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Novel melunas rindu

PlotPlot bermaksud jalinan cerita atau peristiwa dalam sesebuah cereka. Jalinan tersebut berkembang

berdasarkan hukum sebab dan akibat. Peristiwa atau cerita itu selalunya dijalin secara kronologi atautidak secara kronologi. Jika peristiwa dijalin secara kronologi bermaksud peristiwanya disusun mengikuturutan masa. Sementara itu, jika peristiwa tidak dijalin secara kronologi, bermaksud peristiwanya tidakdisusun mengikut urutan masa. Biasanya plot sesebuah novel terbahagi kepada dua iaitu binaan plot danteknik plot.

Binaan Plot

Binaan plot bermaksud plot cerita terbina daripada beberapa bahagian penting. Kebiasaannya, binaan plotterdiri daripada lima bahagian, iaitu permulaan (eksposisi), perkembangan, perumitan, puncak (klimaks),dan peleraian. Bahagian permulaan atau eksposisi merupakan bahagian yang memperkenalkan watak-watak. Watak-watak akan diperkenalkan dari segi fizikal, emosi serta berkaitan dengan persekitaran dan

watak-watak lain. Kemudian watak-watak itu akan berkembang dan berinteraksi pada bahagian perkembangan cerita. Seterusnya, perhubungan antara watak itu akan menimbulkan konflik yangkemudiannya menjadi rumit pada bahagian perumitan. Pada peringkat tersebut selalunya konflik akan

berterusan dan menjadi bertambah rumit.Plot akan terus bergerak ke bahagian puncak atau klimaks cerita. Pada peringkat ini, keadaan menjadisemakin mendebarkan, kritikal, ngeri, dan cemas akibat konflik atau pertentangan antara watak.Selanjutnya, bahagian puncak itu akan mencapai ke satu tahap, iaitu sampai ke tahap penyelesaian.Akhirnya, plot bergerak terus ke tahap peleraian, iaitu semua konflik dan pertentangan akan diselesaikanatau terlerai.

Permulaan (Eksposisi)Pada peringkat ini pembaca diperkenalkan dengan watak utama novel ini iaitu Fuad. Selain itu pengarang

juga memperkenalkan watak-watak sampingan lain seperti Farhana, Pak Ismail, Mak Salmah, dan CikguAbas. Perkara ini dibuktikan dalam bahagian-bahagian awal novel ini. Sebagai contohnya, dalam

bahagian awal novel ini, pengarang menceritakan Fuad yang lewat pulang pada suatu senja keranamencari kayu api telah menyebabkan Pak Ismail dan Mak Salmah berasa bimbang. Kita juga mengetahui

bahawa Fuad ialah seorang mualaf yang taat akan agama iaitu tidak pernah meninggalkan solat limawaktu dan dia selalu menunaikan solat berjemaah di surau. Dia juga rajin membaca al-Quran dengan

bimbingan Pak Ismail. Kita juga mengetahui bahawa Fuad sebenarnya anak angkat kepada Pak Ismaildengan Mak Salmah.

PerkembanganDalam bahagian ini, pengarang memaparkan perkembangan cerita iaitu Fuad telah memulakan tugasnyasebagai guru Bahasa Inggeris di Sekolah Menengah Seri Setia dan dia cuba menyesuaikan diri dan

bekerjasama dengan Farhana yang menjadi Ketua Panitia Bahasa Inggeris di sekolah itu. Seterusnya pengarang mengembangkan cerita seterusnya dengan menjelaskan hasrat Fuad untuk mencari kuburibunya. Sebagai contohnya, Fuad menyatakan hasratnya itu kepada Pak Ismail dan Mak Salmah danmereka berdua tidak menghalangnya. Seterusnya, dia berusaha untuk mencari kubur emaknya itu melaluimaklumat daripada Peter Lim dan Swee Lan, bapa dan ibu saudaranya. Akhirnya, Fuad dibantu oleh Pak

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Said yang menawarkan diri untuk mencari kubur ibunya itu. Hubungan Fuad dengan Farhana pulamenjadi semakin rapat pada peringkat ini.

PerumitanDalam bahagian ini, Fuad mendapat maklumat daripada Pak Ngah Lias iaitu jiran datuknya iaitu Seman

bahawa ibunya tidak meninggal dunia seperti yang disangkanya. Hal ini dibuktikan oleh Pak Ngah Lias bahawa mereka tidak mengetahui maklumat tentang kubur ibunya itu dan mereka juga tiada maklumattentang kematian ibunya. Pak Samsudin, jiran Mariah iaitu kakak angkat emak Fuad mengatakan bahawaemak Fuad memang bersalin di Kuala Lipis tetapi tidak meninggal dunia. Perkara ini menyebabkan Fuad

berasa lebih bersemangat untuk mencari ibu kandungnya. Sementara itu, hubungan Farhana dengan CikguZamani pula menjadi semakin tegang. Hal ini terbukti melalui peristiwa pertengkaran antara mereka

berdua akibat kesalahan Cikgu Zamani yang tidak masuk ke kelas semasa kelas lanjutan. Pada bahagianini juga, ibu Farhana jatuh sakit dan dimasukkan ke Hospital Tuanku Ampuan Afzan di Kuantan akibat

penyakit lelah. Fuad pergi ke Kuantan dan menemani Farhana yang menjaga ibunya yang sakit dihospital.

Puncak (Klimaks)Pada bahagian ini pengarang menggambarkan kepada kita tentang peristiwa Fuad terpandang nama ibuFarhana semasa dia menemani Farhana menjaga ibunya itu di hospital. Nama ibu Farhana iaitu Mariana

binti Osman itu sama dengan nama emak kandungnya. Hal ini menyebabkan dia berasa terkejut danmengharapkan agar jika ibunya masih hidup, tetapi bukannya emak Farhana. Setelah berbincang danmendapatkan maklumat yang lebih lanjut daripada Farhana, Fuad akhirnya menerima hakikat bahawaemak Farhana itu juga ialah emak kandungnya. Walau bagaimanapun Farhana agak sukar untukmenerima hakikat bahawa dia dengan Fuad sebenarnya ialah adik-beradik yang berlainan bapa.

Peleraian

Fuad dan Farhana dapat menyesuaikan diri bahawa mereka berdua ialah adik-beradik. Robert Lim, iaituayah kandung Fuad juga mengesahkan bahawa Mariana iaitu emak Farhana itu juga ialah emak Fuad,iaitu isteri yang pernah dikahwininya suatu masa dahulu. Farhana juga sudah pulih daripada kejutankerana mengetahui bahawa dia dengan Fuad ialah adik-beradik kandung. Perasaan sayang sebagaikekasih sebelum itu sudah berubah menjadi perasaan sayang kepada seorang abang kandung. Selain itu,Fuad telah diterima untuk mengikuti kursus KPLI untuk melayakkannya menjadi seorang guru yangterlatih. Seterusnya, Fuad membawa ibunya, Pak Ismail dan Mak Salmah menunaikan umrah danayahnya, Robert Lim mengatakan bahawa dia juga akan menyusul kemudian.

Teknik PlotTeknik plot merujuk kepada cara atau kaedah pengarang mengembangkan plot cerita supaya menjadilebih menarik dan menambat hati pembaca. Perkara ini menyebabkan pembaca ingin meneruskan

pembacaannya hingga ke penamat cerita. Biasanya, teknik plot yang digunakan ialah dialog, monolog,monolog dalaman, pemerian, imbas kembali, imbas muka, kejutan dan saspens.

DialogDialog bermaksud pertuturan atau percakapan sekurang-kurangnya antara dua watak ataupun lebih.Pengarang menggunakan teknik ini untuk menggerakkan atau mengembangkan cerita selanjutnya.

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Melalui dialog, pengarang dapat memaparkan atau menggambarkan pendapat atau pemikiran berkenaandengan tema atau persoalan dalam novel tersebut. Sebagai contohnya, Fuad berdialog dengan Borhantentang rancangannya untuk membawa anak Borhan dan Masnah yang demam panas ke klinik pada suatumalam.

MonologTeknik ini merujuk kepada pengucapan atau tutur kata oleh sesuatu watak secara bersendirian. Dengan

perkataan lain, teknik monolog bermaksud sesuatu watak itu akan bercakap seorang diri. Kadangkala,monolog itu juga mungkin berupa doa, rungutan, keluh-kesah ataupun ratapan. Sebagai contohnya, Fuad

berdoa dengan memohon kepada Allah agar hatinya menjadi tabah untuk menghadapi dugaan.

Monolog DalamanTeknik ini merujuk kepada percakapan, lintasan, atau rintihan dalam hati atau fikiran sesuatu watak dantidak diketahui oleh watak-watak yang lain, contohnya pengarang menggunakan teknik ini semasa Fuad

berkata dalam hatinya tentang nama ibu Farhana.

PemerianTeknik pemerian digunakan oleh pengarang untuk menerangkan peristiwa dalam plot secara langsung.Hal ini bermaksud, pengarang menerangkan atau menggambarkan sesuatu perkara atau peristiwa secaralangsung. Dengan perkataan lain, pengarang seolah-olah menjadi tukang cerita dan menggambarkansesuatu perkara atau peristiwa secara langsung, contohnya pengarang menggambarkan keadaan di bandarKuala Terengganu pada suatu pagi.

Imbas KembaliTeknik ini merupakan satu teknik plot yang digunakan oleh pengarang untuk menceritakan sesuatu

peristiwa yang sudah berlaku sebelum peristiwa itu. Pengarang menggambarkannya melalui ingatan,

kenangan, lintasan atau imbasan sesuatu watak terhadap sesatu peristiwa yang telah berlaku sebelumnya.Sebagai contohnya, Swee Lan teringat akan kepulangan Fuad pada suatu senja lebih setahun yang lalu.

Imbas MukaTeknik ini merupakan satu teknik plot yang digunakan untuk memberikan bayangan awal tentang sesuatu

peristiwa atau perkara yang akan berlaku dan masih belum berlaku lagi. Bayangan tersebut mungkin berpunca daripada sesuatu aksi watak atau aksi watak-watak lain atau perkara-perkara lain. Sebagaicontohnya, pengarang menggambarkan kemungkinan Cikgu Abas akan meluahkan perasaan marahnyakepada guru yang enggan melaksanakan tugas dalam mesyuarat guru esok harinya.

SaspensTeknik ini merujuk kepada peristiwa yang menggambarkan perasaan tertanya-tanya dan ingin tahu para

pembaca untuk mengikuti cerita. Pembaca ingin tahu perkara yang akan berlaku seterusnya. Sebagaicontohnya, peristiwa Fuad mendapati akaun banknya mengandungi wang lebih daripada dua ratus riburinggit telah menimbulkan perasaan ingin tahu para pembaca tentang wang yang begitu banyak yangterdapat di dalam akaun bank Fuad. Pembaca ingin tahu dari mana sumber wang tersebut diperolehnya.

Kejutan

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Teknik ini merujuk kepada keadaan atau peristiwa yang berlaku tanpa disangka-sangka oleh pembaca.Dengan kata lain, pembaca tidak dapat menjangkakan peristiwa itu akan berlaku dan peristiwa tersebut

berlaku secara mengejut. Pengarang menggambarkan teknik ini melalui peristiwa Fuad yang terkejutapabila mendapati bahawa emak Farhana bernama Mariana binti Osman. Peristiwa tersebut mengejutkan

para pembaca kerana pembaca tidak menyangka bahawa nama Mariana sama dengan nama ibu Fuad.

Perkara ini juga membawa maksud bahawa mereka berdua ialah adik-beradik kandung.

B) FARHANA

Dia merupakan anak kepada Mariana yang juga ibu kandung kepada Fuad. Farhana ialah adik beradikseibu dnegan Fuad. Ayahnya Fakhrudin telah meninggal dunia. Dia mempunyai empat orang adik.Merupakan seorang guru ketua panitia Bahasa Inggeris di Sekolah Menengah Seri Setia iaitu sekolahyang sama dengan Fuad.

Dari segi perwatakan, Farhana digambarkan sebagai seorang yang periang. Sifat itu disedari oleh Fuadsendiri bermula pada peringkat awal perkenalan mereka lagi. Fuad melihat Farhana sebagai seorang guruyang tidak mempunyai masalah. Dia mudah ketawa apabila diusik oleh Fuad. Sebagai seorang yang

periang, dia suka bergurau. Farhana kerap bergurau dengan Fuad ketika mereka berbual di bilik guru perempuan terutamanya ketika Fuad memberitahu bahawa dialah yang memerikan kad hari jadi kepadaFarhana. Farhana juga bergurau dengan Fuad semasa mereka keluar dan makan pada petang tersebut.

Farhana juga digambarkan seorang yang tegas dalam menjalankan tugas dan tanggungjawab sebagai

guru. Dia ingin mencari Cikgu Zamani apabila seorang pelajar mengadu kepadanya bahawa guru tidakmasuk ke kelas semasa program Jawab untuk Jaya yang diadakan dalam kelas masing -masing. Apabilamenemui Cikgu Zamani Farhana memaklumkan perkara tersebut kepada Cikgu Zamani. Cikgu Zamanisebaliknya berkasar dengan Farhana menyebabkan Farhana mengungkit pula tentang perjumpaan PBSMiSabtu. Cikgu Zamani tidak datang sedangkan Farhana terlihatnya di Hock Kee Seng. Farhanamengungkitkan soal tanggungjawab kepada Cikgu Zamani.

Satu sifat negatif yang terdapat pada diri Farhana ialah dia kurang menghayati ajaran agama Islam. Diaterpegun apabila Fuad menghormati azan Zohor yang dilaungkan dan kemudiannya berdoa selepas azansedangkan dia tidak berbuat demikian. Farhana juga kagum dengan Fuad yang amat menjaga solatnyasedangkan dia sendiri mengaku bahawa dia banyak meninggalkan solat. Solat yang sering ditinggalkanialah solat Subuh kerana dia suka bangun lewat terutamanya pada hari-hari cuti. Semasa makan dalam

perjalanan ke Kuantan, Farhana terpegun apabila Fuad tiba-tiba mengambil ayam goreng di dalam pinggannya. Fuad memberitahunya tentang rezeki dan pembaziran. Farhana merasakan dirinya banyakkekurangan dalam penghayatan agama Islam berbanding dengan Fuad.

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C) PAK MAIL

Pak Mail ialah suami kepada Mak Salmah. Bapa angkat kepada Fuad. Dia tidak mempunyai anak. Darisegi perwatakan, Pak Mail digambarkan sebagai seorang yang berilmu dan taat kepada perintah agama.Fuad telah kembali kepada ajaran Islam dan tinggal di rumah Pak Mail sebagai anak angkat setelahkehilanganSofia. Pak Mail yang bertanggungjawab membimbing, memberikan ilmu agama dan keyakinankepada Fuad. Pada bahagian awal novel ini digambarkan Fuad belajar membaca al-Quran di surau selepassolat Maghrib. Fuad meminta Pak Mail mendengar dan menegur bacaannya. Selain daripada itu Pak Mail

juga sentiasa solah berjemaah di surau.

Pak Mail juga merupakan seorang yang bertanggungjawab. Tanggungjawab besar yang telahdilaksanakannya ialah memberikan pendidikan agama kepada Fuad yang memeluk agama Islam dantinggal di rumahnya. Sebagai seorang yang paling dekat dengan Fuad dan sebagai seorang penganutagama Islam, Pak Mail menunaikan tanggungjawab tersebut dengan baik sehinggakan Fuad dapatmenghayati ajaran agama Islam dengan baik. Pak Mail juga bertanggungjawab terhadap isterinya. PakMail menjaga Mak Salmah dengan baik ketika Mak Salmah sakit akibat daripada tekanan perasaan keranakehilangan Sofia.

Pengarang juga menggambarkan Pak Mail sebagai seorang yangrasional dan tidak berdendam. MakSalmah yang sukar untuk menerima Fuad kerana Fuad bertanggungjawab atas kehilanganSofia. NamunPak Mail sebaliknya berfikiran terbuka dan menerima Fuad yang datang ke rumahnya selepasketiadaan Sofia. Lebih daripada itu Pak Mail telah membela Fuad daripada cercaan masyarakat kampung.Pak Mail juga tidak berdendam dengan Robert Lim yang bertanggungjawab merancangagar Sofia diambil daripada Pak Mail dan Mak Salmah. Ketika Robert Lim datang ke rumahnya untukmecari Fuad, Pak Mail menerima kedatangan Robert Lim dengan baik dan menerima permohonan maafdaripada Robert Lim.

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The curse

Question 1:

Based on the novel that you have read, what is the lesson that you have learned from the ending of thenovel? Give reasons why you think the lesson is important.

The novel I have read is The curse by Lee Su Ann. In the novel, it ended withAzreen learning thetruth about a lot of things surrounding her sisters death. It was very sad for Azreen too because she hadto cope with the deaths of the Old Lady and her parents. In the epilogue, Azreen went back to London tocontinue her studies. It is important to not that in the end, Azreenlearned to forgive. The theme offorgiveness and the importance of the truth resonate throughout the ending of the novel.

I learned that forgiveness is the key to finding inner peace and strength. Somehow, it helps a personto move on despite having gone through negative situations. Azreenscharacter teaches us to be strong,

bold and upright in order to withstand vicious gossips and to fight injustice like how she defended the OldLady.

The same goes for Azreen when she returned to London. If she allowed hatred, anger and othernegative emotions to take over, those emotions would have consumed her and made her life worse. But

because she learned to accept the truth and to forgive, she was able to smile at the end. Although the truthwas difficult to handle forAzreen, especially about Madhuri and MohdAsraf, her father

being Madhuris murderer, and how Madhuri was not her real sister,Azreen managed to cope with allthose unfortunate events.

From the ending of the novel, I learned that sometimes, although the truth may not be what

everybody wants to hear, it is always best to tell the truth because it helps people to find inner peace andto be truly happy.

Question 2:

Based on the novel that you have read, give examples of what hope means to the characters that you havechosen.

The novel I have read is The curse by Lee Su Ann. Hope is the feeling of wanting something youdesire to come true. In the novel, Mohd Asraf and Madhuri are in love and they hope to be togetherwhenMohd Asraf leaves for Kuala Lumpur for a teaching course.

However, Madhuri is married to HajiGhani. She plans to confess everything to her husband andget his permission to release her. Asraf hopes that Madhuri is right that her husband is a reasonable

person who wants the best for her and she will ultimately be released from her marriage. Madhuri also plans to reveal everything to her parents about their relationship. Unfortunately, their hope of beingtogether is dashed when Madhurisfather discovers the truth before she could explain

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everything tohhim. Saleh Abdullah, catches Madhuri and Mohd Asraf together in the rubber estate and hewanted to go after

Mohd Asraf. Sadly, as he wields his parang, it strikes Madhuri and kills her.

Due to Mohd Asrafs ailing grandmother, he forced himself to visit the Old Lady and ask her to cure hisgrandmother. When she did come to his house, some of the villagers found out about it and they think thatall the bad incidents happening around the village is due to her presence.

In addition, another character,Puan Fatihah feels like she is slowly losing her husbandafter Madhuris death. She hopes to win his affections again by cooking a breakfast feast for him. But hedid not appreciate her deed due to the many happenings in the village; instead, he left without eating whatshe had cooked for him.

In conclusion, the novel helps us to see how hope drives different characters to do different things andthere are positive and negative consequences of their actions.

Question 3:

Using details from the novel you have studied, write about a theme that you can relate to in your dailylife. Give examples of the theme that you have chosen. Support your answer with close reference to thetext.

The novel I have read is The Curse by Lee Su Ann. A theme from The Curse is about thenegative effects or rumours and hearsay. Gossip is basically idle talk that goes bad if one is not carefulenough but malicious gossip is even more dangerous because it does the most damage.

For example, in the past, the villagers constant gossiping had caused the Old Lady to move to the jungle because they thought that she was a crazy woman who killed her husband in cold blood. They failed tounderstand and consider the reason behind the act and it caused the Old Lady to live alone for the rest ofher life in the jungle. The villagers continued to spread wrong information about the Old Lady by sayingthat she will cast a spell or kill those who trespass on her property.

Puan Normala warned that a curse will befall the village by claiming that the incessant rain wascaused by the Old Lady coming into the village even though she came only to cure

Nek,Mohd Asrafs grandmother. She gathered some of her neighbours and convinced them to drive theOld Lady out of the village. Sadly, not long after the Old Lady had cured Nek, Nek passed away andthe neighbours convinced Mohd Asrafthat the Old Lady was to be blamed. The confrontation betweenthem and the Old Lady ended tragically with her house being burnt down and her untimely death.

Throughout the novel, we are constantly reminded of how rumours can turn bad and how theycan lead to destruction or a tragic conclusion. As stated by the Old Lady, Rumours can be damagingeven if they are untrue, especially if they are untrue. All a person can do is to ignore them andthe rumours will die off as soon as another juicier one comes along.

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I have learnt from the theme in this novel that I should not believe or be influenced by rumours in our daily lives. More importantly, I should also not create and spread rumoursaboutanother person. These, we must apply in our daily lives.

Question 4:

Using details from the novel you have studied, describe how it has taught you to be a responsible person. Give examples of how you learned to be a responsible person.

The novel I have read is The curse by Lee Su Ann. In the novel, we learn about responsibility interms of thinking before we speak and not spreading rumours. The gossipy villagersspread rumours about Madhuris death and how it will bring a curse to the village. PuanNormala begins

to spread rumours by claiming to have seen Madhuris dead body and white blood. To make mattersworse, she starts to link happenings like the endless rain and flood to the curse. This only creates morefear among the villagers. Puan Normala and her neighboursgossip and speculate about everything. To topit all off, when the Old Lady is sought after byMohd Asraf to treat his sick grandmother, the villagersgang up to chase her away because they consider her evil as she had murdered her husband in the past.They feel that she is the cause of the curse.

Sadly, due to the irresponsible villagersrumours at that time, the Old Lady becomes the victimand she is labelled as a mad woman and a murderer. She was forced to leave the village and had to live ina deserted house in the jungle. She is forced to come to the village again whenMohd Asraf pleads with herto treat his grandmother. When his grandmother passed away, the villagers were quick to accuse the Old

Lady of poisoning Mohd Asrafs Nek and it was enough to convince Mohd Asraf to confront the OldLady at her house. When things got out of hand, the house is burned down and the Old Lady dies.

On the other hand, Azreen is a responsible person by the way she treats her parents even thoughshe feels that they loveMadhuri more than her. She never receives her fathers warmth as his daughter asmuch asMadhuri but being the responsible daughter that she is, she continues to treat her fatherrespectfully. Azreen also takes care of her mother who suffers from Alzheimers till her mothers death.

I have learned that I have to be responsible for my own actions. I should not spread rumours norcause harm to others without thinking carefully no matter what happens or challengers I have to face. For

being irresponsible, we can also cause harm to other people.

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Question 5:

Based on the novel you have read, write about a character whom you admire. Give reasons why youadmire him or her. Support your answer with close reference to the text.

The novel I have read is The Curse written by Lee Su Ann. There are many characters in thenovel but the character I find most admirable is none other than Azreen, the younger daughterof Saleh Abdullah. I admireAzreen because she has many positive characteristics. I will give examplesfrom the novel to support my answer.

First and foremost, Azreen is an independent girl. She goes wherever she wants to withoutseeking permission from her parents. She was determined to go for the exchangeprogramme where shelived with Datin Sharifahand Datuk Zulkipli in Georgetown. She even applied for a scholarship in aneffort to leave the village. Azreen is also loyal. This can be seen when Azreen saw Encik Mohan and hissons manhandling Asraf, she came to his aid by taking the blame for him.

In addition, Azreen prepares meals for her parents and takes good care of her mother

after Madhuris death. She is a filial and dutiful daughter. Azreen did not believe the villagers whoclaimed that the Old Lady could turn anyone into squirrels or rats as well as cook and eat them for dinner.This shows that she is a sensible person.

I also admire Azreen because she accepts challenges. Azreen was dared to pay a visit to the OldLady and she went to her house. They became good friends

Azreen is also a determined person.Azreen could not tolerate her fathers andneighbours constantcomplaints. So, she accepted the two-month foster programme to staywith Datin Sharifah and Datuk Zulkipli. Similarly, she was determined to accept the scholarship to studyin London and so her foster parents decided to support her financially

From the novel, we know that Azreen is also an open-minded. I admire Azreen as she does not believe in the stereotype role of a woman who is supposedly to be docile and feminine. She is alsomodest. Azreen is not proud and does not put on airs although she is studying in London. Besidesthat, Azreen is admirable because of her diligence. Both Azreenand Madhuri work diligently to weave anew basket for their mother as the former broke the basket which was laden with durians. I alsoadmire Azreen because she is intelligent. Azreenobtained a scholarship to pursue her tertiary education inLondon.

In conclusion, the character I admire most from the novel I have read is Azreen. Although she isnot perfect and has some negative characteristics, she has even more positive characteristics. She is

someone I can relate to and I hope to be just like her.

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Question 6:

There are many interesting events in the novel you have read. Write about an event or incident that youthink is important or that you will never forget. Give reasons to substantiate your answer.

The novel I have read is The Curse by Lee Su Ann. I think the incidentwhenMohd Asraf tells Azreen that he andMadhuri were in a relationship is important in the novel TheCurse. Here are a few reasons to substantiate my answer.

First and foremost, this piece of news is shocking to Azreen as she has alwaysliked Mohd Asraf from her school days. She even joined Mohd Asrafshockey team so she could spendmore time with him. Though she knew that MohdAsraf was taken up by Madhuris beauty and always

praised her syair recitals, she never knew that Madhuri too, had feelings for him as she had nevermentioned it to anyone before.

Secondly, this event adds a twist to the story as Madhuri agreed to the idea of getting a divorce from Haji Ghani and run away from the village with Mohd Asraf to Kuala Lumpur where he will be furthering his studies. This should never have happened in the first place as Madhuri is already marriedto Haji Ghani, the village headman.

Thirdly, with this revelation, Azreen is able to understand what Madhuri had intended to tell her inthe letter she had written to her before she died. She alsorealised that Madhuri has not been happy withher marriage. This is because, to many, she seems to be living a perfect family life. Nobody knows what

she is going through.

In conclusion, this incident is very important and I will never forget this incident because it makes

the story more interesting. From this incident, I also learn that people are not always as they seem to be so we should not judge them just based on what they portray.

Discuss the theme of violence in the The Curse and how violence has affected the life oftwo characters in the story.

The novel I have chosen is The Curse. The theme of violence is prevalent in the novel. The firstcharacter that has been affected by violence is Azreen. From the very beginning, we can see how Azreenhas been subjected to violence in her childhood. Saleh Abdullah was a very stern father who would nothesitate to discipline Azreen whenever she was defiant or rebellious as a child. Her mother, when

reprimanding her for slapping a classmate in school has reminded her that her father has punished her athousand times wh enever she misbehaved, yet she was so stubborn. One incident was when Azreensfather accused her of stealing mangosteens from the estate and she was caned severly by her father andscolded by her mother. Her parents refused to believe that she was telling the truth when she said sheonly picked the ripe fruits from the ground. Azreen reacted to the beating by not eating her dinner andsulking in her room.

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Violence begets violence. Azreen threatened to hit Mohd Asraf with a hockey stick between hisears when he tried to tell her she was ganas or aggressive. Azreen did not think twice about taking partin the silat-cum-boxing matches in her school even though she was a girl. In one match, she ended upgiving an innocent spectator a bleeding nose. Azreen did not change her ways even when she grewolder. After the Old Ladys death, Azreen turned on Mohd Asraf who was irresponsible, like a wildcat. She beat him, scratched him and kicked him till she broke down in exhaustion. She was angry

because of his stupidity and anger.

Another incident of violence is when her parents thought she was responsible for the motorcycleaccident with the bull that has caused her mother to be paralysed. Azreen has to go to bed with slases ofrotan all over her legs and back. Ever since that incident, the relationship between Azreen and her fatherhas been strained. Azreen found it hard to forgive her father when she learned that he was the one whohad killed her sister with his parang. It was only after he has died that Azreen can put the past behind her.

Another character that has been affected by violence is the Old Lady. She was a beautiful, modern

and educated young woman who has the misfortune of marrying a man who was a wife abuser. Eversince he lost his job, he has been drinking heavily and returning home late every evening. Then he startedto hit her. First, it was a slap on the face and he apologized when he was sober. She forgave him. Thefollowing week, she was hit again. He hit her on the chin, a shard of broken bottle he was holdingslashing her on her neck. The hast straw was when he kneed her in the stomach and kicked her when shewas down. When he pounced on her, she stabbed him with the kitchen knife. Her whole life changedafter that incident. Even though the police listened to her story and let her go free, the damage wasdone. She was seen as a husband-killer. She was a mad woman who has slashed her husband to death inthe kitchen. All her friends avoided her like a leper and she was forced to live alone in an abandonedhouse in the jungle. Many superstitious stories were created about her and people in the village were

afraid of her. They would not let her come back to the village. When she relented to go t o Mohd Asrafsgrandmothers house to see whether she could help her, she incurred the villagers wrath and they tried tochase her away. When Mohd Asrafs grandmother died, he led a mob to her house in the jungle andsubsequently the Old Lady was killed in a fire that burnt down her house.

Violence is never a good thing. It should be avoided at any cause. We can see the harm thatviolence does to people as seen from the characters of Azreen and the Old Lady.

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* Lesson

The Curse by Lee Su Ann has many lessons for its readers. One of the lessons, truth will be

known and secrets will not last forever. There are a few characters who keep secrets and eventually the

secrets are exposed.

First, Mohd. Asraf and Madhuri. They were secret lovers. They planned secretly to run

away to Kuala Lumpur. After Madhuri died followed by his grandmothers death, he almost lost his mind.

Keeping his secret love was very difficult. He was easily influenced by Puan Normala that his

grandmother was poisoned by Old Lady. That was the reason he burned the Old Ladys house causing her

death. Finally, he realises his mistakes and comes to his senses.

Second, En Saleh Abdullah , Azreens father. He was always proud of Madhuri. Madhuri

made him proud when she agreed to marry the village headman, Haji Ghani. When her affair was

discovered, Encik Saleh gets very angry and accidentally killed Madhuri. He never tells anyone and until

Azreen confronts him. Actually, he is ashamed because the daughter he was really proud of, had an affair

and tried to run away. He keeps seeing a ghost. He suffers a heart attack and dies.

In conclusion, dark secrets only make life difficult. The evidence in the story has shown us

that. Any dark secrets we have, may destroy our lives. We may lose the people we love. Always be true to

ourselves and do not take advantage of others. Always think before we act.

*Moral value

There are many moral values found in The Curse by Lee Su Ann. The story is set in an island

off Langkawi Island. The Curse revolves around the events surrounding the death of a village girl,

Madhuri, who is also the adopted sister of the main character, Azreen.The first moral value is bravery. This value is shown by Azreen. First, even as a young girl

she takes challenges and tries to prove to her friends that the Old Lady is not an evil witch. When she is

yelled at for entering the Old Ladys house and de stroying her vegetable garden, Azreen bravely defends

herself. In fact, she returns the next day and repairs the trampled garden. Her action wins the Old Ladys

heart.

The second evidence is when Azreen bravely takes the blame for Mohd Asraf in the bull

incident. She demonstrates courage.The same bull later injures her mothers leg causing he to lose the use

of her leg. She was blamed and scolded by her father as well as the villagers. She bravely endures that andnever tells anyone of what really happened.

Her bravery is once again tested. The third event that displays her bravery is when she tries to

tackle the angry mob who are about to attack the the Old Lady. When the Old Ladys house is in fire,

Azreen tries to rescue the Old Lady but at the end she has to be rescued by her father. When the Old Lady

dies in the tragic fire, she confronts Mohd Asraf like a wildcat.

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Finally, towards the end of the story, she finds out the secret that her father has been keeping.

She confronts her father about Madhuris murder until he is forced to confess about the truth. She is very

brave to confront people whom she knows have done wrong to others. At the same time she is very brave

when defending herself and the people she loves.

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SPM 2011 long essay: "...They looked at each other and smiled meaningfully."I wrote this for the long essay during my public exams, SPM. I hope it is alright. :)"...They looked at each other and smiled meaningfully."

*Please do let me know through my comment box or cbox that you had used this as a reference. Donot plagiarize. Thank you*

I remember the time when Mum and Dad was still happy together. My family was fine. My parentssometimes do fight, but recently, the fights became all too often. I remember the day when I saw Mumcrying...

It was a Saturday morning when it all happen. I was sleeping in. On Saturdays, I would sleep til 10,wakes up by then, take a big bowl and filled in with my favourite cereal, Honey Stars and catch myfavourite cartoons on TV. I remember one particular Saturday morning, I was still sleeping soundly. Iremember waking up to the sun rays shining through the blinds of the curtains. The sun shone onto myeyes. I rubbed my eyes and stretched. I gave a big yawn. Suddenly, I heard Mum and Dad arguing on thefirst landing. They were shouting very loudly. Suddenly, a loud bang was heard. I tiptoed towards my

bedroom door. I was lucky that my bedroom door left a small gap for me to peek through. I peekedthrough and was shocked to see Mum crying on the floor. I was very scared by the sight of Mum crying.Since that day, the fights increased. And that was not the last time I saw Mum crying. I hoped Mum andDad will apologize and be good to each other again.

Many times I saw or heard Mum and Dad arguing. Always it ended with Mum crying and Dad shoutingat the top of his lungs. Dad would sometimes also scold me or beat me really hard when he is really mad.Sometimes, I don't know why does he do that. I didn't do anything wrong. But at other times, Dad can bevery nice to me. One day, Dad brought me out for ice cream. Dad drove me down town to the ice cream

parlour for my favourite strawberry sundae. On the way back home, dad told me, "Lily, I am going tomove away..." I stared at him while he concentrated to drive. "You are leaving me and Mummy?" I asked.

"No, I'm not leaving you, I just wanna get away from Mummy, and I want you to follow me..." I suddenlyfelt worried. "Daddy, are you and Mummy going to have a divorce?" I asked cautiously. "Yes, Lily. And Iwant you to follow me..." he replied. "No, I don't want..." There was an awkward silence in the air. I hungmy head low. Dad kept quiet. I cried silently throughout the whole journey back home.

One day, I was near Mum's study. I accidentally kicked my ball onto Mum's study table and a bunch of papers fell onto the floor. I bend down and picked them up. An envelope caught my eye. The envelopehad Mum's medical centre logo stamped on with her name on. I was curious and decided to opened it. Itwas a long letter from Mum's doctor. I tried reading the letter but the words was very hard for my eightyear old mind. But one word caught my attention. 'Brain tumor'. Then suddenly, it struck me. Mum had

brain tumor. I quickly put the letter in and ran straight to my room. I closed the door behind me. I ran upto my bed and pulled the covers above my head and cried. I prayed Mum would get well soon.

Later on, Mum decided to agree on the divorce, on one condition. That Dad carried Mum out from their bedroom to the living room every morning for a month, to signify that Dad carried her out from hermarriage, like how Dad carried Mum into the marriage. Dad said it was a ridiculous but eventually agreedto it. So the first morning, Dad carried Mum. They looked so funny, Dad carrying Mum. I squealed indelight when Dad lifted Mum up. Dad was so clumsy when he carried Mum. The nearly broke the antiquevase in the living room. They looked awkward like that. I watched them everyday. Day by day, Dad couldcarry Mum with ease. They don't look so awkward doing so. But as days passes, Mum look skinnier and

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ought to be able to connect with you and provide emotional support. He or she should also be generouswhen it comes to sharing knowledge. A true friend must be ever-ready to help you when you are inept incertain subjects. A friend can easily guide you towards understanding the subject matter better as he orshe is often on the same page as you. The only difference is that you cant quite grasp the content of the

page per se.

Besides that, a friend must also be able to humour you. Humour plays a quintessential role in makingyour day more lively and enjoyable. Friends who pull your leg and mess about will indefinitely make lifeseem so much better. As they say, laughter is the best medicine and a little levity on rainy days is alwayswelcomed.In conclusion, friends are people we spend most of our time with. Thus, we have to be selective when itcomes to choosing our friends.

My Most Embarrassing Situation

Everyone has been embarrassed at one time or another. It is that moment in time when you wishthe earth would open up and swallow you. The anxiety and discomfort felt during that time which mayonly last a few seconds feels like time has stood still.

I remember so well when I had my most embarrassing moment. I was in Form 4 and it was duringthe school recess. The minute the bell rang for recess, I rushed to the toilet because I had been controllingmy urges since class started. I didnt want to miss class becaus e the lesson taught that morning was toinclude tips for the forthcoming examination.

Without realising, I had rushed to the girls toilet. The prolonged control and an upset stomachmade worse by two glasses of cold milk in the morning made me grunt and groan in what I thought inwhat I thought was the privacy of the cubicle. I thought I heard giggling outside and wondered why thegiggles sounded unusually near. A few minutes later I came out the cubicle and discovered my horror thatI had ente red the girls toilet. To make matters worse, the few girls standing outside didnt even turn awaywhen I came out. Instead they looked down at me, then only they turned quickly away. Horror of horrors,I had forgotten to zip up! No beetroot could have matched the colour of my face at this point in time!

They news of my predicament spread like wild fire throughout school. I was truly the talk of thetown. I felt like I could either walk around feeling perpetually self-conscious and embarrassed or I couldturn the situation round, perhaps even to my advantage. I remembered my mothers words that if youcant beat them, join them. So I decided to make fun of myself, to laugh at myself too. It works.Everyone got bored after a while and nobody teased me after that.

It was indeed an eye-opening experience for me. I have learnt that when people laugh at you, youshould laugh along. You must not take yourself seriously. Learn to look at yourself through other

peoples eyes and you will rea lise that most of the time when they laugh at you, they just want to havesome fun. They mean no harm. If you can make people laugh, its like bringing sunshine into their livesand as someone said, those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.

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421 words

CONTINUOUS: NARRATIVE WRITING With a starting phrase

Write a story starting with: The widow had to work hard to bring up her little son alone...

The widow had to work hard to bring up her little son alone. This w as after her husbands early death. Sheand her son lived in a wooden house. It was a small house with only one bedroom and a kitchen.

Mariam wanted Sam to study hard to get good result. So she would not let Sam help her do any

household chores or wash his own clothes. The years flew by. Sam sat for his SPM examination and passwith flying colours.

His mother was very happy. She went round telling her friends, My Sam will be leaving for thecity to study in a college. He will become a Manager one day. Ill move to live with him in the city. Then,my struggle is worth it.

So Mariam continued to work hard to send money to Sam who was studying a business degree.For Mariam, it was a tough life. Meanwhile, Sam kept on phoning home to ask for more money. Mariameven had to borrow from her neighbours and friends to send her son the money.

Three years Sam stopped calling home. He did not even let his mother where he was. When she phoned the faculty, they told her that he had graduated and left for job. However, they could not her more.Mariam was baffled. Where was Sam? She was so sure he would come back and fetch her for city. So,she started to pack some of her bags and boxes.

Three months later, there was still no news or call from Sam. One day, Mariams niece, Kate,came to talk to her about Sam. She told her aunt, Auntie, a friend of mine met Sam in a bank. Hes the

branch manager. This is his address.

Early in the morning, Mariam took the first bus to the city. At the bus station, she took a taxi andshowed the taxi driver the bank address. On the way there, she told the driver about Sam and what a filialson he was.

The driver stopped his taxi in front of a tall building. She got out of the taxi and smiled at himhappily. This was the moment she was going to meet Sam. She imagined him showing surprise anddelight at meeting his mother. Inside the building, a security guard asked her who she was looking for.She told the guard Sams name.

The bank staff saw an old lady holding a worn- out handbag. They were wondering, Who is thiswoman? Why is she asking for our manager?

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Meanwhile, Sam pretended he did not know his mother. Feeling disgusted and ashamed, he askedthe security guard to ask her to leave. Mariam was shocked to hear that! She looked Sam in adisappointed feeling ever, and ran out of the bank.

Back in her house, Mariam cried the whole night. She cried and cried till she had no more tears.The next morning, she was sitting by the window with Sams photo on her lap. She saw him walkingtowards their house. Soon she was shouting and crying, My Sam is back! My Sam is back!

Sam ran towards her and hugged Mariam as he never let go. He was so sorry and regretted theway he behaved. His colleagues were the one who made him realized his big mistakes neglected hismother.

The neighbours heard her. They too shouted and cheered, feeling happy for her.

574 words.

CONTINUOUS: NARRATIVE WRITING: With an ending

Write a story ending with ... En. Nizam was grateful he had such good neighbours.

Not even in his wildest dream did En. Nizam think he would lose so much in such a short time. Ithad been a trying period. When he got word that his father was on his death bed, En. Nizams familyrushed to his hometown. Even before the funeral rites were over, he received a call from his immediateneighbour that his house was partly destroyed by fire and that the cause of the fire was believed to bearson.

Members of En. Nizams immediate family and his relatives were in state of disarray. First, it wasthe death of an elder member of a family, then this misfortune. Although En. Nizam was worried, deep inhis heart he knew that he had very good neighbours, friends who would stand by him in good times and

bad.

Sure enough, the minute he set foot in the compound of his house, he knew he was right. Hisneighbours, Mr. Subra and En. Majid, were there taking a close watch on the house. He learnt from themthat the neighbours had been taking turns to keep an all-day vigil on the house. He thanked them from the

bottom of his heart.

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After inspecting the damage caused by the fire, En. Majid handed donations collected by the residentsliving in the area. His neighbours had passed the hat around and the donations came up to a significantamount. Although, the donations was still short of the amount required to repair the damages, en. Nazimwas grateful.

The next day, En. Nazim was even more overwhelmed by the care and concern shown by his neighbours.They were there to extend their condolences and to show their support. Donations came pouring in. Thewomen folk were busy preparing all the meals for the family.

With the help of his neighbours, En. Nizam got a building contractor to repair the damaged sections of thehouse. The repair and renovations took almost a week to complete. When the house was ready, theneighbour turned up in full force to congratulate him.

Tears welled up in E. Nizams eyes. He was at a loss for words. En. Nizam was grateful he had such goodneighbours.

367 words

CONTINUOUS: ARGUMENTATIVE

Which do you prefer, living in the countryside or living in the city?

Countryside

I think living in the countryside is far better than living in the city. There are numerous of reasons whyliving in countryside is the better than the city. The scenery, the streets, the people and the paced aretotally different compare to the city.

The first outstanding characteristic about the countryside is that it is beautiful and peaceful. The air isfresh and the surroundings green. This is because the countryside is free from pollution, be it air, land ornoise pollution. There no such perfect peaceful view that you can see other than in the countryside.

There are no crowded streets and heavy traffic in the countryside. Thus there are no fumes from cars andsmoke from factories buildings to pollute the air. The trees surrounded the countryside help the peoplefrom inhaling the polluted air. The freshness smell of plant somehow helps the people of the countrysideto have a healthy life.

Furthermore, people in the countryside are more conscious of keeping their surroundings clean and sothere is little throwing of rubbish everywhere, only at designated places. This is unlike the cities where ifthe garbage trucks do not collect the rubbish disposed by household or restaurants, the city will beoverflowing with rubbish! This will attract the mosquitoes, fly, rats and wild dogs to pollute theirsurrounding that will cause them to have diseases like dengue and cholera.

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Thirdly, heavy traffic and crowded streets increase the level of noise pollution. The honking of cars in thestreets is continuous and the crowds on the roads increase the hub of activity. There are also sound of themachine used in manufacturing factories, loud radio in and out the mall. These add to the noise of thecity. Even if one lives in residential areas, one is never far from busy streets.

However, in the countryside, life is slow-paced. There is no need to rush around because there are not toomany places to go. Most places are close by and people can walk or cycle. Less vehicle used, so lessfumes is released.

The most heart-warming thing about the countryside is the attitude of people. People are friendly andhelpful. If there are any happy or festive occasions, everyone pitches in to help. This feeling ofcooperation and neighbourliness is what separates the countryside from the city.

In the city, people are too busy to take note of the people around. Some hardly even know theirneighbours. So they would not even be bothered about what happens to people around. This is why thecrime rate is increasing in the city because bystanders do not rush in to help if a crime is committed on thestreets.

The pace of life in the countryside is slow so people have more time to enjoy life as the day goes on.Thus, for me to enjoy the quality of life, I prefer to live in the countryside.

489 words

City

In my opinion, one has not experienced life until one has lived in the city. There is so much to see andexperience in the bright lights of the city that you cannot get in the countryside. Here in the city, you canlearn about how to get along with people of different types, encounter varied situations and solve

problems. All these help a person to grow in maturity. After all, experience is the best teacher.

In the countryside, however, you only move around people you are used to. So, you seldom encounterstrangers or new and demanding situations. Life is more mundane and routine-like. Staying in a secure,safe place does not allow for one to gain new experiences and grow in maturity.

Furthermore, young people need a life that is exciting and pleasurable. It is the city that offers youentertainment- cinemas, parks and eating places. Here you can hang out with friends and family members.

Life as fast-paced and this keeps you active and alert all times. And when it comes to educationalopportunities, the city abounds in this. There are good school and libraries that are necessary for yourmental development. Furthermore, there are places like museums and educational centres where you cango, to increase your knowledge.

Such places that offer you entertainment or learning opportunities are of course not available in thecountryside. For entertainment, there is only the occasional festive celebration or marriage feast or fishing

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kiss on the cheek. On the way back home, I kept thinking. I wanted her to know, my feelings for her. Ireally wanted to tell her. I don't want to be 'just friends' with her. I love her. But, I'm too shy to tell herthat. 'Why am I like that?'I thought.

Senior Year

It was a day before our prom. I was taking some books out from my locker. I saw that familiar brown hairwalking towards my locker. "Sam, my date's sick. He can't go..." she said. I remember us saying when wewere 7th grade that if neither one of us have dates for prom, we promised to go together, as 'best friends'.And so, we did.

Prom Night

After everything ended, I brought Lily back home. We were standing at her doorstep. I stared deeply intoher eyes, grinning. She smiled. 'Should I tell her? My feelings for her? I really wanted her to know. I want

her to be mine. Should I kiss her too?' I thought. But I know, she doesn't think of me like that, she justthought of me as her 'best friend'. "I had the best time! Thank you!"she said. She tip-toed and kissed meon the cheek. She opened her front door, and went in. I wanted to tell her. I wanted her to know I don'twant to be 'just friends' with her. I love her, but, I'm just too shy. And I don't know why.

Graduation day

Time passes so darn fast. A day, a week, then a month. Time flew so fast in a blink of an eye. It wasgraduation day already. I felt so happy when I saw Lily, with her perfect body floating like an angel onstage, to get her diploma. I wanted her to be mine, but she doens't think of me that way, and I know it.

Before everyone went to their own ways, Lily came up to me, in her robe and hat. She was crying. Ihugged her tight, not wanting to let go. She lifted her head offf my shoulder. She said, "You are my bestfriend!" I gave a smile and said, "Thank you..." She leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I wantedto tell her, I wanted her to know that I don't want to be 'just friends' with her. I love her, but I am too shy,and, I don't even know why.

A few years later

I'm in my best suit and tie. Sitting on the pews of the church. A church she is getting married at. She's so

beautiful. In her white dress with a long train, and the veil. I hear her say 'I do'. I watched her drive away,away to her new life. She's married now, married to another man, not me. How much do I wanted her to

be mine, but, she doesn't see it that way, and I know that. Before she drove away, she came to me andhugged me tight. "You came! Thank you so much!"and she kissed me on the cheek. I wanted to tell her, Iwanted her to know that I didn't want to be 'just friends'. I love her too much, but, I'm too shy.

Many Years Passed

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I was at the same church again, sitting on the same pews. But this time is not a wedding, but a funeral. Ilooked down, into the coffin, staring at the beautiful girl, who used to be my 'best friend'. During theservice, they were reading one of Lily's diary entry during her high school days. It read:

"I stare at him, I really wanted him to know, how I felt for him. I wanted him to know, that I don't want to be 'just friends'. I wanted to tell him, but I'm just too shy. I really don't know why. I really wished hewould tell me he loves me."

I couldn't hold my tears any longer. I ran out from the service. I cried. I wished that I did too. I wishedthat I told her I loved her, too. Tears and tears of sadness and regret came like there's no tomorrow. 'Whydidn't I tell her when I had the chance? Why didn't I tell her I loved her? All these years...'I thought.

The One That Got Away

I'm a 70 years old woman. I was arguing with my husband over petty things until I got so fed up and left

for the kitchen. "I love you..." he called out to me, but I didn't bother to reply. I made a cup of coffee thensuddenly, my mind wandered off to my younger days, to which I smile at...

I remembered having my first boyfriend during high school. He was like my Johnny Cash while I am hisJune. I remember kissing for the first time in his Mustang. I loved him very much then. I remember wewould go to his attic and sketch pictures of each other but his was better than mine. I remember he woulddo anything I wanted to do, even making a tattoo for me. I remember us stealing some liqour in my Dad'scupboard and snucked up to the roof to drink. We would talk of our ambitions, the future and about uslike getting married and to live happily ever after till we are old. But I never thought that we won't betogether long.

On my 18 birthday, we went to a dance at the local hall. We danced all night long. I went over to his placefor the night once the dance was over. "Hey Cathy, do you want me to do your tattoo for you?" he asked.I giggled, "Okay, let's do it..." Let me tell you, it hurts so bad when he did the tattoo. He would kiss meevery-now-and-then. His kisses somehow soothes the pain. By the next morning, we both had matchingtattoos on our arms.

Now my hands and arms are wrinkled, but I could still see the faded tattoo on my left wrist. I suddenlyfelt sad. I went up to the bedroom and locked myself in there. The memories of him suddenly came

back...

Our relationship together are not all the time good. There are bittersweet moments too. After nearing oursecond year together, our relationship suddenly became sour. He would get pissed off easily and I would

be mad of him for a long time. There was once I really made him pissed and that cost his life.

We were fighting quite badly and splashed one of his paintings with red ink. He got even more mad andleft the place in the middle of the storm. I decided to just sleep and cool off.

The next morning, he didn't came back. I waited till noon and went over to his parents' home to find him.

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When I got there, his Mum answered the door. His Mum was crying. I gave her a hug and asked her whatwas wrong. "Dave... He died..." I couldn't believe what I have just heard. "That can't be..." I whispered.His mum told me bit by bit through all the tears. Dave was driving in the middle of the night. Dave wasdriving in the rain. Dave was trying to drive past the boulder in the middle of the road. Dave's car

skidded and flew down from the cliff. Dave's car caught fire. Dave died.

I couldn't believe what she had said. Deep down, I know his death was my fault, all my fault. I went backhome and cried for months, in guilt.

Now, thinking back of Dave, I couldn't help but cry. I love him and still do even though I am marriednow. I took my car keys and drove to the cliffside. There, I couldn't help but just cry. Whenever I closedmy eyes, I could feel Dave hugging me. 'Dave, I miss you...and I'm sorry...'