"I agree, it might hurt more at the time but at least bits wouldn't break off like that."

The teacher accepted her note - it was obvious that she had been getting attention from the nurse, not just cutting class - and the lesson went by without any drama. For third lesson, however...

The relief teacher stood waiting for everyone, looking stern. She narrowed her eyes a little at Megan, but didn't say anything for the moment, waiting for everyone to gather in.

Megan looked rather nervous as the relief teacher gave her a look

Sarah smiled as she got into her seat - she was well-known through the school for being a troublemaker, a delinquent. Specifically, she had been in trouble several times for bullying and fighting, and it was no secret the headmaster had actually broken one of his canes across her bottom once, she had angered him that much.

The reason for her smile? The relief teacher was her mother, the one person who believed her when she feigned innocence. Because in her mother's eyes, it wasn't Sarah who was the bully, the cause of trouble, no, there was someone else who was a known troublemaker that just managed to shift the blame.

"Okay everyone, I'm just a relief for today and tomorrow, you'll have Miss Keynes back on Monday. She left instructions, so I'd like you all to turn to the ninth chapter in your textbooks. You," she pointed at Megan, "come sit at the front here so I can keep an eye on you."

"okay" Megan said and did as told

"Thank you - I know the kind of things you're up to, so I'd like to supervise you and make sure you are on your best behaviour."

Of course, it was Sarah's intention to ensure that did not happen, so she made sure to sit next to Megan... with her friends sitting behind the pair.

"So I understand you've been studying Marie Curie and her scientific achievements that led to-"

The teacher turned to pick her book up, and Sarah knew then was the moment to act. Knowing she had to make it look somewhat believable, she grabbed one of Megan's pens off the adjacent desk, and jabbed it into her own thigh, before dropping it.

"Ow!"

The teacher turned to see her daughter clutching and rubbing her leg, where the inky dot was.

"What just happened?"

"She stabbed me with her pen!"

Megan looked at her desk "I'm missing my pen" she said

"...missing your pen. Would that be the one on the floor there? Perhaps you stabbed her with it and then dropped it?"

It was then that Sarah's friends spoke up from behind.

"That's what happened, she jabbed her and dropped it, right in front of us!"

"Well, I think this calls for a well-deserved punishment. Come up to my desk here, Megan."

"I take it that you didn't learn from the other day when you put naughty toys in my locker" Megan said to all three girls as she walked up(maybe because of Veronica and her activity the school put cameras in the classrooms?)

"Oh, I'm sure you convinced people they were to blame, that it wasn't your doing, but I'm not falling for your excuses and lies. Now, given the birching you had, I'm not going to smack your bottom."

She took a thick ruler out and placed it aside.

"So, up on your back, legs up and spread wide."

Megan did as told knowing that it would be useless to defend herself"wait" a boy said from the back of the class