It's Not Fair (Part Five)

Part Five-Do you know the muffin man?

“Way to be slick,” Ms. Sullivan whispered to Rex. They were in their English class taking a test on chapter eleven of Huck Finn.

Ashlynn turned her head to see Rex eating something out of a Wal-Mart shopping bag out of the corner of her eye.

“Put the muffin away, Rex.”

As Rex started closing the bag, he asked, “How did you know it was a muffin?”

“I can see some of it on the floor.” Rex picked up the pieces the teacher had pointed to and started for the front of the class. “Don’t put them in your mouth, or your pants. You’d have muffin pants.”

A few of Ashlynn’s classmates laughed but she couldn’t keep her eyes off of Rex. She would have never watched him as he walked between desks. She would have never smile to herself as he passed her and took his seat. So many changes, so little time.

As Rex sat down, Darren started whistling the tune to ‘Do You Know the Muffin Man.’ and the entire class erupted with laughter. Even Ashlynn giggled behind her hand.

“How does your girlfriend put up with you?” Ms. Sullivan asked Rex.

Ashlynn’s heart froze. This was it. This was the moment where she would finally see if Rex was sincere or not. This was the moment he could make the big gesture.

“Ugh,” someone scoffed. “The stupid idiot doesn’t have to worry about me putting up with his barbaric attitude any longer.” Ashlynn turned her head to see Robin rolling her eyes.

“Robin,” Ashlynn felt herself saying. “Spell barbaric.”

Robin’s jaw fell as she glared at Ashlynn. Ashlynn wore a smug smile on her face, she know Robin was too much of a ditz to spell the word correctly. It was safe to say her confidence was pure.

“Well,” Rex said, “we are waiting.”

Robin’s eyes narrowed at the pair.

“B-A-R-B-A-R-I-C-K. Barbaric.”

“Wrong,” Ashlynn sang.

The classroom erupted with laughter all over again. A few of the students were clapping; others were saying things like, “owned,” and “burn.”

Ashlynn, as if nothing had happened, turned straight in her desk, picked up her pen, and continued her quiz.

“Alright, enough! You have a quiz out,” Ms. Sullivan finally said. “Ashlynn, please give me your quiz.”

“What?”

“Give it to me,” her teacher snapped.

Ashlynn rose from her seat and handed the unfinished quiz to her teacher.

“I will not tolerate this behavior in my class room, Ms. Lane.” Ms. Sullivan said in a low voice. “Your getting a zero on this quiz and I want you to go see Mr. Granger. You should never bully other students.”

“But she…” What’s the use? Ms. Sullivan favored Robin because they both agreed on the same American Idol winner. Typical.

“Fine,” Ashlynn said. She walked over to her desk to grab her belongings and kept her eyes on the floor. She didn’t look at Stella for an escape. She didn’t give Robin the death stare. And she didn’t look at Rex for his unwanted pity face. She didn’t want it.

Except Rex surprised her. He stood from his chair and took Ashlynn’s hand. Her eyes widened and she swallowed a gasp.

“I think this pretty lady needs an escort.” He smiled at her and her heart melted.

“Rex, sit down,” Ms. Sullivan demanded.

Hand in hand, Rex and Ashlynn walked out of their English class. They left behind a pissed off Robin and a confused teacher fumbling for the phone.

Ashlynn knew that her actions meant yet another week of detention, but she didn’t care. Rex had made the big gesture. Granted he would also get in trouble and that was reckless and stupid, but as long as he was holding her hand, she simply did not care.