It was a warm day in May 1975. Helen Springer and Tom Heath were the head girl and head boy of their South London grammar school and today was both of their 18th birthdays. While the two were friendly enough with each other, they were not especially close, each having their own circle of friends.
Helen was an attractive auburn-haired girl with a trim figure. She was a bright student, on track for three good A-levels enabling her to study medicine at university. Tom was tall and dark-haired. He was also very good academically and on course for a university place to study law.
Both students were also keen on sport, playing netball and football for their school teams.
Tom had had a couple of girlfriends but had yet to go “all the way” with one, although he had indulged in what the women’s magazines still called “heavy petting” with the last one. Helen, on the other hand, had never had a boyfriend, preferring to concentrate on her studies and sport. She had thought about boys, though, and that it would only be a matter of time once she was at university.
Their joint birthday fell on a Wednesday. As soon as their mutual friends discovered that the two heads of school shared a date of birth, they started to pressure them into going to the local pub at lunchtime to celebrate. Helen was not keen. She didn’t really drink, although she was allowed wine with dinner at home. Tom had been drinking since he started to look old enough to get served in pubs. But he was also not sure about going to the pub at lunchtime on a school day.
But their friends persisted and eventually, they agreed to go. They were all in their school uniform (blue blazer, grey skirt and white blouse for girls, blue blazer, grey flannel trousers and white shirt for boys) and this caused some discussion with the barman until he was satisfied that all those present were of legal age to be served. In fact, seeing as it was their 18th birthday, he insisted that Helen and Tom’s first drinks were on the house.
Tom drank a couple of pints of beer, while Helen had white wine. Their friends also had beer and wine. As it was warm, they sat in the pub garden where their party were the only people present. As the drinks flowed, someone suggested a game of spin the bottle and explained the rules. Each person in turn had to spin a bottle and then kiss whoever it pointed at when it stopped. The alcohol had lowered inhibitions enough that nobody put up a serious objection and the game commenced, accompanied by a lot of giggling and some ribald comments.
The game continued until most of the boys had kissed most of the girls. They’d ruled out same-sex kissing at the start and respun the bottle if it ever joined a boy to a boy or a girl to a girl. There were a couple of students who probably would have preferred this not to have been ruled out. But this was 1975 and being gay wasn’t quite so accepted as it is now.
The time passed and they realised they had missed the start of the school afternoon. They were not hugely concerned. As sixth formers, they were scheduled a number of private study sessions each week and this afternoon was one of them. Nobody would notice if they were missing. It was almost optional to miss these provided you studied at home. So they had another drink each and set off for their homes, rather than return to school slightly the worse for alcohol.
Tom and Helen lived in the same direction and the most direct way home was through the park opposite their school. Towards the end of the spin the bottle game, the bottle had brought them together for a birthday kiss, which they had both enjoyed. Helen had been surprised just how much she had enjoyed it and the effect it had had on her body. It might have continued for more than the few seconds it had lasted if it hadn’t been for the jokes and crude remarks of their friends. So they had broken apart, slightly embarrassed, but perhaps keen to explore more.
As they walked through the park, Tom plucked up the courage to take Helen by the hand and she did not stop him. As they came to an isolated, wooded area he leaned in and kissed her full on the mouth. Helen shocked herself by putting her arms around Tom’s neck and pulling him closer. They kissed for a long time, neither of them wishing to break their embrace. Tom’s tongue found its way into Helen’s mouth. She’d never felt anything like this before but she really liked it. She found butterflies in her stomach and her whole body began to ache with desire.
While Helen had never had a boyfriend, she wasn’t naive. She knew about sex, in theory. She’d read erotic stories. She’d even seen pictures of naked men. She masturbated as often as any healthy teenager. She realised what was happening to her body now that Tom was running his hands up and down her back as they kissed.
Without either of them suggesting it, they soon found themselves lying side-by-side on the grass in the warm sunshine. They’d taken off their blazers. They kept kissing. Tom grew bolder with his hands, caressing her bottom outside her skirt. He moved his hand to her waist and gradually up over her stomach until it rested on her blouse above her pert 32B breasts. Helen knew she should stop him. That was what girls were expected to do, wasn’t it? But she was enjoying it. They couldn’t be seen where they were. And it felt really good.
Helen for her part, stroked Tom’s back and even moved down to squeeze his bottom. She felt him unbutton her top two buttons and slip his hand over her bra. Meeting no resistance, Tom managed to push the lacy material up over her breasts so that he could cup her bare flesh in his hand.
Helen thought this felt amazing. Her nipples were growing under his touch and were so, so sensitive. Without even thinking about it, she moved her own hand onto the front of his trousers. She could feel how excited this was making Tom. But they were in a public park. Yes, they’d both been drinking and were enjoying these feelings, but neither of them was going to start taking their clothes off to go any further here, were they?
Before either of them had a chance to decide on this, a shadow fell over them. Looming above them was the figure of Miss Robson, the Deputy Headmistress of their school. They instantly pulled apart from each other. Helen started to do up her blouse and Tom tried to conceal the very obvious bulge in his trousers.
“What on earth do you two think you are doing?” boomed the outraged teacher. “You are behaving in the most lascivious manner in a public place while in your school uniform. And why aren’t you in school?”
“We have private study this afternoon, Miss,” stuttered Tom.
But Miss Robson was having none of it. “Private study is for education, not fornication. And you’ve been drinking. In school uniform and in school time. I am shocked and disgusted that the Head Boy and Head Girl could behave in this appalling way. I will have to talk to the Headmaster about this. But, as far as I’m concerned, your conduct is not befitting of students at our school and it may be that you have to leave.”
“But, Miss, we have our A-levels next month. We must sit those,” pleaded Helen. “We need good grades to get to university.”
“You should have thought of that before you started behaving like animals. I’m going to see the Headmaster right now and we will decide what is to be done with you. You two are to report to his study tomorrow immediately after school assembly.”
With that, Miss Robson marched off in the direction of the school. Tom and Helen looked at each other, any desire now replaced by fear and dread. Tom’s erection had subsided and Helen’s nipples had returned to their normal state. They had no idea what to do. They must not be expelled. They must be allowed to stay at school and complete their exams. They decided they would throw themselves on the mercy of Miss Robson and Mr Arnold, the Headmaster, the next morning.
Until then, there was nothing they could do and they walked to their homes in worried silence.
It was a long night for them both. But, despite the seriousness of their situation, both thought back to their time in the park as they lay in their separate beds. Tom’s penis stood proud as he thought about his hand on Helen’s breasts. Helen grew damp as she remembered the hard object under her hand in Tom’s trousers. They knew they were in danger of being expelled and that their entire future plans were in jeopardy. But, still, that had felt good. And there was only one way to take their minds off their peril.
The next day they met before assembly and discussed what they thought would happen. Helen was convinced that expulsion was the most likely outcome. Tom tended to agree but hoped that Mr Arnold would come up with a different punishment. He’d never been caned, but surely that would be preferable to expulsion. Helen was horrified at the thought of caning. Girls were rarely caned and she had certainly never come close to it. But, as Tom said, it was better than the alternative.
After assembly, they both waited nervously outside the Headmaster’s study until they were called in. Mr Arnold sat behind his large wooden desk, while Miss Robson sat to one side. Mr Arnold spoke.
“Miss Robson and I have discussed your appalling conduct yesterday. You were out of school during lesson time, you had been drinking in a public house and you were behaving in a most disgusting way in a public place in your school uniforms. You are the Head Boy and Head Girl yet you have behaved in a way to bring shame upon this school. This really is an offence that should be punished by your immediate expulsion.”
Both students started to plead but Mr Arnold waved them to be quiet, and continued.
“We have also taken into account your previous excellent disciplinary records. Neither of you has been in front of me before for punishment. You are also gifted academically and have very promising futures. However, this sort of behaviour cannot go unpunished. Do you agree?”
“Yes, sir,” they said, in unison.
“You therefore have a choice. It is very rare for a sixth-form boy to be caned and virtually unknown for it to happen to a sixth-form girl. But Miss Robson and I agree that, if you each accept a caning, you will not be expelled. You can, of course, refuse the caning and leave the school today.”
“I’ll accept the cane, sir,” said Tom, scared but relieved.
“What about you, Helen? Will you be caned?” asked Mr Arnold.
Helen was in a state of deep confusion. She could not be expelled but she was terrified of a caning. She could not believe she had to choose one or the other. But, eventually, she managed to answer.
“I’ll be caned too, sir.”
“Right. I think that’s best,” said the Headmaster. “Let me explain what is going to happen, as you have never been in this situation before. I cane boys in this school and Miss Robson canes the girls. Normally, canings are done in private but, in view of what Miss Robson tells me you were doing yesterday, we do not believe there is any need for modesty on this occasion.”
Miss Robson had clearly given a more lurid account of what had happened than the reality, but Tom and Helen were in no position to argue.
The Headmaster continued.
“I will cane Tom first. Tom, I will ask you to bend over and grasp the arms of that armchair. I will give you six strokes of this cane. You will then stand over there while Miss Robson asks Helen to bend over and receive six strokes from her. Is that all clear?”
“Yes, sir,” they mumbled.
“Good. And, one more thing, in view of the seriousness of your offences, you will be caned on your bare bottoms.”
Tom and Helen gasped and started to protest. Surely they could not be forced to bare their bottoms in front of each other and in front of these two senior school staff? Miss Arnold interrupted them.
“I saw you yesterday and what you were doing. No doubt it wasn’t the first time. I’m sure you’ve seen each other without clothes before.”
Again the students started to protest and explain that yesterday was the first time they had even kissed but Miss Arnold would not let them continue.
“If you choose to argue with me and protest about your chosen punishment, I will be forced to go back to our original plan and expel you forthwith. Now, are we going to get on with your canings or do you want to leave now?”
Tom and Helen knew that they could not win and told Miss Arnold that they accepted their punishment.
The Headmaster took over. “Right, Tom, remove your blazer, your shoes, trousers and underpants and place them on that chair.”
Tom hesitantly started to undo his shoelaces. His hands were trembling and he struggled a little but eventually got his shoes off, then his blazer. He paused before the Headmaster’s look told him that he had no choice but to continue. He undid his trousers and took them off. Finally, he lowered his pants and placed them on the chair. He now stood in his shirt and socks.
Helen, meanwhile, had been told to stand against the wall so that she would be behind Tom as he bent over the chair. At the moment, Tom’s shirt tails covered his buttocks
The Headmaster indicated that Tom should bend over and grasp the chair. As he did so, Mr Arnold lifted his shirt tails exposing his bottom to receive a caning and also to the full view of Helen. As the Headmaster told Tom to move his feet further apart, she also got a view of his scrotum.
Mr Arnold picked up a thin cane. He swished it through the air as though trying it for size. Then he placed it on Tom’s bottom, brought it up, and then swiped it down hard across the unprotected buttocks. Tom gasped with the sudden pain and Helen winced. A livid red mark appeared across Tom’s cheeks. The Headmaster raised the cane again and brought it down sharply, parallel to where it had landed before. A second red mark appeared. Tom was holding back tears as the pain rose. The Headmaster repeated this a third, fourth, and fifth time. Tom was now silently crying as his bottom felt like it was on fire. Helen was in distress for Tom and in real fear that the same fate awaited her.
The Headmaster whacked down the sixth and final stroke, cutting across the five red lines on Tom’s sore buttocks. It was finally over.
“You may stand up and go and stand next to Helen. No, you may not get dressed yet. Humiliation is part of your punishment.”
As he stood, Tom’s shirt tails dropped down again, covering his genitals before he turned round to face Helen; although she thought maybe she could just see the tip of his penis. It was her turn now.
Miss Robson spoke.
“Helen, please remove your blazer, shoes, skirt, and knickers and place them on the chair. Then come and bend over and hold the chair as Tom did.”
Helen slipped off her blazer and shoes. She reluctantly removed her grey school skirt. A look at Miss Robson confirmed that she must go on. She slipped her thumbs into the waistband of her white knickers and took them off. Like Tom’s shirt, her school blouse covered her modesty as she walked towards the chair.
As she bent over and held the arms of the chair, she felt Miss Robson lift her blouse to expose her bottom. She trembled in fear and embarrassment. Behind her, Tom could see her wonderful, small bottom bent over. As she parted her legs when told, he could just see her most secret lips and a hint of auburn hair around them. To his shame, and despite the pain in his bottom, he could feel his penis beginning to respond. He willed it, with all his might, not to grow any further.
Miss Robson rested the cane across Helen’s virgin bum. Then she brought it down hard causing a loud cry from Helen.
“Quiet, girl,” she said.
She caned her again. There were now two red stripes on those white cheeks. Tom was feeling her pain yet also feeling turned on. He hated himself and his out-of-control teenage responses. Inexorably, his penis was growing and beginning to push against his shirt tails.
Miss Robson continued caning Helen until she had five parallel red lines across her buttocks. By the time Miss Robson planted the sixth stroke across the other five, it was too late for Tom. His penis was now standing proud and peeking out from his shirt tails for all to see. Helen, despite the tears in her eyes, certainly saw it as she stood and turned from the chair and came to stand beside him.
Mr Arnold and Miss Robson certainly noticed as well but chose to ignore it, at least until later when they were alone.
“You may get dressed now and go,” said the Headmaster. “I hope you have both learned your lesson.”
Helen and Tom dressed as quickly as they could and left the Headmaster’s study. Their bottoms were ablaze. They longed to console each other but they both had to get to lessons. They just had time to arrange to meet at Tom’s house that evening. Tom’s parents would be out and they would have time to console each other and, perhaps, put some cream on each other’s wounds. After what each had seen in that study, there was certainly no need for modesty between them now.
All day, Tom thought about Helen’s perfect bum disfigured by those angry marks. He thought about her moist opening and how much he would like to explore it. He almost forgot about the pain in his own bottom.
Helen, meanwhile, could not forget the image of Tom’s hard penis poking out from under his shirt. She longed to feel it naked like that, as she had done yesterday through his trousers. Her bottom stung like crazy. But, in a strange way, she didn’t understand, this only added to her state of arousal.
They were both in for an interesting evening.