Catholic School in New England16

I was running just a bit late because of the conversation with my mother, so I didn’t have time to play with my friends. Instead I did what I was told to do: I went straight to the principal’s office. To my relief and surprise, Mother Frances wasn’t in. I waited for several minutes, then left the note with her secretary a few minutes before the first bell rang. Then I headed to the gym, where I took my place in the assembly formation. As Mother Frances entered the gym, a horrible thought occurred to me: suppose that she paddled me in front of the entire school? My knees began shaking, and I started perspiring. I tried to look inconspicuous, and I probably succeeded since I was a small girl near the back of the formation.