The Sweet Lie.

It’s the worse day of the week, Monday. I wake up with a headache and the first thing I hear is knocking on my bedroom door.

“Get up”, my mom says camly, “you will be late”.

I dress myself, putting on my sneaker, my denim Jacket and my black Levi’s trouser. These are my favourite clothing but I hate this school tee shirt. An orange polo shirt, printed with stupid big bold letters “GREYBORN PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL”. This shirt is meant for kindergarten, not for young adult.

“Eddie”, my mom screams, “you’re going to be late!”

I have only fifteen minutes to reach school before bell. I rush down toward the door. Mom says my breakfast is served, but without answering I run out.

I found Aloysius at the junction with sweat on his face and his shirt half untucked. Without saying a word we run together, as we usually do. Than we reach the school gate with the bell.

“We have a problem”, Ricky says.
Curiosly I ask “what’s the matter?”
“It’s Springdale high school boys”, Ricky says, "they kicked our ass. They want to finish our life long problem at the park, after the school”.
“O God!” I say, “I am not going to fight anymore”.
“Coward you’, Ricky shouts, “Come and see Aloysius”.

He leads me to the old godown behind the school building. A couple of boys stand around and at the centre I find Aloysius, a small blood stain on his shirt and a swollen lower lip. He looks at me and gave me an evil bloody smile.

“Hey Edd how are you?” says Aloysius.
“Who the hell is he?” I demand.
“It’s big fat John” said Aloysius. “When evening comes I am going to pay him back. Tell his mother to book the dentist ready”.
“I will take revenge for you”, reply Ricky. “Aloy you take rest”.
“Damn you!” Aloysius shouts, “no, its my..”
“Shut up!” I say, “Enough. He is my share. Inform some more boys and gather near the shop after the class”.

When the last bell rings, we move out from the class heading towards the park. From distance I can see a group of people wearing identical white shirt. No doubt, they are the Springdale’s boys. They seem to be more than us and majority of them are tall and gigantic. I visualize the figure of Aloysius and Ricky, they are as thin as a rail, which makes me nervous.

I stand in front of big fat John, I am only his lips high. John is a black man with a thick black curly hair and a big bulging lip. He suddenly dug his head to scare me but I don’t flinch an inch. I keep calm and smile a little.

“Beg pardon to Aloysius” I order, “or else you will pay the price”.

Big fat John laughs loudly with contempt, showing that he has no guilt for what he had done to my friend. The air I breathe is too tensed, I can’t control anymore.

While big fat John looks at his right side, without having a second thought my right fist came from nowhere, as fast as a bullet, directly towards John's head. Like a rocket, my fist lands triumphantly on his left cheek. John almost lost his balance and he seems to be dizzying. He comes close and blows his left hand. I am clear-headed, I can see all him movement like a slow motion. I dodge my head and bend my knee. Than, as soon as his arm went pass my head, I take a tiny step to my left and give an upper-cut with my left hand at the bottom of his chin. I can hear a screechy sound made by the dashing of his upper and lower tooth. His head is forcefully turns up to the sky. I swear he will see a trillion of stars on the bright sky. He falls down backward, hitting the back of his head on the ground.

I look back and found everyone fighting. All of my friends do a great job, there is no sign of fear on each of their face. I can smell victory.

I can sense something moving behind me. I take turn quickly but I am too late. Big John spears me and we land a meter away. I can feel his enormous weight on me. Its difficult to breathe and I can’t move. He holds my head firmly and locks under his armpits. He has the strength of a wild ox, I can’t move. All I see is darkness and he smells really bad. What am I going to do, I don’t know. I am numb.

Suddenly, I faintly hear a roar comes from distance. Big John releases his arms from me and he gets up quickly and runs away. I can see all the boys running away.

Behind me is Mr. Stephen Armstrong, math teacher and disciplinarian of our school. He looks at me with his big bulging dark eyes as if I have killed someone.

“Idiot!” Mr Stephen brush out “do you know what you have done? You rascal! How much you have defiled our school! What am I going to do with you?”

“I am sorry, sir”, I whisper.
“I don’t want an apology”, he yells, “I want to know the truth. Do you know what this circumstance can charge you? Aren’t you eighteen? If the police comes to know about this they can accuse you of battery, and they can impose you a fine of one thousand dollars and a six months imprisonment. You are sick, idiot. Don’t you have brain?”

He makes me realised what nonsensical thing I have done. I feel guilty. I can’t speak out, I am dumbstricken.

“Sir, it’s my entire fault”, I beg, “I fought….”

“You and who?” he interrupts, “spit it out the names all the boys involved in this combat”.

“No sir, it’s only me” I answer, “I should not have…”

“Am I blind?” he questions, “who are that boys, running away with our school uniform? Don’t I have eyes?"

“I know who you are”, he continues, “you are stiff-necked, who don’t have any respect for truth. You think you can bury the fact? You will be wrong. Truth always wins over falsity. Truth is the foundation for a fair and just society. Lies are the strongest weapon of demons. Think about it, listen to your heart, it wants you to tell truth because you heart know that truth is the only thing that’s matter.

“Are you going to tell lie just because of your friends? What is more important to you "truth" or "friendship".There is nothing hidden that will not be made manifest and there is no secret that will not be known”.

Am I going to declare my all my friends name? They sacrifice their energy, time, they are always ready to accompany in times of trials and tribulations. I cannot betray them, they have given too much to me.

I look at Mr Stephen once more, he tries to be looking kind at his best. He faints a smile, trying to show he waits for the answer. I frown and give him an unpleasant smirk. I can’t make decision yet.

Not poor Aloysius. He is my bff, my secret keeper, my companion since childhood. I can’t count how many times he helped me out of punishment when I am caught. My conscience tells me that all this issues sprung up from him, but it is indeed a time for me to prove my loyalty to him.

The question is not about the fighting anymore, it’s about to choose truth or friendship.

“Mr Stephen”, I call.
“Yes Edmund “, he replies with delight.
“It’s me, it’s my entire fault”, I say with confidence and take a deep breath. I can see the change him his face, he is no more calm. I continue, “Yes, those other boys, I induced them to fight for me, I am the leader. Nothing will happen if I am not here. Please, I beg you, let all the boys leave, I will take the charge. I am ready to accept every punishment. It’s all my fault”.

I make a conclusion. It is an honour to protect my friends, even if it demands a lie. This is the most important and appropriate reason for lying. I sacrifice myself in such an extent that I am ready to receive any punishment. I take this opportunity to pay back my friends for everything they have done for me. I am sure many people will accept this type of lies, selfless, sacrifice and for the good of others.

“You are a fraudster, a cheater, a fox, a liar” he explodes. “You think you are a hero by covering your friends? No, you are a coward, who does not have courage to tell the truth. Ok, as you wish for, you will carry all the punishment, alone. No negotiation will be accepted”.

I don’t feel sorry for myself anymore; rather I am proud to be able to stand for others. I feel like I am Maximilian Kolbe, a friar, who volunteered to die in place of a stranger. He offered himself for his unknown friend to the German soldiers in concentration camp, to die of starvation in a deathly bunker.

“Edmund Hensley, these are the punishment I impose on you”, he declares. “Detention, you must stay back every afternoon after the school for one hour. You will spend this time for cleaning the school campus. From tomorrow on wards, I should not find any rubbish in the campus. If I found one, your detention time will increase. You will not have the privilege to join class outing, sport and games activities. You will write, ‘I am a coward for I lied and abuse the truth’ one thousand times, which you must submit tomorrow morning. Your punishment will last two months. And if you fail any of these, I will extent the duration of your punishment. Do I make myself clear?”

I have no problem with staying back after the class and cleaning, but outing and sports is the only things I enjoy in the school activities. I have no choice but to accept.
“Yes, Mr Stephen” I say.
“And one more thing”, he continues, “come with your father tomorrow”.

“No”, I cry out, “please not my father”.
No, my father cannot know about this. If he does, I know what he is going to do with me. No, I don’t know what he will do to me. He may literally kill me when he get drunk.

“You said that are willing to accept all the actions charge on you”, he shouts, “You prove yourself a coward once agia. Tomorrow, if I do not find you father in my office, I will immediately request a transfer certificate for you from the principal. Is it clear?”

“Please Mr Stephen”, I beg, “Let me bring my mother instead of my father. You don’t know my father, he will kill me for this”.

“I said no negotiation”, he rumbles.

He doesn’t know a thing about my father. He had beaten me several times. Once he tried to use an iron bar, but my mother came to my rescue.

“Sir, please”, I kneel down and cry, “ I know I lied to you, but this time I am telling you the truth. If I want I can lie to you again, saying that my father is not at home or bussing in his work. But this time I am telling you the truth. I don’t know what my father will do to me. He will throw me out of our house. Please, please, please….”

I crawl on the ground, I beg him, I cry. He doesn’t seem to understand. He look at me judgingly, trying to find out what is wrong with me.

From distance I can hear a voice calling out Mr Stephen's name. I turn my head and see Aloysius rushing down towards us.

“Mr Stephen” Aloysius begs, “It’s all my fault, please leave Edd. I am the culprit. I will pay the consequence”.

This is my friend, my buddy, my bff, who never leave me alone whatever the circumstance may be. We stick together, to joy and to sorrow, dust to dawn.