Chapter 35 — Still Not a Big Girl

Elara sat through her morning classes, her mind only half on the lectures as her thoughts churned with a mix of anticipation and restless energy. She wanted to get back at Quinn for last night’s teasing, to flip the dynamic and have a little fun of her own, but their schedules kept them apart. Her classes dragged on in separate areas of the castle, leaving her no chance to act on the playful revenge brewing in her head. More than that, though, her stomach fluttered every time she thought about their dinner plans. She rehearsed her lines over and over, picturing herself standing tall in the dining hall, voice steady as she laid out their demands. Every word, every gesture—she ran through it obsessively, determined to make it perfect.

By the time lunch rolled around, Elara was itching to see Quinn again. They met up outside the cafeteria, grabbing a quiet corner away from prying eyes. Elara shifted uncomfortably, feeling the heavy, soaked padding between her legs after a long morning. She glanced at Quinn with a smirk, nudging her lightly.

“Need a change already?” Quinn teased, catching on quickly as she leaned closer, voice low.

“Yeah, and I’m not the only one who’s gonna,” Elara shot back, raising an eyebrow. “Come on, let’s make it a full reset before we eat.”

Quinn grinned, a playful glint in her eye. “You’re on.”

They slipped into their dorm. With a bit of prompting and some shared giggles, both girls took a moment to mess their diapers, the warmth spreading as they stood there, egging each other on with stifled laughter.

“Damn, you weren’t kidding about a reset,” Quinn chuckled, shaking her head as she helped Elara onto the changing table, pulling at the tabs of her soaked diaper. T

“Shut up and hurry,” Elara muttered, though a smile tugged at her lips. She lay back, letting Quinn work, feeling the careful swipes and then the fresh padding slide under her hips. The new diaper crinkled softly as it was secured in place.

“My turn,” Quinn said, hopping up next as Elara took over. She tugged open Quinn’s diaper, revealing the mess inside, and couldn’t help but snort. “You’re worse than me.”

“Bite me,” Quinn fired back, sticking out her tongue while Elara cleaned her up with practiced ease. The scent of baby powder mixed with antiseptic wipes filled the space as she taped a clean diaper snugly around Quinn’s waist.

“Done,” Elara said, stepping back. “Now let’s grab food before we’re late for afternoon classes.”

They headed back out, enjoying sandwiches and fruit as they were served. Sitting across from each other at a small table, they ate quickly, but Elara’s mind was already drifting back to dinner.

“You still good for tonight?” Quinn asked around a bite of apple, watching her closely.

“Hell yeah,” Elara replied without hesitation, though those butterflies kicked up again in her gut. “I’ve been running through it all morning. We can’t screw this up.”

“We won’t,” Quinn said, leaning forward slightly. “Stick to what you planned. They’ll crack under that kind of pressure.”

Elara nodded, poking at her food. “Just gotta get through these last few classes without losing my nerve.”

“You won’t,” Quinn assured her, flashing a quick grin. “And hey, if you start slipping, I’ll be right there to back you up.”

With lunch wrapped up, they parted ways again for the second half of their day, heading off to separate classrooms. Elara settled into her seat for her next lecture, but focus was impossible. Her thoughts kept circling back to dinner—every possible outcome playing out behind her eyes as she gripped her pen a little too tightly. Tonight was it. No turning back now.

However, no matter how big Elara may have felt in her dynamic with Quinn, it did not protect her from a professor's wrath.

One snarky comment was all it took. Elara stood rigid in the corner of the potions classroom, her cheeks burning with a mix of humiliation and barely contained frustration. Her skirt was hiked up to expose the thick, crinkling diaper beneath, the white padding stark against her thighs for the entire class to see. The pacifier in her mouth felt heavy, forcing her to suck on it rhythmically to keep from drooling. She could hear the faint snickers and whispers from her classmates behind her, their muffled giggles cutting through the otherwise quiet room.

“Now, stay there for the rest of class,” the professor’s voice rang out as they adjusted their glasses and turned back to the cauldron at the front. “Should teach you to talk back.”

Elara bit down on the pacifier, her jaw tightening as she stared at the wall in front of her. She’d only made a small quip—barely even sarcastic—about the professor’s droning explanation of bubbling brews, but apparently, that was enough to land her here. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, itching to tug her skirt back down, but she knew better than to move. Not with the professor’s hawk-like gaze occasionally flicking over to check on her. The padding between her legs felt heavier now, already damp from earlier, and the thought of standing here for another half-hour made her squirm inwardly.

Behind her, a classmate muttered something under their breath, followed by another stifled laugh. She couldn’t make out the words, but she didn’t need to. Her ears burned hotter, and she focused on breathing slowly through her nose, trying to block them out. All she could think about was how this would fuel gossip for days. Worse, it chipped away at the confidence she’d been building all day for tonight’s confrontation. How was she supposed to face Mommy and Daddy with authority when she couldn’t even get through a class without being reduced to this?

The professor droned on about potion ratios, their voice a distant hum as Elara’s mind raced. She shifted slightly on her feet, feeling the diaper crinkle, and froze as another ripple of snickers passed through the room. Her fingers twitched again, desperate to cover herself, but she forced them still. Getting caught moving would only extend this punishment—or worse, add something more humiliating to the mix.

“Eyes on your own work,” the professor snapped suddenly, silencing the class. The brief reprieve didn’t ease Elara’s tension, though. She sucked harder on the pacifier, letting the repetitive motion ground her as she mentally rehearsed her dinner speech yet again. If anything, this humiliation only steeled her resolve. Let them laugh now—she’d have the last word tonight, no matter what it took.

Her legs ached from standing still, and the weight of every eye in the room seemed to press against her exposed vulnerability.

The professor announced the end of class, and Elara exhaled a shaky breath through her nose, the pacifier still firmly in her mouth. She turned from the corner, reaching to tug her skirt down over the exposed diaper, desperate to cover herself before anyone could linger on the sight. Before her fingers could grip the fabric, the professor’s sharp voice cut through the air.

“Nuh-uh, not yet,” they chastised, stepping closer with a stern glare. Elara froze, her hand hovering mid-air, eyes widening as the professor moved behind her. Before she could react or protest, a sharp smack landed across her padded bottom, the sound muffled by the thick diaper but still loud enough to echo in the now-quiet room. She yelped, more out of surprise than pain, the jolt making her stumble forward slightly.

A few lingering classmates paused at the door, their snickers barely concealed as they watched the scene unfold. Another smack followed, then another, each one firm but dulled by the padding. Elara’s cheeks—both sets—burned hotter with every hit, humiliation surging through her as she gripped the edge of a nearby desk to steady herself.

“Now, apologize,” the professor demanded, stepping back and crossing their arms, their tone leaving no room for argument.

Elara swallowed hard, the pacifier making her words clumsy as she mumbled around it. “S-sorry,” she managed, her voice thick and garbled, barely audible as she kept her head down, unable to meet their gaze.

“Louder,” the professor pressed, tapping their foot impatiently.

“I’m sorry,” she repeated, forcing the words out clearly despite the obstruction in her mouth, her face flaming with embarrassment.

“Good enough,” the professor said with a curt nod. “Now fix yourself and get out of my classroom. Don’t let me catch you mouthing off again.”

Elara didn’t waste a second. She yanked her skirt down over the diaper as fast as she could, smoothing it into place with trembling hands. Grabbing her bag from her desk, she kept her eyes glued to the floor, avoiding every curious glance as she hurried out of the room. The hallway was mercifully less crowded now that most students had moved on to their next classes or breaks, but her cheeks still burned fiercely.

Her steps quickened as she headed toward a quieter corridor, needing a moment to compose herself before facing anyone else. The crinkle of the diaper under her skirt felt louder than ever. Her mind spun between frustration at the unfairness of the punishment and lingering nerves about tonight’s plan.

Elara hurried into the dining hall, her heart still pounding. The noise of clattering trays and chattering students washed over her as she scanned the room, spotting Quinn near the entrance. She made her way over, her skirt swishing with each step. Quinn gave her a quick once-over, her eyes narrowing slightly before a smirk tugged at her lips. She elbowed Elara gently in the side.

“Hey, you’ve still got that thing in,” Quinn muttered, nodding toward Elara’s face.

Elara blinked, confused for a split second before realizing the pacifier was still bobbing between her lips. Her cheeks flushed hot as she yanked it out with a quick tug, shoving it into her pocket. “Shit,” she whispered under her breath, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

“Ready?” she asked, straightening up and forcing her voice to steady.

“As I’ll ever be,” Quinn replied with a small shrug, though there was a glint of determination in her eyes.

Together, they wove through the crowded hall as they headed straight for the table tucked near the back, where Mommy and Daddy sat. The two figures looked up as the girls approached, their expressions shifting from casual conversation to mild confusion, perhaps even amusement at the sight of them marching over so purposefully.

Elara’s stomach twisted with those familiar butterflies, but she clenched her jaw and kept moving forward. Quinn stayed close at her side, their steps synced as they reached the table and slid into seats across from Mommy and Daddy without waiting for an invitation. The pair fixed them with curious looks, eyebrows raised as if silently asking what this was all about.

It was now or never.