Life as Shania

Chapter 3: New School Year (Part 2)

After experiencing a close call with the principal that morning, the girls decided to hang out after school.

Mall

"I really want to watch a movie!"
"Shall we?"
"Let's do it!"

The movie was longer than expected. By the time the girls were out of the cinema, it was already 4.40pm. "Oh no! I have a 5 pm curfew and it takes at least 30 minutes for me to get home," exclaimed Shania. "Relax, since when did you care about curfew? Not like your parents are home to yell at you anyway," replied Bethany. "You don't get it Beth, my brother is literally my parent right now! I'm going to go now, see you in school tomorrow!" Shania shouted as she starts picking up her pace to head home.

Home

"Oh no! It's 5.12pm, I'm 12 minutes late. I hope Chris isn't home yet," thought Shania while she's waiting for the private elevator to bring her up to her brother's 38th level apartment.

As the elevator's door open, Shania snuck into the house as quietly as possible and quickly tip-toed to her room while scanning the area. "Phew, the coast is clear," sighed Shania as she shut her room door. She then showered and got ready for dinner. When she was done, she headed to the dining table and saw Chris heading out of his study which has a glass wall and the vantage point of the dining area and the entrance. "Hi Chris, what's for dinner? I'm starving," said Shania while trying to play it cool and not tremble at the thought that Chris has probably seen the entire sneaking in process.

Dinner Time

After settling down on the dining table, the siblings said grace and started eating their meal. Tina has prepared spaghetti with meatballs and a side of salad.

"Naya, eat your salad," glared Chris.
"But I hate vegetables," whined Shania.
"Eat. Your. Salad." Now Chris was visibly irritated.
"I'm full," as Shania defiantly puts her cutlery down on the table.
"Okay then, go the corner and face the wall," Chris said sternly.
"What? Why am I being punished for not eating my salad?!" shouted Shania.
"You know that it isn't about the salad. Do you want me to remind you about the incident during the school assembly this morning, and you breaking your curfew?" calmly replied Chris as he pierces through a cherry tomato and putting it in his mouth.

Now Shania was thinking at all the possible scenarios in her mind and wondering if her principal end up calling her brother even when she said that she was going to give Shania and Bethany a chance.

"What are you doing still sitting there? I said to the corner and face the wall!" Chris said in a harsh tone which made Shania scurry to the corner to do as she was told. "Put your hands on your head and stay put till I tell you so!"

It must have been at least 20 minutes, Shania's arms are beginning to ache and she decided to rest her arms by taking her hands off her head.

*SMACK*

"Owww!" Shania shouted as she looked back and sees Chris standing with a belt in his hand.
"Did I say you're allowed to put your arms down?"
Shania held her bottom where she was hit while tearing up and shaking her head.
"Use your words Naya."
"No," whimpered Shania.
"No who?"
"No, sir." by now, Naya was scared as she was not used to her brother being angry and strict like this.

"I warned you that your teachers are able to update me directly about your behavior in school. Even if your principal decided to let whatever happen slide, doesn't mean that your teachers won't let me know about the episode. Especially when it happened in front of the entire school!" exclaimed Chris as he glares at his crying sister. "Now I want you to bend down and rest your hands on the coffee table in the living room," as Chris pointed to the coffee table and Shania walked towards it.

"I'm going to give you 14 strokes on your bottom for not behaving in school. 1 stroke for every year in your age," Chris continued while Shania was bent down and silently crying. "And I'm giving you another 12 strokes for coming home 12 minutes past your curfew." Now Shania stood up looking at Chris with her hands clasped together and crying: "please Chris, I'm sorry! Please don't hit me that many times! I'm really sorry!"
"We can add one stroke for every minute you spend stalling and not in position," as Chris wound the belt up with his hands. Shania decided to listen to her brother and got in position bracing herself for what's to come.

"I want you to count them. If you take your hands off the table or stand up, I'm adding more strokes. Do you understand me?"
Shania nods.
"Use your words," Chris used the belt to lightly smack Shania's thigh which jolted her and made her reply "yes, sir" immediately.

*SMACK!* "One."
*SMACK!* "Oww! Two."
*SMACK!* "Three."
*SMACK!* *SMACK!* "Owww four and five"
At this point, Shania was sobbing and breathing heavily.

*SMACK!* "Six"
*SMACK!* "Seven"
*SMACK!* "Oww.. Eight oww!"
*SMACK!* "Nine! I'm sorry, please stop! I'll not do it again! I'm really sorry!" As Shania kneeled on the floor looking back at Chris without taking her hands off the table.
"Like you said, I've reminded you a million times! Now get back in position before I add more!"
*SMACK!* "Ten"

*SMACK!* "Ow ow owww Eleven"
*SMACK!* "Twelve Owww"
*SMACK!* *SMACK!* "Thirteen fourteen!"

"Now the final 12 is for breaking your curfew," said Chris.
*SMACK!* *SMACK!* "Ow!!! Fifteen Sixteen!"
*SMACK!* "Seventeen"
*SMACK!* "Eighteen owww!!!"
*SMACK!* "Nineteen"
*SMACK!* *SMACK!* *SMACK!* "Twenty twenty-one twenty-two"
*SMACK!* *SMACK!* *SMACK!* "Twenty-three twenty-four twenty-five"
*SMACK!* "Twenty-six!"

Chris immediately scoops Shania in his arms and cradled her as she sobbed and tried to catch her breath. Shania just stayed still in Chris's embrace as she felt comforted. When she finally calmed down, Chris guides her to stand in front of him as he sat on the couch.

"It broke my heart to have to discipline you with the belt. Please understand that I'm doing this for your own good." Shania just looked at her toes and nodded.
"Now that you know that I won't hesitate to whack you, please make sure that I won't have to receive complains from your teachers anymore. Also, for breaking your curfew, you are grounded for 2 weeks. That means that I will pick you up as soon as you're done with school and you will do your homework in my office and stay with me until I head home."
Shania hates it when she has to spend time in Chris's office. She's confined to his office and has no source of entertainment, plus he can see her every move since they are in the same room.

"Now, before you get ready to bed, I want you to finish your salad from dinner," Chris told Shania before pushing her gently towards the dining table.

Shania knows better than to defy him. Especially after just getting punished with the belt. She kept wriggling in her seat as she tries to ease the sting on her bottom and force the salad in her throat.