I just came across a song that I wrote exactly a year ago when I turned eighteen. The title is ‘Take Flight’. It’s one of my quirkier sounding songs, with promising lyrics and a positive outlook on life –not my usual signature. The song starts with the lines: ‘Am I really, eighteen already? Don’t know where the time went but it’s gone.’ Link to full lyrics:
Yes, I’m a teeny little worrywart when it comes to ageing, and alright, fair enough, turning nineteen is hardly anything to worry about, but to the little girl still in pigtails and Adam-inspired-glitter-eyeliner in the back of my mind, the thought of leaving my teenage years are absolutely horrifying. Almost grasshopper-encounter or spider-alone-with-you-in-your-room kind of horrifying.
I already spot tiny but unmistakable creases at the corners of my eyes while I start to find politics intriguing –gasp, I know right.
This year, on the 17th of September which falls on a Saturday, I hadn’t much hope at all of having an ass-kicking birthday the way I used to not too long ago. Wow. I really am getting old. Older, I remind myself.
Anyway, I will be relating my 19th birthday to you guys in my favorite way –story form :) and here we go:
Instinctively as always, I’d woken up that morning without the aid of an electronic device, just by the warmth cast on my face by the sunray that sneaked in through a sliver between curtains.
I stretched my arms out as far as I could. Blinked once, twice. Oh, right. It’s my birthday today.
The buildup to my birthday was an unusually apathetic one, if any at all. I guess when you live to be nineteen the fun is already slipping away a little. I swapped away the words ‘young adult’ that formed in my mind as I got up to get dressed.
It’s the same day we are having a little farewell get together for one of our gang –Jessica. Liz had already left then and already, I missed her megawatt smile she greets people with.
We –the gang is comprised of eight including myself but seeing that Liz was already in UK then and Carmen was an hour’s drive or more away from the state we reside in, it was only us six (Crystal, Zhiss, Sophia, Jessica, Ryan and I)- were due to meet at 10.45am at Ooi’s Noodle House –an obvious favorite of ours and the discerning people of Subang; they have the best pork noodles. Alright, they’re probably not the best, but they’re the best I’ve had in my nineteen years.
Living up to our reputation, everyone arrived later than we’d planned. I’d reached first, without having to find a parking spot in that bustling part of SS15 as my mother so graciously offered to send me. Crystal, Zhiss, Sophia and Ryan came shortly after, with presents in tow. I hadn’t realized I’d been babbling about cooking and baking but evidently, my observant buddies did –and they got me recipe books. It was amusing and sweet –until Crystal revealed that she really just wanted me to whip up a batch of cookies for her.
Sophia came with the works –a magnet that coincidently says ‘Seize the Day’; my blog title is ‘Seizin’ the Day’, a pair of vintage looking earrings, a book of her commendation and a meaningful, humorous card. I was already contented then.
We chatted for about an hour –that’s how long these scrumptious bowls of noodles take- and that’s when Jessica arrived. Truth be told, I hadn’t expected her to remember my birthday, much less make a big deal out of it as she must’ve been up to her eyes with packing, farewell dinners and whatnot. As she made her appearance though, I noticed an unusually large package she held behind her as she walked into the crowded restaurant.
I hardly made anything of it –she always carries many bags at one go; big, small, jeans or canvas, you name it.
As she settled down and we exchanged greetings and playful putdowns about how tardy she was being –this was mainly provided by Sophia.
I’d noticed between conversation that she’d whispered into Crystal’s ear –quite inconspicuously, she must’ve thought. Then not a moment too soon, she crouched down and pulled up a delightful looking cake.
“Ta-da!” She’d grinned like a child who just got a cookie. “Happy Birthday.”
The cake was a sight to see. It was chocolate mousse, and covered in a rich, succulent layer of dark chocolate. All around and above it were macaroons of green, red and tan. It looked absolutely tempting.
We all made a good fuss over the cake –Sophia and I whipped out our cameras and started clicking as Jessica and Crystal hunted for a lighter.
We all had the cake after our piping hot noodles and when Alan turned up after running a few errands for Jessica.
After we’d had our fill of food and had a good few pictures together, we moved on to a place called Meeples. It is a fairly new entertainment place where people come together to play board games which are not quite as popular as its big-name counterparts like Monopoly.
I didn’t think much of the place at first as spending five ringgit an hour just to play board games didn’t sound too appealing. But as we progressed into the first game –which caught Ryan on quite an unlucky day (Moo!)- I found myself having a good time. After a good few rounds of said game and a couple of others, we parted –some earlier- with hugs and lingering goodbyes to Jessica.
It would be our last time seeing her in person before her break in Cant/Kent (?).
Dinner with the family –daddy excluded as he was on a business trip in Japan and Hong Kong- was at Pizza Hut. Not the fanciest place for a celebration –daddy promised something special for when he gets home- but Jenny and I absolutely love the base of their pizza –a little bit doughy, a little bit crunchy.
Later that night we were at home and I was using the computer as I related the day’s festivities to mummy, Jenny and Janet. I’d told them about everything, right down to the part where I had to bring home a half melted chocolate mousse cake and chuck it into the fridge and that I’d participated in a RPBG (role-playing-board-game?) for the first time and kind of enjoyed it.
Not missing a beat, the constantly hungry Jenny had asked, skipping to the fridge, “So can we have a slice of that cake of yours?”
“For sure,” I encouraged, not looking up from the laptop. “Go help yourself.”
“Is it in this box?” I’d only heard her ask as my eyes were glued to the screen.
“It’s the only box there, isn’t it?” I’d asked incredulously, still typing away at the keyboard.
She’d made her way to where I was sitting with the box.
“Actually,” She opened the exact same box with a sly smile on her lips, “It’s not the only box in there.”
I peeked into it, not following her, and expecting to find a half-eaten, half-distorted due to the melting. Instead, there was the whole cake, just as I’d seen it that very morning.
“Oh my-” I broke off mid-sentence.
Then I laughed till I think I cried.
My mum had bought me the exact same cake and she knew it too. They all played it so cool that I didn’t suspect a thing. We all had a good laugh about it as my mum convinced us she must’ve bought the cake before Jessica did as she was there very early in the morning.
As I blew the candles, cut the cake and gave out slices all over again, mummy took pictures to send to daddy.
And that was it. No hype, no party but I had an amazing day, with my good friends texting me good wishes throughout the day and being surrounded by good company throughout, it was a great way to spend my turning nineteen :)
