Chapter 3 The Shopkeeper's Daughter

Don't tell me you already know that girl?"."But you just came here only less than a week?",not believing Fabian."I know you are lying",he continued.
"Don't believe follow me,just follow me",said Fabian.
All of them walked into the small shop,but the daughter was not there.Only the mother was there and she said,"What do you want?"
"I want to buy some sweets.here give me ten worth of it",requested Fabian.The old woman gave him four sweets as Fabian was looking every where but could not find the daughter.

As they were leaving a very young girl came out to the shop,she smiled as she was walking out.On leaving the shop the Yap brothers chilled Fabian,"That small girl your girl friend?"."Ha,Ha,ha"they all laughed at Fabian.

"No lah,not this girl she is much too young,the elder sister,lah?",claimed Fabian.

As they were chit-chatting in front of their house,they saw a car drove in and parked near the shop.Out came the Elder daughter with a young man escorting.
"Fabian,you got no chance lah",said the elder Yap,"she got a boy friend".
"You got no chance,Fabian all you got is an old bicycle",so said all of them.

"She is not married yet,so I can wait for my opportunity",said Fabian.

Next morning as he was going to school,the shop keeper's daughter was sweeping outside.She stared at Fabian,and Fabian said "Hi",to her.She did not reply but smiled back.

That whole week Fabian tried to get an opportunity to talk to her to prove to the Yap brothers he was man enough to tackle her.However,that time came one fine Saturday morning.He saw her sitting at her window in front of the shop and he approached her.

As he neared her,she smiled and said,"So,you just shifted here ,isn't so?".
"yes,we just shifted here",replied Fabian."Are you still schooling?",Fabian asked.
"Yes", she said,"I am in Form five of the Convent school and you?".
"Me?,Well,I am in form...............four",replied Fabian."So you must be younger than me by one year,right?",she asked.

Feeling a bit shy and a bit blushed Fabian replied,"Yes'.As he wished to continue talking her mother called out to her to aid her in something,and she went to her.That was the end of that talk.

As days went by Fabian saw her every now and then,but there was no attraction or any feeling towards her let alone love.Basically she was a very attractive,pretty and fair girl.Later that girl had a regular boy friend,often taking her out.

The Yap brothers as if they had nothing better to do continued teasing poor Fabian."Aiya,so many girls around.I am in no hurry to tackle any girl as yet",so said Fabian."Failing which I can go after your sisters,right?".
"Surely you can,wait I tell my mother about it,okay?",said the elder Yap.
"Tell your mother,no more friendships,then you know",said Fabian.