“I will.”
As soon as the door to the infirmary closed behind them, both girls burst into giggles.
“You were brilliant, Hays!”
“Damn straight, I was.” The pair headed back towards the dorms, Hayleigh still playing her part with a hand over her tummy. “Out of curiosity, what was your prank?”
“I put salt in the soda in the dining room.”
“Oh my God.” Groaning, Hayleigh shook her head. “You are going to get in so much trouble.”
“Probably,” Sadie confirmed cheerfully. “But just imagine the looks on everyone’s faces when they take a drink!”
The image of dozens of big, scary dominants all taking a sip of salty soda at the same time brought on another round of giggles. But as they walked, the image faded to one of a furious chef and guilt began to gnaw at her gut. Everyone at the Ranch, even Master Derek, knew that you didn’t mess with Chef’s kitchen.
By the time Sadie dropped her off at her room, Hayleigh was feeling nauseous again. Trying to ignore the guilt and the fear, she curled up on her bed and willed herself to sleep.
An hour later, Hayleigh woke to someone softly calling her name and shaking her shoulder. Rolling over, she opened her eyes and froze when she spotted Nanny J.
Dressed in her usual crisp white shirt and straight black skirt, with her hair pulled up in a tight bun, Nanny J was a severe looking woman. But today, her features were softened with concern as she brushed a stray lock of hair from Hayleigh’s face.
“How are you feeling, sweetie?” Nanny J asked, pressing the back of her hand to Hayleigh’s forehead.
“Better, ma’am. I’m sorry I missed class.”
“Nonsense, you’re obviously not feeling well. Do you feel up to going and getting some lunch?”
The idea of watching the prank play out was equal parts enticing and terrifying. In the end, her curiosity won out and Hayleigh nodded.
“All right. Get up and wash your face, then I’ll walk you to the cafeteria.”
Stomach rolling, Hayleigh did as she was told and washed up before she followed Nanny J out of the room. Unlike earlier, the halls were now filled with Ranch employees on ladders, hanging decorations everywhere she looked. Her nerves took a backseat to excitement when she spotted the pumpkins and spiders and ghosts that heralded her absolute favorite holiday - Halloween. It was coming up fast. Sadie had promised her that Halloween at the Ranch was unlike anything she’d ever seen before, and Hayleigh couldn’t wait.
She didn’t even realize she’d stopped to stare until the sound of Nanny J clearing her throat pulled her attention away from the young, freckle-faced boy on the ladder working to get a jack-o-lantern to stay in place. Hayleigh rushed back to Nanny J’s side and followed her to the cafeteria, her head swinging around wildly to try and take in all of the activity around them as they walked.
In the cafeteria, Sadie was standing in line with the other Littles, and she waved Hayleigh over when she walked in. After looking to Nanny J for permission, Hayleigh hurried over to join her friends in line.
“How are you feeling?” Daisy, Professor Hawkins’s sweet, bubbly girlfriend, asked with a sympathetic smile.
“Much better.” Hayleigh forced her own smile. “Thanks.”
Sadie elbowed Hayleigh in the side, then nodded to the front of the line where people were getting their drinks before they made their way to their tables. It was like watching a horror movie in slow motion as the people sat, laughing and talking together.
And then chaos erupted.
It started with one giant, scary looking man who took a sip of his drink and immediately spit it out. Hayleigh watched, horrified, as he turned to the man next to him. She couldn’t hear what was being said, but it was obvious he was scolding the smaller man, who was vehemently shaking his head. A split second later, the poor, unsuspecting submissive was pulled from his chair and bent over the table, his Dom’s hand smacking against his jean-clad bottom loudly enough to echo around the dining hall.
Across the room, a petite redheaded woman spewed her soda across the table. One by one, the people around them sipped and gagged on their salt-laden sodas.
“Sadie Hawkins!”
The group of Littles jumped and turned as one to face Nanny J who was storming across the cafeteria towards them, her expression set in furious lines.
“Uh oh,” Daisy muttered under her breath.
Uh oh, was right. They were in so much trouble.
Before Nanny J reached them, Chef burst through the kitchen doors. His eyes were wide in his handsome face as he took in the chaos around them.