Back To School 3

Her heels cracked across the floor. The teacher called the surprise test like an order, not a question. Two brats glanced at each other, already half-smiling, and claimed they had everything they needed inside. They sat slouched, legs spread, waiting for her to crumble. She moved in. Grabbed the nearest boy by the chin. Tight. Her nails bit his jaw until his eyes widened. “Pay attention,” she snapped. He swallowed. Hard. Beside him the other student tried to talk, voice thin, but she turned on her heel, leaned close, breath hot against his ear. “You think you’re clever?” she hissed. “You don’t learn anything unless it hurts a little.” She pressed the slim cane to his thigh, tracing the seam of his trousers before tapping once—sharp, exact. The sound traveled straight down his spine. Tension snapped through both boys at once. They straightened fast, shoulders squared, knees pressed together. Authority slid over the room like warm oil. The teacher stood back, spine straight, eyes slow and satisfied, watching them shift under the pressure. She set the folded paper on the desk, ink still wet. “Pens ready. Let’s see how much inside is actually usable.”