The headmaster didn’t move. He looked into the eyes of every teenage boy in the room. One of the students began tapping on the floor with his feet.
“Students, someone in this class has stolen a Tacobot from the school cafeteria,” He said after he had examined the eyes of everyone in the class. Silence was kept from the room only by the tapping of the anxious boy.
Those who were looking at him noticed a grin crawl across his face. His eyes were locked on the headmaster. He began to giggle, laughing harder and harder until everyone was looking at him.
“Thomas. Come with me.” Everyone knew the penalty for stealing. Thomas was well liked, and every face in that room was creased with concern for the boy.
Thomas marched to the front of the room, the smile never leaving his face.
A small kid at the front of the class spoke up.
“Headmaster, sir, I believe Thomas has Kleptomania. Kleptomaniacs steal things because when people react to their things being stolen, it releases a chemical response in the thiefs brain that is somewhat equivalent to a first kiss. My older brother is a Kleptomaniac, and that's what he said. The bigger the reaction, the greater the experience. If you give him the customary 10 lashes, he will enjoy it more than it will hurt. The best way to punish him would be to say, ‘Don’t do it again,’ and move on.”
“Especially if it wasn’t even Thomas who stole it, huh,” The headmaster replied, dragging the small kid out into the hallway. Thomas sauntered back to his seat.