Bad Report?

• Holly Walker, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2011

It was the first year of grade 6. We had the best grade with the best teacher. Everything was going great UNTIL term 4 struck and our teacher had to leave to have a baby. We then realized that that wasn't our biggest problem, we had an old, slow, wrinkly, annoying mas as a teacher. His name was Mr Snail. That name served him right, he was the slowest teacher i had ever met. He didn't explain anything to us, he just expected us to know and do everything. So i started not paying attention in class. I also missed a few lots of homework. It's not like me but i didn't know what to do, and if I asked he wouldn't explain it right anyway! I was so messed up!
It then came to end of year, which meant REPORT TIME! I was so worried, how was I suppose to get a good report with a teacher that doesn't teach you anything? But it was time. The teacher gave me the light creamy color folder which held my fate. He looked at me in a sly way. I knew it was going to be bad! I had butterflies inside as my fingers slid through the seal. I ripped it open.
IT WAS ALL F'S! every single subject! I had to do something, I couldn't let my Mum see this! So after school I slid into the teachers lobby. And with luck one teacher didn't log out. I Hopped onto the computer and got onto my report. I changed them all to good scores. I printed, then exit it without saving. Then i ran home with my new report.
When i got home mu Mum was very pleased with it, so i was happy. But then the next day at school Mr Snail gave out the parent teacher interview notices, where we have to show our report! He is going to know I changed it! I went to the interview with my Mum, sat down and placed my report in front of Mr Snail. He looked at it and was shocked. Looking confused he said, "This isn't right!" Ashamed and embarrassed I ran home, packed my bags and ran away from home.
I ran so far away so no one could ever find me.
I was now 20 years old. And only then I realized I had wasted my life. I was sitting on a curb and saw something shiny in the drain. It was a $100 note. I got it out and was so happy! But then i realized that it had a fast forward, stop and backwards button with the heading LIFE on it. I remember hearing someone on the news invent a time travelling note. I thought that maybe the note could take me back in time! With all my fear,sadness and guilt, I closed my eyes and pressed backwards.
It worked! My whole life was flashing before my eyes but backwards. I pressed stop. The note was gone. It stopped at the day I got my report. Mr Snail handed me my report with his sly look, but i didn't want to change it, I just wanted to tell the truth, this time.
It was parent teacher interview time, and I was sitting at the desk with my angry mother and my teacher Mr Snail. I handed my report to him, he opened it and was very happy? A bit too happy. He then told me that he had changed things for this year, that A's were the worst and F's were the best! He told me that I was his best student this year! I was so happy! My Mums face lit up as well as mine. If I didn't know this i would have wasted my life, again!
Well I went on with my life like nothing ever happened, i didn't tell anyone about my experience nor speak of it. I finished schooling and had a family. It wasn't until one day when I was playing with my kids in the backyard when I thought of my experience so many years ago. I saw something shining in my gutter in the distance, I walked over there slowly and saw what it was, I picked it up in amazement, my mouth opened wide. It was THE NOTE.
But that's another story.