The Tale 

                       of 

                       Chi-Chi

My name is Chi-Chi (Short for Chialis)  and I love Spelling Matches! I dream of becoming a famous Speller like Vibella the Great.

In the latest magazine she was rocking a new haircut with her curls low on her head. I LOVED it.  Looking at my own curls I wondered what I would look like with a similar cut. I rushed to my crew. 

    I found them in the library studying for the Cauldron Brewing class.  Rumi, Kye, and Star are my best friends. We all met at orientation during our first year here at Rune Academy of Sorcery and were assigned to be roommates. We’ve been friends since.  I showed them the magazine picture of Vibella and shared the idea of cutting my hair. Though they loved my big curls they all agreed that if I wanted to I should go for it. 

As I stepped back from the sink and looked into the mirror I beamed. My hair, now a low cut, looked amazing. I loved it; and so did my crew! The next day I showed out; I had to match my spelltastic cut!

Feelin’ confident and looking good, I strutted into my first class of the day, the History of Sorcerers, with my crew beside me. Everyone gasped when they saw me and said soo many compliments. I was a star!

    The next class I was on my own, everyone having different classes. Still, I strutted into Zencology 101: Finding inner peace with the same confidence as earlier. Though this time it was different.  Instead of gasps there were snickers. Instead of compliments there were snide comments. My confidence quickly slipped. Class ending I couldn't help but catch one of the comments made behind a hand.

    “She’s tryna be a boy, what a weirdo.”

I turn to see who made the comment. It was Cressida, one of the top students of the school.

    “Why would you say that?” I ask, my voice quivering.

    “Cause it’s true. You already act like a boy, playing rough with them on break, but now you’ve gone and cut your hair down to your head. You’re weird Chi-Chi.”

Tears forming in the corner of my eye, I turn to run off, away from her harsh words. Before I could leave though, I glanced to the corner of the room and there was a poster of Vibella the Great in a confident pose. 

I turn to Cressida, my confidence returning. 

"Just because I cut my hair doesn't mean I'm a boy. It doesn't matter how I dress or act or appear. As long as I identify as a girl I am a girl. Screw gender norms!"

"I don't care what you or anyone else thinks about me. I know who I am and I can express myself anyway I want!"

My name is Chialis (Chi-Chi for short) and I am fourteen. I can express myself anyway I want because gender has no specific look. No matter how I look or act, as long as I identify as a girl, that's who I am. No one can tell you how to express yourself, only you can decide!