The Short Skirt Ch. 01

"Out in the hallway right now Miss Jennings!" He half dragged her behind him.

Tears flowed freely again. He positioned her against the hallway wall and bent to look directly in her eyes.

"What were you thinking? The skirt was already borderline, but this is way over the line." Adrenaline surged making his voice louder than he intended.

Students in class heard the remark and used it as an ice breaker to start gossiping. The fortunate witnesses regaled their classmates with the sordid particulars. Experiencing obvious schadenfreude, one of the nerdier girls even remarked, "This is the best day ever." There is always someone to relish a pretty girl's humiliation.

"Where are your panties? Go put them on right now!"

"I can't sir. They're locked in Mr. Marshal's office." Tears rained down.

"What?" At least now he had an obvious course of action. "Alright then: You're coming with me straight to his office." The disappointment on his face broke her heart. He was the one teacher Anna really liked.

"Mr. Marshal, we have a situation. There has been quite a disruption in my class, and I am sorry to say - this young lady was at the center of it." He indicated the miserable waif.

"I see, Mr. Mortar. I feared something might happen when I agreed not to send Miss Jennings home this morning. She assured me she would preserve her modesty and show enough maturity not to let any incidents occur. Clearly, she deceived me!"

Mr. Mortar glanced at the young adult in his care. "Yes, well, I am afraid a good deal of Miss Jennings's modesty has been lost. There will be no dissuading the young gentlemen from their antics."

Anna hated to hear the two men talking over her as if she wasn't even there. "Sirs, it wasn't my fault! The boys tricked me." She sobbed even harder. She was the victim here. Why did they even talk about the boys unless they were going to punish them?

"Miss Jennings! I am shocked to hear you shirking your responsibility in this matter. You assured me the skirt was long enough, and I accepted your word. You made me a fool to trust you!"

"I'm disappointed with you, Miss Jennings." Her favorite teacher expressed a curious mix of pity and scorn. "You're such a bright and charming young lady. What were you thinking?"

Distraught, her guard faltered. She blurted, "I just wanted the boys to notice me. I just wanted to feel pretty for once."

The two men looked at each other. Why would Anna believe the boys didn't notice her every day? There was a long pause while the men studied their naive companion.

Mr. Marshal cleared his throat noisily. "Well, hum, I better call her parents now." He started to the door, but Anna grabbed his hand.

"No. Please don't sir. The day is already half over. Don't make them leave work. It will be hours before they get here, and then it will be time to go home on the bus anyway."

"I let you talk me out of it this morning. Don't think you can pull that stunt twice." The Principal jerked his hand away and strode confidently out of his office to the file storage area. The Principal returned with a thick folder and dropped it on his desk with a thump.

Always to the rescue of students, Anna's teacher rallied: "Well, Mr. Marshal. There must be some alternative. She may have a valid point."

Anna sensed a ray of hope, and she loved her teacher in that moment.

"I don't know Mr. Mortar. You seem to have a soft spot for this student. You let her transgress too far."

"What does Anna's file say about corporal punishment?"

"I don't know Mr. Mortar. Doesn't that seem out of place with a student this old?"

"It might be an option." He tried to catch Anna's reaction.

With all the stress she endured, the poor girl didn't immediately understand what they discussed. She remained fixated on her recent humiliation. How could she ever face those boys? She knew the girls might be even worse and call her a slut or whore.

Mr. Marshal leafed through the papers and produced a yellowed form. Anna's parents provided information about allergies, immunizations, and contact numbers twelve years earlier when they first enrolled their daughter in the expensive private school. There was a check mark clearly visible: "Corporal punishment authorized at the discretion of teaching and administrative staff."

"Her parents did authorize corporal punishment." The Principal said the words blandly as if he doubted they were applicable in this case. For one thing, Anna was an adult and could rescind any such authorization at any time. She could no longer be strictly bound by her parents' preferences.

Mr. Mortar held her shoulders and peered closely into Anna's eyes to make sure she was paying attention. "Miss Jennings, the easiest remedy for us would be to send you home with detention and later convene a disciplinary committee to review grounds for expulsion. You have not adhered the code of propriety we require. But, you have always been a delightful student, and I understand your wish to avoid the course of action I describe."

Worse and worse, now they were talking about expelling her and destroying her chances of attending Bryn Mawr next year. Where would she get the references she needed? What would her permanent record state?

"You have little choice, Miss Jennings," the Principal almost choked on the words. "I am not completely certain what creative solution Mr. Mortar is imagining, but you are an adult. I will not condone any corporal punishment without your consent."

The teacher addressed the Principal: "I appreciate your willingness to consider an administrative punishment that doesn't involve the discipline committee. You know how harsh they can be. They might refer this case to the police - indecent exposure is a crime. We don't want the police here, do we?"

Anna's entire body visibly shuddered at the mention of police.

"I agree with you Mr. Mortar, but this problem will only multiply if the punishment is not public. Are you prepared to deal with a rash of young ladies disrupting this institution to salve their hormones? I am afraid we need to set an example before this gets out of hand. If one of our most promising students can fall this low, imagine the possibilities when more challenging students think they can get away with this kind of behavior."

"Well, Mr. Marshal, I was going to suggest that you paddle Miss Jennings right here and now. Finishing the day with the flaming red backside she deserves would surely provide a long lasting reminder."

"But what about the public component? Would you have her display the red backside as an example for her peers?" The Principal sounded incredulous.

"Well, no sir. That would likely be too disruptive. Do we have to decide today? Maybe hold a student assembly next week and paddle her there to provide the example you require."

"It is not just me requiring it. You know as well as I that we must nip this in the bud. This is the worst kind of slippery slope, Mr. Mortar."

"What if you paddle her now, and we can have an assembly later to reinforce our expectations for propriety. Miss Jennings could apologize to the entire school for her behavior and testify about the severity of her punishment."

Anna saw a potential light at the end of the tunnel of despair. "Yes. Please sirs! I'll do that. I'll tell everyone how humiliating this has been. I could make sure nobody ever does this again."

"And you are willing to be paddled right now?" The Principal remained skeptical.

"Um, I guess."

The men looked at each other again.

"You realize that I must have your consent for this punishment, and I may determine that you need to be punished again in front of the assembled students - to make sure the right message is conveyed?"

Anna remained silent, but she tilted her head in weak assent.

"Mr. Mortar, you don't need to stay for this. Go and supervise your class. The bell for lunch will ring shortly."

"Yes sir." He looked a little disappointed.

When her teacher left, the Principal closed the office door.

"Miss Jennings, may I call you Anna?" He didn't wait for an answer. "I earned a masters degree in psychology and served as a student guidance counselor for many years. I am intrigued by something you said earlier. Do you know what that was?"

"No sir."

"You said you wanted the boys to notice you."

She nodded.

"You garner more than enough attention for any normal girl, yet you remain unsatisfied. What you describe may be narcissistic personality disorder. I mention this because I am interested in finding the best treatment for you. I don't want you to suffer with this disorder. I don't want you to ruin your life by throwing yourself at men to fill an insatiable need for their admiration, or is it something else you crave from them?"

Anna was perplexed by the direction the lecture took. She had a disorder? She was ruining her life? She just wanted to feel pretty for one day!

"Anna, does it arouse you to display yourself? I am here to help you, and your answer will remain confidential."

"No sir! I hate the boys. They're creepy and dirty. Why aren't you punishing them?"

"Oh please - Anna. Listen to yourself. You would be disappointed if the boys didn't try to look. You made sure it was worth their trouble, and you exposed yourself far too easily for someone as mortified as you pretend to be. You weren't five minutes gone from my office when you exposed yourself in the hallway. Do you think I don't know what happens in my school?"

He had her dead to rights. She couldn't deny what he said except that she didn't do it on purpose. She would never do that.

"If you have the disorder I suspect, and you remain in denial, the prognosis is poor. You will not be able to remain at this institution. You might become a danger to other students or to staff. At the very least, the disruptions you cause could seriously jeopardize decorum."

"I don't have a disorder. Please believe me. I just wanted to look pretty for one day."

He shook his head sadly. "You have a very distorted body image, Anna. You are one of the prettiest girls I have ever known. This belief that you are not pretty enough is the key to your delusion."

Anna flushed at the compliment, but she didn't believe he was sincere. "But sir, I have small breasts, and the boys all chase the girls with boulders on the chests. Nobody asked me to any of the dances. The school uniform makes me look like a flat sack of potatoes."

How did she end up arguing that she wasn't attractive?

"Dear, the boys are probably intimidated by you. I think most would agree you are the prettiest of your class if not your generation. I have no opinion about your breasts at this time, but I cannot take your word for it. You have already demonstrated a delusional self image."

It wasn't fair. He backed Anna into a rhetorical corner no matter what she said. It did sound nice to hear all those compliments though. Her parents were too obsessed with their executive careers to pay much attention to her. She couldn't recall anybody telling her she was pretty in years.

"Are you willing to accept my treatment for your disorder? I can refer you to another therapist, but I am afraid you won't be able to remain at this institution until that therapist has evaluated you and determined your presence is an acceptable risk."

Anna stood straight and decided to take her punishment even if it included so called therapy. "Yes sir. I will accept your treatment."

"Do you want to get better?"

"Yes sir."

"If you resist, I will have no choice but to refer you to someone more experienced with girls like you."

"Yes sir."

"All right, I will sacrifice the lunch period to get you started right away. This is a huge imposition, Anna. I had a full work day planned before you decided to make yourself a spectacle."

"I'm sorry Mr. Marshal."

"Remember that everything you tell me will be held in confidence. I need you to be truthful and volunteer information even if it is difficult or embarrassing."

"I'm not sure."

"Are you resisting treatment already?"

"No sir."

"OK then. Do you masturbate?"

"Sir!" She blushed - again.

"It is perfectly normal, Anna, and if you say you don't, it will go a long way to confirming my diagnosis. You see, girls with your disorder don't feel worthy to experience sexual pleasure or they think it is dirty to touch themselves."

"I do it."

"How often do you masturbate?"

Anna choked out the words as she confessed, "Almost every day sir."

"That's excellent Anna! That really gives me hope."

She smiled in spite of herself. She realized she appreciated his approval.

"Do you often achieve orgasm when you masturbate?"

She shrugged. There was a pause. "Yes."

"Very good. Have you achieved orgasm with a partner?"

"No sir! I'm a virgin." She needed to defend her honor after so much humiliation.

"I see. Are you saying that you haven't experimented? Have you experienced any sexual contact with another person?"

"No!"

"Hmmm. Start by taking off all of your clothes. You need to see yourself realistically and learn to appreciate your own beauty."

"Sir, you can't mean it!"

"I do, but my offer to refer you elsewhere still stands. I cannot compel you to do anything you don't want to do."

"How will this help, sir?"

"I will point out your obvious beauty to you. You will look at yourself as I give my own unbiased opinion. You will see how distorted your view has been. Maybe, just maybe, you will begin to see yourself the way others see you. When you realize you are pretty, you won't need to go to such disruptive lengths for approval. You will gain confidence."

"Can't you just paddle me instead?"

Sigh. "I'm sorry you are not wiling to accept my treatment. Paddling you might be the worst thing to do right now. It would only reinforce your unrealistic poor self image. There is plenty of time to paddle you later. Right now is not about punishment. It is about rehabilitation."

Anna cried. She felt lost.

"Start by taking off that ridiculous skirt. By now, half the school has seen what you've got under there anyway."

Anna couldn't believe what she was doing. When the skirt pooled at her ankles, she covered her sparse red pubic hair with her hands. Embarrassment chilled her.

The pink blouse was fitted and accentuated the flair of Anna's hips. Youthful athletic muscle tone combined with feminine curves.

"Now remove the shirt and camisole."

Anna followed the command. She kept one hand covering her loins while she fidgeted with the buttons. She quickly switched hands to get her arms through the sleeves, but she succeeded concealing her treasure for the time being. Soon enough, the shirt hit the floor.

"Now put your arms up over your head, and I'll lift off the undershirt."

"No Mr. Marshal. Please don't." She remained self conscious about the size of her breasts.

"Well then, you do it. Be quick. This is my lunch hour."

No man had seen Anna naked since she was little. She insisted on a female doctor. Her brother came close to seeing her a few times. Once, she thought she was home alone and stripped out of her bikini in the hall before she got to her bedroom. Her brother turned the corner to glimpse her just before she stepped out of sight. That moment of exposure thrilled her more than she expected. She fantasized about it often.

Shaking from head to toes with anxiety, she employed both arms to pull the silky fabric over her head. It always felt nice when it rubbed her nipples. For some reason, they were puffy and hard just then. The sensation heightened the moment making her wish she could disappear.

As the young woman struggled to disrobe, the Principal enjoyed the ripple of her muscles and the delicious cleft between her legs. When breasts came into view, he was shocked by the degree to which his charge was delusional. They did not encompass a great volume, but the perfectly shaped mounds rose from her chest as if gravity did not exist. Each easily formed a small handful, and after all - more than that is wasted. Puffy and slightly wrinkled areola supported nipples protruding stiff and long.

"Wow! That's all I can say. You seriously misrepresented your breasts. They are ample for your slender frame, and they are truly spectacular." It felt strange saying such things to a student as enthusiasm carried away better judgement. He rationalized that his vocal approval boosted her self image.

Anna's hands flew to her breasts for cover. Her breathing labored and her flush deepened.

Mr. Marshal used the opportunity to inspect the glory between her legs. Unkempt but thin hair covered a prominent mound. Rose coloring darkened along her outer lips and returned to polished copper within the triangle above.

"I wish I had a full length mirror so you could see yourself as I see you. You are a goddess. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, but don't tell Mrs. Marshal." He smiled.

She couldn't resist smiling back just a little. Anna felt exposed, but the compliments washed over her like warm rain. It was refreshing in a way.

"Remember: this is part of your therapy. Are you aroused sexually?"

She shook her head no.

The man stepped close to her. He put his had on her hip and then moved it in a gentle glide to cover her ass. A shiver traveled up her spine. Nobody ever touched her like that before. She never fancied the Principal. He was as old as her father and not as good looking. Nevertheless, he somehow produced the most amazing sensations.

"If you lie to me, it will only delay your recovery." He waited for a response that never came. "You said you give yourself orgasms. Do you know the signs of arousal within your own body?"

She nodded.

"Then you are not mistaken about your arousal; you are lying."

"No sir."

He caressed a breast with one hand as the other traveled back to hip and then down her thigh. He reached and lightly parted glistening moist lips with barely a nudge. He needed to stop.

"As you can see, I am almost overcome by your beauty. I think I must pause for a moment to collect myself. I want you to look at yourself closely. I assure you that no red blooded boy in this school could resist you for two minutes."

The Principal's unwavering gaze frightened and excited. It expressed obvious lust, and yet, the man seemed to genuinely care for her. Seeing herself in his eyes actually did make her feel pretty. It almost gave her a sense of power. I can have this effect on men?

"Look at your own body. Tell me things you like about it. Tell me what looks good and what feels good. Convince me you know how beautiful you are." The Principal retreated behind this desk, but his eyes continued to rove along his student's feminine curves.

Anna felt ashamed to be exposed so completely. The much older man seemed to know the thoughts in her head before she recognized them herself.

Loud ringing pierced the air. Principal Marshal reluctantly answered the phone, "Yes? Alright. Thank you. I'll be right there."

"Well Anna, Miss Jennings, it seems disorder has broken out in the cafeteria. Let's hope this has nothing to do with you. I'm already at my wit's end in this matter."

The Principal returned after ten minutes to find Anna dressed. He silently cursed but then considered that he didn't have any more time for shenanigans anyway.

"Well, ah, hmm. Come with me young lady. I cannot send you back to class in that skirt."

He led her to the library where Tom Lloyd sat hunched in a chair looking glum. "Your assignment, Mr. Lloyd, is to write an essay about Miss Jennings' best qualities as a person and a student. That should be right up your alley after the impassioned defense of her virtues I witnessed in the cafeteria today."