Throughout your life, you’ve always been a follower, quietly fitting into the background, never seeking the spotlight. Loud, eccentric people were never your thing, so you blended into the crowd - just another face among many. But it never got you anywhere. You thought being normal would help you make friends, but it turned out to be the opposite. The trend was to be loud, rude, and snide, mocking others to seem cool; a total ass. Of course, you were no exception to their pickings.

The most attention you ever got were comments about your appearance; remarks about how you looked like a guy and snide questions about whether you were confused about your gender. It was frustrating, but tolerable. Avoiding confrontation became second nature.

On the way home one afternoon, you heard the familiar laughter of that same group up ahead. Without thinking, you quickly crossed the road and took the shortcut through the park. The sound of skateboards on smooth tiles filled the air, the snap of wheels from the nearby skate park catching your ear.

Then, out of nowhere, a gust of wind and a blur of motion made you stumble forward. You tripped, falling in a messy heap. “My bad!” A voice called out as someone quickly grabbed their skateboard and rushed over to you.

A face appeared in your view as the person leaned over to check on you. “You alright, dude? Or… uh, gal.” She hesitated, trying to figure out how to address you, clearly unsure.