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“TRAPPED”

Last year came the worst day of my life. Before the incident that took place, I always u

to trust and value my friends. But now I have changed completely. Now I am even afra

talk to anyone so I don’t let something slip. My mother and father always told me not ttrust my friends so much, but eventually experience was my ultimate teacher. It was th

last paper of eighth grade. My best friend Ali Ayub convinced me to let him cheat my

 paper. He assured me that everything will go smoothly and the examiner will not see a

thing. I agreed reluctantly because I hadn’t done anything of that sort before. I was ver

nervous and when I received the question paper I was sweating. I couldn’t concentrate

on the paper because Ali kept slapping me on the back and whispering question numbe

Suddenly the examiner caught him peeking over my shoulder. Although I was scared t

death I crazily trusted Ali to get me out of this situation. I thought that he would make

something up like he wanted my eraser or something, which is why he was leaning ov

my shoulder. I never thought that he could betray me because he had been my best friefor five or six years. We had been studying together since second grade so I trusted him

 blindly. But I was wrong; the one I trusted the most betrayed me and lied about me I fr

of my eyes. He said that I was asking him something and as he couldn’t hear me prope

he leaned forward. He also told the examiner the number of a difficult question, which

knew that I wouldn’t be able to answer if asked. By this way he could have proved tha

was asking him that question. He turned his so called plan against me and made it look

everything was my fault. When the examiner asked me about this I was lost for words.

shock had overcome my senses. I stayed silent which made the examiner think that I re

was the guilty one. She snatched mine and Ali’s paper and took us to the headmistressoffice where even the principal was shocked that I had been caught cheating. She listen

to mine and Ali’s version of events one by one and then saw our papers. She immediat

found out that we both had been cheating as almost half the answers in he papers were

same as mine. She sent Ali out of the office because she wanted to question me alone.

felt a lot like movies where there is a criminal investigation going on. She asked again

whether I was cheating or not. I felt more comfortable in answering because of Ali’s

absence. I told her all about Ali’s plan and how he ad been caught peeking rather me b

caught asking. I think she believed me as I had a good reputation in her eyes because I

a good and obedient student, but still somehow I knew that my fate was ill. My fears w

confirmed when she said that showing someone your paper is an equal crime as cheatisomeone else’s paper. Although I felt that she didn’t want to but still she cancelled my

 paper as well as Ali’s. I tried to fight back tears that were rushing to come out. I knew

I wouldn’t be able to come in first position in my class or get a scholarship as I have fo

 previous three years. Then I imagined my parent’s anger and disappointment and I

shuddered. I had a mixed feeling of fear, sorrow and shame that can’t easily be explain

 just wanted to hide somewhere forever. Dread filled my heart as the principal called m

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and Ali’s parents. When my mom and dad arrived there was a strange look on their fac

It was a mixture of anger, grief and something I couldn’t understand. Was it

disappointment? Yes I think. My mom’s eyes were red. I couldn’t bear to look in my

 parent’s eyes so I merely gazed at my feet. The headmistress explained everything to t

and gave them my warning letter which they signed with sadness. When I got home, I

silently went up to my bedroom, locked the door and slumped on my bed with my face

 buried in the pillow. Tears coursed through my eyes and stained my cheeks. I felt I wa

trapped in a hole from which I could never get out. My mother called me several times

lunch but I didn’t go down because I dint have the courage left t o face my parents. Sh

finally gave up calling me when I didn’t respond. My heart was so heavy with grief tha

felt I couldn’t walk properly. I stayed in my bed all day. All those plans that I had mad

the last day of exams were in vain. It was two in the morning but I couldn’t sleep. I kn

my parents couldn’t sleep as well. And sure enough my mother came up to my room a

2:30, knocked the door and told me to let her in. At first, I hesitated but then an

unstoppable force pulled my hand towards the door and unlocked it. My mother came and sat on the edge of my bed. I hugged her and started to cry. I remember her saying t

the best thing about each day is that next day it starts all over again and you have the

chance to not repeat your mistakes. She also said that the reason why we fall is so that

can learn to pick ourselves up again and learn from our mistakes. I gave her a little sm

the first one I had had that day, and fell asleep.

 Now, I really have learnt from my mistakes and I am determined not to commit them

again. As my mother said, I have had a fresh beginning just like a new day. I advise al

readers never to trust anyone except your god, your parents and yourself.

BY

MUHAMMAD ALAM

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