2011-11-06 - 8:18 p.m.
Hmm, let's start this entry with two Saturdays ago:
As promised, I became a jury for an English competition at Gigi's morning school in South Tangerang. Since it is pretty far from home, I could barely sleep the night before. (I could imagine how it was for Gigi, since she was also the co-ordinator for the spelling bee and the storytelling competition! Well, even when she lives much closer to the school.)
I woke up at two a.m and could not go back to sleep. I had my early breakfast (with a cup of coffee, for sure!) at four. Then I prepared everything until dawn, which was time to go.
I had ordered an ojek biker two days earlier, and he showed up outside the fence at 5:30 am. After that, we left.
Earlier, I had told him the route - but he insisted that he know a shorter cut. I let him take me there, which was a big mistake.
He ended up getting both of us...lost.:(
Grrh!:x
Thankfully, Gigi came to my rescue.:D I called her to explain what had happened and she asked me to wait for her at the mall near her house. Then I asked the ojek biker to retrace a bit, find another (more sensible) short cut, until...I finally reached the mall she was referring to.
Thankfully, we finally made it to the school at sometime before eight. (At 7:30, perhaps? I couldn't recall.) That was when I started feeling sleepy, due to lack of sleep and despite my (early) morning coffee!
However, that didn't last long. When I learned who'd be my partner for the job that morning, I felt my eyes widen in awe.:O
God Almighty! I had silently praised.:D This is much better than coffee. LOL!xD
There he came...the cutest guy I had ever seen.
Connor Graham.:*
However, I had to concentrate on our real work that day and just...be professional.:P*sighs* (Of course, even under NORMAL circumstances, I wouldn't start batting my - short, almost non-existent - eyelashes at him and acting like a flirtatious priss. Yuck!:|)
I also didn't know my cousin would have been one of the contestants that day until she came in and her mother greeted me in front of everyone else shortly.*huffs* Tough.
I knew they sort of expected me to let her win, but...a job is still a job. Like what I have mentioned earlier, be professional.*big evil grin*
She didn't win, though. Connor and I (ahem!:P) had to choose the best ten out of thirty. Well, that was easy. After that, each had to come forward and spell the words both Connor and I mentioned in turns.
All the while, I couldn't resist making a small talk with him. (Hehe, we all know that's not against any law.:P) He seemed like an interesting fellow too.
And I was right.:)
"So, Connor," I started lightly. "Is that an Irish name?" (I have known that already, so it was indeed a small talk.:P)
"Yes," he responded with a friendly smile. God, he even had those smiling Irish eyes!*gasps* "And my last name is Graham, which is Scottish. So I'm half-Irish and half-Scottish, but I live in Canada."
"Oh, I see." More about him?:P I thought so. Connor has been in Indonesia - on and off too, like my American friend Patrick. He used to be an English teacher too, but he is now a pilot-in-training. (Oh, cool!:D)
We had giggled at the contestants' written results from the first round of the spelling bee.
"I don't remember calling out these words," he exclaimed with glee. Despite the fact that he was drenched in his own sweat (yes, the room was already so hot for me - so poor Connor!), he seemed calm.
Connor even encouraged one of the ten spelling bee finalists when the tired little girl suddenly burst in tears. (How sweet.:D) It took a while before she finally came forward.
"I don't think we're too intimidating," he whispered to me when the hall was empty in between sessions. I shrugged.
"I don't know about me, though."
"Maybe it's because I'm a foreigner."
After that, Gigi offered us something to drink. Connor obviously wanted cold water, but I also drank the coffee. (My second cup of the day.) He spoke Indonesian well. He thanked me when I handed him his drink.
"Terima kasih." (Thank you.)
"Sama-sama," I replied. (It means: "You're welcome.")
Then we sat again for the storytelling competition. Most of the stories were about war heroes. Some kids performed in a flat tone, as if reading out or memorizing from a biography. Others really did some acting and brought realias to support their stories.
One boy was very creative among the rest. I admired his originality, because he told a story about his conversation with his father about what it means to be a hero. Even Connor was mighty impressed with him.
Unfortunately, he only got the runner-up spot. There was a girl who was more expressive than he was - with a much clearer voice too.
Did I ask for Connor's number in the end? No. Sorry, I'm not that kind of girl - no matter how hot the guy is.:P I'm painfully shy when it comes to something like that.*blushes*
I only do that when it's for something really, really important.
After we had done our part for the day, Gigi took a picture of Connor and me.*blushes*:D Then, when Gigi asked me to do the same for Connor and her, I teased her:
"I'm going to tell your boyfriend."
"I want to make him feel jealous," she challenged back and the three of us cracked up laughing in the empty hall.
Then the conversation carried on in the school teachers' room. While the other teachers were busy chatting, he and I sat next to each other again and talked. Somehow, I had the nerve to ask him The Question:
"So, who's the lucky girl?"
"Nah." He smiled shyly and shook his head. "There's no one right now."
"Really?" I was genuinely amazed. (YAY!:D) "Come on. Look at you."
Connor blushed as he laughed a little.
"I'm serious," he said. "With my job travelling around, it's hard to find a girl who's understanding enough and can take the pressure. My dad is also a pilot, so I know how it is for Mom everytime he has to leave for the job."
"Ah." I nodded. Then I added with a smile, "But some girls might find that romantic."
He chuckled again and gave me his cute, boyish grin.
"Believe me, my ex didn't think so." Then Connor told me about his last girlfriend, who had followed him all the way down to Jakarta. Then they went to Bali together (where Connor is currently staying.) After a year of no job, she couldn't take it anymore and they made a mutual decision to call it quits.
She flew to Australia after that.:| Without him, of course.
"Awww."
"It's alright." Connor gave me that sweet, shy smile again, although - this time - he couldn't hide his real emotions anymore. His blue eyes betrayed him.
They showed loneliness.:(
"The next girl should be independent," I told him, grinning. Inside, I wanted to scream: 'Pick me, pick me! I can be your Ms.Independent any day you please.' :P
LOL!!xD
"Oh, she has to be very independent."
Then somehow, I didn't know where I had gotten such boldness - I came up with this confession:
"Most guys I have known here think I'm being too independent, as if I don't need them at all." It's not true, and I'm tired of their insecurity and demands that I change just to please them.*rolls eyes* "I know people have good intentions, but when they keep asking me about when I'll be getting married, I'm like: 'What? That's not the only happiness you can get here!'"
"It's true." He nodded empathically.
However, when he finally left, I hung out with Gigi and the other female teachers - and learned the shocking revelations about Connor...and their co-worker Mike.:| One of them saw Mike stroking Connor's brown hair this morning as the two lads were chatting.
Oh, dear.:| God, I have no interests in Mike, eventhough he's gorgeous too - but please, don't tell me that Connor is...gay.:(
Oh, well.*deep sigh* Whatever. For now, we have only speculations which I believe I don't have to mention here.*big evil grin* Besides, my chances are much slimmer than I am.
After that, Gigi and I had a karaoke time.:D
The Author
