by LSF Publications
by Anthony Alba
"How can I be lost?" William muttered to himself. It was not as if he was a stranger to the area. He had grown up around here, gone to school near here and he had only been at college a year. Yet the shortcut he had chosen to beat the traffic was turning into a disaster.
The cul-de-sac ahead told him clearly that this was not the way to cut back onto the main road. "Damn it to hell," he muttered. He glanced at his watch, he still had time but that would change fast if he did not find his way back onto the main road soon.
"When I graduate and can afford a half decent car, I'm getting sat-nav," he promised himself as he put his car into reverse. There was not enough room ahead to turn around but he could reverse into one of the driveways and then try again to find his way to the party.
William glanced at his rear view window, there was a silvery grey car in the drive way but there was plenty of room for him to manoeuvre. Then his mobile beeped. He picked it up from where he had left it on the passenger's seat. It was a text message from Garry. 'Where R U? Party starting. Girls hot!'
"Damn," he muttered again as he texted a quick reply. He had felt more that a little self-conscious dressing up in his schoolboy uniform complete with cap and short trousers but that was the theme of the party. The trade off was going to a party full of hot college girls all dressed up as schoolgirls!
BANG!
The impact shocked William and he slammed on the brake but he knew it was too late. He had hit something. With a pounding heart William glanced in his wing mirror. "Please, please... don't let it be a person..." He could not see clearly enough so he turned off the car and threw open the door and got out.
His breathing began to slow a little once he realised that he had not accidentally knocked anyone down. He had hit something though, the silver car parked in the driveway. Thankfully he had not been reversing too fast but the impact had still been enough to knock a dent in the side bumper.
A minute or more must have passed as he assessed the damage. He did not really care about the dent to his own car; it was so old and battered one more dent would hardly be noticed. It was nothing much to look at and he had picked it up cheap. Still it got him to and from college and that was all that matted, not to mention cheap was all he could afford at the moment. Then the front door of the house opened, spilling light into the twilight.
"What is going on out here?" an angry sounding female voice demanded.
"Listen, I'm really sorry," William began as he squinted against the glare. The estate was well lit but the light was still fading and it was hard to see who was at the door while they stood highlighted in the light from their hallway.
"I got a bit lost and I was reversing. I must have taken my eyes off the mirror for a second and..."
"And you crashed into my car," the woman finished for him. She sounded young and her voice was defiantly familiar. She folded her arms across her chest as she left the doorway behind and came out to inspect the damage.
"Listen, I'm really, really sorry," he said again. He was no mechanic and he tried to tell himself the damage could have been worse. Still it was a sizable dent that would require professional help to fix.
The young woman glanced at him for a moment, frowned, then she bent down to get a closer look at her damaged car. "Perhaps you can explain how you managed to reverse into a stationary car," she muttered as she shifted her head back and forth to get a view from every angle. "You had plenty of room to turn and..."
She glanced up and her scowl turned into a slightly puzzled frown. "I know you," she muttered. "William... William Millar?"
William's eyes widened as he took in her face. "Miss Campbell?" After a second of studying that heart-shaped face, he was certain. Rachel Campbell had been his maths teacher just a year ago. She had started at the school when he was in Sixth Form and despite her youth she had been hands down the very best teacher in the whole school No-one could explain theorems and quadratic equations like her.
The fact that she was drop dead gorgeous had not hurt either. With honey blond shoulder length hair and sparking blue eyes the boys in the class had all been instantly smitten with her. She could not have been more that twenty-three at most, and even dressed in old jeans and a light top she still looked as enchanting as she had in school.
"I... I..." he tried to say and immediately felt tongue-tied.
"And why are you dressed like that?" she asked as she straightened from the car and ran her eyes up and down over his body. William felt his cheeks colour as she took in the grey blazer, white shirt and tie combined with short grey pants.
"I was going to a party," he finally managed to get out.
"And you like dressing up like a school boy at parties?" she asked. It was impossible to read her expression but William thought he detected a hint of amusement from his former teacher. Amusement and could it be pleasure?
"It was a themed party," he said far too quickly, all but stumbling over the words.
For what seemed a very long time, her blue eyes drank in the image of him dressed in the uniform, then she glanced back to the car. Thankfully, her initial anger appeared to have faded a bit. "Well the damage is not that bad. Just give me your insurance details and... what's wrong?"
Insurance details. William glanced back at his car and tried not to winch. "Well, I..."
"You do have insurance don't you?" she demanded in a tight voice. Then she glanced over to the left and right and following her gaze William wondered how many of the neighbours might have been watching through their curtains? Clearly this occurred to her as well.
"Why don't we discuss this inside," she said, gesturing towards the door.
William swallowed. She was inviting him in? He hesitated only a second before he could overcome his surprise to follow her. He knew her as a teacher and she clearly remembered him as a student but he was still a relative stranger. Did she make a habit of inviting strangers into her home? That seemed ... risky.
He had not gone far into the hallway when he reassessed that. He spotted several framed photos showing Ms Campbell wearing the white gi of a martial artist. She was holding various trophies and the belt around her slender waist looked suspiciously black.
"So what have you been doing with yourself since you finished school?" she asked as she led him into a comfortable-looking sitting room.
"I'm at college, Miss," he replied. The title 'miss' came without him thinking about it and William shuffled his feet. He was no longer her student, but if felt as if he was back in her classroom admiring the soft curves of her body as she worked at the blackboard. "Studying Engineering," he added.
"And are you enjoying that?" she asked as she sat in a large leather armchair while gesturing for him to take the chair opposite her. As he sat, William glanced around him. He could see the usual things: TV, computer and what looked like a lot of books. In one small desk he could see what looked like school homework she was in the middle of marking.
"It's great," he replied. He really loved college and his course. "I've always wanted to be able to build things and ... well it's nearly everything I hoped it would be."
"Nearly?" she asked. "I take it there is a part of the course that is less that what you expected?"
A grimace flashed across his face. "The math is a bit tough but I'm managing."
"I seem to remember you were quite good at mathematics," Rachel replied.
"I had a good teacher," he answered quickly before thinking. Immediately, he regretted it - he did not want to come across as a silly schoolboy with a crush.
A faint smile crossed her face as she inclined her head at the compliment. Then her expression became more serious. "I believe you were about to give me your insurance details."
William felt his mouth go dry. "About that, I may have been a little late in renewing my insurance," he said slowly. The renewal form had been lying on his table for a week now and he was planning to send it in once he had scrounged enough money together for the renewal fee.
Seeing her expression darken, he held up his hands before him. "I'll pay for any damages... at least if you could give me a bit of time that is. I'm not exactly rolling in cash, but I promise I'll come good if you give me a chance."
"I see." Her words hung in the air for a minute and William could not help but fidget under that cool gaze. In the classroom her generous smile had lit up the room, and her eyes had always been so alive and bright. Now she looked like a stern judge about to pass sentence.
"I believe driving without insurance is a criminal offence," Rachel said quietly.
"I had insurance," he said quickly. "And I was going to renew it, but it's just so expensive for anyone my age. It's almost more that my car is worth."
"And yet you have money to hire a costume, attend a party?" She shook her head. "I doubt if the police would be understanding." She studied him again and under that imperious gaze, William felt very small.
"I may and I repeat may," she told him very carefully, "... be prepared to allow you to pay for the damage over time."
William let out a breath he had not realised he was holding. "But I am not prepared to turn a blind eye to your irresponsibility. I remember a good, obedient, well-mannered boy in my class, but in the space of a year I find you are now partying instead of paying for your insurance, to say nothing of not paying attention to your driving."
The sides of her lips curled up into the hint of a smile. "No, I think you need to be punished and punished soundly if you are to be put back on the right path."
"Punished?" William croaked. "I... don't ... what?"
"Punished," she said firmly but not unkindly. "A simple concept. It involves discomfort which chastises the wrongdoer, and encourages proper behaviour in the future."
"I..." William opened his mouth but words refused to form. What did she mean? Surely not what he was thinking? He had daydreamed at times in her class, fantasying about going out with her on a date. She was a teacher and he a student but she looked so young. She would not have looked out of place in a uniform like the students. Of course he knew it would never happen, but still he had fantasised.
"It is entirely your choice. If you wish I can call the police and we will allow the courts to deal with you. On the other hand, if you prefer a private punishment I am prepared to accommodate you. A good bare bottom spanking should teach you to pay for your insurance on time."
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