I sat in the lounge, comfortably resting in one of the thick leather chairs, and read a magazine. I scanned the pages of the latest edition of Cosmopolitan, too tired and worried to really concentrate on any of the articles. A short editorial on the latest fashions caught my eye, mostly because it was light reading. I began to immerse myself in the article, losing myself as the writer discussed Paris and Milan.
My mind slowly wandered from the pages of my magazine as I wondered what it would be like to actually visit Paris, France. I imagined myself in front of the Eiffel Tower as a brilliant red sunset lit up the city's horizon. It was sizzling in my daydream - no, I thought as I changed my mind, it was warm with a chilly breeze. A cute native of the city noticed me shivering from the cool north wind and offered me his coat. I imagined his romantic accent and thought that the man of my dreams would be impeccably dressed and would be forceful...yet passionate. Yes, I realized with a dreamy grin, he would be forceful when we first touched, but then he would melt away into a sensitive lover...
I was imagining us making love right in front of the Eiffel Tower when I was jerked back to reality. The secretary, only a few feet away from me, was calling my name.
"Saraia," she said in a strict and hoarse voice, obviously worn down with her old age, "Miss Park, the principal will see you now. He's the last doorway on the left."
I arose from my chair and shut my magazine with a crisp, clean motion. I slowly walked down the hallway. I didn't want to walk at too brisk a pace - my knees were still a bit wobbly from the excitement of imagining my affair with the Frenchman. Just thinking up such a steamy scenario had affected me in more places than my knees. My nipples were firm and perky, and I knew that they had become visible through my white blouse. My vagina had grown moist and tight, and I knew that my panties were wet. I wished that I was so visibly aroused, but there was nothing that I could do to force my nipples down. At least the principal wouldn't be able to see my panties.
I opened the thick cedar door and walked inside. Mr. Rivera, fairly young for a principal, was sitting in a large leather chair behind his desk. He was clicking his mouse, obviously doing some work on the computer. When he saw me entered the room, he hurriedly clicked a few more times, and then his undivided attention was on me. I saw his piercing hazel eyes linger for a few moments on the curves of my polo shirt, but they quickly drifted up to look me in the eye. I sat down in a chair.
"Saraia Park, yes?" he asked me in a low and commanding voice.
I nodded silently, too intimidated by his steely gaze to speak
"I called you to my office today to give you a bit of news," Mr. Rivera said, standing from the chair and slowly beginning to make his way over toward me. "You, Miss Park, have been chosen for an award this year. You know that we expect excellence at Saint Brigid's Catholic Academy. We always have. But you...you have done even more than what is expected of our students."
My cheeks burned red with embarrassment - and pride. I had given up quite a few things to become the model student that I had. I hadn't nourished my social life, and I had all but forsaken dating. Rather, I had spent my nights with books, and my weekends were filled with community service. My school only required that we do ten hours of community service each year, but I had done sixteen hours all ready - and it was only November.
Mr. Rivera had all ready reached my side, and he placed one hand on my shoulder. He continued, "You're set to receive the Saint Brigid's Award of Academic and Religious Excellence on Tuesday." His hand drifted down a little, to my collarbone. "I just wanted to let you know in person. I invented the award, actually, just for you." His hand fell down lower, right to the top of where my breasts began. "I thought that there needed to be an award for girls like you. Would you like to thank me, at all, perchance?"
With those last words, his hand fell right onto my breast and fondled it, pinching my perky nipple. I used my shoulder to push his arm away and immediately stood up from my chair. I stared at Principal Rivera with a look of both disbelief and disgust. I flipped my long auburn hair back behind my shoulder and walked briskly to the door. He, however, was closer to it than I was and blocked it off.
"I don't believe," he said with a cold, menacing voice, "that you'll want to be leaving. Or screaming. Miss Park, I assure you that, should you let anything know of this, your grades will quickly be dropped to ones well below average. I have that kind of leverage in the school community. I am, after all, the principal of this school. Upon hearing that, wouldn't you like to stay a while?" His mouth curled into a sneer.
My heart seemed like it would beat right out of my chest as I closed my eyelids over my dark brown eyes and sighed. I barely nodded, too shocked and disgusted with myself to speak a word. When I opened my eyes again, I saw Mr. Rivera lock his office door. He then paced over to his desk and removed a roll of thick duct tape from one of the bottom drawers.
As he wrapped the tape over my eyes, he told me in a husky whisper, "You won't want to fight me, Saraia. This can be a great experience for you, or it could be a traumatic event that will leave you scarred for life. Don't you want it to be wonderful? I've been watching you the entire school year. You have a great passion for learning, Saraia, and I've the desire to teach." Mr. Rivera rolled the tape over my mouth, not even giving me a chance to reply.
I was blind, and I was mute. My ears, one of the last senses that I had left, became alert and keen. I heard something rolling across the floor - it sounded like Mr. Rivera was bringing his leather chair over closer to me. I heard a rustling of clothes, and I was certain that I heard him unzip his pants. I winced, feeling unimaginably violated and outraged. How would I possibly live with myself if I felt this sick all ready, when he had only touched my breast and taped my mouth and eyes shut?
"Take off your school polo," he commanded me in a deep voice, full of desire and need. I was ambivalent upon how I thought he sounded - either like a sleazy old man, or an attractive master. I quickly made up my mind that he sounded like a dirty old man. How could I possibly consider this man attractive? He was forcing me to do things for him that I had never even done with a boyfriend, and he was twice my age.
Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted by a sharp crack across my cheek. My face burned with a bitter pain, and I realized that Mr. Rivera had slapped me. I heard him sit back down - the leather material squeaked. I gingerly rubbed my face with my palm, feeling scalding hot tears prick at the edges of my eyes.
"I said to take off your shirt," he said in an atrocious tone. "Now."