The Price of Cheating

The Price of Cheating

BY:Ubaid

“Naeem, if you don’t help us in the exam, it will be very bad for you!” Aslam said angrily, glaring at Naeem before storming off.

Aslam was Naeem’s classmate, but unlike Naeem, he was a lazy student who never studied. Year after year, Aslam managed to pass only by cheating, and this time he had gathered a group of equally careless friends who shared his habits. None of them had studied throughout the year, and now, with exams around the corner, they were panicking. Their plan was simple: force Naeem, the brightest student in the class, to help them cheat.

But Naeem had flatly refused. He believed in honesty and hard work, and he wasn’t willing to compromise his values for Aslam and his gang. Aslam, humiliated and furious, had threatened Naeem with dire consequences.

That afternoon, as Naeem walked home, he turned into a quiet lane. Suddenly, Aslam and his friends appeared out of nowhere. Aslam grabbed him by the neck and threw him to the ground. The others joined in, kicking and punching him mercilessly. Naeem struggled to defend himself, but they were too many.

Just then, three or four men came walking down the street. Seeing them, Aslam and his friends panicked and ran away, leaving Naeem injured on the ground. The men rushed to help, lifting Naeem and steadying him on his feet. Somehow, with their support, he managed to reach home.

When his mother saw him, her face filled with shock and worry. She hurried to sit him down.
“My son, who has done this to you?” she asked anxiously.

“Mother, it was Aslam and his friends,” Naeem replied, wincing in pain. “They wanted me to help them cheat in the exams, and when I refused, they attacked me.”

His mother’s eyes welled with tears, but she kept her voice calm. “Listen, my child,” she said gently, “fighting with such boys is useless. If they are troubling you, you must tell your teacher. That is the right way.”

The next morning, Naeem gathered courage and went straight to his teacher, Mr. Nauman.
“Sir, I need to talk to you about something important,” Naeem said softly.

“Yes, my boy. Tell me,” replied the teacher.

Naeem narrated everything—from Aslam’s threats to the violent attack. Mr. Nauman listened carefully and nodded. “You did the right thing by telling me. Don’t worry. I will discuss this matter with the principal.”

Later that day, during the recess, Mr. Nauman met the principal and explained the situation. “Sir,” he said, “I have gathered information about Aslam. He is a very poor student and a constant troublemaker. I think it would be best to expel him from the school.”

The principal thought for a moment and then said, “Let us give him one last chance. The exams are about to begin. We will allow him to sit for them, and after that, we will make a decision.”

Soon, the examinations began. The first paper was English. The classroom was silent, filled with the scratching of pens as students worked hard to answer the questions. But suddenly, Mr. Nauman’s sharp eyes caught sight of something unusual. Aslam’s answer sheet looked bulky. Walking over quietly, the teacher noticed small slips of paper peeking from between the pages.

Without a word, he snatched the paper from Aslam’s desk and unfolded it. Aslam had brought in notes to cheat. The teacher immediately ordered him out of the room. Humiliated, Aslam left the hall, and after the exams, the principal expelled him from the school for good.

Naeem, though wronged in the past, felt a strange sadness for Aslam. Despite all the trouble Aslam had caused him, Naeem wished that his classmate had chosen the path of honesty instead of shortcuts.

Years passed. Naeem worked hard, studied diligently, and eventually became a respected government officer. He was known for his integrity and discipline, the very values he had protected during his school years.

One morning, as he sat at his office desk, sipping tea, his eyes fell on a new janitor sweeping the floor. The man’s face looked oddly familiar. Naeem frowned, trying to place him. Finally, he asked, “What is your name?”

The janitor looked up, embarrassed, and muttered, “My name is Aslam. From today, I’ll be working here as a cleaner.”

Naeem was stunned. His mind traveled back to the days of their childhood—the threats, the fight, the exams. Here he was now, sitting in a position of authority because of his hard work and honesty, while Aslam, who had relied on cheating and shortcuts, had ended up with a broom in his hand.

At that moment, Naeem realized how life rewards honesty and punishes dishonesty. The choices one makes in youth can shape the entire future.

The tea boy’s voice broke his chain of thought. “Sir, your tea has gone cold,” he said politely. Naeem smiled faintly, pushing the cup aside. He no longer needed the tea; the lesson in front of him was enough to keep his mind awake.