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An old tin alarm clock ticked without care, the minute hand moving with the second as they inched closer to the twelve. Springs loosen and the little hammer was free to move back and forth ringing the two silver bells on both sides. The little clock jumped and vibrated where it stood on the night stand next to a kerosene lamp. The clocks owner grumbled and shifted under cotton sheets and hand knit blanket, catching the small appliance just before it fell. The thumb that was attached to the hand that saved the small clock from its fate on the floor rested just where the hammer would fall to strike one of the bells, pinching just below the knuckle.
"Ow!" Mary Margaret quickly sat up, sucking where the clock pinched her. She picked up the still ringing clock to read the time. Releasing a soft groan, she fell back on the pillows, setting the now silent clock back in its right full place. She took a minute or two to compose herself, her chest slowly rising and falling with every breath she took. This was it, her very first day teaching at Storybrooke Academy. God was she nervous.
Unable to waist anymore time she climbed out of bed, shivering as her toes made contact with the cold wood. She padded over to the bathroom and turned the knob to start the water for her shower. She went over to the sink to splash some cold water on her face, the water stinging her tired eyes. She took her toothbrush from the holder and squeezed a good amount of cinnamon toothpaste on white bristles to brush her teeth as she waited for the water to warm. After thoroughly cleaning all of her mouth, she spitted out the built up toothpaste and rinsed off her brush putting it back in its place. She always held off mouthwash after her cup of coffee.
By the time she was done cleaning her teeth the water for her shower would be warm. Striping off her night ware, a simple white nightshirt, she stepped into the warm spray. She washed her hair with a shampoo that would no doubt make all of the rich people on campus shutter away in disgust, but Mary Margaret liked it. The shampoo and matching conditioner, had a light honeysuckle sent that reminded her of spring. She shampooed twice and conditioned once like she always does before picking up her loofa that hung from the shower nob and placing a small dollop of body wash on it. When she was done she shut off the water and wrapped a large light blue towel around her dripping wet body. She picked up a smaller matching towel and started to towel dry her short black hair. She ran a comb threw her damp hair, and blow dried it completely after she parted it.
Finished with the bathroom she went to her wood shudder closet to choose her outfit for the day. Unfortunately she knew that whatever she picked from her humble wardrobe she could never carry the same vibes as Cora did. It takes a lot practice to make two teenage girls, especially if they are anything like Ruby, shake and huddle together like some new born kittens. Not wanting to delay the inevitable she pulled out a lace white button down, a blue cardigan, and a pair of brown blue plaid trousers. She stood in front of the vanity, the only mirror in her small room besides the one on the medicine cabinet, to look over her appearance, tucked in blouse and cardigan open, she looked professional which is something she would have to settle with.
Leaving her room she went into the kitchen and started the coffee that she fixed the night before. The trickle of the freshly brewed coffee hitting the glass coffee pot was the only sound in the otherwise quite house. She pulled out some plates, bowls, glasses, and a coffee mug for the impending breakfast rush. She looked at the stairs and took a few breaths to mentally prepare herself. She was about to wake up four teen girls, that was something that she knew you never do but it needed to be done. Puffing out her chest and smoothing the edges of her cardigan she headed upstairs, praying for the strength to wake up four teenagers.
At the top she watches the very four teenagers she was responsible for to get fed, dress, and out the door on time. Tink was using her green comforter as a body pillow, Ruby was nowhere to be seen under her own red cover, Mulan was peacefully asleep on her side, and Emma was on her back arms cross her stomach. It was silent except for the soft breathing coming from the sleeping girls. Taking one deep breath for courage and another to prepare herself for some yelling she shouted.
"Wake up girls its seven o'clock time to get up!" She was met with groaning, Tink burred her face deeper into her comforter while Emma turned away from her, pulling the quilt that Mary Margaret gave her up her shoulders. "Come on you guys you have fifteen minutes at the least to eat and get ready for school. Let's go!" When no girl made an effort to move Mary Margaret sighed and started to approach each bed and pull the top cover off every bed. Mulan was first, smooth yellow silk with inked in Chinese writing slid easily off, then Emma which needed a little tug since the young blonde still had her arms folded on top of the blanket, Ruby took some time since Mary Margaret didn't know where the girl started or ended, and it almost turned into a tug-a-war with Tink, but her actions finally got her the results that she wanted, the girls were stirring. Heads popped up, hair tousled with sleep, in the case of Ruby static caused strands of the girl's hair to spread out in every direction, and clothes were crinkled form being slept on.
Mulan was the first one up, adding a stretch for good measure before picking up the wooden basin off the dresser that she shared with Emma and padded over to the bedroom, claiming the first shower stall as her own. Ruby was the next one up letting out a yawn and rubbing her left eye as she got up to pick up a silver case with a 'R' and 'L' on the front in red glitter that held her make-up and lotions, wanting to use the bathroom before the mirrors got too foggy. Glad that she was getting some progress Mary Margaret left the room to give the girls some privacy. Once she left Emma rolled back onto her back and indulges in a few more seconds in bed before lifting herself up into a sitting position. Tink was still asleep, curling in on herself so she could wrap her legs around the small rectangle that was her pillow. It was refreshing to see someone else with the problem of waking up in the morning.
Stretching her arms above her head and popping her lips a few times Emma got out of bed to get dressed for the first time in her new school's uniform. The various pieces of her uniform were spread out across her bed, afraid to put them on. She was afraid of being judged by them, by everyone, even her housemates. If they knew her they would think she didn't belong, even if she felt like she could trust them. Taking a deep breath Emma reached for the uniform and got dressed for the day. Her uniform fitted her perfectly, the skirt that reached just below the knee was snug around her hips, the button down shirt, vest and blazer didn't crush her breast, even the loafers fitted, but they still pinched her toes like all new shoes do. The only problem she was facing was with the tie since she didn't know how to tie one. Leaving it undone for now she went downstairs to take care of a more pressing issue; breakfast.
Mary Margaret was sitting in one of the counter top chairs nursing a steaming cup of coffee while she read the book in front of her. Next to the book was a single piece of toast with the edges nibbled off.
"Good morning Mary Margaret." The older woman squeaked, as she was taking a sip of coffee when Emma greeted her. She swallowed the hot liquid before wiping her mouth with the napkin in front of her.
"Good morning Emma did you sleep well." The blonde just shrugged and took the box of fruit loops from the cabinet next to the fridge. Serving herself a bowl of rainbow colored rings and a glass of orange juice, she took the glass and bowl over to the dining table and sat in 'her' seat. Ruby came down a few minutes later all but jumping the last step.
"Good morning world you can shine because I am here to brighten up your day." Mary Margaret smiled, it was glad to know that she was not the only morning person in their small house hold.
"Good morning Ruby." Ruby faked marched to the fridge to pull out the box of frozen waffles from the freezer, popping two in the toaster. While she waited she poured herself a large glass of orange juice and took out the syrup from the fridge. The waffles popped out of the toaster with a 'ding' and the young brunette placed them on one of the plates before practically drowning them in syrup. She took her plate and glass to join Emma at the table. As soon as she sat down Mulan entered acknowledging Mary Margaret with the nod of her head. She settled with a simple bowl of fruit and she took that along with a glass of milk to join the others. The only one missing was Tink.
Finishing off the rest of her coffee Mary Margaret went upstairs to wake the only sleeping body in the house. She found Tink still curled up in her bed, this time around her pillow, causing the green night shirt to ride up leaving a thin band of bronze skin on display.
"Come on Tink it's time to get up." Tink replied with a groan, her arms wrapping more tightly around her pillow. Mary Margaret sighed and started to tap her foot, thinking of a way to wake up an uncooperative teenager. Stepping into the bathroom she went over to the dispenser that held small paper cups for mouth wash. Taking one she filled the small paper cup with water and carefully carried it back into the bedroom. Standing next to the green bed she dumped the cold water right on the girls head. This caused the dirty blonde to spring from her bed with a yelp. Tink looked at the small wet patch on her bed then at Mary Margaret.
"Why did you do that?"
"You have 90 seconds to get dressed and be ready to leave." Tink just looked at her as if Mary Margaret was speaking a different language. "Now! Move it you have 75 seconds." Something in Tink's brain snapped for the girl all but ran to her part of the dresser to retrieve her clothing for the day. Satisfied that Tink was now up and moving on her own she went back downstairs to check on the other three girls. Mulan was washing the breakfast dishes while bickering at Ruby for using too much syrup while said girl was trying to fix Emma's tie. The scene reminded Mary Margaret of a married couple with the husband complaining about something he didn't want to do while the wife was trying to dress their child for school. The newly appointed supervisor took this opportunity to slip away to apply mouth wash before gathering her brown leather brief case and headed for the door. "All right girls get your things and let's go." Each girl rushed by her, picking up their respected backpacks along the way.
It was 7:15 on a Monday morning.
After yesterday Mary Margaret formed a system into getting the girls up and ready so they weren't all but running to get to school on time. The girls pretty much got themselves up, except for Tink, but a cup of cold water never hurt anyone. They were out the door fifteen minutes ahead of schedule.
Unlike most schools where you have one schedule for the whole week Storybrooke Academy had two sets of classes that alternated every week. So on Monday Emma started Biology with Mr. Herman. True to Ruby's blue highlighter marks Mr. Herman was a great teacher but he focused on his son more that he did on the lesson.
Today she started theater with Ms. D. Theater was held in a building almost completely built out of smooth stone and high windows. The building held other creative electives like art and music, Tink showed it to her since she had a class in the same building the day before. Her theater class was taught in a room that looked like one big black box with chairs and a small elevated stage. Three large high windows cast dramatic shadows across the floor.
Ms. D was a brilliant teacher, but she was hard to predict. The blonde teacher was known to spontaneously break out in sonnets that no one could make her stop until she was done. Ruby said that last year she recited almost every single Shakespeare sonnet five times.
With time on her hands Emma took her time to get to class, her stride slow and lazy. Not paying attention to where she was going she jostled another student's shoulder by mistake, spilling hot coffee on herself and the person she ran into. The whole school stopped at the hiss of pain that came from her classmate because it was the last person you wanted to spill coffee or anything, on; Regina Mills. The two girls backed away from each other, navy blue blazers sporting matching coffee stains. The look that Emma received form the class president would put Medusa to shame; it would probably be in her best interest to turn into stone right about now.
"Hi." Smooth Swan, you just spilled coffee all over the most popular girl in school and all you can say is 'hi'? Very smooth. "I'm Emma Swan and I am so sorry I didn't-"
"As you should be Ms. Swan." If it was possible the glare that she was getting became even deadlier. "Watch where you're going next time." With that Regina stalked away, throwing her Styrofoam cup away in the nearest trash bin. The force in which the cup was thrown caused it to bounce off the rim before it settled into can. The whole school was still for another minute before they carried on getting to class.
It was on a Tuesday, on her way to theater, when Emma Swan became Regina Mill's public enemy number one; the clock read 7:15.
In the middle of Storybrooke Academy's campus, hidden by the taller buildings that held the academy's normal classrooms was a tall building made out of dark stone. The roof ended in a crisp edge, a weather vane pointing north sat in middle. The building looked as though it could be a temple for worship, and in a way it was, but not for Religion. This building was to worship the brave souls that put pen to paper, creating classics being read hundreds of years later.
No matter what set of classes she had you could all ways find one Ruby Lucas sitting at one of the single lamp lit tables in the back. A binder was opened in front of her along with her lucky red pencil that she was twirling between her fingers. She tried to do some work like she claims to do when she makes her weekly trips to the library, now more so since Mary Margaret insisted on checking their homework every night. The main reason as to why she made these weekly visits to the library was so she could ogle the young library assistant.
She had semi-long light brown hair that fell in light waves. Soft pale skin with freckles sprinkled lightly across her arms; Ruby knew this for one time she needed to use the libraries computers one Saturday, the young assistant wore a light blue dress with white ruffle cap sleeves under shirt that left her arms exposed along with little pink dots. She had these stunning cornflower blue eyes that whenever Ruby saw them caught her breath. To top it all off the young girl had an accent, an Australian accent that could stop Ruby's heart with a single word. Her name was Belle French, and she stole Ruby's heart with just a flutter of her pretty eyelashes.
Today Ruby was going to make her move. After spending half a year watching the girl grace the halls of the library Ruby was actually going to talk to her for real, and not just in her dreams. She approached the large wooden desk where the girl sat in front of a computer monitor, brown waves tamed into a loose bun; a few of the strands escaped and framed Belle's face. She turned those cornflower blue eyes of hers when Ruby accidentally kicked the desk.
"Hello how can I help you?" Ruby froze right then and there. Her pulse quickened and her breathing stopped, she forgot what she was there for. Belle tilted her head not knowing what to make of the strange behavior before her. "Are you all right?" Ruby mentally kicked brain into gear.
"Hi! Book… you… help… I…" Ruby shook her head clearing it of whatever fog that was clouding her brain. "I need help in finding a book for English." Ruby gave herself a high five; she just spoke her first sentence to the girl that haunted her dreams.
"Oh, okay, was there something specific you were looking for or did you have a list of recommendations?"
"Uh, this is kind of stupid, but my favorite book growing up was The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne, and I was looking for something around those lines." Ruby practically saw those cornflowers blue eyes light up even more when Jules Verne's name left her lips. It was one of Belle's favorite authors; she has read every single one of his books, in both English and French.
"That's sweet. We have the whole collection. This way." Sweet? Did she just call Ruby sweet? It took a minute for minute for her to realize that the young librarian was not in her seat but waiting patiently for Ruby to follow her. Belle guided Ruby effortlessly amongst the maze of high shelves stuffed with books. Spending so much of her time amongst these very shelves' Belle could locate any book blindfolded.
Jules Verne had his own little place in the 'Ve' section. She scanned the shelf, her fingers brushing the spine of each book she passed. Ruby watched as the girl studied each title, finger tips gently brushing each spine as if it would shatter under her touch. Jules Verne you lucky bastard.
"Here we are." She pulled out a paperback book with two maps above a steam boat surrounded by swooping mountain range, the picture looked like as though it was sketched with a pencil. "In Search of the Castaways I think you'll like it, you will meet an old friend. Will this do?"
"Yes." For all that she knew Belle could be asking her to murder someone, and she just agreed to it. But, the smile that the young librarian gave her was totally worth it.
"Okay I'll just ring this up." They went back to the desk, the chestnut brunette watch in concern as the other girl slammed into her desk this time. She was about to ask the girl if she was all right but the red streaked brunette just gave her a thumbs up and a big smile. Belle nodded and took her seat in front of the computer. "Can I have your name please?"
"Oh, it's Ruby Lucas, R-U-B-Y L-U-C-A-S." Belle typed in the name and scanned the book under the red laser. With the book in the computer she picked up the stamp set for the 2 of October.
"Okay, that will be due three weeks from now. I hope you enjoy it Ruby." Ruby, her name just glided effortlessly off the other girl's tongue. It was everything and more than Ruby expected. Ruby took the book Belle offered her, a soft smile was on her pale pink lips. "It was nice meeting you Ruby, I hope you enjoy it."
"Thank you, for everything, Belle." Ruby all but ran to the door, book pressed against her chest. When she was outside, she leaned against the stone building, the cold stones cooling her flushed skin. Her watch started to beep and she looked down at it. Mumbling a curse, she tucked the book in her backpack and ran back home, Mary Margaret would kill her if she was late for dinner.
At 7:15 pm on the second Wednesday of September, Ruby worked up the nerve to talk to the most beautiful girl with cornflower blue eyes.
Though Tink didn't have to be here until tomorrow, extra practice never harmed anyone. On the second floor of the arts building were small separate rooms where students can go to for private practice. Tink walked down the silent halls, a small case in her right hand and a folder tucked underneath her left arm, looking for an empty room. Every room she passed, another student occupied it. A male student practicing the trombone, almost breaking the window in the process. A female student splattered head to toe in paint. It was the last room on the right that made Tink stop.
Sitting at a piano, was a woman dressed in a dark blue sweater with matching skirt, her legs were covered in black stockings. The end of her sweater sleeves were tucked into white cuffs, the round collar flaps of her undershirt was pressed flat against the blue garment. The woman's reddish brown hair was pulled into a tight bun held by a croc hair clip set perfectly on the back of her head. She moved back and forth, fingers dancing across the ivory keys. The woman's eyes where closed faced scrunch in concentration.
Normally students chose to close the doors to the private room to block out any loud noises that might disrupt their creative process, but the woman playing at the piano kept the door opened, soft music flooding the hallway. Tink watched as the woman rocked in time with the music, moving either fast or slow, fingers meeting all of their marks. So enraptured with the woman's movement Tink didn't notice when the music stopped until the legs of the bench screeched across the floor. Startled Tink dropped her case and folder, spilling the music sheets across the floor.
"I'm sorry!" The woman watched as the blonde stranger fumbled with gathering the sheets of music spread out in the door way. She approached the girl, bedding at the knee to pick up a single sheet of music that had traveled further than the others.
"It is quite all right." Both girls stood, Tink's arms full with crumpled sheets and black case. The woman smiled at her and Tink's cheeks turned a light pink. "What do you play?"
"F-flute ma'am." Tink tried to straighten the sheets in her hand, the case falling to the floor again. Both Tink and the woman reached for the case, fingers clashing, almost intertwining. Tink withdrew her hand when she felt the surge of electricity coursing through her body starting from her fingertips. "Sorry." The woman smiled at her, holding Tink's case between her hands.
"It's okay. My name is Neráida."
"Tink, and before you ask yes it is a nick name."
"It's very nice to meet you Tink. I would offer you my hand but I see yours are pretty full already." Tink gave her a small smile. "Did you need the room?"
"No… yes… I mean unless you are done with it."
"I am. It's all yours, as is this." she handed Tink the case and single sheet of music. "It was very nice to meeting you, Tink." She turned to leave and Tink's heart sank a little.
"Wait!" Neráida quickly turned back to Tink, a confused look on her face.
"Yes?" Tink tighten her hold on her case, running a nail across the bumpy surface.
"Please, stay. I… I know I have not right to ask of this from you, but I need help, with the music, and… it's nothing. Forget I said anything." Tink shook her head and turned away from her older woman. She placed her empty folder and sheet music on the stand. Neráida watched the girl closely, with a sad kind of look. She walked over to the girl who was trying to sort out which group of sheets went together.
"I would be honored to help you Tink." The young blond watched the reddish brunette woman organize her sheets of music like a pro. "A word of advice, paper clip loose sheets together. It will help when this happens the next time." Tink nodded and opened her case to assemble her flute with trembling fingers. "I do not know much about wind instruments Tink, but I will help you in any way I can." Tink placed two pieces of sheet music in front of her and positioned herself to play. Neráida looked at the girl's position and shook her head in disapproval. "No, you must take pride in your playing. Stand tall." She glided her hands up Tink's back, as though shaping her spine with just a simple gesture. "Arms out." she ran her hands under the blonde girl's arms, leveling them. "Feet together." She pushed her foot against Tink's bringing brown loafers together. "Relax your shoulders and stomach, the more open you are the more freely your air movement is. Breath with me." Tink synchronized her breathing with the older reddish brown hair woman behind her, breath tickling the back of her neck. "Play for me?" It was no louder than a whisper but it sent a shudder down Tink's spine.
Tink licked her dried lips and blew a shaky breath into the lip plate. The sound made her cringe and shifted her focus to her playing. Her playing was soft and low, concentrating on hitting the right notes. Her eyes started to drift close, but snapped open when she finished playing. She looked at Neráida, her face was unreadable.
"Was it bad?" A shake of the head. "Good?" The older woman walked away from Tink, a contemplative look on her face. "What is it? Neráida?" The older woman stood in front of Tink, the stand in between them.
"It was very good, Tink do not get me wrong, but something is missing." Tink looked down licking her lips, her pointer finger playing with the inline G-key. Neráida lifted the teenagers head by her chin so that nut brown eyes met chocolate. "I enjoyed your playing very much Tink, you understand the music better than you think, but you lack a very important element that can take your playing to new levels."
"And what would that be?"
"Emotion. Understanding the music is one thing, but feeling it is another. When you feel the music to the depths of your soul it shows."
"What can I do to feel the music on such a deep level?"
"That is something that I cannot help you with Tink for each musician, like any great artist, has their own muses." She released Tink's chin and looked at the clock. "It's getting late and if you want we can meet again next week if you think you need any more help." Tink nodded and the older woman smiled. "Good, I will see you then." She left without a word leaving Tink all on her own.
A single tear slipped down her cheek, falling down to the floor with a 'plink'. Her knees started to buckle and she slid down the stand, tears flowing more freely. She looked at the flute in her hand and threw it to the ground as if the silver instrument burned her, the silver tube rolling to the door. Curled up in a ball she cried, her tears dotting the floor.
That was how she was found by Mulan, curled up and breathing wheezy from crying. The Asian teen picked up the discarded instrument and carefully placed it back in its case. Putting the case and folder in her backpack Mulan wiggled her arm in between the girl's knees and placed the other below her friend's shoulder blades. Using the strength in her upper body Mulan picked up her friend bridal style and carried her all the way home without a complaint or a single word.
It was 7:15 pm on a Thursday.
Mary Margaret sat on the couch in a bright gold trim room, her knees bouncing together in a combination of anticipation and nervousness. The woman diagonally of her didn't even acknowledge her when she entered, just told her to take a seat, eyes never leaving the computer. She smoothed a nonexistent wrinkle out of her dark blue dress. Today she decided to wear a dark blue dress with small white dots with a small pink belt around her waist and matching cardigan.
During her lunch hour Ruby had given her a note with a reminder that she had requested a meeting with Headmistress Mills, as if she would forget. She had been waiting for the last ten minutes.
Just before she could get really nervous and start begging to reschedule, Cora came out of her office. The older woman was dressed in a white blouse that showed a little bit too much cleavage to be considered professional, tucked into a black pencil skirt that stopped mid-thigh, black tights covered tone legs and black stilettos completed the ensemble. Cora's lips were painted in a bright red that gave her both a professional and sexy look. What caught the English teacher's attention was the large red leather belt around her boss' waist. She smiled her could-be-professional-or-friendly smile when her milk chocolate eyes met Mary Margaret.
"Mary Margaret, so glad you could make it." The two women shook hands, just like they did the week prior.
"I am just glad you had the time to see me. I'm sure you are a very busy woman." Cora smiled wider showing perfect white teeth.
"Nonsense, I am always free for any questions a new teacher might face when working here. Shall we continue this conversation in my office?" The young teacher nodded and she followed Cora into her dark red office, the door closing softly behind her. "Would you like anything to drink Mary Margaret?"
"No, thank you Cora, I'm fine." Cora sat in her large leather chair behind her desk while Mary Margaret took one of the chairs, sitting on the edge.
"Is everything going well so far? Any students giving you a hard time? Are you comfortable in your dorm?"
"Oh, yes everything is going very well. I like the girls I'm living with, they are wonderful young ladies. We have some troubles waking up in the morning, but I have a system."
"Good." Cora leaned forward, resting her hands on top of the desk, fingers intertwined. "Now, tell me about this problem with the type 3 warning you are having." Mary Margaret started to rung her hands together and she shifted her gaze away from Cora. "Meet my eyes when you are speaking to me, Mary Margaret."
"I'm sorry Cora," she quickly brought her gaze back to Cora. "You see when I read the rules to the girls it said in a type 3 warning I had to give a private corporal punishment does that mean what I think it means?" Cora pouted her lips and shrugged her shoulders.
"I do not know what you think it means unless you tell me." Mary Margaret took her pale pink lip between her teeth and her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. Apparently whatever it was that was bothering her she was embarrassed about it.
"Spanking." the word was whispered but Cora heard it, she wanted the young teacher to admit it out loud.
"I'm sorry what did you say?" The blush on the short hair woman's cheeks turned an even darker shade of pink.
"Spanking. Does 'private corporal session with dorm supervisor' mean I have to spank my girls?" Cora took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair.
"Yes, that is what the phrase means. I thought an English teacher would understand that." Mary Margaret took several deep breaths, she looked like she was about to cry.
"That is what I thought it meant it just." She took another deep breath, clearly fighting back tears. "I don't want to hit my girls. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I do, these are good girls." a tear slipped out of her eye and she quickly wiped it away.
"Mary Margaret." Cora rounded the large desk until she was standing in front of the sobbing young woman. Taking the young woman's round jaw in her hand she tilted Mary Margret's head forcing her to look up at the woman in front of her. "I know you may not like it, but you want your girls to stay good yes?" The teacher nodded as best she could with the hold that Cora had on her jaw. "Then you must do this because you are not just teaching them English, you are also installing manners that would last a life time." The young woman adverted her eyes, uncertainty still on her face. "Mary Margaret would it help if I showed you what to do if you were put into a position where you had to possibly administer this brand of punishment on one of your girls?"
"Y-yes, please." Cora nodded and rounded back to her desk, opening one of her desk drawers. She pulled out a book and opened it before setting it down in front of Mary Margaret. The young teacher was about to read the passage but Cora raised her hand to stop her.
"Stand up, Ms. Blanchard." On shaky legs Mary Margaret rose from her chair, clenching fist full of soft pink yarn. The clicking of Cora's heels was the only sound as the older woman walked back to Mary Margaret, this time standing behind her. "Place your hands flat on the desk." Releasing the garment from her grasp the English teacher did what she was told. She placed her hands on the dark smooth surface, looming just over the edge of the desk. "Read to me what paragraph five says. Out loud, so I can hear you." Swallowing, it took Mary Margaret a minute took find the passage that the woman behind her wanted her to find.
"If a student is late to class the first time is let off with a verbal warning but any tardiness after that the type of warnings will be put in effect."
"Now, tell me how many times were you late to class, Ms. Blanchard?"
"T-three." Mary Margaret's voice was low and hush.
"Speak up, Ms. Blanchard." Cora's voice rang threw the silent office making the short haired woman flinch.
"Three!"
"That's what I thought. As a teacher you are responsible for setting an example for your students. What type of example are you setting by being tardy to your own class?" Mary Margaret snapped her eyes shut to stop the tears that were threatening to spill over. "As punishment you would receive five lashes with the belt. You will count them and repeat the phrase 'I will not be tardy to class'. If you miss count or forget to say the phrase, we will start over. Have I made myself clear, Ms. Blanchard?"
"Yes ma'am." A click of a heel and then the whistle of an object being swung in the air. Mary Margaret felt the force of the belt slapping against the blue fabric covering her rear end before hearing the 'whack'. The surge of pain that coursed through her body almost made her forget what she supposed to do after each lash. "One! I will not be tardy to class" Another whistle and this time the lash landed in the middle of her right butt cheek. "Two! I will not be tardy to class." the next lash landed on the cress where her buttock and the back of her thigh met. "Three! I will not be tardy to class." Another lash to the middle of her left cheek, just after the sting of the first one was turning to a soft tingle. "Four! I will not be tardy to class." One last strike, this time on the back of her thighs, made the teacher give out a small yelp. "Five! I will not be tardy to class! I'm sorry!" Her shaky knees finally gave in and the dark haired woman collapsed into a heap on her boss' dark wood floor. The tears that she had been holding back ran down her cheeks, blubbering 'I'm sorry' over and over again. Tossing the belt on her desk, Cora knelt next to the crying woman, gently prying her hands off the desk.
"Look at me Mary Margaret." the headmistress tilted the sobbing woman's head by her chin, sad pale green eyes meeting warm milk chocolate ones. "It's all right, I forgive you Mary Margaret. You're a good girl once more." She had no idea what came over her but Mary Margaret threw herself at her boss, sobbing into soft cotton. Taken back at first, Cora slowly wrapped her arms around the cling body. They stayed that way until the short hair woman calmed down enough to stand on her own two feet. Cora helped the woman stand, her hands on pink yarn covered elbows. "Mary Margaret?"
"Y-yes?"
"You understand now, what you must do, right?" A sniff, and then a nod, came from the younger woman.
"For my girls to stay good I must punish them if and when the time comes for me to do so." She was rewarded with a smile and Cora leaned down, pressing red painted lips to a warm pink cheek.
"Excellent." Cora extracted herself from the young teacher and went back to her seat behind the desk, taking the book back as she did. "Is there anything else Mary Margaret?"
"No Cora, I must return home for dinner. I promised the girls I would make them grilled cheeses."
"I hope you have a good meal then. Good night Mary Margaret."
"Good night to you as well Cora." Mary Margaret escorted herself out of the office, closing the door when she exited. The lights to the outer office were dimmed, casting the room in a faint gray overcast.
When she returned home, the girls greeted her with a warm welcome, homework in individual piles on the kitchen counter and everything for dinner set out and ready to go. When she was warming the pan she read the clock that was above the stove.
In bright green numbers it blinked 7:15 pm.
A/N: Food for thought Neráida means fairy in Greek.