Behind her, the noise escalated into a raging argument. Ms. Mellentine was scribbling the daily homework assignments onto the whiteboard when the fight broke out. Calvin, renowned for his short temper, was on the ground tackling Joe, while the other students surrounded them in a circle wearing exhilarated faces. Ms. Mellentine swiftly spun around upon hearing the crashing of desks and mad yells. Seeing her third graders fighting, she ran over to break up the fight.

“Boys! Calm yourselves! Now tell me what is going on!”

Simultaneously, both boys screamed, “He started it!” while pointing to the other boy. The other classmates giggled.

“Seriously, what happened?” the confused teacher questioned.

“Alright,” Calvin confessed,” I started it. “But only because he stole my eraser!”

“What a lie!” Joe yelled back. “Why would I steal your eraser when I have my own?”

Calvin then thrust himself onto Joe and they started to fight again. Ms. Mellentine shrieked “Time out!”, and both boys retreated with furious facial expressions.

“Calvin, are you completely positive that joe stole your eraser?”

“Noo...”

“And Joe, did you steal Calvin’s era--”

“Hey!” a girl called out. “The eraser’s right there, under Calvin’s desk!” Everybody bursted into a fit of laughter.

Calvin flushed a deep crimson red.