Skateboarding to school under the strong morning sun, Brett shuffled under the abnormally heavy weight of his backpack. Rather than being loaded with books, today it contained a change of clothes and an overnight setup for him.

He had prepared last night after he got a 9pm email to his personal email account from Miss Erenli.

    Subject:Shrink training today!
    From: Fatima Erenli (fatima.erenli@wwhs.edu)
    To: brett (brettttank@gmail.com)

    Dear Brett,
    I'm sorry that we are doing this without actually knowing each other. I have heard from Sondra and Wendy that you're a nice kid, but you didn't sign up for my history or social studies in 9th or 10 grades. You picked Mr. Berringer instead. What's up with that? :P just joking.
   
    You and Sondra did a great job describing the process we need to undergo and I'll make sure I've reviewed the paperwork before we meet after class.
   
    As for our schedule, unfortunately it is packed - after class gets out I take a sort of long bus ride to the community college across town, and then after class I walk to my apartment since it's under 1km away. We will do the first part on the way, and I will then finish up with you after I get home and we eat dinner. Unfortunately I probably can't spare the time to take you back home today, but I hope that Nancy is able to pick you up.
   
    If you can't get a ride back home, I have set up a shrinkee-friendly space for you in my closet. Unfortunately I do not have a spare room. My mother from Syria lives with me. She does not speak English well, but I have explained to her that I might have a shrunken student visitor for a special project so you need not worry about her.
   
    Please come by my classroom at 3:30 after last period.
   
    Best,
    Miss Erenli
   
Very good that she thought to sync up, he thought. It was hard to find out much about Miss Erenli from the school website, as it revealed nothing he didn't know already. She was young, but not new to the district, being hired about 4 years back. She came to the the US when she was younger. According to Marco, who had taken her in 10th grade, she was soft-spoken and had a nice sense of humor, but she had had a fairly raucous class and had barely been able to keep discipline intact. For halfway-decent students it was an easy A, and she seemed to enjoy going on tangents about historical parallels between cultures, and was especially spirited about women's issues. Even if few students paid attention to these digressions.

But his late-night research from the living room couch had been cut short as his mom finally demanded an answer about the shrinking training he was doing.
"Brett, fold up your laptop. We need to talk."
He groaned and closed the chromebook. Obviously he had to confront this now.
"Mom, I was going to tell you-"
"Stop. I'm the one talking here. Now. Your principal, my boss, Mrs. Lee-Reilly, told me today that you were basically working for the school now. Is that correct?"
Brett nodded. "That is sort of it, but-"
"Well, at first I thought I was going to come home and congratulate you. You had told me you were studying more and I saw your last 9-weeks report card and it was better, so I was happy. Brett, I was actually happy for you. I was thinking that my little man was getting better grades and making some money too. That's awesome, Brett. You used to make fun of Don for working as a janitor and you made fun of me for working as a gym teacher, but I felt momentarily proud that you had overcome that. I was looking forward to giving you the CR-V."
Brett smiled wearily. He knew there was a bombshell coming when she started like this.
"But honey, then I caught the first glimpse of the contract. I'm furious that you agreed to do this without telling me. I would have told you no way. Do you remember how I've always told you that Lee-Reilly is a snake? Do you remember what she did to the last assistant principal? Do you realize that you've basically just given her exactly what she needed to gain complete control over this school and start influencing the district's policies?"
"N-no." Brett said pitifully.
"Well you did! You really screwed up this time, Brett! This contract is a mess - you are liable for big money changing hands, do you know that? Education isn't immune to crummy rackets, you know! And if you think that Lee-Reilly wouldn't torture you all summer long if you mess with her plans, you're going to have a rude awakening!"
Brett clamored to his defense, angry at his mom's judgment. "But MOM! Look at what they are giving me! A lot of money for college! Help with my grades! Aren't you happy for me??"
"NO Brett. I failed. I failed to teach you in some way that this was wrong. You are not supposed to get better grades by doing sly deals. You didn't earn those grades Brett! You are supposed to work hard and be smart. I don't know if it's me or your *father*, but we failed you if you think this is OK."
Brett was still angry. He said "I don't care! It's going to help me AND the school, and the teachers so far have been cool with it. And who cares about the grades. You've seen how smart Dad is - he learned it in real business, not school, and he makes great money and does well enough for himself!" All the feelings that Brett had lately been simmering came to the surface. The anger of a divorced mom and a son with torn loyalties came colliding together with fury.
"DON'T YOU-" his mom started to yell, but then composed herself "don't you go there, hon. He left us high and dry when we needed him. You have clearly forgotten that."
Brett sulked. "Whatever. I'm going through with the rest of the program."
"Rest of the program? Who else do you still have to do this with?" his mom demanded.
"Miss Erenli, Ms. Samson-"
"UGh, not Katie. She's one of my friends."
"-Mrs. Gomez, Ms. Padmanabhan, and-" he paused as she just continued to shake her head.
"-and Ms. Issakinen. And it's all gotta be done before the end of school so mom I'm sorry but I'm busy and you need to get out of my space."
Then silence. His mom gestured impatiently for him to go on, but he didn't pick up the cue. So she cleared her throat.
"You sure you're not forgetting someone, bud?"
".... and you, mom."
"That's right, and me." his mom said, seething. "And you're to blame. I don't want to do this shrink training, but Mrs. Lee-Reilly is making me do it. I think you are helping her change our school for the worse. I think we can keep students learning and behaving themselves without turning them into dolls or specks of dirt. This is just barbaric."

Brett just looked around. He was annoyed with this diatribe.

"You are making this awkward as hell for me, Brett. I work with these people almost every day. I like nearly all of them. But because of what you're doing, they got totally the wrong idea about the kind of people we are. I have already had to hear as though it's no big deal that they found it enjoyable to wear you in their goddamn shoes. That's already a little embarrassing. But what I'm REALLY burned about is thinking about my son getting pervy with his teachers. You BETTER not be enjoying this, I swear to God."
Brett stood up and walked to his bedroom.
"I can promise you one thing my boy - if you're enjoying this, I am going to make it so bad for you when it's my turn that you'd never think of pulling a scam like this again. I will make what Mrs. Lee-Reilly threatened you with seem like a picnic. I will amp up the punishment to the highest and most creative level I am allowed to. I am going to put this mistake right no matter what it takes, Brett. Do you understand me? You might get some money out of it, you might get some undeserved GPA boost, but I'm going to make sure you learn that it's wrong and don't do it again."
On that line, Brett slammed the door and locked it behind him. He wouldn't emerge for the rest of the night.


----


The day was dragging. He found it hard to focus on the last class periods, even though he had his first final tomorrow. Was gonna have to just wing it and hope for the Lee-Reilly boost, he thought smugly. But he wasn't out of the woods yet, so he played it cool and tried to show that he was paying attention in the lectures.

But then, suddenly, the final bell rang at 3:30 and he felt like his feet were anchors on the ocean floor. He wanted to get over to Miss Erenli's office and get going, but he absolutely had to wait until everybody of consequence was gone before he ventured that way. There would be no explanation for why he was in another teacher's office that he didn't study with. There was gossip (perhaps planted by teachers) that a student was cheerfully volunteering to be a foot servant and he was worried he would be found out and what the consequences would be if he were. He drank a water bottle and just hung out on his phone outside his locker.

The coast was mostly clear by 3:45 and he ventured away from his locker. Through the commons and on to the other side of the school to Miss Erenli's room, he rounded the corner blindly, and then almost bumped into her. For a split second they made eye contact and then she darted out of the way.
"OOH!" She shrieked involuntarily, then began to redden. "Brett, it's you! Haha you need to be more careful."

Brett also felt extremely awkward in that moment, but not just for the reason that he'd nearly knocked her over. He'd simply never noticed how pretty she was. Close-up, her dark brown eyes had a piercing quality. She was tall and graceful, probably an inch taller than he was. She was wearing a light blue dress and a white hijab, with black flats.
"Oh I'm so sorry, I should have been more careful, I didn't mean to."
"It's okay, it's fine. Now - is your mom going to pick you up tonight?"
Brett shook his head, "No, I'm afraid she can't do it tonight."
"Okay... that's fine, we can do this like I planned. Do you have everything? Are you ready to go?"
"Wait, go?" Brett asked, confused.
"Yes... I told you 3:30, as we do need to catch the next bus at 4. We're going to have to rush a little bit. Do you have bus fare?"
Brett had to think... "No... I don't usually." He looked up to see her smiling.
"It's okay Brett, you should have prepared!" She laughed at him. "OK we'll have to do this differently. Come back to my classroom. Hand me your bag there. Oof, it's heavy."
They turned back into her classroom, and she closed the door.
"Brett, are you dressed for shrinking? You wore the leotard, right?"
"Yes, it's under my clothes... why?"
"Stand over there. Put on this walkie talkie on your wrist. I'm going to shrink you right now, ok?"
Brett winced. "Wait, now? How are you going to transport me?"
"We can take care of two things at once. You'll go in my shoe. Now stay still, let me work this thing..."

WHOOSH and he was again in a pile of clothes on the floor. Rapid but soft taps on the floor indicated she was approaching. He saw the clothes swooped up as she grabbed them and put them in a plastic bag, then looked straight up to see a veritable giantess looking down at him. "Are you okay?" she said sweetly.
Brett reached down to his wrist "Yeah I'm okay. Am I going straight into your shoe while you walk to the bus stop?"
Miss Erenli furrowed her brow and tilted her head to one side. "Well, yes - we are running late and don't really have much time. You don't have fare and won't have time to get a ticket since the machine at the stop is broken and lines are always long. Sorry Brett, but into my shoe you're going!" she said finally.
She lifted a soft, creamy white foot with long toes out of her right flat and then picked him up by the leotard, dropping him into the toe section. The foot came down around him gingerly but firmly, ultimately pinning him between her big and second toes.

"OK Brett I feel you in there. How are you feeling?" she asked authoritatively.
Brett considered how to respond. He felt reasonably secure like he wouldn't slip under her sole and get crushed, but it was hard to tell what would happen if she started to walk fast. He just decided to say "I'm fine Miss Erenli."
She tried to put him at ease with some humor. "How are the accomodations heheh?"
Brett smiled in his foot prison. "Oh they're delightful Miss Erenli. I need to find an air freshener that smells like the scent of this hotel room!"
As he heard Miss Erenli laugh heartily above, she involuntarily flexed her toes and Brett was squeezed gently.
Finally, Brett took a whiff to see what he was in for. There was just the faintest of foot odor, and her foot was cool and dry, but she had been inside an air-conditioned school all day. And he was about to be held in this flat as she speed-walked to the bus stop in the June heat wave and then on the bus for nearly an hour. Would she even remove him in time for her next class? He had plenty of time to ponder.
"Okay, off we go!" she said, as she locked up her room and headed out. "I'm going to keep the app open on my phone and put in my airpods, so you can talk to me if you need to, right?"

The next few blocks were a blur for Brett. He had the slightly disorienting sensation of being dragged upward and then slammed downward over and over again, but it had this delicate rhythm which he could adapt to. The squeezing of the toes was on, then off, on then off - but as it continued he fought a battle against airsickness.
He had only the presence of mind to marvel that this new teacher to him, who had never worked with him before, felt so confident in his bodily strength that she would run with him pressed under her toes in her flat. She had never handled a shrinkee before. But even though she had told him he could talk to her on the walkie-talkie, he felt secure enough that he didn't really bother yet.
There was some heat build-up and he felt her foot start to perspire, but with the airflow of moving it didn't really hit him yet.
After almost 15 minutes of quickly walking, he heard the sound of her footfalls change - she was climbing the steps into a bus. It was noisy with people talking, and he didn't feel any pressure depart so evidently she was still standing.

"hey brett i just saw this app could text. how r u doin. no ac in here 2day"
Brett felt the buzz and looked at his wrist. Clearly she texted like a teenager, maybe she was less mature than he thought? Or maybe she was just struggling to text with one hand as she held onto the bar during stops. Yeah, that was more likely, he thought.
"fine and dandy" he texted back.

He was a bit restless, but yielded to the pressure around him as the surface of the foot and shoe started to get a little moist. It was a hot June day, that's for sure. Stop after stop, she still remained standing, and he started to smell the pungent, earthy smell of her feet. Finally, after what seemed like 20 minutes, he felt her weight shift and she sat down.
"OK Brett sorry for that walk. I'm sitting now. It is hot in here and your bookbag was heavy!"
Brett did not reply down below. He was savoring the minor airflow of her holding her foot in the air and tapping it a bit.
She texted again. "I hope you're not drowning down there. Like I said, the bus's AC seems to be broken. They got the windows open."
Brett waited for a moment and texted back "Not drowning but I think I have my daily supply of sodium that's for sure."

Silence for a few minutes and then replies shot back.
"sodium? What do you mean"
"Gross!"
"You drank my foot sweat? SERious?"
Brett pondered how to respond.... he wanted to see how she'd react. "Yes, I thought that was your idea. The other teachers made me lick their feet and said it was part of the training."
"OMG"
"WHAT"
"No I didn't plan for that. They didn't tell me they did that. That is gross! Why would I order you do that?"
Brett decided to push it more. "It's not as gross as it sounds. Also your feet really don't have much taste. Very mild. You seem to take decent care of them."
"LOL you're funny, Brett. Cut it out, I know that's a lie. I have smelly feet."
Brett said "Well I've been under a few lately and they are the least smelly so far." This was actually a lie - Mrs. Gu's feet were less smelly. Miss Erenli had bigger feet with more sweat glands, and they were only somewhat less pungent than Ms. Olivier's. If he had to keep this up in the heat of summer all evening, he'd be getting quite the smorgasbord of foot flavor.

As if she was considering the sincerity of what he'd written, Miss Erenli took a couple minutes to reply. "OK if you say so. You are permitted to lick my feet if you want to. But I'm not going to make you do it just because it feels nice to get princess treatment. I still think it's kinda gross for you."
He latched onto the changed message. "Thanks for your concern for me. You are nice about it. I thought Lee-Reilly wanted to get every teacher to punish me hardcore."
"Oh Brett, she is just a little misguided. I didn't follow what she said because it is mean. I did not demand you to clean my feet because that is mean. She can be mean sometimes. But you still should respect her as your principal, she is just misguided."
Brett saw the opening. "Well thank you for your kindness. For you I don't mind giving you 'princess treatment.' if you like it."
She said "OK... but only if you really don't mind. And thanks for it. I am sure I will be even more tired at the end of my evening classes so this is nice."

He heard Fatima far above humming some song he couldn't quite make out, while far below he licked her toes, taking care to get into all the crevices. He really did feel foolishly ennobled by her use of the word "princess," as though this was tapping into some girly fantasy, but it was probably a throwaway line. Something silly to think about as he worked on her long, thin, princess-ly toes.