The Boy Who Looked Like a Girl

"You're never going to be normal. You look too pretty, too much like a girl. You look so young for your age, like a piece of art. You're timeless, classic. Beautiful people are never appreciated until they're older. But I appreciate you now. You understand that, right?"

"But . . . I-I'm . . . not s'pposed to."

"But if feels good, doesn't it? Doesn't it? You're so pretty and I'm going to make you feel pretty."

"N-No."

"You didn't say please. Just be quiet and don't say a word. Be a good boy, you understand?"

"But it hurts."

"It only hurts for a little while."

"N-No."

"Shhh, darling. It's all going to be okay. Oh, God, you're so beautiful."

* * *

"Oh, honey, why'd you cut off your hair? You looked so pretty."

"I don't want to look pretty. I looked like a girl. I don't want to look like a girl. I want to look like a boy! Minä haluan näyttää pojalta!"