High School Musical

I recently had a very engaging 3-hour conversation with a High School friend, L (Zhin, for those better-informed individuals), about every little bit of nonsense you could possibly think of under the sun.

We spent a good part of the duration revisiting old times and the mutual people we could both think of, moving on to gossip-sharing (I prefer to call it 'keeping on par with current affairs') and then on to the subject of crushes.

I literally rolled my eyes, telling Zhin so, as I did it.

And he said: You might roll your eyes now, but I'm sure back then the mention of a particular name was enough to give you palpitations and make your knees go weak.

That....is probably pushing it a little too far. As far as High School crushes went, I never had much physical contact with any, lest went on any proper dates. Heck, I never even came close to actually turning that crush into a full-blown High School Boyfriend. The most I did was remark that this guy, or that guy, looked cute from afar, giggle profusely about it with Manda and the rest, and find strange thrills in the silliest little things.

Then again, what is a High School career without the crushes, huh?

The presence of these people lit up our lives that much more, back then.

Made Sejarah lessons seem that much less boring.

Made the long hours seem that much more bearable.

Since I was in the mood to saunter back down memory lane, I pulled out the autograph book I had owned in Form 5, flipped to Manda's page, and found myself frowning deeply at some of the stuff she had written. I had gone through so many other 'best friends' since those school days, that it made me wonder aloud which was that particular 'Best Friend' of mine she had been referring to at that time. It was good fun though, and I found myself laughing aloud numerous times throughout the whole experience.

I think so many of us have grown so much since our High School stints with crushes and romance, that when we look back, it can only be with a good laugh or good-natured humour. Truth be told, I no longer remember all the names of every crush I ever had on any guy in school, and even for those whom I actually did, I could hardly remember specific details and encounters in much depth at all.

But the conversation took a turn for the 'not-so-hilarious' exit when Zhin suddenly reciprocated my remark about a mutual friend's constant teasing by blatantly asking:

'So you haven't answered me. Did you or did you not have a thing for me in High School?'

'OMG you ARE shameless aren't you?'

'Is that a Yes or a No?'

'I'm rolling my eyes now! Whatever rocks your boat!!'

'What if I said I had a thing for you in High School? Would it change your perception of me?'

'No way!! Because it was ten thousand years ago, and like I said, just High School crap!'

'Gosh you are quite the cynic aren't you?'

Hahahah. It definitely brought out bountiful laughter on both ends, although at my expense. To me though, High School really seemed like a century ago, and whatever whims I humoured myself with back then were far from serious, in any sense.

I do maintain that at this age and day, I would not hesitate to show very obviously, my liking for a guy whom I probably thought I could stand a chance with, or even just say it outright. It still remains to me, though, that whatever remains unsaid remains untrue. So I would only really like you, if I said I liked you. And vice versa. No mind games or anything of the likes now ;)

Here's to Zhin, who never fails to provide me with much entertainment, and who ultimately remains one of my most baffling (and sometimes exasperating) friendships to date.

Here's to Manda as well, who helped carve out the majority of my High School memories, and who remains one of the greatest friends of all time.

Ah, those silly antics that make up the most hilarious moments.