For Life

Class of 2000

5 Jaya Class of 2000. That was probably the best year in my entire schooling life.

That was when I met friends who have proved, over the test of time, that they're friends who will stick with me for life. Friends whom I see a few times a year, probably less, friends who've seen me grow, friends who've grown with me.

Of the few of us who still meet up now and then, there's Siva, who was the only prefect in our class. And a really cool one at that. He'd warn us in advance when those dreaded spot checks are so we'd hide our stuff. Or better, we'd give all our correction pens to him and he'd stuff everything into his *already bulging* pockets just so they wouldn't get confiscated. When I met up with him yesterday, he was still the smiley bloke I knew from 7 years back, except that he's grown into what people would call a dashing young man. Before yesterday, the last I saw of him was approximately 4 years ago, shortly after our senior prom. He was the same person I knew, yet different.

And then there's Azzuhri. "Miss me?" was his favorite line to me back in class. Without fail, I'd tell him squarely, "NO." He would annoy me to my wits' end, and then he'd laugh about it, making me even more irritable than before. But now that he's thousands of miles away from me in Sydney, all I could think of was the one last time I met him on New Year's Eve and how much he's grown since we left school. Just today, seeing him online on the second day of Raya, I said to him, "Hey Azz, I miss you. Selamat Hari Raya, and I really hope to see you soon." I realized that he didn't have to ask me again if I missed him because I did. Terribly.

Lina, the shy, quiet girl who always had legions of admirers, was someone I knew since I was 14. Still sweet, still shy and still quiet, she left for Dublin in September. Last Raya, I paid her a visit at home and indulged myself with festive goodies. This year, she's there, I'm here. 7 years seemed like a long time to me, to have forged a friendship that brought us together in the beginning and left us oceans away from each other now.

"I know you want me, Joy, I know you do," Nazrin would say while running a wooden comb through his hair. Rolling my eyes, I'd turn away and pretend to be busy with something else. The boy that I knew then was an occasional joker, someone who'd say the funniest punch lines once in a blue moon (there were a few blue moons back then). He was also the same boy who had kicked the door so hard it was on the verge of collapsing on us just because he thought his team had lost the football match. Today, this same boy is on his way to becoming an accountant, and like the others, he's grown up a lot since our days in school. He was the same, yet different. The young man I met last night for drinks and a game of pool was quietly intelligent, tactfully sensible, and responsibly sweet. Naz, you've grown up into a fine young man *smile*

Of course, there's Quant. For the years that we've known each other, we've both had our fair share of one-day-crushes. The ones that we'd decide to have crushes on today, and then decide not to have crushes on anymore the next. We'd drool endlessly over the oh-so-untouchable seniors who were just a block away, and we'd travel for hours to Sepang all by ourselves for the sake of Formula One. We had our first TV appearance together, and it was in her company that my voice hit the Malaysian airwaves on Hitz.fm for the first time. Ups and downs over the years, she's still there stuck firmly by my side to pull me up to my feet when I was down, right till today. Silly crushes, hours and hours travelling, TV and radio appearances, this young woman will soon don power suits and be able to say, "See you in court."

Looking at that picture we took almost 5 years ago, I missed all the silliness that came in a package with being in a so-so Form Five class. We may not have been the smartest, we may not have been the best. However, I know I can hold my head up high and say with pride that I wouldn't have traded being in that class for anything in the world. Nothing.

If anyone dared question about racial segregation in public schools, please. Take a look at our picture, and take a look at our class. Our friendship knew no color, and it knew no bounds. It has transcended time, and it has survived the distance.