That's a bit of a problem

You see Ms. Naylor's lips tighten and you brace yourself for the next round in this neverending contest of wills.

"I'd like to, Mr. Hawkfeather, I really would." She adds the last three words quickly when she sees your poorly hidden impatience. "We've been working on a revision ever since I took over five years ago, but the committee keeps running into stumbling blocks."

"I don't understand." You sit back on the desk staring at her in confusion. "Don't you give the students and their parents a copy of the rules every year?"

"Well, yes they still receive the old code, but we don't really follow it." Ns. Naylor smiles hopefully before continuing. "I told you already Mr. Hawkfeather, it is the expectation of the administration that our young ladies behave themselves at all times." You don't even try to disguise the doubt you are feeling. "For the most part the students live up to our expectations."

"I don't doubt that, Ms. Naylor, but as the new Disciplinarian of this school, I need to avoid subjectivity." You look at the Headmistress hoping she'll understand. "It is my job to enforce the rules as they are written." You tap on the book in your hand for emphasis.

"Well, you can't use that." Ms. Naylor snorts dismissively.

"Isn't this the Code of Conduct the students receive?" You ask more bewildered than ever.

"Well yes," the fierce Headmistress begins hesitantly, "but, our approach to discipline has been greatly reformed. Consequences of student infractions are determined based on a number of different factors..." Her explanation tails off as she senses your growing anger.

"And how has that been working for your acclaimed academy, Ms. Naylor?" You ask, making no attempt to hide the sarcasm in your tone.

"Mr. Hawkfeather!"

"Hear me out Ms. Naylor." You try again, careful not to sound condescending. "The students will be informed that we will be following the Code of Conduct as it is written. If, as you say the young ladies in our institution behave as they should, then it will not matter. But if they don't I intend to enforce the rules as they are written."

"Kyle," this is the first time she's used your Christian name and you find you like the way it rolls of her delicate lips. "Do you even know what you're saying?" She asks softly, "Are you really going to lift the young women's skirts and paddling their exposed backsides like Mrs. Marshall used to?!" Knowing that your answer will undoubtedly ruin the rapport that you have worked hard to develop, you sigh silently and answer her as honestly as you can.

"If that's what the students and parents have been told to expect, I don't see any other option."

"It's barbaric!" She marches across the room until she is just inches away and stares you in the eyes. "And I think you're barbaric as well." The uneasy truce you had reached was broken and Ms. Naylor is as prickly as ever - probably even more so than before. When you first walked into her office she disliked you on principle, now it was personal. "This isn't over Mr. Hawkfeather. This Is Not Over."

With the repetition of those four words she turns on her heels and storms out of your office. There is no sign of the cool reserve that you had come to expect from the school's young Headmistress, instead you see fiery passion in a woman who is not used to being defied. What does it say about you as a man that, as the door closes behind her, you find yourself liking this woman who clearly despises you even more than ever?

"Damn it." There is no one to hear the muttered explicative; no one in the empty office but you.