UNIFORM – extract

Pippa was dressed immaculately in her school uniform. She had to be immaculate, the deputy headmistress Lucretia insisted always on ‘immaculate’ and Pippa was reporting to her, just like she had been told to do. She sat twiddling with her thumbs and she didn’t look happy. In fact she looked positively unhappy and not like she wanted to be there at all. That was because she knew what it meant to have to report to Lucretia after hours. As she sat there, Anna her friend passed. “Pippa are you ok? You look like you’ve seen a ghost or something.” Like Pippa, Anna was a pretty girl with everything going for her and on the cusp of womanhood. “I’m fine, honestly. I just have to see Miss Lucretia. You go home, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Anna tilted her head. It was like she was hearing all of the right words but they weren’t coming across like that. It was like she was hearing those words but not believing them. “Well, ok if you’re sure. If you want to talk or whatever, just give me a call later, at home.” Pippa snapped out of it for just a second and she smiled. “I’m fine. And yes I might call you later. If not I’ll catch up with you tomorrow.” But she was lying. For some reason there was this message in her words. She wasn’t fine at all. She was far from fine. And she wouldn’t be calling Anna either. Anna walked away but not before taking a final look at her best friend sitting waiting to see the deputy head, and then she was gone.

Pippa didn’t even know if Miss Lucretia was in her study or not. The door was closed and there was no sign of life coming from there. But then that one single question in her mind was answered when she heard that familiar click click click of stiletto heels. Those metal tipped stilettos were Lucretia’s trademark and they were coming from somewhere that was not the study. They were like the soundtrack of the school. Everyone knew when Miss Lucretia was in the vicinity because of those stiletto enhanced footsteps. It would be the soundtrack of many of the girls’ lives. Pippa could hear the stilettos before she saw them. Miss Lucretia coming up a corridor. Then the steps stopping because someone had stopped her to talk to them, or vice versa. And then the steps starting again and getting louder. Pippa felt a chill down the core of her spine. She was getting a lot of that these days. Ever since it had all got strange for her. Ever since Miss Lucretia had taken time out to get to know her. To speak to her. And that was a wholly strange thing. There was this thing where this mature grown woman, this tall, curvy, stunning woman was paying her special attention, speaking to her and yet at the same time she was also keeping the distance. There was a friendliness to her. A welcoming tinge to her demeanour and her voice. And yet there was also that strictness that seemed to emanate from her. One that made sure that Pippa herself ‘respected’ this woman. It was a respect that was automatic and didn’t have to be earned by Miss Lucretia. It was just ‘there’.

Truth be known, Pippa didn’t get it. But then she wouldn’t have known that she didn’t need to get it. She was being guided. She was being gently guided, or she was being gently drawn into Miss Lucretia’s world. She just didn’t know it yet. But that would have explained the chill down the core of her spine. There had been the strangest feeling, at least at first that the deputy head had wanted to get Pippa on side so that she could snoop for her. Pippa had actually thought that this woman was trying to get her to be the school snitch. Teacher’s pet. But she had dismissed that. She had dismissed it out of hand. What she hadn’t known or realised is that oh indeed she would be teacher’s pet, but not in that way. The footsteps got louder, then they were coming up the stairs at the end of the corridor. Miss Lucretia’s head visible first. She had the most amazing mane of black red hair. Hair that was black and yet in the sun there was that copper tinge to it. A hint of red that was not out of a bottle. And then her immaculately made up face. Everyone who came into contact with Lucretia summed her up in one word, flawless.

“Ahh Pippa, on time. I do like that. You know how I hate to be kept waiting.” That was a strange comment since it had been Pippa who had been kept waiting a good ten minutes over her time. “Of course Miss Lucretia. If I know one thing, it is to be on time when you say I have to report to you.” Lucretia was standing over Pippa now and she was looking down at her. She was smiling as though approving of what Pippa had said in response to her. Pippa’s field of view would have been filled with this tightly skirted woman. There had been a bit of a joke with the other girls, that Miss Lucretia wore those weird seamed nylons and that the seams must have been drawn up the backs of her legs under the nylon because they were so straight. So perfectly straight. Surely that in itself was an impossible feat - to get those nylons, and the seams ‘perfect’.

There would have been the flare of her hips and the silk blouse that was perfectly tucked in. Then the swell of immense breasts. That had been one thing, not the only thing that Lucretia had been blessed with, immense and motherly breasts. Those together with her stilettos and her legs seemed to underline her extraordinary femininity. It was always something that Pippa did subconsciously. Look at this woman from the feet up. Her feet arched into those stilettos, and the shapeliness of the calfs that the height of the heels created. And those long long legs vanishing under a skirt that seemed to be fitted to perfection. That was because it was fitted to perfection. And the expensive silk blouse that was not ‘tight’ it was just fitted enough to enhance her form under it.

Pippa never knew why she did that. Why her eyes followed the same route seemingly every time. And there was this pause, as though Miss Lucretia was letting it happen. A pause and smile during which the deputy head didn’t move. She just stood there, letting the girl’s eyes wander the way they did. There was something of mystery, like something that told of this woman’s past and maybe what she had been through in her life. That she was used to being looked at. Used to being taken in from feet to head. But that notion being slapped away because this was a woman so in total control, and so intimidating in many ways. It was hard to think of Miss Lucretia in the negative in any way shape or form.

“I know you know perfection when you see it Pippa which is why I wanted to see you after school hours. And you know that I like to see perfection in return. Let’s just call this a uniform check shall we? Just a little check that you are as I like you to be. Or will be as I want you do be. Of course I don’t want you to worry if there are any imperfections because from today, we can begin to put them right.” Miss Lucretia was smiling down at Pippa and her voice held just enough volume that reached Pippa. There were a few students milling round, after school clubs, extra tuition. But it was late enough now that the building was emptying. Very soon it would be dead quiet except for the squeak of the janitor’s trolley as he dragged it round with him.