(Life after Camp Kumoni) By Anistasia Allread Edited by Nick B “I feel like everyone is staring at me,” Erika protested. “Of course they are. You're a new cheerleader and you look hot.” Samantha told her. |
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“Get a room.” Samantha stated coming out of the bathroom.
Tricia pulled back from Erika. “We're in a room, my room.”
Samantha rolled her eyes, “Come on, we have to go to school.”
Tricia kissed Erika one more time before getting to her feet and helping Erika up, “So you have to go to the game tonight, but Erika doesn't?” Tricia inquired.
“Yeah, Only cheerleaders go to the away games.”
“Another plus for my being on Rally instead of Cheer,” Erika shook her head to feel the ponytails bounce around. She looked in the vanity mirror, “Are you two sure, I look okay?” she asked.
“Do I have to show you again?” Tricia smiled and raised her eyebrows with interest.
“We don't have time,” Samantha picked up her pack, “Let's go.”
The girls walked into the school, just as the first bell rang.
“Damn! I've gotta get to my locker before going to my first class, I'll see you later.” Erika walked briskly down the hall. Flashbacks of the other day bombarded her brain as she turned down the science hall to her locker. Just what she needed another bad memory to taint her highschool experience. She stuffed her things into her locker leaving out her notebook and purse.
“So are you coming?” Julian asked.
Erika almost jumped out of her skin. Her mind was so worked up about Greg and Tyler that she wasn't paying any attention to what was going on around her.
Julian waited for a response.
“Oh, to the party tonight. Yeah, sure.” She managed a smile.
“Cool, see you.” he winked as he turned away to go to class.
Erika didn't know how to feel. Part of her was excited by the notion of going to a party a real party. A part of her was pleased that people liked her. She never dreamed of walking through the school so openly, so confidently without people glaring, spitting or swearing at her. Another part was grossed out. Julian, as nice as he was, winked at her.
Erika took a deep breath, hugged her notebook to her chest and made her way to class.
Erika joined Tricia and Samantha in Mrs. Anderson's class, “What does it mean when a guy winks at you?” She whispered to Samantha.
“What?” Samantha looked from her book to Erika.
Erika repeated the question.
“Who winked at you?”
“Julian did. This morning before school, next to my locker.”
“How did he wink at you?” Samantha asked.
“What do you mean, How did he wink at me? He winked at me. What does that mean?”
“It depends upon the look he was giving you when he winked at you,” Samantha leaned closer. “Julian Rock winked at you, huh? Wow.”
“He asked me if I was going to the party at his place tonight. I told him 'yes'. Then he winked at me and walked away.”
Tricia leaned closer. “Who winked at you?”
“Julian,” Erika hissed.
“Did he look you up and down before he winked at you or was he making eye contact the whole time?” Samantha questioned.
“I don't know, what difference does it make?” Erika begged.
“A lot,” Tricia agreed.
Erika blew a breath out and rolled her eyes. “And you wonder why guys don't understand girls.”
“Hey, are you going to Julian’s party tonight?” Jake butted in.
“Erika and I are.” Tricia answered.
“I thought you had a game tonight.” Erika looked at Jake with some disdain.
He grinned. “We do. We'll be there after the game.”
“Won't you be tired?”
“Not too tired for Julian's party.”
Erika looked at Samantha. “You going after the game too?”
“Yeah, I won't want to miss one of the biggest parties of the year.” Samantha looked at the clock. “Come on, we need to get to the gym,” she told Erika.
“Break a leg,” Tricia called after them.
Samantha and Erika got out of their seats. Samantha caught Mrs. Anderson's eye and pointed to the clock. The teacher nodded with a smile as the two girls exited the class room to prepare for the pep rally.
“Stop pulling on your skirt,” Samantha muttered.
“It's so short,” Erika muttered back.
“If you were in cheer, it would be even shorter,” Samantha pointed to her short skirt in explanation. “Longer skirts get in the way when we're doing our acrobatics.”
“I'm just not used to it.”
“You have your spankies on?”
“Yes.”
“Then don't worry about it.”
“I feel like everyone is staring at me,” Erika protested.
“Of course they are. You're a new cheerleader and you look hot,” Samantha told her.
Melinda walked up to the two girls. “Are you nervous?”
Erika nodded.
“It's perfectly normal,” Melinda soothed. “I remember my first Pep rally. I was so nervous I threw up.”
Erika looked horrified.
“You'll do just fine,” Melinda smiled. “You wouldn't be on the squad if we didn't think you would be.” Melinda have Erika's arm a comforting squeeze then went on to have words with some of the other girls.
Erika peered out the doors at the assembling student body. At least half of them had seen Eric naked and taped to a flag pole; at least three quarters had seen the picture of him sitting in the mall fountain. Her heart began to flutter, her stomach started to feel a bit queasy.
“Where do I go if I have to throw up?” Erika asked Samantha.
“There is a trashcan around the corner,” She pointed behind them, other than that it is a mad dash to the toilets. You're fine,” she told her.
“How are you doing, Erika?” Taylor inquired.
“She's got the jitters,” Samantha told the dark beauty.
“The jitters are normal,” Taylor agreed, “Remember, if you screw up, or forget the moves, just watch me or Jordon, or dance in place and occasionally throw your hands up and scream 'Warthogs' or something.” Taylor suggested, “The lemmings in the stands won't know the difference.”
Krystal joined them. “It's not like you have to catch girls being tossed into the air.”
“Easy for you to say, you're not the one dancing,” Erika argued.
“I have to do some dancing, but if I miss a catch someone else gets hurt,” Krystal stated.
Erika nodded. Krystal was right, if she missed a step someone else could get hurt, not just have people laughing at her. That knowledge didn't help the butterflies in her stomach though.
“Alright girls, remember how we're going to do this.” Melinda called getting everyone's attention. She turned to Krystal, “Can you go cue the music?”
Krystal nodded and walked out into the noisy gym.
Before she knew it, Erika found herself dancing alongside Jordon, Taylor and the other girls of the Rally squad and Cheer squad. Her body seemed to have a mind of its own as it moved in time with the music; the faces of the crowd in front of her, blurring into a mosaic of moving colors.
When the music stopped, she was breathing heavily, but feeling elated at not only having finished the dance without mistakes, but having done it in front of all of these people.
Greg came out and gave a speech of how the Warthogs were going to win the night's game, followed by cheers from the crowd. Melinda and Taylor got the different classes in the student body involved in a cheering contest. She and the others on the squad assisted in trying to get the student body to scream and cheer as well.
Jorge and the other guys from cheer brought out desks and set them up at different locations in the gym. Jordon came out of the back room with a bag of bananas and placed a bunch of bananas on each desk.
“We're going to have a banana eating contest,” Melinda exclaimed. She called a volunteer from each of the classes to come down and sit at one of the desks. “You'll have one minute to eat as many bananas as you can.” She told the volunteers as well as the student body. “And there are two rules; One, you have to be blindfolded, and two, you can't use your hands. A cheerleader will be assigned to help feed the bananas to you. Do you understand?” she asked the contestants.
They each nodded.
“Okay, put your blindfolds on, but don't start until you hear the whistle,” Melinda instructed.
Each of the contestants readied themselves, as a cheerleader held a peeled banana out in front of their face.
“On your marks… get set…” The whistle sounded. The freshman volunteer reached forth and had the cheerleader in front of him push a banana into his mouth. He chomped down on it as fast as he could and opened his mouth for another bite, as his classmates cheered him on.
Meanwhile all of the upper classmen took off their blindfolds got up from their desks and walked off to one side of the gym, while Jorge and the other cheerleaders removed the desks that they were sitting at.
Laughing mingled with the cheers as the freshman student stuffed his face full one banana after another. Cheerleaders formed an open ring around the freshman shouting encouragement as the freshman class as well as the upper classmen began chanting the student's name. “Aiden! Aiden! Aiden!”
Erika stood off to one side of the gym. Her heart hammered in her chest as flashbacks flooded her mind. Part of her brain transformed the chant to “Plague! Plague! Plague!” The earlier excitement of performing in front of the student body turned into revulsion.
Aiden's face was covered in smeared banana, his cheeks were swollen with un-swallowed fruit, and his face red with exertion as he tried to eat his way to a victory.
Melinda blew the whistle calling a stop to the forged contest to the cheers of the assembled student body. She then whipped the blindfold off of the freshman, announcing him the winner, as the stands of students laughed aloud.
The freshman target raised his hands in victory, before seeing that he had no competitors.
His face red from exertion and adreniline darkened to scarlett as he realized that he had been pranked.
Erika's throat ached as she saw him swallow the last of the banana. The music for the closing performance began. Erika, muscles taut, sprinted out of the gym, down the hall and into the girl’s bathroom, where she tried to get a grip on her emotions.
The rest of her classes blurred into a hazy waking dream as her mind replayed the prank in the gym and compared it to the many pranks that had been played on Eric over the last few years.
“Are you okay?” Krystal asked as they exited their class to lunch.
“Hmmm?” Erika's mind registered someone speaking to her.
“Are you sick?”
“I'm not feeling too well,” she admitted.
“Taylor was looking for you after the Pep rally.” Krystal informed her. “She was concerned when you didn't do the last number.”
“I had to go to the bathroom,” Erika muttered.
“Where are you going?” Krystal asked, “The commons is this way?”
“Go ahead. I'm not up to eating lunch.” Erika turned to walk in the other direction.
“Do I need to take you to the nurse?”
“No, I just need some time to be alone,” she muttered.
Krystal watched as Erika slowly walked down the hall towards the practice field.
Erika wandered not knowing where she was going until she reached the place where she and Summer would escape to when they were fed up with people. She sat down on warm bleacher lost in her own flashbacks and nightmares.
“There you are.” Tricia announced, followed by Samantha and Krystal. “What's eating at you?”
“That poor Aiden kid at the Pep rally,” Erika sighed.
“What about him?” Tricia asked.
“What they did to him, embarrassing him like that in front of the whole school.”
“It was funny,” Tricia admitted.
“How could you say that? It was horrible.” Erika's voice took on an edge.
“It was a joke, Erika,” Samantha stated.
“It was humiliation,” Erika almost yelled.
“He's fine, Erika,” Krystal promised. “He's in the commons right now, laughing at the whole thing.”
“Of course he is. Once he gets home though, he'll be having nightmares for weeks.”
Tricia sat next to Erika and wrapped her arms around her. “I'm so sorry, Erika,” she soothed. “Not everyone gets pranked and treated as badly as you did. I can't imagine the pain you have felt after what they have done to you,” She squeezed Erika. “Would it help if you spoke to him and apologized to him?”
“Why would she need to apologize to him?” Samantha questioned. “She didn't do anything to him. It was just a harmless joke.”
“That was how it started with me,” Erika protested, “It always starts out harmless.”
“Maybe you need to take a chill pill and learn how to take a joke,” Samantha demanded. “Sometimes an innocent joke is just an innocent joke.” She turned on her heel, her skirt flared as she spun, and stormed back the way she had come.
“Come on, Erika.” Tricia took Erika's arm and guided her to her feet. “Let’s go talk to this Aiden and find out what he feels. You can apologize if you wish.”
Tricia and Krystal walked with Erika down the halls of the school and into the busy commons area. Tricia pointed out the freshman who was surrounded by others laughing and eating their food.
“See? He doesn't look traumatized,” Tricia pointed out.
Erika nodded and pulled away from Tricia and approached the freshman.
Aiden looked up at the pretty cheerleader and smiled.
“Could I speak with you for a moment?” Erika asked.
Aiden looked at the others in the group, then back at Erika. “Sure, I guess.”
Aiden followed Erika over to a quiet side of the Commons.
Erika's heart flipped, flopped and fluttered, “I just wanted to say that I'm sorry if we caused you any embarrassment this morning,” she apologized.
“Are you kidding? It was hilarious,” Aiden smiled. “You really got me good.”
“So you're okay with the whole prank thing that happened in front of everyone?”
“Sure,” he stated. “It was all in good fun, and no one was hurt. Why wouldn't I be okay?”
“Because, I've known others who have been… hurt by such things,” Erika swallowed.
“It's not like they duct taped me to naked to the flag pole,” Aiden laughed. “Really, I'm fine. No harm, no foul.”
Erika blinked and almost flinched, almost as if she had been struck. Erika couldn't believe what she was hearing. Not only was this kid, not traumatized by the incident, but he seemed to have enjoyed the jest.
“Well, I just wanted you to know that I wasn't part of that whole thing this morning, and I kind of felt bad that you were targeted,” Erika explained. “If you change your mind, you can come talk to me, okay?” She went to touch his arm, but drew her hand back at the last moment.
“Okay.” Aiden nodded with a grin.
“That's all I wanted, sorry to interrupt your lunch.”
“That's okay.” Aiden smiled and walked back to his friends.
Erika found Tricia at her side, “How did it go?” she asked.
“He seemed to have enjoyed it.” Erika was dumbfounded.
“I told you he was alright,” Tricia insisted.
“It's just weird to me.”
“There you are.” Taylor came up behind Erika, “Are you feeling alright? Why didn't you finish the Pep rally?”
Erika looked at Taylor not knowing exactly what to say.
“She isn't feeling too well.” Tricia spoke for her.
Erika shook her head, “I'm sorry, Taylor, I felt like I was going to throw up. I think it might have been something I ate.”
Taylor looked at her skeptically, “I hope you feel better. Next time let me know what's going on. We are a team out there. When one of us is sick, we all are sick.”
A memory of her latest plague nightmare flashed through her mind, “Sorry Taylor.”
“Go see the nurse, you aren't looking too well.”
“I will. Thanks.” Erika muttered.
To be continued…
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Comments
Even tho Aiden was not upset
Even tho Aiden was not upset about the prank, I admire Erika for checking up on him and offering to help him if needed. That showed compassion and maturity the other girls are not showing or understanding. It is really sad how other kids can pull stuff like this on others and not realize what it might be doing to that person. Then people wonder why, when a child comes back to their school and harms others. J-Lynn
PTSD
I think this can be considered Erik/a's therapy episode. She is getting pretty bad flashbacks but she is being given the opportunity to view her experiences from another perspective as to desensitize her a bit.
However, she is showing more empathy than any other student member had given her, putting her on a higher level IMHO.
Ani has promised many more twists and turns before Amtrak Day so I will not even dare make any predictions.
Kim
Samantha, a weak link.
RAMI
Is Eric/a's Camp Kuomi support group about to break apart. Samantha seems about to return to her old self, and become one of the school's elite faction. Could this prove disastrous to Eric/a,Tricia and Krystal. Perhaps Samantha is getting fed up with Eric/a's persistent negativism. Is Samantha going to become the weak link in Eric/a support group. Even in the Erika persona Eric/a is still is having problems, with co-existing with his fellow students.
Perhaps, the creation of "The Plague", was a manifestation of Eric's own lack of self esteem. Instead of reacting to a prank such as Aiden did, and taking it for what it was, he over reacted, leading to further pranks, which escalated to truly horrible incidents. I am not condoning the attacks, or the lack of proper school oversight.
However, if Erika is going to over react, as she did with the banana incident, she will soon become, "The Plaguette" and her potentially dwindling support group, will not be able to help.
ERIC needs to get His head straight, and learn to live with the vagaries of life before he can decide who he is. Erika, can not save him, if he is unable to save himself. Running away from reality by becoming someone he truly is not, and the still not coping can only lead to disaster. The disaster I fear is not the kind of disater we have been commenting about. The disaster I fear is more terrible.
I do not like that in his time of trouble he retreated until "she reached the place where she and Summer would escape to when they were fed up with people." Eric/a was suffering from "flashbacks and nightmares". Summer's ultimate escape is not the path we want Eric/a to follow.
I hope Dr. Barts' has the ability to rescue Eric after the impending fall.
Again a good chapter, and it's posted Monday Night.
RAMI
RAMI
Things don't look good
I have to agree Samantha got way out of line she swore that she would always be there for Erika and it looks like High school students never change. What happen to supporting the person who understood her sister better then anyone. Just because she was right about it being harmless doesn't make it right. There can be fun pranks, harmless yet embrassing pranks, and then the extreme pranks. Samantha should recall how everything started for Eric what if she didn't become online buddies with him would she have ever learnt the turth about her sister? And even if she doesn't recall everything like Eric then how about when She learnt that What's his face Jake and them push him into the fountain Wasn't that just harmless? So as long as it don't happen to Erika or Eric anyone is fair game and falls under just harmless fun type pranks. I can't call this a good Chapter and besides What is going on with Erika's Mom seriously We have no idea on how her mother is learning what is like to be in Eric's shoes.
Re: Samantha, a weak link.
However, if Erika is going to over react, as she did with the banana incident, she will soon become, "The Plaguette" and her potentially dwindling support group, will not be able to help.
I don't really agree with that statement, I mean, I can't see how her reaction in this episode is going to make her another plague. If anything, I think people would see her as a caring person (which I believe she is).
About Samantha, I don't think she is returning to her “old self†either. She is just used to that kind of events and knew that Aiden was laughing over it. In my opinion, she was just trying to explain to Erika just that, and that was not really mean.
And, to talk more generally about the episode, I greatly enjoyed it. I mean, it's delightful to see how Erika opens herself here.
Thanks,
Mildred
BTW
the banana prank is one that I witnessed in my highschool days. I'm just glad it wasn't me stuffing banana's in my mouth............ I don't like bananas
A.A.
Freud
I'm sure bananas were chosen for the imagery.
Although the school probably shouldn't have allowed it. Stuffing all that fruit in his mouth without swallowing was a choking hazard.
The snowball effect
Hi Ani,
Another fine example of your writing, thank you for posting this. Plus, you have people talking about a controversial subject, abuse.
I think that Eric was feeding the bullies' behavior by feeling bad and not being positive. I'm not saying that any other behavior was possible for Eric, not everyone has it in themselves to stand up to bullies or laugh at the mistreatment. But we see even in the same person, Erica, that she isn't exuding the same defeatist attitude and isn't receiving the same bullying.
Oh well, if I knew what I was talking about I would have a whole string of letters of various types and making TONS of money having people explain their sexual feelings for their parents and why that makes them into the dysfunctional people they are or some shit such as that.
with love,
Hope
with love,
Hope
Once in a while I bare my soul, more often my soles bear me.
Prank Sensitivity
Oh no. I have to say that I didn't appreciate the banana prank at all. I guess I'm like Erika in that regard. I still liked this chapter though.
Samantha seemed a little distant. Could she be jealous of Trisha? She didn't react much or for very long after Erika nipped their relationship in the bud. Perhaps it's been festering all this time and now it's starting to really bother her.
I like how Erika got a good buzz after performing well early on during the pep rally. I hope she gets several more opportunities.
Oh! I almost forgot to mention the party. I wonder what hanky panky will be going on during the party. I look forward to reading about it.
Thanks!
- Terry
I've The Feeling That
Sooner or later, some prank will be pulled, and Erika will go ATOMIS & POSTAL on the pranksters. All that she needs is that final push.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Another good chapter
Yet another good chapter,I was also shocked at Smanantha.
Hmm, I think Samantha's right
Eric/ka is strung like a bass snare playing for high C. She's attracting unwanted attention like this, and I don't think she's going to do well at the party. The other girls would do well to recognize the building anxiety, and realize it's far more stressing for Erika who stands to loose all when the shit hits the fan. Not if. When.
Yes, when! Because I think it's inevitable that at some time in the future the truth will come out with such a daring endeavour as this with this few helpers and so many loose ends for as long as a semester. Or term. Or whatever you call it over there at the other side of the pond.
Enjoying your writing as always A.A. thanks.
Jo-Anne
Samantha's actions can not be condoned.
RAMI
I cannot agree with Jo-Anne, that Samantha was right in the way she acted. Her actions can not be condoned. By saying that Samantha was wrong, does not mean, as you will note from my prior comment, that Eric/a is acting properly.
A fellow student that did not know Erika, or one who only had a passing knowledge of this new student would not be expected to understand the unusual reaction that this girl had over the banana incident. They would not be expected to be loyal to Erika or understand Eric/a's dilemma. A negative or even mildly hostile reaction from them might have been one that could have been expected and maybe even condoned.
Coming from Samantha, it is totally unacceptable and is like a slap in Eric's face. Samantha of all people is responsible for the creation of Erika. Without her actions prior to, on the way and at the start of camp, Erika would not exist and Eric would not be going through this new situation. Eric did everything he did initially because of Samantha and his love for her.If she abandons him now or worse turns against him, or subjects him/or her to ridicule, I'm not sure the other Camp Kumoi alumna will be able to help. Eric may crash.
I agree the coming party is a danger. I guess Eric/a's friend do not realize the danger. They may be clouded by the fact that Eric as Erika survived and if I remember thrived at the Camp Kumoni end of summer dance. I guess they do not see or understand, that one was a harmless chaperoned occasion and the party for Eric/a would be like, I'm not sure which metaphor I should use, but throwing someone into a pool of sharks, comes close. Survival is all but impossible.
RAMI
RAMI
I am appalled
Appalled I say, that you dare disagree. With ME.. *text to be read in tone of voice from 3rd rock from the Sun, Dr. Dick* *I love that soap, it´s so completely ott*
But of course RAMI, your arguments take hold, somewhat. However the term 'tough love' comes to mind. Also you could easily accuse Erika of behaving in a rather prissy and stilted way, not quite as to be expected from a cheerful, upbeat, inspiring, preppy pep-rallying girl. At times a little rattle and shake do wonders for the growth of a person. And exasperation may be the basis for such an act, I can still understand the reaction, in the course and the events of the day. Maybe a little 'shock' can act as a catalyst to better and strengthen, they're teenagers still, they grow up in leaps and bounds. A little less sophisticated and consideration between one and other is order of the day, compared with grown-ups.
Notwithstanding that, I agree Samantha will have to soften the blow a little, for Erika will no doubt take it hard. She isn't quite self-assured and confident enough to handle the critique as Samantha has dished so effortlessly. In a way it could be seen as a compliment to Erika to be regarded and treated so equaly as any other girlfriend of Samantha.
Jo-Anne
Embarrassing pranks
I hope there aren't any traditions about hazing the new girls on the squad after the first home game - Erika would be likely to flip out.
Girls hazing can be nasty.
RAMI
I did not think of it, but Jennifer Brock's comment on hazing by the Rally and Cheer teams, is right on point.
Generally, girls' hazing of other girls, while normally not as physical as boy's hazing, is just as bad or worse. It is demeaning, and debasing.
On the college sorority level, there are problems, with drugs, alcohol, nudity and sex. I do not know in a 2009 scenario if that goes on in a High School setting, but taking into consideration what Eric was put through without school intervention, Warthogs, maybe very piggish indeed.
Just imagine if as part of the hazing Erika is made to strip and be exposed as Eric.
RAMI
RAMI
RAMI
To prank or not to prank...
that is the question.
Hello Miss Allread!!!! ^___^ ;-D
It seems no matter where you go to some group you will get pranked. I was in Boy Scouts, it is no different. However, some of them stunts are harmless. I know some are down right embarrassing. Then there are some that forces you to think of the answer before you look foolish. If you know the answer tell it to the moderator in quiet. If you are right, then you are excused from the rest of the skit. Of course the 'snipe hunt' is always a favorite. But then you might get a scout leader to ask you to go find the left-handed screw-driver for his next project. They are tests for you to think on your feet. If you are alone in the woods and lost, what are you going to do? We have read many stories on the web and the newspapers of people getting lost. The ones who do survive are the ones who are prepared. So that spank on the derriere is just a wake up call to get a grip on real life.
Now we know Erica has gone through a lot. She still has nightmares that can be very fresh in the mind at times. We are all hoping for the best out come for her and her friends.
Thanks for another great chapter Anastasia. We'll wait patiently for the next chapter. We just hope it is not a long night at the party afterward.
Take care until next time.
Rachel
Believe it or not...
Left Handed screwd-rivers DO exist... Though I will admit that MOST are designed as ambidextrious screw-drivers. Now, "Chow Line", "Relative Berring Grease" and many other things I saw some sailors sent for in the Navy... Actually had a beneficial side effect... The sailors in question, got a really good "tour" of the ship, as they were sent running all over the ship, they learned their way around.
So, yes, there are some "pranks" of this nature that are intended as learning experiences. Can they get out of hand? Sadly, yes.
As to the "gag" that was pulled at the pep rally. IMO it was way over the top. The "competition" between classes would have been okay, I guess. I've seen class vs. class events that were effective at building camradery in the class. I can certainly see how many "kids" at the school thought the "gag" was funny - and the freshmem were looking forward to the "next" year to see it happen to them. That said, the gag's a bit surprising, in that I'm sure younger siblings heard abotu the "gag" from their older brother/sisters so, it's a bit surprising that it went over so easily.
Fun story anyway... Still waiting for it to come out that "Erika" has been going to school instead of "Eric". The party? That could be very dangerous... Hopefully none of the "nice boys" decide that Erika needs something "extra" in a drink... *sighs*
Thanks,
Annette
Eric/a's reaction
was very understandable to me.
I said it before I think that my early school years where similar to Eric but not quite as extreme.
When I saw others in impressing situations I always considered what it would be like if that was me. So since I know what it can feel like i would never want to put others through this even if they maybe able to take it a lot better.
Erika was part of the pep rally so she felt partly responsible. Her reaction therefor was VERY understandable.
Krystal being overweight probably had her share of teasing so can relate. Tricia seems to really understand Erika and Eric so she too saw why he would feel that way.
Samantha on the other hand has probably never been on the receiving end of such a prank so has no idea how it feels. Also she is very self confident so it would not really face her.
In the case of the banana prank its not likely that some one with low self esteem would have volunteered. Eric certainly would not have. So unless some one is forced into it you can assume that it is someone who can deal with the psychological impact.
Eric will hopefully learn from this and will at least be able to tolerate it. I learned to tolerate it but I still do not like pulling pranks on others for any reason. I do not think Eric or Erika will ever.
If Samantha is really cooling to Erika I'm not really able to say yet, but I have to agree it looks that way. She also would know if new cheerleader and rally girls would be initiated and could and should warn Erika if that's the case.
What I wonder more is if she will be able to go to the party at all. I don't remember her actually asking her parents yet.
About the parents interfering so little. I think they are aware that they can not do all that much to help Eric (apart from the self defense course) and would probably make things only worse. On the other hand things seem to have greatly improved this year so they will try to let this develop and not do anything that would let this development come to a halt. So they over look consciously or subconsciously certain things that may not quite add up.
thanks again for this great chapter AA
hugs
Holly
Friendship is like glass,
once broken it can be mented,
but there will always be a crack.
Hi Ani You do get a feeling
Hi Ani
You do get a feeling that something is going to blow very soon... Poor Erica seems to be living on her nerves.., just waiting for the moment when her big secret is revealed... as always Ani your stories read so well...looking forward to your next posting. ..Hugs Kirri
Thank you again...
...for another wonderful chapter! :-) I have so been looking forward to more! Your writing is, as always, simply grand, and a joy to read.
[philosophy geek]
Tell me, is there a universally right way for everyone to respond to a given stimulus? If I hand you something, what do you do? It varies, based on who I am, who you are, what I hand you, and my reason(s) for doing so, doesn't it?
If I react to something that I had a very negative experience with in my past by getting physically ill, not because of an actual physical reaction to the thing, but because of the emotional association, am I more or less justified in my reaction than someone else, who, even though they shared the experience, didn't have the emotional connection to the events that I did, and who interact with that thing on a regular, voluntary basis?
[/philosophy geek]
-Liz
Successor to the LToC
Formerly known as "momonoimoto"
Thanks for another fine chapter
You've still got me hooked.
the difference between her an Aiden
not only the trans stuff, which makes a person more vulnerable, but the fact it wasnt just one incident, but multiple cases of downright torture