PSLE: A fight

                Ethan stared at the bruised hands, streaked with dry blood, and a sense of regret overwhelmed him.   Why was I so impulsive?  Nothing could change my fate now. His head hung low as he questioned himself repeatedly.  There he stood outside the Principal’s Office, waiting for his parents.   He recalled what happened half an hour ago.

                Ring!  The bell for dismissal had gone off.  Ethan and his classmates scurried off to the school field play soccer. 

“Hurry on, Samuel!  Our arch rivals from the 6E class are waiting for us!  Let’s thrash them up!”  Ethan  told Samuel with his fist clenched.

Samuel, Ethan and their classmates soon reached the field and were soon pitting their skills against the rival team.  Their score was very close.  One  more minute and the game would be over.  One more goal and they would win.

“Samuel, quick!  Kick the ball over to me!”  Ethan shouted.  Just as Ethan was about to get the ball to kick in the goalpost, “thud!” a leg appeared from nowhere and tripped Samuel over.  It was Melvin, the notorious school bully from the rival team.  A smirk flashed across Melvin’s thin lips.  On the other hand, poor Samuel was writhing in agony, his tears streaming down his chubby cheeks.     

Ethan had enough!  Melvin was overboard!  Everyone knew Melvin was a sore loser and could not afford to lose a game.  But to resort to such despicable tactics was just too much for Ethan to bear.

A wave of indignant anger swept over him.  “Keep calm!  Keep calm!”  These two words kept ricocheting in his mind.  However, Ethan could not care any more!  Punch!  A knuckled-white fist flew to Melvin’s jawbone.  He had scored a bullseye!  Melvin’s face turned blue-black instantly.   The two teams started hurling vulgarities at one another and a riot broke out!  The boys scratched and punched and kicked like wild cats fighting.

Unknown to them, the discipline master had been alarmed by the school prefect and he immediately marched towards the scene with a cane in his hand.

“Ethan Loo!  What are you doing?”  Mr Lee’s voice boomed.  Upon hearing his voice, the boys froze, their faces drained of blood.  “Follow me to the office NOW!”

Immediately, like ducklings following the mother duck, the boys filed into the general office.  In the end, everyone was let off after getting a stern warning.  All except Ethan who started the fight.   His parents were called in.

When Ethan saw his parents in a distance, disappointment was painted all over their faces.  Ethan suddenly realized that his actions had hurt his parents deeply.  Stinging, hot tears just could not help themselves but fell out of his eyes.  "I am sorry!  I am sorry!" he sobbed uncontrollably.  His parents forgave him readily and Ethan vowed to control his anger and not disappoint his parents again.