Jackie was listless and depressed for several days after her paddling and her eyes often welled up with tears. She looked at Melissa and Roxanne with hatred every time she saw them and they returned her looks with sneers of their own.

Jackie had called her mom on the phone to plead with her to let her come home, but the call had ended badly. Jackie never got along with her mother. Stacy kept trying to cheer up her friend, but nothing seemed to work. Jackie kept trying to think of a way to get back at Melissa and Roxanne, but she was afraid that whatever she tried to do might backfire on her. She didn’t think she could endure another paddling anytime soon, but revenge was foremost on her mind.

Jackie didn’t know it, but a friend of Melissa’s and Roxanne’s named Christine was filled with guilt and shame over what had happened. Christine was filled with so much guilt and shame she could barely stand to live with herself. Christine knew the real story behind the prank. She knew Melissa and Roxanne had put the jell-o in her drawer, hoping Jackie would be blamed. She also knew they had placed the jell-o wrapper in Jackie’s garbage can in order to set Jackie up to take the fall.

Christine marveled at Jackie’s bravery. She knew Jackie had confessed to spare the rest of them from getting swatted with the paddle. Every time Christine looked at Melissa and Roxanne and heard them laugh and ridicule Jackie, her anger and loathing grew stronger. Finally Christine couldn’t bear it any longer. She had been threatened by Melissa and Roxanne not to tell Father John, but she didn’t care anymore.

She made her way down the deserted corridors of the school after classes were over for the day. Sister Helen was not in the outer office and Christine tentatively walked over to Father John’s door and lightly knocked.

As luck would have it, father John was inside staring out the window. He too had come to realize over the last several days that he might have made a mistake. This was what he hated the most about corporal punishment, once it was administered, he couldn’t take it back.

When he heard the knock on his door, he opened it to find Christine. “What can I do for you Christine?” He asked.

“I uh –“ She began to lose her nerve.

“Come on in” Father John said, sensing she was uncomfortable. He led her to the couch in front of his desk and asked her to sit down. “Now then, what is on your mind Christine?”

Her mind raced a mile a minute. She suddenly wished she hadn’t come.

“Are you having difficulty in your classes?” Father John asked, in an attempt to get her to open up to him.

“No Father.” She said quietly and looked down. “I um, well I um –“ She struggled to find the words.

“Is there something you want to tell me Christine?” He looked into her eyes with concern.

“Jackie didn’t play that trick on Sister Mary Elise. It was Melissa Abernathy and Roxanne Grant.” Christine blurted all at once.

Father John suddenly felt the shadow that had fallen over him the last few days begin to lift. “I see.” He said quietly.

Christine rushed forward with the truth and all the details of how Melissa and Roxanne had framed Jackie. “I’m not normally a tattle tale.” Christine added anxiously. “I normally don’t rat on my friends, it’s just that --”

Father John nodded. “It’s just that you are feeling a bit sorry about what happened to Jackie.”

Christine nodded. “Jackie took that paddling so the rest of us wouldn’t have to. If she hadn’t confessed we would have all been paddled.”

Father John wasn’t so certain that would have been the outcome. He felt that if Jackie hadn’t confessed, Christine or someone else would have come forward with the truth, but Jackie’s confession had prevented that from happening. “I wish you would have confessed this sooner.” Father John said kindly.

Christine looked down. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“Well you are telling me now and that is very important and admirable.” Father John said with a warm smile. “However I feel you must be punished for not telling me about this sooner. You had a part in allowing Jackie to be punished when you knew she wasn’t guilty and you helped conceal the truth, which is not right.”

Christine nodded. “Yes Father. I know.” She felt relieved. It was as if a lead weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

“I will give you a choice Christine, you may write a 5000 word essay on the value of honesty or you may take three paddle swats.” Father John said quietly.

Christine was surprised he was offering her a choice.

“It was very brave of you to come here and tell me these things knowing you would be punished. I admire you for that.” Father John said with a smile. “Do you need more time to decide between the swats or the essay?”

Christine looked down. “I’ll take the swats, I guess.” She had never been paddled before and it gave her butterflies, but she had already resolved the paddle was likely to be her fate.

"Very well," Father John said and he stood up and went around his desk and took the paddle out of his drawer. He called Sister Helen to come inside his office to witness the paddling. Then he instructed Christine at length about how to stand. She was nervous and shaking as she bent over and grabbed the back of her knees. She felt him lift her skirt, exposing her panty clad posterior.

After all the usual instructions, Father John drew back the paddle and laid it across Christine’s bottom with force. SWATT!

“Ouch!” She yelped in surprise. It hurt a lot, she knew it would, but she wasn’t ready for just how much it would hurt. She managed to hold her position and steel herself for the next one.

SWATT! It fell against her bottom harshly. “Owwwwwwwwieeee” She said and she wiggled her legs a bit, wishing she could rub her bottom. She had observed Jackie stand stoic for her swats so she knew she should do the same, and could if she tired hard enough.

SWATT! The third and final swat of the paddle fell with great force. “Ohhhhhhhhhhh” She groaned and felt her eyes tear up a bit from the pain and humiliation. It was truly painful and humbling to submit to a paddling. She stood up and rubbed her bottom as tears rolled down her face.

Father John placed the paddle on his desk and dismissed Sister Helen. He then talked with Christine about how proud he was that she had confessed the truth. After admonishing and thanking her, he sent her to her dorm room. Then he asked Sister Helen to send for Jackie.

When the message arrived for Jackie to go and see Father John in his office she wanted to burst into tears. She wondered what on earth she had done wrong now. Her bottom was still in a lot of pain from her paddling and she was afraid to go see him in case he wanted to add more paddle swats or paddle her for something else. Yet, she was also afraid of what would happen if she didn’t show up.

She thought briefly of putting on a couple of extra pairs of panties in case he paddled her again, but she knew that would not be a good idea. She willed her shaky legs to carry her across the grounds to the main building and up to Father John’s office. When she arrived, Sister Helen knocked on Father John’s door. “Jackie Fordham is here.”

Father John appeared at the door of his office and invited Jackie inside. She held back a bit reluctantly. He didn’t seem mad, but that didn’t mean anything. When she saw the paddle laying on his desk her stomach filled with butterflies and she wanted to get out of there right away.

“I had a visit from another student today.” Father John said as he insisted she sit down.

She wanted to say something smart such as “So?” because it was in her nature, but she thought better of it. She was shaking and scared. Seeing him in his office had always made her nervous, but it was even worse now that he had started paddling her.

“It seems this student is under the impression it wasn’t you who played that prank on Sister Mary Elise after all.” Father John said, looking curiously at Jackie.

Jackie swallowed. “I confessed.”

Father John nodded. “Yes you did, however I think you did that to save your peers from being paddled.”

Jackie suddenly realized he did not approve of her brave sacrifice because even though it had been noble of her, it had been dishonest. She wanted to sink into the couch and die.

“I admire you a great deal Jacqueline.” Father John said. “You have a lot of spirit and determination. You will go far in life.” Jackie hated all this “fluff” as she called it and wished he would just pass sentence on her. Her sore bottom began to tingle.

“You won’t get paddled any more than you already have been, I can assure you.” Father John said. “But I wanted you to know that when you are innocent of something it is best to stick with your innocence and not take responsibility for something you didn’t do. While brave, it is also dishonest and often brings with it undesirable consequences.”

Jackie nodded. “Yes Father.”

“Many people would say you were punished unjustly.” Father John said. “Maybe they would be right about that. But your confession caused the real culprits to escape justice, which is not good for them. Also, you have caused me and I suspect Sister Mary Elise to feel some regret and guilt for punishing you for something you didn’t do. I admire your bravery, don’t get me wrong, but it would have been better for you to be truthful rather than noble. I value truth above all else, and I strive to teach that to you students. The right thing to do is to be honest and let the chips fall where they may.”

“Yes sir.” Jackie nodded, looking down.

“I care about you Jacqueline, remember that.” Father John said.

“Yes sir.” Jackie said quietly.

“You may go now Jacqueline, but I hope you have learned something valuable from all of this.” Father John said quietly.

“I have.” Jackie assured him in a shaky voice. She walked back to her dorm room and pondered his words. She could see the logic in what he said, but confessing had seemed like the right thing to do at that moment. The most courageous thing for her to do would have been to stick to the truth and be honest, she could see that now.

Father John told Sister Helen to assemble the girls once more. In the meantime Father John summoned Melissa and Roxanne to his office individually. He first confronted Melissa who pretended not to know anything about what he was talking about until Father John worked his magic and extracted a confession. Over the years he had become very proficient at getting students to confess the truth, even difficult ones like Melissa and Roxanne. He couldn’t recall seeing any student more nervous than Melissa was after finally confessing.

The girls in the dorm were waiting in Sister Mary Elise’s office when Father John finally entered with Melissa and Roxanne in tow. Father John put his arm on the shoulders of both Melissa and Roxanne as they stood on either side of him. He then explained to everyone what had happened and how Jackie had lied to prevent them from being swatted with the paddle, but how that had been dishonest. All the girls didn’t care if it was dishonest. They knew Jackie had saved them and they were grateful. They looked at Jackie with new respect and in turn looked at Melissa and Roxanne with disdain. The girls knew it would have been a cold day in hell for Melissa to confess the truth, she would have allowed them to all be swatted with the paddle first.

Father John explained how the person who had informed him of the truth was punished earlier in the day for not coming forward sooner. He didn’t give out the name of the informer, for which Christine was grateful and she resisted the urge to rub her sore bottom.

Then he told the school that because Melissa and Roxanne had allowed someone else to be punished for what they themselves had done and had maliciously planned out and tried to frame Jackie from the beginning, they would get double what he would have originally given them. He also explained that they were of course also being paddled for the original crime of perpetrating the prank on Sister Mary Elise in the first place. He pointed out that had they simply confessed in the beginning, things would have been much easier on them.

Then came his lecture on the importance of being good students and respectful of the school and the rules. By the time he was finished, everyone in the room was silent and anxious, and then he announced that Melissa and Roxanne would receive twelve swats with the paddle on their bare bottoms in front of everyone. Gasps of surprise were heard among the girls.

Melissa and Roxanne appeared very nervous and afraid.

Father John ordered Melissa and Roxanne to bend over and assume the position for their paddling. He intended to paddle them simultaneously. He would first smack one and then the other. He intended to alternate between them until they had both received twelve swats. Everyone stood in the back of the classroom and watched with apprehension. Jackie wanted to smile that justice was finally being served, but she also felt a pang of sympathy for Roxanne and Melissa. Even though she loathed them, she knew how much it would hurt to take twelve paddle swats on the bare bottom in front of everyone.

“This is ridiculous.” Jackie heard Roxanne say. “You can’t do this to us.” Melissa’s voice carried through the crowd.

“If you fail to comply, I can add additional punishment for both you without too much trouble.” Father John said sternly.

Both girls eventually complied with defiance on their faces. They slowly pulled down their panties and raised their skirts as instructed and bent over with their hands behind their knees.

Father John removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. Jackie’s bottom began to tingle and she subconsciously reached behind her and lightly touched her own bottom as she watched the proceedings.

“You have both done some truly horrible things.” Father John said to them sternly. “This will hopefully teach you both a good lesson.”

SWATT! The first swat struck Melissa’s bare bottom with a loud crack. She yelped. “OUCH!” Melissa was very seldom punished, and certainly not in front of others, and definitely not with a paddle.

Father John then stepped in front of Roxanne. SWATT! Roxanne yelped loudly too. “OWWWWWW!” Roxanne was not punished much either. Both of their faces flamed red from the humiliation of their ordeal. Melissa and Roxanne swore someone would pay for this.

They had difficulty remaining stoic. They stood up after the first few swats, breaking position. Father John dealt with them patiently and threatened them both with additional swats if they didn’t hold position.

SWATT! SWATT! One after the other the swats fell harshly against their bare flesh. Melissa was the first to break down in tears, and she did so after the third swat. She began to cry for all she was worth. She complained profusely about the pain. “This hurts too much.” She begged, pleaded, and screamed as the paddling progressed.

Roxanne was a bit tougher than Melissa. It wasn’t until after the fifth swat that she began to cry. “OUCH!” She yelped and then came her sobs, unbidden and unmistakable. Both girls were quite upset.

The paddling continued methodically one swat after another. SWATT! SWATT! SWATT! SWATT! SWATT! SWATT! SWATT! SWATT! SWATT! SWATT! SWATT! SWATT!

“OUCH!” “OWWWW” “Ouch!” “Ohhhhhhhh, owwwww, arrrrrrrgh!” Every noise imaginable issued forth from Melissa and Roxanne’s mouths. Twelve was a lot of paddle swats for the first time. Each swat was delivered without mercy.

Jackie had never seen such a struggle in her life. She found herself on the brink of tears as she watched their bottoms turn from flaming red to purple. The paddle swats left white round circles in the middle of both of the girls butt cheeks. Father John was very precise in his delivery of paddle swats. He had a lot of experience.

Father John delivered the full twelve swats, despite their protests. Both girls were fit to be tied and they begged him to stop, but he wouldn’t. He was firm with them about staying in position. He had not given such a severe paddling in a very long time. Twelve hard swats on the bare bottom was a lot.

Finally the paddling ended and everyone was dismissed from the room except for Roxanne and Melissa. They were hysterically crying as they stood up and rubbed their sore and swollen bottoms. They were forced in their misery to listen to Father John’s stern admonitions about behaving as they should from now on. He also gave both girls a hug and tried to offer words of comfort to them, but they were too distraught to care.

“All is forgiven and forgotten.” He told them. “You have paid the price for what you did and the slate is now clean.” It was his standard “go and sin no more” statement.

As it turns out the paddling they received actually made them both have strong regrets about what they did. It took several days before either girl could sit down. The humiliation they endured had truly humbled them. They were not accustomed to humiliation. They usually enjoyed the admiration of their peers, rather than finger pointing and laughter. It was sheer hell for them as they both healed from their paddling. Both girls complained to their parents about the paddling. Their parents consulted with Father John and came to the conclusion the punishment had been appropriate, and their parents warned them to behave.

Melissa and Roxanne figured out it was Christine who had told Father John the truth and they were so angry with her that they never talked to her again. They swore revenge on her and Christine in turn became friends with Jackie and Stacy.

The relationship between Jackie, Melissa, and Roxanne continued to be much the same. Melissa and Roxanne glared at Jackie and she glared back at them, all of them making cutting remarks. But none of them dared do much other than that because in the back of their minds was the pain and humiliation they had all three suffered in front of all the girls in the dorm. The one thing they could all agree on was that they didn’t ever want to feel Father John’s paddle again.

 

~*~

 

 St. Catherine's