Three weeks later

Julie's pov

To say things have been pretty tense between my cousin and I these past few weeks, would definitely be an understatement. I tried to stay away from her but with Stacey grounded to our room that was pretty difficult. I'm still not ready to forgive her yet for selling my medication. I hate to admit this but I even made sure to get her in trouble while she was grounded. She fell asleep listening to music one day after school so I found a way to let it slip to Shane, knowing he'd spank her. It was a bitch move, I know but I was still pissed and felt she deserved it.

Shane and Mike decided to treat the four of us to a nice dinner out tonight since this was perhaps the first time in forever none of the four us were currently grounded. Thankfully, this was just a way to treat us to a meal and not a dinner to get to know one of their current flings. As the four of us were getting changed to go to dinner, Stacey and I got into another argument.

"Can you get the fuck outta the bathroom already, Stacey? There are three other people here who need to get in there, ya know." I let her know by my tone how annoyed I was.

"I literally just got in here like two minutes ago. Could you give me a second?" Stacey replied with attitude.

"Yeah, we'll all fuckin' wait for you, princess." I was pissed but not about having to wait to get into the bathroom. I admit I was only giving her shit cuz I was still mad about her taking my medication but I just couldn't stop myself.

"Relax, Julie, she'll be done in a minute," Lisa said, as she sent her streaks on Snap.

"Kinda hard to relax when I don't have my anti-anxiety medication. No thanks to you, Stacey." I purposely tried to get under her skin.

Taking the bait, Stacey stomped out of the bathroom.

"I can't undo what's been done. All I can do is apologize and try to make it up to you and I've done that like a million times." Stacey was beyond frustrated. "What more do you want from me? What's it gonna take to make things right between us?" Her cheeks were flushed and her heart was racing. "You got your fuckin' refill so when the fuck are you gonna let this go already?"

"I don't know, Stacey, but not today."

At dinner

Julie's pov

"Switch seats with me, Carrie. I'm not gonna sit next to that traitor." I wanted Carrie to take the seat next to Stacey so I wouldn't have to sit by her.

"Girls, please. Can't we just have a peaceful meal together without the drama?" Shane asked.

"Doubtful, since Julie's still being a jerk to me," Stacey said softly, but loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Shut up, Stacey, before I shut you up myself," I threatened my cousin.

"As if! I'd like to see you try, cuz," Stacey sneered.

"Girls, I don't like the language you're using nor the direction this conversation is taking." Shane raised one eyebrow as he gave my cousin and I a stern look. "Behave yourselves."

We sat in an uncomfortable angry silence until our meals arrived, at which time I decided to stir things up.

"Stacey, can you pass the salt, or were you planning on selling it to some douche to make a quick buck?"

Stacey abruptly stopped eating and quickly rushed into the washroom as she looked like she was about to cry but didn't want anyone to notice.

"That is bloody well enough, Julie Elizabeth!" Shane was losing his patience.

"What did I do?" I acted innocent.

"You've ridden this train long enough, you're definitely at the end of the line," Mike warned me, before putting a forkful of mashed potatoes in his mouth.

"When your cousin returns to the table, I expect you to apologize, Julie. Am I clear?" Shane wasn't playin' but I didn't care because I wasn't finished yet.

"Not in a million years, Admiral. You've got a better chance of England winnin' the World Cup than me apologizin' to her sorry ass," I brazenly, yet unwisely, mouthed off to Shane and insulted his football team all in the same breath.

Shane immediately began to rise out of his chair but Mike beat him to the quick.

Grabbing me roughly by the back of my shirt, Mike pulled me up out of my seat while hissing through clenched teeth, "Outside now!" as he drug me out of the restaurant.

"Next up on Total Drama Island: Will the cousins finally settle their feud peacefully, or will their two meddlesome guardians have to step in and force a cease fire? Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion once the dessert course is served." Lisa was pretending to be the host of a reality tv show complete with cheesy voice-over, to the delight of Carrie. Even Shane chuckled in spite of himself at her antics.

Once outside, Mike slapped me harshly on the ass five times before releasing his hold on me.

"That's for your inappropriate language."

"OW!" I attempted to rub some of the sting out of my assaulted bottom. "Unnecessary."

"No, it was most assuredly necessary, young lady."

Mike was fuming. I recognized the look on his face that indicated he was just moments away from blowing a gasket. I mean, I'd certainly seen it enough times over the past eleven years.

"I have had enough of this grudge you've been holding against your cousin for taking your medication. She owned up to what she did and she's already been punished severely. It's high time you quit harassing her and degrading her every chance you get. You need to stop." Mike was clearly furious.

"What? I'm just supposed to forget about what she did to me?" I asked indignantly.

"Let it go, Julie." Mike crossed his arms over his chest as he stared me down.

"You did not just quote Frozen at me," I said in a semi-annoyed tone, as I tried to suppress a smile.

What I didn't realize was I just gave Mike an idea as to how he was going to put an end to this feud between me and my cousin.

"Let me tell you what's going to happen." Mike gripped me firmly, squeezing my trapezius muscle between the thumb and pointer finger of his left hand. "You're going to apologize to your cousin as soon as we return to our table, then you're going to keep your mouth shut for the remainder of the meal. When we return to the NJC, you and Stacey will accompany me to my room where you'll be receiving ten strokes of my belt for your misguided, punitive behavior and hostile treatment of your cousin. I will allow her to witness your belting as part of your punishment for harboring so much animosity. After your spanking, I will put an end to this feud once and for all." I winced as Mike pinched my muscle tightly. "Have I made myself clear, Julie?"

No cap, I was a little taken aback by Mike's itinerary for the remainder of the night so I didn't respond right away. Apparently my hesitation constituted an unacceptable amount of time to reply as Mike spanked my right buttcheek with three stinging slaps.

"You should know to respond yes sir immediately. Why am I still waiting to hear you?" Mike smacked my butt again.

"Yes sir, yes sir," I blurted out, before he could raise his hand to strike me again. Fuck that hurt. Each slap Mike delivered was harder than the last.

When we returned to our table, I gave Stacey a curt apology and the remainder of our meal was had in peace, mainly because I stayed silent as Mike had instructed.

Back at the NJC

Mike's pov

I ushered Stacey and Julie into my room and quickly removed my belt.

"Julie, I want you to tell your cousin why you're receiving this correction."

Julie exhaled loudly.

"Because I apparently have been treating you unfairly, even though you're the one who screwed me over," she said in an annoyed bratty tone of voice.

I couldn't help noticing the crestfallen look on Stacey's face upon hearing her cousin's snide remark.

"That was a mistake, young lady. Bend over the bed." Pressing my right hand into the small of her back, I held her skirt up and kept Julie in position as I prepared to deliver fifteen wicked strokes to her panty clad behind. I felt Julie trying to stand up after the tenth stroke, erroneously thinking her punishment was over. Pushing her back down over the bed, I harshly whispered, "Next time don't ad-lib," before striping her thighs five times in rapid succession with my belt, leaving angry red streaks in its wake.

While Julie wiped the tears from her cheeks and rubbed her burning backside, I looped my belt back around my waist.

"Sit down, both of you," I barked at the girls, as I pointed to my bed. "Don't move a muscle, I'll be right back."

After grabbing the dvd I needed from the common room, I returned to find the girls sitting as far apart from each other as possible on my bed. I went into my closet and brought out the thick belt Julie and I purchased from the leather shop. I placed the belt on my desk and loaded the dvd into the player.

"Sit next to each other and hold hands," I commanded.

Stacey looked apprehensively at Julie and inched closer. Julie, on the other hand, turned her back to Stacey and scooted to the very edge of the bed in a stubborn display of defiance. I picked up my belt, stalked over to her, yanked her off the bed and whipped that belt across her behind hard enough to make her shriek and Stacey cower.

"That was not a suggestion, young lady." I forcefully sat Julie down on the bed right next to her cousin as fresh tears populated her eyes.

"The two of you are going to hold hands the entire time while you watch this movie." I hit play and the cousins both groaned seeing Disney's Frozen appear on the screen. "Hopefully Elsa and Anna can teach you a thing or two about the importance of family, more specifically how sacred the bond is between siblings. So help me God, if either one of you says you're cousins not siblings, I will take your phones and run them over with my car then I'll blister your behinds as I spank the obstinance out of both of you while you're over my knee."

I grabbed both the girls' hands and forced them together.

"If either of you let go at any time, you'll both receive five strokes with my new belt and I'll start the movie from the beginning. Am I clear?"

"You've got to be kidding!" Julie foolishly voiced what they were both thinking, so I pulled her up against my hip, grabbed my new belt, and struck her sit spots with enough force to make the sound reverberate off the walls.

"Do you think I'm kidding now, Julie Elizabeth?" Before she could respond, I sat her back down next to her cousin and rejoined their hands. "I'm only going to ask this one more time. Am I clear, ladies?" My face flushed with anger as I held my belt firmly against my hip, awaiting their reply.

The girls were quick to respond this time, in unison, "Yes sir," as Julie was still smarting from the belting she just endured and Stacey was scared into submission after having witnessed the brutal strokes her cousin received when she mouthed off and refused to follow my directions.

"We'll do this every night until the two of you repair this severed bond." I motioned between them, then I sat down at my desk so I could keep a close eye on them while completing some office work. While unbeknownst to me, the girls claimed I hummed Do You Want to Build a Snowman? the entire time I worked. If I did in fact do that, and I'm not saying I did, it was most likely due to the fact I had to restart the movie three times and deliver fifteen strokes of my belt to the girls before they finally sat holding hands from start to finish.

Commiserating over this punishment, the two cousins were finally given a reason to begin communicating as they united against their common enemy. Their anger towards me providing the necessary catalyst for taking that important first step in repairing their broken relationship.

The next morning

Mike's pov

Neil invited Shane and I to spend the remainder of the weekend with him at his lakeside cottage for a much needed getaway. Rick volunteered to keep an eye on the girls for us. As we hopped into the limo, Neil offered us a mimosa and we gladly accepted. Once we pulled out of the NJC parking lot, the automatic locks on the doors engaged, clicking loudly.

"Here's to a couple days of rest and relaxation," Shane offered up a toast, as we all clinked our glasses.

"Drink up, you're going to need it," Neil quipped cryptically.

Shane and I exchanged curious glances before looking to Neil for an explanation.

"I think there's been a slight misunderstanding, gentlemen. You won't be fishing and boating this weekend. This trip is strictly business." Neil paused, a black hue clouding his eyes and a darkness overtaking his voice. "I know about Stacey stealing Julie's medication and now you're going to pay for it."

"Oh shit," I cursed under my breath, fearing what Shane and I were in for.