"Ava. Ava wake up." I heard, waking up. I didn't know who that was anymore. I thought it was some nightmare, I'd forgotten that name years ago.
I shook the feeling off and got out of bed, sighing some. Another shitty day at work. Time to deal with Karens all morning, lets hope not too many want coffee today.
As I was walking up to my work, a guy came up to me. He seemed familiar but I didn't recognize his face, everything seemed so blurred.
"Ava, are you okay?" The man asked. There it is with that God awful name again. "Yes, I'm fine." I replied begrudgingly.
"You looked at me like you didn't recognize me. It's me, your older brother?" He said. He stared down at me like I was a bug under his shoe.
I sighed and walked past him, it didn't feel real. I patted my chest, they weren't there. So why was I being called that again?
I walked into the store, going behind the counter and fixing my name tag, 'Rubis' it said.
"Uhm, ma'am. I said I want my fucking latte." I turned at the lady in front of me, who appeared out of thin air. "Yes ma'am, is that all today?" I asked.
She rolled her eyes, "Yes. That's all. Now go get my latte, you slut."
I sighed, it had been hours since I encountered her but I couldn't help but stare in the mirror. It felt like I was staring at someone else.
I was staring at myself, at 14 years old. I was so young, so naïve. I didn't know who I was.
But now I do.
I'm Rubis. I'm no longer the little girl I was. And I'm no longer the same person. I've always been a boy at heart, even knowing that I'll can't look that way yet. I am a boy.
I am me.
I am more than whatever little boxes you try to put me in. I'm more than you can comprehend, but that doesn't mean I don't exist.
I am everything I can strive to be. All that and more. I will always be myself, no matter how much you try to take from me.
I am me. I always will be me. And you will not stop me from being myself at any given point in time.
I am not scared to be myself anymore. I know that I'm worth it. And I know that I'm powerful.
I may not hit your diversity quota. And I may not be what you think of when you see the word 'trans'. But that won't stop me.
I am trans. I am proud of that.
I am me.