Allie - The teenage years of Alexander Horten

August 23-29, 2015

August 23, 2015

Sunday

Dear Diary

Today was Choir again at the church. Of course, we came at the last minute, which annoyed the priest. Besides Billy being so slow in the bathroom. It was mom's first time out in public. She had to take her time and take things slowly. I was proud of my mom, she showed so much courage.

I met Annie as we were entering Church. She told me that we could speak after. 

There was a strange atmosphere at the choir and the mass itself. The boys were looking at the newspaper. They were giggling and looking at me. I didn't have time to look at it. However, I could see the people at mass looking at the newspaper. Then they would look at me with strange smiles or disapproving ones. Dad and mum were whispering to each other.

When I was changing, I found out what all the commotion was. I looked at the newspaper. It was me dressed as a girl in Greece. I remembered when some man wanted to take a picture of me. He was really a journalist! I wanted to tell the other boys I could explain. But what could I explain? That picture said enough. My life was ruined.

On my way out to the car, everyone was staring at me. Mom held my hand close to protect me. Annie walked by me without saying a word and my arch enemy Noah just gave me some wicked smile. He would no doubt make my life at school hell.

Aunty tried to cheer me up. She said she would be taking Sarah and me to see a film the next day.

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August 24, 2015

Monday

Dear Diary

I could not stop thinking about Annie. She most definitely has noticed that I was now alive. She probably thought that I was a sissy and wore dresses when I could. I am sure that if I explained why I had to wear Sarah's clothes, she would understand and think that I was in fact brave for wearing a dress under the circumstances.

How wrong I could be. When I knocked at Annie's door, her mother answered. She looked at me as if I was the most wanted criminal in the country. She snapped at me that Annie did not want to see me. Her mother was happy about this. Both Annie and her mom thought I was a sissy and a bad influence.

As I went home I was holding my head low. I was in tears and thought that my life was over. People would never forget that picture. At the age of 13 years and one month, I would now have the status of being an outcast and a weird boy.

The new girl was hanging outside her new house. She rushed to me and told me her name was Isabella but everyone called her Bella. She lived with her granny.

I stopped crying as I could not help to think that Bella was so pretty. She was just like an angel. It was too late. She noticed that I have been crying so I told her the story. I was sure that she would run away and think that I was a freak.

Bellas reaction shocked me, "I thought the picture was cute. You do look like a girl in it. Not every boy could do that. I think it shows you have the courage and you do look very happy. Even if you wanted to be a girl, no one should make you cry over that. I think you should dress and be what makes you happy."

I assured Bella that I was not a sissy. She announced in a chirpy voice that she would like to be friends. I could not believe my ears. One of the prettiest girls I ever met wanted to be my friend.

I was on a pink cloud

That night we went to see an old film called Billy Elliot. Basically it's a boy that wants to do ballet and this is hard for others to accept. They all think he was a sissy because he wants to do ballet. The fact is that he just liked doing ballet. He did have a friend who liked dressing as a girl.