Salinas, Ca

     The plump, red waxed apple appeared on the teacher’s messy desk after he ha ducked out of the class for a second. Some child had polished it with pride, planted it on his desk, and now it waited for the teacher to notice it. 

    "I see somebody thinks I need more fruit in my diet," Mr. K said, when he spotted it. He added, "Anybody know anything about this red sphere?"

         Silence.

         "Soooo," he said to the class, "you think I can't find out who the donor is?"

         Mr. K walked to the front of the class and stopped in front of Mia. One of the kids grumbled, "Oh man, he's going to ask blabberpuss."

        The teacher planted the apple squarely on Mia Rocha’s desk. Mia squirmed under his attentive eyes.  She bit her lip and peered up through her thick plastic framed glasses.

     "That's not fair teacher," complained Javier, a boy two rows over.

     Mr. K smiled and directed his gaze at the boy, "Javier?"

     "Yes," said the boy frowning.

     "Thank you for the apple."

     "Boy, teacher, you always guess right," said Mia.

     "Mia! Quiet," Javier yelled, "The teacher just tricked YOU."

     "Again..,I tricked you A.G.A.I.N.  That's why they call me Sherlock K III."

     "Right," said Javier.

     "Javier, thank you for the apple."

     "You’re welcome, but I hope there's a worm in it."

     "Enough about apples it’s time. Have a good recess," and he dismissed the class row by row.  They poured out, scrambling for the red balls and jump ropes. Mia left last, crossed her arms across her chest, and declared,  "Next time I'm not telling, no matter what. You'll see!"

    The teacher nearly ran to the teachers' lounge, picked up mail, used the copier, and called a mom. No time for the bathroom. The fifteen-minute break always evaporated.  When the bell rang he found Javier, head down buried in his arms sobbing. 

    "What's going on?"

    Javier lifted his head, revealing tears and a dirty face.  He pointed at the teacher’s desk.

A huge bite had been chunked out of the apple.

    "Who did this?" Mr. Karrer asked.

    Silence met his glare.

    "This is not right.  Someone gave me a gift, and now somebody else ate it. Tell you what, since I'm in a good mood there will be a general amnesty.  Whoever did it can confess and they don't get in trouble." 

     The kids liked general amnesties.  The teacher gave them out sparingly. But still no one said a word. He shot a sideways glance at Mia.  Her eyes widened and she looked like she would explode. 

     "Last chance to tell the truth anyone, otherwise you lose lunch recess and it's line practice for the whole class."

    The teacher strolled in Mia's direction, "Let's take out our reading books.  I want you to pre-read pages thirty-eight through forty-four."

     Mia pushed her book up higher so she couldn't be seen.  Mr. K bent down and pushed her book flat on her desk. 

     "Mia, what do you know about this?"

     A tear trickled from her left eye

     "Are you O.K?" he asked.

     She shook her head in the negative and whispered, "I'm not telling anymore."

     "Why?"

     "I can't tell."

     "Why?"

     "She'll kill me. Oooops."

     "Well, we know it's a girl."

     Sarah closed her eyes and a river of wetness flowed from them.

     "I have an idea. How about if I ask you each girls’ name and you just shake your head yes or no.  That way you are not really telling me."

      "Can I go home?  I feel sick."

      "Not yet. Did you see who did it?"

      She shook her head negatively.

      “But you know who did it?”

      Her head lifted in a barely perceptible up and down motion.

       “Did anybody else see?"

      Mia shook her head in the negative.  Mr. K went through each girl’s name in the class and each time Sarah shook her head in the negative.  He frowned and pulled on his chin.  At that same moment the intercom clicked on.  The female principal's voice rang out, "Mr. K?  You there?"

     "Yes?"

     "Nice apple. April Fools. Was it a secret?"

      “Yes…yes it was.”

       Javier lifted his head somewhat relieved and Mia fumbled with a hard won smile.