"Urgh! How do you even find the area of this stupid triangle?" I muttered to myself, frustration evident in my voice. Maths had never been my favourite subject. In fact, it seemed that we simply hated each other. I glared at the paper, hoping that somehow, the answers that eluded me would miraculously appear on my test sheet. "I know I have studied this before, but this stupid brain just can't work!"
I lifted my head, my gaze spread across the classroom like butter over a loaf of bread. Sadly, I was the only black sheep around. My classmates were happily scribbing on their papers while I was sitting on my chair, staring at my blank test papers, feeling like ripping it into shreds and feeling sorry for myself.
In the midst of the test, my mind unknowingly digressed and drifted off into a daydream of my favourite game which I longed to play at this moment. Minutes ticked by. All of a sudden, a loud clarion voice shook me out of my train of thoughts. Ten minutes left. Make sure you check your final answers." Check? I have not even started! I grabbed my pencil and started randomly shading ovals on my test sheet, hoping that somehow, Lady Luck would be kind enough to grant me some correct answers. Even if I did pass, it would be by the skin of my teeth. Apparently, I had said out loud. Compressed giggles filled the classroom. Oddly enough, the teacher did not overhear it. Phew!
Within a minute or two, I was done with my shading. A partially satisfied sign escaped my lips. After a moment's consideration, I came to a conclusion that even by doing this, I would probably still fail the test. I began racking my brain for ideas on how to get out of this predicament. A small nagging thought nudged me at the back of my head. That thought was none other than to cheat. I quickly brushed aside this idea, thinking that it would end me up in more hot soup than I already was. But with each passing second, the thought became more and more tempting. Cheat! Cheat! Cheat! My mind rang. Soon, I raised the white flag and gave in to their persistent chants.
It was only then did I notice that the teacher was not in the classroom. Oh what luck! I quickly turned towards the boy sitting next to me. "Psst... you! Yes, you! Could you give me the answers to the test? Now!" I whispered.
"Are you crazy? My parents and the teacher will kill me!' he replied in a hushed tone.
"Aw... Come on!" I clasped my hands together and begged, giving him my pitiful puppy dog look, hoping that he would feel sorry for me and give me the answers. Lucky for me, my plan worked out perfectly.
"Fine, but be quick!" he whispered, his voice nearly inaudible. He quickly slid his answer sheet towards my table and I began shading the answers like a frantic madman.
All of a sudden, a loud gasp of horror stopped me in my frantic cheating. Imagine my horror when I discovered the invigilator glowering at me menacingly as if to eat me up! "Ethan Wong! What on Earth do you think you are doing?!" she screeched in her high-pitched voice. "Ryan Cheng! Do you mind explain why your paper is on Ethan's table?" Her glare shifted to the right.
"Err..." Ryan stammered, cold sweat trickling down his face. Trepidation filled me as my heart palpitated against my chest. I imagined myself being grilled by the principal and subsequently being slaughtered by my parents. Cold shivers ran up and down my spine. I knew I was done for. I was in boiling hot soup and had to face the music. As Ryan and I marched into the principal's office, a large lump grew in my throat. I swallowed hard, turning the door knob with my shivering hands and stepped into the devil's pits.
Ethan Wong
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