(Life after Camp Kumoni) By Anistasia Allread Edited by Nick B "You smoke pot?” Erika was in a state of disbelief. "Relax, I don't smoke it all the time. Just occasionally.” Erika took a drink of her fuzzy navel, then looked around in alarm, the music which was almost shaking the house was now gone. |
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"You got permission, right?” Tricia asked.
Erika nodded. “It wasn't easy, but yes, I got permission.”
"Awesome!” Tricia squealed, almost bouncing with glee.
"So what do I wear to one of these things?” Erika asked.
"Something sexy, but without trying to look sexy,” Tricia told her.
"So I can change out of this?” Erika asked referring to her rally uniform.
"I'd like to enjoy it for a little longer,” Tricia pleaded, batting her eyelashes.
Erika rolled her eyes mockingly only to have Tricia pounce from across the room, knocking her back on the bed, their lips meeting passionately.
Erika's tongue slid between Tricia's lips and she tasted the blonde's sweetness, whilst her genitals strained at the restraints between her legs. She found one of her hands resting on Tricia's hip, the other cupping her breast.
Tricia moaned softly as Erika's fingers gently caressed the soft mound through the bra. One of Tricia's hands slid down to hem of her top and began pulling it up.
Erika took the cue and pulled it up over her head, unlocking their lips only long enough to free the top and toss it across the room.
Erika's hands stroked the small of the blonde's back then moved up to tug gently on the long blonde hair. Tricia moaned with pleasure, her skin quivering with anticipation. Erika moved her hand down to Tricia's bra and with unexpected ease, unfastened the hooks there.
Tricia slid one arm out of its strap and then the other before reaching between them and pulling the bra free, sending it to the floor somewhere near the forgotten top.
Erika groaned as she felt the uncovered, unrestrained breasts brush against her. The tightness in her groin was quickly becoming painful as her male genitalia strained against its confines. She longed to feel Tricia's skin, Tricia's breasts against her chest, but with the forms in place under the layers she was wearing, she could only feel the pressure of them.
Erika's other hand slid up Tricia's side and cupped the satin soft skin of the blonde's chest. Her fingers touched Tricia's hard nipple causing her to react to the touch.
Tricia pulled back a little from Erika, keeping their lips in constant contact and began pulling the Rally shell up towards Erika's head. Erika pushed Tricia off of her and on to her back. She yanked the shell off, and tugged at the bra freeing it. Both landed across the room while the breast forms dropped to the bed.
Tricia smiled wickedly up at Erika and pulled her down to reinitiate contact.
"FINALLY!” Erika's brain screamed as she felt Tricia's soft skin against her own. “Finally!” The two lay in bed, caressing, and exploring one another; smelling each other's scent, tasting one another's body.
A flicker of lights outside the bedroom caught Erika's attention. She jumped off of Tricia and sprinted into the bathroom closing the door behind her. Her heart raced as she listened at the door. She heard Tricia fumbling in the closet.
"How are you girls doing?” Tricia's mom asked.
"Fine, thanks.” Tricia's voice sounded strange, “We're just trying to find something to wear to the party tonight.”
"Oh.”
Tricia knocked on the bathroom door, “Try this one.”
Erika opened the door a crack and flinched out of the way as a hanger with a top was thrust through the crack.
"Okay,” Erika said, unsure of what else to say.
"If there is to be any drinking tonight, I want you girls to call me to come get you, okay?” Tricia's mom instructed, “You won't get in trouble, I just want you safe, got it?”
"Yes, mom.” Tricia sighed.
"Erika?” Tricia's mom's voice was stern.
"Yes, ma'am.” Erika called from the bathroom, “If there is any drinking, we'll call you.”
"All right, thank you.”
It was quiet for a few moments.
"She's gone.” Tricia called through the door.
Erika opened the door and peered out, “That was close.” Erika noticed Tricia's pink bathrobe was barely fastened around her.
The noise coming from inside the house was loud. Laughing, raised voices and loud music fought each other for dominance.
Tricia looked at Erika and smiled.
"Do I look okay?” Erika asked, “I don't look like a hooker do I?”
Tricia had dressed her in a leopard print pencil skirt, under which she wore black footless tights and black pumps. She wore a black low cut top under a lightweight tan bolo jacket. Her hair was loose, but teased to give it volume.
"Are you kidding, you look amazing.” Tricia promised, “I wish I looked as good as you. It's not fair you know… You not being a real girl but looking better than I do.”
"I doubt that,” Erika pulled Tricia in for a kiss, “You look good enough to eat… again.”
Tricia wiped a bit of lipstick from the outside edges of Erika's lips and grinned, “Let's have some fun.”
Tricia was about to knock on the door when it was flung open and two guys staggered out yelling something incoherent. They stumbled past the two leaving the door open to a cacophony of noise and mayhem.
Tricia grabbed Erika's hand and laughed as she dragged her into the madness.
"Here,” someone mouthed handing each a plastic cup.
Erika looked down at the amber liquid and sniffed at it; Beer. Tricia put the cup to her lips and drank deeply. Erika tasted the beer and grimaced a bit. It was cheap stuff.
"What the hell,” she muttered. She drained the cup and tossed it into a plastic lined box to join a small but growing pile of others, looking around at the crowd of swaying and undulating bodies. “So this is what I have been missing?” Several of the girls were wearing shorter and tighter outfits than the one that Tricia had dressed her in.
Other than a few girls dancing in the middle of the room, most everyone was standing around in small groups, holding a cup in one hand and gesturing with the other as they shouted over the thumping of the bass.
"Hey, you made it,” Julian greeted with a smile. His eyes drifted from Tricia to settle on Erika.
"So who all is here?” Tricia asked.
"Everyone important, now, but the football team and some of the cheerleaders will be arriving after the game.” Julian's eyes never left Erika's face as he spoke. “There's a keg tapped on the back porch and a bunch of stuff people have brought on the counter. Make sure you help yourselves.”
"Whoa, the dykes made it.” Stan staggered up behind Julian, “How are you doing?” he slurred a little at Tricia and Erika.
"Not as drunk as you, yet.” Tricia punched him and walked past him, taking Erika's hand.
"So what do we do now?” Erika yelled into Tricia's ear.
"We drink, we dance, we mingle and have fun… We let our hair down,” she said with a giggle.
Erika pulled Tricia up short at the counter full of bottles of various alcohols and liquors. “I need to make a drink.”
"What happened to your beer?” Tricia asked.
"I drank it.”
"Pace yourself,” she warned.
"I'm fine.” Erika winked at her then poured some vodka and peach schnapps into a cup, filling it the rest of the way with orange juice. She took a sip then licked her lips. She suppressed a slight shiver as the alcohol flowed down into her stomach.
Out on the back patio, several people were smoking cigarettes. Erika didn't care for the smell, and turned to go back in when she noticed a different smell. She looked around her trying to locate where it was coming from but couldn't zero in on anyone who might be causing it. She shrugged and went back inside, sipping on her Fuzzy Navel.
"Tricia.” Erika called into her girlfriend's ear, “Someone is smoking pot out there.”
"Who?” Tricia asked.
"I don't know.”
"Try to find out tonight,” Tricia instructed, “I don't have contacts in this town.”
Erika was startled. Tricia wanted to get pot? “Do you smoke pot?” she asked.
"Every once in a while,” Tricia nodded, “It’s a good way to escape and relax.”
"You smoke pot?” Erika was in a state of disbelief.
"Relax, I don't smoke it all the time; just occasionally.”
Erika took a drink of her fuzzy navel, then looked around in alarm, the music which was almost shaking the house was now gone.
"I have an update!” Julian called as everyone turned to look at him, “The game is over, Warthogs won 37 to 10!”
A huge cheer deafened the house for at least thirty seconds. “The team and cheerleaders will be here in about an hour, so drink up before they get here and empty the place,” he smiled.
The music was turned back up so that Erika could feel the vibrations from the bass, in her bones.
Tricia stepped in close and looked up into Erika's eyes and smiled, “This is great, isn't it?” She leaned in and kissed Erika. “You taste good, what are you drinking?” Tricia licked her lips.
"Fuzzy Navel,” Erika shrugged.
"Can you make me one?”
Erika nodded.
Erika quickly lost track of how many drinks she had made for others, let alone drank herself. Tricia was out on the back deck talking to someone when Erika, holding on to the walls, made it over to the sofa up against one wall and sank down into it. She barely realized that the football players had started to arrive. Two of them were carrying a keg as they entered. A few girls that Erika recognized as their girlfriend's had their arms full with bags of chips, and several bottles of what looked like replacements for the vanishing bar in the kitchen.
"You hammered already?” Samantha smiled down at her.
"I can't feel my head,” Erika smiled up at the blonde, “I know it's there, I just can't feel it.”
Samantha laughed and flitted away.
A heavy weight shook the furniture as someone dropped onto the sofa next to her.
"How are you doing?” Julian asked above the music.
Erika sat forward on the sofa and turned her head to look at the swimmer. She rested her hand on her cheek and just studied his features.
Julian tried not to notice at first then looked back at Erika. “What?” he asked.
Erika took a deep breath and let part of it out, “You're pretty cute for a guy,” she said.
"Thank you, you're pretty for a girl.” Julian sat up and leaned forward to look at Erika
Erika continued to study Julian's face. She was a girl, wasn't she? She looked like a girl, felt like a girl, enjoyed being a girl. Did that make her a girl? Her eyes closed as she thought about gender.
Lips; firm lips pressed against hers. Lips that weren't like Tricia's soft, satin lips pink with lip gloss. These lips were firm, yet had a tenderness to them; a hesitancy; a yearning. They felt nice, strong… different. Erika kissed back, tasting beer, and smelling something musky. She kept her eyes closed and gave in to the lightheadedness that made her feel all swoony, all foggy, all light. She felt a large hand touch her cheek, a hand that gently encouraged her towards the lips.
Erika turned and wrapped her arms around a neck. A neck that was so much taller than she had experienced before. She felt herself leave the sitting position on the sofa and press herself into the body of the one kissing her.
Her heart fluttered then pounded as her swooning head became more of a spin. Erika pulled back from the kiss, her eyes still closed. The room was definitely spinning. She didn't dare open her eyes, if she kept them closed, the room wouldn't spin as much.
"Oh God,” she breathed. A nasty burp broke in the back of her mouth, “I'm going to be sick.”
The body beneath her; the person she had just been kissing, jerked wildly, getting out from under her.
"You going to hurl?” it asked.
Erika nodded her head, and immediately regretted it.
"Come with me,” the voice instructed. Strong hands grabbed her by the shoulders and almost lifted her feet off the ground.
Another icky burp and Erika blew out the gas cringing at the nasty taste it left in her mouth.
"Coming through!” a voice yelled out from over her head. “Coming through with a hurler!”
She knew she should be embarrassed, but her gurgling stomach wouldn't let her think about it. “Oh, God!” she groaned.
"Move it!” someone yelled.
"What's going on?” Samantha's voice cut through the dizziness and haze.
"She drank too much.”
The door to the bathroom was thrown open before her. The sudden brightness as the lights stabbed at her eyes. She spotted the toilet through the blur and pain. Her stomach tightened as she dashed across the room. The contents of her stomach lurched up then spewed out of her mouth, hitting the floor then trailing into the toilet.
"Oh, nasty,” a voice gasped.
"Oh, Erika, are you all right?” Samantha was by her side, “What did you have to drink?”
Erika's stomach heaved again.
"Someone get me some water!” Samantha called. She turned to Erika, “Where's Tricia?”
Erika shook her head.
"You don't know?”
Erika shook her head again then braced herself for another bout. Samantha flushed the toilet.
"Here's your water.” Jorge said entering the bathroom, “Oh, that's nasty.” He pinched his nose.
"Drink this,” Samantha demanded.
"I can't,” Erika groaned.
"You have to, or you'll be really sick tomorrow. Drink up.”
Erika took the cup.
"Have you seen Tricia?”
"Saw her running out the front door a few minutes ago,” Jorge said.
"You feeling better?” Samantha asked.
Erika shook her head.
"What happened out there?” Samantha inquired, “What did I miss?”
"Drinking fuzzy navels,” Erika paused and stared in the toilet for a while, “Tricia was smoking pot.” She felt her stomach cramp. Nothing came out. “I was kissing someone… then I got sick.”
"You were kissing someone?”
"I think so. I got sick.” Erika moaned.
"Who were you kissing?” Samantha demanded.
"I… I don't know.”
"What do you mean you don't know?”
Erika threw up in the toilet again. “Oh God.”
Samantha growled, “Who where you with?”
Erika moaned.
"Drink,” Samantha demanded.
Erika moaned, but took a sip of water. Instead of swallowing it however, she swished it in her mouth and spat it out.
"Who were you with?” Samantha asked.
"Just Julian,” Erika stated.
"Did you kiss Julian?”
"I… I guess. He is cute for a guy isn't he?”
"You kissed Julian?”
Erika groaned and leant over the toilet.
"Shit! No wonder Tricia ran off.” Samantha swore. She handed Erika a towel. “Clean this up when you're done. I've got to go find Tricia.”
Samantha walked to the door, “Jorge, can you look after Erika?”
"You're kidding, Right?”
"She's on the squad, Jorge.” Samantha moved past him and out into the crowded house. “Tricia!” she called. “Has anyone seen where Tricia went off to?”
A few shrugged. Stan however, pointed out the front door. Samantha dodged people and their drinks as she made her way to the front door.
Cars and trucks lined both sides of the streets. Three people walked around a vehicle and approached the house, bathed in the yellow glow of a streetlight.
"Have you seen Tricia, a blonde?” Samantha asked.
A girl pointed. “A blonde went that way.”
"Thanks,” Samantha said, racing off in the direction indicated.
She jogged down the street, looking for the blonde who over the summer had become a cabin mate, a friend; in a way a sister - much like those on the squad whom she considered sisters.
She spotted a dark huddled shape on someone's lawn, “Tricia?” Samantha called.
The shadowed mass moved.
"Tricia, what happened?” Samantha approached.
"I… I saw… She was… She was kissing Julian.” Tricia was sobbing.
"She is drunk. She probably won't even remember it tomorrow.” Samantha sat down next to the Lavender lady.
She was kissing Julian,” Tricia sobbed again.
"She is so drunk she's puking her guts out in the bathroom right now,”
"Good!” Tricia bawled.
"Come now, Tricia,” Samantha soothed. “We've spent the last few months, trying to get Eric to pass as Erika. We've succeeded. No one knows who she really is… well, almost no one. Even I forget sometimes that she is really Eric.”
"But I love her,” Tricia cried.
"I know, but who do you love, Eric, or Erika?” Samantha posed. “I even fell in love with her this past summer, remember?”
"It feels like it was so long ago,” Tricia cried.
"We need to get back to the party. We can tuck Erika in to one of Julian's spare rooms to sleep off her drunkenness.”
"It just hurts so much, Samantha.”
"She didn't know what she was doing. How many times have you gotten drunk and kissed some guy you didn't know or even like?”
Tricia was quiet.
"Hmmm?” Samantha urged.
"Okay, okay, I get your point. It just really hurt to see her all over Julian like that.”
"I'm sure she wasn't 'all over Julian',” Samantha gave Tricia a squeeze.
"She was on top of him, pinning him into the corner of the sofa, kissing him with tongue.” Tricia was getting worked up again.
"Too bad we don't have a recording of it to show her tomorrow,” Samantha snorted. “She would be mortified.”
"What do you mean?”
"Remember that stink she threw at camp about Josh kissing her?”
"No. that was before I joined your cabin.”
"Oh yeah, sorry. Anyway she threw a big stink over it, about how she isn't gay and stuff.” Samantha got to her feet and put her hands out to help Tricia up. “So you see, you have nothing to worry about… except a hung over Erika tomorrow morning.” Samantha pulled the blonde to her feet.
"I hope she is really hung over tomorrow,” Tricia swore just above a mutter. “Serves her right for kissing Julian.”
Tricia looked up into the night sky and watched as the moon reappeared from behind a cloud. She looked at Samantha, “Is it always this warm this time of year?”
"Yes. Why?”
"Where I'm from, we would be experiencing frost at night by now.”
Samantha shivered involuntarily. “Thankfully it doesn't get that way here until after Halloween.”
"Then it will be the first time since I was seven where I could dress up without wearing a jacket under my costume.” She stared up at the moon, “Wow.”
"What?” Samantha looked up.
"Doesn't that one look like a dragon?”
"Huh?”
"That cloud - it looks like a dragon.”
"So you have been smoking.” It was a statement.
"Only a hit or two,” Tricia defended. “It still looks like a dragon. Like a Chinese dragon slithering across the sky.”
"Focus,” Samantha instructed. “Let’s get back to the party and see how Erika is doing.”
"I hope she pukes all over Julian, serves her right for kissing him.”
The two girls head back to the deep thumping of music heavy with bass.
"Don't the neighbors call the cops on parties like this?” Tricia asked.
"Not when their neighbors are Julian's parents, “Samantha smiled.
The two targeted the door to the atmosphere full of mischief, merriment and mayhem. A few people were sitting on the front steps, talking and sipping at beer, while smoking cigarettes, with the door slightly ajar.
Samantha led Tricia through the mob of undulating bodies to the bathroom where she'd left Erika. The door was closed and locked.
"Erika?” Samantha knocked, “Erika, are you alright?”
The door opened revealing a senior girl who was beyond buzzed.
"Have you seen Erika?” Samantha asked.
"Don't know her,” the girl replied and pushed past Samantha to rejoin her friends.
Samantha looked at Tricia with a concerned look and began searching the crowded house for their friend.
"Jorge!” Samantha called seeing the male cheerleader dancing with Jordon and Krystal. “Jorge, where's Erika?”
"Julian's got her,” Jorge shrugged. “I think he took her upstairs.”
Tricia spun around and practically plowed through party goers as she tried to get to the stairs with Samantha hot on her heels.
Tricia tried to take the stairs two at a time, but people from school were sitting in various poses talking and drinking.
"Erika?” Tricia called. “Erika?”
"Did you see Julian and Erika go up here?” Samantha inquired.
A few nodded their heads.
The girls entered a hall. “Erika?” Tricia called. She opened the first door she came to and found a bathroom.
"Hey!” a girl yelled as she covered herself.
"Sorry.” Tricia backed out closing the door. She opened the next door with as little ceremony.
Julian stood beside the bed, propping Erika up and pulling her bolo jacket off of her as she muttered in an incoherent state.
"What the hell are you doing!?” Tricia screamed.
Comments
Not Necessarily Naughty
Oh my. That party sounds pretty typical from what I heard about but never experienced. I don't think I would've ever fit in very well at a party like that.
Tricia is cute when she's jealous but Samantha had some good points. I hope Tricia listens.
As for the last bit, if Julian isn't undressed and he's only doing what is written, it wouldn't necessarily mean what Tricia is assuming. I hope it's innocent anyway.
Thanks very much and please keep up the good work.
- Terry
Not Naughty?
You need your brain checked I don't care if it is the norm or made up to say it ain't that naughty and is pretty typical is what is wrong with this society in the first place.
OMG!!!
OMG!!!Now i've got a whole week to wait to find out what Erika and Julian have been up to!!!
Ani... that was some episode. Right from Tricia and Erikas get together!!!in Tricia's bedroom to Tricia's discovery of Julian and Erika together in a bedroom it rocked! Hopefully Tricia will see that Erika is too drunk to know what she was doing and every thing will be okay again...I can but hope...Thanks Ani for writing this story,Now i've just got a week to wait{sigh} for my next fix.
Hugs Kirri
Not Very Mellow
Tricia, that is, for someone on weed. But it's evident that if Tricia wants revenge and is too out of her mind to know better, exposing Erika as Eric at the party would more than accomplish that aim. (And if Eric being tied naked to a flagpole was humiliating before, a second round with Erika's makeup on his face won't exactly improve his image, self- or public.) Hopefully cooler heads (Samantha's? Julian's?) will prevail. (And thanks for reminding us that Tricia wasn't around yet when Erika recoiled from Josh.)
Eric
Where oh where is Eric?
RAMI
Where oh where is Eric?? Except for the reference to Josh, which is in the past, Eric made hardly any appearance in this chapter. While engaged in playing with Tricia in her bedroom, Erika as she was now identifying herself felt, "The tightness in her groin was quickly becoming painful as her male genitalia strained against its confines. It appears that Erika is thinking about "her" body and "her " body parts, in a female fashion.
What was Julian doing? Making Erika more comfortable, or about to strip her for some sexual activity?
How will they hide the booze and pot from their parents?
I'm glad to see Samantha acting in a supporting way to Eric/a and Tricia and not as she did in the last chapter.
RAMI
RAMI
RAMI
The hole is getting much deeper again
Hi Ani,
I skimmed the first three comments and agree with most of them. What happens tomorrow when Erica has a fantastic hang-over and has to explain to her parents? Will she get over kissing Julian before she runs into her parents and has to explain kissing a boy too?
These and many other questions will require answers, well, SOMETIME.
Thanks for another exciting epsode.
with love,
Hope
with love,
Hope
Once in a while I bare my soul, more often my soles bear me.
They Both Have A Lot To Answer For
When this whole thing is over, I think they will both have things to answer for. Tricia seems to think that is perfectly fine to take a few hits of pot and Erika sees no problem with downing Fuzzy Navels like water and getting drunk enough to lose control. It is just a miracle that Tricia found Erika before her secret was exposed. One has to wonder if Eric was ever as free and easy with the alcohol as his alter ego seems to be? Being Erika, has brought out the best and WORST of Eric's behavior. The sixty-four thousand dollar question will be, how they deal with the parents when they go back home? Tricia's mother already warned them about calling if they got in trouble. I see some girls being grounded for a while. Hopefully, Erika is scared straight enough to think about not ever doing this again. I hope that Tricia realizes that Erika doesn't remember who she was kissing and forgives her. Biggest word of advice: Stay away from parties unless she wants the whole school to find out she is "The Plague". She got off very lucky this time.( I hope)
Assuming The Worst About A Decent Fellow
From what I've seen so far, and the way I choose to read it, Julian sounds like a decent chap and a caring host. The last scene seems to depict him trying to put Erika to bed so she can sleep it off.
While I'm not certain why he is taking off her "lightweight tan bolo jacket" which covers her "low-cut top," perhaps she's gotten puke all over it which he'd rather not have to explain to his parents on the bedding, or perhaps it strikes him as potentially uncomfortable for Erika to sleep in. Erika is so blasted, though, she'd probably manage to sleep on or under a pile of bricks, so that may represent misspent effort on his part.
I'm Sorry
But I don't see Tricia as much of a friend. She put Erica in a very bad situation. This could not only expose Erica as Eric, but it seems Tricia is a wild girl herself, and she really wasn't looking out for Eric/Erica at all. She allowed Erica to get sloshed, and she actually seemed to want Erica to smoke pot by telling her how she felt about it.
Definately Tricia needs to re-evaluate her responsibility.
I'm happy to see that Samantha finally came around, for in the last chapter it seemed she was getting hostile to Erica for being such a prude. I'm glad she did look out for Erica. Samantha actually is treating Erica as her younger sister, watching out for her.
Eric will be in so much trouble tomorrow, besides the hangover. Drinking to excess you will still reak to alchol in the morning and really feel the hangover. Tricia's parents are really going to be pissed at BOTH of them. They were suppose to not drink.
Frankly, I'm surprised Eric did drink at all. He has the most to lose, and loosing your head is a very bad thing, especially when you have a lot to hide. Eric definately needs to evaluate his priority for his own personal safety. He was definately out of control.
The Julian thing is going to get Erica into so much troouble, especially when Julian finds out he was kissing the plague. Eric/Erica is so going to be so dead; it will make last years harrassment look like a picnic. I wouldn't want to be in Eric's shoes for anything, and no one will be able to protect him either. Eric is royally screwed, to coin a vanacular.
Things are going to start falling apart from here for everyone, for people will find out whats going on; if it happened to be a real situation. I will wait to see what and how you write it, but I just wanted to give you my thoughts. Please don't sway your writing on my account, I was just using some logic is all.
Eric's parents will want to know what happened, even though Eric's mom already realizes what ERICA has been up to with his girlfriends. Maybe not what is happening at school yet, but it is going to happen, and the train wreck is going to be spectacular. I wonder if anyone will survive it?
Great job writing, and I look forward to your next episode.
Hugs
Joni W
You're Right
Your at least right about Samantha it looked as if she was attacking Erika for having issues with pranks but, when it comes around to caring about Erika's welfare she is the first in line to defend what she was doing and the reason she was doing it. It was even nice that she went to go take care of Trica even though Trics actions didn't warrant it. Looks like Trica needs to apologize to Erika and to Samantha for acting so stupid.
And from a storytelling perspective, it's about time
Tricia when she was first introduced seemed a bit too perfect. Oh, happened to have a trans older sibling. Happened to be attracted to Erica or Eric whichever she/he decided to be. Happened to have no faults she was working on like weight...or really any insecurities. Never pushed Erika into a dangerous situation like Samantha did. Never used Erika to find out about herself like Samantha did. Never organized a prank on her own cabin that backfired and hurt someone like Rachel did.
Her having flaws is good for the storytelling. To have flaws that are consistent with the way she's been written so far is very impressive writing.
Though yes, zooming back in from writer mode, someone needs to talk to that girl once the dust settles.
Was Erica drugged?
And is Julian is preparing to rape her?
I have a cousin who is a police officer in Sheffield, and she has told me that some of the drugs used by rapists make some (but not all) victims sick. (apparently, one rapist was convicted because forensics found the drug in the vomit (it wasn't metabolised)
Get off your high horse
You really need to get off your high horse and read the story Erica Made all her drinks after the Beer was offered. Beer and hard liqour never mixes well. If she was drugged that was a very slow acting Drug. It normally doesn't take that long to act. And a jacket being remove verses the footless tights being remove hmmm doesn't sound like rape to me.
You had me blushing
One forgets how easy it is to fall into all those things...
Really?
Really one forgets? I never had a problem forgetting when I tried alchol. Not only that I was the outcast even amongest the outcast even though I had no real trouble blending into each social group there is always some sort of outcast in them never really belonging there in the first place. So I never got to try anything until the military in Germany and I had no trouble passing up on things when I wasn't in the mood or even intrested in trying!
I'd have left at the door...
I think you guys are looking into this too much. It was just a party and I'm pretty certain that Julian is *not* going to have sex with Erica.
Personally, I don't know how people have fun at parties like this. The last one I went to (minus the dope, if there had been any I'd have left right away) was beyond horrible... I ended up watching my friend all night to make sure he wouldn't choke on his own vomit. The best part of these parties is while they're throwing up they usually say "I'm never drinking again! Never again! Don't let me!" But of course the next week they're like "So... want to go get drunk?"
Another sad moment happened earlier this year. A friend and neighbor of mine went to one of these parties and attempted to get high. There was something wrong with the weed and it killed him. He was 17 and about to start college.
Blah... I certainly hope Erica has learned her lesson, although most teens don't, at least until it's too late... Still Erica isn't like most teens maybe this'll stick, I certainly hope so for her sake. I look forward to next weeks update.
I agree
I happen to agree with you here what sort of fun is it to get wasted I'll never know! Yes I got wasted once in Germany just so all you know and while I was doing it I can say I wasn't really having fun there for I will never understand what is so fun about getting wasted. The only thing I can say is That I didn't get a hang over because I had friends that cared and got something else into my limit when they thought I had to much. And if Trica really loved Erika she would have been closer to her then she was at the party no matter what. Although I understand there jumping the gun about the guy it isn't impossible to imagine that he was yup to no good but that is how a lot of good guys get hurt and have to much trouble with love when people go for the worst and never think to consider that he ain't there to do the worst.
We Need To Rely Upon Samantha
Because she evidently knows about Julian. Date rape is a very nasty crime that affects many people. If Erika shows to have that drug in her, Julian is in trouble.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Somebody Else Already Said It
There's nothing in this set of events that I can see that suggests a date rape drug. Erika was drinking to excess, and when they were on the couch, Julian didn't even kiss her until her compliment indicated or at least implied that she'd welcome it. Then she responded to his kiss in kind, according to Tricia -- all before anyone had a chance to do anything to drinks that she'd mixed herself for more people than she could remember. (And that she vomited up in any case. The only real opportunity to drug her was in the water that Samantha made Erika drink in the bathroom -- and that was supplied by Jorge, not Julian.)
What we see of Julian's actions at the end of the chapter seems consistent with a party host trying to make a wasted guest and friend sleep it off -- exactly what Samantha was suggesting to Tricia when bringing her back. He wasn't removing his own clothes or even locking his door.
You say "Samantha evidently knows about Julian." Seems to me that what she knows about him is positive, not threatening. She got Tricia because that's what you do when someone's partner gets sick.
Eric
Ugh
I grew up in NYC and middle school was not pleasant due to all of the pot/cigarette smokers ( and whatever else ) in the restrooms ( and this was 30 plus years ago folks. ) As such I am familiar with teens 'doing there thing'. I have never felt that mood changing substances - legal or not - did anything for me and was a rare bird called a sensible teenager but savvy.
However, it still does not mean it does not make my stomach churn at this kind of crap. As other posters said, it will now depend on whether Eric/a will learn from this experience.
This episode has little to do with gender ( or being Eric or Erika ) and a lot more to do with the realities of modern high schools where drugs and alcohol is so readily available. The lesson is of course is being popular is not everything and deciding what it takes to be 'popular' and 'cool' is worth it or not. Tricia has been taken down a peg in my book as she was only concerned with her own partying and was not looking out for Erika.
The gender part comes in of course with regard to possible exposure and Eric/a's sexual exploration and possible sexual orientation issues.
I think this qualifies as the cliffhanger of the year to date. At least we only have one week to wait for it. *sigh*.
Kim
At Raves
I spent a lot of time setting up venues for events, so after I worked all day, I could usually only last til midnight or so. I laugh at the nice clothes I find laying all around when I come back in. :) Most of it is girls slips, panties, and bras. Well, not so many bras because lots of the girls don't wear that shit to dances.
Gwendolyn
Well -- that was a difficult chapter
I sure don't like where this chapter took Erika and the gang.
I didn't like this stuff when I was in high school and in college, and in fact walked out of parties like this. I'm really disappointed in Tricia and Erika. And Tricia's parents are incredibly irresponsible, they are way to "relaxed" with her, and especially with Erika.
Samantha did come through here, and stood up for Erika, which I liked.
Have to see where A.A. takes this next, I sure hope that the girls learn something from all of this.
Hugs,
Kristy
One more thought
This series has so far been quite a contrast to the almost idyllic Camp Kumoni where everybody at least is trying to pull in the same direction.
Welcome to the real world of turmoil of Real Life. It has certainly been a more stressful and 'gray zone' series as a result. At this point I am willing to cut Eric/a a little slack as she is not use to peer pressure in a popular setting but Tricia I don't think has much of an excuse.
Ah the problem of having heroes with round heels.
Kim
Summer Camp as a false reality
RAMI
But summer camp is supposed to be idyllic, its a kids vacation.
But reality often strikes. While maybe not as bad as those that occur while at home, there is still rookie treatment (Boy Scout Camp, which I survived [I think]), pranks, harassment, and cliques. For some campers, it is the first time they are away from home and/or family for more then a night or two. A lot of growing up is required.
If Eric had had to survive camp in his Eric mode, the summer would have been less then idyllic and more like the hell his life was before. Even his initial weeks as Erika was less then ideal.
My prior comments would indicate that I think Eric needs to develop as Eric, before he can decide if he is truly Erica in any form what-so-ever.
RAMI
RAMI
Torn
One the one hand, I want to tell those girls they're too young to be drinking and drugging and sexing, but on the other hand I know that these days many kids their age do, so this story is actually fairly realistic.
Still not...
...enough evidence one way or the other on so many things:
-Is Samantha a good or a bad friend?
-Is Tricia?
-Is Erika going to survive everything, ending both sane and whole?
-Is Julian trying to rape her?
and so on.
The "problem" (and what a wonderful problem!) is that the characters are too three-dimensional for those questions to be easily answered (thank goodness!). Anistasia has done a really good job in creating >realistic< teenage characters; clever, emotional, growing, sometimes brilliant, sometimes horrifically stupid, self-centered, caring, and most importantly inconsistent without being unbelievably so. That's something important. Teenagers are so very rarely consistent in their thoughts an behaviors. In part, it's because teenage brains are undergoing >MASSIVE< rewiring all the time, such that their behavior often seems exceedingly irrational. Worse, they find themselves attracted strongly to new sensations, and subject to new feelings, and in most cases do not have adequate qualified adult assistance or guidance in working through these feelings, and so often engage in behavior that is very, very dangerous with little thought of consequences. And that is not so much a lack of "responsibility" so much as a literal cognitive inability to think far enough in advance to recognize that any action might have a consequence that horrifically outweighs the pleasure that indulging the action might bring.
I'm not excusing the bad behavior, I'm just saying that in the absence of a responsible, educated parent or parent-substitute, teens may well engage in all of these activities, and badly, badly hurt themselves or others. It is quite possible, for example, to drink oneself to death (literally!) on vodka, and if there is even the slightest contaminant in one of the ingredients of, say, Erika's fuzzy navels, then drinking several could easily cause her to vomit, the body's reaction to poisoning. Alternately, if Julian is trying to drug her, then the drug might cause her body to make the same attempt to purge itself. Tricia seems to be freaking out, or having a minor episode that at least involves, (not unjustified) paranoia. Samantha is so far sober enough to recognize that there is something wrong with her friends, and has likely received enough warnings about potential consequences from parents or teachers to recognize the situation as serious.
All in all, an interesting chapter, just like I would expect. :-) I look forward to the next chapter, and hope the best for these characters. Thank you for writing this!
-Liz
Successor to the LToC
Formerly known as "momonoimoto"
Alcohol Poisoning
Contrary to beliefs in some quarters, overdrinking comas and deaths, from vodka or otherwise, are not necessarily caused by contaminants in the alcoholic beverage. They're caused by the alcohol. There's a limited degree of variation, based on bodyweight and metabolism, but in general consuming 24 ounces of 80-proof spirits in a short period is a recipe for a reversible coma, and 32 ounces will often result in death without rapid medical intervention and support. Cause of death is typically poisoning of the central nervous system.
Healthy male bodies with healthy livers and the right genetic makeup can metabolize between 1.25 and 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits per hour when consumed slowly. Female bodies metabolize at about half that rate. People with a genetic variation that reduces the amount of a necessary enzyme for the metabolic process can experience very slow conversion and can build to toxic levels even if consumed slowly. North American aboriginal and East Asian populations are most affected by these genetic variations.
In poor populations in the Russian Federation and parts of the Third World, untaxed counterfeit spirits are available cheaply on the black market. Often, these spirits are made with industrial alcohols not fit for human consumption, including methanol which is not safe to consume at any level, and is famous for causing blindness in the survivors, probably due either to death of the optic nerve or brain damage. This is generally not a widespread problem in more affluent West, where sickness and death is caused simply by overconsumption of proper beverage-grade ethanol.
On the other hand, I am quite certain that hangovers, as opposed to poisonings and deaths, can be influenced by beverage additives and flavorants. I find I cannot touch most gins without getting a horrible headache and hangover, even from just one drink. Yet, one particular brand does not cause this effect in me, Tanqueray. I find similar problems with some American wines* so generally give them a wide berth, and a couple of brands of beer, including Newcastle Brown Ale, the single English beer that causes me grief.
_______________
* - The "standards" enforced for American wines are so lax, that basically anything goes, so long as someone waved a grape (wine, raisin, or otherwise) in the room at one point or another. There are some excellent American wines, made in certain regions and by certain makers, but it's a voluntary effort and there are no laws to guarantee traditional processes or ingredients, and nothing in the way of useful labelling requirements. The one requirement is the "contains sulfites" admonition, which lobbyists for American producers worked to get set at such a low threshold that it appears on all bottles, whether the maker added a half-pound of the stuff, or it's naturally occurring in the grape in miniscule quantity. As a sulfite-sensitive person, this means I can't risk drinking any wine from a country that permits the addition of preservatives. Most American wines, if they were produced in France, would result in long prison sentences for the makers.
Rum -yes; Beer- no and at 14 or 15 they're to young to know
RAMI
I have to agree with Pippa. Alcohol tolerance can easily depend on what you drink, and it is a learned experience.
Two beers, even over an afternoon and I tipsy, number three and I can be sick. Gin, even one doesn't work well, Canadian I get a headache after one.
But Scotch and Vodka I can tolerate, and for some reason, I can drink rum (mixed or straight) to a greater extent without the same ill effects an equal amount of anything else will cause.
The most important part, is this is a learned experience, a learning curve over several years, and not something a 14 to 17 year old would likely have learned. Learning it at a supposedly booze free unsupervised party, can be disastrous.
Hopefully, this will be the strat of the learning curve for Eric/a
RAMI
RAMI
Erica
I wonder if that shows who she really is when she got drunk there is no way her parents aren’t going to find out.
hugs :)
Michelle SidheElf Amaianna
taking advantage
not good ...