This one is more of a 'cautionary tale'... Never take anything at face value...

Gemma was cheesed off.

All she’d done was get nicked for shoplifting. 

The problem was, as she was over 18, the judge had come down unusually heavy on her (she was a repeat offender). He’d offered her the choice of becoming a resident at the new college, or a custodial sentence.

As far as Gemma was concerned, each choice was equally bad. She’d tried to appeal, but it was rejected out of hand.

Her mother brought her a bag.

“I chose the college for you, sweetie. You wouldn’t last a day in prison.”

Sadly, Gemma said a tearful goodbye to her and boarded the bus to the college. It was only after the bus had set off that she realised the Judge hadn’t said how long her sentence was…!

“Three years”, she was told, when she asked. “All the sentences here are the same; it means that you always complete the training.”

“Training?”, she asked.

“You really didn’t read the paperwork, did you?” The woman said. “You’re going to be taught a worthwhile trade, to make you make something of your life. You’re going into the hospitality trade…!”

Gemma’s mood only got worse when she found her room for the first time. There was a uniform laid out on the bed for her. It looked just like the one she had worn at Secondary School; a black pencil skirt, white blouse, clip on tie and a black blazer, with white socks and patent shiny black shoes.

“I’m not f’ing wearing that!”, she cried.

“You are if you want to come out of your room again!”, came the voice from the corridor. “If you don’t, you can spend all three years in there. Also, you won’t get any food, or have toilet facilities, as they are out here. Your choice…!”

Gemma, stubborn, threw the uniform on the floor and sat on the bed.

She stayed in her room for two days straight. She hadn’t eaten or drunk much while she had been waiting for the trial but, even so, she was starting to struggle.

Finally, on the third day, she passed out from lack of food or drink…

She awoke in a cot in the college medical bay. Still refusing food, drink, or co-operation, she just turned away from everyone and stared at the wall. She had to be fed intravenously, like a person on hunger strike.

As soon as she felt well enough, she discharged herself, went back to her room and locked herself in. The supervisor had to let herself in with her master key…

The college had never had a ‘pupil’ like it. They’d never known anyone so stubborn.

“I really don’t know what to do with her”, the supervisor said to her assistant. “I’ve never known anyone like it. She’s so stubborn she’s willing to kill herself, just to avoid wearing the uniform. We even tried dressing her in one forcefully; she ripped it off, went back to her room naked and locked herself in again. I think we may actually have to give up on her.”

Gemma had also destroyed the uniform that had been left for her in the first place; she had then gone round the room and systematically wrecked every item of clothing in it; she’d done hundreds of pounds of damage. She’d then refused to come out at all unless she got her original clothing back.

“Didn’t I remember reading a while back about the use of lockable clothing for handicapped people, that kept undressing themselves at inopportune moments?”, her assistant said.

“That wouldn’t help”, the supervisor said. “She’d just tear it off. She’s incredibly strong.”

“How about if it was made of a different material?”, the assistant said. “Say leather, vinyl or latex?”

“Possibly. She still might tear it off or cut it off, though.”

“We could fit her with a pair of mittens made from the same material. That would stop her from wrecking her uniform, but she’d have a pig of a job using a pen or a laptop.”

“I don’t want her using them anyway! She’ll get notes given to her for all the courses she’s going on, and the lessons will be drilled into her so hard she’ll never forget them. That’s if she even starts in the first place.”

The staff waited until Gemma had passed out again from lack of food, and they carted her back into the medical bay. There she was dressed in the new leather version of the uniform and the mittens, and it was all firmly locked on.

Gemma flew into a rage as soon as she woke up.

“Fuck this!”, she cried, ripping at the new uniform.

Her face went red as she pulled and pulled.

To their amazement, she wrecked the blazer! Ripping it off, she dumped it on the floor, then started on the rest of the uniform.

One of the nurses tried to stop her; a hard right cross sent her flying across the ward, and she landed in an unconscious heap.

Once again, Gemma managed to rip all the uniform off. She even managed to use her teeth to undo the stitching on the mittens and ripped them off as well. She then stomped back to her room once again naked and slammed the door.

The supervisor was at her wits end.

“I’ve never had a girl like her!”, she cried, practically in tears. “I can’t take it anymore!”

“It’s not your fault, Ma’am!”, her assistant said. “There’s bound to be one every now and again. She’ll just have to be sent to prison instead of here.”

“I’m going to have one more try with her. I’ll point out that if this doesn’t work, it’s the prison route.”

“Good idea.”

“Gemma, it’s Laura Harris, the supervisor!”, she called from outside Gemma’s room. “I’m coming in!”

“Do what you f’ing like, as long as you aren’t holding a uniform!”, said Gemma.

Laura unlocked the door, then went in. The room was trashed, completely. Gemma was huddled on the bed, naked, glaring at her.

“What bright ideas have you come up with this time? Or is it all just more of the same, i.e. you will wear the damn uniform and like it?”

Then Laura asked the question that she should have asked to start with…

“Why do you hate the uniform so much?”

Gemma just dissolved in a heap, crying her eyes out.

Laura just went over and hugged her…

“How badly were you bullied at school…?”, she asked, quietly…

“Every single sodding day!”, cried Gemma. “I literally didn’t have any friends. My mum only chose here for me instead of prison because she thought I wouldn’t have to wear a uniform…!”

Gemma sobbed uncontrollably…

“Come on, let it all out…”, said Laura, hugging her. “I honestly didn’t realise! This must have brought all the horror back to you. Also, I’ve looked at your record. Shoplifting? That should never have been turned into a custodial sentence. You shouldn’t even be here…”

She ruefully looked around the room.

“Also, there’s all this damage to sort out. You’ve probably cost more in damage here than you ever did shoplifting…!”

“I’m sorry…!”, said Gemma. “I just can’t wear a uniform, ever again!”

“That means you’d be useless for the job we were going to train you for”, said Laura. “You were going to be a maid…!”

Gemma shook her head, vigorously.

“No. Any uniform, no matter what. I was going to be a nurse; as soon as I went for the interview, I came out in a cold sweat as soon as I saw the uniforms. I only shoplifted the chocolate as comfort food to calm my nerves after; I hadn’t any money on me at all, which was why I needed the job in the first place. Mum had cut me off because I was a bit of a tearaway.”

“So, you could do with a job, could you? One that doesn’t involve a uniform. Are you at least prepared to wear a business suit, say, skirt and blouse?”

“A brightly coloured one, yes. Anything that can’t be construed as a uniform.”

“In that case, I think I have an idea. Firstly, however… clean up this mess!”

It took five bin bags to dispose of all of the clothes that Gemma had destroyed; however, she hadn’t done any major damage to her room itself. Laura, feeling a bit petty and still semi-annoyed with Gemma, made her do it whilst still naked. She then dragged her down to the showers and thoroughly cleaned and dried the squealing young woman.

Dumping Gemma back in her room, she handed her a bundle of clothing.

“If you want me to try and help you, be in my office in ten minutes, tidy and wearing that”, she said, walking out.

Gemma started unwrapping the bundle. Her eyes went wide…

There was no way you could confuse the new clothes with a uniform.

An ivory blouse, a black leather skirt with a side split, fishnets and heels, as well as a set of high-quality lingerie.

Gemma just squealed with delight.

She tidied her hair and put it into a neat bun, then did her makeup. She knew what Laura had meant by ‘tidy’…

Dressing, she checked the time, then headed off to the supervisor’s office…

Laura looked up from her desk as Gemma knocked.

“Come in!”

Gemma entered and stood before Laura’s desk. Gone was the rebellious eighteen-year-old; standing there was a refined young woman who would have looked perfect in any office or institution.

“That’s more like it!”, said Laura, a smile on her face. “Now, I guess you’re wondering why you are here. If I’m right, you’re a bit of a tomboy, aren’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am”, said Gemma, respectfully.

“Good. They need a new teaching assistant in the engineering section; I’ve put you down for the job.”

“Me, ma’am?”

“Yes. You’re exactly what they need. If anyone can find a problem with something mechanical or physical, it’s you. Let’s direct your urges to something constructive, shall we?”

“Yes, ma’am!”, squeaked Gemma, overjoyed.

“You might have to wear an overall, to keep your clothes clean, but only when absolutely necessary. Nathan Phillips, who runs the area, is aware of your ‘feelings’ about uniforms and quite willing to help you.”

“When do I start, ma’am?”

“Five minutes ago, so you’d better hurry”, said Laura, chuckling.

Gemma gave Laura a thumbs up gesture, then shot out of the office…

From then on, everyone had nothing but good things to say about Gemma.

Nathan Phillips actually said he couldn’t have run some of the courses without her.

This meant, at the end of her three year ‘sentence’, Gemma stayed on full-time. She started getting paid; she was also offered a flat off-site which she could rent. To everyone’s amazement, she turned it down, preferring to stay in her room.

“This is where my new life started”, she said. “It’s my home, now.”

Understanding, Laura agreed that she could stay there.

She’s been there ever since. She’s getting her teaching qualifications next month…