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No trust, no friendship
Tina and Tania were walking in the beautiful garden. The birds were chirping, the flowers were blossoming and the tinkling laughter of the two girls added to the beauty of the garden. A pair of brown eyes surveyed them with jealousy. Shelly, the girls’ class fellow had always been jealous of their friendship. It was because Tania had been her best friend sometime back but their friendship had broken because Shelly had always been very selfish. The girls were, however, oblivious of the fact that they were being watched and that some one was planning to break their friendship.
Shelly was contemplating how to turn the girls against each other. She could not bear to see the two of them together and especially hated Tania because she had told the class teacher when Shelly had been cheating. Shelly decided to turn the tables towards them.
The chilly winds of December brought the examinations round the corner as well. Tina and Tania were studying mathematics together. Tania was not that good in mathematics. Therefore, Tina was helping her out.
“Come on Tania, it is very easy. All you have to do is make an equation first and then solve it,” Tina said, exasperated.
“Ugh! I know! But I can’t make the equation only,” Tania replied, pulling at her hair.
Suddenly her eyes lit up mischievously.
“Hey! You tell me the equation the paper, after all I just sit behind you,” Tania said excitedly.
“Are you crazy? You are not serious, are you,” Tina yelled.
The smile faded from Tania’s face and she said, “Of course!” Tania was quiet throughout the session.
“Did I say something, Tania?” Tina asked anxiously.
“No, not at all,” Tania tried to smile.
“Yes, of course, you would tell me if something was wrong, right pal?” Tina slapped Tania a high-five.
The day of the examination finally arrived. The expressions on Tania and Tina’s face were as different as day and night. Tina was completely relaxed while Tania had her fingers crossed.
Shelly saw this as her chance. She threw a dirty glance at them.
“I am so scared,” Tania said.
“Hey! You will be great. I know you can do it,” Tina said.
“Thanks pal, but I know I am a hopeless case. I wish we had those self-answering quills like in Harry Potter.”
Tina laughed and slapped her on the back.
Tania’s heart was beating very fast as she surveyed the paper in front of her. Most of them were word problems.
“Come on you can do it,” Tania whispered to herself.
Tania first decided to attempt the graph question since it looked comparatively easier. She rummaged around in her box for a ruler. There was no ruler. She tapped Tina on her shoulder and asked for a ruler. Shelly who was sitting beside Tina hurriedly took the ruler. Tina worriedly turned around and whispered: “What?
“Please give me the ruler,” Tania replied.
Tina searched and turned around and said: “I don’t have it.”
“Hey, don’t lie I just saw it.” Tania said.
“I swear I don’t...”
“Excuse me girls, any problem?” The teacher, hearing the commotion, came to their side.
Shelly quickly raised her hand and stood up and accused Tania. “Teacher, actually Tania was asking Tina some question. She was cheating but Tina refused. I listened to it myself! She asked for a ruler but she was actually seeing some question on Tina’s paper!”
“You are lying. I did not see her paper.”
“Oh really? We all know how bad you are at maths,” Shelly raised her eye brows.
Tania could not muster a reply. All she could do was stare at her horrified. She looked helplessly at Tina but she was watching Tania angrily.
“Were you really cheating from my paper?” Tina asked.
“No! I swear!” Tania replied.
“That day you told me yourself that you would cheat when we were studying!” Tina said.
“That was a joke.” Tania yelled.
“Girls! Maintain silence. Tania give me your paper. Tina herself is saying you were cheating. Your examination is cancelled. Go out of the class room.” The teacher said with finality.
“But — please,” Tania stammered.
“No buts. Out!” The teacher said firmly.
Tania shot Tina and Shelly a disgusted look and walked out of the class.
Tina and Shelly became bosom friends soon enough. Tania soon figured out Shelly’s plan. She wanted to break their friendship, that’s why she had done it all. But how could she make Tina realise this.
That day Tania was sitting in the garden where the two best friends had shared so many memories. She looked at the tree where they used to sit together and play and eat. Tears trickled down her face. But of course, Tina was also to blame. She did not trust her best friend. And if there was no trust, there was no friendship. Tania figured out that she had to move on.
Soon Tina realised how selfish and mean Shelly was. She realised her grave mistake. She could not face Tania but she mustered up her courage and went to Tania’s home. But all was lost. One glance at the garden told her enough. Tania was happily laughing with another girl. Tina was brought back to reality. She knew that she was lost. She had no friends.
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