Can I call it stubbornness, or what name should I give it?
When I was still in secondary school—junior secondary school, to be precise—it happened that I was not giving anyone a chance to override me. I was also not ready to read my books. The only thing I love doing is cheating. I would carry my notebook to the hall where we are writing tests and copy it stylishly. No one except my seatmate knew about it. During exams, I would also take in sheets of paper and sometimes write on my lap just to pass the exam with flying colors.
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I got addicted to it, and I was truly praised for coming to the top of the class too. My seat partner was also my partner in crime, as she was not ready to report me. She also enjoyed it. We began the race to top the class, and we succeeded.
My parents were so excited but still wondering how I managed to come out with flying colors, as I was not the type who reads instead would give them problems at home.
“Abi, you have an exam tomorrow. Have you read?” My mom would ask.
“Mum, I have not read, but I know what they would bring and have read it all," I would say to my mom.
“Just be a good girl and keep on excelling just as usual," my mom would say.
“Alright, ma, I will,” I would answer.
I kept on doing what I was doing to pass and was excelling in it. No one but my seatmate, who was a partaker.
One day, my story changed from what I was to a better being. My class teacher had to invite someone to teach us mathematics in my school. He asked the whole class, “Who is the best student among you all?” Although everyone believes I am the best, they echoed “Abigail.” I began to shake, and it was just as if the ground should open so that I could enter deep inside it. My mind was merely at the top of my mouth without saying a word.
After standing for two minutes, I decided to answer him, “I'm just trying, but not the best.” The whole class was left in surprise, showing that I was lying.
He wrote a simple equation on the board for me to solve, but then I was looking just like someone who had not eaten for days. He decided to call on a student I always saw as the best and who never cheated, just like me, to solve it. Without wasting any time, he was able to solve the question. This left me with a dying heat. The swart was gushing down, just as if I had just had my bath.
The mathematics teacher then wrote down another question just for everyone to try. I picked up my book and began to solve it. Although there was nowhere to copy from as the question was different from what our teacher always gave to us in class, I just looked at the question without attempting it and instead left my paper blank.
The mathematics teacher asked the whole of us to submit our books. I could not submit an empty book; instead, I decided not to submit it. He marked and returned their notebooks. He called me directly, as he had captured my name just that day. Not only that, but he asked me to give him three reasons why my book was not part of the ones submitted. I was unable to say a word. After asking three consecutive times, I decided to answer him, “I did not submit my book because I was unable to attempt the question you have asked us.” He shook his head and asked me to see him in my class teacher's office.
I was afraid of going, as my seat partner told me to ignore him, but then I took a bold step to accelerate to meet with him in my class teacher's office. He began to scold me and ask me, “How did you make it to the top? How come you are the best student, whereas you are not among those who were supposed to be the best in the class?” Those words touched the deepest part of my life, and tears began to drip down my cheek. After many questions, I opened up to him, and he advised me not to try it again.
Now that everyone knows my secret to making it in the class, I had to turn a new leaf by sticking to my book at all times. I don't want to go back to who I was before, but I want to try my ability to become clean and free from cheating. Finally, I mingled with the boy who was supposed to be the best student, and he taught me, so many things related to mathematics. I was able to solve problems on my own without the help of anyone.
Although I dropped from the top, I care less as I wanted to try my best to do it myself without creating. I suffered, yet I managed to find my way back to the top. Even my parents, who heard about what had happened, were surprised at how I managed to climb to the top again.