Confessions of a Cat-holic (115)

Over the course of our family dinner, Linda, Michael and I shared some of our most intimate secrets. She told me she was a few years older than Michael and their romantic story was that of a love at first sight. They met each other on a plane. Linda sat next to Michael for a few hours and they exchanged phone numbers as they got off. Things moved quickly and naturally thereafter.

Linda and Michael were by far my favorite relatives. And so I told them some of my exciting updates too. I told Linda that I finally had a boyfriend and we just started going out weeks ago. I made sure we had our conversation in English so that my mother had no clue what we were talking about. I specifically asked Linda not to tell anybody on my mother's side because I was going out with a gangster, which was supposed to be forbidden in many's eyes. Linda and Michael smiled without judging me and I felt relieved. Teenagers were not supposed to have any intimate romantic relationship, especially at the time when I grew up.

I knew what it meant for a girl to go out with a triad member. For many of those who didn't know me, chances were they would probably judge and leave a conclusion that I was in it for the money. At worst, I might even be deemed as an STD carrier, thanks to the Hong Kong gangster movies.

However, all these misconceptions and public disfavour would not stop my love for Rex. I felt that our relationship was somewhat controversial but I knew it was the best and probably the rightest thing for me to commit despite all the noises from around. I would love him wholeheartedly even if I was thought to be a materialistic bitch who would trade my body for a Chanel tote.

Other than my parents, I was pretty sure that almost everyone I knew in school was aware that I was dating Rex. We were kissing and holding hands in public, like no one was watching. And I didn't remember him holding a conversation with me for more than a minute. He just didn't like talking. Whenver we were alone in my apartment, we would be making out.

I was hesitant to suggest going to his place, prior to his invitation, because I did not want him to misunderstand it as an open signal for him to get to second base. I didn't know where he lived and I was not even curious to find out until he told me to go to his place after a few weeks of dating. It was late autumn already. I remembered that it was a chilly Saturday with breezes from the Victoria Park when we walked around in Causeway Bay. We were strolling on the street for an hour or so before finally visiting his apartment.

He lived in a spacious condo at Paterson Street, right above where the food district used to be located. It had then turned into Fasion Walk with department stores like IT. It was a nice neighborhood. I fell in love with his area without even trying. It was home to my favorite restaurant in elementary school. A straight good looking guy from a prime neighborhood was falling in love with me, I must have been a lucky one.

Causeway Bay was one of the most expensive districts in Hong Kong, despite some SPCCers' claim that it was "Mongkok of Hong Kong Island". Hey, they called Wanchai the new Shum Shui Po and they said South Horizons was an outlying island. If you ever found out that those who came up with the most creative tags for the Hong Kong districts actually came from just public estates in New Territories, you would not be too eager to defend. SPCCers all had inflated egos so even a Fortress Hill resident could be the biggest hillbilly jerk. I hoped they kept searching for a gold mine in the CBD. SPCCers tended to look at Central as the only supreme district anyways, viewing from afar. I found their witty but obnoxious comments entertaining.

I was wearing a red Armani Exchange v-neck knitwear with a snake skin tubetop from ladies' market underneath. And I was holding a burgundy bowling bag from Fion in Sogo, which I bought just prior to our official relationship. I took this bag with me every single time whenever we were not dressed in uniforms.