Erika’s heart was pounding so hard she thought she could hear it echoing off the walls of her bedroom. She held her phone in anticipation expecting it to go off at any second in response to the text she had just sent. She told herself not to jump or scream out when it did.
She sat on the edge of her bed, waiting. She did jump when it alerted to an incoming call but was pleased that she hadn’t squealed. She felt light headed as she swiped to answer. Her heart pounding loud enough to hear. Thump thump… thump thump.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Jake asked.

“A bit sore. I took a bath to relieve some of it.”

“Man, you really were gunning for Taylor.” Jake stated. “It took a few of us to pull you off.”

“Thanks for doing that, Jake.” Erika’s heart just wouldn’t slow down or ease up. “Listen, I need to tell you something.”

“Oh?” Jake’s voice was full of curiosity.

“You know that question you asked me in class?” thump thump… thump thump…thump thump.

“Not really. What?”

Erika took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. “You know the rumors going around school and the vandalism and stuff?”

“Yea.”

“It’s all true.” Thump thump… thump… thump thump. Erika’s heart stopped for a beat or was it two?

Silence was all that was heard on the phone as she waited for an explosion.

“Wait, What?” Jake asked for clarification.

“Jake.” Erika swallowed hard. She had to do this, Jake had every right to know. He needed to know before everyone else. “I am a transgender girl.”

Silence. Thump thump… thump thump…

“Wait, What? Seriously?”

Erika nodded then realized that he couldn’t see her. “Yes. Over this last summer I started living full time as a girl. Samantha and my other friends helped me.” He didn’t need to know that some of her friends weren’t willing participants at first.

Silence. Thump thump… thump thump.

“So, are you like… really a guy?” Jake asked. “This isn’t some prank is it? Is this being recorded?”

“No. This isn’t a prank.” Erika closed her eyes. “Last year you knew me as… Thump thump…Eric Martin… ‘the Plague’. Thump thump.

Silence. This was one of the harder things she had done. Brain surgery was simple by comparison.

“You are… ‘the plague’?

“I used to be.” Erika clarified. She hated that name. hated the feelings that stirred every time she thought about what Eric had gone through.

“No way.” Jake was incredulous.

“Victoria will be printing the whole story in the next day or two. I just wanted to give you a heads up before the story came out.”

“You’re fucking serious.” It was a statement.

“Yes.”

“Holy Fuck! But I kissed you… you-you kissed me.”

“Yes.”

“Why the fuck didn’t you warn me!” Jake swore.

“I didn’t want anyone to know.” Erika could feel a lump rising in her throat. Tears burned her eyes.

“Fuck this shit!” Jake swore and hung up.

Oh God. Erika sobbed. He needed to know. He needed to know. Now he’ll hate me. Maybe I should switch schools. Would Adams High be any different? It didn’t seem so. Annie had been having trouble since she was found out. Did Constitution have a private school? Would private school be an answer? They did get to wear those cute skirts. What are you thinking? Your thinking of skirts when your life is falling apart around you?

The email she had sent Hunter was difficult but not as difficult as telling Jake. She hoped Hunter wouldn’t hate her. She would have rather had told Hunter in person, but that wasn’t exactly possible at the moment. Mr. Winters said that he would make sure Hunter read the email soon.

Erika looked up from the T.V. as her mother came in the door. “Well?” she asked.

“I picked up what homework was ready.” Her mother set a pile of books and papers on the table.

“Did anyone say anything to you?” She asked.

Her mother shrugged. “Some of your teachers enjoy having you in their class. Some were upset that your ads and locker had been vandalized. Your locker has been repainted, so that garbage is now gone.”

“Victoria text me to tell me that the article will be run tomorrow.” Erika took a deep breath. “I’m a bit nervous.”

“It’ll be better that it is out in the open. Aren’t you tired of all the sneaking around?”

Erika nodded. “I just want people to treat me normally. And I really don’t want to go back to being ‘the plague’.”

Her mother smiled. “I doubt you will ever go back to that. You have made a lot of friends who love you.”

And a lot of people who now hate her. Or hate what she was… different. Erika nodded as she thumbed through her homework. This would definitely be filling her next few days off from school.

“Your dad will want to talk to you tonight.” Her mother fixed herself some tea.

“What about?”

“Mr. Winters has gotten many inquiries since your pics with Hunter went public. Some for commercials, others for movie parts. Have you considered trying acting?”

Erika stared at her mother in disbelief. “No. I mean when we were in Hollywood, Mr. Winters was going to have Brook take me to a casting call for a commercial, but it was canceled. I really hadn’t thought about it.”

“It might be something to try. Apparently, there is interest in you trying.”

--o0o—

Erika and Samantha entered the coffee shop. Samantha had picked her up after Rally practice. Erika approached the counter and stopped in her tracks. Tricia in her pastel pink wig and frilly pink and white dress sat at a table, watching then expectantly.

“It’s time you two talk.” Samantha told her. “I’ll get your coffee.”

Erika’s heart was heavy in her chest as she approached her girlfriend. “Hi.” It was short and tentative.

“Hi.” Tricia had a tight smile.

Erika tucked the long skirt under her as she took a seat opposite. “How are you?”

“Better than I was.” Tricia stated.

Erika wanted to reach across the table and take her hand but was unsure if that was the right thing to do.

“I heard about what Taylor had said when you fought her.” She kept glancing between Erika and the table in front of her. “You really didn’t need to stick up for me.” She shook her pink covered head. “Were you hurt?”

Erika shook her head. “I love you, Tricia.” Erika had to swallow a large lump.

Tricia was silent for a moment. “I love you too, that is why the pictures of you and Hunter really hurt.”

“I am sorry.” Erika reaffirmed.

“I had a long talk with Leeza.” Tricia explained. “She said that in some cases, once someone starts hormones, they become more attracted to the opposite sex.”

“My shrink said the same.” Erika nodded. “I wasn’t thinking… well, that isn’t exactly true. He lives in Hollywood and is in Brazil for the next month or so filming. I doubt that I’ll ever see him again. Neither one of us knew that we were being followed by paparazzi.”

Tricia was silent.

“I know. That isn’t a very good excuse.” Erika admitted.

Samantha joined them with their drinks. She looked from one to the other.

“Erika.” Tricia began again, she glanced at Samantha. “I love you, and I still want to be your friend, but...” She took a deep breath and released it. “I can’t be your girlfriend anymore.”
Tears blurred Erika’s vision. She nodded. “I understand. I love you Tricia and really want to still be your friend.” She did reach across the table this time and was relieved when Tricia grasped her hands and gave them a squeeze.

Samantha let out a big sigh. “I’m glad that is finally done with.”

Erika dabbed her eyes with her napkin and spotted Tricia doing the same.

“So.” Samantha went on. “The article comes out tomorrow. Victoria had to run it by the Principal and get the school’s approval first. A special addition will be put out tomorrow.”

“You all need to let me know how it is received.” Erika begged. “I need to know if I need to switch schools or start home schooling.”

“Did you read it?” Tricia inquired.

Erika nodded. “I had to send it to my agent to approve as well. I spoke to Victoria about it earlier. There are a few things in it that are a bit difficult for me to read and admit to, but I hope it will be okay.”

Her friends caught her up on the latest gossip. Everything from the Tranny rumors to how she had sent Taylor to the hospital. Some rumors said that she had bashed Taylors brains out on the floor, others how Taylor had punched her out of the blue for no reason to start the whole fight. She and Hunter had been caught having sex on the beach and the photo of them kissing was the only one they were able to print. Other said that it was only a Hunter look-a-like.

Tricia gave Erika a long, friendly hug before the girls departed the coffee shop.