*The Insiders

"The people you start hanging out with during the first few days and weeks of college will not necessarily be the people you hang out with throughout the rest of the collegiate semester. You only stick with them for a sense of belonging and security, because you are new in a foreign place, and don't want to feel alone. Once you become familiar with the place and make more friends, you start to hang around with people who are more of your kind."

-This was mentioned by a Sunway College University lecturer during the first semester orientation last year. It may be true, but for Hans Basil and John Bow, they neglected to heed the lecturer's words.

Hans and John had met on the first day of semester 1 last year, and subsequently went through ups and downs together, strengthening their friendship in the process. While certain downs battered their friendship and threatened to rip it to shreds, ironically, it also aided in learning lessons for Hans to control his attitude and temper. And last night provided the first test.

A simple request by Hans was flatly turned down by John, a first, and resulted in the umpteenth fight between the duo. Hans stormed out and eased his mind via fagging with Nick Ivans. While "Emo Hans" would have prolonged the dishes of attitude, it seems the revitalised Hans brushed the incident off and cleared things up with John. And with an accidental incident sparking an inside joke between them, it seems they are on the road to recovery. One wonders if John's departure will hamper it.

Blood is thicker than water. This must have been what Sue Anne had in mind as she accepted Theo Oscar as her step-brother, pulverizing murmers of discomfort and uneasiness. The pair were seen fraternizing smoothly and were easy-going with each other, almost inseperable. The only downside? Her 4-day relationship with Dan Wise seems to have turned rocky, with petty squabbles and fights peppered between lunches and dinners. Rumour has it Dan's eyes had been roaming too often around college. Now that she has a blood bond by her side, will she kick Dan outside?

Loss is something no one ever wants to experience, no matter how big or small it may be. Sanya Dival nearly experienced it last week, with her handphone being the object of a would-be thief's affection. Lucky for her, best friend Angie Flo was there to save the day. If that was any indication of things to come, no one saw it.
Angie's carelessness and fallible nature had perpetually caused her problems, but the latest one to occur was perhaps the hardest, for she endured the agony of losing her handphone. With all the information stored inside, one knows it will take time to regain everything lost. A valuable lesson learnt. While Angie could play heroine for others, she couldn't save herself.

It was finally out. The worst kept secret in Sunway University College: The reunion of Hans Basil and Sanya Dival. It seemed their chemistry was too strong for others to attempt trying to alter it. Initially keeping their relationship on the low, they have now come out in full force. And what force- intense public displays of 'sexation', stemmed from nights of hot and heavy dreams. If there ever were such a thing as text sex, their phones would be steaming.

Transitions usually occur within several days and weeks, but for Nick Ivans, it seems the word transcends time. Fresh from being labelled a playboy after his stint as 'Goth Boy', Nick was in for a nasty surprise.
Fagging with Hans outside the hostel had become a nightly routine for them both. Immersed in their relaxing activity, Nick was singing his emotions, while Hans was ruminating the results of his attitude the last time he handed it to John, contemplating if it was worth it this time round. Nick and Hans' little bubble was soon invaded by three gentlemen, also on a fag break. Three strangers became acquaintances and perhaps took to it too fast. Nick engaged in a certain sensitive issue with one of them, leading to the latter slapping the former with the disparaging title of 'gay'. With his sexuality on the line, Nick made a desperate bid to plead his case. He only managed to exacerbate the situation. Whistling at a man whom he thought was a lady only served to compound his misery.

Insiders. People who are the core of a clique, mistakes and wrong-doing never an issue, their place and status cemented. But at times, these insiders take their position for granted. Sanya fell off her throne last semester, and managed to regain it. John endured a torrid time after his hair-cut last year, though his current style has garnered rave comments. Nick Ivans lost himself after several heartbreaks, but fought to redeem himself, even in the face of adversity. Sue may be on the verge of a messy break up, but she gained a brother. Hans probably suffered the most due to the intensity of his emotions, but he seemed to be dealt a lucky hand in English, given a topic he is well-versed in. History looks set to be repeated for him. Hopefully for his high marks, and not his embarrassing blunder. As for Angie, it seems she has finally managed to shake off the doubts regarding her sexuality and attraction towards the same sex, with rumours that shook Sunway now dead. But here, it is known nothing stays quiet for long. With whispers of a new person batting for the other team on the horizon, dissemination of this news is sure to rock Sunway University College to its core.