: In the beginning.'

Notice: Look, rather than complaining about how life sucks in an overdone perspective, I really think it's better if I put it in story format.

His lips were parched as he examined that piece of paper that would finally allow him to know whether or not he had recieved the marks he had always wanted.

A four. Somehow, he could still gulp even though his throat was too dry even to let out a gasp.

"So Justin, what did you get?"

He refused to reply rightaway and chose to take his plastic water bottle beside his green school bag. Swallowing huge amounts of water did little help in cooling off the fiery heart that was in him. Putting aside the nearly empty bottle, he replied with hesitation: "Uhh.. I really don't want to tell."

"Oh come on! We all share our grades, why can't you?"

It's true. The marks he had so wished to have had been thrown around the room minutes ago. But none of them were within his reach. He could already sense what was inside his friend's mind.

"Why did Justin not want to share his grades to me? It's not like I had perfect marks. Man, he's such an arrogant jerk. I don't want to be here when he rubs it in me." Justin's face was no longer there; all that's left was the face of a monster - arrogant, selfish, and painfully smart.

Needless to say, Justin did not feel smart at all. As a matter of fact, he felt like the dumbest kid in class. There were a few others who had lower grades than him, but they didn't even study and deserved those grades. Justin worked his butt off until the wee hours of morning. He felt pathetic.

But it's even more pathetic to know that the friend sitting next to him, the very person he had refused to share his grades with just seconds ago, had already came up with a seemingly reasonable conclusion of Justin's arrogant reply. It's ironic at how that conclusion is made to conceal his own faults by spotting the mistakes of another, perhaps more imperfect, human being.

Fearing what may happen if things get out of hand, Justin replied. But he stopped again. He wanted to explain that he does not feel at all obliged to share his grades with his friend and how it is his own grades and not other people's. That he is completely aware of his friend's intentions.

But before he could justify anything, he looked at the frozen look on his friend's face which could only mean one thing: his conclusions are reasonable enough and he will stand strong to it until someone could come up with another reasonable conclusion that could otherwise change his mind, someone that is preferably not Justin.

Justin sighed and excused himself as he left for the restroom. The class is still far from over, and already he could hear the whispered lies over his shoulder.

It has begun.