Worst day of my life

"It was the worst day of my life. It was April 14th, 2018. I got up in the morning, washed my face, and told Mama that I had a biology practical exam that day. My practical paper was in a township school.

I had also been preparing for the MCAT (Medical entry test) during these days. The preparation for the MCAT starts during the practicals of the 12th class in Pakistan. My family had barely paid the MCAT fees of Rs 50,000, and having a holiday would have a very bad effect on my MCAT preparation. But on that day, due to practical reasons, my mother made me skip the MCAT class for a day.

I did my entire preparation and grabbed my bag. Before leaving, I thought to confirm that the paper was that day. When I saw the date sheet, I realized it was on April 15th instead of April 14th. I was suddenly upset. I did not tell my family that my paper was the next day for fear of having to take leave from the MCAT, and got on my bike to give the practical paper.

I stopped at a bus stop near the academy where I was preparing for the MCAT and sat down. I spent my paper time at the bus stop because I knew my paper was the next day. I unloaded my bag with the roll number slip, practical copy, and geometry box. I hung the bag with a hook at the bus stop and began to spend time. There was also a park with the bus stop, so I thought I'd sit in the park for a while. I sat in the park and stayed there for about an hour.

While sitting in the park, suddenly the thought of my bag came to my mind. I realized I had forgotten my bag at the same bus stop. I ran to my bag, but it was not there. I asked people around, but no one had seen anyone carrying the bag. I sat down at the bus stop again in a state of anxiety. I had my roll number slip in my bag, without which I would not be allowed to enter the paper. I kept thinking about this for a while.

The paper time was almost over, so I rode my bike and went home. As soon as I got home, I changed my facial expressions, and when the family asked how the paper went, I said it was great and very easy. I kept thinking about my bag all day, and I was very worried about how I would be able to give the practical paper the next day without the roll number slip and practical copy.

I took the name of Allah and fell asleep, spending all night thinking about the bag. I woke up in the morning and ate food. I told my family that I was going to prepare for the MCAT when I had a practical paper that day. My papers were supposed to start at 8:30. I left home at six o'clock. I stopped at the bus stop again, then sat down and looked at my bag, but I did not find it. I sat there for a while, then got on my bike and headed towards the school. I stopped my bike in front of the school gate at eight o'clock and waited for the school guards to let the children in. When the school guard signaled, the children began to sit in the exam hall, showing their roll number slip in a line.

When I saw that the school guard was not checking the roll number slip properly, I joined the line. But when it was my turn, the guard asked me for the slip. I froze in front of him, filled with anxiety. When the guard asked me what was wrong with the slip, I made the excuse that I had lost my bag around the school grounds. In truth, my bag had been lost at the bus stop.

The school guard took me to the ground and asked the ground cleaner how he could tell if the bag had not been lost there. The guard then asked me to look at a bag in the dustbin lying on the ground. I knew that this was all futile.

However, the guard reassured me, saying "Don't worry, baby. I'll put you on the list." I just wanted to sit for the exam somehow, and my anxiety was only getting worse. The guard then took me to the superintendent (the exam supervisor), who asked me about my problem. I put on a crying face and told the whole story. The superintendent asked the students in the exam hall if anyone knew me, and only one child raised his hand in such a large hall. I breathed a sigh of relief, and then the superintendent gave me the paper.

Finally, I took the paper and went out of the gate to say thank you, but the guard was nowhere to be found. I retrieved my bike and looked towards the school gate with a smile. I felt like a hero, one who fulfilled his mission by risking his life. I lay on my bed, laughing at my careless and innocent acting.