Camp Half-Blood: Origins Revealed {Discontinued}

Chapter XI Who am I

I shuffled through my house, still half asleep. What's going on? At first, I didn't notice it, but I was following something, or, was it, someone...

Looking more closely, I saw, Wait, is that me?

The figure had my long curly hair and glasses, my face, but... it didn't feel right to see myself like this. I couldn't explain it, but that didn't feel like. . . me. I looked around the room, looking for anything to tip off this being a dream.

My eyes skipped back over to the movement in the mirror by the door. I didn't look like the other me. I had boyish hair and looked more masculine than I usually would. I raised my hand to the back of my head, trying to see if my hair really was as short as it was in my reflection. My hand brushed over the soft curls at the nape of my neck, expecting to feel more than I did.

I should feel unnerved, anxious, maybe even alarmed at my appearance, but... it felt... natural.

I started thinking that maybe this wasn't so bad. I turned back to the other me. Staring myself in the eyes, I moved closer to her. She gave me a sad smile and put a hand on my shoulder, "There can't be two of us," something about the way she said it, or I guess I said it, didn't feel right. I saw the glint of metal in her hands.

Shooting upright in bed, I felt my heart pounding in my chest. I reached up, my hand tangling in the long curls falling past my shoulders. I hate this feeling. Like I don't belong in my own skin. This wasn't the first time this feeling ate away at me, but this felt more forceful than usual. I should talk to someone about this. . .

. . .

Hailey Black

6:05 am

Hey, it happened again... -Me

I watched as Hailey typed out her response.

Hailey Black

6:06 am

Which thing? -Hailey Black

I feel like I don't belong in my own skin... -Me

Oh, that one... -Hailey Black

I told you that if you felt more you as a boy or something else entirely, I'd be here for you. Just let me know, okay? -Hailey Black

Thanks, I just don't know how to start talking about this with the others.. -Me

I don't know either, but we can try to figure it out together if you want -Hailey Black

Thanks, ily bestie -Me

Love you too, -Hailey Black

Hey wait -Hailey Black

Do you still want to be called lex, or do you want to be called something else? -Hailey Black

I like lex -Me

Kk lex, talk later -Hailey Black.

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I need to talk to dad about this before I lose my nerve.

I shuffled through my house, looking to see if the light was still on in my dad's office (aka our dining room when no one was eating). He was still in there.

"Hey, dad? Can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure, what is it?" He turned to face me.

I explained how I felt the best I could to my dad. "I just feel off in my own body. And I know that I shouldn't feel like this but-"

I was cut off by a hug from my dad. "Whoever said you shouldn't feel the way you do? I love you no matter what, wether you are my daughter, or my son. Okay?"

I tried to say something, but my voice wouldn't work, so I just nodded.

"So, what do you want to do? I could get you whatever you need to make this easier, just let me know okay kiddo?"

I nodded again. Having him be so supportive made the thought of telling the others a lot easier. "I don't know if I'm ready for everyone to know just yet, is that okay?" I asked, pulling away from my dad.

"This is about you, you get to decide who you want to tell and when."

"What is?" Taylor came into the room, rubbing her eyes.

"I'll tell you later," I said.

. . .

I spent a few weeks trying to figure out what all of this meant for me. My dad bought me a binder and offered to get me started on t. In small doses, the changes didn't show so suddenly and. I talked to Adi and Hailey about everything. They were both super supportive and even helped me talk about it to Andrew and Sam.

I knocked on the doorframe to Taylor's room. "Hey, can we talk?" She hasn't said much to me since I came out to her about me being trans.

"Sure," Taylor sounded really tired.

I sat down next to her on her bed. "How are you doing? We haven't talked much recently."

Taylor looks over at me with a weary smile, "Sorry, I've just been. . . processing. . ." She looks away for a second. "It's a lot to take in that it's really happening. I overheard you talking with Hailey about it a while back. . . I didn't say anything then because I knew you would tell me when you were ready. I just, I don't know, everything is changing so what does that mean for us?"

She leaned into me, and I wrapped my arms around my little sister. "Well, I don't know what it means, but I won't let anything come between me and my little sister," I let out a laugh and messed up her hair.

She laughed with me, "You're ridiculous, Lex. Best brother ever." She paused and looked back at me.

I stared at her for a second before breaking out into a grin, "Well duh, I'm your brother!"

I heard the door open and turned to see who it was.

"Hey, Connor," I smiled at him.

He smiled back, "Travis wants you to come out and talk to him, but he won't tell me why."

Again? "Okay," I turned back to Taylor, "I'll see you later okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Go on, you and your boyfriend," Taylor shooed the two of us out of her room and shut the door behind us.

I looked at the door, then back at Connor before I burst out laughing.

He looked at me like I was crazy, and his face went red when he saw that I'd noticed. Connor cleared his throat, "I'll be in the living room when you're done," He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

I followed him down the hall before heading to the front door. "Travis, hey," I said, getting his attention.

He turned to look at me before pulling me away from the door. "Remember what you told me about Connor over spring break?"

"I told you that I love him," I said.

Travis blinked, "Technically, all you said was that you were head over heels for him. Anyway, I was going to ask if you still felt the same, because if you don't you need to stop stringing him along."

"Of course I do. I don't think anything can change how I feel about Connor," I sighed. The only thing stopping me from going to Connor about it is that I don't know if he feels the same way, with all that's changed.

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