Soon?

Just around a week or so to go. 

I should be the one being anxious, but my mum's the one who's having all the frazzled nerves.

It's not like I don't appreciate her being worried for me, but at the same time, I want to tell her that I no longer am a child. My worried mum was wondering whether I would be able to adapt - to which my brother came up with several interesting theories of what exactly my mum may be worried about.

"I wonder what she would be worried about," my brother said, feigning innocence. "Hmm...maybe she's worried that you can't speak English!"

I had to control myself from facelanding into my lunch.

"Or maybe she's worried that you won't be able to take a bus!"

"And," I said darkly, "Just whose fault was that?"

My parents fell silent. They were the ones who had grounded me during my high school days - so worried were they for my safety, that despite my above average results - they grounded me and restricted my movement. I had only managed to take a few buses (the typical U66) to MidValley with my friends throughout my teenage years - and even that, I had to do sneakily.

My brother continued on. "Maybe...she's worried that you won't be able to take the cold food there. All the milk, and cereal..."

"That's bullshit, and you know it," I deadpanned.

"She's worried that you'll get lost." 

I sighed. "Oh, I forgot, my English happens to be - incompetent, is it? Apparently, I can't even ask for proper directions. How retarded of me."

I wanted to scream that there would definitely be a solution for everything. Worried about not being to wake up? Get a few extra clocks and set some loud shit as my phone alarm. Worried about being cold? Bring as much woollies as I can. Worried about not being able to speak English? Wait, no - that wasn't right, was it?

I knew what I was capable - or incapable of. I knew I hadn't had much experience when it came to dealing with muggers, drunks, or whatnot, but I was proud enough to say that I was streetwise enough to not pick any candies from strangers...or...er...anything along those lines. I had a mind equipped with all sort of screwed up logic - logic which, if used correctly, could be deadly to others. 

And oh, I was pretty certain I could pass off as a helpless Asian if necessary. The sympathy game, you know?

I placed my can of beer down on the table, to which my mum said, "You should get your brother to choose some new shoes for you."

And to which I cleverly replied, "I don't need his help to choose a bloody goddamn pair of shoes."

My mum sighed, knowing that allowing me to have a Carlsberg wasn't the smartest idea ever - and yet, she couldn't stop me from grabbing one. I was bitchy just like that.

"She's preparing for her OE," my brother enthusiastically supplied.

I frowned. "OE?"

He grinned.

"The Overseas Experience."

I smiled, knowing that I could barely wait.