Michael read the notebook like never before. He didn't want to see himself fail or depend on anyone. Several calls buzzed on his phone, but he ignored them all, desperate to concentrate on the task at hand.
On the day of the examination, he and Tia were placed in the same hall. He chose a seat far away from her because he was sure he needed no help. Tia chuckled when she saw his distant spot, then decided to move and sit right next to him; she wanted to see exactly how he would act during the exam. Michael assumed she wanted to lean on him for answers. He steeled himself, planning that he wouldn't help her even if she begged with all her heart.
"Let me guess, you didn't read yesterday," he said, his voice dripping with mockery.
Tia looked around, then back at him. "Are you talking to me?" she asked, pointing to herself.
"Have you become so dumb that you don't know when someone is addressing you?"
Tia scoffed. "Is that any way to talk to the person who gave you the notes to study?"
"I paid for them, so I think I can talk to you however I want."
"O...kay. This will help me remember never to help you again." She flashed Michael a smile. "Also, what makes you think I didn't read yesterday?"
"You're sitting close to me because you know I've studied. You want to look at my script for answers."
Tia scoffed again. "You know I'd never do that. I don't think I'd want to risk my GPA by copying from you."
"Then why are you sitting here?"
"Nothing. I just felt like it."
Michael pulled out the notebook for a final revision. Tia burst into laughter at the sight of him wasting his time on something that was useless. "What's the laughter for? Have you never seen someone study before?" he asked coldly.
Tia tried to force the words out through her giggles. "Sorry... I just remembered something funny."
"Stop laughing. You're distracting me."
Tia decided to focus on something else so Michael wouldn't get annoyed and leave; she didn't want to lose the chance to watch him during the exam.
The moment Michael saw the exam questions, his eyes widened. He couldn't answer to them. He clenched his fist in anger as he watched Tia, totally focused, scribbling away. He knew immediately: she had deliberately given him outdated notes. That was why she had been laughing. He couldn't yell at her without being penalized for talking, and panic began to set in. He couldn't fail. He imagined the look on his father's face if he did, and his mind raced for a solution.
Tia wasn't covering her script so Michael decided to cheat off her. Even as he copied her work, he felt she wasn't sensible enough to hide her answers. Tia noticed, and for a moment, she thought about telling the invigilator she needed to move, but she didn't bother—the invigilator was already closing in. Michael was so busy writing that he didn't realize the official was standing right there and then he was caught red-handed.
Tia smirked at him as he was escorted out. The least he could do was glare back because he was powerless. Michael was suspended for copying, he was told he'd have to wait for the makeup exams when he return. He dragged his feet to his car and pressed his head against the steering wheel for a long time. "Why would you do this, Tia?" he whispered. There was no way to fix the mess. He was barred from school until further notice.
His family wasn't home when he arrived, which brought a wave of relief. He didn't know how to explain a suspension for cheating. He pulled the notebook from his bag and took a closer look. He realized the pages were old and used years ago. The handwriting wasn't even Tia's. He bit his lip until it hurt. Then, he saw the final shock: a date in the middle of the book that wasn't even from the current year. He threw the book against the wall, then snatched it up and began tearing out the pages one by one. Paper littered the floor, and he used his feet to scatter the remains.
"Tia!" he screamed, pulling his hair until his scalp ached. "How could I be so stupid? That witch tricked me, and I actually paid for this!"
He slammed his hand against the wall. "What am I going to do now?" He decided he had to lie to his parents. He tried to calm down because if his mother noticed his distress, she'd suspect something. He switched off his phone to avoid everyone, he needed some space to think.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear his family return. Even when his mother opened the door, his mind remained miles away.
Karen gasped at the state of the room. "What is going on here?!" she shouted, making Michael jump. "Why is your room such a mess?" She reached down to pick up the paper, but Michael stopped her.
"Mom, no. I'll pick them up myself."
"Aren't you supposed to be having an exam right now?"
Michael hesitated. "Umm, yeah. I'm already done, so.... I hurried home to rest."
Karen squinted at him, as if she was sensing a lie and Michael's heart began to pound against his ribs.
"You were done writing, huh?"
Michael nodded nervously.
"Well, that doesn't mean you should tear up your books just because you're finished with them."
Michael exhaled a sigh of relief. "I'll tidy up now."
Karen's anger softened into a smile. "So, how was the exam?"
"It was good." Michael hated lying to her, but he felt he needed time before coming clean.
Once she left, Michael shoved the scraps into the trash. "I'm getting my money back," he muttered coldly. He reached for his phone and switched it on. Before he could do anything, a call flashed on the screen. His blood ran cold. It was his father. He regretted turning the phone back on, but ignoring it would only make the consequences worse. His hands trembled as he pressed it to his ear.
"Hello, Dad," he said, his voice shaky.
Stephen's response was biting. "Congratulations on your suspension."
Michael tried to speak, but the words caught in his throat.
"I don't have much to say, but know this: from now until further notice, your allowance is being slashed. That will be your punishment."
Before Michael could utter a word, Stephen hung up. A reduced allowance meant no more spending like a prince. He buried his face in his hands and groaned. He knew nothing he said could change his father's mind.