Desperate Cage
Maybe I'm an Alligator
Something sticky was thrown at me, landing into my hair. I peeled it out, looking at the long pieces of spaghetti, which were obviously smothered in sauce. I hated this, I hated everyone. Life was a bunch of bullshit to a person like me.
I stood up and walked slowly toward the cafeteria doors. Looking back at the crowd of laughing faces, I saw one person out of everyone who had their face covered. A person who maybe felt bad for me, maybe felt the way I did sometimes. But who was I kidding? I was probably the only transgender in the whole school.
I pulled out my phone, a tear dripping onto the red case. Why did everything have to be the way it was? I unlocked the phone and dialed my closest friend's number. "Hey, Jess," my voice cracked as I said her name. Suddenly uncontrollable tears were washing my pained face and I couldn't hold it in any longer. All the taunting and shit was finally getting at me. I leaned against a wall to hold myself steady, but it didn't help. I crumbled to the ground.
"What's going on, Ana? Is everything alright? Why are you crying so hard?" I couldn't tell her, though. I couldn't tell anybody who I really was. They could see me, think about who I was really, but they would never know for sure if I didn't tell them. I didn't even think Jess would like it.
"Nothing, nevermind." I stuffed my words into the microphone and said I had to go. She kissed me through the phone and I kissed her back. She was my best friend.
***
"Ana, we're moving."
I was happy. I was so, so happy. I felt ecstatic. The good feelings swirling around in my gut would never compare to the look on my face after my mother told me the good news.
"Are we really? Thank you, Mom. You're the best," I said as I squeezed her tight. She was, in a way, the very best.
"Yeah, yeah," she said and pushed me aside. "Your father and I bought the new house already, so we'll be moving our things into the house tomorrow. Sound good?"
I nodded. Everything would finally be alright! All the teasing would go away, I would make some new friends, maybe get good grades. Life would be the way I wanted it to be from the day I found out who I really was.
Finally, a fresh start.
I stood up and walked slowly toward the cafeteria doors. Looking back at the crowd of laughing faces, I saw one person out of everyone who had their face covered. A person who maybe felt bad for me, maybe felt the way I did sometimes. But who was I kidding? I was probably the only transgender in the whole school.
I pulled out my phone, a tear dripping onto the red case. Why did everything have to be the way it was? I unlocked the phone and dialed my closest friend's number. "Hey, Jess," my voice cracked as I said her name. Suddenly uncontrollable tears were washing my pained face and I couldn't hold it in any longer. All the taunting and shit was finally getting at me. I leaned against a wall to hold myself steady, but it didn't help. I crumbled to the ground.
"What's going on, Ana? Is everything alright? Why are you crying so hard?" I couldn't tell her, though. I couldn't tell anybody who I really was. They could see me, think about who I was really, but they would never know for sure if I didn't tell them. I didn't even think Jess would like it.
"Nothing, nevermind." I stuffed my words into the microphone and said I had to go. She kissed me through the phone and I kissed her back. She was my best friend.
***
"Ana, we're moving."
I was happy. I was so, so happy. I felt ecstatic. The good feelings swirling around in my gut would never compare to the look on my face after my mother told me the good news.
"Are we really? Thank you, Mom. You're the best," I said as I squeezed her tight. She was, in a way, the very best.
"Yeah, yeah," she said and pushed me aside. "Your father and I bought the new house already, so we'll be moving our things into the house tomorrow. Sound good?"
I nodded. Everything would finally be alright! All the teasing would go away, I would make some new friends, maybe get good grades. Life would be the way I wanted it to be from the day I found out who I really was.
Finally, a fresh start.