Shortlisted Remembering Alex Birch
Blue Eyes
Alex was always so kind and supportive of everything I posted. I wasn't a frequent poster, but he always took a few moments to say something kind. We seemed to be on a very similar wavelength with regards to our kink.
I followed the links to the old SSCs, including to my one and only prior submission. I had forgotten he was one of the reviewers of my story, and was supportive as always.
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"Stella."
His finger beckons me towards him. Blond hair, blond eyebrows, ruddy cheeks, friendly smile... and flat blue eyes. The smile is a lie. When he really smiles his eyes twinkle marvelously. But there is no twinkle in them now.
I have no idea why he's calling me out of class. But, I always obey without question. It's kept me out of trouble during my school career. Teacher's pet? Goody-two shoes? I don't necessarily want to be, but I've never been anything else. I don't ingratiate myself. I'm not one of those who spends an hour after class helping the teacher. I just do what I'm told.
But this is so much more thrilling. My heart is pounding. Part of me is scared out of my wits, but another part of me is exhilarated. And I still have no idea why I'm in trouble, or even IF I'm in trouble. Except those blue eyes. Those are his, "we need to talk, young lady" eyes. Except I can't be in trouble. I never do anything wrong.
I follow him down the hallway and he stops meaningfully in front of my locker. My heart drops into my stomach. My one Achilles heel is my untidiness. There are literally over a dozen pieces of paper sticking out the edges and the bottom of my locker, disrupting the neat row lining the hallway.
He asks me to open it. I move into the locker, blocking the cascade of books and papers with my chest, as I do between every class period, but he tells me to step aside.
I tremble helplessly as the hallway floor becomes a showcase for my old homeworks, discarded lunch sacks, and schoolbooks.
"You're not going anywhere until this is clean. And then come see me in the form lounge at lunch."
He smiles again, almost a grin, but his eyes are still a menacingly flat blue. He even winks at me as he leaves, but no twinkle. Teachers never smile at me this way.
My heart is racing, and I tremble as I quickly trash all the unnecessary papers and neatly stack the necessary ones. I'm scared, but not unpleasantly so. The classes before lunch are a rash of anticipation and fright.
I hurry to the form lounge as soon as I've eaten my lunch. "An appointment with Mr. Cooper", I tell my friends, pretending to sound embarrassed. The fear isn't pretend.
He doesn't scold, although I know he's a champion. He can make a whole hallway stop dead in its tracks when his bellowing voice lambastes a misbehaving fourteen year old. He calmly instructs me to keep my locker clean from now on. And then he has me bend across a desk, and he strikes me twice. Two of the very best.
And when I stand up, still in complete and total shock from the whole of it, he smiles at me. Really smiles, and sends me on my way.
Mija email
The only criticism I have of this story is that there wasn't more of it. It's a lovely story and an excellent tribute to Alex's memory. The tension between the power difference and sexual attraction is there, something Alex always wrote so well. But I did wish there could be more detail on the punishment -- I wanted to know what the spankee was struck with. Still, this is a small criticism of an excellent story.
Emma Jane email
No idea how you managed to fit so much build-up and background into 500 words but you did it very well. There's a wonderful sense of the good girl finally slipping up and how Mr Cooper seems to be pleased in catching her out. I love how clearly her emotions are conveyed right up until she is punished: doubt, excitement, nerves. The only thing it lacks is her reaction to the actual punishment. I want to know more. Did it hurt, was she brave, was she thrilled or afraid after. A great story, very well written.
Dyke Grrl/Jigsaw Analogy email
This is a really sweet story, and I think that it fits very well into the category. I appreciate the development of the main characters' personalities. Their relationship shows clearly through this little vignette. I could see the nervousness and confusion of the main character, trying to figure out what she had done, and how it would be addressed. And I could see that Mr. Cooper is generally quite strict, but usually has a more friendly relationship with the main poster. I especially appreciate that "two of the best" was enough for the situation to be resolved. The focus on the eyes was also well done, letting me know without explicitly saying it that those blue eyes were twinkling at the end.
Pablo email
I love the first-person voice, which works very well, and in this case it's exactly right that we know so little about the teacher - we see him only through her rather awestruck eyes, so he's mysterious and a bit scary. It perhaps only adds to the sense of mystery and doom, but it feels like some information is missing. It's clearly a significant moment for both of them, but why now? If this is the first time he's spanked her - which is implied, although not stated explicitly - what's changed? She hasn't suddenly become messy. A little more detail here would enhance the moment, by helping make the motivations apparent. She clearly means a lot to him - and he to her - but what specifically is going on in this moment? Still, a sweet and affectionate story, with a convincing and appealing narrator.