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7:30am: August 5th.

Matt

I wake up, hearing my parents argue, as always. Ever since I came out earlier this year this has ended up being normal. Arguments everyday, as well as brand new bruises appearing.

School isn't much better, Bullies taking potshots at me in the corridors, shouting slurs, etc.

Today isn't going to be any different.

I walk downstairs, wearing my usual, sweatpants and a t-shirt. My family have tried to ignore me ever since I came out, saying I "took their daughter away", but I'm used to hearing that.

I have the usual, coffee and toast, sharply interrupted by a swift right hook to the jaw, apparently, my grandfather's way of saying good-morning, followed by a series of slurs.

I finish, and make my way to the bus stop, 'shit', I think to myself. Yuri and his posse beat me there. Yuri is the kind of person who is entertained by seeing people suffer. Especially people like me.

I quickly check myself over, my binder's not showing, my bag is done up, everything's fine. Or so I thought.

I get politely greeted with: "Oh look, here comes the tranny". I ignore his comment and wait for the bus to arrive.

When it arrives, Yuri and his pals move straight to the back of the bus, reserved for the 'popular kids'. I choose to sit in the center of the bus, as I always do. Today's bus ride went surprisingly smoothly, only a few comments thrown about.

When the bus arrives at the school, I see Kerry, waving frantically at me. Oh what a sight to see. Kerry makes every situation better.

Students pile off the bus and greet friends as if they haven't seen each other in ages. I may have come out during the summer, but fucking hell rumours get round quickly. Everyone is talking about me. Every five seconds I hear, "wasn't she a girl?" Or "who's that? Omg it's her!".

I thought the classroom would offer some protection from the comments, but shit am I wrong. "Ok class, quieten down." Mr Harvey shouts over the rowdy voices. He continues: "as you may have heard, one of our students has changed their name, and by law we have to respect that."

There's a murmur of voices, disagreement of course, and Kerry locks eyes with me, in sympathy.

Mr Harvey shouts, "I said quieten down! We also have a new student joining us. Alex, would you like to introduce yourself?"

I turn around to see the new boy. His eyes a bright green, his hair jet black, and a half-smile spread across his face. He shakes his head no, and Mr Harvey carries on with the class.

The bell rings, students piling out of the classroom. Yuri shouts at me from down the corridor. "Hey tranny, you gonna go perv on some girls?" I hide my face in my hood, but people have noticed me, and my heart is racing.

I look up, and see Yuri and his gang storming towards me. I know exactly what's about to happen. Yuri grabs my shirt, and slams me against the lockers with ease, my breath being forced out of my body with ease. Out of the corner of my eye I see Grant, and Luke, two of the best football players in the school, getting ready to have their turn with me.

Yuri shouts various slurs in my face, landing a few punches in between, and I get dropped onto the floor. Luke and Grant finish it all up with a few kicks to the stomach, making sure that I 'learn my lesson' even though I know for certain that it'll happen again tomorrow, if not later today.

No one stops to help, they all walk past, or tread on me. Apart from one boy. The new boy, Alex, he's watching me. Why is he just watching me? I stand up, my face bleeding, and make my way to the toilets to clean up.