PSLE: Commotion in the Canteen

Children's cheery chatter and laughter filled the air. The canteen was teeming with students.  The stalls' counters were lined with snaking-long queues.  Aroma of appetite-whetting food filled the air.  Rael was feeling famished as his stomach was drumming up a tune as he waited eagerly for his favourite food - fish ball noodles. 

Suddenly, a puny figure appeared at the head of the queue and a loud voice called out, "Auntie, one fishball noodle soup."

Rael could recognise her!  She was Jane - the infamous teacher's pet.  Everyone in the queue was shocked at her misbehaviour.  How could Jane jump queue?   This was so unfair but none dared to confront her.

By this time, Rael was seizing with rage and he stared steely at her with eyes burning like hot lava.  However, Jane was oblivious to his stare and waited for her order.  Rael's indignant anger was rising by the decibels.  He could not hold it any longer, marched toward Jane and blurted his displeasure, saying, "You!  Go and queue up!  You have no right to skip the queue!"

Jane was not intimidated at all.  She returned his searing stares with a haughty sneer.  The abhorent girl snarled, "So what!  Don't you dare talk to me like this or you will regret it!"  She then took her bowl, paid the money and swaggered off.

Rael was boiling with rage!  His eyes were sparkling with bile.  He could not take it anymore and gave Jane a hard shove.  Jane lost her balance and tumbled with a heavy thud.  Her noodles fell like confetti and fell onto her hair, hanging like a mop.  It was a hilarious sight!  Rael's anger instantly melted away and he burst out laughing non-stop!

Jane immediately burst into tears.  It was an embarrassing moment for her and big pearl-like tears fell like gushing taps.  Rael was sorry for what he had done!  Perhaps, he had been too much.  He walked towards her and apologised, helping her to her feet.

Just then, a teacher, Mr Tan, passed by and was what happened.  "What has happened?" he roared.  The children's faces bleached to a sombre pale but both knew they were at fault. 

"I... fell and Rael helped me up," Jane spoke in a timid voice.

"Is it true?" Mr Tan questioned sternly.

Both children nodded their heads profusely.  Mr Tan then instructed Jane to have a change of clothing before returning to class and left.

Rael and Jane heaved a sigh of relief for both knew that they almost ended up in hot soup.  Yet, they knew they learnt some valuable lessons that day.  For Jane, it was never to cut queue.  As for Rael, he learnt to keep his cool at all times.