Warning: The characters in this chapter felt that the author was incapable of writing. They have taken over and written most of this chapter themselves. Please do not hold the author responsible for the character’s actions, her muse was held at gun point tied to a train track as a jumbo jet full of acid was about to crash on the tracks being chased by a meteorite threatening to hit the area causing a tsunami. The Author only abided by the characters wishes so that she may maintain her sanity. Any possible deaths in this chapter will be made into a dream sequence so that the author can hopefully salvage the story.

Chapter 19

Erika was happily surprised as Tricia bounded from her door to Samantha’s car. Her girlfriend was really playing up the new pastel look. Her short hair with the shaved sides was still very much a pastel pink. A white over coat hid all but the bottom hem of her midi pink skirt.

“Morning, loves.” She greeted gleefully.

“Wow, liking the new look.” Samantha greeted.

“Thanks.” Trisha smiled. She leaned into the front of the car and gave Erika a peck on the cheek.
‘I feel boring being next to you two.” Samantha shook her blonde head.

The Threesome strolled side by side into the school. Tricia immediately drew a lot of looks and a little attention. There weren’t too many pastel goths at Washington High school.

Many students complimented her on the billboard, while a few threw snide remarks.

“Don’t listen to them.” Samantha squeezed her arm. “They are just jealous.”

“I just wonder who vandalized it.” Erika sighed.

“Do you really think it was Taylor?” Tricia inquired.

Erika shrugged. “She is one of a few people who aren’t happy with my secret.”

“Hey Erika.” Peter greeted. “Really like the posters and stuff. I didn’t know you were modeling.”

“Thank you, that was my first.” Erika smiled.

“She just finished a second.” Tricia bragged.

Pete raised an eyebrow. I can’t wait to see it. Who’s it for?”

“I can’t say.” Erika stepped in as Tricia was about to blab.

Pete nodded in understanding. “How are the episodes?”

“Haven’t had one since the day school let out for Christmas. Catch you later, Pete?” Erika was dragged away by Samantha.

“Hey Stephanie.” Erika greeted as they walked by her locker.

The strange girl’s, optimistic face turned to a glare as they passed.

“Whoa, what’s going on there?” Tricia whispered.

Erika turned around and pulled her arm out of Tricia’s. “What’s wrong, Stephanie?” Erika approached and lowered her voice.

“Your billboard is sickening.” She snarled. “Do they even know?”

Erika stood dumbfounded. She thought that she and Stephanie had worked past the hate and were becoming friends. . . Well not friends, but at least amicable. “What do they need to know?” Erika defended.

“That you are . . . unnatural.” Stephanie nearly spat.

“I thought we were good?” Erika was hurt.

“We were until you had to start broadcasting your sins across town.”

Erika turned white and stood dumbfounded.

“Sins? Really?” Tricia admonished. “After she stuck up for you and even helped you out?”

“She is unclean and I became dirty by associating with her.” Stephanie snarled at Tricia and then actually spat at Erika’s feet.”

Before Erika could even blink, Tricia had slapped Stephanie across the face, the sound brought everyone in the hall to a standstill. If it had been evening, Erika would have sworn she would have heard crickets.

The shock of the slap wore off and Stephanie leapt forward like a jaguar pouncing on prey. Erika jumped back just in time, as Tricia, although smaller, threw Strange Stephanie to the ground, one hand holding on to a handful of hair, the other punching the girl in the face.
“Girls!” a teacher yelled. “Break it up, now! Girls!” The teacher grabbed Tricia and pulled her off of Stephanie, then helped Stephanie up. “To the office, Now!” She had each girl the arm and was marching them both down the hall.”

Samantha and Erika followed. Erika was in shock, why would Tricia do that. She did feel grateful for her girlfriend coming to her rescue, but starting a fight, would only cause the two of them more trouble. All she wanted to do was to find out why Stephanie was so upset and try to soothe things over again.

This was not the Stephanie that they had known before going to Christmas break, what could have happened. It almost sounded like a religious thing. The words ‘unclean’, and ‘unnatural’ hurt her more than being spit upon or even slapped. Was she ‘unnatural’? she had been so determined to be the best girl that she could be, she didn’t really think about it being unnatural since, well since Camp Kumoni.

God, this was such a huge step back after all the leaps she had been taking forward. Most of the school accepted her as Erika Summers. Very few knew that she had once been Eric Martin ‘the plague’. She had made many friends, was doing better in her classes than Eric ever did. She was on the rally squad, at least as far as she knew, where Eric was a loner, outcast.

Crap, what if Stephanie told someone Erika’s true identity. What if she were to tell now? This could be disastrous. Why? Why did Tricia have to start a fight? What was Strange Stephanie’s word against most of the rally squad and her friends?

The teacher spun around. “You two, go to your classes.” She glared at them. “Now.”

Erika and Samantha stopped in their tracks and just watched in disheartened, disbelief as their friend was being marched to punishment.

“Will they suspend or expel her?” Erika’s voice wavered.

“Maybe suspension.” Samantha looked at Erika, her face looked to be just as stunned as she imagined her own to look “She’ll probably get kicked off the Dive team.”

“No.” Erika’s eyes stung as tears began coursing down her cheeks. “They can’t kick her out of Diving. It would kill her.” She cried. “Why would she do such a thing?”

Samantha gathered her in her arms as people started going back to their business. “She loves you.”

--o0o—

Erika and Samantha walked into home room.

“Did you get extensions?” a girl asked as they passed.

“Yes.” Erika answered absent minded.

“Hey there.” Jake smiled up as she approached. “I heard that your body guard broke Strange Stephanie’s nose.”

“It isn’t funny, Jake.” She passed and sat down at her desk.

Jake turned around and watched her for a moment. “I’m sorry.” He stated. “I heard it wasn’t much of a fight. I hope Tricia doesn’t get into too much trouble.”

“You’re a jock.” Erika focused her eyes on Jake. “Do you think they will kick her off the Dive team?”

Jake shrugged his massive shoulders. “I’ve never been in a fight. Well, not off of the field anyway.” He said. “It depends upon who started it, and what happened and if they have any history, I guess.” He leaned in closer. “I’m ashamed to say that some Jocks at this school get a pass when it comes to getting into trouble. I was sick one-day last year but I heard that there was a guy who was duct taped naked to the flagpole by some guys on the football team. The poor guy.” Jake shook his head. “I heard that the jocks involved only got a slap on the hand, while the poor bastard had to move out of state or something.”

“It was horrible.” Samantha quickly agreed.

Erika’s mind was in a whirl. So, Jake wasn’t a party to that, and he genuinely seemed disgusted by the act. She didn’t remember him being there, but he was on the football team so she kind assumed that he might have had a part in it. “Wow that is awful.” Erika agreed. If he hadn’t been sick that day, would he have helped? She wondered.

“Did Tricia start it?” Jake asked.

“She was provoked.” Samantha defended their friend.

Jake shook his head. “Well, I hope for her sake as well as yours that she isn’t punished too harsh.” Jake’s eyes darted from one to the other. “Kept the extensions, huh?” he asked looking at Erika’s very long hair.

“Kept?” Samantha cocked her head at Jake. “You’ve seen her before today?”

“Yeah, at the mall.” Jake lied. He shot Erika a look of apology.

Samantha caught it and looked back and forth from the two. “What am I not a part of?” she demanded.

Erika looked at Jake and sighed heavily. She turned in her chair to look at Samantha. “Jake was part of the photo shoot.”

Samantha looked confused. “I thought it was for a spa advertising for Prom?”

Erika nodded. “Jake was my Prom date.”

“What?” Samantha’s voice shot up in surprise.

“Don’t tell Tricia.” Jake pleaded. “I don’t want to have to go through all of that again so soon.”

“Did you kiss again?” Samantha asked jokingly.

Jake and Erika were quiet and shared a guilt-ridden look.

“Holy Shit!... Again?” Samantha was having a hard time digesting this new secret.

“Language! Samantha.” Mrs. Anderson called “Everyone take their seats it’s time to start class.

Halfway through class, a student came into the class and handed Mrs. Anderson a note. The teacher scanned it and nodded. “Erika, Samantha, you’re wanted in the office.

“Ooooh.” Several students teased.

“Good luck.” Jake wished them as they got up from their seats.

“Take your things.” Mrs. Anderson instructed. “Just in case you aren’t back before the end of class.”

Tricia and Stephanie sat on opposite ends of a conference table with a school security guard standing against the wall, watching them.

“In here.” The Principal called them into her office. “Have a seat.”

Erika’s heart pounded a little harder in her chest as she sat before the principal.

“Tell me what happened between Tricia and Stephanie.” She ordered.

Erika and Samantha took turns detailing what they witnessed.

“Look,” Erika let out a breath. “Stephanie found out who I really am last month and has been threatening to expose my secret to the school. This morning, she called me some pretty harsh names and Tricia, well Tricia defended me.”

“Stephanie started it.” Samantha agreed.

“Stephanie started the fight?” the Principal asked for clarification.

“Yes, she spat at Erika.” Samantha’s voice took on an edge.

“Who threw the first punch?”

“Well.” Erika didn’t want to lie, even to save her friend. She had spent too much time and effort gaining the schools trust, she just couldn’t blow that now. “Tricia slapped Stephanie after she spat at me.”

“But Stephanie attacked Tricia.” Samantha stepped in. “Tricia was just defending herself.”

“Okay.” The Principal put her hands up. “I believe you both, but there are always more than one side to a story. So, I’m going to have you two write down in your own words what you saw happen. Go out and sit in the front office. And no talking. I want you each to tell me in your own words.”

Erika and Samantha got up and passed the conference room again. Tricia sat back in her chair with her arms crossed over her chest in defiance looking at odds with the way she was dressed. Stephanie glowered at them as they passed. One side of her face was bright red, presumably from the slap, and she held an ice pack to the corner of her mouth.

Erika was half way through writing her view of the fight when Tricia’s parents walked in.

“I’m sorry.” Erika wanted to start crying again. “She was defending me.”

“It’s alright, Erika.” Tricia’s mother gave her a tight smile. “We’re not new to this.”

“Leeza was an even bigger handful.” Tricia’s father agreed.

Tricia’s parents joined the Principal in the office for a long while. Erika finished her account and sat fretting as she watched the office door. After a bit, the Principal exited and guided Tricia into the office to join her parents.

Erika’s heart felt like jack rabbits, her stomach felt as if the acid was about to erode right through the lining.

“Deep breath.” Samantha coached. “You aren’t the one in trouble and there is absolutely nothing we can do to change the outcome of this.”

“I know.” Erika’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I just hate that she is getting in trouble over this. . . this stupid situation.”

A few minutes later, Tricia and her parents exited the room. Tricia’s eyes were red and swollen from crying. She stopped in front of Erika as her parents continued to the door.

“I’m so sorry.” Erika’s heart felt like it was breaking.

“Don’t be. It was worth it.” Tricia forced a smile. “I’ll text you later.” She leaned down and kissed Erika on the forehead before following her parents.

--o0o--

“You’re coming to lunch, right?” Victoria touched Erika’s arm.

Erika shook her head. “I don’t want to deal with the crowd.”

“Because of Tricia?”

Erika nodded. “I need to call her and see if she’s alright.”

“From what I heard, Strange Stephanie is the one who got the worst of it.”

Erika sighed. “It’s all my fault.”

“Bull shit.” Victoria swore. “I heard what you did for her at the mall and saw how you went out of your way to make friends with her here at school. That bitch deserves Tricia’s wrath.”

“But what if she tells?” Erika whispered hoarsely.

“I think it’s about time that the world knows.” Victoria put her hands on her hips. “Who cares if people know? You’ve shown your worth these past few months. I think you’d be surprised at how many people would support you.”

Erika shook her head. “You haven’t been on the receiving end of people when they don’t support you.”

Victoria pulled her to a private area and lowered her voice. “The school paper would like to do an article on you, especially since you’re now modeling. This might be the perfect way to let the cat out of the bag.”

“No, and absolutely not.” Erika growled. “It’s bad enough that my picture is on a billboard outside of school, I don’t want an article done on me too. I’ve been trying to fit in, be part of the wallpaper, not stand out.”

“Erika, you wouldn’t know how to be wallpaper. Didn’t camp teach you that? Half the girls at camp wanted to be you and most of the guys wanted to be with you. And that was you just starting to become the wonderful person you are today. You are one of the more popular girls at Washington High and people at Adams High even know about you.”

Erika closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“If you didn’t want to be popular, why did you go and start modeling?” Victoria went on. “Your face is on posters, buses, taxis and billboards all over Constitution and in a short time, your Serenity Spa ad will be all over the place.”

“I didn’t realize it was going to be such a huge ad campaign.” Erika defended. I figured a few brochures and maybe a poster here or there.”

Victoria shook her head. “Then why did you sign with an agent?”

“How do you know about that?”

“I’m a reporter, duh.”

Part of Erika wanted to just scream and scream. Maybe she should call Mr. Winters and just cancel the whole thing. It was too late to cancel Serenity Spa, but maybe she could convince them to use her photos sparingly.

“I’ve got most of the article on you already written.” Victoria told her. “I’ll email it to you to proof. I won’t print it unless I get your permission.”

“Delete it. You won’t get my permission.” Erika was getting upset. “I can’t believe you’d write an article on me, Victoria. Erika stormed off. She just needed to be alone. She needed to hear Tricia’s voice, to know that she was okay.

Erika walked. She walked searching for a place to call Tricia, to be alone with Tricia. Outside was too cold, the library didn’t allow cell phones. The lunch room was definitely out of the question. She’d go to Samantha’s car, but it was locked and Samantha was in the lunch room.

She didn’t know how, but she did find a private place, a quiet place. She found herself in the audio/visual room. She didn’t know how she got there, or why she went there, but no one else was there.

“Hey.” Tricia answered. “How are you doing?”

“Me?” Erika sounded surprised. “I half expected to hear your mom or dad on the phone, or it going to voicemail. Are you okay? Stephanie didn’t hurt you, did she?”

“I’m fine.” Tricia told her. “Mom and Dad were only a little upset. Once I told them the details of what Stephanie did and said, they relaxed. Leeza used to get in all kinds of fights, so my throwing down Stephanie is nothing.

“You shouldn’t have done that.” Erika admonished.

“I had to.” Tricia stated. “She not only treated you less than human, she spat at you and threatened you. I had to do something.”

“What if she decides to take revenge by telling everyone.” Erika explained. “She could take out an ad in the paper, post a Youtube video, spread it on the school website, Facebook, there are any number of ways that she could tell everyone.”

Tricia was silent.

“My life here in Constitution could be over.”

Tricia was still silent.

“Someone freaking shot the Annie Wilson because she was found out.”

“I’m sorry.” Tricia was crying. “I’m sorry, Erika. I . . . I just couldn’t stand there and let her treat you that way.” Tricia’s voice broke. “Not after how I saw people treat Leeza, not after what they said about her behind her back. I just couldn’t.”

It was Erika’s turn to be silent. Tears fell freely down her cheeks.

“I just couldn’t stand by again.” Tricia’s voice could hardly be heard.

“I’m sorry, Tricia.” Erika managed to get out. “You never told me this about your sister.”

“It’s too painful.” Tricia admitted. “It was horrible, Erika. I don’t know how she made it through as well as she has. I know you are having a hard time, and don’t want anyone to know, but Leeza, she didn’t have that option. The way people treated her. . . You just can’t imagine.”

“I’m so sorry.” Erika cried.

“I know.” Tricia tried to soothe over the phone. “I know.

The phone went silent, all either could hear was the other breathing. They may have been miles apart, but Erika felt that she was closer to Tricia at that moment than she had ever been.

“Crap.” Erika swore. “I’m starting to get a headache.”

“Hang up and get to the Nurses office.” Tricia ordered.

“I love you, Tricia.” Erika told her.

“I love you too. Hang up and go.”

Erika hung up and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. She didn’t care if it ruined her sweater. She exited the door and made it to the Nurses station which wasn’t far from the main office.

“Hello Erika.” The Nurse greeted. “Uh oh, are you having an episode?”

“I don’t know. I’m getting a headache.”

The Nurse came up to her and helped her over to a cot. “Lay down. Should I call an ambulance?”

Erika shook her head. “Don’t call anyone unless I start seizing, please. I don’t want to cause a false alarm.”

“Have you been crying?” the nurse inquired as she took Erika’s pulse.

“Yes.” She snuffed a little. “It could be just a crying headache.”

The nurse took her temperature and blood pressure. “Just lay back. I’ll dim the lights.”

What a sucky first day back to school. Erika thought as she started to sleep.