Cross School

Final Chapter - The Year That Changed Us All

The rest of the year flew by quickly for everyone at Priscilla Girl's Academy. Everyone had changed in one way or another, no one knew that more than Charlie, because he was the only one who hadn't. The last day of school was about to begin. Once Summer began, he would go back home, unsure of whether he wanted to continue his education at Priscilla. Not all of them were. Zach and Summer, shortly after revealing that they were a couple and that Summer was transgender, announced they would return to their hometown high school next year. This day would be their goodbye.

Sam, who now went by Samara, and was also trans, was still undecided as to if she wanted to continue life at Priscilla's next year. Taylor was the only one who had chosen to continue, and Charlie was pretty sure Sam would too. That left only him.

He pondered the decision early that morning. He snuck his way onto the dormitory's roof, after he had gotten dressed in the same gothic gown he had worn his first day forced into being a girl. He was able to do all his makeup himself and was even able to style his hair exactly how Polly had shown him, in two perky twin ponytails.

He had climbed out onto the roof from the upstairs bathroom and stared up at the bright sky. He was up before anyone else and was able to get ready before the morning rush. Today was the last time he was allowed to cross dress under the punishment guidelines, after today, he would have no excuse to.

If he went back to his hometown he wouldn't be able to dress as a gothic princess during class, he would get bullied more than he normally did. Staying at Priscilla seemed like a good move, what was left for him back home, but at the same time, what was left for him here?

He had Lou, his fake/not-so fake girlfriend. He liked her, but they worked better as friends, and she admitted that she wanted to marry a church-going Mormon one day anyway. She wasn't even Mormon herself, so he wondered how that would work out. Zach and Summer were leaving. Charlie wasn't too close to either of them, but he enjoyed their company. Charlie realized that he wasn't really close with anyone he met during the year, in fact, he had made a lot of friends, none of which he would consider a 'good friend'.

Taylor was cool, but Charlie much preferred it when they were less complicated. The whole identity crisis mess was a bit confusing for him. Samara was nice, but she wasn't the meek boy she had been all year. She had blossomed into a strong woman, much like the friends she surrounded herself with. Charlie didn't have any reason to mock Sam or Taylor anymore, they had grown beyond him. Everyone had changed but Charlie and that left him in an awkward place.

Before classes began, he made his way to the principal's office in the school's main building, a separate entity from her personal office in the girl's dorm. He found Keira Stanford busy signing papers and typing principal-stuff into her laptop. Charlie had to clear his throat just to get her attention.

'Charlie? This is a surprise. What can I help you with?'

'That's a very good question,' he said, showing sincerity for once. 'I don't know what I should do for next year.'

'Do you want to stay here, Charlie?'

He hesitated. 'I have no idea what I want to do. On one hand, I have friends here, but on another, they're so drastically different from the people I knew at the beginning of the year I'm not sure I even fit in anymore.'

Mrs. Stanford motioned for Charlie to sit on one of the chairs in front of her desk. 'What's your situation like back home?'

'Normal, I guess. I don't have many friends back home, most people aren't really on my wavelength. Everyone here, they get me, but I don't get them. I'm...really confused. I've always felt lost, without purpose, now more than ever.'