1984 Personal Narrative

It was seven am and I was agonizing over a calculus test. This was not just an ordinary test, this test determined my final grade for the entire class. I texted Winston, my best friend since the 5th grade as usual to come over for breakfast and to study a little more for the test. As we ate breakfast Winston kept glancing at his phone. When I asked him what he was up to , he quickly mumbled to me with a startled tone “Umm… just texting my mom .” At the moment I had no concern to ask Winston why he was acting so strange but I knew in the back of my mind there was something going on with Winston. When we arrived to school our teacher, Mrs.Brooks, told us to clear our desks so we could commence the exam as soon as possible. I was so nervous my hands were trembling uncontrollably. This test could either go in two directions , I could pass the class with a solid B or flunk the class and would have to attend summer school. I repetitively
told myself it would all be fine so I remained calm. When I gazed over at Winston's direction , I noticed he was still on his phone he quickly mouthed to me that he was texting his mom. Mrs.Brooks told us to put away all electronic devices. I didn't see much during the test because I was so concentrated on solving a complicated math problem although I did notice Mrs.Brooks walking around and quickly scanning my paper which triggered my nerves quite a bit. When the test was almost over I was disturbed by obnoxious Annabelle and Joe giggling and whispering to one and other . Ironically enough they were the last two to finish and they turned in the answer sheet at the exact same moment. Mrs.Brooks was acting a bit naive and didn't seem to find that suspicious at all.
School finally ended and I felt this huge weight off my shoulders, I felt completely free from that calculus test. As I drove myself home ,all I could think about was Winston and why he was acting odd but then I remembered that he was probably extremely nervous and worried about the outcome of the exam. When I got home I logged onto my computer to check if Mrs. Brooks posted the grades for the test, but instead I received an email from my teacher saying that she received an anonymous note saying that someone cheated on the test. If the people responsible did not confess , the whole class would all automatically fail the test. I suddenly remember a brief conversation with Winston during lunch , he told me that he saw two people on their phones. I kept asking him who it was but he was clearly avoiding answering the question. At the time the situation seemed irrelevant so i dropped the discussion and changed subject to summer plans. The names Joe and Annabelle kept coming to my head, because they were the only ones talking during the test.
The next day when I got to school my teacher called me over and told me that someone saw me with my phone out during the test while she was in the restroom. I denied everything but she kept insisting the tell the truth and save everyone from failing the test. I knew in my mind that I could not afford to flunk the test but at the same time I knew I could not confess to something I did not do. I rather fail with everyone than have everyone think I’m a cheater. Three days passed and still no one confessed to cheating and I decided to tell Mrs.Brooks about how Winston saw two people with their phones out. I knew it was wrong of me to say that but I hoped that Winston would say the truth. After class I noticed my teacher calling over Winston to her desk but I couldn't hear what they were exactly saying but I didn't notice the stink eye he shot at me. . During lunch Winston came up to me furious asking me why I ratted him out and that shouldn't have done that. I tried to explain to him that I didn't mean to snitch on him but rather save the majority of the class to flunking the test. He was being insanely stubborn and irrational so he furiously walked away from me and mumbled underneath his breath “Thanks for the detention snitch”. After attending detention Winston decided to forgive me and he came over for breakfast as usual. When he quickly slipped away to the bathroom , I decided to peek through his and discover the truth . I found a recent thread with the class geek Kalani , I quickly skimmed through it until I found the multiple pictures of answers to the test. I couldn't believe my eyes , I couldn't believe my best friend would betray me like that. I decided to pretend like I didn’t know anything but I knew in my mind that I had to tell Mrs.Brooks so I decided that was exactly what I was going to do. The next day I was determined to tell Mrs.Brooks exactly what I saw but I couldn't do it .
I could not betray my friend, he would hate me forever if I did. I knew that he betrayed me as well but knowing Winston ,he must have had a reason to not tell me the truth. The moment when I went up to my teacher's desk I panicked , I could not be known as the class snitch . I was standing at Mrs.Brook’s desk startled and confused. “Alison, do you need something” , she asked me three times until I finally responded to her. I took a deep breath and quickly excalimed that it was me who cheated on the test, She didn’t seem too surprised ,she gave me an F on the test and detention for the rest of the month. My parents also grounded me “until I’m 30”. When I told Winston about my confession he felt terrible and he didn’t want me to get in trouble, he said he would take the fall but I told him not to because then would both get in trouble. My summer was completely ruined and after that day I was known as a lying
cheater.