakness!”
Mariel eventually went on to win second place in the competition and was really proud of herself. A wise man once said: There will never be second chances again if you don’t treasure them. Through this second chance, Mariel overcame her weakness and became a better performer. Mariel promised herself to always treasure second chances as it could change everything.
Written by: Chen Zeyu
Class: 6 Integrity
Content
19 / 20
Language
18 / 20
Total
37 / 40
A Second Chance
Have you ever wished you could turn back time and fix a mistake? Have you ever wished for a second chance to redeem yourself? Not everyone is lucky enough to get a second chance but Sally did. She cherished the opportunity given dearly. This was her story…
“Mom! Mom! The results of my singing audition finally came!” Sally squealed in excitement while jumping up and down like a rabbit. In her hands was a crimson red envelope, sealed with a golden sticker. She admired the letter in her grasp, thinking happily to herself, “Maybe I passed!” Sally carefully lifted up the envelope flap and the shiny white paper was peeking out. She pulled out the letter cautiously and unfolded it. Upon looking at the printed words, her previously bright grin dropped. On the first line of the letter were four bold words, “You did not pass.”
Sally’s eyes widened in shock as confusion, disappointment and sadness clouded her mind. She thought about the audition the previous week and cringed. During the audition, her voice cracked on multiple occasions and she forgot the lyrics halfway through as well. Shaking away the horrible experience, she focused her attention back on the letter. She continued to read the letter again and another sentence caught her eye. “You will be given another chance because the judges saw potential in you.” She read the line out loud. Sally paused for a moment just to digest what she had just read. “Hold up, what?” she questioned with visible question marks around her head. Then realising the second chance she was given, she let out a deafening scream. She quickly checked the letter for her second audition before dashing back to her room to prepare but this time, she was going to work much harder.
Over the next few days, Sally was crammed in her room with printed song lyrics, her laptop and cups of coffee surrounding her. She knew she could not waste this opportunity offered. In her room, she sang and sang, only stopping for water breaks. “And when I felt like I was…” Sally tried to maintain her pitch while singing but her voice cracked once again. She huffed in frustration as she glared at the lyrics. She wondered to herself if the judges had chosen the wrong person but remembered what she had told herself. “I cannot afford to let this second chance go to waste! Stop thinking so negatively and get back to work!” she reprimanded herself, slapping her cheeks lightly.
Just then, her older sister, Sarah, opened the door and cupped her hands around her mouth and taunted, “Do you really think you can pass with that voice? Keep dreaming, Sal.” Sarah then closed the door, leaving Sally annoyed, eyes twitching in irritation. She knew her sister was not the most supportive person so she wanted to prove to Sarah that she could do it.
A week later, the day of Sally’s second audition arrived. She was standing backstage, nervously fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. She bit her lower lip, eyes trained on the wooden floor as she recited the lyrics to the song repeatedly. The judges suddenly called out her name from outside. “Sally Johnson, please proceed to the stage,” avoice called out from the speaker. She inhaled deeply and exhaled to calm herself. She was ready.
Stepping onto the platform, she introduced herself, struggling slightly to maintain eye contact with the three judges at the table. The microphone held by her clammy palms shook violently but her calm expression managed to hide her nervousness. Another judge smiled warmly and told Sally to start whenever she was ready. Sally readied herself while waiting for the music to play. She opened her mouth and a melodious voice sang. During the song, she hit every note perfectly with emotions as well. Her eyes lit up like fireflies as she poured her heart out. The judges’ smiles only grew wider and wider by the minute. Sally finished the song and looked at the judges expectantly. Her heart was racing and her face almost shouted the words, “Please let me pass.” To her surprise, all three of them applauded her cheerfully and threw in many compliments but the last phrase caught her off-guard. “You have passed!” one of the judges announced. Happy tears flowed out of her eyes as she bowed, thanking them over and over again. Sally grinned widely, thinking back on how hard she had practised for this moment. She was truly grateful for the second chance given to her to redeem herself.
After this eventful experience, Sally learnt that she should cherish and treasure every chance offered. That second chance might just be able to flip the results around. She knew she still had to work hard the first time but given another chance, she should work even harder. Maybe failing her audition the first time was not as bad as she had expected it to be…
Written by: Chong Chuan Le
Class: 6 Integrity
Content
20 / 20
Language
19 / 20
Total
39 / 40
A Second Chance
It was a bright and cheerful Sunday morning as I got up and went to brush my teeth and take a shower. Then, I skipped merrily into the living room, and sat down at the dining table. The fresh aroma of buttery waffles wafted into my nose. Soon, I picked up the newspaper and began to scan through it, while savouring my honey drizzled waffles. I noticed the usual crimes committed and their sentences. I also noticed that the people involved had no second chance. One thought led to another, and soon, I found myself pondering over the time I had been given a second chance, that day…
It was a rainy, thundering afternoon, and the weather was gloomy. The class’ lively atmosphere changed and matched the weather the moment our English teacher, Mrs Chia, walked into the classroom holding a thick stack of papers. It took the class no time to figure that that was our Preliminary Examination Papers. Mrs Chia began to give the papers out. She put my paper face-down on my table. Many of my friends erupted in cheers when they got their papers. I held the paper with a shivering hand and flipped it over. “67 percent? Mom’s going to end me!” I dreadfully thought.
Not even Mrs Chia’s lively teaching could grab my attention as I thought of what was to come. Soon, school ended and I dragged my feet, sulking, all the way home. The moment I entered the house, my mother was waiting for me and she told me that Mrs Chia had sent a message to all parents to inform them that the papers were returned. She had read my face and could tell that I did not do well. I hastily handed over the paper, looking extremely upset. My mother reprimanded me and told me one last fact to end the scolding. She said, “Your only next chance is the Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE). Guilt-stricken, I reflected silently and I realised that the PSLE would determine my future, and it was just a month away. I went into my room and sat on the floor, depressed. Try as I might, I attempted to hold back rivulets of tears.
I got up minutes later, determined, changed my clothes and walked past my gaming console, which I would spend hours on after school. I stopped and stared hard at it. “No,” a voice at the back of my mind advised. I took the console, locked it in a cupboard and grabbed an assessment book. I began to do it, not knowing how to do majority of the questions. I burned the midnight oil, and slept exhausted. After school the next day, I stayed back after school, went to the staff room and asked a torrent of questions, answered by my various subject teachers. Then, knowing that I did not have many assessment books, I went to a nearby local bookshop and purchased three thick books using my pocket money. I did not want to let my second chance slip out of my hands, so I worked hard. As my parents always told me, “No point crying over spilt milk.” I did not want to cry again after my PSLE results. I was satisfied within the few days as I could do most of the questions. My parents, after seeing my interest to learn, bought me more books to do. The PSLE were nearing.
On the exam day, I could do every question and could finish all the papers at least fifteen minutes prior to the end of the paper and had more than sufficient time to check. After my exams, I decided to reward myself to video games. Soon, the day when the PSLE results would be released came.
I was shocked to learn that I had gotten three ‘A-stars’ and an ‘A’ for my subjects. My score was 265. I had topped the class and did not have to be upset! I skipped home with joy and showed my mother my results. She almost fainted as she exclaimed, “Your father and I will reward you!” I knew my hard work had paid off and I was extremely grateful.
“Cena, eat your breakfast!” my mother’s voice jerked me out of my reverie. I gulped down my food and pondered over what my second chance had taught me. I remember the cries of regret after the Preliminary Exams and I remembered how I put in hard work, hoping that I would do well for my PSLE, which was my second and only chance. I learnt never to give up and that I had to believe in myself. As the saying goes, ‘When someone pushes you down, you get back up and show him what you are!” I learnt to never fall down and give in to sadness, but instead, get up and plan how to cash in my second chance.
Written by: Nithush
Class: 6 Integrity
Content
17½ / 20
Language
18 / 20
Total
35 ½ / 40
A Second Chance
“G-good morning, everyone!” Jane mumbled nervously through the microphone. She had signed up for a chance to join the school choir. As a result, she had to go for an audition to prove her worthiness. She was onstage and about to sing.
“W-wow…” Jane thought. “My heart’s about to pop like a balloon.” Looking at the judges, she had butterflies in her stomach. She knew she only had one shot at this, so she had better not mess this up.
“I’m starting to wish I had backed out of this sooner,” Jane thought wistfully. “Just get this done and over with, and you’ll be able to sing to your heart’s desire, Jane…” At home, Jane was restricted from singing by her parents because they found her too loud. She did not enjoy singing softly. That was the reason why she signed up, anyway.
Jane mustered her courage and started to sing, after she had greeted the judges appropriately. Jane could feel her heart beating out of her chest as she saw the judges looking at her with intent. Each time one of the judges jotted something down on their clipboards, Jane would think that she had made a mistake. She sang confidently on the surface, but she was terrified.
A few minutes later, Jane was done with her performance. After the judges invited her to take her leave, she nodded and exited through the back door. She heaved a sigh of relief. She could not wait for the next day to pass, as she would be told whether or not she managed to earn a spot in the school choir.
The next day, she got out of bed early, prepared herself and zoomed to school. She wanted to ask her Music teacher, Mrs Lim, whether she had nailed the audition or not.
“Teacher! Teacher!” Jane called out for Mrs Lim in excitement. “Am I in?” she asked. Mrs Lim responded with a moment of silence. Jane was worried. Had she done something wrong?
“I’m sorry,” Mrs Lim apologised. “You’re not in.” The moment Jane heard those words, her heart sank. “You need to sound more expressive.”
“O-ok…” Jane replied sadly as she walked away. She walked into her classroom and collapsed to the floor, curled up in a ball and leaned against the wall, sobbing. She felt like a failure.
All of a sudden, the leader of the school choir, Jon, approached her.
“Are you okay?” he asked with genuine concern.
Jon sighed. Brushing off her impoliteness, he told her, “Look. The main reason I’m here is that I wanted to tell you that you are getting a second chance at the audition.” Jon gave Jane a pat on the back.
“I’m not telling this to everyone who didn’t make the cut, you know,” Jon told her. “You’re special. At least, that’s how your Music teacher feels about you.”
“She knows you have a beautiful voice, and so do I,” he complimented Jane. “We’ll all be rooting for you.”
After Jon told her the details of the audition, he walked away. Jane felt alive again. She had one more shot at it to redeem herself. She continued with her lessons, thinking about the “second chance”. After she got home from school, she made sure that she memorised the lyrics. She could not mess this up again.
The next day, Jane was on the same stage once more. She had prepared thoroughly for this moment. This time, Jane sang her heart out, free of paranoia and fear. The judges were indeed impressed. She had more expression in singing the song.
Later on, in the afternoon, Mrs Lim told Jane that she had nailed the audition. Jane was elated and bounced up and down in the room. She could not stop smiling from ear to ear. She was proud of herself. She managed to join the school choir and could sing to her heart’s desire. She had truly succeeded.
From this experience, Jane had definitely learnt something. She learnt that even if you fail the first time, you must learn from it and try again the second time, improving those mistakes. “When you fall down, you get up. When you fail, you try again.” A second chance was all she needed, Jane had grateful for the second chance.
Written by: Dexter Ng Hong Da
Class: 6 Integrity
Content
19½ / 20
Language
19½ / 20
Total
39 / 40
A Second Chance
“Will you please give me a second chance, Ms Lim? I promise I’ll do my best...” my voice trailed off as I looked at Ms Lim’s face, which was filled with fury. “Fine! But this time, you can’t just hide and refuse to come!” she replied.
The first rays of the sun shone through my windows. The daily birdsong began again. I woke up groggily and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I got ready for school just like any other day. It seemed like any other day. As I headed off to school, however, I began to have a feeling that much was about to change.
“A singing competition?” I gasped at Ms Lim, the choir’s instructor at our school. “Actually it’s an audition to go for a nation-wide inter-school singing competition. I’m certain it’ll be a piece of cake to you,” Ms Lim replied. I began to feel sick. I suffered from stage fright. I would not be able to sing in front of the school, much less three stages! “Aren’t there any others? I’m certain they can do better than me…” I protested. Ms Lim shook her head. “You’re our best choice,” she stated firmly. I sighed. Being a good singer was a gift, but it felt like a curse this time. Mrs Lim added, “You’d better get prepared. The audition is in two weeks”.
The days passed and it was getting closer to the day of the audition. I had practised in front of the mirror. However, it was a far cry from singing in front of three complete strangers. Finally, it was the big day. I could not focus on lessons. There was only an hour left before the audition. There was no way out of it.
With merely ten minutes left, I decided to lock myself in the toilet cubicle. Half an hour passed before Ms Lim found me. She had never been this mad, even when Jack put a lizard in her pencil case. I was beginning to have second thoughts about what I had done. “Jane…” she growled. “Y...Yes?” I managed to say. Ms Lim began to shout at me. That was when I asked for another chance.
I decided to change my way of practising. I called my friend and attempted to sing in front of them. It has worked, just barely. I was not sure if I could do that well at the audition.
It was the audition. The one that I had to take part in. I had done my best, and was waiting for the results. After what seemed like an eternity, I was called in. “Congratulations,” the man, who called himself Mr Ford, said, “You have passed. Be sure to go for the competition. It will be in a month.” I did not know if I should be happy or sad. This was a far cry from hundreds of people watching me.
I prepared for the first round of selections. I had tried different methods, but singing in front of my own classmates proved to be the most effective. “Jane Lee!” My name was called. I steeled myself and walked to the stage. I began to sing.
I passed the first round with ease. The second round was of no difficulty. However, the semi-finals was challenging, but I still managed to pass. I was standing on the stage, waiting for the results to be released. “Third, Emma Jacks. Second, Jane Lee…” I had won second place. I felt a ping of disappointment. I had hoped fervently for first place. However, at such a big competition, second place was a great honor.
Off the stage, I came face-to-face with Ms Lim. “Congratulations,” she said. With a serious tone, she continued, “Do you remember the chance I gave you for the audition?” I nodded, slightly embarrassed. “I think that’s the best decision I have made to give someone a second chance.”
Written by: Wonho
Class: 6 Integrity
Content
17½ / 20
Language
18 / 20
Total
35½ / 40
A Second Chance
Have you ever had a second chance to fix your mistakes? Well, John was lucky enough to get one. Not only did this second chance give him another try, it helped him to overcome one of his greatest fears.
John’s legs trembled as he nervously waited backstage for the teachers to call him to the stage. He had signed up for his school’s talent show and was going to sing. However, he had to go through the audition first where the teachers were the judges. Even though there were only a handful of teachers watching him, he still had butterflies in his stomach. “I should have thought twice before signing up for this,” John muttered to himself nervously. Before he could say another word, he was called onstage by the teachers. He walked up with trembling fingers and legs, knowing that there was no turning back now. “Um, hi.. my.. my name is John and I’m going to sing a song…” John stuttered as he greeted the teachers nervously. He then began to sing, but just then, his mind went blank. “Oh no!” he thought to himself. He could not even sing a single word. Not knowing what to do, he ran backstage and felt his eyes getting wet. He immediately picked up his school bag and ran home.
Before long, he had arrived at his house. Seeing that John was not the usual bubbly boy he was and did not even bother to greet her, John’s mother immediately knew that something was wrong. “What’s wrong, John? Aren’t you supposed to be at your school’s talent show audition?” John's mother asked him in a gentle voice. “I… I could not even sing a single word,” John said with a lump in his throat. He had a passion for singing, but was always defeated by his worst enemy: stage fright. John’s mother smiled and consoled John, trying to ease his feelings. However, John still could not get over the incident and ran to his bedroom crying.
The next day after school, John was still in the same condition. He tried to talk to his friends to make himself forget about the incident, but it just made him more anxious when he thought about the possibility of his friends making fun of him after that incident. When he arrived home that day, however, he was in for a surprise. He saw his mother holding a picture of a girl singing in her hands. Aroused with curiosity, he asked his mother what that was. His mother told him to sit down and listen to her carefully, “When I was about your age, I too had a passion for singing. However, I could never sing a single note correctly due to my stage fright.”
“But… you were singing in this photo!” John exclaimed. “That’s right, John! After enough practise, I was able to overcome my stage fright! So, would you like to practise with me?” John’s mother asked John with enthusiasm. John sighed and thought about his mother. If she could do it, so could he! Finally, he agreed. For about a week, after school every day, John would practise singing in front of his mother. His mother would cheer him on every time John managed to finish a song without stuttering. Soon, John’s confidence increased and he learned to smile while singing! After a week, John felt that he was ready and called his form teacher. He knew that he would not pass the audition from the last incident, but was hoping that his form teacher would give him a second chance. After dialling her number, John felt his hands getting sweaty. “Um… hello, this is John here. Um, may I have a second try in the audition?” John asked, both hopeful and nervous. “Ah, I see, I understand why you want a second try, John. However, it is already the last day for the audition tomorrow. You will only have one last chance,” his teacher answered. “One chance is enough! I just need one chance!” pleaded John, his voice getting more and more hopeful. “Alright then. I guess it is possible. Best of luck, John!” his teacher replied before hanging up. John was ecstatic and did multiple pumps in the air. He finally had a chance to fix his mistakes.
Before long, it was the last day of the audition, John was again waiting nervously for his name to be called. “John Tan! Please come to the stage!” a loud voice announced. Sighing, John hurried onto the stage. “Um… hi, my name is John from Primary Six Integrity.” John could feel butterflies in his stomach again as he stuttered to greet the judges. He then started to sing, and hit the perfect note this time! After singing the first note, John could feel his confidence coming back. It was like the butterflies flew away! Soon, John finished the song with confidence. At first, the judges did not say anything, causing John to worry that his singing was terrible. However, they all stood up and clapped for him! He was getting a standing ovation. With the second chance, he had finally defeated his worst enemy, stage fright.
From this incident, John learned that in order to overcome our worst fears, we must first face it. It was all thanks to his mother who had helped him to practise and his teacher who gave him a second chance. To some, a second chance may simply be another attempt. However, to John, it was a chance to face his greatest fear and to overcome them. He would never forget the day a second chance changed his life forever.
Written by: Goh Jun Le
Class: 6 Integrity
Content
19½ / 20
Language
19½ / 20
Total
39 / 40
A Second Chance
“Give yourself a second chance.” Those were the words Tang Ning said to Huo Jing Jing as they stood by the seaside, the smell of saltwater all around them. Their hair flew behind them as the wind blew. Suddenly, Huo Jing Jing looked up. “You’re right. I’m the victim here. Why should I hide?” With a determined look on her face, she turned around and walked back to the car…
“Huo Jing Jing,” scolded her very own mother. “Huo Jing Jing should die. Huo Jing Jing, you unfilial child. Huo Jing Jing sent her mother to the hospital.”
“I don’t believe this. The anti-fans and keyboard warriors are the ones who should die!” Tang Ning said, with a look of disdain on her pretty face. The cameras and microphones that the reporters stuck in her face were pushed away by her bodyguards just as she had finished speaking. She visited the hotel that Huo Jing Jing stayed in. Everyone else was crowded around her house. She was on the bed, weeping, with her brightly lit phone beside her. “Come on. Let’s go to the seaside”. Tang Ning said gently as she led her teary-eyed best friend away.
After the drive to the seaside, the heavily disguised Huo Jing Jing and Tang Ning stood side by side on the wooden platform built there for visitors. “I… I think… I think that I should end my life… the reporters… my fans... have all turned against me. I… I can’t… I need…” Huo Jing Jing choked and she sobbed. “Shhh… I understand, but we can make things better, I promise. Take out your diary and let your manager post it on Instagram. Show them your scars. Let those people decide who the victim is,” Tang Ning said, staring out to the sea. “Give yourself a second chance.” Those were the words Tang Ning said as she stood by the seaside, the smell of saltwater all around them. Their hair flew behind them as the wind blew. Suddenly, Huo Jing Jing looked up with her red swollen eyes. “You’re right. I’m the victim here. Why should I hide?” With a determined look on her face, she turned around and walked back to the car. “My mother abused me and tormented me, when I didn’t give her my money. This time, she told everyone that I didn’t care for her. Then, after faking a heart-attack, she wants everyone to pity her, letting them attack her own daughter. Ha,” Huo Jing Jing continued. “What a fake. It’s about time we let her have a taste of her own medicine,” Huo Jing Jing said with an evil glint in her eyes.
The next day, the news headlines changed for once that week. “Mother Faked Heart-Attack: Huo Jing Jing’s Sad Past. Sorry, Huo Jing Jing, Mother Abused Child. Great, She has finally stood up,” Tang Ning said to her manager with a wide smile on her face as she scrolled through the news. Huo Jing Jing walked into the camera frame as she said this. She smiled as she said into a microphone held up in front of her, “I guess I made the right decision to give myself a second chance. Now, the tables have turned. This press conference is for me to tell you this. I am no longer the weak Huo Jing Jing I once was. This is all thanks to Tang Ning. So, thank you, Tang Ning,” Huo Jing Jing looked straight into the camera right before she continued answering the reporter’s questions, smiling like a lost little child who found her parents once again.
As Tang Ning listened to Huo Jing Jing, she gave a gentle smile. The tears in her eyes threatened to spill. This was not about what she did. It was about Huo Jing Jing’s decision to stand up for herself. To give herself a second chance. A wise man once said, “Give yourself a second chance. Things may take a turn and change for the better. No matter what, never give up on yourself. Always remember, you have family and friends who will be rooting for you wherever you are, and whatever you do.”
Written by: Hannah Yin
Class: 6 Integrity
Content
18½ / 20
Language
18 / 20
Total
36½ / 40
A Second Chance
Have you ever been given a second chance? I have, and I believe everyone should be given theirs too. Here is how it all happened…
“Argh! This is way too hard!” I tore the script and tossed it into the bin. Then, I took a fresh, new piece of paper to start anew. Preparing for the stand-up comedy audition was harder than I thought. To add fuel to the fire, the competition would be taking place tomorrow! It was already late into the night, and I was like a cat on hot bricks. Just as I took my pen, my mother burst into the room. “It’s nine thirty! Why aren’t you asleep yet? Go to bed!” my mother bellowed, arms akimbo. “But…” I tried to explain.
“No butts! Do you know you will get kidney failure if you don’t sleep early?” my mother suddenly disrupted my explanation. I walked to my bed, sulking, knowing that arguing with her was of no use at all. As I tossed and turned in bed, I thought about the topic of the audition: My family and I. Eventually, I gave up and fell asleep.
The next day, I was woken abruptly by my alarm clock. Just then, I realised it was the day of the audition. Panic-stricken, I decided to write my script on the MRT.
When I arrived at school, a prefect led me to the waiting room. In the waiting room, I could already hear thunderous laughter and applause coming from the audience. Armed with a hurriedly-written script, I was called on stage, and I greeted everyone. “The audience expected much from me, the all-time winner,” I thought. I swallowed a lump in my throat and started, “When I was young, at about five, my parents had already sent me to tuition.” Not a single bit of laughter. Not giving up, I continued. “However, I have learnt absolutely nothing there.” The audience still kept mum. My fertile mind went wild and my heartbeat escalated. After ten minutes of me mindlessly babbling about my family, the timer rang and I stopped. None of the judges had hit the buzzers. Just as I was about to run off the stage, Mr Thomas, one of the judges, had hit the buzzer. “I would like to give you a second chance, as I know you can do much better.” As long as one of the judges hit the buzzer, I would not be disqualified! Tears welled up in my eyes as I hurried off the stage, I made a promise to myself that I will not take this chance for granted. The moment I reached home, I sprinted to my room, determined to write a better script this time round. However, it wasn’t a bed of roses. I had to approach my mother and teachers for some help. After a tiresome week, I arrived in school with a neatly typed-out script.
“Let’s welcome Nick Yeo, whom I’ve given a second chance to last week. Let’s observe his performance today! A round of applause for Nick Yeo!” I could hear the announcement through the loudspeaker. I knew it was my cue to go onstage. “Good morning, everyone! Today’s topic is ‘jobs’. When I was young, I always wanted to work at a fast food restaurant as they offered free food to employees.” Some laughter came from the audience. At the end I could see the audience letting out sporadic fits of laughter and even the judges clutched their stomachs, laughing. As all the judges pressed their buzzers together, I felt a sense of pride and I was sure I would be the winner of that day’s audition.
I learnt a valuable lesson after I was given the second chance: We must put in our best effort in whatever we do, no matter how big or small, it is. I was grateful to Mr Thomas, who had given me this second chance.
Written by: Huang Han Cheng
Class: 6 Integrity
Content
17 / 20
Language
18 / 20
Total
35 / 40
A Second Chance
Have you ever made a wrong choice? Have you gotten a second chance? Well, I have…
Ding-dong! Ding-dong! The school bell rang and everyone, including me, leapt out of our seats. I rushed down the stairs, unable to contain my excitement.
“Folding contest?” I whispered as I stared at the poster next to the canteen. I burst into sporadic fits of laughter, oblivious to the stares around me, “I’ll definitely win!”
After school, I noticed my friends practising for the contest. They had bought several pieces of paper and are folding animals, such as horses, pigs and cows.
“Hey Jack, come join us!” Jon exclaimed when he saw me. I shook my head, expressing that I did not need to practise, and walked away.
The Folding Contest was just around the corner. and I could not sleep when I thought about it, fidgeting constantly in bed.
“Are you ready for the contest, Jack?” Jon questioned me as the school bus arrived at the school. I nodded without hesitation.
During the contest, I had beads of perspiration trickling down my forehead as I struggled with many of the rounds. In the end, I was placed last out of almost a hundred people. I wanted the earth to open and swallow me whole.
Disappointed, I did not talk to anyone that day, fearing that they would laugh at me. I knew that I could do better and I should have practised.
By now, everyone knew I was very upset about myself. Several days later, I saw something that caught my attention instantly.
“Another Folding Contest?” I exclaimed. “This is my second chance!” Once again, I signed up for it. This time, I gathered my friends after school to practise when I had time. Slowly but surely, I was folding everything faster and better.
“Are you ready for the contest, Jack?” Jon asked me the same question as the school bus arrived at the school, I had my heart in my mouth and I nodded confidently, determined not to do badly.
During the contest, I sped through most of the rounds without struggling at all, which seemed to be impossible at first. Practise definitely came in handy and helped me climb from last place to first place. Holding the trophy in delight, I grinned from ear to ear. Jon looked at me with pride.
“Last time, I came in last. When I saw that there was another contest. I knew that this was my second chance,” I told everyone gleefully.
Memories of this incident remained etched in my mind till this day. I learnt that practise was important and decided that I would always practise for the contests to come. As a wise man once said, “Practise makes perfect.”
Written by: Wu Dihui
Class: 6 Integrity
Content
18 / 20
Language
18 / 20
Total
36 / 40
A Second Chance
Have you ever been given a second chance? I have been, and I could still remember it vividly…
Tears cascaded down my reddened cheeks as a molten shaft of sadness engulfed me like a powerful tidal wave. My heart was shattered into smithereens. My pimply face was grave, with sadness written all over it. My eyes were as red as tomatoes. My parents' raucous screams and friends’ hateful comments invaded my battered mind. My sadness turned into anger and eventually, self-loathing. Were all these figments of my imagination? Unfortunately, no.
It seemed like I could not run away from a terrible string of failures. I did it. I failed my English examination! Anger and doubts besieged me. “Why is it only me? Why did I fail?” I muttered to myself in a trembling voice. I had no idea what to do other than sitting in the corner of my room, sobbing my heart out.
Out of the blue, my winsome mother entered my room. A look of intense sympathy washed over her. She knew that something had cropped up. As swiftly as a coursing river, she sprinted towards me and asked, “What happened?” as she shook me. I told the truth and gave her a tight embrace.
“Dear, you have a second chance at your end-of-year paper. You can do it! Work hard!” my mother whispered in a sonorous voice and went away.
I realised that I still had a second chance. I knew that I had to use it meaningfully. I wiped my tears and composed myself. With a determined heart, I zoomed to my pristine white table. I pored over all the English tips with eagle eyes. I scanned every word with paramount attention. Next, I did many assessment books. I searched up on tips and ways to excel my English examination. I took down many notes as fast as a cheetah. I put my nose to the grindstones and studied.
Multiple days passed. It was the day before my English examination. I was lulled to the rhythmic and soothing sound of the rain. As I was looking at the window, I spotted my friend, Amy, playing jocundly in the rain, jumping on puddles. She was beaming exuberantly, full of the joys of spring. Amy was bantering animatedly with her friends.
“Should I play with them? Should I study? I have come so far. This is my second chance and I have to use it meaningfully,” I thought deeply and decided to study for my examination.
The next day arrived. I was well prepared.
“Students, you may start doing your examination,” the invigilator said in a booming voice that seemed to shake the earth. Instantly, the class was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Everyone sat hunched over their desks, scribbling furiously, anxious to ace their examination. To my pleasant stupefaction, I knew the answers to almost all the questions! Confidently, I did the exam.
It was the long awaited day. The results were going to be released. Like a cat on hot bricks, I waited with bated breath. I bit my lips anxiously.
“Congratulations, Lily! You have gotten the highest mark in class! You have gotten full marks!” my teacher exclaimed. My eyes widened and I was wreathed in smiles. There was a perceptible delight on my face. I could not believe it! My hard work had paid off!
I knew that I had used my second chance meaningfully. After all, a second chance is a precious one, a really precious one. A second chance should be used meaningfully.
Written by: M.Madhuradhani
Class: 6 Integrity
Content
18½ / 20
Language
17½ / 20
Total
36 / 40
A Second Chance
I turned over the envelope, carefully tearing it open. I could not believe what I was seeing. It was another invitation from Princeton University to attend its Mathematics Holiday Programme. I had failed at the selection test the previous time, so I was utterly surprised that I had been shortlisted for the selection test. Again!
I could not tell if I was glad or disappointed. I had lost much faith in passing the test ever since I failed the previous time. I could not bear the thought of failing one more and destroying my crumbling self-esteem even more. It would be adding oil to the fire. On the other hand, I thought of how this could be a second chance at entering the programme. Maybe I had outgrown my old abilities and would get in! I carefully weighed the pros and cons of the two paths. It seemed that the selection test would do me good. Therefore, I chose, once again, to go for it.
The training period at home by myself was not a piece of cake. There were ups and downs, slowing down my progress, while the thought of failing would randomly enter my mind, then cheekily exit. However, the past is water under the bridge, so I decided not to care about it anymore and focus on preparing myself for the selection test instead.
Soon, the selection test came. My heart was banging against my ribs rapidly and adrenaline was pumping through my veins. As the online selection test platform switched to a page full of mathematical theory and questions, my blood froze. I started to panic as I could not solve any of the questions. Even the notes I was permitted to bring into the test could not help a single bit. Cold sweat formed on my forehead but my mind was blown on the inside. I could not help but to think that the decision I had made was a horrible idea and it would be yet a second opportunity to damage my confidence to a greater extent. After the selection test ended, I felt empty inside. It felt exactly the same as the first time. However, even worse. It dawned upon me that I was truly, not good enough for the holiday programme and I was silly enough to accept the invitation once again. What hurt me the most, was that I had such faith and optimism in the beginning, and they were crushed. A second time. I had worked so hard for this, and yet my determination was probably going to bring me none other than shame and disappointment.
I immersed myself in grief and embarrassment. Just then, a voice jolted me out of my miserable world.
It went, “Hi Jenson! This is the interview for the Mathematics Holiday Programme. Would you like to introduce more about yourself?” I looked back up at my computer screen. It seems like I had been invited to a video conference! I looked at the name of the meeting and it was for the holiday programme.
I sheepishly smiled and introduced myself, “Hi! I’m Jenson and…,“ I shared about my passion in Mathematics and why I wished to get into the programme. I thought it was the end of the conference but it was apparently not. The teachers asked a few questions relating to my passion and two questions that startled me. They asked if I had gone through challenges, more specifically, disappointment, recently, and what had compelled me to try out for this again. I was hesitant about sharing my experience with them at first, but I eventually realised I needed to answer them truthfully so I could somehow be selected for the programme. I took a deep breath and I shared my story with them as they listened to my story intently, nodding their heads.
After the two questions, the interview ended. They thanked me for my time and dismissed me from the meeting. I was extremely worried that I had messed up the interview, but not long after, I realised that it was over and there was no point worrying about it.
Only a long while later, I could properly think and reflect on the events that had just taken place. I felt that it was weird for an interview as I did not have one the first time round. The results were to be released through email two weeks later, so I waited impatiently for it to arrive.
Exactly two weeks later, I received the email from the University. Expecting a “We’re sorry to inform you that you are not selected for the holiday programme”. I was in disbelief that what I saw was a “Congratulations!” Joy and ecstasy filled me as I jumped around my room like a child on a sugar high. I was so happy about the fact that I had passed after so long! It boosted my confidence by a tremendous amount. I was so excited to be part of the programme, finally!
As I read the remainder of the email, I found out that they had chosen me because of my determination and strength to come back for the selection test the second time. They saw potential in me and therefore chose me to develop it in their programme.
Through this incident, I learnt that I have to let go of the past events, whether success or failure, and work with determination to improve ourselves. I also learnt that I need to jump on second windows of opportunity despite failures in the past. This experience is etched into my memory and I hope I will be able to apply what I have learnt through this incident to my daily life. I was so glad that I was given this golden opportunity and I got through using my values. I would definitely treasure this programme and also, any other second opportunity to redeem myself after failure!
Written by: Liao Yichen
Class: 6 Integrity
Content
19½ / 20
Language
17 / 20
Total
36½ / 40
Stories have been edited for correctness and clarity.
A Broken Promise
By Akshaini Sree Satheesh Kumar (6A 2021)
“Cheater! Liar! Betrayer!” Taylor cursed under her breath as she stomped off, weeping. The poor girl regretted trusting her sister. Alas, fate had decided for her otherwise. Taylor knew it would take a long time to trust her again. That fateful day…
The morning sun shone brightly in the blue skies while hidden behind the white clouds. The atmosphere of the classroom matched the weather outside perfectly. Primary 6C, full of happiness, were animatedly chatting away with their friends. However, the fun ended abruptly when their Mathematics teacher, Ms Li, stepped into the classroom. In her hands was a stack of thirty-six examination papers. The class knew what was about to happen. “Class, I have marked your Preliminary Examination scripts. I have some nasty surprises, and some pleasant news. Oh well, you will know after you get back your papers,” Ms Li announced. She then proceeded to give out the papers.
“Taylor! Please come and collect your paper!” Ms Li called out to the petite girl whose body was trembling with fear and anxiety. When Taylor received her script, her eyes widened as wide as saucers. Her heart was ricocheting in her ribcage. 25 out of 100? Seriously? She was devastated by the fact that she had not only failed, she had failed miserably. Flipping through the answer booklet, she stared helplessly at the huge crosses splashed all over the paper whilst trying to desperately check if there might have been a calculation error somewhere, somehow, that would earn her more marks.
As reality sank in, she thought to herself, “What do I do now?” She had studied for the examination, burning the midnight oil the previous night.
“Yes! I did it!” Alice squealed with joy. Happiness bubbled in her heart and she had a big grin stretched from ear to ear. Alice, who was Taylor’s sister, was nothing like Taylor. Alice was smart as a whip while Taylor was not that intelligent. However, that did not stop them from being together. Soon, all the students in the class got back their examination papers, just in time for recess.
Ring! The students fled the classroom, with the exception of Taylor. In the classroom, which was enveloped in darkness, sat Taylor who was sobbing away. “I studied for this, putting in all my effort!” she cried. Just then, a silhouette appeared in the classroom. “Taylor? What are you doing here?” Alice asked. Taylor wept as she narrated the incident and blurted out her score. A mischievous grin stretched across Alice’s face as she pretended to be listening to Taylor with empathy. Alice then “comforted” Taylor, telling her she could try again next time. Taylor then made Alice promise her that she would not tell anyone her score.
Just then, the bell sounded, signalling the end of recess. Alice rushed to her seat and Taylor trudged to hers. The classroom slowly started filling up. Alice whispered something in Summer’s ear. Summer and Alice then giggled softly between themselves. Soon, Summer started telling everyone who cared to listen what Alice had told her. The news reached Taylor. Baffled, Taylor stood rooted to the ground. How did everyone know her score?
Just then, she caught a glimpse of the smir on Alice’s face. She understood everything. How could her own sister betray her? Now, Taylor was really devastated. She felt crushed and defeated. Everyone was giving her that look of disgust. Taylor could not look anyone in the eye. She hung her head low as she cursed Alice.
The hours rolled by and the school day finally ended. “Well Taylor, enjoyed your day?” Alice asked sarcastically. That was it. Taylor stomped off without looking back, vowing never to trust her sister again. It is indeed painful when someone breaks a promise to you. But it is ten times worse when it is a person whom you cherish and trust breaking a promise, however big or small.
A Broken Promise
By Scarlett Wan (6A 2021)
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry!” Evan choked as tears streaked down his face. He was sitting by a hospital bed, his mother’s arm around his shoulder in a comforting way. In the hospital bed lay his younger sister, Emma, with a bandage around her head and several monitors hooked up to her. The incident happened like this:
“Evan, I’m going out. Take care of your sister; don’t bully her, remember to give her her medicine, you know the drill. Bye!” Evan’s mother called out as she strutted out of the house for a conference. That left only Evan and Emma in the house as their father was overseas. Emma was born with a heart problem, so she needed to take her medicine regularly and could not go out to play with the other children at her age. Evan’s mother had made Evan promise to not fool around and take care of his sister, so Evan knew that he to honour his word.
Evan went to check on his sister, who was lying on the bed, pale as always, the lack of Vitamin D making her sister sicker than she already was. “Evan… promise that you’ll take good care of me, okay?” Evan murmured. Evan nodded in agreement. “Pinky promise?” Emma muttered sleepily. “Pinky promise,” Evan whispered, gently rubbing her head, clasping Emma’s small hand in his hand. Once Emma had drifted off to sleep, Evan left Emma’s room to go into his room to play some video games with his friends, leaving his unfinished homework and storybooks all over the floor of his messy room. Papers sprawled all over the floor blew here and there every time Evan’s fan blew in that particular direction; pages of books fluttered with the wind. Soon, Emma stumbled out of bed and into Evan’s room, barely maintaining her balance, to ask Evan for some water.
Thump! “Ah!” Emma squealed as she tripped over one of Evan’s open storybooks, hitting her head hard on the ground. “Emma!” Evan shouted, worried for his sister. Clutching Emma as he kneeled on the floor, he could only feel a weak pulse coming from Emma’s chest and her feeble breaths. Emma’s breathing was laboured. Evan had forgotten to give Emma her medicine. Fumbling around in his pocket for his phone, he hastily dialled 995 for an ambulance to save Emma. Before long, the sounds of an ambulance filled the area. Evan hurried to open the door for them. Shortly after that, Emma was in the ambulance on a stretcher, and Evan was sobbing beside her, muttering under his breath, apologising to Emma, to his mother for his reckless behaviour, for not taking care of Emma well, for forgetting to give Emma her medicine. He felt extremely remorseful that he had broken his promises to his mother, and his promise and pinky swear to Emma, who had trusted him while he had failed to honour his word.
Emma was whisked off into the intensive care unit at the hospital while Evan was made to wait outside. His mother arrived soon after. “I’m sorry, Mum… I should have taken better care of Emma, I should have remembered to give Emma her medicine. I shouldn’t have been so reckless!” Evan sobbed into his mother’s shoulder when she arrived at the hospital. Patting Evan’s back, she comforted him, “It’s alright, Emma will be fine… don’t beat yourself up too hard about it…”
After what seemed like an eternity, the doctor burst out of the room, and exclaimed, “She’s alive! It’s a miracle!” Looking at the puzzled looks on Evan and his mother’s faces, he proceeded to explain that not only was her heart not functioning well, Emma had also fractured her skull. As realisation hit Evan, he muttered a quick ‘thank you’ to the doctor before bursting into Emma’s ward, closely followed by his mother. He could not help but sob about how sorry he was for breaking his promise, for not taking care of Emma, even though he knew Emma could not hear him.
“Mummy, I… want… apple juice…” These words jolted Evan and his mother back to reality as tears streaked down their faces. “Emma!” Evan’s mother shrieked, nearly jumping for joy at the sight of Emma’s open eyes. “I’ll go get the doctor!” Evan’s mother exclaimed while rushing out of the room. “Emma… I’m so sorry… I broke my promise to you…” Evan choked out. “It’s… okay…” Emma whispered, clutching Evan’s hand.
A week later, Emma was discharged, more medicines prescribed to her than ever, but otherwise relatively well. Evan was gleefully skipping home, feeling a huge burden lifted off his shoulders, not only because Emma was well again, but also because his parents and Emma had forgiven him.
A Broken Promise
By Ariel Shi (6A 2021)
Ring! The school bell sounded, signalling the end of another school day. I hummed a merry tune quietly as I trotted back home, longing for my video games. As I passed the nearby jewellery shop on my way home, I espied a familiar silhouette exiting the shop, carrying a small velvet box with a ribbon tied on it. “Hey, isn’t that Brother?” I muttered, surprised, before hurrying to catch up with him.
“Hey, Brother! Wait!” I yelled, hurrying up towards him. He spun around, looking shocked, before nodding to acknowledge my presence. “Brother, what is that gift box for?” I piped up suddenly, seeing my brother fingering the small gem. “Huh? No, no way! I’m not going to tell you!” Brother snapped, keeping the box out of my reach. “Please…” I kept pestering my brother on the way home. Finally, he relented.
“Sigh… ok, I’ll tell you, but you must promise not to tell anyone, ok? It’s a secret between you and me,” Brother said, almost warningly. “Alright, then, pinkie promise!” I offered my little finger, and locked fingers with him. With my promise, my brother seemed satisfied. He carefully unwrapped the box for me to see. Inside the box was a huge diamond ring, together with a necklace studded with expensive jewels. No wonder Brother had wrapped the box up so carefully! “Woah!” I yelled in fascination. “Psst… shush, don’t tell. This is for Mia, you know, my girlfriend? I’m going to propose on her birthday next week!” Brother whispered, his cheeks flushed pink.
“Oh! Good luck!” I whispered back, fumbling for my key to open the door as we reached the house. Little did I know that I was going to break my promise soon…
That night, Brother was teaching me how to solve impossible problem sums. Math had always been my worst subject. “No! It’s not like this, it’s like that!” “The formula for circumference is ∏d, not ∏r2+!” “This can still be simplified!” “Where is your working?” Finally, after repeated unsuccessful attempts to tutor, Brother cracked. “Oh, just how did I get such a stupid boy for a brother! Even a goat can be smarter than you!” he yelled. Stung by his hurtful words, I wanted to retaliate. Spotting the carefully wrapped gift box on the table, I responded quickly, not even realising that I was breaking my promise to Brother. Snatching up the neatly-wrapped jewellery box, I retorted, “Well, you did not think that I was that stupid when you told me that secret, did you?” Then, I bolted out of the bedroom door.
“Hey, you can’t break your promise!” I did not hear the rest of Brother’s words. Anger pulsed in my veins as I stood, slightly panting, outside the kitchen, where Mother was cleaning up for dinner earlier on. “Hey Mum, did you know that Brother’s getting ready to propose to his girlfriend? You know, that one you hated?” I shouted maliciously, glee in every syllable. Mum froze from her cleaning, and even Brother, who had just thundered down the stairs, was shocked. It was as if the world had come to a stop.
Mother exploded, just like I had expected. Pandemonium erupted in the kitchen as the two adults started yelling at each other. Strangely, I did not feel triumphant, only scared. As the decibels escalated, I fled to take refuge in my room, ducking under the blankets to muffle the noise.
Suddenly – silence. Thinking that the problem was over, I poked my head out, only to see Brother storm into my room, ashen-faced, and I realised that my problem had just begun…
I would never forget the guilt I felt for breaking my promise to Brother. This incident will continue to haunt me for the rest of my life, and if Brother fails to get his happily-ever-after ending, I will never forgive myself for my rash act.
A Broken Promise
By Ju Yuxuan (6A 2021)
“Sandy, I’m back home!” Hazel exclaimed after trudging home under the merciless sun. She threw her bag down on the sofa and breathed in exhaustion. Not hearing any sound from her five-year-old sister’s room, Hazel decided to check on her, glad to find her lying on the bed while reading a book. Looking up, Sandy gushed, “Sister, you’re finally home!” Without hesitation, she sprinted towards Hazel and hugged her tightly. A smile beamed across Hazel’s face and she was proud of her very well-behaved sister. “Maybe I should reward her with something? Oh yes, I know! Bring her to the newly-opened theme park!” Hazel thought as she grinned.
“You know what? Since tomorrow is a weekend and I have time, let’s go to the theme park as a reward for your good behaviour! Promise!” Hazel announced cheerfully. Sandy whooped in joy and locked her beloved sister in another tight embrace before returning to her book. Hazel scurried to her room to finish her mountain of homework.
Soon, the sky darkened and evening approached. When their parents returned, Hazel got her parents’ blessing to take Sandy to the theme park the next day. Bubbles of excitement bounced back and forth and Sandy could not wait for the next day to arrive.
At nearly the stroke of midnight, she finally finished her homework and was about to turn in. Just then, an ominous thought struck her. Has she booked the tickets? Hazel let out a gasp as she had forgotten to book the tickets! Without a second thought, she grabbed her computer and searched for the website, hoping to be able to confirm the tickets. Much to her horror, she read the banner scrolling across her screen: Tickets for completely sold out till December. Sorry for the inconvenience caused.
Hazel’s eyes widened as she furrowed her eyebrows in disappointment. Thinking about the melancholic face of her sister, she gripped her fist and forced herself to think of alternatives as she knew she knew she needed to keep the promise. As she was about to give up, she muttered to herself, “Eh? How about I go to the ticket counter tomorrow to buy the tickets? What if the over-the-counter tickets are sold out too? It’s fine, nothing ventured, nothing gained.” She shut down her laptop and fell blissfully asleep.
Dawn approached, and the zealous sisters set off, arriving bright and early at the theme park. The usual theme park anthem reverberated throughout the main foyer, putting everyone in a festive mood. Hazel made a beeline towards the ticket counter. “Hi! Two tickets please!” Hazel chirped whilst handing over the money.
“Uh. I’m sorry. All tickets are sold out for today. You are advised to purchase your tickets online to avoid disappointment,” said the lady at the counter.
Upon hearing the news, Sandy’s face turned red and she started to bawl uncontrollably. Hazel bent down and comforted her. “I’m so sorry for breaking the promise! Maybe… next time?” she coaxed in a soothing tone. “NO! You’re always like this!” Sandy retorted. They were oblivious that the lady at the counter was watching them all this while. She announced, “Fine, I’ll make an exception and let you in for free.” Animation lit up Sandy’s face as she ran around in excitement. Hazel asked, “Are you sure?” The lady nodded and Hazel immediately thanked her profusely for her kindness. At the end of the day, they were thoroughly spent, having enjoyed every ride and laughing themselves silly.
As Hazel lay in bed that night, she was awash with gratitude as she recalled how the kind lady had helped her when she saw how remorseful she must have looked when she had to break her promise to her little sister. Since that day, Hazel would always remember to book her tickets in advance to avoid a similar incident from happening again.
A Broken Promise
Kimie Tan (6A 2021)
“Amy!” my best friend, Maya, called. “Yeah? What is it?” I shouted back. “I can’t wait for tomorrow, I just want time to go faster!” she squealed. I nodded and laughed a bit. It was her birthday the next day and she could not stop talking about it. She had arranged a small party just for the two of us. (Covid-19 restrictions meant that we could only have social gatherings of not more than two persons.) “Promise you’ll come?” she asked, holding up her pinkie. “Yes, yes. How many promises have I made today? Maybe ten?” I chuckled.
Suddenly, a new girl walked through the classroom doors. Our eyes met and she walked up to Maya and me. I could not help but notice an unmistakable air of sophistication oozing from her.
“Hey, my name’s Eliza,” she introduced herself. “Oh, my name is Amy and that’s Maya,” I replied, pointing to Maya as I said her name. I patted the empty seat next to me, motioning for her to sit down. Somehow, we immediately clicked and started chatting as if we had known each other for years. We shared jokes, the latest gossips in town, and what we were catching on Netflix. We were having a blast until…
Ring! And right on cue, our Math teacher, Mrs Lim, walked in and started writing on the board. “Ugh…” the students groaned audibly, obviously not wanting to learn. I was equally upset, sighed inwardly and turned to face the board. “Hey… Amy…” I could hear whispers, but had no inkling who it was. I turned my head slightly and saw Eliza holding a small piece of paper. “Read it,” she mouthed, tossing it on my desk. Written on it in cursive handwriting was: You should come over to my three-storey mansion tomorrow. I have my own arcade room and mini theatre. How cool is that? It’ll be fun!
I was instantly intrigued. I had never been to such a big house before.
Suddenly, I remembered my promise and felt a twinge of guilt. If I go to Maya’s birthday party, Eliza will probably be upset and feel unwelcomed. However, if I go to Eliza’s house, I will be breaking my promise to Maya. But how could I turn down such an attractive invitation? Maybe Maya would understand and not be mad? I already have a gift for her, so maybe I can pass her the gift after I leave Eliza’s house? Countless thoughts were swirling endlessly in my mind while I pretended to understand and take in Mrs Lim’s complicated explanation of a whole number problem sum involving the dreaded heuristic “before and after”.
“Well, I’ll do just that,” I convinced myself. I turned to give Eliza an “okay” sign, letting her know that I would be coming.
Ring! The final bell of liberation rang and everyone rushed to pack their bags. Maya seemed to be in a rush, bolting out of the door, shouting, “See you, Amy and Eliza!” I grabbed my bag and strolled out with Eliza. “It’s going to be so much fun tomorrow!” Eliza chirped. I could barely contain my excitement just thinking about it. It had been an exhausting day. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out like a lightbulb.
Beep! Beep! My alarm screamed into my ears. Usually, I would be quite annoyed, but that morning, I was tingling with anticipation to meet Eliza at her place. Armed with her address, Maya’s gift and some snacks, I was out of the door in no time.
Fifteen minutes later, I arrived at Eliza’s place without incident. It was impossible to miss the magnificent bungalow. “Amy, come on in! Let me show you around!” Eliza ushered me in, eager to give me a complete house tour. I could barely believe my eyes as I plodded around the house. Every level was filled with amazing designer furniture and the perfectly manicured garden was beyond my imagination. The day flew by in a flash and all too soon, 5 pm arrived, meaning it was time to head home. I bade farewell, thanked her for the hospitality and left.
Remembering that I still had Maya's gift and needed to hand it to her, I rushed to her house and knocked on the door. “Maya…?” I was met with a crying friend. Her eyes were red and it seemed like she had been crying for hours. “You… promised,” she mumbled. “I am so sorry… I should have left you a message,” I quickly interjected. She broke down in tears and at that instant, guilt overwhelmed me as I thought about what a terrible friend I had been. I felt horrible, even more so when she subsequently forgave me for wilfully hurting her feelings.
From that day onwards, I kept my word and never dared to thoughtlessly break another promise. Ironically, we became even closer after the incident, probably because I had learnt to not take our friendship for granted.
Something Precious
By Yori 6P 2022
Climax: “Oh no! The present! It’s ruined!” Linda cried in agony, witnessing the horrific sight of the doll being stained. At that moment, I stared at her, not knowing what to say to comfort her. How did I get into this situation? I wondered, clenching the doll in my arms. It was then that I remembered that this all started when I had to buy something for my little sister, Linda, as it was her birthday one day ago …
Orientation
Thud! The sound of something falling on my bed jolted me out of my deep slumber as I rubbed my eyes in a daze. I opened my eyes wide to see the sight of Linda, my little sister, grinning from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat. When I asked her what she was smiling about, she cheerfully reminded me that her birthday was the following day. At that moment, I realised how I had completely forgotten about it. I smiled awkwardly back at her as I had forgotten to buy something for her. Fortunately, it was a Saturday, so I still had some time to buy her something.
Rising Action:
That afternoon, I went to the shopping mall in hopes that I would be able to find something precious to buy for her. The shopping mall was bustling with people queuing up at shops and the different smells of the food, the other things at the mall and the odour of the people there concocted a distinct, yet pungent, smell. Since the mall was crowded, I had to squeeze my way through, but people pushed me around in all directions like a roly-play toy. However, all of my efforts to find something precious to buy for Linda were not in vain. At that moment, something caught my eye. I noticed a large sized teddy bear at the toy store. I knew that Linda loved toys, so I darted towards the store, hoping that nobody had taken it. I immediately bought the teddy bear, bading a hasty goodbye to the cashier. I thanked my lucky stars and left the mall.
Panting, I returned home with the soft toy in my hand as I had darted back home in order to be able to wrap it with the present wrappers that I had also bought. I skipped over to my room in euphoria, anticipating Linda’s joy and delight when she would get the present. I was also feeling thirsty, so I got myself a cold iced tea. I wrapped the present slowly and cautiously in case I ripped anything off the teddy bear by accident. While trying to wrap the present, my elbow accidentally knocked over my cup of iced tea. In an instant, all of it spilt over the teddy bear. My eyes widened in shock and horror. I could feel my heart ricocheting violently against its ribcage. All of my money had been wasted, and I had ruined Linda’s surprise present.
In desperation, I clasped the teddy bear, skedaddling towards the kitchen to wipe the stains off. I grabbed the kitchen cloth, rubbing against the teddy bear hard. Unfortunately, it just tore off parts of the teddy bear. I stared at the broken teddy bear in shock and disbelief. At that point, I wanted the whole world to eat me up and swallow me whole.
Climax: EAST
“Oh no! The present! It’s ruined!” I heard the familiar voice of my little sister, Linda, crying out in agony. My eyes widened. How did she know that this was her present? Why is she here? An endless train of questions flooded my fertile mind. I stared at her awkwardly, not knowing what to say to comfort her. Had she been following me? I wondered. I asked her how she knew that it was her present, confirming what I had suspected was true. It turned out that she had been following me since I got home. She heard me talking to myself about how she would react if she received the present. I was flabbergasted. Never in a million years would I have expected that. There was a tinge of sadness in my eyes as I did my best to rein in my tears. I apologised profusely, not knowing what else to say.
Falling Action: EAST
Like a bolt from the blue, my mother appeared from her room, asking what had transpired. I explained to her everything. Eureka! My mother had a sudden idea about what we could do. She brought us to her room, took out a sewing machine from the cupboard and suggested that all three of us make the doll together. My mother then explained to us how she had once worked for a company that made dolls for children. She had all the materials laid out for us. Linda and I looked at our mother in doubt that the plan would work, but since we had no other choice, we agreed to it. We were struggling a lot on the way, but our mother helped us a lot, so we were able to finish the doll for Linda. Our mother beamed at us for our hard work. Linda and I were over the moon that the plan had worked.
Conclusion: MFHD (Memories, Feelings, Hopes, Decision RELATED TO SOMETHING PRECIOUS. Repeat theme 2x)
The next day, I again apologised profusely to Linda for ruining her precious present. She took me by surprise when she quipped that the fact that we had made the present together was more precious than just buying one off the shelf. Memories of this incident would forever be etched in my mind. That day, I had learned a valuable lesson on how doing things with the family was more precious than any material possession or money. I decided to post about this incident on my social media account, titling it “Something Precious”.
Something Precious
Sofia 6A 2022
Suddenly, an odd ripping noise filled my ears. I furrowed my brows. What could possibly be making that noise? I pushed the front door open and stepped into my house. My cat sat hunched over something peculiar. I chased him away. The moment I laid eyes on the pile of cotton in the middle of the room, my heart stopped. I stumbled closer to it, tears blurring my sight. Regret filled me.
It all started a week ago.
Tears ran down my cheeks. My trembling hands gripped tightly onto my grandfather’s calloused ones. My shoulders shook as I sobbed. My gaze landed on the teddy bear my grandfather had given me during his last moments.
“Here, Fynn. I want you to have this. Pass it on when your time comes,” he had whispered, handing me a glass-eyed teddy bear.
My gaze latched onto my grandfather’s lifeless stare. He was gone. I felt a reassuring hand on my shoulder, gently guiding me away from him. I held the teddy bear tightly in my clammy hands.
A week later, I lay sprawled on the sofa, scrolling through pictures of my late grandfather and me. The glass-eyed teddy bear sat propped up next to me. I squeezed it tightly.
“I love you, precious one,” I whispered into its soft ears. Suddenly, my phone rang. I answered it.
“Hi Fynn! Come over to my house! I just got a new video game. Come play!” the voice of Lia, my close friend, pierced through the silence.
I do need something to get my mind off Grandpa, I thought. I agreed, a small grin spreading across my face. I jumped up, phone in hand, and raced out of the house. If I had known what was going to happen, I would have brought the teddy bear along. However, I was clueless about my precious gift’s fate.
Lia and I spent the rest of the day jabbing desperately at the control buttons, manipulating tiny soccer players on her huge television screen. Finally, as the day bled into nightfall, I trudged home. While approaching my front door, an odd ripping sound filled my ears.
What could possibly be making that noise? I pushed the front door open and stepped into the house. My gaze fell upon a peculiar sight in the middle of the room. My cat, Ringo, sat hunched over something, seemingly ripping it apart. I chased it away, an odd sensation gnawing at me.
“Shoo! Shoo!” I chased Ringo away.
The moment I laid eyes on the pile of white and brown cotton, my heart stopped. Is this what I think it is? No way. No. No. No! My brain screamed at me, willing me to prove myself wrong. I stumbled closer, tears blurring my sight. An unmistakable pair of glass eyes watched me from the pile of cotton. I rushed forward, grabbing at what was left of my precious teddy bear. All that was left of its body was clumps of wet soggy fur. Regret filled me.
I ran to my mother’s room, words spilling out of my mouth, my body heaving as I wept.
“It’s all Ringo’s fault! Why would he do that? How could he?” I screamed. I was in denial.
“Hey Fynn. It’s not his fault. He’s only a kitten. He saw a new toy, and he decided to play with it. If you knew how precious it was, you shouldn’t have left it out. Much less the one room Ringo is allowed to be in. Let this be a lesson for you. I hope you have learnt how to protect things that are close to your heart,” my mother whispered, her voice calm but firm.
I gazed into her eyes, my clammy hands gripping the teddy bear’s glass eyes.
That day had been a painfully valuable lesson for me. Ever since then, I protected things precious to my heart. The teddy bear’s eyes watched me every day from its perch above my mirror. What remains of its body is kept in a box, a sombre reminder for me to never again be careless with things deemed precious and close to my heart.
Content: 20/20 Language: 20/20
Something Precious
By Yori 6P 2022
Climax: “Oh no! The present! It’s ruined!” Linda cried in agony, witnessing the horrific sight of the doll being stained. At that moment, I stared at her, not knowing what to say to comfort her. How did I get into this situation? I wondered, clenching the doll in my arms. It was then that I remembered that this all started when I had to buy something for my little sister, Linda, as it was her birthday one day ago …
Orientation
Thud! The sound of something falling on my bed jolted me out of my deep slumber as I rubbed my eyes in a daze. I opened my eyes wide to see the sight of Linda, my little sister, grinning from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat. When I asked her what she was smiling about, she cheerfully reminded me that her birthday was the following day. At that moment, I realised how I had completely forgotten about it. I smiled awkwardly back at her as I had forgotten to buy something for her. Fortunately, it was a Saturday, so I still had some time to buy her something.
Rising Action: EAST
That afternoon, I went to the shopping mall in hopes that I would be able to find something precious to buy for her. The shopping mall was bustling with people queuing up at shops and the different smells of the food, the other things at the mall and the odour of the people there concocted a distinct, yet pungent, smell. Since the mall was crowded, I had to squeeze my way through, but people pushed me around in all directions like a roly-play toy. However, all of my efforts to find something precious to buy for Linda were not in vain. At that moment, something caught my eye. I noticed a large sized teddy bear at the toy store. I knew that Linda loved toys, so I darted towards the store, hoping that nobody had taken it. I immediately bought the teddy bear, bading a hasty goodbye to the cashier. I thanked my lucky stars and left the mall.
Panting, I returned home with the soft toy in my hand as I had darted back home in order to be able to wrap it with the present wrappers that I had also bought. I skipped over to my room in euphoria, anticipating Linda’s joy and delight when she would get the present. I was also feeling thirsty, so I got myself a cold iced tea. I wrapped the present slowly and cautiously in case I ripped anything off the teddy bear by accident. While trying to wrap the present, my elbow accidentally knocked over my cup of iced tea. In an instant, all of it spilt over the teddy bear. My eyes widened in shock and horror. I could feel my heart ricocheting violently against its ribcage. All of my money had been wasted, and I had ruined Linda’s surprise present.
In desperation, I clasped the teddy bear, skedaddling towards the kitchen to wipe the stains off. I grabbed the kitchen cloth, rubbing against the teddy bear hard. Unfortunately, it just tore off parts of the teddy bear. I stared at the broken teddy bear in shock and disbelief. At that point, I wanted the whole world to eat me up and swallow me whole.
Climax: EAST
“Oh no! The present! It’s ruined!” I heard the familiar voice of my little sister, Linda, crying out in agony. My eyes widened. How did she know that this was her present? Why is she here? An endless train of questions flooded my fertile mind. I stared at her awkwardly, not knowing what to say to comfort her. Had she been following me? I wondered. I asked her how she knew that it was her present, confirming what I had suspected was true. It turned out that she had been following me since I got home. She heard me talking to myself about how she would react if she received the present. I was flabbergasted. Never in a million years would I have expected that. There was a tinge of sadness in my eyes as I did my best to rein in my tears. I apologised profusely, not knowing what else to say.
Falling Action: EAST
Like a bolt from the blue, my mother appeared from her room, asking what had transpired. I explained to her everything. Eureka! My mother had a sudden idea about what we could do. She brought us to her room, took out a sewing machine from the cupboard and suggested that all three of us make the doll together. My mother then explained to us how she had once worked for a company that made dolls for children. She had all the materials laid out for us. Linda and I looked at our mother in doubt that the plan would work, but since we had no other choice, we agreed to it. We were struggling a lot on the way, but our mother helped us a lot, so we were able to finish the doll for Linda. Our mother beamed at us for our hard work. Linda and I were over the moon that the plan had worked.
Conclusion: MFHD (Memories, Feelings, Hopes, Decision RELATED TO SOMETHING PRECIOUS. Repeat theme 2x)
The next day, I again apologised profusely to Linda for ruining her precious present. She took me by surprise when she quipped that the fact that we had made the present together was more precious than just buying one off the shelf. Memories of this incident would forever be etched in my mind. That day, I had learned a valuable lesson on how doing things with the family was more precious than any material possession or money. I decided to post about this incident on my social media account, titling it “Something Precious”.
Content: 18 Language: 18
Neighbourliness
Mr Raja was new to my neighbourhood. His background was shrouded in mystery. The seemingly ill-tempered widower wore a perpetual frown on his wrinkled face. Nobody was willing to approach the elderly whose pursed lips hardly formed anything audible. The aloof man had never greeted anyone along the corridor. He maintained an icy silence, seemingly warning others to stay away. I had never interacted with Mr Raja. In fact, I was glad to keep it that way. However, fate decided otherwise.
“Oh no! My house key!” I exclaimed in horror, turning pale and frantic. My forgetfulness spelt trouble on that stormy day. My parents had left for Johor Bahru and would be home late. Drenched to the skin, my tiny body trembled in the biting cold. Drearily, I stood stranded outside my own house, sobbing and shivering.
Minutes turned into hours. The rain had subsided and I was drained of all energy. With my forehead burning, I slumped weakly against the wet concrete floor. Curled into a tight ball, I was desperate to retain my warmth. Fuzzy images began drifting before my bleary eyes, taunting me to plunge into darkness…
Just then, a blurry figure appeared. In a soft comforting tone, the Good Samaritan asked, “Boy, are you alright? Boy?” I strained my eyes and looked up. Agape in surprise, I stared at the elderly before me – it was Mr Raja.
Placing his palm on my forehead, Mr Raja cried out in alarm, “Oh no! You’re running a high fever!” Hurriedly, my neighbour tilted my body into his arms and carried me into his living room. Upon placing me securely on the sofa, a series of frantic motions ensued.
Wrapped with Mr Raja’s thick towels, I felt a hand ruffling up my hair. With the hairdryer whirring noisily, no strand of wet hair was spared. Soon after, an ice pack landed securely on my forehead to stablise my temperature.
Before long, my nose crinkled, awakening all my senses. With my head spinning, I looked at the food before me. Mr Raja had somehow managed to whip up a piping hot meal! Patiently, the kind soul fed me fish porridge blended with egg and ginger. With every mouthful taken, I felt my energy slowly returning.
“Take a nap and you’ll be fine in no time,” Mr Raja cajoled softly. Almost instantly, I lapsed into a deep slumber….
Hushed whispers could be heard in the background. My eyes fluttered open to see my parents’ anxious faces towering over me. Needless to say, I was bombarded by endless questions: What happened? Are you alright? Shall we send you to a doctor?
Relieved that my fever had subsided, they thanked Mr Raja profusely. Since then, our family had grown closer to my amazing neighbour. Behind the gruff voice was a sweet and kind-hearted man, who soon became our favourite person to talk to. Some afternoons, I would be sitting in his living room, listening to moving stories from his yesteryears.
As the saying goes, “You’d never know who may be behind a stranger’s face, waiting to be a friend. Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Sharing is Caring (PSLE 2015)
A group of us were chatting in our classroom when Sarah ran in, panting. I glanced at the clock on the wall. "Sarah, you're late! Did you get scolded by the teacher?" "No, Peter," she replied, approaching us with a look of eagerness on her face. "I stopped by the honeydew patch on the way to school."
Everyone, except me, turned away nonchalantly. All of us knew about the wild honeydew patch that lay neglected halfway between the school and the village where most of us lived. The honeydews that grew there were very tiny and never ripened. The few times that any of us tried the fruit, we had found it either tasteless or bitter.
Undeterred by her classmates’ disinterest, Sarah continued enthusiastically, "I walked into the patch today, and guess what I saw? A honeydew this huge!" She placed her hands in front of her, palms spaced apart to show a width of about thirty centimetres.
"Impossible!" I exclaimed, trying hard not to roll my eyes.
"I'm going to get it after school today, and then you tell me whether it's impossible or not!" she declared confidently.
When school was finally over, Sarah was held back by the teacher to be reprimanded for her lateness that morning. On my walk home, I passed by the honeydew patch. As usual, several tiny honeydews could be seen among the leaves on the ground. Could what Sarah had said be true? With my curiosity aroused, I stepped into the patch and began searching for the spectacular fruit. When I reached the far end of the patch, I found it! The moment I saw it, my mouth watered and I longed for a taste of the juicy fruit.
I hastily plucked the fruit from its stem and staggered with it to a nearby tangle of bushes. Then, hidden by the bushes, I cracked the honeydew open on a rock and set about devouring the juicy fruit. I ate until I could eat no more, then wondered what to do with the rest of the fruit. If I brought it home with me, would I get scolded for opening it on my own? Filled with fear, I kicked one half of the opened fruit. Crack! It split easily into three parts! I then started to stamp on the fruit, crushing the soft flesh into the earth until there was nothing left except pieces of pale yellow shell.
As I emerged from the bushes, I noticed Sarah weeping by the honeydew patch. "I can't find my honeydew! Somebody has taken it!" she cried when she saw me. Bowing my head guiltily, I confessed in a small voice, "It was me. I was the one. "The fruit was for my little sister, Mandy," Sarah sobbed. "It's her birthday today and I know she would love to have a taste of honeydew. Now I have nothing to give her."
Hearing her words, shame burned my cheeks. I turned and went back into the bushes. Many of the pale honeydew seeds had been pressed into the earth but I picked up as many as I could. Then I returned to Sarah and said, "I can't give the honeydew back to you, but if you'll let me, I'll help you to plant these seeds behind your house. Hopefully, we can grow another big honeydew to give your sister next year." Sarah looked at the seeds. I could see the doubt in her eyes but she accepted my offer anyway.
The year rolled by and when it was Mandy's birthday again, Sarah and I presented her with not just one but three giant honeydews! Mandy immediately invited all her friends to her house. As we munched on our slices of honeydew, I thought with admiration that I was twice Mandy's age, yet it had taken me a hard lesson before I learnt what she instinctively understood.
An Unexpected Friendship
As I walked into my classroom, I noticed an unfamiliar face. He was seated quietly at the back of the classroom, studying the people around him behind his thick glasses.
“Azri!” my best friend, Raju, called out to me.
“Hey, buddy! How was your holiday?” I replied. My friendly banter with Raju made me forget all about the bespectacled boy at the back of the room.
After singing the national anthem and reciting our pledge, Mr Koh, our form teacher, gestured to someone at the back. I realised that he was inviting the quiet stranger to the front.
“Students, this is Jia Xin,” Mr Koh announced, “He has just transferred from another school. I hope all of you will welcome him with open arms. Would you like to say something, Jia Xin?”
Jia Xin shook his head and smiled sheepishly. His gaze then shifted to the floor. Mr Koh turned to Tom and said, “You will be Jia Xin’s buddy.” There was a pause before Tom uttered, “Well, okay.”
Throughout the week, Jia Xin kept to himself. We saw him buried in books most of the time, and Tom nowhere near him. Raju and I tried to strike a conversation with him a few times, but each time we asked him a question, he would simply walk away with his sheepish smile. Eventually, we came to the conclusion that he was unfriendly.
One day, Mr Koh announced to the class that we had to work in groups of three for a project. Raju and I felt uneasy when we learnt that Mr Unfriendly was our third member.
That afternoon, as Raju and I were walking home from school, a commotion at a playground caught our attention. A group of boys had formed a circle around a bespectacled boy while laughing and jeering at him. Some were making funny noises.
The quick-witted Raju strode right into the centre of the ring and bellowed, “Let us deal with him, boys! Leave us!” The boys could have thought that Raju and I were going to taunt their victim further, so they nodded and sauntered off, sniggering. Relieved by their reaction, we led “the victim” by the shoulder to a more comfortable place – my home.
My mother served us some hot drinks and biscuits. The boy took a few deep breaths, and when he finally calmed down, uttered, “Th-th-th-thank you for ch-ch-ch-chasing th-th-th-them away.”
Raju and I bowed our heads in shame. “We’re so sorry, Jia Xin. We didn’t know this about you.” Jia Xin opened up to us that afternoon and since then, we were inseparable.
As the saying goes, “You’d never know who may be behind a stranger’s face, waiting to be a friend. Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
An Unexpected Friendship
“Let’s give a warm welcome to Nikola who’s joining our class today,” Mrs Tan chirped as she presented a new student to our class on the first day of Term 2. Curious whispers could be heard around our classroom as we eyed the newcomer inquisitively.
Nikola towered over the rest of us. She was a Russian with blonde hair, pretty bluish eyes and a very pale complexion. “Would you like to introduce yourself?” Mrs Tan smiled kindly at her.
“My parents have just found new jobs in Singapore, so here I am,” she squeaked in a thick foreign accent, her eyes darting around the classroom nervously.
“Does she even speak English?” Jane asked audibly. Mrs Tan gave a slight frown, silencing Jane whilst ushering Nikola to her seat. She continued with her Math lesson.
Ring! It was recess time. At breakneck speed, all the students dashed out of their classrooms. My usual “gang” and I skipped to the basketball court as we wanted to play basketball.
From the corner of my eye, I could see Nikola standing near the basket, looking longingly at the lower primary children at the nearby playground.
“She must be feeling lonely,” I said. “Shall we invite her to play with us?” I asked my group of friends.
Without waiting for a response, I strode towards Nikola with my basketball and a most welcoming grin, and asked, “Do you want to play basketball? We are short of one player.”
Her downcast face lit up as soon as I mentioned the word ‘basketball’. Beaming, I tossed the ball in her direction. She caught it with finesse, bounced it twice before dribbling it close to the basket. Then, she paused, took a breather, and performed an elegant jump shot. The ball slipped effortlessly into the hoop, much to everyone’s astonishment. The next moment, the court burst into thunderous cheers. To say we were impressed was an understatement.
“You didn’t mention that you are a basketball expert!” Jane gushed unabashedly.
“Can you teach us how to play like you?” I asked. She blushed before nodding her head.
What an unforgettable first day of school! That day, I got myself not only a new friend, but also a personal basketball coach.