The Becoming Of A

Chapter 1

Charles. Charles DiLaurentis. That's who I was. Was. I'm not Charles anymore. I don't even know if I'm a DiLaurentis anymore. I've changed more than other kids. Other kids change, but they usually get a haircut, change their clothes or something. But they don't change so much that they change their gender. I've been treated different since. The kids won't let me hangout with them or go to their parties anymore. Even my family is treating me suspiciously. It's like I'm a different person that they don't even know anymore. But I'm not a different person. I never was a different person. I'm still me. I still like the same things. I have the same family, with Alison, Jason, Mom, and Dad. I'm still Charles DiLaurentis. At least I was. Now I'm Charlie. Charlie DiLaurentis. The transgender.

My mom, Jessica DiLaurentis, has been treating me different. She's been seeing me as a different person. I haven't changed, at least not that I know of. Is there something she's not telling me? Is it about dad? It's like ever since I 'changed', she hasn't loved me the same. All I want to know is if she still loves me for who I am. Dad left us, and Jason can't even bother to say hi, which is quite rude considering the fact that he's my twin. Not about Alison. Alison's too special. Everyone loves Alison, so what would it have to do with Alison? Besides, she's always in her room hanging out with-

"Charlie? It's almost time to go. We have to leave for school in 20. Are you ready?" My mom peeks in through the door, interrupting my thoughts. She's wearing her favorite blouse. The lacing hand made, perfectly strung together, not a thread out of place. Must have an interview today.

"Yeah mom." I respond. "I'll be down in 10 minutes." I wait till my mom walks down the stairs, always making the creak on the 4th step up. I don't even see the point of going to school today. Not like I have anything else to learn. It's almost summer time, and I'm still going to school. College. I go to a close college, nearby, so I can still be at the house, not risking the fact of being left with those camp-living people. Not my best idea of committing to college. Just another casual day, sending myself to a 4 year trip of torture and judgment.

I threw on my shoes and slumped downstairs, just to find myself waiting some more. While I waited for my mom to finish her makeup, I went in the kitchen and grabbed a banana. I saw Alison sitting at the table staring down at her phone, hitting her thumbs against the keyboard, probably texting her friends. I was going to grab another banana, but my mom called for me.

"Today when you get back from class, I need you to take Ali to Aria's house. She would go by herself, but she's wearing her new vans, so I would rather her not walk there and get them dirty. Is that okay, hon?"

Why would she want me to take Ali? Ali hates me and she would never agree to going in my car. She says the leather on the seats give her rashes. Plus, she doesn't like me anymore, ever since our mom made us share a room together because it was best that I share with Alison instead of Jason. Maybe she wants something from me? But all I do is nod and say yes as we walk out the door. Alison's behind us, and I notice that she is slumping in her walking a little. I look down at her shoes and notice that she took moms blue sparkling wedges. I asked if I could wear those today. Mom said no to me, yet she said yes to Alison. I knew she loved her more. Of course she does. Who doesn't love Alison DiLaurentis?

We're walking to the car and I hop in the front seat, next to my mom. I pull out my phone and check Instagram. The first thing I do is go look at Alison's profile. I scroll all the way down and see a picture of the whole family together. It's when we came back from our camping trip. Alison didn't get to bring any of her friends, so she got really pissed. But when we got there, she seemed to be alright, like she was having fun with the family. But it was before I changed. Now our family is never like that.

I start to talk aloud and I said to myself, "Why does she love her more. Why does anybody even love her. She's rude and discreet. She's a liar." I was talking too loud, so my mom turned her head, but hesitated to look back at me. I don't think she wants to start anything with me and Ali. I wanted her to. This family needs something fun to happen.

The car starts driving and I watch the house disappear off into the distance. I wave goodbye and see out the corner of my eye that Alison is laughing at me. She doesn't understand. She doesn't know how hard it is to leave our home. The one place that I'm away from the world. Away, safe and sound, from all the worries I have in the world.