Spitball(Darrell Case) The spit wad hit Olivia in the ear. “Ouch.” She cried, grabbing the side of her head. The eleven-year-old girl’s eyes swept the room. Jatin pretended to be absorbed it his textbook. He slipped the rubber band into his shirt pocket.
Miss Mileman rose from her seat. The middle age teacher walked down the aisle between the seats in the 5th grade classroom. She lay a hand on Jatin’s shoulder. He looked up. He had thought the teacher was not watching. Now he knew differently.
“Jatin, come with me.” She said. It was a command, not a request. He rose from his seat and followed the teacher to the front of the room. Olivia stuck out her tongue. He did the same to her. “Jatin, don’t stick out your tongue at Olivia.”
He looked at the back of the teacher. How did she know? “Yes, ma’am.” He said meekly. Caught. She knew it, he knew it, and now the entire class knew it. A titter ran through the room.

Miss Mileman leaned over her desk. On a piece of notepaper, she scribbled a few lines. Folding it, she handed the note to Jatin. “Take this to the principal’s office.” He took it in his sweaty palm.
“But…but couldn’t we just forget it?” He said, tears welling in his eyes.
“No, we can’t. You received a warning last time. Now you have to pay the consequences.” She opened the door to the classroom for him. He trudged out into the hallway. Dragging his feet, he made his way to the principal’s office. Hesitantly, he knocked. Mrs. Stanton opened the door.
Her stern expression said it all. This time, he didn’t get away with it. “Alright, let me see it.” She held out her hand. He handed her the note, damp with sweat. She read it. “Have a seat.” She indicated one chair against the wall. Seated behind her desk, she picked up the phone. She punched in the number he knew so well.
Twenty minutes later, his mother appeared in the hallway. He heard her coming. Her firm steps echoing. He looked up as she entered the office.
“Good morning.” She said to Mrs. Stanton.”
“Good morning Mrs. Tomes.”
She turned to her son. “Ok, let me have it.” She said, holding out her hand. His moist eyes downcast, he reached into his shirt pocket and retrieved the rubber band. Silently, he lay it in his mother’s hand. She threw it in the wastebasket. “What do you think is a just punishment for him?”
“We have warned him about this before. Usually, I would recommend a three-day suspension. However, given that his class has a scheduled tour of the chocolate factory tomorrow...”
His mother looked at her son with a mixture of love and pity. She said. “I think that’s a good idea. Three days and no chocolate.”
Jatin looked at his mother, his face twisted in a horrified expression. His eyes filled with tears. “But mom.”
“Jatin, I love you. But I want this to be a lesson you will keep with you all your life. You cannot do wrong and not pay the price for it.”
“But…but I was looking forward to the chocolate factory for weeks.” He said, tears running down his cheeks.
“I know, honey, but it’s for your own benefit.” His mother said. “Also, you need to apologize to Olivia.”

They waited while the girl came to the office. Jatin felt trapped and embarrassed. When Olivia arrived, his mother and Mrs. Stanton quietly stepped out of the office.
Jatin looked up, his eyes filled with tears. “You hurt me.” Olivia said. “Why?”
Jatin shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. It seemed funny at the time.” He had no better excuse.
“It wasn’t.” She said, a frown on her face. “Don’t ever do that again.”
He opened his mouth, but she went out before he could say a word.

“Ok Jatin, let’s go home.” His mother said, picking up his backpack. Thus began the hardest three days of the young boy’s life. The next day, while his classmates toured the chocolate factory, Jatin cleaned the basement. At the end of the day, Jatin had cleaned the basement and felt worn out. The next morning, after his father went to work, his mother backed her car out of the garage. She smiled at Jatin’s tousled hair and sleepy eyes.
“After breakfast, you can start on the garage.” She said, setting down a plate of pancakes in front of her son. “By the way, did you get your homework done?”
“Yes. But I fell asleep halfway through and had to finish this morning.” He said. “Do I have to clean the garage today? It’s a mess.”
“No.” she said, smiling. “You can take two days. Come on, eat up. It’s going to be a long day.”
“That’s for sure.” He mumbled.
That night, his father helped him. The next day, Jatin finished cleaning the garage by noon. In the afternoon, his mother took him to the zoo.

10 years later, Jatin stood nervously, shifting from one foot to the other. The commitment he made today would last a lifetime. The sound of music filled the air. The crowd stood to their feet. In brilliant white, her smile lighting her face. Olivia floated down the aisle. Today, Olivia and Jatin were to be united in marriage.

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