The Cheat

Sarah

Its the day of the protest, I can’t believe I am sick. I try to sit up but my body wont let me. I get dizzy and try to count in my head,

one

two

three...

It doesn't work and my head just crashes like the wave on the sand. My body starts to feel worse and worse. I yell for my mom and tell her to bring me the thermometer. She doesn't hear me so I stumble off my bed falling on to the floor. Standing up I slowly hunch over and walk my way to the bathroom and sit down in front of the toilet. I can not believe that I am sick on my “big day” I can not believe I’m sick.

Rob

I woke up early pretending like I was going to school but in reality I was going to the mall with my buddies. I start to get nervous. What if we all get suspended? Or worse, expelled? My breath gets heavy. I’m walking. Crosswalk. I start to lose my concentration. My mind wanders. “I hope we don’t…”  A loud horn cuts my train of thought. The last thing I see is bright lights. Boom.

Ruby

I’m walking around town and like, I see a group of guys, which is totally not okay because like, they kept looking at me. I try to walk past them like they aren't there in hopes that they will leave me alone but like It didn’t work. It didn’t work because one of them yelled “Hey baby!” I keep walking and just ignore them but one of the guys like grab my wrist and I’m all like “Hey!” I try to struggle away but it doesn't work. Tears like start to form in my eyes because I’m totally scared. One of them pulls my hair and makes me lift my head back. Its totally gross because I can like see the inside of his overly hairy nostrils, which is like so not attractive? He smiles down on me and pulls my hair so then I’m forced to go close to him. He starts to lean in and try and kiss me but I kick his shin to try to escape. I start to run but he still has ahold of my hair. He like tightens his grip and spits in my face “Don’t even think about it little girl, me and you are going to have some fun you hear?” Him and his buddies start laughing because they can see how helpless I am. I like give up because I know there is no use, these guys are like way bigger and stronger than me. He throws me on the ground and I hit my head.  I like scream out in pain because I landed on my wrist funny. Suddenly I see a guy run and block me from them. I black out. The next thing I know I’m like in the hospital. I look around the room and I see Dan crying. “What happened… “

Dan

I’m walking to the store to get some food because I’m hungry. I see something going on ahead of me, a girl getting picked on it looks like. I’m not interested but I walk closer to them anyway. I notice its Ruby who they are picking on. I hear one of the guys spit in her face “Don’t even think about it little girl, me and you are going to have some fun you hear?” I blink. A second later I see her on the ground screaming in pain. I don’t think, I just run. I run as fast as I can and jump out in  front of her. I punch one of the guys in the face so hard I hear his neck snap and see him fall on the floor. Is he dead? nah, I didn’t hit him that hard. The other guys with him start to run away. Cowards. I look at Ruby. Her arms bent in a super weird position and I knew something wasn't right. I lost all control and yelled “SOMEONE! SOMEONE CALL 911”

Rob

I wake up. But it doesn't feel like it. I open my eyes. I’m in a room but… What is this? I look down and see myself on a hospital bed. I hear a continuous BEEEEEEEEEEEEP. I can’t believe it. I’m actually dead. I hope the guys don’t get too mad at me for leaving them. They will forgive me, right?

Sarah

So I go to school and I hear the hall buzzing with peoples gossip more than it usually does. But its not just your regular “oh my god guess what I saw so and so do.” It was like the devil coughed up the darkness in the hallways. Everyone looked so lifeless. So dead. I walk by a group of people. “Did you like hear? Rob died yesterday in the hospital?

Apparently he got hit by like a car?” I drop my books. Robs dead? I ask myself tears filling my eyes. I can’t believe it… I bolt out of the school and run home. I slam my bathroom door closed and sit in the bathtub crying. I can’t believe Rob is dead.

Death is real.

Death is pain.

Death is Terror.

Death is unfair.

Death is beautiful.

Death is ugly.

Death is unkind.

Death is forever.

Ruby

Its been about a week later since the school protest and it seems like things just keep getting worse and worse for everyone. Sarahs still bedridden. She tries to move her head and she like has to close her eyes because she gets so dizzy. I went to go see her the other day. She was doing fine until she threw up all over my new close. Talk. About. Gross. Anyway, like I have a broken arm Rob is dead too. Of course I’m sad. I am very sad, but things like this happen and even though its hard. I have to stay positive. His viewing is tomorrow at 3pm. Everyone in the school is going to be there. I miss him so much. But.. Life goes on.

Jake

It has been twenty years since I cheated on a mid term test, in jr. high. I know now that cheating is wrong. If you constantly do it it will change your state of mind and not in a good way. The day I got back from my jr. high suspension,the first person to talk to me was Sarah.

Sarah asked me,“Why did you turn yourself into Mr. Chen?”.At that time I didn’t know for sure why.  

So I just told her, “I don’t know, but why didn’t you turn me in?”. She looked confused at first then she started to blush.

“We should hang out some time.” she had said and thats how it all started.  

From then on we would hang out and became really good friends. In high school we started to date and after high school we got married. Now we have 4 kids Kate our oldest, Rodrigo the second oldest, Sam the second youngest, Ty the youngest,and a baby on the way.

Sarah

It has been 12 years since I was married to Jake. We have a very happy family. I am thankful for the cheating problem in jr. high because it helped me find my husband even though it was with the help of cheating. One of the main things we teach our children today is to not cheat. Most of the kids that were my friends in jr. high have moved on and I do not know them any more.

But

    my Katie

          potatie

             is still

                 my only

                     potatie.

Katie and I are still best friends and we will probably be until we are old grandmas.

Katie

I can see why we are still best friends to this day: A)Sarah has been with me through thick and thin. B) She is always by my side. C) She understands me. D) She is an amazing person.

Sarah

Through my life I have had  

                                                             highs  

and

                       lows

but my family and friends

help me through them.

The Cheat

Jake

Suspension over! I’m not sure how people will react so I just play it normal. I go through the front doors of the school and walk down the hall. Why did I go through the front door? Everybody could see me and I was regretting not going in through the side door. Then Sarah Collier came up all mad and I thought she was going to slap me.

I was right.

That stung my face went red from pain and embarrassment and I walked to my locker and got bumped and shoved around a lot. I could feel the red hot glare from Sarah burning into the back of my head. I get to first period and one kid shoves me. I don’t know what’s happening. Everythings a daze. The guy hits me in the gut. Suddenly Dan’s there and he’s separating us and I fall to the ground. Everything went black.

Dan

I hit Jon so hard he hit the wall and slid to the ground. Then the teacher’s there yelling in my face and all I could think is “Man, that was a good hit.”

Then I tell him that Jon attacked Jake and then Jake just falls to the ground unconscious.

Well , there goes my witness.

Then the councilors are in here and ask me all these questions and yell at me and carry Jon and Jake to the office. I go too. They call my parents. And here I wait. Again.

Ruby

Dan was just in, like, a fight and it was right in front of my face and I’m all like “O.M.G.” then

the principals counselors are there and they’re, like, yelling in Dan’s face and they practically, like, drag Jake and the other guy (which was kinda’ cute) to the office and then Bren is, like, practically on my desk asking me what happened and I go, “Dan just got in a fight and went to the, like, office with Jake and some other guy.” And she says, “ You need to,  like, talk to Dan and tell him how stupid he was, like, acting and all.”

Then I, like, wonder for some reason, I hope that Dan didn’t mess up the other guys face.

Jake

I wake up and stare at the ceiling for a while then remember what happened and I stand up swinging my arms, hoping that my flailing might land a blow on Jon. Then I realize I’m in the nurses place ( I always forget what it’s called) and stop. I notice the nurse sitting next to the bed I was just on and she’s looking at me weird.She then tells me to lay down and I do. I wonder where Dan is. Hope he’s alright.

Then I pass out.

Sarah

I kind of feel bad for slapping Jake like that.

I wouldn’t

want to

be embarrassed

like that.

I’m thinking about going and apologizing for what I did, but he deserved it, right? I mean, he’s

the one who made me get suspended, and got everyone in trouble.

Right?

Forgive and Forget

I would never forgive

as long as I live

That one boy Jake Broder

Just a gift I won't’ give.

He’s deserves what he got

He gave his best shot

That one boy Jake Broder

I hate him a lot.

The Cheat (Alternative Ending)

Rob

Haven't seen Sarah anywhere. Jake told Mr. Chen it was him. I guess I could believe it. You could tell he liked her. Walking down the hall. Going to locker. Katie of all people walks up to me. Says, “ Sarah is coming to school. She said she was going to be late though. Meet us at the front door in sixth hour. I want everyone involved in this to tell her thank you, for ya know being strong I guess.”

I nod. Not too comfortable with talking to katie. Beautiful Katie.

Ruby

So this Katie girl , she told me that we were doing this thing for Sarah. She said it was during sixth hour. I have it with Dan so I figured I’d avoid him and go to the thing.  He probably wasn't going to either of them. I mean like to sixth hour or to this Sarah thing ,he was like that.  I still think he has a thing for Sarah, but he probably won’t go if he sees me there . If he does. Fine. Perfect time to give him a piece of my mind.

Jake

We all went to the front of the school sixth hour like Katie had said . No one really talked to me either. I don’t blame them. If I were popular I’d ignore me too. They also could be ignoring me because I was the one that got them into this whole mess. No. Sarah had got them into this whole thing. I gave sarah the answers, and only sarah. She’s not that pretty anyway-

“She’s Coming!” Katie interrupted my thoughts. We all turned as we saw sarah get out of her mom’s Mini Cooper. I heard some bickering . I turned around , focusing on Ruby who looked like she was going to bite Dan’s head off. I wonder what he did to her.

Focusing my gaze back on Sarah who was coming crossing the street in her walk of shame. She should have looked both ways.

“Sarah!” Look out!” Katie and I cried. She glanced up quickly, but it was too late. The echoing of brakes screamed in my ears. Katie and I ran to the scene screaming. We all hovered over her. I’m surprised I was even able to recognize her with the tire tracks. Her hair was all mangled and her clothes were tattered and torn. I sunk to my knees. Her blood streaming into a scarlet puddle around her. I heard sirens wailing, people screaming. But I was in a daze. A cop lifted me to my feet and pulled me to the side.

He asked me, “ Sir, were you a witness to this incident?” I barely heard him.

“Sir!” the cop said, frustrated now.

“What?” But that was all I could muster.

“ I said were you a witness to this he said gesturing to the street.

“Mmhhmmm” I grunted.

Then the world went a pink fleshy color. My eyes fluttered open. Slowly My Mom said softly, “ Jake, you’re gonna be late for school.”

“What” I sat up sitting in my bed at home still in my school clothes from, yesterday?

My head spun. I was now being dragged to the car. No breakfast, no time to even brush my teeth.

I had collected my thoughts by the time I reached school.  I went to my first class before the bell had rung. My friends were standing around my desk. I looked to the front of the class  the board said, “ Test today.”

As I went to my desk my friends looked at me. Sarah went up to me and said, “ Did you get `em.”

“Get what?”

“The answers Genius!” She smiled, her award winning smile .

I shook my head no.

“Well, that’s too bad. “ and she walked off.

What a horrible bad dream.

Alternative ending for The Cheat

Jake

Beep beep. I look up and hastily hit the snooze button. I have been dreading going out of my house for weeks. After I turned in my name to Mr. Chen they freaked out and put me on house arrest for 3 weeks. I didn’t even know that you could be put on house arrest for giving away test answers. If they make me go to court maybe they will realize that I didn’t even stand a chance of telling Sarah no. I can’t even call my parents because they are getting back from Italy in 2 weeks so all the support I have is myself. I don’t even know if they have T.V. where they are at.

Sarah

As I walk back to school on Tuesday I know that Jake will be coming back to school on Thursday. The angel on my shoulder tells me I should thank him, but the devil on the other shoulder yells to get mad at him. As I force my eyes to stay open in first hour my teacher gets a phone call. She tells my class to hush and then gets a worried look on her face. She nods and hangs up. She then explains to us that the whole city would have to evacuate 300 miles away because the biggest storm in history was meant to hit our state. Oh great is all I can think.

Dan

I pack all the stuff I don’t want broken or destroyed. My signed football, my ipod, and a few other things. I think that this whole storm thing is an exaggeration, but I am happy that we get to evacuate. This is the vacation that I need.

Jake

I take a step over the line flinching like some alarms are going to go off. I feel free. It is Thursday and I finally get up and get ready for school.  As I walk down the street I don’t see anybody. I guess everybody is hiding from me. As I reach the front of the school all of the lights are off. I feel a raindrop on the back of my neck so I take a step into the school. I wander the bare halls until I hear the crack of thunder. I quickly run outside and now it is coming down hard.The wind starts to blow so I decide to go home. I am running as fast as I can but it feels like I am walking because of how fast the wind is blowing. Now I am three blocks away from my house when a gust of wind blows me onto my butt. I start to beeline towards the nearest house. The house I ran up to was my best friends house he had been calling me on my phone every morning but the last two days he hadn’t. I use the key under their door mat. I unlock the door and take refuge in their house. The T.V. is running on the channel two news. The first thing they say is superstorm Ivan has began it’s wrath in Cedarville. I am surprised to hear the name of my town come up.

Ruby

I like totally like had to pack up everything I owned and like had to drive to like to who knows where. All I know is that like some storm named Ivan made it so I could like not go shopping. I have like seen everybody in this place but the kid who like gave away the test answers, but like why would I care.

Jake

Drip...Drip....Drip...The sound was faint  because of the drumming winds and sheets of rain. I opened the door to see that only a few houses were left in the barren wasteland of what used to be Cedarville. The storm had lasted for thirty days making a new record for one of the most damaging storms in history. I had lived it out crouched up in a ball in the upstairs bedroom. The sky was still gray and I knew that supplies were running low. So I made a raft out a some salvaged materials. I then paddled from house to house filling it up with food. I then floated down the flooded streets towards the only direction I could go inland.

….........

Three days later

The water slowly began to shallow out I knew. I had been paddling for a long time and my arms confirmed that. They burned as I dragged my raft up on the beach. In the distance I could see a gas station like the ones you would see in the movies. All alone and in the middle of who knows. I put all my effort into the hike there. After twenty minutes of walking so slowly I reached the station, I reached my freedom.     

The Cheat; Epilogue

Alternate ending

20 years later

Rob

Can’t believe I just beat the record for fastest knockout in boxing history and getting interviewed. That’ll show the old man. He’s living in a dump as I live in a mansion. Interviewer asking what made me want to box. Say that it was my abusive dad and that I wanted to fight back so one day when I was finally bigger I fought back and won. Interview over. Go back home. Take a warm shower then kiss wife good night. My thoughts wander back to when I first thought of fighting back. When I was in trouble for cheating on midterm. That makes me remember Sarah and the rest of the gang. Wonder what they're doing.

Dan

Just got off of work flipping burgers at the local fast food joint. It was a hard day. Drive back to the trailer park in my old truck. Walk in go to the fridge and grab a beer. Plop down on the couch pop open the can and take a sip. Pick up the remote and start flipping channels. See that the games on and start watching. I used to want to play pro football but ever since I cheated on midterms in eighth grade and got caught I just kept cheating. Eventually I got kicked off the team and my dreams went down the drain. Now I’m living in this dump hole flipping burgers.

Wonder what sarah and the rest of them are doing. Oh well who cares anyway. Heard Robs a pro boxer or something.

Sarah

My photo shoot was going perfect. I had hired the best. These pictures were going to sell for thousands. Being a model sure has it benefits especially when I sell these one of a kind pictures on the internet, they'll sell for a small fortune. I get out of the photo shoot get into my porsche and drive home. A go in and find something to eat sit down alone and take off my heels. Thats one disadvantage of being a model. I can have any boy I want but none seem to be my type. I remember high school. Those were the good days. I could still go out with any boy but I wasn’t famous then. I remember one cute boy, Jake. He even gave me test answers which didn’t turn out the best, but still he manned up in the end and confessed to giving me them. I wonder what Jake and the rest of them are doing now.

Katie