Hold it.

YUCK! The once white colorful classroom now looked like the inside of an M&M and

smelt of feces. Children were whining due to their nausea and disgust.

Poor little Shawn could not hold it in and was too shy to ask permission to use the bathroom

after Molly had already requested and was given a stern "NO" by Mrs. Fields. "You just had a

snack break. You should have used the bathroom then," Mrs. Fields reprimanded. "But I did not

have to go then, now I do," Molly replied miserably, moving her mouth, nervous she might tinkle

any second. That is when Mrs. Fields pointed Miserable Molly in the direction of her assigned

desk. After Molly was asked to sit back down, Shawn knew he could not ask permission to use the

bathroom. So as Mrs. Fields continued her lesson on the importance of health and how to build

healthy habits, all Shawn thought about was his urgent need to use the restroom. The sound of

thunder emerged from Shawn's stomach, his mind flooding with worries. Will he be brave enough

to stand up and ask Mrs. Fields for permission now or wait till another student asked and was given

permission. As he analyzed his options, he looked over at Miserable Molly, whose face looked

three times larger than a soccer ball and whose body was having difficulty sitting up straight on

her chair. Shawn then realized his only option was to wait till someone else asked and was given

permission; that way, he would not be reprimanded when he asked.

Poor Shawn sat restlessly for forty minutes, waiting for another student to ask for

permission. That's when Zaya raised her hand, and Shawn's hope surged, thinking she would ask

Mrs. Fields to use the bathroom, but what she asked instead was if they could pick their partners

for the project on the importance of healthy living conditions. Shawn was panicking and could see

Miserable Molly was too. Miserable Molly, however, was on the verge of fainting if she held it

any longer, so she decided to raise her hand in the air for Mrs. Fields to call on her. As soon as

Mrs. Fields granted Miserable Molly permission to use the bathroom, she was out the door moving

as fast as she could while still containing her bladder. Shy Shawn was relieved he could now ask

for permission without being scolded, given Miserable Molly was granted permission. Shawn's

hand sprung up, and Mrs. Fields called on him, "Can I go to the bathroom, please?" Shawn asked,

anticipating her approval, "You mean may I go to the bathroom." Shawn replied, "May I please go

to the bathroom, Mrs. Fields." "No, Shawn, you know the rule only one student leaves the

classroom at a time," Mrs. Fields reminded him. Shawn began to chew on his lip as he stared at

the floor, anxious about all the things that could go terribly wrong if he did not get to a bathroom.

Nearly eight minutes later, when Molly returned walking far more majestic than on her

way out, she placed the hall pass back on the doorknob and sat down. Shawn's arm shot up, and

he waited for what seemed like an hour for Mrs. Fields to call on him. When she did call on him,

Shawn uttered weakly, "May I pleaaseeee go to the bathroom." Mrs. Fields stared at Shawn in

disbelief, "No, you cannot go to the bathroom; the break is in ten minutes, just wait." Shawn's face

transformed. His eyes went wide, his shoulders shrunk, his breathing slowed, and his arms

wrapped around him. Then it happened. First came the PFFFT, then a FRAAAAAAAP next Poor

Shawn's blue shorts weren't so blue anymore, and the classroom that once smelt like crayons and

glue now smelt like straight-up poo. Everyone at his school shunned poor Shawn, and rumors

spread of his terrible accident when he transferred to a new school. Poor Shawn could never return

to school again.