Liz (20) and Josh (21) walked
out of the Ernest Winger Library with books
in their arms. They were walking pass the
changing room when a group of pretty girls
walked pass them without noticing the couple.
Josh murmured, “That’s weird.”
Liz turned to Josh and asked, “What’s
weird?”
Josh smirked and asked, “The girls used
to wave at me.”
She chuckled, “Oh, okay.” They
were walking along the corridor. A group of
guys were standing at their lockers and turned
to them as they were walking. Josh noticed
them.
“Now the guys turned to me,” Josh
whispered.
Liz frowned. When they were making a turn
to the lobby, Liz asked, “Why do you
always have to bother if people turn to look
at you or not?” Josh was speechless.
She continued, “I mean, who cares if
they turn to us or not, right? It’s
not like they’re giving us a deal or
anything.”
Josh asked, “Do you ever thought of
making friends?”
“I have friends,” Liz intercepted.
He said, “More friends...you know, sometimes
you have to start having a college life. You’re
a bit of a loner, you know that?”
Liz rolled her eyes, “I am not.”
Josh chuckled, “Yes, you are. If you’re
not a loner, why do you always have to hang
out with me, and only me?”
Liz glared at him and walked away from him.
She joined Trina and Ashley, who were walking
towards the lecture hall.
Josh was disbelieved. Liz, Trina and Ashley
walked into the lecture hall for an E-Commerce
seminar. They looked around for empty seats
and walked towards the second row. The lecturers
and professors occupied the first row.
Prof. Wesley, a visiting professor from a
well-known university in the United States
entered the lecture hall and took a seat in
front of Liz. Trina asked, “Liz, have
you received anything from Princeton, Yale
and Harvard?”
Liz murmured, “No.”
Ashley asked curiously, “Why did you
enrol into the Ivy League colleges. Everyone
knows it’s really hard to get in there.”
Liz said whispered, “I just want to
give it a shot and...”
Ashley interrupted, “This is like the
third time you applied to go there.”
Liz corrected, “It’s second.”
Trina realized that it was not going to be
a good conversation and she began, “Hey,
is that guy your boyfriend?”
Liz was confused, “Who?”
Trina replied, “The one who was with
you before you joined us.”
Liz remembered, “Oh, that was my brother.”
Trina covered her mouth shockingly, “That’s
your brother?!”
Ashley said, “I seldom seen him around.
He was usually absent, wasn’t he?”
Trina patted on Ashley excitedly, “Shut
up, Ash.” She asked Liz, “So he’s
not your boyfriend?”
Liz shook her head but she was obviously uncomfortable
when girls go gaga over her stepbrother, who
apparently, was a good-looking fellow.
Ashley said, “Josh is his name, right?”
Liz raised her eyebrows.
Ashley turned to Trina and said, “He’s
from my Communication class but whenever there’s
a presentation, he’s always absent.
Does he have a phobia or something?”
Liz answered, “No, he’s a confident
guy but he’s kinda busy lately.”
Ashley asked, “He works?”
Liz replied, “No, he had to meet my
parents in Melbourne.”
Trina nodded.
The lecturer turned on the microphone. Josh
entered the lecture hall and sat at the last
row. Liz sat alone at the cafeteria in the
afternoon. Josh approached with a tray of
foods and walked towards her table and asked
politely, “May I?” She nodded.
He sat down and transferred the foods and
drinks from the tray and pushed Liz a glass
of Coke and a plate of fries.
Liz ignored him and sipped her vanilla shake.
Josh apologized, “I’m sorry for
being such a...”
She interrupted, “You’re right,
I’m a big loner.”
Josh looked at her concernedly.
Liz explained, “Honestly, I really don’t
know what I did wrong...”
She noticed Roi, her ex-boyfriend at the food
counter. Ashley walked towards him and greeted
him but he ignored her. He turned over his
shoulder to look at Liz. Liz turned away quickly.
When Ashley grabbed his arm, he pushed her
away and left immediately.
Liz turned to Josh and whispered, “I
think Ashley’s dating Roi?”
Josh shook his head and lifted the plate of
fries and positioned it towards Liz. She took
one and ate it. Sharon and Liz were jogging
at the park when Sharon’s cell phone
rang. She stopped jogging to take the call.
Liz turned around and jogged towards Sharon
who was engaged in a telephone conversation.
Liz walked to Sharon but Sharon started to
walk away. Liz started jumping and stretching
a few metres from Sharon.
When Sharon hung up, Liz’s cell phone
rang. She takes off her sling bag and pulls
out her cell phone. The phone stopped ringing
but there was a SMS in her inbox. She read
the message.
Sharon asked, “Who’s that?”
Liz deleted off the message and said, “Chen
asked if we are free tonight coz he was working
until six and asked if we wanted to go to
Remin.”
Sharon replied, “Sure.”
Liz suggested, “Did you hear about this
new bistro? Something Hot Chocolate.”
Sharon asked suspiciously, “Wannabarrie
Hot Chocolate?”
Liz chuckled, “Yeah, yeah, that’s
the one. Want to go there tonight?”
Sharon insisted, “Remin’s better.”
Liz, Josh, Sharon and Chen were hanging out
at Remin Café. Josh handed Liz a flier.
She looked at it. It was a party invitation
organized by Jake, Roi and Freddie.
Liz looked at Josh and said, “No.”
Josh convinced, “Hearsay hundreds of
people are going. He’s never gonna notice
you.” Liz looked unconvinced. Josh said,
“Be my date.”
Liz snapped, “Touchwood!”
Sharon and Chen looked stunned.
Josh chuckled, “I’m not dateable?”
“We’re siblings,” Liz explained.
Josh said, “Stepsiblings.”
Liz took a deep breath and justified, “Look,
when you’re here, you’re my stepbrother
and my friend but at college, you’re
my biological brother.”
Josh couldn’t believe it. He asked,
“Wh-Why?”
Liz patted on Josh’s shoulder and said,
“Let’s just say that it can avoid
many inconveniences.”
Chen shook his head. Sharon pretended to be
innocent, “What inconveniences?”
Liz whispered something into Sharon’s
ear. Sharon nodded.
Josh asked curiously, “What? Shay, what
did she say?”
Sharon giggled.
Josh asked seriously, “What did she
say?” He turned to Liz and asked, “What
did you say to her?”
Sharon calmed herself down and cleared her
throat. She began, “Okay, erm, who wants
drink coz I need one.”
Chen replied, “Sprite.”
Sharon said, “Alrighty, go get me an
orange juice.”
Chen chuckled, “Oh-ho-kay, good trick,
too bad I’m not getting up.”
Sharon smirked, “You’re sick.”
Chen and Josh laughed hysterically.
Josh said, “We should go somewhere that’s
not self-service.”
Liz suggested, “Wannabarrie Hot Chocolate.”
The guys agreed. Sharon and Liz were staring
at Liz’s wardrobe. There were plenty
of clothes that she had never worn.
“What am I suppose to wear?” Liz
asked herself.
Sharon asked, “If you don’t wear
these, why did you buy them? They’re
a bit outdated already, don’t you think?”
Liz explained, “I didn’t buy them.
My dad didn’t know what I wanted or
how I looked like so he asked his assistant
to buy me stuffs that probably didn’t
look good on me.”
Sharon raised her eyebrows, “He’s
pretty ignorant, isn’t he?”
Liz sat on her bed and sighed, “Sometimes
it feels kinda weird…I mean, he’s
my dad, right? But I hadn’t seen him
for five years.”
Sharon asked, “Why didn’t you
visit him?”
Liz chuckled nervously, “Visit him?
I really don’t want to burden him. His
wife and I weren’t talking and they
have a daughter and I really don’t want
to suddenly walk into their life.”
Sharon understood and said, “Why don’t
we go shopping?”
Liz and Josh were standing behind the pillar
outside the club. Roi, Jake, Freddie and a
few bouncers are at the door.
She was sweating and fanning herself. Josh
asked, “Are you ready?”
Liz swallowed and said softly, “He’s
at the door.”
Josh asked, “Why are you afraid of him?”
Liz fanned herself for the last time. She
grabbed Josh’s forearm and pulled him.
They walked towards the door. Roi recognized
them but acted indifferently. The bouncer
grabbed stickers and handed one to Josh and
paste the second sticker on Liz’s upper
arm.
Liz thanked him and walked into the ballroom.
The party had already started. The music band
was performing a song. Liz and Josh walked
towards an empty table.
Liz said, “I think he didn’t care
about me anymore.”
Josh grinned, “Yeah, good.”
Liz was still uncomfortable. She kept looking
towards the main entrance, hoping that she’ll
see Roi. One hour into the party, Liz walked
into the unisex washroom. Roi was washing
his hands and they see each other in the mirror.
Liz walked into the cubicle. The water stopped
flowing a few seconds later. About five minutes
later, she walked out of the cubicle and found
Roi leaning against the wall near the door.
A man walked out of the washroom and he locked
the door. Liz was frightened.
Roi asked, “How are you?”
Liz replied, “I’m…I’m…okay.”
Roi chuckled, “Right. Of course you’re
okay…you’re with that sob, right?”
She shook her head.
He asked, “I haven’t seen anyone
since we broke up…I still love you.”
He unlocked the door and left.
Liz glared and said softly, “Liar…jerk.”
Columbia House DVDs