The Princess and the Plague Part 26 By Anistasia Allread Edited by Karen J. Dr. Barts, was waiting for her in the office lobby. “Your parents are already in there.” She stated, “Are you ready to go through with this?” “Yes,” Erika nodded. “Make sure that you are, because if you choose to change your mind later, you will lose all credibility.” Dr. Barts added.

---

 
 
“I was thinking about your rope thing,” Erika's dad commented as they drove home.

“What rope thing?” Her mother asked.

“Erika was thinking about making a rope course in the back yard.”

Erika could practically feel her mother roll her eyes. “What were you thinking about?” Erika asked.

“Well,” he began, “Instead of anchoring parts into the house, I think we could get some 8x8 posts and sink them into the ground. We could anchor some eye bolts into them. That way we wouldn't have to do anything to the house.”

“Will they be strong enough?”

“Yes. How much rope are you going to need?”

“I'm not sure, a couple thousand feet maybe?”

“That much?”

“It has to be strung back and forth a couple of times just to make one bridge.”

“I think I have a 'come-along' in the garage to help tighten the rope too.”

“Cool.”
 
 

--o0o--
 
 
The gray overcast day looked more dreary than she felt. Erika had heard that the wet ickyness wasn't going to go away anytime soon. It had rained all night, the wind blowing it sideways made tap tap tapping noises on the window panes as she lay in bed trying to go to sleep. Even now it was coming down slow and steady.

“So, what happened this weekend with the 'rents'?” Samantha asked as Erika opened her umbrella and joined her friend on a walk to school.

“We went and saw Dr. Barts.”

“What happened there?”

“Mom is having a hard time with the change. She thinks it's just a phase. Dad is totally going along with this whole thing it's been great. I never in a million years thought he would be okay with it.”

“Didn't you say that he was like homophobic or something?” Samantha asked.

“His whole family is.”

“So what's going on with the whole 'rents' and shrink issue?” Samantha skirted a large puddle.

Erika detailed Samantha about the whole meeting. How both of her parents, Dr. Barts and she were going to sit down and explain it to the school in the afternoon, and about her hormone levels being off.

“So that took like, two hours on Saturday, what else did you do?”

“My dad and I began building a rope course in my back yard.” Erika smiled.

“You are doing what?” Samantha couldn't believe her ears.

“We are making a rope course like the one Skyler did at camp.” She explained, “We're using the two large fir trees, and we put these massive posts up near the house so that we can anchor into it.”

“That sounds cool. Can I see it after practice?”

“Sure, but we don't really have the safety stuff to go through it yet. Dad is looking on line for harnesses and helmets and stuff.”

“So you and your dad are getting along and you and you're mom aren't?”

“Yeah. She's a bit upset over it.”

“I'm sorry to hear that.”

The girls knocked on Tricia's door.

“Since when do you knock?” Tricia asked opening the door.

“Since, you have been grounded and I'm not the most favorite person on your parent's list.” Erika shrugged.

“I told you that my mom really appreciated the card.”

“I know. I just don't want to push it.” Erika explained.

Tricia closed the door behind her, stooped under Erika's umbrella and gave her a kiss. “I've missed you. How was your weekend?”

“Eventful,” Erika shrugged. She went on to explain what had happened as Samantha walked along silently, adding a comment here and there.

“So you are turning your back yard into a rope course?”

“Yes, isn't it cool?”

“Sure, for you.” Tricia smiled, “Remember we weren't very good at that. You were.”

“I know, but you could still come over and try it out.”

“Sure.”

Krystal and Victoria were waiting just inside the front doors of the school for them.

“Oh, Victoria, I need a HUGE favor,” Erika suddenly burst out. She turned pink not realizing how loud she had said the statement.

“What is it?” Victoria asked.

“I need my, I mean Eric's transcripts,” She lowered her voice even lower, “The ones we took from the office.”

“What for?”

“My parents, shrink and I are all going to talk to the principle this afternoon.” She paused as her friends all looked at her with disbelief. “We are going to set the record straight.”

“You're going to get us all expelled.” Victoria hissed.

“No I won't.” Erika argued, “I won't tell anyone that you were involved.”

“They'll figure it out.” Krystal agreed with Victoria

“I'll tell them that I took the transcripts and forged Erika's transcripts at home. I'm an artist so they'll believe me.”

“If I get expelled, or even kicked off the school paper, I will. . . I will tell your secret.” Victoria threatened.

“I won't even mention your name.” Erika promised.

“I think you should try and leave all of us out of this,” Samantha agreed.

“Come on guys,” Erika pleaded. “You've done so much for me so far, do you honestly think I'd nark on you?”

Tricia took Erika's hand and squeezed, “Not on purpose.”

“Gee thanks for the confidence.” Erika pulled her hand out of Tricia's and stormed down the hall.

“Erika!” Tricia called after her.

“Let her go,” Samantha told her. “When she gets like this, you've just got to let her blow off steam.”

Tricia looked from Samantha to the retreating Erika and back at Samantha.
 
 

--o0o--
 
 
Erika pulled her books out of her locker and shoved her duffel and umbrella in.

“Whoa, are you okay?” Julian's said from nearby.

Erika took a deep breath before turning around. “Yeah, I'm just frustrated.”

“About what? Didn't you have a good weekend? You looked like you were off to a good start from how you danced on Friday.”

“Thanks,” Erika did feel a sense of accomplishment. “I did have a good weekend, I'm just frustrated with my friends.”

“Really? What about?”

“It's girl stuff.” Erika closed her locker, hugged her notebooks to her chest and started sauntering down the hall with the handsome swimmer.

“Oh, speaking of girl's stuff,” Julian stopped and turned towards Erika, “Would you consider being my date for homecoming?”

Erika stopped mid-step. Did he just ask what she thought he asked? “Um. . . “ Erika felt the envious eyes of several girls in the hall staring at her. “I uh, I hadn't planned on going.” Erika didn't know what else to say.

“Well, now you can plan on going. Hopefully with me.” Julian's grin was strained.

“Can I think about it, Julian?” Erika almost flinched while asking him.

“Uh, sure, I guess.” Julian looked crestfallen even though he still smiled at her.

“I just need a day or two to talk it over with my parents.” Erika made up.

“Okay.”

“Oh, Julian,” Erika said capturing his attention.

“Hmm?”

“Thank you.”

“For what?” Julian asked.

“No one's ever asked me to Homecoming before. Thank you, I'm flattered.” she smiled at him.

“No one has ever asked you?”

“Nope. I was always over looked before. Kind of the ugly duckling you might say.” Erika's mind flashed back to the summer when she pulled Liberty out of the hole next to the lake.

“I can't believe that you of all people were ever an ugly duckling.” Julian shook his head.

“Just last year, no one in my school wanted to be my friend.” Erika explained. “You could say that I blossomed over summer.” She suppressed a giggle at the thought.

The two stopped outside of Erika's first class. “See you later?”

“Sure.” Erika nodded.

She entered the class and saw Tricia waiting in her seat for her. Erika's blood began to boil. How could her friends think that she would nark on them after all that they had been through? Did Camp Kumoni prove nothing?

Erika sat down at her desk in a huff and didn't dignify Tricia with a glance in her direction.
 
 

--o0o--
 
 
“Did Julian really ask you to Homecoming?” Samantha asked as Erika took her seat in Mrs. Anderson's class.

“Yes, so what?” Erika's tone was distant.

“You didn't say yes, did you?” Tricia asked.

Erika was silent for a moment. She then turned to Tricia and Samantha. “I told him I would think about it.”

“But I was hoping you and I would go to Homecoming.” Tricia sounded hurt.

“I was hoping she would go with me.” Jacob inserted himself into the conversation.

“You really like pain, don't you?” Tricia glared at the jock.

“Maybe I'll just stay home.” Erika sighed.

“You can't stay home.” Samantha nearly exclaimed. “You've been nominated for Homecoming Court.”

“I what?” Erika looked startled.

“A few people have nominated you to be in the court.”

“I thought you had to be a senior to be Homecoming Queen.”

“You do, but underclassmen can be Princesses in her court.”

“But who put my name in there?” Erika asked.

“I was one of them.” Jacob smiled.

“You?” Erika was beginning to feel light headed.

“Yep,” Jacob nodded. “I wouldn't want to take you to Homecoming if you weren't in the court.”

“You aren't taking me at all.” Erika hissed.

The bell rang. “All right class,” Mrs. Anderson called out, “Lets learn something today.
 
 

--o0o--
 
 
Erika was sitting in class after lunch when a note was passed to her teacher.

“Erika?” the teacher called her name. “You are summoned to the office.”

“Ooooooh.” Several students in the class teased. “Someone's in trouble.”

Erika's heart jumped a head a beat or two as she gathered her books and took the offered hall pass from the teacher.

“Good luck.” Krystal offered as Erika passed her desk.

Erika stopped off at her locker and put away her notebooks. She quickly freshened up her makeup in her locker mirror before closing the door and heading down to the office.

Dr. Barts, was waiting for her in the office lobby. “Your parents are already in there.” She stated, “Are you ready to go through with this?”

“Yes,” Erika nodded.

“Make sure that you are, because if you choose to change your mind later, you will lose all credibility.” Dr. Barts added.

Erika paused for a moment. Her mind focused inward. A moment later, she looked up at Dr. Barts and nodded with a smile.

“Alright, Lets do this. . . Erika.” She said the last with a smile.
 
 

--o0o--
 
 
Erika sat across from her mother at the dinner table. A fork-tender pot roast surrounded by roasted potatoes, carrots and onions lightly steamed in the center of the table.

“Good roast, honey,” Erika's father commented between bites.

Erika ate her salad in quite reflecting on all that had passed earlier that afternoon.

Her parents sat at a conference table with the school's new Principal, Mrs. Crawford who smiled at their entrance, Mrs. Crawford looked to be a little older than her parent's, gray roots showed at the base of short, light brown hair. Wire framed glasses hung from a beaded string from her neck.

“Good, we're all here, shall we get started?” Principal. Crawford asked.

The next twenty to thirty minutes were spent explaining to the new Principal about Erika being transgender. The principle smiled and nodded.

“I assume you are using the girl's bathrooms.” She stated.

“Yes, Ma'am.” Erika nodded.

“It looks like you aren't taking a gym class,” She said looking over Erika's class schedule.

“No, I thought I'd wait until my senior year.”

Principal Crawford nodded. “What do you think we should do when it comes to that time?”

“I could take gym as my last period of the day so that I wouldn't have to shower with the other girls.”

“What about changing into your work out clothes?”

“Maybe I could use one of the private bathrooms?” Erika suggested.

“Might I suggest that you get a Dr.'s note excusing you from gym?” Dr. Barts suggested.

“That would work,” Principal Crawford agreed, “I need to protect the privacy of the other girls as well as yours.” She looked at Erika. “Aren't you in Cheer?”

“Rally squad actually.” Erika corrected.

“Does anyone on the Rally squad know about this?” Mrs. Crawford asked.

Erika shook her head. “Two of my friends on the cheer squad know, but no one in Rally does.”

“Are you changing with them in the locker room?” Principal Crawford asked worried.

“No, Ma'am. I change in one of the private bathrooms.”

Principal Crawford raised an eyebrow at that.

Erika finished eating her salad and absent mindedly began eating potatoes and roast, not tasting much but knowing that she needed nourishment. Her mind flashed again back to that conference room.

Principal Crawford looked over the notes she had written as well as the file she had on Erika Summers.

“I want to know how you could have registered her in this school without our knowledge.” Mrs. Martin wondered aloud.

Principal Crawford looked up alarmed. “She registered at this school as a girl without your consent?”

Mrs. Martin nodded. Principal Crawford looked over at Erika, “I'd like to know that as well.”

“I.... I kind of snuck in here one evening and stole my transcripts and replaced them with new ones.” Erika admitted.

“You what?!” Erika's mother and Principal Crawford both exclaimed at the same time.

“We lock our office doors at night and only a handful of students are allowed to work behind the counter.” Principal Crawford went on.

“I stuffed some tissue into the door latch hole before the secretary left. It was just enough to click but not enough to allow the bolt to lock,” Erika shrunk down as she explained. “I then used my ASB card to slide the bolt back.” At least that was how Tricia explained it to her.

“That's breaking and entering.” Principal Crawford stated.

“Eric!” her mother yelled.

Erika flinched back. She looked to her father, but his face was a mixture of emotion; too hard to read. “I needed to register as Erika Summers so that I didn't have to go back to being Eric Martin.” Erika sobbed. “I couldn't go back to being the plague, I just couldn't.”

Principal Crawford opened her mouth to say something, but stopped. She looked at the emotional, pretty girl in front of her. Her mouth worked soundlessly for a moment. “You were 'the plague'?”

Erika nodded.

“You are that Eric?” =Principal Crawford expanded.

Erika nodded, tears flowing freely from her eyes, making her mascara run.

“What are you talking about? Plague?” Mr. Martin spoke for the first time in a long while.

Principal Crawford looked at Erika. “You were Eric Martin, 'the plague'?”

Erika nodded.

“Will someone please explain to me this plague thing?”

“I was wondering what had happened to you.” Principal Crawford admitted. She looked at Mr. Martin. “Mind you, all I know is hearsay and what information I can find in files. This all happened over the past year or two before I came to this school.” She paused, “Your daughter, who used to be Eric was at the receiving end of a lot of pranks and abuse at this school by fellow students.”

Erika felt Dr. Bart's hand take hers and squeeze it trying to give her support and a little comfort.

“Is this about Eric being tied to a flagpole?” Mr. Martin asked.

“=Principal Crawford, they don't know the details.” Erika's voiced cracked as she interjected. Erika felt both sets of her parents eyes fall on her. “I asked the last principal and police officer to keep what happened from them.”

“Why? What happened?” Mr. Martin asked.

“I. . . I was too embarrassed.” Erika admitted.

Principal Crawford picked up a phone and pushed a few buttons. “Yes, could you find me a file on Eric Martin? And bring it in here please? Thank you.”

“But I took my transcripts.” Erika stated.

“But you didn't get your school file.” Principal Crawford told her. “Which reminds me, I need those transcripts back. They aren't supposed to leave school property. I could have you arrested for theft as well as breaking and entering.”

“I gave them to a friend for safe keeping.” Erika stated. “I'll get them back to you tomorrow.”

“I still want to know what happened?” Mr. Martin asked bringing the conversation back around to the flag pole incident.

“I wasn't just tied to the flag pole and made fun of.” Erika explained. I was jumped by the football players that I had narked on for a different prank. They. . . They. . . “

“They stripped him naked and duct taped him to the flag pole.” Dr. Barts finished for Erika.

“They wrote derogatory things on his skin with a permanant marker and made a spectacle of him in front of the whole school.” Principal Crawford finished.

The secretary opened the door, “Here you are” she handed over a file and closed the door again.

“Mr. Martin,” Dr. Barts drew attention to herself, “What they did to Eric was not a one time thing. He was harassed and pranked, picked on daily for a year or more. The things that they did to Eric are infamous. I hear about them from my other patients all the time.”

“It looks like it started with Eric pointing out a few football players who had locked him in a janitor's closet,” Principal Crawford said looking through the file.

Erika shrunk a little more in her chair. Flashbacks of Eric crying in the small dark room flooded her memories. It had been hours before anyone noticed his banging on the door. He had been in there so long that he wasn't able to hold his bladder anymore. The strong ammonia stench of urine reeked in his locked away memory. A memory that Erika thought that she had locked away forever, not wanting to remember.

“We never heard about that,” Mr. Martin was concerned, “Did you know about any of this?” he asked his wife.

“No.”

“I was too embarrassed,” Erika mumbled.

“I think we should change the subject.” Dr. Barts recommended, sensing Erika's discomfort.

“Well, It doesn't surprise me why you'd want a fresh start.” Principal Crawford closed the file. She looked at Erika, then to her parents. “Knowing what precipitated this string of events, I don't think we need to involve the police in this.”

“For my child being bullied and harassed unchecked?” Mr. Martin's voice took on an edge.

“For the breaking and entering as well as the theft of school property.” Principal Crawford stiffened. She glanced over at Erika, “Have you experienced any bullying or harassment this year at school?”

“No.” Erika admitted.

“If anyone looks at you cross-eyed, I want you to come see me.” Principal Crawford instructed. “I won't have anyone bullying anyone at my school. I don't care if they are football captain or student body president.” She paused, “As for your attending my school as Erika? As long as I don't hear about you violating anyone's personal space, I don't have a problem with it.”

Erika wasn't sure she heard her right. Did she say that she could continue coming to school as Erika? A huge weight seemed lifted from her shoulders.

“You will keep this a need to know issue, won't you?” Mr. Martin asked.

“Yes.” Principal Crawford nodded. “I won't let anyone know, unless they absolutely need to.”

“Stop playing with your food,” Erika's mother said, waking Erika from her flashback.

Erika looked down at her plate and noticed that she had only eaten half of her dinner. She pushed the afternoon's events off to their own little place in her brain and quickly finished eating. She took her plate over and put in on the sink and started out of the room.

“Huh uh.” Erika's mother stopped her. “You want to be a girl, then I need to start treating you like one. You are to wash the dishes and clean the kitchen.”

Erika was speechless. She didn't know whether to be happy that her mother was going to try and treat her as a girl, or be upset about an added chore. She went to the sink, and began scrubbing the plates before sticking them into the dishwasher.

---

 
To Be Continued...