Morgan was your average 14 year old girl. She had straight blond hair and blue eyes; she wore makeup and screamed about boys. She would go to the beach during the summer. She liked ice cream. And she always tried to look her best.

She woke up on an average day, feeling averagely tired and grumpy. She stumbled, half-asleep, into the bathroom. And then she screamed.

Morgan didn’t show up to school that day. No note, no call from the parents. Just an empty seat and unhappy friends. They figured she was sick, that she’d be there the next day. Mr. and Mrs. Embrey probably forgot to call.
In fact, they didn’t forget to call. They remembered, but they had no idea what to say. They were dumbstruck, couldn’t remember how to speak. They couldn’t think, only stutter and stammer and hope that they would remember to breath.
Morgan, on the other hand, knew how to breath. She was practically hyperventilating. She couldn’t believe her luck. One part of her wanted to believe it was just a dream and that tomorrow she’d wake up and be her normal self; but the other was trying to accept this as her reality.
“Morgan, honey. Hi. So, um, the doctors wanted me to tell you that they want, er, need to run some tests. Your father and I think you should do what they say. We’ll be here the whole time.” Morgan’s mother, Hilary, looked so nervous. Morgan didn’t understand why.
“Fine. But, mom, I don’t want to be too tired. I have a math assignment that I have to turn in tomorrow.”
“Oh. Well..you don’t have to worry about math. Or school. Or anything really.” Hilary frowned. “Just sit right there. I’ll be back.” She planted a kiss on her daughters head.
Hilary and Jeff, Morgan’s father, soon returned and sat in the chairs. They had a quiet conversation, that Morgan could only assume was about her.
A day later and Morgan was still in the hospital. She hadn’t gone to school. She hadn’t done anything. Except for the doctors testing, which drove her nuts, she felt like she wasn’t getting anything done. Dr. Burnes came dashing in, startling her parents and boring Morgan. She didn’t like him; the doctor was smart, but he was snooty about his intelligence.
“Good morning,” he said briskly. “Your results have been confirmed. You have multicus-stripicus. It’s very rare. You are only the second case ever recorded.”
“So rare that you just made up that name?” Morgan crossed her striped arms.
“Morgan! She’s just tired Dr. Burnes.” Morgan’s mom glared at her and at the same time she smiled sweetly at Dr. Burnes.
“Oh, don’t worry, young lady. It is a very real diagnosis. And you have it. I thought that maybe this was it, and the tests confirmed my suspicions. I’m very excited. Of the seven billion people on the planet, the number two person to get this is my patient.”
“Don’t forget I have a life. I don’t want to be here. I want to go home.” Morgan felt like crying.
“What was that? Hmm, oh yes! Of course, my dear. I was just thinking of the tests I wanted to run.”
Morgan sighed.
The chirping birds finally woke her up. The sunlight filtered in to shine on her head.
Her still striped head.
Darn.
So it wasn’t a dream.

Her life had become a blur. Of not going to school, doctors, doctors’ tests, and boredom. Morgan had never been very good at not doing anything. She was so bored. Her parents didn’t want her to go to school or do anything.

Morgan didn't care anymore. She just didn't care that she had different colored stripes all over her. She told her parents that. But all they said was, "Oh, honey. You say that now but what about at school. You don't want to be laughed at."

So she was now homeschooled by her parents. She hadn't done anything for the last month.

Today she was particularly unhappy about these arragements because today was the day that Becca Johnston had her Halloween party. Morgan always went to that. But not this year. Her parents just crossed their arms and shook their heads when she had asked about it. However, they were going out to a restaurant, for some 'relaxation time'. So Morgan had a plan.

"Bye sweetie! Have a fun time. You finished your homework right?"

Morgan nodded.

"Great! Then you can watch as much Netflix as you want. Oh, and be sure to turn on a light." Love you!"

After the goodbye hugs and the "are you sure you'll be okay"s, Morgan put on a striped shirt and headed out the door.

She had been at the party for only two minutes when a girl came up to Morgan. "Great costume! It's so cool."

Morgan looked down. "Oh..um, thanks! It, uh, took a lot of work."

"Looks like it! I wish I had done something that cool. I was so original that I came as a pumpkin." She laughed and walked away.

An hour and a half later, so many people had come up to Morgan that she had lost count. And they all had nice things to say. She realized that maybe she didn't have to hide away; not if people were this nice. Yes, it was a costume party. And yes, they all thought she was wearing a costume. But who cares. She was fine with how she looked and it was kind of cool.

Morgan was having so much fun she didn't even notice her parents come in. But she definitely noticed them, when they grabbed her arm and pulled her towards them.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Her mother and father had to shout to be heard over the music. And also because they were mad.

"I was sick of not doing anything. I just wanted to get out and breath." Morgan shrugged her shoulders.

"Has anyone recognized you? Have you told them who you are? You're grounded. Has anyone seen you?"

"Of course they've seen me. For the past months, I've been grounded. I don't care. There's nothing else you can do."

"We're trying to help you." Morgan's mom stared incredously at her daughter.

"No, you're not. If you were you would have listened to me."

"You need to listen to the doctors. They know what they're doing. You don't."

"Oh, please. Didn't you hear the way the that doctor was proud that he got to have me has his patient. He doesn't care about me. He just cares about his career."

"We're going to talk about this at home. Tomorrow morning, however, because you are going straight to bed when we get home." Morgan's mother sighed.

Morgan's new favorite month was November. Because that was the month she got her parents to understand, to finally listen to her. It was also the month she started back to school. However, it wasn't the month that she went back to normal. Her skin stayed the same striped way. And that was okay.