My birthday was January 15th

We went to the beach

My friends, her mom, my dad and I

I turned 18

I threw on my dress

My friends mom did my make up

Not too much though.

I looked beautiful

I looked my age

I looked like a woman

In the typical sense

Of me being who I am

I came out as gay

To my family on zoom

And...

They accepted me

With unconditional love and support

It was all I could ask for

I still have others to tell though

But, at least one secret is out of the bag

I'm a woman now though

I can vote

I can't get drunk yet

Not until I turn 21

That's why I had sparkling apple cider mixed with orange juice

It was good

But still,

I'm a woman now

Now that I'm a woman

I can do what they do

Have a job that's mildly stable

Have people looking and staring

at my parts

I'm not comfortable with that

Now that I'm a woman

I can get a tattoo

Something small

Something to remember mommy by

A friendship one too

They're the ones who helped me come out after all

I wouldn't be here if they weren't here

I would probably be dead

My secrets would've stayed hidden

Not told

My lies would've gotten the best of me

I would be gone

I wouldn't be writing this

I wouldn't have what I have now

I wouldn't be a woman

Since I wouldn't make it past the age of 16

I have to face reality

I'm a woman now

I have to face the world as a woman

As a woman

As a lesbian woman

I shall be who I am

With no one to hold me down

No one to tell me what to do

What to say

How to act

Who to be with

Who to marry

No

I'll be me as I've always been

I'll get to live my teachers dream

As a young 18 year old woman