Free My Kiasu Teenage Life in Singapore by Ee Lin See

Would you feel awkward being naked in front of doctors? It’s a terrible experience that I’ll probably have to undergo once more on 2 May. Oh dear, I hope it’s nothing too serious like “You have six years to live!”
    Venue: Prep room
    Time: No watch, but I think it’s 8.15 pm
    Date: April
    Age: 16 already! How fast!
    Feeling: Depressed but pretend not to be
    Glad I received your long-awaited letter
    Love, Pei Yi
    Saturday 4 April
    Dear Mei Yee
    Guess what? I have chicken pox! I’ll have about two weeks of no school, excess porridge and lots of time to write to you. Gosh, it’s so difficult to write with my left hand. I found a spot on my palm and one on my leg (isn’t it weird, you’ll probably imagine them at the wrong places on the palm and leg) this morning. Last night I had a fever.
    Am staying here, despite protests from some hostelites. Jen Nee is quite displeased about some people blaming her for spreading chicken pox to me and another girl.
    This morning, Jen Nee and I went to Toa Payoh to see the doctor but first we walked around the shops. I bought ten blank tapes for S$18 and a 2nd Chance shirt for my dad for S$26.90 using my S$10 voucher. Had lunch then went to the clinic but it was closed (half day today) so I had to go to a private doctor. It cost Jen Nee S$36 when she consulted that doctor but I paid only S$17 ’coz I could get most of the medicine from Jen Nee (unfinished). The doctor said I can eat anything except deep-fried food. When I told him my friends said I shouldn’t eat cucumber, prawn, black sauce, chicken and so forth, he said it’s just superstition.
    Tomorrow, all the Sec 3s in my hostel are going to Sentosa Island but I can’t. Oh dear, I don’t want to miss school. I can’t stand missing the fun. Last night, Sunny, Jen Nee and I walked around the housing estate and talked in the dark about the gross and cruel things that happen in Asia (eg, the lives of prostitutes).
    Sunny also likes to bad-mouth people. Because she’s a confident and interesting person, and also good at storytelling, usually we like to listen to her talking and complaining about others, eg Nicole, Alisa and several others. And I know that deep down, I also like to listen to her bad-mouthing people because it makes me feel like I’m slightly better than those people, but it’s actually bad to be like this; I wouldn’t be enjoying this gossip if I were a more confident person myself. I asked Jen Nee what she thought about all of this. She said someone told her that the bible says gossiping is bad. I was surprised that the bible actually talks about such ordinary things like gossiping! Jen Nee and I decided that the next time Sunny talks bad about someone, we should just try to change the subject and not participate even if it’s tempting.
    Love, Pei Yi
    Sunday 5 April (2 pm)
    Dearest Mei Yee
    Everyone is at Sentosa Island. I’m in my room.
    I found an old copy of Teens in someone’s wastepaper basket so I took it. What do you think of being a cover girl? I think they’re very lucky.
    My chicken pox has become worse. Yucks (10x)! It makes my body look like a toad—disgusting!! I hate chicken pox!!! My whole body is full of yucky spots. They itch and hurt a bit when touched. Scratch, scratch, scratch. Can’t imagine how Jen Nee could be so happy when she was having chicken pox.
    I’ve plenty of time so I’m reading Teens, Christopher Pike’s Final Friends I, and The Fine Art of Flirting.
    My chicken pox is so yucky, itchy and uncomfortable! It’s 8.10 pm and I’m feeling lonely and miserable.
    Love, Pei Yi
    Monday 6 April (Hari Raya hol — only a day!)
    Dearest Mei Yee
    My chicken pox has become even WORSE! My God, I’m so horrified with myself. I can’t stand this kind of thing and now it’s spreading all over me!
    My dad is here. He left BM last night and reached Singapore in the