[Star Shadows]

Here is another "short" story, well part of it for now, please thank and comment and give me some more suggestions for ideas. I love hearing from you all.

Corrective Measures
Part 1 of 3

“Jessica Alice Harlow will you stand up please? Now.” The teachers voice boomed across the classroom. Her eyes darted up from her aimless scribbles to meet his. She did as she was told and stood up, pushing her long brown hair out of her eyes, and stared at him evenly.

“Would you be so kind as to answer the question I have just posed to the class?”

This is where, once again, Jessica found herself wishing that she had paid more attention to what was being said, rather than the flow of artistic scribbles that compelled her so often. She tugged uncomfortably at the hem of her short, black skirt, sending the ruffles of lace and light cotton bouncing around her. She felt the eyes of the entire class directed at her as she fought through her subconscious to try and find an answer. But it was futile.

“Ermmm” She hesitated “No. Sir. I can’t. I’m sorry.”

“Do you even have an awareness of what the question was. Miss Harlow? Or were your mindless scribbles so infinitely more important than your education that they failed to register with you?”.

He began moving towards her, his steps slow, precise and full of purpose. His voice abrasive, direct and with enough venom to take down a small elephant. Adrenaline raced through her body as her nervous system set the fight or flight response spinning into motion. Her heart began racing with the uncertainty and embarrassment of his verbal onslaught.

“No. Sir. I promise it won’t happen again.” Despite her nerves, her voice was calmer than she had envisioned. She still succeeded at keeping her voice calm and reasoned, and still she maintained eye contact. Their eyes were locked. A battle of wills, but one that Jessica could never win.

“Your promises mean very little to me, Miss Jessica Harlow. You have made them far too often with nought but a flickering of change. You remain equally as self absorbed and ignorant to education as you did when we first locked horns.”

He was a matter of feet away from her now, and even leaning on the table, with both of his hands, he was far taller than she was. He stood at a towering 6 foot 3 and his physical presence was undeniable.

“But fear not, Jessica, we can help you with your problem.” His voice had lowered in tone, barely a growling whisper, but his words resonated in her ears, and were suddenly oh so loud.

“The college does not approve of my prefered method of dealing with people like you. But I can assure you that this is necessity, it must be done, and the college shall not find out.”

As he spoke Jessica could feel cracks forming in her once calm demeanour, as an infinite number of questions ricocheted through her mind.

“Go to the front of the class Jessica, if you would be so kind.”

((more to come soon))