Chapter 7

Erika studied herself in the mirror. Her heart fluttered again as she thought about her big day. Her first day back to school after having outed herself to well just about everybody. She wore a blue skater dress with yellow roses on it that she had gotten from one of her photoshoots. The hem of the dress short enough to expose her knees but long enough to still be modest.

It had taken her nearly an hour last night to figure out how to wear her hair. In a ponytail with a ribbon or down with her extensions bouncy with curls. Self consciously she ran her fingers through her long locks again before flipping them over her shoulder. She sighed at her makeup. It was heavier than she would normally wear to school, but she wanted to enforce her femininity. She ran her fingers across her bare knee. She didn’t feel like wearing leggings with this dress, so she was hoping that the nylons she dug up would help keep her a little warmer than bare legs. For must have been the fiftieth time she debated her foot-ware. The light gray boots would hug her calves and keep her legs warm up to her knees but the three-inch yellow heels that matched the roses in the dress would complete the outfit in a way that the boots couldn’t.

She tipped her head to one side and hooked a hoop earing in to her earlobe and then repeated the process on the other side. She looked in the mirror again studying her reflection. A year ago, Eric had had similar apprehension, but his was due to surviving getting from one class to another or better yet, getting home without incident. Now, her apprehension was about whether or not her classmates could except her as she presented herself. The biggest difference now, was that she had good friends who supported her.

After her phone conversation with Jacob as well as her makeup with Tricia, she had settled down to write one of the hardest emails she thought she would ever write. It was a short email, only about a page explaining to Hunter that she was a Transgender girl who didn’t mean to lead him on. That she really, really did like him and would never want to hurt him. That she hoped that he could forgive her and hoped that they could at least remain friends, that she hoped that they could be more.

She eased onto her bed and checked her inbox for the fourth time since waking up. It had been a day or two and he still hadn’t responded. He was in Brazil on a photo shoot. He was probably too busy to have checked it.

The doorbell rang, and she heard her mother greet Samantha. She closed her laptop and practiced Brook’s graceful move of standing up.

“Aren’t you ready?” She asked entering Erika’s room wearing her long winter coat.

Erika let out an exasperated sigh. She held her hands out to her sides and slowly spun. “What do you think?”

“You look like you always do… amazing.” Samantha shrugged with a smile.

“Boots or heels?” Erika asked, showing Samantha both.

“Definitely the heels.” Samantha nodded. “They’re so cute with that dress, where did you get them?”

“One of my photo shoots.” Erika stated. “You can borrow it sometime.”

“There’s no way I can look that good in that outfit.” Samantha sighed.

Erika took a moment as her center of gravity shifted after slipping on the yellow heels. “Well?” She asked slowly turning.

“You look gorgeous.”

“Have a good day.” Her mother smiled from over her coffee.

It only took a few minutes to get to Tricia’s house. Her cute friend bounced out of the house wearing one of her new pink wigs and a huge smile.

“What are you so happy about?” Erika inquired as her friend buckled her seatbelt.

“I’m happy that we are friends and that my friend is coming back to school today.” She gave Erika’s shoulder a squeeze.

“What the…” Samantha gasped as she pulled into the school parking lot.

Erika groaned when she looked to where Samantha was referring. Three media vans with reporters and cameramen were out in front of the school. A mob of people yelled and waved signs, protesting the presence of a Transgender girl being allowed in their kid’s school.

“Should I take you home?” Samantha inquired with dread.

Erika shook her head. “They’ll just wait until I show, or follow me to our home. Better just to take care of it now.”

“Where is the Principal?” Tricia asked. “Shouldn’t she be ordering these people off of school property?”

Erika shrugged and gave a long sigh as she climbed out of the car.

“There’s the freak now!” someone shouted from the crowd.

Erika turned a bit red as Tricia and Samantha closed ranks with her.

“Not in our school!” a chant started up with the protesters. Two nervous looking police officers stood in front of the angry crowd and cast a glance over their shoulders but kept their eyes on the yelling people in front of them.

Erika looked with forlorn from the media waiting like a puma ready to pounce on it’s prey to the protesters and back. ‘rise above’ she started the mantra in her mind. ‘don’t stoop to their level. Rise above.’
She was so lost in thought she almost missed that Victoria, Krystal, and Jorge had helped to create a barrier around her. The thought of her friends standing up for her like this warmed her heart. Up by the doors to the school, she spotted Julian and Stan. Stan was holding open the door as Julian quickened his pace towards them.

“Pervert!” she recognized the voice over the others, she looked over to see Taylor up front holding a protest sign as well. Strange Stephanie was beside her, red faced and screaming, but her words were lost to her over the rest.

“Erika!” a reporter cut them off followed closely by the others.

“Erika Martin, when did you think you were a girl?”

“Erika, how do you feel about classmates being upset by your coming out?”

“Does Hunter Allison know that you are Trans?”

Erika clenched her teeth and tried to calm her already boiling blood. These people had no right asking her these questions.

“No comment!” Victoria called out over and over.

“Did you and Hunter have gay sex?” she heard. She nearly charged and punched the reporter asking such a vile question.

“Erika, did you get kicked off the Rally squad because you are Trans?”

Julian and Jorge were starting to have to push the cameramen and reporters aside as they neared the doors to the school.

Just as they were approaching the doors, the Principal pushed past Stan. She held up a bull horn and her magnified voice cut through all the other noise. “You in the media all need to leave the school property.” She called. “Please leave now before the police are forced to remove you from school grounds.”

One of the police officers left the protesters and came towards the media mob.

“Ms. Martin,” The reporters were ignoring the Principal. “Do you use the boys or girl bathrooms?

“Do you change in the girl’s locker rooms?”

They were now filing in through the front door Stan was holding.

“Erika, were you molested as a child?” a final voice called out just before the door slammed shut behind them.

“What?” Erika started to turn around.

“Keep going.” Victoria pulled on her arm.

“How can they ask such vile questions?” Erika growled.

“They’re trying to get you to react.” Samantha patted her arm. “Keep going. Ignore the bastards.”

Jorge parted to admit the Principal into the wall her friends had created.

“I am so sorry, Erika.” She wrung her hands. “I was not prepared for this. I expected more from our town.”

“Someone shot that Trans-girl from Adams high.” Victoria protested. “that didn’t give you a clue?”

“I’ve got a call in to have them removed from the school grounds, they won’t be a further problem.” The Principal affirmed.

“I should have known that today wouldn’t be quiet.” Erika admitted. “I was hoping that people would be more accepting.”

“A lot are.” Samantha told her.

Erika felt strange as her entourage escorted her to her locker.

“Go home, Freak!” a voice called from down the hall.

“Shut up, Prick!” another voice called after

“Hi Erika.” Several people greeted as they walked down the halls. Some of those she didn’t even know.

“You go, Erika!” someone else called.

Erika gave a long relaxing sigh as they made it to her locker. She took off her overcoat and hung it up.

She turned around to see her friends shrugging out of theirs. Samantha, Krystal, Victoria and Tricia each wore their lavender camp shirts. Then she noticed Jorge, Stan and Julian each wearing a lavender shirt.

“What’s going on?” She inquired. “Why are you all wearing your camp shirts?”

“We’ve all asked that the students that support you coming out wear lavender to show their support for you.” Samantha grinned. “It was Victoria’s idea.”

“Do you know how hard it is for guys to find lavender?” Jorge asked.

Krystal whispered loudly. “He’s wearing a woman’s double X.”

“You promised.” Jorge looked hurt.

“Sorry.” Krystal giggled. “It’s just too cute.”

Erika looked from each of her friends, tears welling in her eyes. “Crap. I’ll ruin my makeup,” She then noticed a senior girl walk by smiling and gave her a wave. She was wearing a lavender sweater. Two more girls smiled as they walked by, one wearing a lavender dress the other a skirt.

“Oh my God.” She nearly sobbed.

“Told you.” Tricia held out a tissue as she smiled at her friends.

“From Plague to pussy!” a voice sneered from down the hall.

“Shut up, you closeminded dick, Jason.” A girl’s voice growled.

“We love you, Erika!” several other voices called from down the hall.

“Unfortunately, not everyone is supportive, but I think you’re going to see a lot of lavender today.” Victoria beamed.

“We’ve all made a pact and worked it out, so that you’ll be escorted from one class to the next today.” Krystal informed her. “And you’ll have at least one of us in the bathroom with you.”

Erika dabbed at her eyes. “Do I look like a racoon?” She asked Samantha.

“Only slightly. It’s fixable.”

“Thank you, so much.” Erika looked at each of them through watery eyes.

“Let’s get you cleaned up. Then to your first class.” Samantha guided her down the hall.

“We support you, Erika.” An unfamiliar girl said in passing.

Samantha and Erika entered the girl’s bathroom. Several girls were putting on finishing touches before starting their day.

“Pervert alert.” One girl called out when seeing Erika. She quickly pushed past them.

“Really, Ashley? I thought you were better than that.” Another girl called after her. She turned to Erika. “Don’t let her closemindedness bother you.” She told her. “Welcome to being a girl… well officially that is.”

“Thank you.” Erika smiled back. She looked at her reflection and grimaced. All that work this morning, wasted.

“Did you bring any of your makeup with you?” Samantha asked.

Erika handed her the small purse she had with her. Samantha dumped it out and went through it real quick before adding her own to the mix.

Just a few minutes later, Erika emerged from the bathroom looking even better than she had this morning. “You are amazing.” She told her friend.

“Wow.” Tricia looked at her. She started forward then stopped awkwardly.

“It’s okay, Tricia.” Erika nodded with a smile.

Tricia leaned forward and gave Erika a peck on the cheek and then wrapped her in a hug.

“Good Morning, Erika.” Mrs. Anderson greeted as she and her friends entered homeroom. “Welcome back.”

Erika nearly started crying again when she saw that Mrs. Anderson was wearing a lavender pencil skirt under a white button-down blouse and a lavender sweater.

“Thank you.” Erika told her, and it wasn’t for the warm greeting.

“Even the faculty.” Samantha grinned.

Erika looked to her normal seat and saw Jacob turn his gaze away as she spotted him.

He made a point not to look at her as she passed his desk.

“What? No snarky comment?” Tricia asked.

“Leave him alone, Tricia,” Erika said sternly. “He has every right to be upset.” She watched as Jacob’s body stiffened.

Erika looked around the room and saw about a third of the class was wearing lavender. One girl caught her eye and with a smile, showed Erika that she was wearing lavender socks.

Erika smiled back and tried to concentrate on class.

After class let out, she was met in the hall by Julian who threw a smile at her but concentrated on who was passing in the hall.

“Really, Julian?” Erika scoffed. “I very much doubt anyone is going to try something with all of the attention I am getting.”

The tall guy just shrugged.

Erika rolled her eyes, but he didn’t see. “Fine. I need to use the bathroom.” She saw him dip his chin in acknowledgement. Then started off once Samantha and Tricia had joined them.

One girl nearly flinched when she spotted Erika entering the bathroom. Her mouth firmed as she seemed to rush past Erika.

Another girl exited a stall. She looked up to see Erika and her eyes widened in recognition and shock. She looked away and hurried to the sink to wash her hands and bolted. Erika sighed.

“I’ve got to get to class.” Tricia told her through the stall door. “Julian will walk you to your next class though.”

“Ok. See you at lunch.”

The next few hours went pretty much the same. Some classmates were supportive, others obviously upset, while it seemed a majority just didn’t care, or if they did, they didn’t show it.

The cafeteria was a bit strange. It was as if it was divided by those in lavender and those who glared and sneered in her direction.

Greg and his cronies deliberately walked by. Greg made some kind of comment about how the football team should have helped the plague out by cutting off his genitals instead of duct taping them which brought a bunch of nervous laughter from his followers. Erika’s heart plummeted in her chest at the comment.

“Are you alright?” Krystal asked. “You’re as white as a ghost.”

Erika nodded and felt her face flush.

“Don’t let those pricks get to you.” Tricia growled. “I’ll find a way to get back at them.”

On her way back to class, her phone alerted her to a text from her mother.

“I gotta call home.” She told Stan who was her new body guard.

She stepped into a door alcove and called her mother. “What’s going on?” she asked.

“Are you alright?” her mother asked.

“Yes.”

“How are things going at school?”

“Mostly good. There were a bunch of reporters and T.V. cameras asking me all sorts of horrible questions this morning, but my friends helped me get safely into the school without incident.”

“Your father is going to pick you up from school.” Her mother explained. “There are a few media vans parked out front. A few reporters have even knocked on the door asking for interviews.”

“Crap.” She swore under her breath.

“Watch it… although I agree with you.” Her mother’s admonished. “We’ll be staying at a hotel tonight. Is there anything in particular you need me to pack?”

“Make sure I have my gray boots and some flats.” It was all that Erika could think of at the moment. The nylons were keeping her comfortable while in the school, but it was still very cold outside. “Perhaps a pair of tennis shoes.”

“Stay in the building until your father arrives.” Her mother ordered.

“Yes, mom.”

“Your father has been on the phone with Mr. Winters getting information on how to handle this situation.”

“Is Mr. Winters upset?” Erika bit her lower lip.

“I haven’t spoken to him. I’ll see you after school at the hotel.”

“Okay. Thanks mom.”

“What’s going on?” Stan inquired.

Erika sighed heavily. “More drama.”