Our protagonist, a 13-year-old boy, was an average student, but he struggled in one particular subject - Mathematics. The first quarter report card reflected his struggle with a failing grade.

His Mathematics teacher, a stern middle-aged man, had given him the bad news. This was when our protagonist hatched a plan to create a fake report card.

Using his computer, he carefully replicated the design of the school report card. He replaced the failing grade with a pass and printed it out, feeling a sense of relief wash over him.

His mother, a caring woman in her mid-forties, was none the wiser. She believed her son's grades were improving, which brought her immense joy.

As the school year ended, he continued to create fake report cards, each quarter's lies building upon the last. However, he forgot one crucial detail - the school sent out the end-of-year report cards.

His mother received the real report card before he could replace it. She was shocked and immediately called the school, convinced there had been a mistake.

The school was in a conundrum. The Math teacher had retired and disposed of his records, leaving them with no proof of the boy's actual grades. The boy's fake report cards were all they had.

The school decided to accept the fake report cards as 'proof' and rectified the 'error.' His mother was relieved and praised him for his 'hard work.'

The boy felt a sense of triumph but also guilt. He had gotten away with his deceit but at the cost of lying to his mother and himself.

He decided to work harder and actually earn the grades he had faked. He didn't want to lie anymore, not to his mother, and not to himself.

A year later, the boy had improved drastically in Mathematics. He had worked hard, and it showed in his real report card - all passing grades.

His mother was proud, and so was he. But he never confessed the truth about the fake report cards to his mother. It remained his little secret, a reminder of the time he overcame his fears.