You Should Smile More

Every day, Kyle contemplated the hell he was trapped in. It wasn’t just that he was in the wrong body, and it wasn’t even being in the body of a woman that troubled it; it was the fact that he couldn’t seem to tell anyone about who he really was, and that he was forced into the role of a dutiful wife. He wasn’t sure how or why he was cursed like this -- he simply woke up one day like this. When he realized he was a woman, he was curious. He wanted to explore his body, but instead he felt compelled into the kitchen to prepare breakfast. A man came downstairs whom Kyle kissed. Despite feeling a little disgusted when the man squeezed his butt, Kyle smiled and giggled.

Even when the man left and Kyle was alone, he couldn’t escape. He felt compelled to clean the house, never breaking the smile on his face. When he finally finished, he wanted to watch some sports on TV; however, he couldn’t help but flip to a romantic comedy instead. It would’ve offered some comfort if he felt like he was merely a passenger in this body, but, no, he was in control. He just couldn’t seem to do anything he wanted.

After a few days, he did find one shimmer of hope. When he was able to write, he could tell the truth. He could write about his frustrations, his true self, everything. However, he couldn’t seem to show anyone his writing; he felt compelled to hide it from everyone. He eventually took to writing a diary. He knew he had to hide it, but he also knew that if someone found it, it might be irresistible to read. And even as he was writing about his pain and sadness, he couldn’t help but do it with a smile.