MR. DAVIS' POV:
I opened the door, allowing it to close naturally behind me as I tucked the carpet beater into the corner before approaching the center of the room. Surprisingly, Ryan managed to remain perfectly as he was placed for the duration of his corner time. There was some movement as he wiped his tears on his shoulders and even hiccuped a few times, but he mostly stood still.
"Are you ready to talk to me?"
He flinched at the sound of my voice, trying to wake himself from the dizzy state of his mind and pull himself back into reality.
"Yes sir." He answered quietly.
"Take a seat then."
Moving quickly, he stretched his arms over his head and made his way to the table where he grabbed the back of his former seat. Glancing down at it, he was bracing himself for the intense sting that was about to come from sitting, torn between relieving the soreness in his knees after standing for nearly forty minutes and using energy to convince me to allow him to remain standing.
He opened his mouth, but closed it when I first looked at him.
"What?"
"Are you going to sit?"
I leaned forward with my hands flat on the table. "No, I'll be standing...but you should sit."
He nodded, not satisfied with my answer but not really to argue with me.
"Let's start with where the contraband is being used the most. Obviously smoke bombs are not something you can lite inside, so I assume they're being used predominately during recess."
"Everyone lites them off near the third fire pit outside." Squeezing into the chair, he took a deep breath which caused a strain in his voice. "The one by the track because...."
"Because it's out of range from the cameras." I nodded.
We haven't noticed a shift in the number of students exploiting outdoors time, not that we would be surprised by it...it's a great way to escape these walls for a few hours.
"And how are they smuggled inside?"
He turned his head. "T-there not. I found them..."
"Don't lie to me Ryan, things will get very messy in here."
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JASPER'S POV:
"Have you ever been sent to Room 113?" Naomi asked hesitantly, not wanting to evade on my long experience here.
"No, I haven't." I leaned my elbow on the edge of the beanbag chair and rested my head on my hand. "I try to keep my head down as much as possible. Are you thinking about Ryan?"
Nodding, she kept her focus on the board. "Yeah, I know he's a jerk, honestly the truest bully I've ever seen come to the Academy...I've just heard some awful things about it and I was the one who turned him in."
"You? I thought Jess did." I lowered my voice, glancing around at some wondering students in the common room.
She shook her head, "No, she just told him that as a cover for me. I, I hesitated on telling you because I didn't want you to think I was a snitch. Mr. Davis called me into his office and he just got it out of me...."
"Woah, woah," I reached forward and grabbed her hand. "calm down. I don't think any less of you for doing so. The Administrators have a way of getting things out of everyone, not just you."
She looked to me, her glowing eyes widening as her nerves were subdued by my reassurance.
"Thanks." She whispered.
"Of course. Don't let it get to you...Ryan has everything coming to him anyway, maybe being in there will straighten him out."
I know that sounded bitter, but I've taken his shit for far too long with far too little reprisal.
"I just have heard so many rumors and I can't imagine anyone deserving to go in there." She moved her piece over four-spaces, capturing my knight.
Naomi was a kind person, far kinder than what she should be to most people. It was one of the things I admired most about her.
"I remember my first punishment." She shook her head. "And every single one after that is scary, I can't imagine how much worse the punishments are in there."
"I do too...mine was from Mr. Patry for running my mouth."
She shook her head, "Mine was from Mr. Davis."
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RYAN'S POV:
I knew that if I told him, all my privileges would be revoked, not to mention I'd never be able to bring anything through that same channel again. The only option for me now was to confess or make up another channel as a deploy....but then I'd run the risk of him investigating further into it and finding everything else I bring in.
Ugh! This was all my stupid parent's fault. If they hadn't of sent me to this hellhole, I'd be at home right now doing whatever I wanted. They told me that they believed this was what was 'best for me,' that the Academy would help me learn discipline...but who cares what they think?
"You know how the schedule works in here, correct?" He changed gears, trying to instill terror in hopes of getting me to confess.
"Yes sir."
"And you know that the rules in here are far more strict, with far worse punishments than there is in the dormitories?"
Looking down at my fingernails, I pinched my face. As much as I hated to admit it; it was working. "Yes sir."
"What are the rules, Ryan?"
Sighing, I tried to hold back the tears in my eyes. "No leaving your room except during meals, push the button for permission to use the restroom, no shouting, lights out at nine, no electronics..."
"Do you really want to spend any more time in here than you're already going to? Because, until you give me the answers I need, the only way you'll be leaving this room is when you go to school." He leaned back, folding his arms across his chest. "I know you don't want to spend the last few weeks of summer like that."
"No. No, I really don't." I said in a low whisper.
"Then tell me how the contraband is getting in."
I pursed my lips, not ready to full submit myself to his intimidation tactic. It was penetrating in my mind, but my resentment was too great to allow him the victory. I hated the 'power trips' from the Administrators, it made my blood boil.
"You already punished me for bringing it in and distributing it to the other students, aren't we finished?"
Shaking his head, his grip on his forearms stiffened. "No, we're not where near being finished."
We were now at a point of impasse, neither of us willing to back down from the argument. But everyone has a weak spot, and I know exactly what his is.
"Why do you care?" I asked plainly. "Are you so insecure that you think you think you didn't give me a harsh enough of a punishment where I would learn my lesson and not do it again?"
His expression hardened, as did his jaw, as I struck a nerve. "I guess you can say it's because I have a newfound appreciation for protection."
"Oh, oh, I see." I toyed. "You're talking about Naomi."
He leaned forward, his hands flat on the table, while he kept those dark, aggressive eyes on mine. "You're not tough, Ryan. You're nothing but a bully with a big bag of tricks...and I won't let you or anyone else do something that could jeopardize the safety of anyone here, let alone my daughter."
There was some pullback, as he realized he unintentionally exposed himself to a student.
"Oh, she's your daughter now?" Smiling, I felt some satisfaction that I diminished his power trip. "I thought you were just doing it for publicity." I toyed.
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NAOMI'S POV:
"Come in." I heard him summoning me.
My heart was thumping like a hummingbird and my mind was unable to process everything around me. It was as if I jumped outside of my skin and was watching an autopilot version of myself.
Opening the door, I came inside and stood immediately in front of it. Not sure how to act or whether or not I should speak.
"Close the door and take a seat." He said from his desk, going through papers scattered over his desk.
I did as he said.
"Do you know why you were called?"
My mouth instantly went dry as I looked into his cold eyes. Realizing his muscled figure and dark presence, I couldn't think of a thing to say.
"Miss. Taylor, do you know why you were called?" He asked again.
"Because, because I missed chore duty this morning sir."
"And by missing chore duty, you violated an Academy rule which means..." he motioned for me to finish.
"Which means..." I could feel the twitch in my hands becoming more and more present. "which means I have to be punished."
"Precisely. Braxton assigns chores to every student to help them learn responsibility and upkeep."
"Yes sir." I said quietly.
"Why did you miss chore duty?"
"I...I got caught up in talking to some of the other students."
"You must follow the schedule here, it is set in place for your future benefit. You have plenty of time for socializing after lunch."
I nodded, taking a deep breath.
"Stand up." He motioned me up as he stood by himself.
I did instantly and backed away as he came from around the desk. Turning my wooden seat around, he removed his blazer and quickly draped it around the back of the chair. Keeping his eyes on me, while mine were set on the ground, he unbuttoned and then rolled up the hem of his right sleeve.
"Pull down your pants."
"W...."
"Don't object." He interrupted. "You neglected your responsibility and you need to face the consequences for it. I'm going to give you a spanking." Reaching behind, he grabbed a wooden ruler from his desk and tucked it on the chair next to him.
Motioning me to comply, it didn't take long for me to unbuckle my pants as he instructed.
"You're going to bend over my knee, you will not reach back nor will you kick your legs otherwise I will restrain them with mine."
Tears started wallowing in my eyes and soon escaped down to my cheeks. I had never been spanked by my parents, let alone by a complete stranger.
I felt a wave of embarrassment and vulnerability as I spread over his knee, my arched back forcing me so far forward that my feet were dangling off the ground.
He raised his hand and landed the first blow to the middle: SMACK. I yelped, surprised at the impact but it was so fast that I didn't feel any pain. At least, not until the second blow. SMACK. SMACK. SMACK. He alternated between cheeks now and I could feel my body clenching with every impact. SMACK. SMACK.
"P-please stop." I cried.
"Hold still." He replied coldly.
SMACK.
"You alright?" He asked, showing that he took my rook.
"Yes, yeah, I'm fine." I made another quick, and rather foolish, move in attempt to move forward. "I was just daydreaming."
He nodded, his expression showing clearly that he doubted my assertion.
"So, are you..." Pausing, his eyes followed something else that seemed to be moving behind me. "Something's up."
I turned around and there was Mr. Davis, making his way rapidly through the common room as fast as he could.
"Mr. Davis, are you okay?" I asked, ignoring the whispers of everyone around us.
Glancing at me, and then once more after turning away, he nodded his head. "Yes, I'm fine."
Cracking his knuckles together, he continued forward without another word. He seemed to be heading to his office, trying to get there as fast as he possibly could.
"That didn't sound very convincing." I turned back to Jasper.
"Neither did yours." He smirked. "Checkmate."
I rolled my eyes, standing from the comfy position I was in on the floor, "I want a rematch when I come back."
"Where're you going?"
"I want to talk to him about a few things, especially after an encounter like that."
"Just be careful," He took my hand. "the Administrators do not like it when students meddle in the affairs of other students."
"I won't ask him about Ryan, not exactly at least. Will you wait for me?" I took a step to the left to indicate my eagerness to follow after him.
"Of course I will."
I flashed him a grateful smile before exiting through the door Mr. Davis had. I've seen that look on his face before, that same amount of angst in his movement and posture...but that was only when I delved into the events of his wife. His love and admiration for her was so great, that it destroyed him to look back and remember nothing but the empty memories stolen from him. I have never seen him in the same state since then...it must have something to do with her.
"Mr. Davis?" I peeked my head in his almost-closed door. "May I come in?"
"Of course." He waived me inside, though he did not have a very welcoming look on his face. "What can I do for you?"
"Are, are you sure you're okay? You seem bothered by something." I took the back of his guest chair in my hands, gripping it firmly until my knuckles were white.
"I'm fine, really. I just had..." He looked past me, toward his door. "It doesn't matter. Did you need something else?"
I wanted to press further, but I don't think that would be very healthy for either of us. Plus, I'm not too confident I'd be able to get anything out of him. That was more of a skill possessed by him.
"Can I ask you a few things about the pen...about Room 113?"
He seemed discouraged, as if he'd rather talk about anything else. "Okay."
"I have to ask," I began shakily, coming around to the chair I was holding and assuming its seat. "how do you restrain students in there?"
"What do you mean?" His eyebrows furrowed.
"I've heard that you tie students down when necessary in Room 113, to give them their...their spankings."
He looked at me in utter shock. "We don't restrain students during spankings. There is a restraint chair in there, but that's for unruly, physically unstable students. It's not for their punishments. In any case, it hasn't been used since Mr. Patry and I took over the Academy."
"Unruly?"
He nodded, "When I was here as a student, there was a pair of brothers, they were constantly fighting with other students. Physically fighting and sometimes it would take almost four members of the Administration to subdue them...the point of the chair is temporary immobilization. But, like I said, as long as Mr. Patry and I have been in charge, no one's ever been in the chair."
I looked down at my fingernails, trying to decide which question would be best to ask next as I'm sure he'll soon cut me off.
"Naomi," He leaned forward, resting his hands on his desk. "the punishments are not the worst part of Room 113, it's the isolation. You're in there all by yourself, confined to your room except during meals and when you use the restroom. There's no tv, no company, none of your homey knick-knacks..."
"It sounds horrible."
"It is, it really is."
"But then why do the Administrators encourage the rumors amongst students?"
"We don't encourage the rumors; we just don't stop them." He emphasized. "The rumors perpetuate the fear, fear usually deters students from committing offenses that will land them in there."
I nodded, the difference was stifling. I wanted to dismiss it, to immediately shame it for the fear it created, but I actually understood it...and recognized the weight it carried.
"Room 113 is a last resort used by the Administrators, that's why we have a variety of discipline methods; spankings in different degrees, revoking privileges, conditional punishments...but when a student repeatedly commits the same offense, a severe one at that, sometimes it's a good wake-up call for them." He assured me, noticing that I was still not at ease with the concept. "You're feeling guilty about naming Ryan and getting him sent there?"
"Yes sir."
He let out a loud sigh, rubbing the back of his neck as he leaned back in his chair. I didn't mean to trouble him with my guilt, but it has been encompassing my thoughts ever since he called me into his office to find out the truth.
"Well, I'll let you in on a little secret: I'll be taking Ryan out of Room 113 tomorrow morning."
"Really?"
"This conversation, plus watching him in there," He licked his bottom lip as he paused. "I was reminded today of how awful it is to send a student there."
Does this mean I helped Ryan escape it? Does that make it any better even though I was the one who landed him there in the first place? Why does my conscience not feel at ease?
"So does this mean no more Room 113?"
"I wouldn't go that far, I can't make that decision without involving Mr. Patry since he's more vested in the Academy than I am...but I think we're going to change our policy on it. Just don't tell anyone that," He cautioned me. "We need a more severe threat of a means of discipline."
"I won't tell anyone, not even Jasper." I nodded, but there was still something else I needed to know. "W-would I ever be sent there?"
He immediately shook his head, "No, I wouldn't allow it."
I hope Mr. Patry knows that. "Even if I've done something bad? Like, really, really wrong?"
He exhaled through his nose, "Naomi, if you ever do something severe enough to warrant Room 113 as your punishment...I promise you the room will be the least of your concerns." He threatened. "You'll have a far more unpleasant time dealing with me."
I shouldn't have asked that. "Yes sir."
"Now, go back to your board game with Jasper." He smiled. "and don't trouble yourself with my worries."