The five boys walked in Exodus toward Ms. Means' classroom. They knew they were in for it; no one was called to Ms. Means’ classroom without reason. The problem was, they couldn’t figure what is that they had done. They were feral in the classroom, loud and obnoxious but Ms. Means was used to that. None of them remembered being particularly impudent that day. In fact they had been nondescript in class all week with their participation grades wavering in the low seventies. They had been hoping that Ms. Means would even expunge all of the red marks by their names if they did not commit any undue deed the week before Christmas. The boys had only purloined an iota of chewing gum from behind her desk that morning; she couldn’t have noticed. They were pretty sure she left it there for anyone daring enough to take them anyways. As a precaution, the boys brought along a sweet Mexican cola they had bought at the pharmacy to mollify Ms. Means incase they were forgetting some horrible thing they did. If what they did was truly awful, they brought along a small sedative to strengthen the mollifier.
As they walked up the stairs to the classroom, the boys reassured themselves there was no need to worry. Ms. Means was not irascible. She was an amiable lady. Maybe she just wanted congratulate the boys on their superb conduct.
Before they could grasp the knob, the door flew open almost taking off all their heads. The door swung with such force that it perforated three of the boy’s sleeves as it zoomed past them. Astounded, the boys looked up and saw Ms. Means. Her eyes were indignant looking garishly red against her frail white skin. The boys realized their chances of being acquitted were zero to none. They were going to be in big trouble; it was fatalistic.
In her fury, Ms. Means didn’t even take the time to fully close the door. She simply flung the door towards its frame not noticing it didn’t quite get there. They walked quickly to their seats starring intently at their desk’s veneers to avoid any eye contact. The boy’s only hope was to remain stolid; any detection of emotion could give the teacher a wrong impression. The ex cathedra given to teachers was immense, the boys started to fear their punishment. They started to feel queasy. Suddenly, their stark faces exploded with fear. A few of the boys even started to cry.
Ms. Means pulled out a squalid smelling package from behind her chair and plopped on the front table.
“You impudent little monsters!” she yelled, picking up the bag and throwing on to a wailing boy’s desk.
“But we didn’t-“ a boy shrieked, but Ms. Means was adamant in her scolding.
“I don’t want to hear a word! Everything you say is spurious!” she said acrimoniously.
The boys didn’t even have the words impertinent and spurious in their repertoire, but they understood. They sat in their chairs bawling, not remembering ever having put that wretched bag behind her desk. They howled and hated each other because someone must have done it alone and was not honoring the code of coming forward.
Maria, having watched the whole scene through the crack left by her furtively placed shoe, smiled and turned away. As she twirled around her skirt swayed and her braids landed on the front of her shoulders delicately. She walked daintily down the stairs so pleased with her self she felt weightless. Her conniving had worked perfectly.