Chapter 1
Carmen hated her body. She never felt comfortable in her body at all. She knew she was supposed to boy when she was born. She told her friends to call her Carlos. Her best friend agreed to do it but her friends laughed it off like it was a joke. During her 1st hour class, people were talking about her as she sat down in the back of the class. Kids in Carmen’s class started to chuck balled up papers at her and she put her head in her arms. After school, Carmen slowly walked home knowing that her parents were not going to be happy with her when she got home.
When she got home, Carmen rushed to her room, dropped her school bag on the floor, and grabbed her laptop to look busy. Carmen heard her parents’ footsteps echo in her ears. The footsteps got louder and louder until they stopped in Carmen’s doorway. Carmen was to afraid to look up and she pretended to think. “Carmen Marie Simons, why did I get a call from the school saying that you were talking about that trans crap?” Carmen’s dad asked. Not wanting to lie, she answered quietly, “Because trans people are people too.” This seemed to anger her dad. “If I had a nickel for every real gender, I’d have two nickels and a bunch of nuts. Are you a nut? No, you aren’t,” Carmen’s dad said angerly.
Carmen fought back the tears in her eyes as her parents yelled at her. When her parents left her room, Carmen stared at the door, walked over, and shut it. She was upset but didn’t want to show it. She walked over to her mirror and looked at it. She had taken some of her older brother’s clothes before he left for college. She grabbed his sweater and slipped it on. Carmen only had one person in the house that understood her. “I miss you, Chase,” Carmen whispered with tears in her eyes. Her grades had been dropping since Chase left for college. Carmen cried and cried all day.
Carmen kept thinking about Chase until her 18th birthday. Today was the best Wednesday ever. She left for school excited for after school. When she got to school, everyone was acting the same as normal. The nerd group were hanging out in the lunch room, the popular group was chatting in the halls, the gamers were gaming in the library, the literature club was reading and talking about poems, and the theater nerds were talking about the latest play. Carmen walked over to her group, aka the theater nerds, and asked what they were talking about. “Didn’t you hear about the Villainess and the Maiden play? Our teacher has been talking about it for days,” said Carly, Carmen’s bff. “You should totally be the Maiden! You fit the part to the t!” said Camron. “Isn’t that part for a female?” Carmen asked, confused. “Yeah but we always put people with other genders into other gender parts and plus, I want to watch you kiss someone.” Camron said. Carmen rolled her eye. “Ha ha very funny.” Carmen said, sarcastically.
“Don’t you have one of your surgeries after school today?” Carly asked. “Yeah. Wait, isn’t the try outs after school in two days?” Carmen asked. “They are. Why don’t you sign up.” Carly said. They walked over to the sign up sheet and they each signed up for a part. Ethan signed up for Father, Carly signed up for Grandmother, Camron signed up for Villainess as a joke, Cam signed up for Villager 1, Tio signed up for working offstage, Wade signed up for assistant director, Sarah signed up for Sister, and Carmen signed up for Maiden. The theater nerds walked away talking about the play and the popular group walked over to the sign up sheet. Carmen paid no attention to the popular kids and went on with her day. After Carlos’s first surgery, he returned home really sore and exhausted. He was now Carlos. He plopped down onto his bed and looked across his room at the mirror. His parents were out of town that month, leaving him home alone.
Carlos smiled to himself as he laid in bed. He couldn’t wait for try outs. On Friday, he entered the gym to find over 30 people around the gym practicing their lines for try outs. “Oh gosh. I’m dead.” Carlos thought to himself. The door slammed open and Carlos jumped. “Alright, everyone! On the bleachers, chop chop.” The director said as everyone hurried to find a spot. Carlos found a spot next to Carly. “I am Director Erik Damon. I promise all spots will be filled. Now, everyone out of the gym, I will call people in. Ms. Callie, you may stay along with Mr. Wade who is my assistant." Director Damon said and everyone left the room.
Carlos and his friends waited until they were called. Soon, everyone had tried out except Carlos. Wade exited the gym with a clipboard. "Carmen Simons. Please follow me." Wade said as Carlos followed him. Carlos heard people whisper things about him as he entered the quiet gym. Carlos climbed the stair up to the stage and stood in the center of the stage. "Alright Ms. Carmen," said Director Damon. "Actually, sir, it's Carlos now." Carlos said, hesitantly. "Alright. Well, go on with your acting." Director Damon said, calmly. Carlos said the part of Maiden in his best female voice. "Go get everyone in here, Wade." Director Damon said, Wade exited the gym and got everyone in the gym. Director Damon went through all the parts and got to the friend group's parts. "Ethan is playing Father, Carly plays Grandmother, Cam plays Villager 1, Sarah plays Sister, Camron plays Brother of Villainess, and Carmen, sorry, Carlos plays Maiden." Director Damon said.
The group was so excited that they got parts! The director said that the sheet will be in the lunchroom on the board to see who had what parts. Everyone left the gym and went to their normal classes. Carlos slowly walked to his class. He wondered who got the Villainess part. At lunch, everyone was crowded around the sheet. People slumped away from the sheet sad that they didn't get the part.
