New Life : A Second Chance

It was D-Day.

Everyone who had prepared their gifts were looking at them with excitement - and also, a little bit of nervousness. Fear, even.

?? Sam ??

Sam held the musical box tenderly in his hands, and placed it into a small paper bag. He hadn't wrapped it up as he felt the paper bag was better: it hid what was inside and for Betty who received it, she would not have to trouble herself in unwrapping it.

He could also see her reaction instantly.

Would she like it? Would she accept it? She did say that so long as the guy was nice, she would not hesitate to try going out with him, right?

Although the logical Sam was saying that all factors were pointing towards a favourable outcome, the emotional Sam kept doubting himself with the 'what ifs'.

What if she doesn't like the musical box?

Worse. What if she doesn't want to try dating as she just wants to remain friends?

Worst. What if she doesn't like him at all and was only being a nice girl?

Sam closed his eyes and repeated the words like a mantra. "Carpe diem, chase persistently. Carpe diem, chase persistently."

?? Kay, Sarah, Sophia ??

Kay, Sarah and Sophia had their chocolate coated nuts placed in small boxes that they had made themselves by folding them using used greeting cards.* The top was made from the part of the card that had designs while the bottom was from the back of the card.

Thus, when folded, the designs would be as the top cover and as for the bottom part, the words printed on the cards were folded inside (which meant that it was not seen).

- Kay -

All in all, Kay was happy with the outcome. They decided on roasted cashew nuts as it tasted the best amongst the testers the other day.

This would be the first time that Kay would be distributing friendship chocolate (nuts) and she was rather excited about it. She didn't even tell Kyle about it and his share was bigger than the rest (of course). She giggled to herself thinking about how his face was going to look like when she gives it to him.

- Sarah -

Perhaps Sarah was the only one whose nervousness wasn't really attributed to the distribution of the chocolate covered nuts. It was because she was thinking about what Sophia had said.

Sophia and Ali could never be, due to circumstances beyond their control. So even if she liked him, there was no way that it could ever be.

As for her?

The only thing that was in her path was herself. That, and the fact that she was sure Kyle felt nothing for her. He was fond, but it never went beyond that.

Why should she confess if it would only result in being rejected? She nodded to herself. The best way is to further improve herself and before they all graduated, she would confess.

If there really wasn't any spark then, there never would be, right? Would she ever measure up to enter his eyes? She looked dt the chocolate covered nuts.

One step at a time.

- Sophia -

Sophia stared at the one box she had unconsciously put more effort in. It was if the prettiest design and actually had almonds instead of cashew nuts. This is because she knew that Ali liked almonds.

She sighed to herself. She was doomed to fall for guys that were unattainable. First, it had been Kyle. He had been the vision of perfection in her eyes then.

Now, it's Ali. He wasn't perfect like Kyle, but he was perfect enough in her eyes. Perfectly unattainable, that is.

Well, she would settle to be his best girl friend. He always turned to her to ask about what girl's think and such.

She was pretty proud of herself, actually. Before this, she would have most likely poisoned his mind and sabotaged all his efforts in choosing the right girl for his bride.

This time, however, she was sincere in giving him advice. She could never be with him, so at the very least, she would help him to the best of her abilities to choose the right girl.

She sighed once again as she put the chocolate into her bag. Perhaps someone would confess to her today?

The best way to get over one guy was to see other guys! Get to know more and keep your options open.

?? Kyle ??

"Do I have to get up?" Kyle mumbled from underneath the blanket, "I want to stay in bed until the day us over."

"Er, DUH," Xing Han was saying, hovering over Kyle's bed and trying vainly to pull the blanket off Kyle, "You cannot do that! First, you're the Student Council President who has to oversee everything today!"

"Secondly," he carried on as he kept on tugging on the blanket, "Most likely half of rhe school wants to give you gifts today."

"Xing Han," the mummified Kyle said, "Are you sure you were on the debate team? Cuz your arguments suck and aren't compeling at all."

Finally, exasperated, Xing Han grabbed onto the blanket with both hands and put one leg on Kyle's bed, pushing off it in an attempt to get more strength so that the blanket will come off.

Didn't even managed to move an inch.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Xing Han sprinted over while Kyle held on tighter to the blanket.

He contemplated using that brief respite of time to run to the bathroom and locking himself in, but then, it would mean Xing Han wouldn't be able to get ready to go to class.

Kyle was well aware that his behaviour was immature, more so for a 50+ year old person (when you combine the years he has been alive in both lifetimes). For some insane and childish reason, Kyle was really relunctant to face the day.

But he couldn't help it.

When the thought of all those girls just coming up at him, non-stop, and he would have to plaster a nice, big smile for every single one ... he shuddered.

To have to listen to God-knows how many confessions and reject them nicely, he wailed internally.

"Is he refusing to go?" came the all to familiar voice of Ali in the room.

Xing Han, who was at the doorway, stepped aside and gestured towards Kyle's bed with both hands, "What do you think???"

Ali couldn't help but laugh out loud at the bundle on the bed. The normally cool, self-assured and fearless Leader of theirs was reduced to .... this dumpling.

Sam was there as well, but chose to remain silent. He stood behind Ali while raising an eyebrow seeing the vision in front of him. So even someone like Kyle had something he was scared about.

Sam made a mental note of that, to be jotted down in his Kyle notebook later: CEO hates persistent, overt shows of affection. Sam would need to shield Kyle from any women who would be under the mistaken impression that they could seduce him.

For now, however, his role was Sam, the Elite Five Brother ... who would need to help Ali and Xing Han drag that cocoon out of bed.

Sam walked over to Xing Han's table and put down his backpack carefully on it. Betty's gift was inside and he didn't want it to be broken in the impending scuffle.

Ali walked over to Kyle's bed with a grin, "Seriously, Kyle? Aren't you being a little melodramatic?"

" A little? A LITTLE?!" Xing Han spluttered, "You call THAT a little?!!"

Ali's face just broke into a smile. He pointed at Xing Han, then the bottom of the blanket and gestured for him to pull it. He then directed Sam to pull Kyle's leg out by pointing at Kyle then at his own leg.

Xing Han and Sam nodded, indicating that they understood. Ali then held on the top of the blanket with one hand, then put up one finger to indicate [1].

Xing Han and Sam went into position by standing next to the bed.

Ali put up two fingers.

Xing Han and Sam's hands hovered above Kyle.

Ali nodded and the three moved.

Kyle knew there were the three of them were there. Even though Sam didn't say a thing, he could make out his footsteps. Three distinct footsteps came right beside his bed.

He could even sense their position so he held on the blanket even tighter around himself while bringing up his legs so that he curled up into a fetal position.

Of course, he knew it was inevitable that they would succeed. This was because he was only in a defensive position and would never retaliate. Still, he wasn't going to make it easy for them, okay?

The Harbringers of Doom, they were. Here to take him to the torture chamber called school.

The sudden movements from two ends of the blanket indicated to Kyle what was happening. He held on but soon failed miserably. The blanket was soon off and he felt his ankle being grabbed.

Before he could kick out (without doing actual damage), Ali had already grabbed onto his shoulders. With the pull of his legs down and Ali grabbing him to throw him off, Kyle found himself lying on the floor.

Kyle grumbled as he got up, rubbing his butt.

"Fine. Fine. You win," he said as he grabbed his towel, " 10 minutes."

The three of them watched as Kyle entered the bathroom.

"Do you think we're going to have to do this every year?" Xing Han asked.

Ali shrugged while Sam adjusted his clothes as he said, "Most likely."

The three of them groaned, thinking that there had got to be an easier way. If not, their years in Sakura Academy during Valentine's Day would be quite "eventful".