Ivy was exhausted from listening to confusing equations in science class earlier. She laid on the bench under a tree by the college's field, letting her mind wander away to the crime novel she started reading last night as she closed her eyes. She wondered of the possible ways for the girl in the novel who was caught in captivity to escape.
"Hello, please help us fill up this survey form." A male voice disrupted her day-dream while a piece of survey form was flying in front of her face when she opened her eyes.
Agitated, she grabbed the annoying piece of flapping paper to read the first question without looking at the requester as she sat up.
"What is your ambition?"
"No options and it is subjective." She scolded in her mind. She was too lazy to write and expected some objective questions, so she skipped to the next question.
"What course(s) are you interested in?" Ivy rolled her eyes. "Another question without options." She noted in mind.
"How old are you?" At this rate Ivy was fuming and wanted to throw the piece of questionnaire away within seconds. "No option again and such a rude question!" Ivy thought as she rolled her eyes again.
Jason knew who she was and instantly recognised her as the insolent girl he encountered in Mane's college induction event. It made him approach her again on purpose with the intention to agitate her. He stood amused watching her eyes roll many times as he patiently waited for her to finish reading the entire questionnaire.
"Have you attended a career talk? Yes/No."
"Good!" She thought as her face was less tense when she mentally circled "No."
"What do you expect from a career talk?" The last question was again without an option and instantly poke on her nerves to explode in rage.
"What the ...?! Seriously, this is pathetic! Majority of the questions required subjective answers and only one was with an option. Do you know kids these days are drowned with so many subjective questions in exams yet we need to help you fill up our opinion in subjective format. You should have a direction in your questionnaire and what do you want to achieve. There are thousands of thoughts in us and how would you pool the various categories at the end? Stop asking people how old they are and expect us girls to write the truth. Seriously?! So absurd!" Ivy scolded while looking at the paper before throwing the piece of questionnaire back at the person who handed it to her. She collected her bag on the bench and stormed off to the bus stop.
Jason who wanted to pick on her ended up being stunned as he pondered on her feedback and agreed to her points.
"Things are always unexpected when it is her." He thought to himself as he noted her points down and went on to get a few more students to help him out with the survey. Many were hesitant and he tried asking for opinions on whether there were too many subjective questions.
True enough it was one of the top reasons he wasn't able to get many responses. He drove back to his office and worked on revamping the questionnaires to objective questions instead. He mentally scolded himself for making a mistake on a fundamental point as he pondered on how his focus has been distracted by his company's investors issues.
Ivy got home wanting to cook a sumptuous meal but instead decided to catch up on the crime novel she was anticipating in the glass house in the middle of her grandma's mini garden outside their rooftop unit while nibbling on a granny smith's apple she took from her refrigerator. The crime novel was captivating her thoughts and keeping her bad day away as the fan was blowing at the highest speed on a sunny day. Staying in a tropical climate country has made Ivy wonder many times the need of having a glass house when her grandma was around but she was glad for its existence these days as a hideout especially at night where she could enjoy solitary while watching the glittering stars in the skies.
The fatigue and hot weather tend to throw her appetite for lunch which she would opt for tea at three in the afternoon with an early dinner thereafter. She thought about supper and reminded herself to buy some bread while heading out for dinner.
As she enjoyed the last bit of the apple, an urgent project she was supposed to complete within the week crossed her mind. Her mobile phone rang as she ran to the kitchen to throw her apple before picking up the call.
"Hello!" She put Auntie Soh on the loudspeaker while she washed her hands.
"Ivy, have you eaten lunch?" She asked.
"Yes, Auntie. Just about to do my history assignment." She replied as she dried her hands.
"Don't skip your meals. Auntie is cooking some pumpkin rice. Come over to collect yours later."
"Oh, you don't have to be troubled by it. I have dinner prepared."
"Alright then. Auntie needs to head back to cook the orders. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated!"
"Thank you, Auntie. Talk later!" She said as she ran to sit in front of her laptop and get started.
She instantly knocked some sense into herself to rush her tedious history project which was due on Friday; another two days. She typed away after plugging in her earpiece while humming to her favorite songs list on her music player.
Jason was busy modifying the questions by giving more options but limiting them with some controls to match to his objective of providing a better career talk among the students. Students were his first attempt to give a talk that made him conclude that adults' expectations were more manageable.
After hours of modifying and reassessing his objectives, he wondered if this was alright and the only way to test it out was to get Ivy involved by approaching the college's dean to obtain permission to work with Ivy. He chuckled to himself at her reaction earlier and thanked her for her brutal honesty which would save his talk.
Ivy had lost track of time as she stayed in the dark when evening dawned upon her while she rushed her assignment. Her phone has been vibrating with text messages for the entire afternoon. She didn't hear them and ignored her phone every time it lit up when a text message came in. She noticed her phone stayed lit up for a long while as it was too bright for her that she finally went to check her phone.
There was an incoming call from Andrew and Sandra. Annoyed by the distraction while rushing the last bit of her project, she paused her music player and put the caller on loudspeaker instead.
"Hello!!" Both of them greeted her. She continued to type away and kept quiet.
"Ivy, what are you doing? We have been asking you questions on history for the past few hours... Have you finished your project?" Andrew went on chirping his questions one by one without her answering.
Ivy's mind was focusing on finishing her sentence she was typing when Andrew called out again. "Hello?? Am I talking to the wall? Has Ivy become a white cemented wall?"
Sandra laughed along with Andrew as she decided to step out of the house to check on Ivy in her house. Ivy finally couldn't help it as she laughed. "You numbskull! I was finishing the project. Why? What did you both ask? Too busy to read. Date line is in two days, got to send in tomorrow at least. "
"You know the part where it says write some objectives of the project? What did you state?" Sandra asked as she rushed back into her room and sat in front of her laptop.
"Have you both finished your math assignments? It's so tedious to juggle. Had to write the silly steps all out when the calculator could provide the final answer." Ivy asked, ignoring her question as she flipped through her other assignments while trying to judge how much time she needed to finish everything before tomorrow's lectures.
"Yeah we did. Hey, answer my question. Hurry. I want to send it in tomorrow too." Sandra said.
"One second, I am almost done. Once done I will email both of you but don't copy everything. Ms. Opalan, the history lecturer will know." Ivy said as she rolled over to her bed from her laptop while glancing at the clock.
"Oh my goodness! 8pm and so much to do! Damn, I still have math! This history project is killing my time. Oh boy, I was supposed to do one set of practice questions for accounts!" Ivy grumbled.
Both Andrew and Sandra were stunned by Ivy's sudden self-talk which gave away to them that she had been concentrating too hard on finishing the history project the entire afternoon.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
"Ivy, have you eaten?" Andrew asked.
"Oh crap! I didn't! I was supposed to go for an early dinner. Damn, now I need to go buy some bread for supper but I guess I can barely manage." Ivy whined.
"Awww you poor thing. Want us to send food to you? Let's see I had stew for dinner." Andrew teased. "I had pumpkin rice but no left overs. Sorry!" Sandra giggled as she join in to tease her and stepped out again of her house as she walked up the stairs.
"Stop! Stop! You both are making me super hungry now. I wish I had agreed for your mother to save some pumpkin rice for me, Sandra. Alright I will just make some instant noodles to the rescue!" Ivy said as she ran off to the kitchen to boil some water in the pot before choosing her noodles.
"That's so unhealthy!" Andrew lamented. "And fattening!" Sandra added as she walked past the glass house but halted her steps as she heard footsteps behind her from the stairs.
"Just tonight alright. Had to bear with it for tonight. Sumptuous breakfast is enough. Don't forget please, I want a large bowl of chicken strips porridge with lots of pepper tomorrow morning!" Ivy reminded them as they both often reserve orders for her breakfast knowing she tends to get in late for lectures.
"Yes Missy. Don't worry. Having extra lectures tomorrow?" Sandra asked as she quickly hid herself by entering into Ivy's main house side door.
"Ah yes, Science. Tell me about it. I dread that class the most. Yet I'm stuck with more classes on it." Ivy explained as she checked the refrigerator for some vegetables and eggs to add on her tom yam flavored instant noodles.
"Alright then shall we plan to study together since the exam is coming up? I would suggest every Wednesday for Science, since Thursdays you would always focus on your accounts and Fridays too, right?" Andrew suggested.
"Algebra on Thursdays. Fridays for accounts. Weekends are for resting, other languages and memorising history and algebra notes. Monday and Tuesday are so packed with lectures. So Wednesdays for group study are excellent. I will make it Science day and consult you both experts on my questions!" Ivy mentally listed out her weekly packed schedules as she skipped around waiting for her noodles to be ready.
"Wow, that is one super hectic schedule! Extra curricular on Saturdays, don't forget! You would be exhausted, Ivy!" Andrew wailed suddenly, scaring both girls.
"Andrew! You don't have to wail! We could hear you loud and clear..." Ivy scolded while cracking an egg into her noodles before serving it. "Extra curricular can be done on weekdays after lectures too you see! You just need to clock in enough hours to fulfill their extra curricular minimum requirements." Ivy nagged after being agitated by Andrew's sudden wails.
"Sorry but anyway, study group next week onwards? Every Wednesday?" Andrew double confirmed.
"Call!" Ivy replied while serving her meal at the study table.
"All in!" Sandra whispered as she could smell the instant noodles Ivy was cooking and saw three shadows standing outside at the main door. Sandra figured there were two girls and a guy from their shadow.
Belinda decided to visit Ivy with Laura and Lance to tell her about their birthday plan and were trying to avoid meeting Andrew and Sandra. It's been ages since they ever went to Ivy's house that they vaguely remembered where she lived and had forgotten Sandra was staying nearby. Lance tried to recall as he led the way to a rooftop house with a horrendous scary looking teddy bear overlooking from on top of the roof.
"Lan... ce... Are you sure this is the house?" Laura was stuttering in fear as the wind blew past them and a wind chime tingled at the corridor of the main house.
"Yes... If not mistaken, Sandra lives down there in that house." Lance pointed to a unit on the right at the lower ground.
Sandra instantly recognised their voices as she tried to stay quiet and watch their movements while waiting for the phone call to end.
"Perfect! Hey Ivy, you haven't replied to our messages." Andrew lamented over the phone as Sandra rolled her eyes at him trying to drag the phone call.
"I said I would email you both later right?" Ivy was starting to get annoyed with Andrew.
"Not that. My algebra questions." Andrew whined.
"Stop being a baby. There isn't any algebra this week. History is more important!" Sandra scolded in a low voice.
"But... But I want to conclude it today..." Andrew lamented.
A beep sounded from Ivy's phone indicating there was an incoming call.
"Lance is on the other line. Do you both want to conference with him too?" Ivy teased while hungrily slurping her noodles.
"No, no! Bye princess! Please don't forget to reply to my algebra questions!" Andrew reminded her as he hung up.
"Stop being a baby Andrew! Bye Sandra!" Ivy hung up without waiting for her to reply but noticed how quiet she was. She shrugged it off thinking Sandra must be busy with her assignments too as she slurped down the last bit of soup in the bowl before answering Lance's call.
Sandra was paying more attention to the three of them outside and could tell both girls were retreating closer to the stairs as Lance still stood in front of the main door. Sandra giggled softly as she thought of mischievous ideas to scare them.
Ivy's front house has not been lived in ever since the roof was leaking many years back when she was still in high school. There was once Ivy who won a giant Teddy bear from one of the fun fair games but she didn't like the bear so decided to stuffed the beard's head on top of the roof. Her grandma told her she would only make the hole even larger as during rainy days the bear would soak and its weight would pull on the roof tiles to crack even more.
However, Ivy was a curious cat when she was a teenager that she decided to put it up and ever since the bear has been an iconic landmark to tell others where she lives. Not many knew there was a back house and a glass house at the corner of the main house. Her grandma decided the back house was more convenient to live in as she got older and didn't need to manage cleaning a huge place. Besides, the back house was closer to a not very well known side hilly road where she parked her vintage car.
Eventually the front house became an abandoned hall which Andrew and Sandra would gather with Ivy for board games whenever they were free.
"Hello?" Lance said in a very weary voice.
"This is the voicemail box of the number you have dialed. Please leave a message after the tone. Beep!" Ivy imitated the voice machine. Sandra nearly laughed out loud from hearing Ivy's imitation in the kitchen as she held her hand over her mouth and controlled herself from laughing.
Lance fell for it as he stuttered to speak his mind. Ivy too was trying hard not to giggle or make any sound.
"Ivy, I was wondering if..." Lance knew both girls were far behind him and might not hear him. Hence, he decided to muster up his courage to make Ivy a secret offer. "You might want... Some help with studies such as Science..." Ivy rolled her eyes knowing he could still recall her poor grades for Science in high school. At the back of her mind, she was worried too as she took a last sip of her noodles' soup, trying hard not to make a sound.
"And you could join me and the girls for a study group. But perhaps if you want a smaller group I could come to your place to tutor you... Erm, just let me know tomorrow in college. Bye!" He quickly hung up as Ivy laughed. She knew Lance was up to something with his offer as she pondered on the possibilities. The rich kids always stayed together but he would offer an one on one tutor, something was suspicious, Ivy thought.
Occasionally, her fake friends, especially Belinda knowing Ivy would not rebel much to their request, would take advantage of her by making her pay for each of their birthday party expenses. In fact, one of their birthdays, Laura's, was coming up soon. Andrew and Sandra were always uninvited. Ivy pouted at the thought and wondered if she should take up her previous part time jobs again to cover the expenses instead of using her allowances. She wondered if he was calling about the birthday party but shrugged the idea off as she went to do the dishes.
Auntie Soh was supposed to manage her pocket money and monthly allowance but instead, she let Ivy manage on her own; three thousand a month which was easily a fresh graduate's salary per month. However, she refused to touch the money and stuck to the tiny allowance her grandma used to give her; two hundred a month. Instead of using the monthly allowance she had, she chose to take up part time jobs to pay for the parties instead back then in high school. Hence, Andrew and Sandra had failed to find out about this little secret she kept away from them.
There were times where she wished she had someone to vent to face to face in the house. Her grandma would surely love to hear her ranting about her day, she thought as her mind wandered back to her dream which was the only place she could vividly see her grandma in. She wanted so badly to head to bed as early as she could to dream of her but sometimes the reality took too much time and she often found herself struggling to balance her time for both worlds.
On the bright side, she was more independent without her grandma too. She cleaned, tendered to the garden and cooked for herself while juggling with her studies. She wanted to even help out Auntie Soh with the two branches of the spicy noodles business but she refused Ivy's help and sternly said it was grandma's wish. She was only allowed to take over the business or help out once she had finished her studies; which means when she finishes university.
In return, since her birthday is on the last day of January, she decided to sit for a driving license so that she could drive herself to school with Sandra and Andrew. Even then, Auntie Soh was worried she would easily get into accidents and only allowed her to drive her grandma's cool vintage car once a while resulting in them taking the bus to college like when they were in high school.
Despite all the warmth of love and care from people who loved her, it was not enough to fill the hollow emptiness in her because being an orphan without any family members was a bitter reality she was learning to accept ever since her grandma passed away. It was not something she could adapt to overnight either; only time will tell.
Her mind slowly drifted to the afternoon encounter on the questionnaire to distract her thoughts from becoming depressed while she cleaned the kitchen. She realised she never knew who was the person who handed her the questionnaire but hoped the person would figure a better set.
Sandra, who was still in Ivy's main house, decided to lit a candle on the side table where Ivy left them there for emergency in case a blackout occurred. The three of them were startled at the sudden light coming from inside the main house. Being on a rooftop, it was often windy and it sent chills down their spine the moment they felt another round of breeze blew by and the light earlier went off right when the breeze blew by. Sandra could hear the howl of the wind outside and timed it to ensure the candle's light went off the moment the breeze blew by.
"I think.... We should just leave and tell her tomorrow in college..." Belinda suggested as both girls quickly ran down the fleet of stairs while Lance noticed a side house and the glass house at the corner but the girls were rushing too fast for him to explore as he felt an eerie feeling crept up on him too. He quickly rushed to catch up with the girls instead.
Sandra then left the main house from the side door again moments later after she ensured there were no more footsteps outside. Feeling satisfied with her mischief, she walked home triumphantly as she chuckled at their reactions earlier.