The final week of October was Anti-Bullying week at Peach Creek High. So many of the bullied called it Ironic Week as their tormentors spent the week acting remorseful for their bad actions against those they usually felt were less than. Princess decided that she had had enough of the all the bullying and all the shaming around her. So she went to her boys for a request. She was going to tell her story at the school's Anti-Bullying Assembly on Friday. They usually got some motivational speaker and a former student would both come in and talk about how people should treat each other better and that for the tormented, "It does get better." But she felt that if they saw what one of their own had gone through, the bullies actually would make an effort to change. But she didn't want to do it without their blessing. It was as much their story as it was her's. The boys said yes and she went to work.
First, she got Rave to work with the theater department to set up the stage. She hung two long strips of fabric from the rafters at Center Stage and made sure to have two projection screens on far stage left and far stage right. She and Darnell than sat down and spent the rest of the week working on creating the music video that would play on the screens.
She told her father's to come to the assembly on Friday and then went to her attic dance studio to practice. She was going to dance. She was going to dance for her life.
Friday came and afternoon classes were cancelled for the assembly. After the speaker spoke, the principal came on stage to speak.
"Usually, we have a former student come back and tell their story about how life got better for them, despite how they were treated in high school. Today, one of our own is going to tell her story. I want you to watch and listen and then consider how you treat other people," Dr Jackson said.
The lights went down. The curtains opened. Princess took center stage. And Darnell, from his spot in the control room, hit play. The song was Brave by Sarah Bareilles. And Princess, dressed in a black ballerina tank top, yoga shorts and red ballerina slippers, climb her curtains and used them as anchors as she danced in mid air. On the screens, juxtapositioned with the song, were interviews she gave about her charity work and for the first time in public, her story. She talked about how her world was crushed when her mother died, nearly destroyed when she was raped, how she was rescued, who her rescuers were and how she fought back and why she set out to help others. Many knew her and Nazz as the nicest people in school. Nazz was just plain out nice. Princess would see how bringing people into her space and encouraging them to reach out to the world did them and the world a world of good because she knew what the alternative could be.
In less than five minutes, she turned Peach Creek on its head. The billionaire heiress, had her own demons she fought against. And she won. She flew straight out of hell and guarded the door to keep others from going back in. Two fathers saw a Princess spread her wings, and between two simple pieces of fabric, she flew.
The student body roared when she was done. She knew deep down inside that many would not change. But the seed had been planted and no one could deny every again the fact that just because a stereotype exists, doesn't mean that whoever is in front of you would live up to it. Let people be. Let them sink. But give them a chance to fly.
Rolf fell in love with Princess that day. She wasn't just a princess, she was a warrior. The farmer promised himself that he would always fight along side her.
Nazz and Marie took the day to set their fears aside and come out. And they were welcomed with open arms. Kevin decided that if Marie could make Nazz as happy as she was, it was a relationship worth supporting. He loved Nazz, and a happy Nazz was all he could ever ask for. She was happy and so, so was he.
Another weekend came and because Halloween was in the middle of the next week, Nazz's party would be that Saturday night. Edd, being Edd and thus ever prepared, had been working on his 11th Dr Doctor Who costume. Kevin thought his fez was adorable. Kevin wasn't one for dressing up anymore, though. He wore a simple orange shirt that said in black block lettering: This Is My Halloween Costume
Eddy was 1930s gangster and Lee was Bonnie to his Clyde. It was a perfect fit for them. May and Ed were zombies with Ed doing their makeup. Many years of comic book conventions had taught the boy well in the art of makeup design. Rave made sure he knew he was expected to work with the school theater's makeup department for the spring musical.
Nazz was a sexy cat and Marie went all out as a gothic vampire. Jonny was a hippie, despite everyone saying that was way too easy of a costume for him. Jimmy and Sarah came as Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy. Their adorableness was astounding. Ed made them promise to share part of the haul they were bound to get when they actually went trick or treating the next week.
Princess was Hello Kitty and Rolf was himself. It was just easier than trying to figure out how to dress up his tall frame. Rave was a beatnik and Nat came in his usual sweater over a white oxford and skinny jeans. But he also wore a ship captain's hat as he was Captain of the Booty. Namely Rave's.
They ate their weight in candy with Edd admonishing them all to brush their teeth when they got home. Really bad horror movies were watched and a couple of really good ones, too. Kevin wasn't a fan of scary movies and the needle scene in Saw made him feel very faint. But Edd was there to hold his hand. He also dragged him into the kitchen for a quick make out session to take his mind off of the movie.
Eddy swipped Double D's now lopsided fez off his head.
"Ugh. You two getting down is scary enough for me," he told his blushing friend.
"WORTH IT!," was Kevin's reply.
