Q

Sometimes life throws at you some lemons; other times you lucky, and get fun-sized chocolate-caramel coated nutty multi-layered candy goodness with a hint of zest. Debbie, you are to me that unexpected surprise in the lemon field of Hwachong. I cannot, cannot imagine surviving JC without you.

Isn’t it amazing, on hindsight, how we were classmates for 3 years in secondary school without significantly crossing paths? I knew you as Puppy – fiesty and adorable and talented. It wasn’t until Hwach that made me realize you were that – but so much more.

You may not even know this yourself, but you have such presence, in any social context. You’re pint-sized but formidable. I can’t quite put it into words, but it’s somewhat a cross between spunk and sophistication: people naturally are drawn to, and respect, you.

Most of all though, you’re a fiercely loyal friend. No matter what antics I sprung at you – all the crazy projects, partial break-downs, weird phases that i much regret now – you stood by me. You had your fair share of woes too, especially in the latter half of J1 (omg we were so drama srsly): thank you for trusting me, for sharing all your fears and doubts and giving me the chance to share your tears and bouts of madness.

Weird as it might sound, i needed that. I needed, in the strange, unfamiliar place with strange, unfamiliar faces who knew each other, someone to share things with – even if those things were dark, angry and messy at that point of time.

Of course that wasn’t all we shared. There was a flip-side to all that craziness. We’ve spent so many after-school hours hitting highs: trading in-jokes private to just us, judging everything and everyone, or just being silly (this emerges often if Laupok was within the vicinity haha). All the mugging together, not mugging together, dinner treats along Bukit Timah Rd, fruitare on hot days along 6th Avenue… Those times are missed most sorely in my dash sessions between classes in Uni. :’-(

In that mere 2 years we became one of each other’s closest. I told you probably everything about my life. I’m so thankful for meeting someone I could (and can!) trust so deeply and easily. Of course it helps that despite our apparent differences (I can’t sing, you sing beautifully; you conduct yourself well in public, i have no qualms when it comes to public disturbance), we are fundamentally very similar. Can you really count the number of times where it took just a millisecond of swapped glances for us to get what each other were thinking?

So often, once we found ourselves alone, we would start spilling what we really felt or thought and were surprised by how identical our opinions were. This is probably why we never got sick of hanging out, we just couldn’t run out of things to agree on.

Thank God for putting us in HC, if only for the chance to have you as a friend. Thank God for all the meet-ups we still have, for how important we still are to each other despite the former’s unfortunately infrequency. Thank God for all the ways we’ve grown these years – and for each other’s contribution to this growth.

Now you’re 21, more beautiful than ever, doing well in University, finding your place in the world, attached (I claim partial credit for this happy status), and still one of the most valued friend I have. Continue to blossom, and know just how loved and incredible you are! LOVE YOU DEEBS, HAPPY 21st!!!

xoxox