I was fourteen, a freshman in high school. Although history class was my favorite, and I liked my history teacher, for some reason I had a penchant for interrupting, or talking during class. I would blow her off; make fun of her, anything bad I did it in class. One day we had a substitute teacher for whatever reason, on those days we always had to do these information packets for different chapters in the book. My friends and I thought these were so lame, so instead of doing them in class, we sat and talked and goofed around. We had done them before and we knew they took forever. Our teacher, Mrs. Hanzlik always made us do them when she was out. Mostly also to ‘ensure we were reading the chapters.’ Whatever, is what I thought. History was easy and I always got A’s. I don’t know why but I didn’t like this teacher very much. At least I liked to push her limits and annoy the crap out of her, by mostly talking over her. Since history was such a breeze to me, I didn’t care about paying attention to her. Hell, my grades were awesome anyway, so why should I have to, I thought. I didn’t get in any real trouble, other than being moved around the classroom for talking. At that point in the class, I figured I could pretty much whatever.

She assigned us three chapters of packets that day. After class, we went to lunch. My friends and, well, mostly I made a plan. I decided, instead of wasting time doing all them alone, me and two of my friends would each do one and then copy the others. I thought it was a good plan at the time; I had never really gotten in trouble from the teacher, so I figured she wouldn’t have a clue. She gave us the rest of the weekend to finish them, which meant for me a Sunday scramble. I spent most of the weekend as I always did, out partying with my friends. When Sunday night rolled around, I spent most of it talking to my boyfriend on the phone, and some throwing together answers for my history packets. My answers were no good effort, but passable. To say I had an attitude problem when it came to, especially this class and this teacher is an understatement. I got to my first class Monday morning and exchanged packets with my friends so we’d have them done on time. Fourth period came, and same as always I sat and talked while the teacher gave her lecture and glared at me. Same as always. Maybe I had never really pushed her limit yet and that’s why I never got in any real trouble with her. Little did I know that real trouble and pushing limits was coming sooner then I knew. A few days passed and I was in history class again. This day Mrs. H was handing our packets back. Mine were graded but there was a note on the top that read, “please see me after class."

I went about class like normal, not listening and being a brat, basically. Truth be told I was nervous when I read that note on my paper. I don’t know why, because I had been in trouble before, however I still knew I was not exempt from what trouble meant at school. Class ended, after what seemed like an eternity. Me, and my two friends waited after class until everyone else left. And then we got ‘the talk.’

“I noticed something strange when I was grading all of your packets,” said Mrs. Hanzlik. “I noticed that somehow all of your answers were the same, would you care to explain that to me?” My two friends immediately broke down and started gibbering about how sorry they were, and admitted copying papers. I didn’t say a word. She scolded them, and told us if one admitted to thinking of this copying plan, then she would not fail us all for cheating. I decided to just tell her it was my idea and go on with my day. I thought whatever, this is so lame what is she really gonna do? Well, she proved she could do something.

“Yeah, it was my idea,” I said. “I didn’t really feel like doing all of these worksheets, because I already read the book, so I told those too to just do one and got them to copy.” “You don’t have to fail them, on these, just me.”

She said ok, and talked to them about why cheating is so wrong, and told them that she would just lower them one letter grade on these worksheets. She told them to go and to not do it again, that she would be checking their papers extra in the future. She made me stay behind. This got me nervous, very nervous. She waited until they left and closed the door, and then she started scolding me.