I was writing our internal assessment test for the first time in the high school. The school was a reputed one,especially for its strict rules and regulations. Cheating and copying was prohibited,but nobody could think of that also. We were dead scared of our headmistress. I didn't need cheating also,as usual I was well prepared. From last few minutes I was getting disturbed by the girl sitting beside me. She was pestering me to open my notebook. Why should I? I turned down the proposal and got up to submit my answer sheet. When I was back,to my horror,I saw that girl with my notebook. She opened it and got up. Before I could react, she complained to our teacher," Ma'am,she was copying!" I was so shocked that I could not protest also. The teacher came,she compared my answer sheets with the notebook. Unfortunately,those two were same,line by line,as I studied well. I told her that I didn't copy,I only studied well. She didn't pay attention. She ordered me to wait outside the room till the exam gets over. The girl gave me a triumphant look and submitted her paper with a grin. All sorts of horrible thoughts were crossing my mind. Girls were leaving the room,each of them looked at me as if they were seeing a criminal. I felt humiliated to the core. I knew I didn't do anything wrong. But to prove that what shall I do? I was not much strong to prove my point by raising voice. I waited for my teacher to come. I stared at the photo of Ma Saraswati on the wall to avoid the gaze of students around me.
The teacher took me to our Headmistress,which I dreaded the most. She didn't listen to my single word and slapped me across my face. She called me a cheat and a third grade liar and humiliated me in front of the other staff members calling me a "Bad influence"to other students. This situation was new to me. Never before I came across such things as I was always the topper in my KG school. I felt the earth is shaking under my feet. Nobody had any pity at me,nobody listened to me for a while. They called my mother and also insulted her for the "Bad Upbringing" which left her in tears. For the first time in my life I saw my mother being humiliated because of me. It torn my heart apart. I was not scared of the beating which I expected once she finds me alone. But I was waiting for the moment desperately. I knew I did no wrong. But if beating me eases her pain,let it be. After much humiliation we were sent out of the school with a punishment of suspension from school for one week. Somehow I was happy that I don't have to see the faces of those monsters for one week who don't believe the innocent people and go on blaming them.
Now mom and I was alone,while going home. Each moment I was expecting the slap. But,it never came. The silence was unbearable. We were walking side by side. The threat from the HM was echoing in my ears,"This time we are sparing this spoilt brat,but next time search for some third grade school for her before coming here,she suits there better!" Humiliation for no reason,but it hurt my mom so much. I could not bear it any more. I held her hand. She didn't jerked it off. Instead she looked at me. No tears anymore,now she looked somehow composed. I asked her the thing which I wanted to ask for a long time, "Ma,do you also believe that I did that?" She looked into my eyes and replied in a steady voice, "Never. I know you. I know you can't do anything of that sort. It's their bad luck they could not identify the innocent one today. But remember this incident. Stay alert so that it never happens. Don't allow others to take chance of your innocence." A flood of relief engulfed my heart. I could not stop the tears now. I hugged mom there and started crying. She embraced me tightly and patted my head,saying, "Don't cry. You are not supposed to cry. All these are tests,and you just came across one. Now stop crying, we have to go home". She took me to the cake shop to buy some snacks for me.
When I think of this incident,still I feel the cold rage burning my heart so badly. But simultaneously,I never forget to thank my mom. If that day she also would not believe me, that could change my life for ever. The assurance I got from her boosted my self confidence. The incident taught me so many things in my life. But above all,I came to know somebody is there who knows me better than myself. She trusts me more than anyone in this world. Isn't the feeling just great? Thank you mom,for saving me from some real mistakes in my life,by just trusting me. I love you mom.
