What do you do when you look seven years old but you’re actually a college student in your late teens? For Kathleen’s entire life, she had fought against people treating her much younger than her actual age. Feeling obligated to grow up fast to show people she wasn’t the age of her size, Kathleen never let her inner child out. Tired of fighting against the world, she explores the adult submissive world. What she finds, however, is an enjoyment of regression. Had she made a mistake? Would life be better if she just let people treat her the way she looks at seven years old?

Edited October 2023 & January 2024 to fix grammar mistakes.

Getting up the following day and heading to the computer, she noticed that she hadn’t shut down the webcam or the laptop last night. She had a message waiting from Master, “Master enjoyed making sure his Buttercup was safe in bed during the night.” Which, to her surprise, made her feel secure and warm inside.

As she was just getting ready to shut down the laptop and get ready to face the day, she got a message, “Good Morning, My Buttercup.”

“Morning Master. Buttercup can’t talk long, ‘Hanna Valley Zoo doesn’t think pajamas make good uniforms.” She concluded the message with a smirk, gathering up her uniform so she could dash to the shower.

“But Buttercup’s pajamas would make a good uniform. Master was just reminding Buttercup to come promptly home and send that text the minute she is crawling in bed tonight.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Run and get ready for volunteering,” was the final reply.

Kathleen hit the sleep button on the laptop and ran to the bathroom for her shower.

Passing by the Zoo Director’s office on the way to the Volunteer Office, she heard her name being called.

Poking her head in the office, “Yes, you called Mr. Grady?”

“I understand today is your last day for this year, Kathleen?”

“That is correct. I will be at college Sunday, though I might volunteer during the Christmas event if I have time.”

“Can you show up to the board of directors meeting in December? That would be December the twenty-first. It is a Thursday.”

“I can try. Why?”

“Staff and Volunteer service milestone awards are handed out in December.”

“I can only try. Can you send me a reminder closer to the day?” she replied, heading next door to Mr. Cooper’s office.

Walking into the office, she pointed out that Mr. Grady had delayed her and then requested her assignment for the day.

“Since it is your last day, I will give you a choice: the hedgehog or the furs, or you could go help Heather again in the feed booth,” he mentioned with a knowing wink.

With a smile that stretched from ear to ear, she replied, “Tell Kids’ Korner to expect me,” as she skipped out of the office.

“That was a great movie!” Ann exclaimed.

Kathleen nodded in affirmative, “I didn’t think I was going to get to see it. The door attendant almost seized my ID for being a fake one. I am glad the manager got involved.”

Zoe nodded, “That was crazy, Kath.”

Ann suggested going for ice cream afterward as they were getting in Zoe’s car. Zoe was okay with that idea, and Kathleen almost agreed to it. It was already nearly eleven o’clock, well past her recently established bedtime. The words, ‘Come promptly home to bed,’ came flying back to her.

“Umm, girls, I promised my Mommie I wouldn’t stay out too late. She wants one more Mother/Daughter day before college,” Kathleen made as an excuse.

As she was getting out of the car at home, she heard Ann say to Zoe, “Now, ice cream?” Ignoring it, she let herself in the house. By the time she was ready for bed and getting ready to crawl in her bed, it was eleven thirty-five.

Composing her message, “Buttercup went straight home, ignoring her friend's request for ice cream, crawling in bed now.” She didn’t wait for a reply message, just closing her eyes tight.

After sleeping in the following day, she checked her texts on her phone. She got one that appeared to have come about seven o’clock, “Very good, Buttercup, thanks for obeying Master.” That was it. There was no discussion of punishment for the late hour, just sweet to the point. Buttercup really expected some form of punishment, even her nose in the corner, since that seems to be Master’s preferred treatment for transgressions.

Sunday, about eleven, Kathleen followed her parents for the forty-five minutes to an hour uneventful journey to college. Pulling in front of the college, she obeyed her Master and sent him a text she was there. The submissive task being done, she started to unpack her car.

Taking her fifth trip up the steps, she ran into a blonde-haired girl. “Kath! I missed you.”

“Aww, I missed you too, Claire,” Kathleen said as she continued to her dorm room.

Four trips later, everything was on the lower bunk. Staring at the mountain, she was interrupted by a tall girl asking her, “Is your sister Kathleen around?”

Turning around, ignoring the chuckles from her parents, “Umm, I am Kathleen, Allison, I presume?”

Allison got as red as her hair. “Sorry, I expected you to be taller.”

“Common expectation, the height fairy found someone more attractive to give her blessings to.”

Allison looked at the pile on the lower bunk and Kathleen’s height, “I am guessing that I got the top bunk.”

“Please, if you don’t mind.”

“Truthfully, I rather not see you climb up the ladder every day,” Allison pointed out.

Kathleen just nodded and then returned to her task of putting stuff away.

After both sets of parents left back to their respective homes and the unpacking was done, the girls went to the common room. Kathleen was curled up with her Fablehaven book in her pajamas.

Hearing her phone ding, she checked her texts. “You get a new set of friends, and you ignore your Master. ;)”

Looking around for the spy, she replied, “Buttercup is sorry.”

Juliette asked, “Who are you texting Kath?”

Kathleen blushed and mentioned her friend Adam. Her phone soon rewarded her with another ding, “Master is only teasing, but it is Girl’s bedtime. Get there!”

Kath weighed her options, telling the cluster mates she was going to bed or lying to Master and staying up. As tempting as the second option was, she knew it would have consequences in the future. "Girls, I am getting tired. I am going to hit the sack," she told the group as she headed to her room.

The following day, returning from breakfast, Allison told her, “Kath, I checked the mailbox, and you had a package slip in it. I left it on your bed.”

Walking into the room, she noticed the slip was from the post office, not the mailroom where packages usually go to. Examining it more, she noticed it was for a certified letter from an A. Olsen in Riverville. After stopping to pick up her ID, she started the walk to the post office downtown.

Handing the slip and ID to the postal clerk when it was finally her turn in the line, she was rewarded with “One second,” as the clerk walked in the back.

The clerk returned with a large envelope, which had to be one-half-inch thick. The lady finally looked at the ID, which resulted in a shocked look on the lady’s face.

Handing her ID back and flipping the slip over, Kathleen was told to fill out the back with her college address, print her name, and signature before handing the envelope to her.

She decided the library was probably the best place to deal with this without nosy eyes. Examining the envelope, she discovered that it had been mailed Thursday. She quickly sent Master a text that she received what she assumed was the contract.

After using her college swipe card to let her into the library, she went to an empty study room. Being before classes, it wasn’t hard to find one. Closing the door, she opened the envelope with shaky hands.

Pulling the contents out, Kathleen started reading the cover sheet. It listed the contents of the envelope: the cover sheet, the contract, contract appendix, health care power of attorney, revocation of the power of attorney, examples of defined terms, a questionnaire, and a prepaid envelope to send the contract back. Also on the sheet was how Kathleen was to fill it out, and that she was supposed to send the contract, appendices, power of attorney forms, questionnaire, and her class schedule after making herself a copy of them. It said Owner would reimburse her for copying costs.

It explained that the power of attorney was needed for Article 5, and he wouldn’t use it beyond the scope of the contract nor abuse the power. It further explained that the revocation was dated for the end of the contract. Pennsylvania doesn’t do limited health care power of attorney’s. It went on to further explain that the forms, being standard state forms, ask end-of-life questions that Owner hopes to never have to use.

The cover sheet concluded with “Buttercup has two days, from receipt of this contract, to postmark it back to Owner, or give notification of her refusal to accept the terms. Failure to do either will result in Buttercup’s bottom being punished by Owner under the terms of article 9 in the suggested contract and cancellation of the offer. Notification of refusal or cancellation of the offer will result in no further communication between Buttercup and Owner.”

Nervously, she began to read the contract, realizing she was stuck between a rock and a hard place. She had already basically sold her heart to Master, now apparently Owner. If she wanted to continue her relationship with him, this contract needed to be signed and mailed by Wednesday. By signing the contract, she was basically selling her life and body away to Owner, therefore losing her freedom. Freedom or listening to her heart, which one was it going to be? She felt very attached to him by now; losing him was something she couldn’t imagine now.