Later at lunch, Dexter was sharing a table with Sue and Heidi. Nick and Camille’s punishment was the topic of discussion and Heidi wondered out loud, “Do you really think she’d paddle someone where everybody can see?”

Dexter snorted, “Nah. That was a bluff. Never gonna happen.”

Sue replied, “I heard that last semester Rose was caught cheating on a test and Mr. Butler caned her in full view of the class.”

Dexter retorted, “Sounds like a myth. Rose might well have gotten paddled but not so the class could see her bare ass.”

Heidi laid down the challenge, “Bet you’re wrong. I dare you to try Ms Lucas’ patience and see if she makes good on the threat.”

Dexter had already been considering pushing Ms Lucas’ buttons. He wasn’t afraid of a paddling and the idea of baring his butt to his female classmates was, frankly, very exciting. “What do I get if I’m right?”

Heidi paused and thought about a reasonable wager. “I’ll let you put your hand on my boob.”

Dexter countered, “Under your bra?”

“Uh-huh,” Heidi confirmed with a sly grin.

“What about you,” he asked Sue.

“This is between you two,” she replied, intrigued by the notion but not willing commit letting Dexter feel her up.

Dexter pondered what might be a severe enough infraction to win both a paddling from Miss Lucas and a Heidi’s consent to cop a feel. He decide that he would conspicuously cheat on the upcoming quiz. If that didn’t merit Miss Lucas acting on her threat of a highly visible punishment nothing would.

In anticipation of the quiz, Dexter prepared a note card with key formulas that they were supposed to have memorized. Before class he slipped the card into his sleeve and then referred to it during the quiz. Miss Lucas paced through the classroom and when I knew she was coming up behind him he stole a long, obvious view of the card.

“Mr Goodman. You know there are no notes allowed on quizzes,” Miss Lucas scolded. She grabbed the card from him and shook her head. She was puzzled by Dexter’s very obvious flaunting of the rules but realized she had made a commitment that she now had to honor. When time was up on the quiz she collected the papers and then took the paddle down from its hook. “Cheating is perhaps the most severe ethical infraction a student can commit. I must now administer an appropriately severe punishment.” She looked around the class and then continued, “Mr Goodman, to the front of the room and face my desk.”

Dexter glanced at Heidi and smiled. Once he was facing her desk, Miss Lucas asked, “You recall that I had promised future punishments would occur in full view of your classmates?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied.

“Then present your bare backside for the paddle. Bend over my desk and firmly grasp the opposite edge. If you break position, then the swat will not count. Do you understand?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he repeated and then undid his jeans and pushing denim and boxers to mid-thigh.

“Count these,” Erin commanded tapping the oak board against his bare bottom.

“One!” he yelled on the first. Erin counted quietly to five between each swat, delivering them sharply to the boy's reddening cheeks. “Ten!” Dexter wailed after nearly a minute had elapsed though it seemed much longer to him.

The class was mesmerized by the bullseye bruises developing on each sit spot and most felt a bit sorry for him.

“Pull up your pants and return to your seat,” Erin instructed.

He carefully pulled his underwear and jeans over his inflamed tush and zipped his jeans before turning to face the class. He caught Heidi’s eye and she slyly undid the top button of her blouse as a discrete signal she was willing to uphold her part of the wager.