BEXHILL SCHOOL

It had seemed hilarious at the time, covering up some of the letters on the street sign, snapping the results on their mobile phones, and then sending them around to their friends. Everyone had had a real giggle, until somehow a copy got forwarded to Shirley, the Head Girl. It just so happened that Shirley lived on Hancock Street. She suffered a complete sense of humour failure at the girls' prank.

Next day  Shirley rounded the three of them up at the end of the sports afternoon, took them round behind the pavilion and gave them a good lecture, centring on how such crude, unfunny photographs harmed the good name of Bexhill, especially as the girls had been wearing school uniform when they posed. Each of them was going to get six with Shirley's cane.

She told Samantha she was going first, to face the  shower room window, bend over and place her hands against the wall. Samantha had only once in her life been spanked, and that was a fairly mild affair with a Dormitory Captain's slipper. Nonetheless, she'd howled the house the down on that occasion and ever since she'd gone in terror of being thrashed again. She begged and pleaded with Shirley, whilst her two friends looked on in some embarrassment. Eventually, Shirley had coaxed her into position, but as soon as she started lowering Samantha's knickers, the girl was up again, hands clasped to her bum, imploring the Head Girl to let her off.

Shirley had had enough. She grabbed Samantha's right hand and pulled it round to the girl's front, palm upwards. Then she administered a crisp stroke to the flat of her hand. Samantha was so startled that Shirley was able to grab the other hand and repeat the process. Samantha howled, clasping her stinging palms between her thighs.

Shirley stood back and tapped the cane meaningfully on her hand.

"Samantha, you either get into position right now and take your punishment without any further fuss, or I'll repeat what I just did."

Samantha showed no sign of moving.

From the end of the line they heard Christine's voice.

"For God's sake, Sam, just bend over and let's get this over with."