Not Just a Coincidence

What goes around comes around, as the saying goes. This is a motto for some, but a belief for me. I believe people get what they deserve. It is not about vengeance or chance but the world balancing itself out. However, I haven’t always has this outlook; at one time in my life things appeared to be a mere coincidence.

I have seen plenty of people purposely do wrong. It infuriated me because many times they get away with it...time and time again. I used to believe people could behave however they please, and it wouldn’t matter. This was completely unfair in my eyes—nobody deserves to benefit through deceit. Cheating, stealing, and lying somehow didn’t influence their lives in a negative way. How was this so?

Then I met Chris.

It was seventh grade and we had all the same classes. He appeared to be one of the most intelligent, well rounded kids at school. I quickly admired him, and we became friends. Little did I know, Chris was smarter than I thought—he had mastered the art of deception.

I realized over the first weeks of school, Chris carefully chose his seat in each class. He didn’t sit with friends or even people he knew. He placed himself in the middle of the straight-A students, the ones who cared more about class than the teachers did. I discreetly began to watch him in class. His eyes were often glued to the papers of his neighbors. He didn’t ask many questions. Instead, he’d ask a classmate what the correct answer was. To him it didn’t matter how or why, as long as he could proudly call out a response in class. Teachers loved him. Faculty respected him. Students wanted to be him. I couldn’t stand him.

As we moved into high school, this cheating habit matured. Chris was placed in all advanced courses. I had three classes with him, but we still never sat near each other; he still sat within the same group of students. His wondering eyes had improved; I saw him cheat on every quiz and test in the class that year. I studied for hours in these classes; however, he always got a better grade. I worked hard, while he cheated and got praised for his effort. Chris would form study groups to go over homework and prepare for tests. Not to my surprise, while attending one of the sessions I realized Chris didn’t actually do any work. There was random scribble covering the page and he’d ask what everyone got for an answer. Then he’d write that down. I actually did the work and got the correct answers. I studied, prepared, and worked hard. He used people for his grades and nobody seemed to notice but me.

Before I knew it, it was time to take the SAT’s and apply to college. Chris was applying to only one school. Chris had a great GPA and was confident in his acceptance. I figured he could get into many schools, however he chose one—a very difficult one. The day of the SAT’s Chris looked completely disoriented. I was nervous myself, but he was overwhelmed. It then hit me that Chris knew he couldn’t cheat on the SAT. For once he would have to do it himself.

Months later, the letters were delivered. Everyone stalked their mailbox until each college had replied. I was accepted into three schools and wait-listed for one. I was ecstatic. I was going to a college I worked hard for. At school, everyone was figuring out possible roommate plans. I saw Chris walking down the hall with a blank look on his face. He didn’t say a word to anyone. I found out later that day Chris didn’t get in to the one school he applied to. He had no backup plan or options. He finally realized the result of cheating and lying.

Although I felt sympathy for his situation, I can’t say I was surprised. Chris cheated his whole way through school. More importantly he cheated himself. That day I realized, things don’t just happen. He never put in effort or earned an acceptance to a prestigious college. He relied on others to do that for him. To this day, Chris never completed a degree. He attempted two years at a local community college, but dropped out after one semester. I believe that even though things take time, even years in this case, we all will get what we deserve.