Chapter 5

When she finally woke, her dreams still shrouding her mind with images she daren't examine, the clock informed her it was gone twelve. She rose like a sleepwalker and showered, concentrating on nothingness, trying to prevent the powerful images that had so strongly taken over both her body and her mind.

She pulled on a robe and went down to the kitchen. Through the window she saw Jane lying in the garden on a sunlounger in her tiny yellow bikini and she instantly looked away, reciting the seven times table. She knew she daren't go outside and that at any minute Jane might come in, and Isabel really couldn't trust herself. Quickly she went upstairs and got dressed.

Back in the kitchen she opened the window with her eyes closed and called. "I'm just going out for a bit, don't stay in the sun too long. See you later."

Before Jane could reply Isabel had locked the window and was heading for the door, exerting a Herculean effort to stop herself thinking about Jane getting too hot and asking Isabel to help apply some after sun.

Once in the car and driving nowhere in particular, Isabel found that concentrating on the road helped to clear her mind, although she looked straight ahead every time she passed a young woman for fear of triggering one of the vivid fantasies.

By the time Isabel returned, it was nearly midnight, and because she had school the following day Jane had already gone to bed, although she was still awake, waiting anxiously to hear her mom get home. Normally Isabel would have popped her head around Jane's door, but she really didn't want to expose herself to temptation, so she crept to bed quietly, carrying a half bottle of vodka she'd bought on the way home, hoping the alcohol would help to get her to sleep.

The spirit did its thing and the next thing Isabel knew was Jane softly shaking her shoulder and saying. "Mom, its eight o'clock, I've got to go to school, I don't want to be late as I've got double English this morning with Miss Carlton. I've left the coffee pot on. I'll see you tonight."

Before Isabel could stop her, Jane had bent and kissed her moms forehead. Through sleep-blurred eyes Isabel couldn't quite see the clothes Jane was wearing to school, although the skirt did seem a little short and the white shinny blouse a bit tight, and those black Mary-Jane's over white lace trimmed ankle socks were just so cute. Isabel let out a soft moan as her body started to tingle and her mind went blank for a second before igniting a vision so real she couldn't separate fantasy from reality.

Jane giggled as she unfolded the note she had been passed by Theresa and read 'I think Miss Carlton is a dyke, don't you?' She looked at her English teacher who was currently writing their assignment for that week on the blackboard. If asked, Jane would have named Miss Carlton her favourite teacher; she always took an interest in what her pupils were doing, and for Jane that meant a lot. About as old as Jane's mom but in wonderful shape, Jane had to admit she was pretty, she just wished she didn't look, and during class act, so severe with her auburn hair in a tight bun and her dark rimmed spectacles. But Jane had never thought she was gay, but then again, who knew?

Jane looked at Theresa who winked and whispered 'pass it over to Tara.' Jane refolded the note and held it out to the small redhead to her right, making a 'whisting' sound to try and attract her attention. With the note in open view Theresa opened the lid of her antique wooden desk a couple of inches and let it snap shut with a resounding 'clap'.

Miss Carlton spun around on hearing the noise; she insisted on her charges being quiet at all times during her lessons unless they were answering one of her questions. The first thing she saw was Jane Wearing's arm rapidly retracting, a piece of paper obvious in her hand.

"Jane Wearing!" Miss Carlton shouted, making Jane and the rest of the class jump. "Stand up."

With a glance of hatred directed at a grinning Theresa, Jane slowly stood to her feet, her cheeks burning a bright red.

Turning to face the class properly and pushing her glasses up on her nose Miss Carlton pointed to a spot on the floor in front of her. Jane didn't need words to know she had been summoned and the blush burnt brighter as she tried to surreptitiously drop the damning note on to her chair.

"Bring the piece of paper with you." Miss Carlton said in her soft, low and very commanding voice that all the girls in the class recognised as meaning she was in no mood for any of their 'antics.'

Retrieving the note, Jane held it in her rapidly sweating palm, hoping it would dissolve before she reached the waiting teacher; it didn't, and reluctantly she held it out in response to Miss Carlton's outstretched hand.

With the note delivered, Jane hung her head, toying with the hem of her short grey pleated skirt and looking at Miss Carlton's strappy black sandals that displayed her painted toenails perfectly; the three-inch metal heels making her ankles look trim.

Jane looked up her teacher's nylon clad legs to the hem of her tight, mid calf length pencil skirt, the fine dark material seeming to mould itself to her long toned legs. A broad black patent belt with a diamante buckle separated the skirt from her white satin blouse. Through her eyelashes that were level with Miss Carlton's black velvet choker with its cameo broach, Jane looked further up to bright red lips that were not smiling.

"Take this and return to your seat." Miss Carlton said as she handed the note to Jane after appending something in her neat fluid hand. Jane read the curly script and her heart sank. 'Remain after class and we shall discuss this further.'

As Jane walked disconsolately back to her desk, the rest of the class avoided her gaze, all except a still grinning Theresa, who whispered as Jane sat down. "That will teach you, miss posh ballerina!"

Jane ignored her and just wished the ground would open up and swallow her; her only consolation being the fact that if she got the sponsorship, she wouldn't have to come here any longer and put up with the taunts about her beloved dancing. Through tear soaked eyes she looked at the board and copied the instructions Miss Carlton had returned to writing.

When the bell went, Jane, like all the other girls in her class, put her books in her bag and headed for the door, trying to be as inconspicuous as she could. It didn't work of course, Miss Carlton allowed her to get as far as the door before calling her name. She stopped and felt a hand squeeze hers encouragingly and looked to see Tara smiling, not a smile of triumph like the one Theresa wore but one that offered sympathy and possibly, solidarity.

Jane returned the smile sadly as Tara let go of her hand and left with the others, leaving Jane and Miss Carlton alone. "Please close and lock the door." Miss Carlton said softly, and with a sigh Jane did as she was told, the click of the lock sealing her fate, totally cutting her off from the outside world because Miss Carlton had put a poster over the small window advertising a production of 'The Taming Of The Shrew'. A smiling Petruchio stood next to a kneeling redheaded Katherine, who still managed to look defiant despite the red cloth gag preventing her from speaking.

As Jane turned, Miss Carlton once more pointed to the floor in front of her as she rested her pert backside against the lip of her large oak desk, her slim ankles crossed daintily.

"So." Miss Carlton said as Jane stood before her. "Shall we discuss the note you were passing to Tara?"

"I didn't write it, Miss. Honest." Jane pleaded her innocence.

"I know that, I have been your English teacher for the last three years, if I don't recognise my girls' handwriting I don't know who would. However you were the one passing it to Tara, although I strongly suspect it was actually penned by Theresa even if she did try to disguise her hand."

"I'm sorry, Miss. It won't happen again I promise."

"There is no question of it happening again." Miss Carlton said as she idly picked up a wooden ruler from her desk and flexed it almost to breaking point between her hands. "What we are here to talk over is this occurrence."

"I said I was sorry, Miss." Jane tried again, but it was obviously not going to work.

Jane's worst fears were realised as Miss Carlton, still flexing the ruler, asked. "Do you know what a dyke is, Jane."

Jane hated talking about sex, she kept thinking her mom was going to sit her down for that all important 'birds and bees' chat that mothers and daughters were supposed to have, and up till now she had been spared, but now she had to talk about it with her teacher!

Swallowing hard, Jane managed to say. "It's a slang term for lesbians, Miss."

"Very good; and lesbians are?" Miss Carlton enquired.

"They are women who have sex with other women, Miss." Jane almost stammered she was so embarrassed. The temperature of the room felt like it had increased several degrees, especially next to Jane's cheeks.

"So according to your note." Miss Carlton began, adding as Jane started to protest. "The note you were passing too Tara, you think that I am a woman who likes having sex with other women, is that correct?"

"That's what the note said, Miss, but I don't really think that." Jane defended herself.

"So, then I can only assume that you wanted Tara to think that I was, probably on account of her sexuality, you were wanting to tease the shy girl with thoughts of having sex with her teacher, is that the case?" Miss Carlton parried for the prosecution.

"But Tara isn't a..." Jane started to object but when she thought about it, she realised that she quite possibly was and not only that but seemed to have a crush on Jane as well. Jane was old enough to know that these sorts of things did happen, especially in an all girls' school, she just hadn't put two and two together.

"I didn't think." Jane admitted, remembering the squeeze of hands and the consoling look as Tara left.

"Finally we get to the truth of it." Miss Carlton noted, slapping the ruler in to the palm of her hand with a resounding splat that made Jane jump. "And what if I am a lesbian, does that make me any less of a teacher? I have had to put up with the sneers of ignorant little girls throughout most of my career, I moved here to get away from them, so you can imagine how I felt when I read that note."

It took a couple of seconds for the import of what Miss Carlton had said to sink through to Jane's consciousness, bringing forth an involuntary gasp as it finally hit home. It had never occurred to Jane, and probably not to Theresa either that Miss Carlton might actually be a lesbian.

"You see how your thoughtless actions have consequences, Jane? I mean here you are locked in a room with a woman who has just admitted to you that she likes to have sexual relations with members of her own sex."

Jane felt more vulnerable than she could ever remember being in her whole life; even worse than when one of the drunken guests at a party she and her mom were catering had tried to grope her as she was alone in the kitchen pouring some drinks. At least then her mom was there to protect her and knee the creep in the balls as she came in and surprised Jane's assailant. But here she was totally alone and as she glanced at Miss Carlton she could see her teachers hard nipples pushing against the silky material of her blouse and knew she was the cause.

"You can't touch me, there are rules." Jane bluffed, wondering what Miss Carlton would do if she made a run for the door.

Miss Carlton smiled as she pushed herself off the edge of the desk and picked up a small golden key on a long chain from out of the pot where she kept her pens. "Rules, yes there are lots of rules, miss Wearing.

"Did you know at my previous school I also taught law as well as English?" Miss Carlton asked rhetorically as she unlocked the tall thin wooden cabinet that stood against the wall near the door.

"No of course you didn't, how could you." She reasoned as she took out of the cupboard a long black academic gown and tasselled mortarboard. As she removed the items Jane was almost certain she saw a long curved handled cane, just like you see in some old movies, but Miss Carlton closed the door before she could be sure.

"For instance, did you know." Miss Carlton asked as she put on the cap and gown, fixing the ungainly headwear with a couple of Kirby grips before removing the large metal key from the classroom door. "That the rules actually state that all teachers with a degree should wear academic dress when teaching, and especially if they are supervising a pupils punishment?"

Jane of course didn't know that, but the school was founded years ago and she suspected that a lot of rules were now more honoured in the breach than in the observance.

Now correctly dressed to administer punishment, Miss Carlton set about finding a very good reason to do just that. "I'm sure you are however aware of section 56 of the school regulations, the one that deals with the schools uniform policy. In particular sub section twelve that states, 'Pupils will only wear items of clothing prescribed in Appendix B'. Well are you au fait with that section, miss Wearing?"

"Yes, miss." Jane replied, not quite certain where this was heading, she knew that she was okay on that front.

"And have you read the said appendix lately?" Miss Carlton asked as she flicked the hem of Jane's skirt with her ruler.

"Yes miss." Jane affirmed. "White blouse, grey skirt, white socks and black shoes."

Miss Carlton smiled indulgently. "That is not its exact wording though is it, Jane? What it actually states is, 'A white cotton blouse, a light grey pleated skirt no shorter than one-inch above the knee, white knee length socks and black lace up shoes.'