I went off to town on my own yesterday. I managed to get a pass for a couple of hours. This is usually against school rules, a girl going into town on her own during a weekday. None the less I got a pass from my English teacher Mr. Pritchard. He'd do anything for me.

It was a nice sunny day, though the breeze that came in from the coast nearly blew my straw boater away more than once, stupid rule that, obviously the person who thought that one up didn't have 100mph winds to deal with. Alright that was a slight over-exaggeration. My Mary-Janes clicked loudly and deliberately along the path. Crossing the bridge you get a funny echoey sound rather like a pistol shot or something. Jane always thinks she's Clint Eastwood crossing that bridge. Can't think why. I had about 45 minutes in Town. More than enough time to get a few packets of cigarettes for the girls and myself and have a swift drink in the pub. It was OK because I knew the manager. He lets us go in and sit in a corner as long as we are quiet.

After fetching my cigarettes from the tobacconist along Terrace Road, I walked over to the pub. Ordered a Blue Vodka, to anyone else it looked like a Panda Pop. I sat down in my favourite place and started reading my book. I loved that book, "The Wives Of Bath". Mouse Bradford was a kind of role model for me, her father being a Doctor too. Martell always calls me "Mouse". Partly, as I said, though another reason becomes all to clear.

I was just getting to the part where Mouse is writing to President Kennedy when a shadow appeared over me.

"Fiona Natalie?" The voice was gentle.

I looked up. Blimey! It was one of the teachers! Not only that, but my IT teacher. I'd nowhere to run so I just sat there blinking. What was that special nick-name he had that was hardly used? I thought long and hard couldn't think of it and gave up hopelessly.

"What in hell do you think you're doing girl? You know it's forbidden to be in here at all never mind during school. You're supposed to set an example to the others you know!"

He sat down with his pint of bitter and asked if he could pinch a cigarette. Cheeky bugger, of course I'd let him! I was in enough trouble as it is without getting into more hot water.

"Funny this," he said, "saves me the trouble and energy trying to find you in school."

"Oh?" was my very feeble reply. Fiona, I chided myself, you let yourself down with your English sometimes.

"I was looking on the e-mails earlier and came across your folder. Really Fiona Natalie I expected more from you!"

"I'm not too sure what you mean, Sir. I only send a few mails off to Father now and then."

"Do you think I'm stupid or something, girl? I'm talking about writing to that man. You know it's another forbidden rule of using e-mail. But that's not really the problem, though it is bad enough. It's the content and language I'm not happy with!"

"You mean I don't write in Welsh, Sir?"

"No, you impertinent little brat! Not only are you writing pornographic filth but it's all the swearing using the 'F' word to be precise!" He glowered at me. I was getting a little worried, though luckily no one was in ear shot.

"Do you know the seriousness of the consequences if someone got hold of your mails? It would look very bad for the school if it ever came out that not only was somebody writing to a man old enough to be her dad, but it was the head girl who was involved!" He took a gulp of his drink.

"I still don't..." He cut me off before I could justify myself.

"Drink up. I'm taking you back to school." He drained his glass, grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the booth. Grabbing my satchel in the rush I forgot it was open. The contents fell out. Ciggies, Pens, sweets and a tampon. I flushed red.

"Pick them up girl. We haven't got all day!" He tutted at me. "And your boater, If you don't wear that I will have to report you for that too. You're in enough hot water as it is my girl." He made a grab for the ciggies. Five packs of Benson & Hedges. Lovely gold packets shining in the sunlight. Disappearing into the darkness of his jacket pocket. Confiscated!

"Sorry Sir." I said tucking the elastic of the hat behind my mouse ears so they stuck out.

"Yes Fiona Natalie, we are all sorry."

He pushed me in the small of the back as we approached his car. His vice-like grip hurting me.

"Get in." He sighed. To me he looked tired. Almost as if he had done this sort of thing before. I guess dragging children out of pubs is a regular occurrence for teachers. It must be written in the rule book for teachers that four times a year each one has to drag a pupil away from her drink.

I forgot to take off my boater and getting into the car it slipped off and the elastic nearly strangled me. I was expecting a comment. He just shook his head.

"Can we have some music on, Sir?" I asked very politely.

"No you cannot." He shot a glance towards me. Then stared back intently on the road.

"Why, Sir? Is it because you are embarrassed at your taste in music?"

"No." He replied. "It's because the bloody thing's broken!"

"Oh!" I shrugged.

Driving up to the school gates my tummy dropped as I realised the seriousness of my crime. Up to now everything was a little friendly almost. He parked in his reserved space and he leaned over and opened the door for me. I was quite capable of doing this little procedure myself. I felt his hand brush my knees.

"Go up to Room 37 and await for me there. I'll have to go to your form teacher, Miss Barnwell isn't it?" He continued before I could answer. "I'll have to explain why you are not going to be at this afternoon's registration."

I climbed up the oak panelled stairway, my shoes almost sliding along on the polished parquet flooring. Why on earth Joe persists on polishing these corridors to this extent is beyond my comprehension. We are going to have a nasty accident one day, I'm sure.

I entered the small room. This particular geography room was my favourite, as it had a nice view across the town. You could see the sea if you tried hard enough. The silence in the room would have been unbearable except for the ticking of the clock above the blackboard. "Five ways of preventing coastal erosion", scribbled in white chalk, was still on the board.

Twenty blooming minutes I had to wait for him. I was still absent-mindedly looking out of the window when the door opened. He walked in with a familiar object in his hand. It was Mr. Latham's cane! I gulped air. Surely I wasn't going to get the cane for this? A stupid 'F' word!

"Sit down girl!" He shouted at me. Without hesitation I sat on the hard wooden chair.

"Fiona Natalie, I have had time to consider your actions and have come up with a fair and proper punishment for you. I had thought that a week's detention would have been too lenient for a girl like you. After all, what example would that set if the Head Girl only got detention for this serious act?"

"I don't know Sir!"

"You don't know much, do you child?" He shook his head.

"No Sir!" I whispered.

"Stand up and come over to my desk" He left his seat and walked past me to the window that was behind me. I did as I was told, my mouth dry. I still didn't think he'd carry out this punishment.

"I'm going to give you six strokes over your knickers, that should be sufficient."

"Six? Oh no, Sir! I'll never manage that!" He flexed the cane in his big hands. I bent over the desk and he lifted up my gymslip exposing my white-clad rump.

"Yes you can girl! I have it on strong authority you've had 10 in your life here at St.Elliotts!"

I felt the tap-tap on my buttocks as he seemed to weigh me up for size. A sharp waft of air and a stinging sensation crawled up my spine.

"Come on girl. Count out loud!" He said in a sharp tone. "ONE!"

"ONE!" I said.

"Good girl!"

Another whack. This made me squirm. I knew I had to try to stay still or it would only make my predicament worse.

"TWO SIR!" I trembled.

"That's better!" I could imagine his arm raised for another blow. His steely eyes piercing my back. I think I must have looked quite odd over that desk, gymslip almost over my head.

"Eeek." There it was, my little mouse squeak. This immediately brought a chuckle from Ridgeback. Ridgeback! That was it. That was his nick-name. Alison Jones came up with that one after she'd got caned by him for masturbating during his lesson. Only she could have been caught for that.

"THREE SIR!" I squeaked out another reply.

The fourth burned worse that the others as it hit a fresh spot on both cheeks. My buttocks were now bruised like a peach. I do bruise easily. This brought a smirk of self-satisfaction from him. Obviously he was getting a thrill from my predicament.

"FOUR SIR!" I managed a snotty answer.

"Very good Fiona! I can see you are improving with each stroke!" I noticed he was admiring the mess of my bum while he said that.

A crack of air and another stingy one. This landed on top of my bum near the third. I couldn't handle much more and squirmed as I changed weight from one foot to the other. I cried out. Tears flowing copiously now.

"FIVE SIR!" my voice was cracking at this point.

"EXCELLENT!" his voice boomed at me. "Now girl tell me what's the last?"

"The worst Sir!" I replied with a little bit more authority. Was my confidence returning?

"Very good, Fiona Natalie." He tapped the cane on my bum again and again. I shivered and felt my buttocks wobble.

I felt a rush of air and I flinched. He'd missed on purpose.

"Lie still girl!"

"Sorry Sir!" I apologised. My nerves were at the end of their tether. THWACK! The cane bit into my panties crushing the material against my now burning posterior.

"SIX SIR!" I sniffled.

"Good girl!" His voice became soft again. "I knew you could do it! Now get up and compose yourself and straighten that tie! You're setting an example here at St.Elliotts."

"Yes Sir!" I stood up and arranged my gymslip and tie correctly. I rubbed my cheeks to try to get some feeling back into then. The only feeling I managed to get back was more pain! I turned round to face him.

"Thank you, Sir!" Our eyes met for the first time since my roasting. "Sir? Could I have one on the bare, please?" I asked in my bestest possible voice. When I say bestest, I mean one that didn't squeak with pain. This question took him a little by surprise.

"Yes, Fiona. Of course. If you think it will be beneficial. Lean over the desk again for me."

I did as I was told. "Pull your knickers down, there's a good girl." Imagine me getting praise for this! I hooked my thumbs into the waistband of my panties and let them slide down over my legs to the floor. I bent over again, fully aware of my exposed rear that faced him.

"READY?"

"YES SIR!" my reply came out loud and firm.

Tap-Tap-Tap. WHACKKK! I jumped up in the air as quickly as that rush of air before the cane bit into my fleshy backside.

"SEVEN!" My voice cracked in my head. I turned to him thanking him twice.

"Very good. Now run off and get to your next class."

"Yes Sir. Thank you Sir!"

I went out of the door, closed it behind me and walked off back down the corridor to my next lesson. Massaging the ridges on my arse. Ridgeback I thought, I'm a ridgeback!

My poor mouse body.