Tabitha

Monday April 2^nd 2018

The day everything changed for me. It happened, innocently enough, with an exchange student making her presence into my twelve grade homeroom. There were rumors already swirling about her. A troubled student, was never kept in a school this final year for her for more than a week. It must have been hard and, as a teacher, I wanted to do my absolute best to help her. Her name was Tabitha Connor. Eighteen years of age and by looks alone she was getting attention in the room. Her curling brown locks cascading down beyond her slender shoulders, her face not quite squared but not quite triangular dotted with the faint hue of freckles along her cheeks, her skin was a caramel color and appeared as though she lotioned it daily, lastly to my attention her eyes were a harmonious green. I'm certainly getting ahead of myself here but you needed to know that when she came into this room of mine she demanded attention.

That first day, however, pity on her was already set on a straining level. Shortly after I began the morning announcements and making her introduction, I found her working on her phone.

“Tabitha,” I called out to her. “Please don't use your phone when I'm speaking.”

My tone was polite and to the point. Though, with her nod and immediate disregard to my request, my tone switched from polite to a little more forceful as I held out my hand.

“I've warned you about this. Please bring your phone up to me.”

Her smile, I'll never forget it, it was so innocent yet scheming. Something was formulating beneath those curls of hers as she approached the desk placing the phone down on my desk. I only glanced down a moment when she placed it on my desk but what I saw surprised me. I was, thankfully, immediately able to regain my composure but not my voice as I simply made a gesture for her to sit back down. By the time my focus could fall onto the phone again, the screen had shut off but I could still remember parts of what I saw. A woman, naked, holding something and in some sort of awkward looking pose. Those were all that were there for me to pick up on.

No, there was something else. Something I didn't clue in on right away. Either because I didn't realize or had tried to instantly forget. The woman, in that short glimpse she looked familiar. Not like I had seen her a lot, just maybe once or twice. But there was still something there. I didn't dare look again to confirm what my suspicions were and just resumed with the class.

Once the first bell had rung, I erasing something about the announcements off the board when I heard the soft heels approach my desk once more. Looking back I saw Tabitha standing there still smiling back at me. It was the same scheming smile she had on when she first approached my desk. She purposely left the image open on her phone, I knew she had. She didn't say anything, I think as she came for her phone she just wanted to gauge my reaction. Worried. Little did I realize that was exactly what she was hoping to see as she winked and took her leave.

The rest of the day was a blur of only two words; who and why. Who was the woman I felt was so familiar to me in the photo and why would Tabitha make certain I saw it? Was it some sort of perverted sex game? Was it her way of having fun with her teachers? Being a virgin with only four dates under my belt she got a genuine reaction. A little lame instilling that information but, believe me, it comes into play later on. You might also be wondering why I've never come out on my own looks. Mainly because there's not much there. Short red hair, pale complexion, thick framed glasses, and the way I dressed it always seemed like myself and the librarian were having a contest to see how many students we could confuse. In my time of walking the halls I've definitely been given my fair share of overdue books by rushing students. What's a teacher to do then but return said books for them? But this story isn't really about me, it's about her. Tabitha.

When I got home I thought I could excuse my mind from the questions that had been bothering me but the silence of my apartment only made them stronger. There was no sleep for me that night as I spent it tossing and turning thinking, trying to put the pieces of the photographic puzzle in my mind. It wasn't like I wanted to. I'm sure it's happened to you; you've spent so much time of the day thinking of a subject that during the night your mind just continues to attack it and it makes sense to you then but you don't know why. Then once you finally get up for a drink of water you can't for the life of you get your mind back to where it was and things stop making sense.

I knew at that point I could have called in for a substitute, but I couldn't think of an excuse other than “my mind was a wreck”. It seemed weak to me, in my tired senses, so I lumbered my way to the classroom the next morning and saw her. Tabitha. Smiling from her seat. Her skin still smooth to the eyes, her hair bouncing when she turned, her eyes bright and vibrant toward me. How I was beginning to loathe her.

Tuesday April 3^rd 2018

Given that it was Tuesday and, working from the circumstances of my teaching schedule, I had an hour off for myself, which was definitely a godsend. With the hour I could just stretch myself out or lounge in with some of the other teachers in our designated “safe zone”. First on the stop though was my mailbox in the office. Generally just announcements on anything PTA related, Gurdy's having a baby, or something about a coming event. This time there was a near blank envelope rested in there with just my name in cursive on the front of it. Miss. Donovan.

The letter itself was incredibly light, like there might not have even been anything in there to begin with. Though once I opened it I immediately found myself in a massive field of regret. It was a printed out version of that picture, which was on Tabitha's phone when she gave it to me. I quickly folded it back up and turned walking back into my classroom, the only place I knew I could catch enough solace to look over it in peace. Not that I really wanted to, I felt that at this point I had to.

Part of the picture was as I remembered it; a woman naked in some sort of awkward looking pose. She was holding up a sign though made from torn cardboard that simply said “I Love U Tabitha”. The woman was crouched down on her tiptoes, legs spread wide leaving everything down there open for Tabitha's viewing pleasure. The note covered up her breasts, but unless the woman had other means of concealing her nipples they were most likely out as well. Her hair was disheveled and her free hand was off to the side swinging a peace sign, which told me someone else was clearly taking the picture. Tabitha herself was my first guess. So maybe a girlfriend. But...no.

Looking at the woman's face I indeed found myself recognizing her as a fellow teacher I met during a conference once. I couldn't think of her being a friend to the students as she always wore a scowl no matter that topic was presented to her. Her hair was also pulled back in such a tight bun it was as though touching it would make the entire thing explode. Judging by her hair in this photo that's what must have happened. Her face as well was bright, her eyes glistened, and her mouth was brought into a wicked, wild looking smile. Like she had just had the time of her life and, apparently, Tabitha was to thank for it.

“Do you like it?”

The sudden question made me jump in my seat as I looked over and found Tabitha standing in the doorway smiling back at me. I could only think of folding up the sheet, slowly. I wish I had done it quicker, that way maybe I could have mustered up the courage for something more. But, as it was, all I could do was stare in silence as she made her approach toward me with her phone still in hand.

“I don't want for much in this world but when I do see something I want...I take it. Or, it's given to me.”

Her smile only grew more as she said that. I didn't know what it meant as all I could think of was her wanting the teacher and somehow snatching her for her own perverted games. My eyes would soon only be drawn away from hers when I heard the gentle clacking of her phone being rested back down on my desk. Tabitha then stepped back looking down over her nails.

“Would you mind holding this for me? I have such an aching to keep looking at it and...you seem pretty trustworthy with it.”

She doesn't allow me to say anything. She just waves the fingers of her right hand mouthing a “bye” before turning and sauntering out of the classroom. It isn't until she's gone that I began to realize she had been skipping her class for this. But, somehow, that was on the bottom of my worry list. Tabitha's phone was back in my possession and there were at least thirty-eight new messages on there. I ignored them, obviously.

As the day wore on, however, I began to both wonder about the messages and just why I was so trustworthy and, on top of that, when Tabitha was going to come and pick up her phone. It was final period of the day and her phone was still up on the desk where she had placed it down. Every now and then I would turn and give it a quick glance wondering if I was to find her in the school afterward and give it to her then.

The trustworthy part, I believe, was her way of saying I wasn't going to tell anyone about what was on her phone. Obviously I couldn't, not until I knew what this was all about. Because I knew that the teacher in the image was at least twice Tabitha's age if not ten years her senior and while age wasn't a bad thing...I just wished she never even gave me her stupid phone. The phone I had to take home when it became apparent to me that, after half an hour following final bell, she just wasn't going to come and retrieve it.

I had thought about leaving it in my desk but felt that would be worse. Because if someone found it and looked through it there would be some serious consequences for both the teacher and Tabitha and a part of me didn't want that. Again, I didn't understand what was going on. So I brought it home with me.

During the car ride my mind started planning out ways of dealing with this because it couldn't be ignored. Obviously. I didn't have the teachers contact information but I knew it was there on the phone. So when I arrived at home I turned it on. However, much to my dismay, I found I had to scroll through the new messages just to get to the one I needed. Not that I looked at any of them but they all spelled out the same statement “Notice me, Tabitha”. Message headers like “Love you”, “Feel me”, “I need you”, and the one I was looking for “Spread open for you”. The other thing was none of them were from the same number. I thought that maybe the teacher was using different means of contacting Tabitha to protect herself from her own end and, well, curiosity over this got the better of me.

I opened a random image in the list and with a pair of fingers stuck deep inside her thighs while seemingly on her hands and knees crawling toward the camera. I couldn't help myself as I scrolled through the rest and each was as depraved as the last and after just a couple minutes I had managed through all 38 messages. At the end...not a single one of them was the same woman. I scrolled through some of the older ones and found indeed repeats, but these messages were coming once a day from all of them and among them were a couple of pregnant women really advertising out their stomachs.

I put my phone down once I got through an entire weeks worth of images. I just couldn't take anymore and they went on. Though the further I went back the less messages were sent so it was like Tabitha was just picking up these women as she went from school to school. Could all of them have been teachers? I knew I really had to do something now. I pulled up the first image once more, something I was long since desensitized to by this point and jotted down the number. I was going to call her and get to the bottom of it. If not with her then start there.

I settled after a bit of contemplating on calling her from my phone. Calling her from Tabitha's would've told her I had seen the images so it was clear I needed to be more discreet. That said, I couldn't come right out and question her about them. But Tabitha was clearly a student we shared, if I could talk about her then maybe we could work to the photos on a more organic level. I hoped.

“Hello? Is this Miss. Finch?” I asked into the phone upon hearing the other end pick up. You know, how people normally go about making phone calls.

“Yes, who may I ask is calling?”

“Miss. Donovan, Theresa Donovan, we met at a teacher conference a few weeks ago?” Again a question as I wasn't even certain if she could recall my presence. It was so hectic and I don't even think we were properly introduced. Her name had crossed my path so I thought that perhaps mine would ring a bell.

“Yes, I remember. May I ask what this is about?”

Now came the troubling part. Tabitha, turn the conversation about her. Small talk was out of the question as we barely knew one another. Well, I knew her a little more than she knew me. Okay, a lot more. But just bringing up Tabitha seemed to be a bit of a problem because...shoot, how would I know she came from her? It's just Miss. Finch's pictures were the ones most recently added that...oh, the heck with it. Just question her.

“I was hoping we could discuss a student you once had.”

“Oh?”

I could tell she was already intrigued by the short pause and the shuffling of the phone in her hand. I would be intrigued, concerned mostly if I had a teacher call me about having a former student who just so happened to have naked pictures of myself on their phone. Of course, who's to say she knew it was Tabitha? The Easter weekend is a hell of a time for transfer students. I sighed into the phone on that thought alone and it was picked up wrongly as I heard Miss. Finch click her tongue a little.

“Nothing bad or anything, just...Tabitha Connor?”

That was it, it was time to know first off whether Miss. Finch's sordid relationship with the student was common knowledge or not. She didn't answer right away nor did her tone change any, at least not in a big way. I've dealt with students for the past few years so I can tell when someone is being fake in their sincerity.

“Yes, I know her. Is she causing trouble?”

There was something at the end of her sentence that I just barely managed to pick up. A clenching noise, almost like her jaw was tightening when she asked that. I didn't quite know what it meant at the time, but looking back on it...it was jealousy. Plain and simple jealousy. Tabitha's attention was her own so who was I to say that she was becoming a fixture in my life? I had to back out knowing I wasn't prepared for this kind of conversation.

“N-no, I was wondering how far along she was in her studies. I was wondering if I needed to stay with her after class.”

There was a deep breath at the other end of the line that, again, at the time I could only guess at how bad it was. It was severely bad.

“I think she's fine. She doesn't need any private lessons with you.”

And then she hung up. I sat there holding the phone still to my ear giving the dial tone a listen for a few moments before ending the call from my end and resting my cell down. I continued to sit there in silence started when I hard the bing-bong noise from Tabitha's phone still up in my kitchen. I didn't want to, and for the longest time I did nothing but looked at it. I thought what if it was Tabitha sending a message to gloat or ask if I looked through her photos. Once more I was curious and decided to take a look. It was a message from Miss. Finch. I couldn't help but look wondering what she was wanting to tell Tabitha after I had called her.

It was another picture. Miss. Finch had pulled her shirt and bra up over her sternum leaving her breasts open. This was a selfie, a quick ditch effort to stay ahead of the pack. No, judging by the “Leave that cunt Theresa Donovan” this was to stay ahead of me.

Wednesday April 4^th 2018

The next morning I practically force the phone back in Tabitha's control the moment I see her. Like usual there's nothing said between us but I hope my expression tells her everything I want her to know. How I want out, how I no longer want to have to deal with the things she's putting me through. I don't want her to trust me I don't even want her to know me. So I leave it at that and I can only hope that it's the end of it. Of course, my mind is so preoccupied on life after Tabitha that I completely forgot I left her a direct reason to come back to me.

“She really hates you.”

Her question was joined in by a giggle when she showed off the latest message Miss. Finch had sent her. I swallowed at the sight of her body, the horrendous insult, the cat like display of territorial dominance. Just who was Tabitha to these women? Was she running from them or making them chase after her? It was difficult to believe it was anything in the way of the former, not with the attitude she presented with these things. She was boasting with these details but it made sense with what she had told me. Simply put, she apparently gets what she wants. That meant she was probably never going to leave me alone unless I took a firm hand to things here and now.

“Stop it.”

That was weak. That was incredibly, incredibly weak. I don't think a mouse would have taken that seriously so it made sense that Tabitha would only laugh it off.

“I know you've been wondering about me. It's clear because you've made this much contact with one of my clients.”

“Clients?” I ask back getting a little gumption going. However, it's nowhere near the level I need to frighten her off. Maybe if I knew a little more. “What...what exactly are you?”

Either quick witted or she's dealt with this more than once with her 38 clients, Tabitha pocketed the phone and smiled looking directly down her nose to me as if to lay it down right then and there who was the dominant one. In that moment, I can't lie, I certainly felt my challenging self die down significantly and the chair I was seated in grow several sizes larger.

“I'm a girl who gets what she wants.”

She reminded me before leaving. Not just the homeroom, but I assume the school because I never saw her the rest of that day. It was pleasing but at the same time frightening. I had no idea what she was planning next or what she was planning at all.

I honestly don't know why I did what I did on the way home. I made a stop when I never stop for anything. My life was work-home-work-home with the occasional visit to a local grocery store over the weekend. Sunday shopping was never a problem of mine, in fact I welcomed it. At times there are less people in the stores when they open that day. But this was different, this was a mall visit and despite my posture of gripping my purse strap in front of my hunched frame with both hands I was walking with a purpose.

I guess having seen those images I had wanted to try something myself. I never took the chance to do anything like this and I was feeling a “why not” come over me. Miss. Finch's declaration against me was still in my mind but there was nothing I could do about that. Tabitha...just Tabitha was stuck in my head but this wouldn't be about her. No, according to one of the self help books I had read a couple years prior in order to get out from an abusive relationship you needed to do little things to gradually build up your self confidence for the initial break. Not that I would call my relationship with Tabitha that, just I had lost today against her. She made me feel weak, vulnerable so I guess it is abusive. So yes, I wanted to do this.

But I didn't want to spend too much time in there so five minutes after going into the lingerie store I was walking out with a purchase tucked underneath my coat. It certainly looked like I was walking out a thief, but I kept the receipt in my visible hand still clutching to my purse strap. Besides, if security did believe I looked suspicious I was on my way out peacefully anyway.

During the evening, the lingerie stayed within the confines of its store designed purple paper bag all through the dinner prep and through the meal itself. It remained up on the dining table though directly across from me the entire time. It acted as some reminder telling me what I had done, what I needed to do, how much further I had to go if I was going to say anything at all to Tabitha in the morning. It was daring me and I felt every ounce of self consciences telling me to keep away from it. That bad things were afoot inside that bag. But I couldn't. I apologized to my little cricket friend and grabbed up the bag and rushed into the bedroom right after the dishes.

Fifteen minutes later I'm standing in the bedroom with my blanket wrapped over me. My clothes, my underwear, my dignity that were at first resting gently on the bed were now on the floor when I took my shield to cover myself up. It was a bad idea as my butt was aching and my hips felt far too constricted not to mention I over estimated the exact size of my breasts so there was that level of uncomfortable freedom to deal with. I get it, some girls don't like the restricting feeling a bra gives but that was for me. It was a comfort zone in my opinion. The last bastion of defense against rainfall or clumsy perverts.

But wearing wasn't going to be enough. Wearing only made me feel different physically. It made me feel sore, it made me feel cold, it certainly didn't make me feel empowered. So hunched in my own little woven fortress of solitude I shuffled to a full length mirror to look myself over. It took a deep breath first, one that reminded me of Miss. Finch's halfway through. That was the last thing I needed to think about. Well, in all honesty, the last thing I needed to think about was Tabitha and what she would be considering if she ever saw me like this.

Actually, come to think of it, that was the thought process I should have been having. What would Tabitha say if she saw me like this? She would be shocked, speechless, unable to smile her annoying little way. With that I flung open my blanket and observed myself in the faded purple g-string with matching corset top, both lined with a fair deal of black lace. The corset had a few garter straps hanging off it and I thought, at first, had I noticed those I would have bought some nylon stockings to go along with the outfit. But...no. I shook my head at the thought. A little bounce in my hair and perhaps some fine jewelry and I could pass as one of those saloon girls from the old west.

I was quite overly pleased with myself and that's something that never really happened in my life to this moment. I was never one to try and shine my way ahead of anyone else in a group. If I ever knew the wallpaper I was most likely dressing to that at parties or functions. Well, just functions. But this wasn't the time for those kinds of thoughts. No, this was a change for myself and I needed to document this moment.

Over the past few years I was a firm advocate that you don't take selfies you wouldn't want people to see. That's how you save yourself, right? Of course, I'd also heard that if you didn't want your house to be broken into then you don't buy a house. But I was living in an apartment so that was kinda my excuse in the not taking overly explicit selfie department. This was different though, this was me needing this moment when it came time to deal with Tabitha in the morning.

I stepped back from the mirror giving myself more room prior to checking the blinds and curtains. Third floor apartment surrounded by single floor dwellings doesn't mean you can still relax with your privacy. They were closed meaning the light above me needed to be on as the sun was still setting, presumably. With the safety check finished and my entire body now visible in the mirror, it was time for the final step as I shrugged off the blanket. Immediately my body was met with a sudden chill as I stood shivering wishing more for the blankets warmth than general protection. But despite the chattering of my teeth, I opted to take what I would describe as the “sexy standard” putting one hand in behind my head while twisting my hips and pushing my bottom out just to see how deep that bit of material was stuck in between my cheeks.

I snapped a quick photo on my phone and before even looking at it brought the blanket back over myself. For the first little bit it acted like a pair of mittens while I poked a finger out so that I could still touch along the screen to look over the image of myself. It turned out well, as well as my first selfie could have ever been I suppose. So I was proud of it. I was proud to have it in my corner. I then left my phone on the dresser and made my way into the living room looking like a monk with floral printed robes.

That night became something of a celebration for myself. I vowed to keep the corset and panties on as long as they were comfortable, which they weren't but it was pride telling me otherwise. I stayed on the couch under the blanket watching a few of my programs getting up every now and then to gather up snacks or use the restroom. After a couple hours of this I was halfway to the kitchen was I was feeling daring. I tossed the blanket back and told myself “now I had to.” I still hugged my body and hunched a little as I walked nervous that at some point someone was going to come in through the front door.

Another half hour later and I was daring myself to bring my arms down, to straighten myself out, and wow the difference in just that was amazing. Strutting around half naked in my apartment had me feeling more alive than I first felt earlier. It was exhilarating! The only thing that would have made it better was if Tabitha could see.

Thursday April 5^th 2018

The next morning was going to be my swan song. I was prepped, I was ready. Tabitha would not see what was coming her way. Unfortunately, neither did I. Though that's a bit of a lie, I knew what I looked like. I especially knew what I looked like in that photo I took Tabitha was holding out in front of me in the parking lot.

“You should really be a little more discreet with who you send these to, Theresa.” She informed me.

My mind was an immediate blur. How did she get a hold of this picture? I don't remember sending it to anyone at all let alone Tabitha. Had she been spying on me? No, because this was my picture she was showing me. Did she hack my phone? Was that possible? How? How could she have? Yet there it was right on her phone.

“Don't worry, I'll keep this between us.”

She left. Not only with the picture, but with every ounce of strength I had. I felt my body begin to slouch itself back forward again. I was the lost little mouse again following after her at a slow, awkward pace inside of the school. I had no idea how she had gotten the image nor what she was going to do with it.

By the time I arrived at the doors she was there waiting for me, her eyes down at her phone as once more I kept myself silent.

“Oh, and I want another one tonight.” She just pointed out before heading down the hall.

Another one...tonight? Another picture? I hadn't even sent her one in the first place. What if I didn't oblige her request? What was she going to do to me? Who was she going to send that picture to? I had no choice. Blackmail was a terrible thing and here it was being used on me. I needed time. Thankfully the weekend was coming up and I could gather up enough wits about myself.

The remainder of the day I did my best not to think about what was happening. I just tried to remain professional while Tabitha sat smiling from her desk. Part of me wanted to scream at her, threaten her right back. But for one, it would have gotten me nowhere. Second, she wasn't presenting me any reasons to call her aside. She was being perfect. Just...annoyingly perfect. On the way out she left me a note with her contact information adding on top “In case you forgot it”. I wanted to crumple it up and throw it away but that was the non thinking side of me at play.

That night I just knew I had to do it. I just knew I had to play along and send her a picture. However, it was so much courage just to get myself in that lingerie outfit for myself how could I compare myself to what those other women were sending her? The ones Tabitha had known I had seen. I couldn't, I really just couldn't. I wondered if maybe they were all in the same boat, if Tabitha had blackmailed them all as well and that's why they were doing the things they did. They perhaps couldn't fight back. But I could.

Tabitha had told me she wanted a picture but she didn't say how she wanted it. I didn't have to fully play her childish games and send her something of myself doing something incredibly stupid. I didn't have to show her anything but my face. I could show her I was strong against her and the thought brought back the same warm smile from the night before. That's what I needed to take.

Grabbing up my phone I first opted for the mirror again but figured against it. I wasn't going to show her any part of my body below the neck if I could help it. So a simple selfie of my smiling face. She might think I was pleased by doing this, but the message I wanted to convey to her was that this was all she was going to get. I looked through my message history and found I hadn't sent her anything. It's true she could have destroyed me by sending out that picture but I felt I knew Tabitha enough that she wouldn't take that road. Not yet. She came wanting something, she wanted me. She wasn't going to get me if she forced me away.

So taking the picture I then sent it out to her and waited for a response. It was quick and it was simple. A single heart. I tried not to let it throw me off and instead imagined her gripping her phone, clenching her teeth, growing furious with my level of integrity I was still showing her. She wasn't going to get me, I wasn't going to become her whore.

I celebrated myself with a spritzer that night.

Friday April 6^th 2018

Today was my day. No, no, no. Today was my day. Tabitha had nothing to her where she could bring me down this day. I almost felt sorry for her when I came into the classroom. Honestly, I wanted to see her again in the parking lot to see just how upset with me she was. But she wasn't there. She wasn't by the doors either nor in the halls. I figured perhaps she called in sick and that I wouldn't have to deal with her. Or, better yet, she got herself into another transfer and was miles away realizing she had no control over what she wanted. Unfortunately, she was in the classroom seated at her desk lounging back in her seat staring right at me from under her brow. Oh, she was mad and as I turned my back I could only revel in it.

Homeroom period she must have known what I was thinking the day before because she was the complete opposite and a single cussword to something I had brought up was enough for me to give her detention. But...not alone. No, I was smart enough to know she could turn things so quickly on me if the two of us were alone. So I scheduled it for the lunch break. It would be us and any student who felt the need to eat in the homeroom. There were always a small few gathered in the corner so it all worked perfectly for me.

Lunch break came and, per usual, there was the small gathering in the corner, myself, and Tabitha still seated in her far corner desk. She kept staring at me, almost as if waiting to see how long it would take until I cracked and perhaps even apologize. Nope. It wasn't going to happen. She may have had the upper ground on my life but I could say I had some semblance of a minor victory in keeping my dignity intact. That's when I heard the chair being set down across from me desk. Looking up from my papers I saw Tabitha take a seat resting both hands on my remaining work.

“We're talking.” She said as I rested the paper I had down. This was inevitable and, honestly, I was curious with what she wanted to say. “I don't know the level of shit you're trying to pull here, Theresa, but you don't stop me from what I want.”

I knew it, she hated my image. She was so young, she didn't know how to argue as I leaned myself forward bringing back my strict tone of voice keeping it in a hush.

“I don't know who you think you are, Miss. Connor, but if you speak to me in that tone-”

“Fuck you.” She snapped right back turning her phone to showcase the picture I had sent her the night before. I worked hard to hide my smile as I rested back in my seat. “What do you think you're doing with this? You think you're being cute?”

Oh yeah, my confidence in this was through the roof. She might as well have just conceded victory to me right then and there. However, my confidence would soon turn to cockiness as I took a breath ready to lay it all out there. How there would be no more photos, how she was not going to do anything with the photo she also already had, I was even going to bring up how she should apologize to all the other women sending her those photos and have them even stop. Oh yeah, I was way up there ready to bring the hammer down.

“Because it's perfect.”

And, as she said that, everything fluttered away once more. What did she mean perfect? I couldn't help but wonder as she rested her phone down on the desk between us to where I could see my own confident smile.

“I thought, when I got here, you were this mousey little submissive bitch. You were so goody-goody to me treating me like an equal hoping we could get along hoping you'd be begging for my better performance. That's what a few of them were like.”

“Few of...”

“Clients. Girls sending me their pictures.”

“Why?” I blurted out. That was what I wanted to know right from the beginning. All those long thought patterns, everything was swirling around that one question that I found myself frustrated when she shrugged her shoulders.

“Because I told them to.”

“What? Why? Why would you...why would you tell them to do such a thing?”

“Because they're my bitches. I told you; when I want something I get it and I wanted them. Now, as I assume you've eluded to, I want you.”

“You're not getting me.” I said in a strict tone. It wasn't delivered how I had planned it out the night before in my head but I had the opening and I needed to get in there quick before she could again pull the rug right out from under me. “This is one time you're not getting what you want.”

“No, because I already have it. Your confidence brought out that little image you took of yourself a few days ago-”

“How did you even get that?”

Tabitha only smiled. I wasn't going to find out, was I? It was her ace in the hole in getting things on the track in the way she needed them to be. Like she expected this outcome of me. She had tamed thirty-eight women before me so it certainly made sense that she not only had a plan but she had contingency plans made up from past experiences in case steps of her plans crumbled. It was then that I realized; my confidence wasn't taking me further away from her, it was bringing me closer to where she wanted me.

“It was cute how you did it so early too especially after that lashing Heather gave you.”

I could only assume Heather meant Miss. Finch and her kindly words about me to Tabitha.

“You so desperately wanted to feel good about yourself. Not just that but you wanted to feel good to spite me. You did everything for me. You really want to know how I got that picture? You. Sent it to me.” I shook my head at that claim but she gestured down to my phone. “Check your outbox.”

She said and...I obeyed. I could almost feel the joy in her smile as she watched me pick up the phone doubting my own self. She made a slight comment about it under her breath but I wasn't listening. In all honesty, I never even thought to check my outbox. I was so worried the entire day convinced I didn't send it and whenever the thought to check did cross my mind I never could. Either I was in class or driving. Then when I was hit with my confident stride the thought just seemed unimportant. Looking at it now...no. She was laughing again.

“You are so easily manipulated. So easily worried that I could turn you against your own self.”

I switch off my phone and shoot up a glare ready to snap at her but she's already there touching a hand along the side of my face.

“So why did you send me your smiling face?”

To make you stop, is what I wanted to say to her. Unfortunately, that seemed impossible with everything she had just told me. I wanted her to stop but, at the same time, I wanted her attention. That's what it truly was. It felt like I wanted her to notice me, to have to notice me. But in a way I wanted. She finally pulled her hand away and brought back the smile, the exact same smile I had come to hate. But this time I felt relieved to see it. It was a hard feeling.

“I want you to have a good weekend, Theresa.” She said before coming up from her seat and simply walked out of the classroom. People obviously saw what was going on and I was now more worried than I was before. What were they thinking? But above all that, what was Tabitha thinking?

It was another defeat going home. The entire week it felt like I just couldn't win and whenever I thought I was ahead Tabitha was still just waiting for me to saunter up to her. My night became quiet. Quiet night, quiet meal, I don't even think I had a lot to eat. My thoughts seemed to be my feast and I was just full of Tabitha and her views about me. Not only that but my views about myself. Did I truly do all of that for her? Then when she told me to have a good weekend...

I found myself looking into my underwear drawer where I had the freshly cleaned g-string and corset buried deep in the bottom. Just seeing the pair brought back fond memories of the last time I felt truly happy. Arriving into school this morning was warm, but it wasn't what I was after. Feeling good, looking good, being good.

“Have a good weekend” The words just kept repeating in my mind and I knew what they meant. I needed to do this again, I needed that feeling of not being the self that I've projected for so long. The self that I wanted to be. So I undressed and slipped into the faded purple dual set once more fixing up the buttons on the front of the corset and looking myself over in my mirror. I liked what I saw but it wasn't...it wasn't doing it for me in the same way. I felt like a lie, like this was some dirty secret only kept for myself. What good was being sexy if there was no one to share it with?

It wasn't long until I was holding onto my phone pointing it at my reflection. I closed my eyes and bit hold of my lower lip and snapped the picture. The first step was done. Next up was opening up my message centre. Tabitha's name was still right there at the top above my parents as most recently contacted. I selected her name and added in the picture looking it over. I started to think to myself “Am I really” and I sent. Before I could even finish, I sent the image to Tabitha.

I was petrified especially when she replied. I had no idea what was going on but I opened it and saw a single heart. I dropped down on my bed...relieved.

Saturday April 7^th 2018

I woke up feeling a bit of pain once more around my hips. It was a groan worthy morning as I realized I had, again, fallen asleep in the g-string and corset number. It still wasn't something I was used to so I knew peeling the panties off was going to be a real treat, sarcasm train riding high on that one.

During my morning shower I kept thinking about what I had done the night before. Whether it was truly the best option or not. I enjoyed hearing back from Tabitha the way I did, and it wasn't as though we were having sex. Just...the next thing below it. No, the next thing below would be...I couldn't. I really shouldn't. Not this early in the morning, I'd look desperate for her attention. It seemed everyone else sending her images always sent them in the afternoon or evening.

Which would be perfect for me to get the leg up.

Though it's the weekend, they've most likely already sent Tabitha something.

Or they're sleeping in. Maybe they have plans, maybe they're approach is they get sexy in the evening.

Why was I even thinking like that? Why was I laughing about it? Why was I already considering it?

Because I was already naked. Wet. There was a mirror nearby. Nothing could have made this into the perfect time.

I stopped the shower and just stood there letting the water wash down over my feet from the faucet truly thinking. This couldn't have been for me. No, it would've all been for Tabitha. To show her I was hers, that I was crossing that final line that held my dignity. But her approval.

I stepped out of the shower grabbing hold of a fluffy white towel and began patting myself dry looking into the mirror. Thankfully it was covered from the steam and wiping would have done nothing. A saving grace, I thought, but reason for disappointment. I really wanted to take that picture. To feel sexy, to feel dangerous. I quickly remembered my full body mirror and thought how I had to do this.

So into my room where I grabbed up the phone and stood in front of the mirror readying to capture my image. Oh god I looked so horrible, so desperate. It almost felt like if I just took a picture of myself like this it would come across as some factory grade nude selfie. Like I just gave up and Tabitha shouldn't care about me. I remembered the other pictures, how the women in them were posed. Sexually explicit but maybe because they had given up. Maybe they thought that's what Tabitha wanted. However, if that was the case then why would she keep looking?

That's when I began to think; what was it about me she wanted? Who was I that differed from everyone else? I wasn't sexy, I wasn't forceful, I was...

Realizing the shot I needed to take, I looked back at the moist towel resting over the bed. I grabbed it and pulled back my sheets just a small bit. Like I had sneaked my way out of bed getting out to not disturb the other side. I rested the towel alongside my body and turned alongside the mirror so it would be a sideways shot. I didn't smile because this wasn't some glamour shot. It was just supposed to be...me. Like I was surprised but welcoming. I took the picture and without hesitation I sent it to Tabitha. I then just sat at the edge of my bed, still naked, letting the air dry my skin off as I waited for her response.

I was just about at the point of thinking this was stupid, just sitting here to catch a cold, when I got the notification of her response. A deep exhale of confidence building before opening it It was above and beyond what I had expected. The last one got a heart, and flipping through all her other messages when I had her phone the heart was her standard response. This one was a full on “Thank you” followed by a smiley and then another message preceded it.

“Not just for becoming mine, but for staying yours.”

Wednesday April 11^th 2018, Epilogue

Tabitha wasn't in class Monday, I had found out she transferred yet again to another school. I was saddened by this fact, obviously, as for one she never brought it up to me but second because I thought I would never get to hear directly from her what she thought. Aside from the responses to the photos I send her daily now. I wanted to hear her in person once more.

At least that's how it was until today's response to my photo. First, I had learned how to set a timer for my phone's camera and that's really opened the door for my photos. Aside from the first I've never sent Tabitha a truly nude selfie. Just glimpses from my own life where I've taken the extra step in becoming sexy, I thought. Today's was a shot of myself bent forward to tie my shoes leaving just enough under my shirt exposed. Nothing was really visible but I think that's what she enjoyed.

But with it, to be cute, I sent her a message reading “Forever yours”. In quick response Tabitha replied

“Not yet”