"Ugh," Rick sighed, showing his frustration as he slammed his room door and rested his forehead against it.
"It's the same thing you said on the first day, and that is what you have been saying for the last eight days," Rick's mom replied from the kitchen, where she was preparing dinner.
"Well, it's not my fault. I was quite busy today and forgot," Rick replied. “And it's not the same thing I say every day. Yesterday, I called John to know if he would be at home so I could come to get it, but he didn't answer any of my calls." He opened the door slightly again to make sure she heard him.
"Well, maybe I should just call your father," his mother taunted him.
"Seriously! You are just going to blackmail me for everything now? Besides, I already told you I will get it tomorrow," Rick said with mixed emotions of anger, sadness, and frustration. It had become something his mother did frequently after the end of every school session. "Maybe I should just call your father." She even used it to make him keep his room tidy all the time.
"Well, you have said tomorrow so many times that I am beginning to wonder, will tomorrow ever come?" Rick's mom said, laughing sarcastically.
"Don't worry. I will make sure I get it tomorrow. You don't need to tell Dad," Rick said as he crossed the room, went back to his bed, and continued with his video game.
Rick's dad is based in China, where he works as a robot engineer. Every school session, he promises Rick he will get something for him if his mom gives a good report of him. The best way to get his mom to give a good report was by being exceptional in his exams, which he usually was.
The next day, Rick and his mom went out to the supermarket to buy some food. At the supermarket, Rick was trying to convince his mom to buy some chocolate when they both sighted Mrs. Shantel, John's mom.
"Hey, Shantel," Rick's mom waved hello to John's mom. They were good friends, and that was how John and Rick became friends too.
"Lily," John's mom said as she walked over to Rick and his mom. "What a surprise! I just came over to get some drugs for John because he isn't feeling quite well."
"I hope it isn't that serious," Rick's mom asked, concerned.
"No, it's not."
"Okay. Rick has been trying to reach him to ask if he could come get his report card."
"They took it like a week ago, right? I just got off the phone with him. I would call him now and let him know in case I forget it later on."
"Okay, thanks. That would be great."
John's mom called John, and he picked up.
"Mom, did you forget anything?" John asked on the phone.
"No. I met Rick and his mom now, and they said you have Rick's report card."
"Yes, he forgot it with me the day we took the cards."
"Okay, just read it and keep it on the table in the sitting room so I won't forget it because I plan on visiting them tomorrow."
"Okay, Mom," John said as he cut the call.
"I have told him, and I will bring it over to your house tomorrow because we have some things to talk about," John's mom said.
"Okay, thanks a lot. See you tomorrow," Rick's mom replied.
"Bye," they both waved to each other as they departed.
They got home, and Rick rushed to his room and called John.
"Bro," he said as John picked up the call.
"Rick, you owe me big time for my acting skills."
"Yes, bro, thank you. You don't know how hard my heart was beating. You saved me."
"So, you haven't told your mom that you got an E in math?"
"I can't tell her."
"You have to tell her one day. After all, it was only math you didn't do well in."
"What if I tell her and my dad doesn't get me what he promised me again?"
"Then you try again. You should tell her that she finds out herself that you have been lying."
After Rick's conversation with John, he finally decided to let the cat out of the bag.
That night, he took the report card from under his bed where he hid it, and took it to his mom.
“Mom here is my report card," he said, with his face down as he gave it to his mom sitting in the parlor.
“When did you get it from John?" his mom asked him.
“It wasn't with John," Rick said, face down in shame. “I am sorry. I didn't do well as usual in math, and I didn't want you to tell Dad, so he wouldn't cancel what he promised me. So I hid it and lied that John was with it."
"Aww, I knew the truth already.”
"What? When did you find out?" Rick said, shocked.
"After you told me it was with John, I found it under your bed when I was cleaning your room. I just wanted you to tell me yourself.”
"Mom, I am sorry,” Rick said as he started to shed tears.
"No need to cry. We are humans, and sometimes we make mistakes. I can't be angry at you for slacking just once.”
"Thank you, Mom,” Rick said as he hugged her.
Rick's mom later told his dad, but his dad still didn't cancel the promise he made. Although Rick's mom wasn't angry at him for getting an E for the first time, she took away his phone for three weeks as punishment for lying.