“Can I talk to you quickly?” she mumbles. I hesitate, knowing that I need to keep an eye on Tessie during the break. But I also didn’t want to ignore Janey’s request.
The classroom is empty except for Janey and me. I casually lean against my desk while she sits on a nearby table. Suddenly, she bites her lip with a flirty look and asks, “I was just wondering if there is anything I can do for extra credit?” Her question catches me off guard, so I inquire, “What do you mean? You should be fine if you have completed all of your assignments on time.”
Janey moves closer to me, leaning forward and pushing her chest out. I lean back, feeling uncomfortable with her sudden proximity. I ask her what she’s doing, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Well, word is getting around,” she says quietly, her eyes flickering over my face.
“From whom?” I ask, feeling a knot of unease in my stomach.
“Archie and his friends from computing,” she replies, her voice barely above a whisper. “They say you have things for students. You like to give them extra credit.”
My heart sinks at her words. I try to keep my voice steady as I respond. “Oh, really? Well, that’s not correct,” I say firmly, hoping to sound more confident than I feel. “Please, leave now. I will not mention this to anyone, but I will report you if you ask anything like that again.”
Janey nods, her eyes downcast, and she quickly leaves the room as the door closes. That little fucker Archie. How the fuck does he know about me and Tessie? He has only ever seen her with Cain. I know I need to be careful from now on.
As I leave the classroom, students start to make their way back into the room. I have no choice but to stay put. I notice that Tessie and Rae have yet to return.
Janey enters the classroom with a bottle of water, avoiding eye contact. Thank god.
I begin the class, leaning against the desk and gripping it tight. The fifteen-minute break has come and gone, yet Tessie and Rae are still nowhere to be found. As the minutes tick by, my restlessness grows. I find myself pacing back and forth in the classroom, anxiously waiting for their return.
The classroom door flings open and Rae and Tessie walk in five minutes late. In my attempt to maintain discipline, I can’t help but remark, “You’re late.”
Rae quietly walks to the back of the class while Tessie, on the other hand, rolls her eyes at me. Her insolence infuriates me. Cain was right. She can be a brat.
In a stern voice, I say, “Uh, don’t roll your eyes at me, young lady.”
The whole class goes silent and I can sense the tension in the air. Tessie stands there, arms crossed, and huffs, making it clear that she doesn’t care about my opinion.
I can’t let her get away with such behavior, so I decide to take action. “With that attitude, you can see me at lunch. Now, get on with your work,” I say, trying to maintain my composure and avoid escalating the situation further.
Tessie quietly walks towards the back of the classroom, carefully choosing a vacant computer to settle down on. Rae whispers something to her in a hushed tone. Despite the bustling noise of the classroom, Tessie remains focused on her work, determined to accomplish all her tasks on time.
Lunchtime approaches and the room gradually empties as people approach the dining hall. However, I notice Tessie attempting to slip away discreetly with Rae. I call her, “Uh, I don’t think so. Come here, please, Tessie.”
Rae inquires if she should stay behind with her. Tessie responds, “No, it’s ok. I’ll meet you in the dining hall.”
Rae exits the classroom and I shut the door behind her. Turning around, I find Tessie standing there with a noticeable attitude etched across her face. I can feel my frustration rising as I demand her to stop with the unpleasant demeanor. However, Tessie simply rolls her eyes, indicating that she has no intention of changing her behavior anytime soon.
“What do you want, Mike?” Tessie asks in an irritated tone.
Standing firm, I respond, “I want you to stop with the attitude. You are my student and I won’t tolerate it.” I walk closer to her, hoping to make my point clear.
Tessie sighs, frustrated, and stomps past me, muttering, “Fine. Whatever.”
Unable to let it go, I grab her arm, hoping to make her listen. “Cain is right. You are a brat. Keep up with the attitude, and I’ll–” She turns to face me, but her expression remains stoic. She interrupts me, “You will what, Mike?”
“Don’t fucking test me. Fix that attitude right now, Tessie, or I’ll punish you,” I say, my voice deep and stern.
She looks up at me, her eyes flashing with defiance as she hisses, “I dare you.”
The tension in the air is palpable as we stand there, locked in a silent challenge, both unwilling to back down.
I exert my strength, pushing her towards the rear end of the classroom. She stumbles backward, her back colliding with the surface of a tall cupboard door.
Our breaths became heavy. I feel her gaze piercing me as she looks deep into my eyes. I open the cupboard door and push her inside, closing the door behind us. I fumbled with the lock.
“Kneel…” I demand.
She drops to her knees without hesitation and gazes up at me with an intense look. I bet she is enjoying this.
“What now, Mike?” she whispers seductively.
“You will address me as sir while in this cupboard,” I say gently, tugging her head back. “I will show you what you get for being a brat. Trying to show me up in front of the other students.”
Scanning the cupboard, I see a wooden ruler resting on a shelf. A sudden idea strikes me and I quickly reach for it, feeling its sturdy texture in my hand.
“Put your hand out,” I instruct, my voice leaving no room for argument. “Palm facing down.”
She nervously extends her hand and I respond with a swift smack with the ruler to the back of her hand. It sends a jolt through her entire body, causing her to let out a sudden gulp of surprise.
“Is that it?” she asks like it didn’t hurt her.
“Sir!” I growl.
“Is that it, sir?”
