Expelled theme 13-playground problems challenge-alex attempts to join the tough customers but is disappointed -theme from darkangelsnapelover's one-shot challenge.
-challenge from darkangelsnapelover and her boyfriend.

Alex looked down from the jungle gym. Binky and the other Tough Customers approached. They looked up at Alex. He smirked deviously. Molly crossed her arms, "He's up there again, guys. What should we do?" Rattles shrugged. Binky walked towards the fence, "I'm tired of the jungle gym anyway. I say he can have it."

Rattles agreed. He jogged ahead of Binky, "Let's watch them pave the new sidewalk!" Alex glared. He watched them walk away. He didn't think they were such Tough Customers anymore. They didn't even try to push him off the jungle gym. They just went to the fence to watch the construction workers.

Alex wanted to be a Tough Customer. He was an angry kid. He didn't have many friends. He felt invisible. Tough Customers weren't invisible. They were the opposite. People dove out of their path. They didn't want to lose their lunch money or get pushed into lockers. Alex wanted to do those things to people. He wanted to pay his classmates back for not noticing him.

Alex got off the jungle gym. He moved to the swings. Muffy and Francine were about to get on the last two swings. Alex ran up. He shoved Muffy out of the way. She fell into Francine. Francine fell and hit a metal bar. Her head was bleeding. Alex laughed and began to swing. Muffy got into his path so he kicked her down. Both girls were hurt and screaming for help. Everyone rushed up, even the Tough Customers.

"You're mean!" Molly hissed. She helped keep everyone clear from Alex and the girls until Principal Haney could arrive. Mr. Ratburn helped the girls to the nurse's office. Principal Haney shoved Alex into his office.

"You did a horrible thing!" Principal Haney screamed. "Those girls could've been badly hurt!" "So," Alex shrugged. "Is that all you have to say? Well, hear this: Lakewood Elementary has a zero-tolerance policy for any and all bullying! You are suspended for 10 days until your tribunal hearing."

"So? I'm a third grader. You can't expel a third grader," Alex smirked. Principal Haney stood tall, "I expelled a kindergartener last week for pulling a girl's pony tail repeatedly. Don't attempt to try me."

Principal Haney called Alex's mom. She would be there in an hour. Alex waited outside. Rattles walked past. He shook his head in disgust. Alex rushed up to him, "What was that for? I thought you were a Tough Customer, a bully, a fiend!"

"Not anymore. We just call ourselves that. We'd never do what you did," Rattles said. Alex was offended. He thought the Tough Customers were actually tough. "You're all a bunch of wusses!" Alex spat. "You don't deserve to have everyone afraid of you!"

"To each his own, kid. I'd rather be a wuss than give a girl a concussion. You could've killed her. Then what? She'd be dead, then you'd be in real prison. How would you like that?" Rattles asked. An administrator noticed the boys talking. She yelled at them. Rattles fled to class. Alex kept walking around. He almost wanted to go to real prison. He knew they couldn't keep him there long. He was just a kid.

Alex's mom came. She lectured him. Alex didn't care. He asked for ice cream. His mom huffed and drove home. She went back to work. Alex stole money from her purse. He got a milkshake at the Sugar Bowl. He sipped it slowly. He wanted Arthur to come in so he could dump it on him and call him "4 eyes!" He'd always wanted to do that. But Arthur and the others avoided the place. Alex eventually finished his milkshake and went home.

His mom worked late. Alex watched an R-rated movie on the TV. He fell asleep. He dreamed he did kill Francine. Police arrested him. They took him to prison. He was locked in a cell with an ugly man. Alex clung to the bars waiting for his mom to bail him out.

Rattles walked past dressed as a guard. Alex could see into a mirror across the way. He was an adult now. Rattles shook his head, "I told you they sent kids to prison. You'll never leave." "Why aren't you here?!" Alex yelled. "I am, kid. I work here, keeping you in line. Maybe if you went to real school instead of jail school, you'd know what success is."

Rattles whistled a tune and walked away. Alex tried to leave the prison cell. he couldn't. He yelled for his mother in the dream and in real life. He woke up but she wasn't there. Alex sighed. Maybe real prison was bad. Maybe he should be good like Rattles and the other Tough Customers.

Alex spent his 10 days writing a letter apologizing for his actions. He wore his best suit to the tribunal. He read the letter. Principal Haney thought it was nice. The superintendent did too.

"But, I'm afraid the zero-tolerance policy makes this final. I'm sorry, but you've been expelled from Lakewood Elementary," the superintendent announced. Alex's mom cried, "Then how will he ever go to school?" "He'll be sent to alternative school," they announced.

Alex heard bad stories about the alternative school. He was afraid to go. But he had no choice. His mom bought him 2 white-collared shirts and 2 pairs of khakis, the school's uniform. Alex showed up and felt out of place. These kids were good too. But the rules were more strict. They helped him learn. Alex learned it was better and easier to be good.

The next summer, he went with the school board again. Muffy, Francine, and their parents were there. They didn't want Alex back at Lakewood ever. Alex couldn't fight the Crosswire's and their money. He'd have to stay at alternative school for two more years, maybe even the rest of his schooling. But at least he learned his lesson so he could avoid prison.
-end