GROUP+7



CREATIVE WRITING SKILLS CLS 1323 

==="Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." ===

- Albert Einstein-

=__** THE PIECES OF WORK THAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO VIEW IS PRESENTED BY ** __= = __ ** GROUP 7 ** __ = =** TABLE OF CONTENT ** =

==


 * = = **GROUP MEMBERS** = ||= = **TITLE OF OUR CREATIVE IDEAS** = ||
 * = * ==** Nur Farahin Mispu l** == ||= == ==


 *  **The Selfish Pride of Birth**

||
 * = * ==**Aaron Steve Abraham Anbu** == ||= * ==Maxi the Dream Friend == ||
 * = * ==**Nur Suhaila Ibrahim** == ||= * ==**Through the Window** == ||
 * = * ==**Nurul Ain Hasni** == ||= * ==**Love Trip Affair** == ||
 * = * ==**Eizla Zalila Izham** == ||= * ==<span style="color: #13a1c9; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">**<span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Of Condiments, Frozen Food and Paranoia ** == ||
 * = * ==<span style="color: #13a1c9; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">**Sarah Yasmin Azizan** == ||= * ==<span style="color: #13a1c9; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">**The Truth to Happiness** == ||

1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">**The Selfish Pride of Birth** **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;"> by Nur Farahin Mispul **



<span style="color: #008000; display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 129.6%; text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #008000; display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 116.64%; text-align: center;">He considered life as tough, because everybody seems to be bluff. With the great drama of the world, his spiritual growth. Of knowledge were being opened out. And his mind freely choosing. Demand for its yearning. He experiences the delight; by guidance from spiritual insight.



<span style="color: #008000; display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 119%; text-align: center;"> Truth that no solution.
<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 144%;">

//<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: right;">**category: THEME** //



=**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2) ****<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Maxi the Dream Friend by Aaron Steve Abraham Anbu **=

====<span style="color: #7f31aa; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Once upon time, there lived a boy called Tim. One fine day after having dinner at his house, Tim climbed into bed and opened his favorite book, Through the Ages. He turned the pages back through time, past ancient cities, past the great Ice Age, past the Tertiary period when giant mammals roamed the plains, and past the Cretaceous period when Tyrannosaurus red prowled. ====

====<span style="color: #7f31aa; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">At last he found what he was looking for, a picture of a long-necked dinosaur eating the top of a tree. "Apatosaurus, also known as Brontosaurus ," he read, "from the Jurassic period, more than 140 million years ago." ====

<span style="color: #7f31aa; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">[[image:http://www.infowest.com/life/dinosaurs/brontosaurus.jpg width="155" height="142" align="right"]]
====<span style="color: #7f31aa; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">He studied the picture until his eyelids grew heavy, and then turned out his light. Suddenly he heard a tapping at his window. He move slowly and carefully to the window and stared out. A pair of bright red eyes stared back. Standing in the soft glow of moonlight was a baby dinosaur swishing its tail through the grass. ====

====<span style="color: #7f31aa; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">"My very own dinosaur," said Tim as he put on his slippers and climbed out the window. "Just wait till I tell everyone." He coaxed the dinosaur to the barn and quickly shut the door behind it. Immediately it began to howl, waking up the cow and all the chickens. The barn was noisy with mooing and clucking until Tim finally let the dinosaur out. "I'd better take you back to the Jurassic period where you belong," he said. ====

====<span style="color: #7f31aa; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">He hugged the dinosaur as it thumped its tail on the ground. "I will call you Maxy, Maxy Mantell identified the first dinosaur fossil." Tim walked into the woods. "Follow me, Maxy," he said. "We have 140 million years to go through." ====

<span style="color: #7f31aa; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Tim led Maxy deep into the woods. "I've never been this far before," he told Maxy. "I hope it's the right way." The hoot of an owl sent a shiver down his back. With another shiver, Tim realized it was beginning to snow. "But this is summer," Tim said. "We must be getting close to the Ice Age"



====<span style="color: #7f31aa; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The sun was just beginning to rise when Tim and Maxy reached the edge of a giant glacier. They marched out across the glacier and suddenly Tim realized that there is something different in that ice age land. Tim saw a large playground on the Ice age, besides, he also saw a huge roller coaster shinning like a crystal next to the playground. Tim’s mouth was wide open and amazed, the roller coaster looks sofinely done and everything there was sparkling like the star. Tim says to himself “ it’s look like someone sculptured these things ,but it’s impossible for a human to do this here and I don see any human life here,”. ====

====<span style="color: #7f31aa; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">"After a while Tim andMaxy had left the Ice Age far behind. But they walked for hours without finding any sign of the Tertiary period. Tim was almost ready to turn back when suddenly a tiny horse-like animal scampered up the mountainside in front of him. "Look, Maxy," he cried, "that's a Mesohippus from 50 million years ago. We're in the Tertiary period at last!"Maxy squealed with delight and chased the up the rocks. "Not so fast, Maxy," Tim hollered at the little dinosaur. Maxy ran back to Tim, licked his cheek, and together they walked up the mountain. ====

====<span style="color: #7f31aa; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The sun beat down as they stood on the mountaintop and gazed out at the land below them. Mighty volcanoes rumbled, sending rivers of sizzling lava down their sides. Tim pointed to the giant winged reptiles floating silently in the warm breeze. "Those are Pteranodons. That means we're in the Cretaceous period. It can't be far now," said Tim. Maxy sniffed the hot air. ====

====<span style="color: #7f31aa; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">A steep path led straight down the mountain. Step by step they inched their way down the rocks toward the thundering volcanoes. Far ahead lay a wide, green valley dotted with shimmering lakes. "Maybe the Jurassic period is over there," said Tim. ====

====<span style="color: #7f31aa; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">All at once the Earth shook, and the mountains echoed with a terrifying roar. Maxy looked and shuddered. A monstrous Tyrannosaurus rex was leaping across the rocks toward them. It swished its long tail in the air and chomped its heavy jaws. "Faster, Maxy," yelled Tim as they ran from the enormous dinosaur. ==== ====<span style="color: #7f31aa; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Then the Earth trembled again, and they both jumped to their feet. A group of enormous long necked dinosaurs ambled toward them with great plodding foot steps. Maxy sniffed the air and wagged his tail. "We've found it! We've found the Jurassic period," Tim cried as they ran across the field of ferns to meet Maxy's apatosaur family. ====

====<span style="color: #7f31aa; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Tim hugged Maxy tightly. "I wish I could stay," he whispered. "But it's time for me to go home." Maxy blinked his red eyes and licked Tim's cheek. After that Tim start his journey back to his home. Finally he reached the place where he saw the roller coaster. This time Tim really wanted to take a closer look. As he getting nearer he heard a cracking sound from the ground. Bye the time he turns his head to look down, the land cracked and broke into pieces, Tim shouted for help and he felt deep down into the ice age. Tim was unconscious ,then suddenly he feel someone slapping him, as he open his eyes he realized his parents were next to him. ====

====<span style="color: #7f31aa; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Tim was sad due to the disappointment he just had, all the adventure with the dinosaurs called Maxy ,was a dream. The parents came to Tim that night is just because they heard a screaming sound from upstairs. Since that day, Tim will do the same routine every night which is, get into bed and opened his favorite book, Through the Ages. He turned the pages back through time, past ancient cities, past the great Ice Age, past the Tertiary period when giant mammals roamed the plains, and past the Cretaceous period when Tyrannosaurus red prowled………Just hoping that he will meet Maxy Again, in his DREAMS ====

//<span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: right;">**category: SETTINGS** //

= **3) Through the Window by Nur Suhaila Ibrahim** =



====<span style="color: #ff00a8; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left;"> ====

[[image:http://www.gifanimations.com/GA/image/animations/butterflies/butterfly-01.gif width="88" height="72" align="center"]]
//**<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: right;">category: CHARACTERS **//

**<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">4) Love Trip Affair by Nurul Ain Hasni **
====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;">Joanna was known for its adventures type of girl who lived in a small town called Marsupilami in a middle of Louisiana. Almost everyone knew her well enough; very funny, adorable and pretty. Every guy in the city is attracted to her. John is one of Joanna’s new friends who are quite attractive, sophisticated, charming, and rich. He was seems to be the man of every girl’s dream. Apparently, he fell in love with Joanna the first time he met her at the coffee shop nearby the town. But too bad Joanna didn’t notice him. The next guy was Matt, Joanna’s best friend; very funny typed of guy, cool and loves to rock every night at the pub. He’s a guitarist and has his own band, so he often hangover with her during the live band. He was everything to her. ==== ====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> The three of them had met before during a party that was held in a place called Papilla. So they get along very well, had their thoughts shared on everything from the topic of soccer to the latest hot gossip. Matt noticed something was fishy about John and knew that he was never too late to confess his love towards Joana, which he was supposed to do it before the existence of John. So, now he realized that he got a new competitor in winning the heart of the pretty lady. ====

====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> ====

====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> One fine morning, Joana called the two guys to invite them to go for a hunting trip during the open season. So, the next Sunday morning they went for the hunting. John was driving his car and along the road they were talking through over some stuff which doesn’t attract Mat’s attention at all. When they arrived at the place, they were amazed by the scenery of the green mountain surrounding them. They started to find the perfect spot to set up their tent. That night it was a full moon and everything was so beautiful. But too bad for John, he had a nightmare that Matt was trying to kill him for stealing Joanna’s heart and he got killed in his dream. ====

====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"><span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;"> The next day, John was so excited to pull out a gun until he forgot about his bad dream. Plus he told himself that it was just a dream that never will be true. So he told Matt, “I just wanna shoot a gun." <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;">" ====

<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> “At what?" replied Matt.
====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> "The freakin' old barn on Terry Road, hell, I don't care. How about squirrel? That's pretty much an all day affair." ====

====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> Joanna got out of the tent as she heard the conversation. She replied, “Squirrel hunting I could do. I killed a black squirrel before. Hunting squirrel was a terrific form of outside entertainment. All you had to do was to be quiet and watch limbs tremble, focus in, and then kablooie!” she was getting excited too. ====

====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> Matt let John borrow an extra camouflage jacket and some black gloves, then led him to the car. At the boot of John’s car, he opened a large metal box that held six guns—two shotguns and four rifles. ====

<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> "Why you ask?"
====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> "My grandfather gave me this gun for my fifteenth birthday. It's a Remington 16 -gauge from 1960. Antique, baby, they don't make this one anymore." ==== ====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> "Why give me the choice if it's valuable?" John asked. "You use it." ====

====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> Out of the sudden, Joanna got a call from her mum telling that she has to go back immediately as her grandmother was in a critical condition and has the chances to die. So, she told the both guys that she couldn’t make it for this time and apology for the sudden leaving. It was too bad for the two of them for not having the chances to go hunting together but they let her go instead. John gave Joanna drove his car back home. She gave Matt a big hug and told him to be careful and lead the way for John. John knew she loves Matt and he was everything to her. But that doesn’t make him consider that they are lovers until they’re married. So, he still got the chance to win her heart. ====

====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> Both of them put on tanned vests to hold their kill and journeyed about a hundred yards into the woods. November in Louisiana is a whisk of pleasing colors and cool weather, covered by the smell of burning leaves and, of course, Thanksgiving which included lots of hunting time. For a good while, they didn't see a thing. Then Matt got off a shot. The fox squirrel was still alive, barely pelted, and Matt grabbed its tail and whacked its head against a tree to stop it from moving, then loaded it in his vest. The smell of gunpowder rode the wind. ====

====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> They decided to split up for awhile. John sat at the foot of a tree and snuck a cigarette, knowing damn well it wasn't the best activity to do while trying to stay invisible from my prey's eyes, ears, and sense of smell. ==== ====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> An half hour later, John heard Matt get off another shot. This was beginning to feel like a one-man hunting trip. John moved along, listening, pounding head up at the trees, trying to find that shaky movement. He found it, and not a moment before he was about to lose it and take out his aggression on an old, rotting deer stand. It was a fat little creature, hopping from branch to branch. John had a shell ready for the venture, and aimed and fired, but missed. ====

<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> "Shit," John said, and walked away.
====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> Matt met back up with John awhile later with two red tails hanging out of the back of his vest. ====

<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> "Nope."
====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> ====

<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> "Shhh," Matt whispered.
====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> He was walking beside John, and had his head down, stepping over damp leaves, when he said, "Look. Over there." He pointed at a bouncy squirrel. “Get him John!” ==== ====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> So he clicked off the safety, lifted the shotgun and headed in on the squirrel's tiny head. ====

<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> "Damn!" John yelled. "Dry-fire. Matt, this old gun's a piece of—"
====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> But when John turned to Matt, he was sliding to the ground, which the right side of his waist blown away from his body. ====

<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> "Matt! Oh God!
====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> Matt's eyes, scared and watchful, looked to the treetops, his breathing picked up, and he didn't speak or scream as a thin line of blood crept over his lips. . . . His hand fell slowly, closed his eyes. His chest stopped. . . . John felt like crying but couldn't bring his self to tears. He knelt beside him, in such a state of shock and could do nothing but look at his motionless face and watch the last seconds of him fade away. John panicked and starts to think what he should do to the body. He was so scared to tell the truth about the incident because people might thing that he purposely killed him for the reason that he was so obsessed with Joanna which is a fact that people knew. ====

====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> A few second later he got the idea saying that Matt got shot accidently by a hunter during the open season which he met him laying on the ground like he wasn’t knowing anything at all feeling in guilty. So, he made a call to Joanna and told her about the false story of the incident on Matt’s death. Joanna was so shocked after hearing the news of losing her best friend of life which she couldn’t barely live a day without him. She rushed back to the place and get help to rescue them. The police and ambulance came an hour later and took Matt’s body away. John was still under police investigation. ====

====<span style="color: #166a58; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> Joanna was weak and could not believe herself of Matt’s death. She was motionless and felt into tears when she was collecting Matt’s stuff to bring home. Suddenly, a piece of paper felt down from a book that has been read by Matt last night. She picked up the paper and starts to read what was written inside it. She was surprised to see that Matt was actually trying to confess his feeling like some sort of wedding vows towards her during the trip by saying that he loves her for almost and always and there is a ring inside a box which supposedly she could have wore it now on her finger. But too bad, time has taken the moment away and so do Matt. She has no longer in Matt’s life which hurt her the most and feeling regretless for not realizing the true love of hers. As for John, he has escaped from the police investigation but he lives his life in his own shadow pretending that he wasn’t guilty at all. Every time he went to sleep, he kept on dreaming about the incidents almost night and day which making himself insane. Guilty will always hunt him down no matter what. ====

//**<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: right;">category: PLOT **//



=<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">5) ** Of Condiments, Frozen Food and Paranoia by Eizla Zalila Izham =

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: sub;">The sun was not even up and yet, there I was, tossing and turning on the bed as if the things running through my puny brain were a matter of life and death. Why must I succumb to this notion of life? God, I hate Sundays. Why is it that the food supplies in the house just always manage to run out of stock comes Sunday? I mean, of all the times in the world, why must it be on the most perfect day of the week? Why can’t it be on Monday, or Tuesday, or any other day; I’ll be out to work anyway and picking some stuff up at the grocery shop along the way would not be as tedious as having to dress up for a whole good three hours of deciding whether or not the house is in crucial need of canned food? Ah, the joy of being single and alone. ==== ====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> I made my way out of the comfort of the thick blanket and head for the showers. Maybe a hot shower could soothe my wretched mood. My arms feel limp, my legs are practically detached, my head feels like it is going to blow up; these are symptoms of depression. Oh, crap; is it finally happening? Am I finally retreating slowly into the dark abyss and I don’t even see it happening? Dread and solidarity accompanied my steps into the confined space we call a shower. Oh, and now I found myself composing every thought in my brain so that they would sound like a depressed Shakespeare. Something was not right. I could feel it. If only I could just feel it, touch it; whatever //it// might be, and deal with it, or at least pretend to, I could get over it. God could be so cruel at times. I put on my best weekend shirt and jeans and admired my put-on single-bloke look in the stand mirror. Hot shower and a cup of coffee at nine in the morning are miraculous in every way. After downing some fatal amount of caffeine; I vowed to not let this bad start of a day to get a hold on me. Grocery shopping is not the end of the world. ==== ====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> I could not help but think about last week. I was sipping the usual Caramel Hot Chocolate when my eyes lay upon the back of her flaming auburn hair. She did not need to turn; I would recognize that wild hair of hers anywhere. I had imagined this over time and again; what would I do if I were to see her again? As my mind worked its way to building a scene of me walking up to her, spin her around and give her a huge kiss and sweep her off her feet, my feet remained planted at the very same spot I was five seconds ago. I finally found the courage to move my weight when she suddenly turned and I did not even wait for a second before fleeing the scene. I stopped in my tracks as soon as I got to the exit; I was moving back and forth, contemplating whether or not I should go up to her. It was not that I was still in love with her; it was just that it had been a little too long for comfort. I didn’t think I would know what to say to her. I checked the calendar out for the first time in weeks; it was March 31st. It was //the// day. No wonder I felt so suicidal. ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> I weaved my way through the aisles; mind still fixed on Helena and the empty bottles of condiments back at home. I was still trying to figure out why in hell did I not hi to her that day. Instead, I chickened out for absolutely no reason at all. Not counting last week, it has been almost a year and a half since I last saw her, as in actually //see// her, see her. I still post random greeting cards to her every month because I know how much she loves those tiny greeting cards, can you believe it? ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> “Mum, for the last time, I did not forget that you were going to come and visit this week. I just forgot to shop for the groceries,” I apologized. She had been sulking for not being able to bake me her ever-so-famous Shepherd’s Pie. You would think a 52-year-old lady would get over the weird irrational adolescence mood swings by now. She fixed me a really nice and hearty breakfast at the break of dawn; but not before she rambled on about the missing basil and cinnamon for the Shepherd’s Pie. Mum rarely comes to visit. She thinks it is bad omen for mothers to visit their unmarried daughters so regularly. Do not even think of asking me where she got that from; I have no idea. My being unmarried sort of put her Super Saviour Mum mode in motion. Everything that she does now is to make sure I end up with a good looking guy and have ten gazillion good looking babies together. Like this whole Shepherd’s Pie issue; she thinks if she cooks enough food in my presence, I’d learn something. Men fall instantly for girls who know their way to their stomach, she once said. I am a total workaholic. ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> I had enough to think about already without having my mother all worked up on account of some pie, like, oh, I don’t know having an ex-boyfriend stalking me. I made it perfectly clear that the relationship was over; over and done with. I could not stand his weird need for affection 24/7, his need to cling on to me for dear life ever second of the day, his need of constant assurance that I loved him; I could not take it anymore after and a little while later, we broke up. Or, more likely, I broke it up with him. It drove him over the edge; he even went all ballistic and refused to get off my front porch for two days. He was a wonderful boyfriend but I sometimes felt like a mother to him than a girlfriend, it was getting a little too weird. Every month, he still posts me these random greeting cards that I found to be a little too creepy for comfort. Last week, I was getting my regular de-caf latte, I saw him lingering and walking to and fro in at the entrance; I noticed him running to hide behind a pillar when he thought I was not looking. He is harmless, I know that, but it is so annoying. We are both adults but he’s acting like a delusional 16-year-old who is convinced he found The One. ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> Danny was a sweetie but things get a little crazy after a while. I’ve been with crazy men before but at least with them, you just know that they’re crazy. And when you realise how long you’ve been with them, you’re starting to realise how you are going crazy and that’s that. With Danny, he was nothing like those guys; he was caring, nurturing, loving; all of the pleasant adjectives you could think of to describe a man in love. But he got a little too carried away a little long into the relationship and I just wanted out. It would have been four years today. Four long years; we could have had a family together if he wasn’t so neurotic and annoying. And I just knew that he was doing all these things; the cards, the coffee shop run-through and everything in between, was his ploy of getting back together with me. That was not going to happen. Ever. Not only was the whole stalking deal scary, I was starting to believe I have complete strangers following me back home and I have no idea why I even think that way at all. ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> “If you’re going to just sit on your butt there, I think I’m going out to the supermarket,” Mum’s sarcastic remark interrupted my thoughts. I rolled my eyes. I grabbed my purse and pulled my feet out the door. ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> I picked up the Cocoa Puffs in one hand and Old Bran in the other. I had been living alone as a grown man for years now and I still feel the need to make my place feel like Mother’s. I placed the Old Bran back on the shelf and tossed the Cocoa Puffs into the trolley. What else? What else? I got the condiments down, the canned food, the coffee, the cereal, the milk; ah, alas, the frozen food section. I quickly pushed my trolley towards the sausages and hash browns. As I stretched my arms to get the Raspberry Ripple ice-cream, I heard the familiar voice. ==== ====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> “Mum, really, I just need to know what you need, or I will have to walk around this supermarket playing ‘Read My Mind’ with you,” she said into the receiver. ==== ====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> I froze. I was glued to the floor; my gut felt like it was going to burst out of my mouth in a matter of seconds. ====

<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> Crap! Crap! Crap! What do I do?! What do I do?!
====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> I slowly put the ice-cream back in the tub and just stood there, praying for the dear Lord to give me strength to not bolt out of there. I turned on my heels to my right and it was then that I saw the same wild flaming auburn hair of hers again. God was playing some sort of a crazy trick on me; I mean, seriously, come on! What were the odds; running into your ex-girlfriend on the very same day your fourth year anniversary was supposed to be on? What were the freaking odds, right? Is it ‘Picking on Danny Day’ today? Did I miss a memo? Oh dear God. I breathed in and out and in and out again. Come on, Danny, buck up! It’s not like you don’t already know her. ==== ====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> I traced my way back to the frozen vegetables and stood a few inches behind her. I took one last gulp of breath and... ==== ====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> ==== ====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;">“Hi, Helena,” I felt the words leaving my lips as I uttered it. She spun around, her long red hair almost stabbed me in the eyes and there ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;">we were, standing face to face, both rummaging the nook of our heads trying to find the right words to say to one another. She looked a little startled and scared at the same time, so, I did the next thing I could think of; I pulled her into a bear hug. ====

<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;">.
====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> Helena violently pushed me away, grabbed the nearest frozen ham and thrust it forward. ==== ====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” she screamed. I was taken aback, she looked a little demented at that moment and I almost slapped her. I saw it on discovery channel; a girl was possessed and the elders just slapped her continuously until s ==== ====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;">he came to. It was kind of hilarious; the exorcism, not the frantic maniac standing in front of me right this instant. ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> Thank God for the ham; what was he thinking? Was he crazy?! Jumping on me like that?! I swore if it was not for my common sense, I would have whacked him in the head with the frozen meat. ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> “Danny! Goddamnit! Enough with the stalking already! It’s over! It has been four bloody long years, man; get over it!” I could hear the tremor boiling in my voice. This was getting a little out of hand; all I wanted was to get those stupid basil and cinnamon for that stupid Shepherd’s Pie that I was too stupid to remember before Mum arrived and now I found myself screaming like a lunatic because the only guy I ever thought was nice turned out to be a complete psycho idiot! ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> He just stood there, motionless at first, and then recoiled at my outburst. His face was full of questions. ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> “Danny, I know, okay? I know what you’ve been doing, I know why you’re here, I know what you want, but it is not going to happen, alright?” I said – frozen ham withdrew – calmly. ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> “Helena,” he uttered my name, the first thing that came out of his mouth, “what in the world are you talking about? ‘Enough with the stalking’, what was that?” ====

[[image:http://www.mediabistro.com/agencyspy/original/breaking%20up.jpg width="156" height="127" align="center"]]
====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;">“Really? You want to play this game right now? I knew you’ve been following me around these couple of weeks, Daniel. I swear to God; if I didn’t know you any better, I would have called the cops on you and have you locked in a looney bin or something; it’s getting a little too much! You haven’t gotten over me; over us, but you have to. I saw you lingering around in front of Starbucks waiting on me last week; you hid when you saw me, and then, there were the cards you sent me every month still, and now this? I know you’re just trying hard to make it happen, but you know as well as I do that it won’t work. So, please, leave and let me be.” ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> He had on the same blank expression that made me feel like I //should// hit him in the face with the meat. Seconds later, he moved forward, I quickly thrust the frozen ham back forward and stood my ground. I was not about to let this psycho win this game. ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> “Helena,” again, after all that, ‘Helena’ was all he could come up with, “I think you need help.” ====

<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> “Excuse me?”
====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> “Um, I really think you need help,” he replied. He was fidgeting and shuffling his feet; the look on his face... He actually looked genuinely worried. I dialled back on the drama note and waited for him to say something. He edged a little closer and took a quick look around; I did the same and my glance landed on a young couple who both looked a little too interested and a mother with a kid on her arm who looked a little spooked. ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> “Are you alright? I mean, are you feeling well?” he almost whispered, I guessed to make sure he was out of our spectators hearing range. ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> “//Excuse me?// What exactly are you asking me here, Daniel Thornton?” I pierced his deep blue eyes with mine and tried to read them for answers. ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"> “I’m just here to get my Sunday groceries, the usual; you know that all too well. And the whole Starbucks issue, yes, I did see you, but I was too nervous to say anything to you, so I ended up sprinting to my car. I just bought my cup of hot chocolate when I saw you; I wasn’t camping outside of the cafe to wait for you or anything neurotic like that. And the cards, the cards were just some friendly gestures, Hel,” he kept his voice down all the while he was telling me all that. ====

====<span style="color: #d6790a; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; vertical-align: super;"> ====

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: right;">//**category: POINT OF VIEW**//



=<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">6) Truth to Happiness by Sarah Yasmin Azizan =

[[image:http://tinachaudhary.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/wedding-bells3.jpg width="101" height="115" align="left"]]
====<span style="color: #1d7aa5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: sub;">Mrs. Benella and Mrs. Katrien are two best friends ever since they were too young. They decided to pursue their friendship further by merging their children in a holy matrimony. Bianca Octavian, 28 years old, is the daughter of Mrs. Benella. She's working as a paediatrician and has no time hunting for serious love relationship since the last time she broke up with a guy named Pete years ago. Yet, she still hope and wishes that it is never too late to fall in love. Since she was a little girl, everything is decided by her mother – and she has nothing against it. Her father, Octavian Junior was once a famous dietician, yet no longer live in this world because of blood cancer. Ever since then, the bond between Bianca and her mother grow strongly and even shares every single thing with her mother. Believing that her mother knows what is best for her, Bianca agreed to go out with Johnny. ====

====<span style="color: #1d7aa5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: sub;"> Compared to Mrs. Katrien, she is worried all over her good looking son; Johnny Adams, a 32 years old successful businessman,who loves to travel all around the world, yet haven't found the 'one' to be married. Johnny, a bloke who had been into many serious relationships, struggling his very best to make the relationship as special as it could be; however ended up being the one who is broken hearted. The mother is often confused by 'too many' names of the girls in his life. Be it //Jessica, Abigail//, or even //Mei Mei//... (things are just not working out!). Realising the fact that it is time for her son to build his own family, she recommends a girl named Bianca Octavian to her son, and Johnny has no reasons to avoid, knowing that he's getting older in years to come. ====

====<span style="color: #1d7aa5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: sub;">It took them four months courting together until they are officially engaged.Their relationship is based on telephone conversation, Skype, and daily conversations through MSN messenger. This is all because of Johnny: always travelling here and there, while Bianca in LoveView, enjoying her duty to entertain as well as to look after the young ones who are in needs. ====

====<span style="color: #1d7aa5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: sub;">Until one fine day in summer last year; at the park, when Bianca and Johnny were having a picnic date, Johnny slipped a white platinum ring in her favourite novel that she brought during the picnic. As soon as Johnny said that he wants to get fresh air somewhere near the pond, Bianca think it's a great idea to read her favourite novel, Pride and Prejudice (by Jane Austen). She felt something is not right at the book, and when she turned the pages of book to page 143, there's a ring and a short note, 'Bianca Octavian, will you marry me?'. Bianca was extremely happy and shocked with what she saw and run towards Johnny. Johnny grab her in his arms and heard her whisper, //“I do, Johnny John.. I do!”.// ====

====<span style="color: #1d7aa5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: sub;">Now they are only 2 weeks before the wedding. Everything is organised according to what has been planned, with the help of Amanda Daniel, the most trusted friend and authorised wedding planner in the town. Bianca is grateful enough to get everything that she could ever think of for a perfect wedding – //A special white dress designed by Vera Wang, A pair of sexy heels by Jimmy Choo// – and of course, the wedding dream that she always hoped for in her whole **entire life:** //a romantic evening// //wedding nearby// //the famous and beautiful LoveView Lake//**//.//** ====

====<span style="color: #1d7aa5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: sub;"> ====

====<span style="color: #1d7aa5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: sub;">The couple gets very excited about their wedding. After many days spending their time ticking the check-list for the wedding, Johnny promised to take Bianca for a special treat. And as it is planned, Johnny sends a limousine to fetch his fiancée to one of the grand restaurant that serves delicious and tempting foods, calm and soothing music, other than peaceful and harmonious view of LoveView town. As Bianca walked to the table, Johnny was mesmerized with the beauty of his fiancée. “//I just can't get my eyes off of you, B.. I really think you look gorgeous in the dress.. I really hope you like it,//”. ====

====<span style="color: #1d7aa5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: sub;">Gracefully, Bianca answered “//Of course I do, it's a gift from my future husband.. and I'm one lucky girl who gets someone who knows the best for a female...So, what's the 'event' for tonight? There must be so////mething special that requires me wearing this dress for our dinner tonight...// ”. With a light grin on his face, “//Well, I just think that maybe tonight would be the night for you and me to... Uhmm.. Well, you know, talking about our life, maybe there are just things about you that I didn't know... What say you//?”. ====

====<span style="color: #1d7aa5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: sub;"> Bianca then replied with a cute face, “//I have nothing to decli////ne to that brilliant idea..as long as we start the dinner early, i'm starving, like super starving!//.” Johnny laughed, “//Oh my dear, you have always been the one who make me laugh and happy.. I can never imagine you, with a serious mimic! Okay then, shall we start with the appetizers?//” It's true enough that the night is truly something 'extra' for them. They eat, they laugh and they seem to be happy talking to one another. The conversation gets more fun when they exchange stories about their childhood and so on. ====

====<span style="color: #1d7aa5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: sub;">Johnny then holds Bianca's hand, “//Bianca, is there's anything in the past, or in the present– the most terrible thing that you had ever did in your life? Do you have any other things that you wish to do to turn back time or,you know... anything that you would love to do to fix things the way you want it to be//?”. ====

====<span style="color: #1d7aa5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: sub;">Bianca seems to remain calm and chill.. Holding her fiance's cheek, “//I don't think I have the thought of changing all my past, nor present... I'm looking forward for my future life with you... However, there's this moment that I felt incredibly terrible when my dad passed away... I wasn't there because I was sent to my grandparents somewhere out of this town...Papa knows that he's dying... that's the reason he asked Mom to send me away... He knew that I don't have the strength to see him go when I'm not ready yet...Why J////ohnny John? Do you have anything that you want to change in the past//?”. Johnny's smile cracked and it is no longer the smile that Bianca used to see in his face. ====

====<span style="color: #1d7aa5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: sub;"> “//I'm so sorry Bianca... it took me ages to admit this worst thing that I had ever done in my life...I think I have sinned you a lot... I'm so sorry B....//”cried Johnny. Bianca was puzzled, but trying very hard to hide her panic face “//What do you mean Johnny John??//”. Johnny seems to struggle his very best to arrange his words, while Bianca is thrilled to listen to what Johnny is about to say. ====

<span style="color: #1d7aa5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: sub;"><span style="color: #1d7aa5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt;">“//Ever since high school; I have a crush, a huge crush on you...Maybe because we have known each other since childhood.. I couldn't accept the fact that you were dating Pete, the guy from the basketball team. .But, I told my self to move on.. Not only that, it hurts me to see you at the library alone and miserable when Pete and his family moved to ColdLand...As soon as I got to know that he was cheating on you, I am upset..I drove myself to ColdLand to have a men to men talk with him..and we fought...Because of that,I got myself a broken left arm and injured leg..And...//” Bianca interrupted, “ //Oh Lord! Were you the one that hit him until he broke his nose? I can't believe it... People seemed to tell me that...//” Extremely shocked, Bianca couldn't further her sentences <span style="color: #33bdc7; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt;">.

<span style="color: #1d7aa5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: sub;">“ <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 11pt;">//Yes, I know it must have been tough for you, I heard you were depressed with what had happened for your relationship.. I know, the bad person is me.. and for the last 8 years, I'm the one to be blamed, I never said that I'm right..but, here I am... I want to apologize for being the one who had made you suffer previously...so B, I understand..if you were mad at me.. I accept the fact that you don't want to be my fiancée anymore... I'm so sorry...but the truth is...//”

====<span style="color: #1d7aa5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: sub;">Without even completing his sentences... Bianca kissed Johnny's lips and said, “//Thank you, for saving me...Johnny John, I have always adore you... when I was little, Papa used to praised you a lot, saying that you will be// //my hero one fine day.. But I guess it's just impossible for me to have someone that is smart, protective and charming as you are..I'm scared to tell you, and to lose you as you have always been there for me.. I just think that you might just consider me as your sister...Though tears and loneliness are my friends after I broke up with Pete, I wait patiently for your arrival so that I could express my feelings for you... and here comes the moment..the day has arrived.. I guess the worst thing I've ever done in my life is I don't spare a chance for myself to say it out loud to you about how I feel for you... But look at us now, everything seems graceful... since we are only few weeks before the wedding bells, let's just start everything new with all those old thoughts washed away....I wouldn't have the courage to let go of what we have had through out this wonderful relationship..//.” Johnny hugged Bianca and thank her for her kindness and willingness to forgive his mistake ====

<span style="color: #1d7aa5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: sub;">And, suddenly//, "By the way, Johnny John, what were you trying to say just now? I'm so sorry to interrupt you...//,” said Bianca with a small laugh. Johnny stood closer to Bianca, and whispered, “//The truth is.. I would never want to let you go because I know that my next destination has always been next to you for my whole entire life...//"

**<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: right;">//category: TONE and STYLE// ****



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