Chapter 2 [Alien]

I'm sitting in the sick bay and Joseph lay next to me on the bed.

The sick bay is a small room at the corner of the admin block, and it is one of the few places that are air conditioned and accessible to students.
No wonder Joseph likes to come here, sometimes during recesses to enjoy the air conditioning, and sometimes faking illness to skip some periods he dislikes, especially E.Math and A.Math periods. This place is really comfortable. Even the old leathery sofa I'm sitting on is extra comfortable, and anytime I close my eyelids for more than a few seconds I'll doze off.

"Hey." Joseph makes a sound.

His face is not as pale as earlier.

"Sorry." I apologise to him. I feel I need to. For what, I do not know. Maybe for making him fulfill our promise when he's ill. Maybe for making that stupid promise in the first place.

He shows me his stupid grin and a face that says he already expected me to apologise.
Idiot.

"Hey. Why don't you go back to class first? I'll be fine after a nap." He says.

That, I absolutely believe. He has always been a fit and healthy person since I knew him, and every time he's down with an illness, he'll be fine after waking up from a sleep. Not only that, he has an indestructible stomach. He never ever suffers tummy aches from eating spoilt food, expired can food, bread with a little mould, etc. That, I'm amazed.
Also because of that, I'm strengthened in my belief that he is an alien.

Back in class, I sit on my seat which is next to the window and look out of it. The morning turned out to be very nice. Blue sky, a few clouds here and there.
It's only the third period of the day and I'm restless already. Two periods of E.Math earlier followed by another period of A.Math is really draining. I hate Wednesdays. I kind of suspect Joseph sort of timed his fever.
Though my eyes are on the whiteboard full of formulae, I'm not absorbing anything at all. This morning seems a little quiet.

"Where's Joseph? I'm not used to teaching your class without somebody asking me stupid questions. Too quiet suddenly." Mdm Lee turns around to ask our class halfway while scribbling some answers on the board. The whole class laughs.

She also notices the difference. Haha.

There are three things that Joseph does best in class, asking teachers stupid questions, sleeping, and doodling in his textbooks. These habits of his never change and they have been in him since the day I know him during Primary 3.
I remember when I was made to sit beside him then, I was utterly disgusted by his irresponsible behaviour. I didn't want to be his friend. And truthfully, nobody else wanted to be his friend too, because he was not only irresponsible but extremely naughty.
But he wasn't the only one friendless. I was too.
Back then, I was a shy and quiet person, never dared to voice out my opinions, always keeping them to myself. I was never proactive in finding friends and preferred to remain passive. I was never good at sports and was weak and skinny. And Primary school boys only make friends with the strongest, sportiest and coolest other boys.
Those kind like me? Targets for bullying and teasing.

Once when I was being bullied by four other bigger boys, Joseph happened to be nearby, and he fought with them. One against four.
In the end, both of us were beaten up.

"Why did you do that?" I asked him.

"Do what?" He asked back.

"Fight for me. It wasn't your concern and you wouldn't have gotten hurt if you didn't."

"Because you're my friend." He said, as a matter of factly.

"When did we become friends?" I couldn't recall.

"Since the day you sat beside me." As a matter of factly again.

And so after that day, the two friendless persons in Class 3-C became good friends. For the next 3 years in primary school, the both of us were always in the same class. After PSLE, we went to the same secondary school, and again are in the same class for 3 years. As if it's fated that we're to be classmates and good friends.

Four periods passed and the recess bell rings.
I stand up and begin walking towards the door and a person hits me at the back of my head. Very painful. I rub my head.
I don't even need to turn to see who he is. He always uses violent methods to let me know of his presence. Always.

"Going to eat without me?" It's Joseph. He looks like he never had a fever at all.

"When did you come back?"

"During the fourth period, when you were daydreaming. Thinking of me?" He laughs at his own words.

"You wish. Feeling better already?"

He shows me a thumbs up and a stupid grin. I feel his forehead. Normal.
Alien.

"Oh, Mdm Lee says we're to stay back after school today for a short while. She wants to return us the test paper we took last week." I tell him.

"I'm going to fail that one." He says.

"You better not. I'll be the one in trouble. Your mum will give me an earful." I remind him.

He sticks out his tongue.

"Eh, not much time left. Let's go eat. I'm so hungry I can eat 2 bowls of fishball noodles." He shows two fingers in front of my face.

"Panapop? My treat." I remembered I wanted to reward him.

I can see his eyes glow.
Sometimes I feel he's really just a simple person.


~End of Chapter 2~