The cold December rain was beating hard on the classroom windows. Amber watched it run down the glass; she liked the rain but wished it wasn't accompanied by the chilling wind. The school's heating wasn't working again, so all the halls and classrooms were freezing. Amber glanced over at Dru, her best friend whom she also shared a room with, Dru smiled slightly and mock-shivered. This morning they'd dared one another to go commando today, which had seemed quite fun at the time, but with the icy air reaching up her skirt, Amber felt it had been a bit of a mistake and pressed her thighs together for warmth.
She'd met Dru on her first day at St Catherine's School for the Re-education of Disadvantaged Young Women, which was in fact a school for girls who had failed to pass their exams or had never taken them first time around. This meant most of the girls were between 18-21, but the 'school' was funded by the church so they had to wear uniforms and the teachers were rather strict. Dru and Amber had both failed their exams, Amber had been partying rather than studying, and each girls parents had immediately shipped them off the St Catherine's to retake them.
At the front of the classroom Mrs Palmer was describing the formation of glaciers.
How fitting, Amber thought vaguely, as she doodled on her textbook.
There was a knock at the door and a scared looking student opened it.
"Mrs Palmer?"
"Yes, Alison?" Mrs Palmer looked annoyed.
"The Headmaster wants to speak to Jameson and Sanders, Mrs Palmer."
"Fine, fine," she waved a hand dismissivley, "Dru, Amber, you better go. If you're finished before the lesson's over you better come back."
Dru and Amber followed the Alison out.
"Do you mind going on your own?" she asked, "I've got some homework I haven't finished yet and its supposed to be done by the end of the day, I'm never gonna finish it!"
"No, it's fine," replied Dru.
Alison hurried off in the direction of the library.
"What do you think this is about?" asked Amber, "Do you think it's because we've been bunking off PE? It must be something serious, is that serious?"
"Yeah, maybe... come on, we better hurry up, or we'll be in more trouble."
"Yeah, okay."
They hurried along the corridors to the Headmaster's Office. His assistant, Ms Simmons, looked up from her desk as they approached. She had a mini heater on her desk.
"Wait here," she snapped. Ms Simmons looked about seventy, although she was probably nearer to fifty, and regarded all the students with the same mistrust and dislike. She stood up, went to the Headmaster's door and knocked.
"Mr Cairn?" she opened the door.
"Yes, Ms Simmons?"
Dru and Amber glanced at one another, although they couldn't see him, the Headmaster sounded exasperated.
"Jameson and Sanders are here."
"Good. Send them in and then go down to the IT office and find out if they've got the internet working yet, and if not, get them to explain why not and find out what they intend to do about it."
"Yes, Mr Cairn, I'll get right onto it."
"Well, take your time, Ms Simmons. Get yourself a cup of tea, or something. I can manage here."
"Yes, Mr Cairn." She closed the door, muttering to herself about how far the IT office was. She picked her coat up and put it on. "Go in then," she said as she scurried past the two girls.
Amber looked at Dru, who approached the Headmaster's door. She knocked gently and then stepped back.
"Come in," came his voice.
The girls opened the door and entered. Mr Cairn was sitting at his desk. The office was nice and warm thanks to an electric heater in one corner of the room.
"Sit down."
They sat on the two small chairs in the centre of the room. Mr Cairn stood up, went to the door and closed it. He then pulled the television trolley, that was at the edge of the room, in front of Amber and Dru.
"Do you know why you're here?"
Neither Dru, nor Amber answered.
"Alright then, I'll show you. Do you recognise this," the Headmaster picked up a video that had been on his desk. He handed it to Dru. "Well?"
Again, neither girl spoke.
"Read the title, Miss Sanders."
"Um..." Dru stared at the tape.
"Now, Miss Sanders."
"It's called... Sh..she Loves Pain... B-bondage Babes II."
"And where do you think I got this from?" he asked.
"From our room..." whispered Dru.
"Yes, one of the cleaners found it and handed it in. So, the real question is where did you get it from? Well?"
"It wasn't me!" exclaimed Dru, "Amber got it from some boy."
"Oh," the Headmaster redirected his gaze to Amber, "Well, Miss Jameson, who gave it to you?"
Amber stared at him speechless.
"It was a boy called Sean, he works at the movie theatre," interjected Dru, "He's not our friend or anything. He's a bit creepy..."
"Okay, Miss Sanders. Did you watch it?"
"N-no, Sir, we didn't!" Dru blushed.
"Really, because you know it is a very bad thing to watch movies like this. Look at the cover – does it excite you?"
"No, Sir."
"What about you, Miss Jameson?"
Amber looked up and shook her head.
"No? And you say you haven't watched it? Well, let's have a look now shall we?" He took the tape from Dru's unresisting hands, put it in the tape player and turned the TV on. "Let's just fast-forward a bit shall we?"
The tape stopped and the sound of a woman screaming filled the office. Dru and Amber stared at the screen. The woman was suspended from the ceiling and was being whipped on her ass. When she began begging for mercy, Amber looked away.
"Now... you know it's wrong for you to watch this sort of thing. And as your Headmaster I am responsible for ensuring you are never tempted to watch this type of thing again."
"We won't, Sir!" cried Dru, "We promise."
"That's an admirable sentiment, Miss Sanders, but I can't just take your word for it, can I now?"
"Yes! Yes, you can! I wouldn't lie, we'd never-"
"You wouldn't lie, Miss Sanders? But you'd have this pornography hidden in your room? Can I take your word for it? No. No, you need to be taught a lesson. To make sure you remember not to do this again."
He pushed the TV to the edge of the room, but left the tape running. Then went back behind the desk, reached into a draw and removed a cane. Amber and Dru looked on in horror.
"Stand up. Now, Miss... Jameson, put the chairs in the corner of the room and then go and stand next to the television. Miss Sanders, bend over the desk."
Dru didn't move.
"Now! Or do you want to be expelled, Miss Sanders? Or should I just call your parents?"
She slowly walked over to his desk and leant her elbows upon it.
"That's better. Lift up your skirt."
"I-I can't. Please..."
"Now, Miss Sanders."
Slowly, she reached back and lifted her skirt revealing her bare ass. Her cheeks flushed with embarrasment.
"I see why you were so reluctant, now. Why aren't you wearing any panties, Miss Sanders?"
"I-I was in a hurry this morning. I woke up late."
"Oh, really?" The Headmaster walked round to the other side of the desk so he was facing her. He put the cane down and picked up a roll of tape.
"Put your hands in front of you." He then proceeded to tape her wrists together and then taped them to the desk.
"Sir?"
He then tore a bit off and placed it over her mouth.
"I think you have done enough talking, Miss Sanders. Why don't we let your friend speak for you now. Alright, Miss Jameson?"
Amber nodded.
"Now, seeing as you both share in your misdemeanor, you will both share in your punishment. I am going to administer 30 strokes. It's up to you, Miss Jameson, how many each of you get. When you think your friend has had enough, just say. You could make it even, 15 each. Or maybe you would sacrifice yourself and say 'when' after 5 stroked? We'll see, shall we?"