RebelRose

Hello again, I wrote a thing again. This is currently just a one shot but I do have some ideas to maybe continue it in the future. Also, I know I rarely post. Work has been killing me and I haven't had the passion to write anything. Every time I try I just end up scrapping it, but this one is kind of special to me so I wrote it and posted. I hope you all enjoy 

“I see you back there! Come on out.”

I slowly moved out from behind the bookcase where I was hiding, it had the best view of the TV that wasn't the couch. The Olympics were on and I was never allowed to stay up past my bedtime, even during my favorite events. 

“Why don’t you come sit down next to me and we can watch for a few minutes,” my aunt said, patting the seat next to her.

My eyes widened and I looked around, afraid my mother might come up and yell at me to go back to bed.

“Don’t worry little one, I won’t tell her. You can stay up and watch with me tonight, but just this once okay?” She smiled at me, her eyes warm and caring.

“Thanks, Aunt Theresa!” I said excitedly.

She wasn’t really my aunt but I always called her that because she would never let me call her Mom. She was my birth mother’s wife, after she divorced my dad they got together and eventually married when I was six. My father was not a good man and she was very glad to be away from him.

I sat quietly with my aunt as the rhythmic gymnastics event started. I always loved watching the girls dance across the floor, waving their ribbons or tossing their batons. They were so graceful and strong. I wanted to be one of them so badly.

My aunt noticed my reactions to the event and chuckled slightly. “You know, I used to do rhythmic gymnastics myself.”

I looked back at her, eyes wide. “Really?” 

“Mmhmm, I was actually really good at it before I tore my ACL and had to stop. I still have some of my old stuff, maybe I'll pull it out of storage sometime and show you.”

“It must be so cool to be out on that floor, all graceful and pretty. I wish I could be like that.”

“Then why don’t you? If you really are passionate about it I'll even take you to lessons for it.”

I shook my head. “I can’t, I’m a boy. Boys aren't supposed to be pretty and like dancing, the other kids at school would make fun of me. I wish I could be a girl so I could be pretty and dance across the floor like that.”

I started crying. I wasn't sure why, I just wanted to be like the pretty girls on TV. 

I felt my aunt's arms surround me. “Shh, sweetie, it’s okay. If you want to be a girl then why don't we try it out for a bit.” 

“R..Really? I can just… be a girl?” I sniffed.

“Yes of course you can, sweetie, we can start small. I can call you a girl and by a girl's name if you want. Maybe we can ask your Mom if we can go and get you some girls clothes, and when you are ready, I can sign you up for the Junior girls gymnastics classes. Would you like that?” she cooed.

I nodded. “But what name would I have? I have only ever been…” I stopped, I couldn't even say my boy name.” 

“Your mother told me, if she had ever had a little girl. She would have named her Katlyn. Katie for short.”

“K..Katie?” As soon as I said it I knew that I wanted it to be my name. “I want to be Katie!”

My aunt hugged me again. 

I sat up when I heard the floorboards behind the couch creaking. 

“What are you doing up?” my mother scolded. “You should have been in bed an hour ago. Theresa, why are you letting him stay up?” 

I flinched, even hearing masculine pronouns was bad. 

Aunt Theresa put her hand on my back. “Katie and I were just having a discussion about Gymnastics I was thinking of signing her up for classes soon.” She looked at my mother.

“Katie? Wha..?” She looked back at Aunt Theresa and saw the very serious expression on her face.

I shrunk down a little bit, trying to sink into the couch.

“Oh honey!” My mother rushed towards me and pulled me into her embrace. 

I started crying again.

“Oh my sweet baby girl.” She hugged me so tight that I felt like I was going to pop.

“I'll let you two talk.” Aunt Theresa said, hurrying out of the room.

I looked up at my mother. “So you.. you're okay with me… being a girl?”

“Of course I'm okay with it honey, if you want to be a girl I think that's just fantastic.”

We sat there like that for a few minutes, I was content to just sit in my mother’s arms. I was her daughter, I was Katie.

Eventually my aunt came back, she had a small box in her hands. 

When my mother saw it she looked at her. “Are you sure, Theresa?” 

My aunt nodded. “I would rather it be loved and used by her than collecting dust and being forgotten in a closet.”

She sat down on the couch next to me so I was sitting between her and Mom. 

“Katie, sweetheart.” 

I wiggled happily at her using my new name. She reached into the box and pulled out a dancing ribbon. It was a soft pink with a long white handle that had a pretty blue bead on the end.

“This was mine from when I used to dance. I never thought I would get the chance to see it fly again. I am giving this to you now, so that maybe that will happen. I want you to follow this dream, this passion, and maybe someday I'll get to see you on that TV. I’m sure you will look graceful and pretty, just like you want.”

I gingerly took the ribbon from her hands. It was like she had just handed me the Mona Lisa.

“I promise I will,” I said through yet even more tears as she and Mom hugged me together.

I was going to keep my promise. This ribbon would take me to gold. I just knew it!