"Yes?" said the secretary, with a decidedly disapproving look.

"I'm Jessie Schmit. I'm a new...."

Miss Martin cut her off. She recognized the name Jessica Schmidt from one of the new student folders. "Yes, yes, I know. You're early. Orientation doesn't start for three hours." She flipped open the folder, checking for what she personally considered important, mainly permission slips and medical consent forms. As usual, they were not to be found. She looked past Jessie at Becca. "Excuse me, are you her mother?"

"Um, no. I'm her aunt, her mother died about five years ago."

"I'm sorry," Miss Martin said without emotion. "Does she live with you now?"

"Well yes, for now," confirmed Becca.

Miss Martin, only interested in someone to sign the forms, ignored the 'For now.' "Well, there are some forms that must be completed before she can start here at Whitebriar."

"Forms?"

"Yes, for instance we need to know who to contact if she gets sick or..."

"But..." interjected Jessie.

"Please be quiet. This is important," Miss Martin said to Jessie, and continued to Becca, "If she gets sick or hurt or if any number of other things come up."

Jessie tried to interrupt again, but Becca said, "It's okay, Honey. I have a little time before work. I can fill out forms for you."

Miss Martin handed Becca a stack of permission slips and a clipboard and pen and she went to sit down to fill them out. She now turned her attention back to Jessie. "Perhaps you'd like to use that restroom across the hall to wash your face."

"Wash my face?"

Miss Martin leaned across the counter and whispered, "Makeup is not permitted. You don't want to be in trouble your very first day, do you?"

Well Jessie certainly did not want to be in trouble. It might be a stupid rule that teachers could not wear makeup, but teaching jobs were not THAT easy to come by, so she went across the hall and washed off what she had considered rather conservative makeup.

When she returned Aunt Becca was at the counter, handing the clipboard full of forms back to Miss Martin. Jessie went and stood next to her. Just as she did, her cell phone beeped with a text message. She pulled it out and had just enough time to read that her luggage had been traced as far as Fargo, North Dakota, when Miss Martin reached across the counter and snatched her phone away.

Jessie opened her mouth but before she could protest, Miss Martin snapped, "Cell phones are not permitted on school property!" She handed the phone to Becca. "If she has need to make a call, she can ask to use the office phone."

Becca was now running late and had to get to work so she said, "All right I guess. Honey, good luck. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, Aunt Becca."

Becca left and Jessie turned back to Miss Martin, who studied her face. "That's better. Now you look more like the kind of young lady we want at Whitebriar." Miss Martin smiled, though to Jessie it looked more like a grimace. "Now, I don't see a grade transcript in your file. What school did you go to last year?"

"Weber State," said Jessie.

Miss Martin heard that as 'Weaver-Tate.' "Where is that?"

"It's in Utah."

"Well, we'll just have to get them to send a transcript. Until then let me see..."

She punched a few keys on her computer and got a printout from the printer, then handed it to Jessie. "This will be just temporary until we get your transcript."

Shortly she heard more people enter the room. Eventually she could tell from whispered conversations and other noises that there must be several people besides herself and Miss Martin in the office now. Suddenly a small child's voice asked, "She's a bad girl, isn't she Mom?" No one else said anything and the child repeated, "Isn't she?"

An older woman replied, "Yes Dear. She's a bad girl, now color your picture."

Something in Jessie snapped at that. Being snickered at, held out as an example, then finally being labeled as a 'bad girl,' was too much. She spun around and spied a preschool aged girl, coloring at a table, seated next to her mom who was filling out a clipboard full of forms. "I am not a bad girl! I'm not even..."

Miss Martin was on the move, already around the counter and striding toward her. Three teenagers, two girls and a boy, seated on a long wooden bench near the door, gaped at her. Quickly she spun around, putting her nose to the wall again. "Oh no you don't! You're not going to get away that easy, Young Lady!"

Miss Martin grabbed her and yanked her away from the wall. Jessie could see that in her hand she held a sturdy wooden ruler. Not one of those cheap flimsy ones, but a sturdy one more like a short yardstick. Miss Martin said to the mother and child, "You may want to wait in the hall."

She pulled a chair out from under another table and sat down, spinning Jessie around and pulling her face down over her knees. "You're going to get a proper paddling this time!"

"No, Please!"

"BE QUIET!"

Such was the woman's authoritarian manner that Jessie shut up. Miss Martin flipped Jessie's skirt up, exposing her panties to the three students. Jessie tried to hold the skirt down, but the woman was much taller and stronger than she, and quickly pinned her in position. She was actually glad she was wearing the new, plain panties she'd had to buy due to her lost luggage, rather than the lacy bikinis she usually wore. Jessie thought she was embarrassed enough, but then Miss Martin yanked her panties down too!

Jessie knew the three students could now see her bare behind. Without warning Miss Martin brought the ruler down across Jessie's behind. Jessie shrieked. This time it HURT! Miss Martin was an expert at paddling and continued to spank Jessie in front of the others, each blow resounding loudly through the office. Miss Martin varied the blows, spreading the punishment over Jessie's entire bottom. She soon lost track of the number of swats, only aware of the burning pain as Miss Martin continued until Jessie thought she might faint, then stopped and let her up.

Jessie quickly pulled up her panties, then regretted it, as her bottom felt like it was on fire! She was crying from shock, embarrassment and pain. Miss Martin got a box of tissues and handed her one, saying almost gently, "Here child. Now blow your nose, then get back against the wall."

Jessie could see the boy and the two girls watching her. She blew her nose, then asked, "Miss Martin, may I have another tissue?"

"Yes you may. Here. Now get your nose back to that pin until I call you."

Jessie wiped her eyes, then looked for a place to dispose of the tissues. Miss Martin pointed to a waste basket in the corner near where she had been standing. She threw away the tissues, then resumed facing the cork board. What should have been the best day of her life, of finally realizing her dream of becoming a teacher, had turned into the worst day ever. She had never been spanked in all her life, now her poor butt throbbed and she was sure she would have bruises. She couldn't believe this school still used such cruel punishment on children, though she had to admit it worked. She for example, had absolutely no intention of speaking out of turn again.

More people came into the room. Someone was speaking with Miss Martin in tones too low for her to understand. The pain in her butt subsided some, though the memory of her embarrassment remained vivid. She couldn't believe she had been spanked on her bare behind in front of three students!

At last there was a stirring behind her. Miss Martin addressed her, "Jessica, you may turn around now and join us."

Jessie turned to see that there were now five students standing near the office door, three girls and two boys, all staring at her, "Pick up your backpack," Miss Martin told her. Jessie did and raised her hand for permission to speak. How quickly she found herself slipping into her old high school habits!

"Yes?"

"Miss Martin, I need to use the restroom."

Miss Martin looked at her watch. "All right. If any of the rest of you need to go as well, you may have five minutes, then be back here so we can get started."

Jessie went across the hall to the same bathroom she had used before, noting this time the 'GIRLS' sign on the door, not 'Women.' One of the girls who had witnessed her spanking followed her. As soon as they got in the door the girl said, "Wow! What did you do to piss HER off?"

"Nothing."

"That was one heck of a paddling for nothing. Why did you have to stand there in the first place?"

"I guess I spoke out of turn. Anyway, I really do gotta pee."

When Jessie came out of the stall the girl was looking in the mirror, and applying makeup! "That probably isn't a good idea," Jessie said.

"Why? I'm Ashlee, by the way."

"I'm Miss... Um, I'm Jessie. Because that's what got Miss Martin angry at me first."

"Miss Jessie?"

Jessie thought about telling the girl that she really was a teacher, not a student, but she didn't think Ashlee would be able to help her anyway, and she didn't want to risk getting her spanked too. "Um, no, just Jessie. When I was little some people used to call me Missy but I really don't like it. So anyway, Miss Martin says makeup is against the rules."

"I'll risk it. I know how to look cute and innocent. Anyhow, she's focused on you. The rest of us can probably set fire to her desk and get away with it. We better get back though."

They went back across the hall. Jessie thought about simply going out the front door and escaping, but Ashlee saw her looking and pointed out an 'Alarm Will Sound' sign, so she thought better of it. That and she spied Miss Martin standing in the doorway to the office watching them.

Back in the office, Miss Martin handed her the schedule again, saying, "Here, you will need this," then, "All of you, make sure you have all your things. Now follow me."

She picked up the pile of student folders and led them down the hall and around a corner, then down that hall till she came to a room with a number 105 above the door, then opened the door into a classroom. She ushered them inside and a fiftyish looking man seated at the teacher's desk, stood up. He had oily looking black hair, and when some of the students started heading toward the back rows, he said, "Please sit as close to the front as possible."

Jessie raised her hand.

"Yes?"

"Um, could I stand please?"

The man glanced at Miss Martin. "No you may not, take a seat."

"Absolutely."

The girl sighed. "Well, I was hoping we could be friends, but, if I don't see you again, good luck."

"Thank you, Ashlee. Maybe, if things were different, we could have been friends. Good luck to you too."

A few minutes later a woman appeared, dressed in a costume that was kind of a cross between housekeeper and nurse. Miss Pierce rapped on her desk for attention. "Ladies, go with the matron. Gentlemen, I'm sure your supervisor will be along shortly."

The matron had the eight girls walk in single file, and led them down a hall to another classroom where she had them wait in line against a wall. She went into that room and emerged with six more girls, whom she put in line behind her first group. They started off again, and this time they emerged from the building into sunshine, onto a concrete walkway.

Ahead was a blocky looking two story building. To the right was a brick wall, about twelve feet high, topped with a four foot hedge. To the left was a chain link fence, perhaps fifteen feet high, beyond which was a building identical to the one which they were approaching.

They followed the matron into the building and to a large room with a counter. Behind the counter was another matron, who, mostly by looking at each girl, with the only measurement taken being bust size, apparently judged their size and presented them with a bundle of clothing. In an adjoining room they were measured for shoes, and given two pairs, one pair of green and white saddle shoes and one pair of sneakers.

Jessie kept her eyes open for a payphone, or any kind of phone, but the only ones she saw were phones without dials. Finally while waiting in one of the lines, she asked one of the matrons if she could use a phone. "Yes, but calling time is not till after supper."

At last they ended in a big room full of couches, televisions, library tables and even a few video games. They were told to sit and one of the matrons started reading names and room numbers from a list after saying, "When your name is called, you may leave to find your room. Remember, supper is promptly at six. Be ready for the bell, do not be late."

Jessie's name being nearer the end of the alphabet than the beginning, she had to wait until most of the other girls were gone. Ashlee was called before she was, and they did not share a room. The rooms turned out to be for four girls each, with two bunk beds in each room. There were four desks, but no phones. Each set of four rooms were supervised by a matron.

When Jessie got to the room, the other three occupants were excitedly trying on their new uniforms, which turned out to be pleated, green plaid skirts and white polos with 'WA' embroidered on the left breast in kelly green, white knee socks and the saddle shoes. Jessie simply dropped her bundle on the desk they told her was hers. "Aren't you gonna try your stuff on?" one of them asked her.

"No."

"Why not?" another asked. "If they don't fit right, they'll give you new ones."

"I won't need new ones."

The first girl walked over to her. She was more than a head taller than Jessie, and glared down at her. "Well Darlin', you need to unpack anyway. The matron said everything had to be put away before supper. Besides, you need to get out your gym clothes. We're supposed to wear them to supper."

Jessie shrugged and started to open the bundle. She didn't need to have students beating her up in addition to the teachers.

"I heard about you," the girl continued. "You're a troublemaker. Listen up. Every time you mess up, we get demerits too, so don't mess up!"

"Don't worry, I won't."

"You just better not."

Jessie hung up the skirts and tops and found that the package even included underwear, with both the bra and panties being kelly green. She stuffed those and the socks in a drawer. She wasn't used to undressing in front of other people so she changed to the gym clothes, dark green shorts with white piping and a kelly green t-shirt with the WA logo in white, as quickly as possible.

They didn't wait long before the bell rang indicating it was time to eat. The dining hall had long tables and the food was served family style, by young women dressed like the matrons, except in all white instead of the dark green and white the matrons wore.

At first Jessie wasn't really interested in eating, just wanting to get the meal over with so she could get to a phone. The food however, like the cookies earlier, was wonderful! Roasted pork loin, with redskin potatoes and asparagus. She was still hungry, having only had a couple of cookies and milk all day, so she stuffed herself. She wondered what the tuition was to a school that served such delicious food.

Despite wanting to get to a phone, she was one of the last to leave. On the way out, she saw a matron and asked her about making a phone call. "Sure Honey," the matron said. She looked at her watch and said, "It's still a few minutes early, but by the time we get to the office it should be close enough."

They walked together to the office. Another matron was at a desk and looked up as they entered. "Phone call," the first matron said.

The second matron nodded and placed a phone on the desk where Jessie could reach it, which was just what Jessie started to do. "Not yet," the second matron said. "What is your name dear?"

"Jessie Schmit."

The matron typed that into her computer, then reached and took the phone away. "I'm sorry Honey. You're on the restricted list."

"WHAT?"

"Keep your voice down please. Your phone privileges have been suspended."

"Why?"

The matron touched a few more keys. "Well, it looks like you had a few behavior problems today."

"So when can I make a call?"

The matron looked at the screen again, "Well, if you behave between now and then, Saturday."

Saturday? Jessie wanted to scream, but so far that had only caused her trouble. Then she realized. Her Aunt Becca wouldn't wait until Saturday. When she didn't come home, Aunt Becca would call the school, or come looking for her! All she had to do was wait.

Jessie went back to her room, actually humming to herself. When she got there the other girls were organizing their desks. Jessie pulled open her desk drawer and found a piece of paper on which was printed a plan. It seemed everything had a prescribed place on the desk. Jessie started to organize her desk too. She could play along for another hour or so. Aunt Becca would be here any moment!

That hour or so dragged on into two, then three. Jessie organized and reorganized her desk, then her backpack. No Becca. When it was nearly nine, the lights flickered. "What was that?" Jessie asked.

The other girls were all returning students from last year and one of them answered, "It means lights out in five minutes, better get ready for bed."

"But I don't have anything to wear to bed."

The girl who had called her a troublemaker earlier was up on one of the top bunks and rolled over now and looked down at her. "So sleep naked, we won't mind, though the matron might, or sleep in your underwear, that's what most of us do." Jessie stripped down to her underwear just in time for the lights to go out. She climbed into her upper bunk in the dark. Where was Aunt Becca she wondered.

She usually slept on her back, but her behind was too sore so she lay on her stomach. If she actually went to school here, the way things were going, she imagined she'd probably have to sleep on her stomach every night. She thought nine o'clock was way too early for bedtime, but she was so tired and jet lagged that she fell asleep quickly and didn't wake till the morning bell sounded.

All the girls grumbled and Jessie couldn't help but wonder what they had to complain about. She was the one facing another day of this nightmare. There was a clock above the door and it read 6:00. They had to get moving though, not only did they have to wash and dress, but beds had to be made and the room straightened up. Breakfast was again good and Jessie had to restrain herself from overeating.

A bell sounded and most of the girls got up and left the dining hall. Jessie went to her room and got her backpack, stuffing her gym clothes and shoes in like she saw her roommates doing. She followed them out the door and over to the school. She hadn't seen Ashlee, but she managed to find her own way to homeroom.

Ashlee was thrilled to see her. "I thought you were going with your aunt."