The Beginning of Everything

5th grade was only the beginning of a long list of problems. It was where Katie became Adrian, and that in itself was hard enough.

            "Ok class. Let's split up into boys and girls so we can measure our heights." said the teacher, not really sounding like one who deals with kids this age.

            Katie remained in her seat awhile before getting up to join her cousin Nathan, with the boys. "No Katie," commented her teacher, "that's the wrong side." speaking to her like she was disabled. "You're on this side."

            "No." retorted Katie, sounding as if what the teacher said had been a joke. "I not a girl."

            "Yes, you are." said the teacher, sounding irritated by her stubbornness.

            "I'm not a girl." repeated Katie, a sound of irritation that met the teachers.

            The teacher let out a sigh, "Katie, please sit out. We'll discuss this with your parents later." As the ten year old returned to her seat, the only thing she could think was, finally.

 

            When her parents arrived at the school, they seemed confused. Katie wasn't one to get in trouble or act out, that was Ethan's area of expertise. "I'm terribly sorry to have to call you down here." said the teacher, gesturing for them to take a seat.

            "No. Not at all." replied her mom. "So, what's this about?"

            "Today in class, we were measuring our heights based on our gender," started the teacher, "and instead of going to the side all the girls were on, Katie went and stood by Nathan."

            Her parents were flabbergasted. "..W-What?" asked Rachel (her mom), thoroughly confused by what had just been said.

            "And after I asked her to move to the other side, she said that... well, that she's not a girl." There was silence. Nothing but the shallow, agitated breathing coming from the ten year old in question.

            "Sweetheart," began her mother, "what exactly did you mean by that?"

            And without hesitation, "I mean what I said. I'm not a girl." She was calm, and though she was apprehensive of her parents response, she didn't show it.

            "We don't understand." said her father, trying to break the tension. "Why don't you think that you're not a girl?"

            "Because I don't feel like one." she stated, sounding desperate and agitated. "I've always felt like a boy and then wondered why I'm not like Ethan or Nathan."

            "But you're not a boy." said her teacher.

            "Yes I Am! Because I'm definitely not a girl!" came the child, sounding insulted and frustrated with the adults that understood nothing.

            "Sweetheart, just... calm down." sounding more like she was talking to herself than her child. "We'll talk about this later."

 

            The drive home was silent. No one said a word for fear of an argument. "I mean what I said, ok?" Katie said, trying to make her parents understand.

            "And when did you decide this?" spat her mom, dropping her usually calm demeanor.

            "Mum, I didn't decide anythin'!" said Katie, slipping into her accent that she only used when she was mad. "I've always been this way!"

            "But Katie-" started her mom, but she was cut off.

            "And I'm not Katie! A'ight?"

            "Then what?" asked her father, trying to stop what was happening between Katie and her mother.

            "I'm Adrian." he said, "I've been Adrian for a while," calmly, then losing it, "because every time I hear that name (Katie), I'm reminded that I have a girls body, and I hate it!" he screams, running up the stairs to his bedroom and slamming the door behind him.

Reviews

[VannahBanana]

This had a lot going on in it. I liked the way you did the first chapter, maybe you should do this chapter the same. I think you tried to get everything out all at once. That isn't necessarily a bad thing by any means, but it can take away from the emotion of the story. I like the plot. And I like the story a lot. It opens people's eyes to different experiences that they never knew existed.

[Brandon S. Whitten]

Excellent read, Alexander.

[Jonathan Biswell]

i like it so far keep up the good work