Chapter 7 - The Calm Before the Storm: My Day in MCKK (Alex part)

I step off the bus and onto the grand grounds of Malay College Kuala Kangsar, my new home for the next few months. I'm still pinching myself - I'm actually here, participating in a short-term exchange program at one of Malaysia's most prestigious boarding schools! The imposing buildings and lush green fields seem to whisper tales of tradition and excellence, but I'm more worried about surviving the strict rules and competitive environment.

My cousin Awang, who's also my guide and assigned buddy, grins mischievously. "What do you think, bro? Boring, right?" He's already planned out my orientation, courtesy of the seniors.

"Yeah...looks old, but it has its charm," I reply, eyeing the colonial-era buildings. "But what do you do during your free time…?"

Awang's response is like a revelation from heaven: "Uh...sleeping, I guess..." I stare at him, incredulous. "That's...that's my dream life!”

Awang chuckles and leads me to our class, where everyone's eager to meet me. "Well, this is the place...HEY, guys!!!" The room erupts in a chorus of greetings and high-fives.

"Yo!!! Bro!! Welcome!!!" someone exclaims, as I'm swarmed by new faces. I smile, trying to keep up with the energetic introductions. "What's up..." I manage to reply, amidst the chaos.

Awang just laughs and pats me on the back. "You're gonna fit in just fine, bro."

I dive into Mr. Rahman's files, uncovering his sinister plan to exploit my presence at this school. "Find out more about this school, and report to us... maybe we'll find something to manipulate." I think to myself, "We're polar opposites, and I'm sure I'll disrupt their perfect little world.”

Just then, Teacher Yana arrives, exuding elegance and charm. "My name is Teacher Yana... and it seems we have a new student. Please introduce yourself." Her warm smile puts me at ease, but I'm still wary.

I stand up, and she gazes at me with interest. "My name is Alexander Imran, from BORNEO-SIGMA College." I try to sound confident, but my heart races with anticipation.

Her eyes light up. "Ah, that means Teacher Sahara is there, right?" I nod, and she seems starstruck. "I've heard so much about her... she's a legend!”

"What's your class name, Alexander?" she asks, and I hesitate before answering,

"Buccaneers."

I'm prepared for a reaction, but nothing can prepare me for the chaos that ensues.

The room erupts into chaos. "WHOAAAA!!!!!! Seriously?! Buccaneers?!" The teacher and students go wild, and even the principal appears, his smile hiding a hint of intimidation.

"Boys... we are MCKK, don't forget..." The room falls silent, with everyone bowing in apology. I join in, feeling a mix of embarrassment and amusement.

"I apologize, sir... my introduction caused a commotion," I say, trying to sound sincere.

The principal's expression softens, and he whispers to me, "So, you're Alex... thank you for coming. I'm the one who recommended you... and your uncle, Uncle Usman, spoke highly of you." His words send a shiver down my spine, and I sense a hidden agenda.

"What do you mean, sir?" I ask, trying to sound nonchalant.

He smiles, "All in good time, Alexander. Just remember, we're watching you." With that, he turns and walks away, leaving me with more questions than answers.

I glance around the room, noticing the curious stares and whispered conversations. I realize that I've just become the center of attention, and my life at MCKK is about to get a lot more interesting.

Class is like usual, a bit boring, but I enjoy it. It's a mix between SIGMA and my school in the US, so it's a good day for me. The uniform is plain white, with strict rules: no physical contact, no rough sports. It's all about discipline.

Most guys here are normal, unlike my previous school. Awang leads me to the cafeteria, where the food is typical Malay mixed rice.

"What do you think? Even the food here is like military food…" Awang says, chuckling.

"Well, for me, it's just sustenance," I reply, and Uthman, a boy from Pahang, chimes in.

"I miss burgers, though. Maybe one day I'll ask the warden for help…" Uthman says, and Qabil, a year older than us, joins in.

"Damn, man, street burgers are the life!" Qabil exclaims, and we share experiences from our schools.

But when Rasli from Selangor mentions the hostel, everyone's interested. "You have a hostel facility too?!" Rasli asks, and I share my fishing hobby with him.

"I like fishing, bro. Salmon and trout in the USA, but snappers are hard to catch here," I say, and Rasli's eyes light up.

"Yo! Snappers are like gold here! If you can catch one, you're a good fisherman!" Rasli exclaims, and Awang proposes a visit to his home.

But when Rasli mentions his 12 siblings, we're shocked. "Jeez, are you the eldest?" I ask, and Rasli replies, "Nope, I'm middle-level. My sister's the eldest, and she's already 30, so I'm an uncle…"

I show them my family picture, accidentally revealing Natalie, and Rasli comments, "Your little sister is cute, my sister would love to play with her…"

Awang tries to be funny, "That's a nice model... never knew you had her as a background..." But when I mention Natalie's name, chaos erupts.

"HUH!!!?????" Uthman exclaims, and Qabil shows a magazine with Natalie on the cover.

"You serious!!!! That's Natalie, THE NATALIE!!!!! The girl from 'Teen' Magazine!!!!" Qabil says, and the guys go wild, asking for pictures and autographs.

I try to keep a low profile, but it's hard when everyone's obsessed with Natalie. Just as I think I've escaped the attention, someone grabs my shoulder.

"Yo, is this your picture...?" I turn to see a Polaroid selfie of me and Nat, and my heart sinks.

"Uh...yeah..." I reply reluctantly, trying to play it cool.

But then, the guy pulls out another magazine picture - Mariam, Nat's best friend. "This is Nat's BFF...from what I've read, she's also from Sabah…"

I remember Qabil's warning and try to downplay it. "Yeah...sort of…"

But Awang decides to fan the flames. "Mariam is the VP of her school…"

Great, thanks Awang. Now I'm famous.

The guys go wild, begging me to set them up with Mariam. "HUH!!!! Hey!!! Set me up!!!! Please!!!! I need to meet Mariam!!!! She's like my life idol!!!”

I can only imagine their reaction if they find out Mariam is engaged to Amin...this is getting out of hand.

"Uh, guys, calm down...it's not like that..." I try to reason with them, but they're too far gone.

Just then, the teacher walks in, and we all scramble to look innocent. But I know this isn't over. The drama has only just begun...

I've been bombarded by guys eager to know more about Nat and Mariam for almost an hour. Finally, the storm subsides, and we head to the field for sports practice.

We change into our sports wear, and I'm ready to take on the 5 laps of jogging. Child's play. I've endured the intense training of Mr. Marcus and Soro, and this is just a warm-up.

The other boys are struggling, gasping for air after just a few laps. But I'm just getting started. The coach notices my ease and approaches me, eyeing me with interest.

"Seems like you're the only one not tired yet. Want to go for another run?" he asks, his tone laced with suspicion.

I hesitate, not wanting to draw more attention to myself after the Nat and Mariam drama. "Uh...I'm good," I reply, trying to blend in.

But the coach's gaze lingers, and I sense a hint of curiosity. Does he know something? I push the thought aside and focus on the practice.

"Okay...I just wanted to test your physical ability. Let's start with a 100-meter sprint," he says, a sly grin spreading across his face.

I nod, and Awang and the others join in, eager to see what I'm capable of. "Gotta see what BORNEO-SIGMA sports is made of," Awang says, a hint of competitiveness in his voice.

I take my mark, warming up with the other boys. The coach signals us to start, and I explode off the line, my feet pounding the track.

"Go!!!!! Guys!!!!!”

I run as fast as I can, my heart pounding in my chest. I reach the finish line, wondering if the others have arrived yet. But they're still nowhere to be seen.

The coach and the others stare at me in disbelief.

“So...quick!!!!!!"

"Guys, did you feed him jet fuel!!!?”

"That's the speed of an Olympic runner!!”

The coach checks the time, his eyes widening in shock. "11.1 seconds!" he exclaims, showing us the timer.

I remember Soro's words echoing in my mind - "10.9 seconds, sloppy!" I know I can do better.

The coach drops another bombshell: "Next up, long jumps!”

I sprint down the track, building up speed before launching myself into the air. I soar over the sand pit, but my landing is a bit off, and I crash into the gate. The impact sends shockwaves through my body, but I'm more surprised than hurt.

The crowd gasps in unison, their eyes wide with disbelief. But I'm the most shocked of all - I've never tested my limits before!

Coach approaches me, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Okay, that's Olympic range, you know. You're a natural!”

The others gather around, their whispers and gasps filling the air. Awang slaps my ass, pushing me forward. "Just do it, bro!" he says, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

Next up, high jump. Coach points to the bar, which looks impossibly high - at least 2 meters! "Piece of cake for you, just clear the pole!”

I hesitate, my mind racing. "Uh, I don't think I can make it…"

But Awang's already pushing me forward, his voice echoing in my ear. "Just do it, bro! You got this!”

I take a deep breath, sprint down the track, and launch myself into the air. Time slows down as I clear the pole, but I feel a strange sensation - I've overshot the landing pad!

I land with a parkour-style roll, my body absorbing the impact. The crowd erupts into cheers and gasps, their faces a mix of shock and awe.

Coach's whistle drops from his mouth, his eyes wide with disbelief. "......If this guy competes in the national school level Olympics, we'll definitely treat him as a threat...gold will hang all over his body…"

The boys roar with excitement, their voices echoing across the field. "Who!!! Is that!!!! Is he Superman!!?”

My plan to lay low goes up in flames as I bask in the spotlight, my heart racing with excitement and a hint of fear. What have I gotten myself into?!

The thought of Sylvia finding out sends shivers down my spine. I can already imagine her nagging and lecturing me nonstop. "What the hell am I thinking?!!" I mentally facepalm. She's like a sister to me, but her constant meddling is suffocating!

Awang, the master teaser, senses my distress and pounces. "Bro, I can see it in your face - you're thinking of someone! Who is it?”

The guys around us erupt into a chorus of "CEH!!!!" - that unmistakable sound of jealous dudes. I feel an aura of hostility, like they're ready to pounce and devour me.

Rasli joins the fray, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You know, bro, there are plenty of single guys here. If you think you'll leave empty-handed, think again…"

I'm starting to sweat bullets. This is getting out of hand. Awang opens his mouth to spill the beans, but I quickly clamp it shut. "Don't, bro! Please, just let me live in peace for one month…"

The guys exchange knowing glances, their grins hinting at a sinister plot. I'm trapped in a nightmare, and I don't know how to escape. Sylvia's nagging is the least of my worries now...

"Bro, not that playboy stuff, okay???" I blurt out to Awang, realizing too late that I've just signed my own death warrant.

Rasli's eyes narrow, his aura intimidating. "Playboy...you're going down.”

The guys close in, their faces twisted in a mix of anger and jealousy. Even the coach joins the fray, a cricket bat slung over his shoulder like a sword. "You're too young to be a ladies' man...but not too young to die!”

Awang drops the bombshell: "Lady-killer, that's what dad is talking about...and now, you're dead meat!”

The boys erupt into a chorus of "DEATH TO THE GUY WHO IS A GIRL MAGNET!!!!!" I'm surrounded, an army of jealous boys and teachers closing in for the kill.

I try to reason with them, but it's too late. I'm tied up with a rope, and the boys transform into a black-clad, metalhead mob.

The "trial" is a sham, with the coach as the "judge" and Rasli as the "prosecutor". The "verdict"? Torture and death, of course!

The coach, now a self-proclaimed "Judge Coach", bangs his gavel. "Order in the court! The defendant, accused of being a playboy, will now testify!”

I struggle to speak, but Awang interrupts, "Objection, your honor! The defendant is clearly guilty of charming all the girls with his devilish good looks!"

Rasli chimes in, "I concur! I've seen him smile, and it's like a ray of sunshine...that must be stopped!”

The "prosecutor", a bespectacled student, presents "evidence" - a photo of me with a girl, taken completely out of context. "Exhibit A: The defendant's suspicious behavior with a female classmate!”

I try to defend myself, but the "judge" cuts me off. "Enough! The evidence is clear. You're a playboy, and you must be punished!"

But just as all hope seems lost, Rasli's eyes flash red, and he screams, "Death to the cool guys!!" - revealing his true motive: a war on coolness!

The boys begin to torture me with...tickling?! I'm trapped in a never-ending nightmare of feather dusters and giggling boys.

This is my life now. Help.

The commotion has branded me with a new nickname: "Playboy Ogre". I'm now infamous across the school, and even the international students know me as the guy who made that explosive entrance.

As I walk into the international student meeting, I see my face plastered on a wanted poster: "Warning: Playboy Ogre - Approach with Caution (and a Crush)”.

I slam my fist on the table, pleading with the universe: "PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS GOOD, LET ME HAVE A PEACEFUL DAY FOR ONCE!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!"