posted September 5th, 2020

Next thing I knew, I was on stage in front of thousands of people at a park, and live all around the world.

I was quite the big deal.

Because of how intimate what I was going to confess was, standing up there in front of millions of eyes to judge was nerve-wracking. I let my eyes wander to the first row of people standing, with my all my family and friends. They wore their smiles happily, and their eyes were only fixated on me. I had their support.

Even if all my supporters ended up hating me, I didn't need their love. I had my family's.

I looked at the autumn scenery in front of me, before takinga deep breath and approaching the mic to my mouth.

"dang. There's a lot of you." I said. This earned me a lot of happy smiles, and laughter. People started talking among them. it had the effect I wanted to. It relaxed their stern faces, and focused moods.

They had been told I had an important message was being delivered today. Hence, all the cameras propped up on robotic hands, and the ones installed on the ground.

"I was told by Amber and Tess that I am an authentic person, which is why people appreciate me so much. I think they're right. I am authentic!" I said the last line with a funny faces. Seeing all those people smiling put me at ease even more, and encourage me to continue.

I had this defense mechanism of making people laugh when I'm uncomfortable.

"on a more serious note though, I believe they're right. Even when I try to keep the truth to myself, I always end up spilling it. I just hate lies. I hated being lied to, and a lie by omission friends, is still a lie. Be warned." I pointed a crooked finger at them with a raised eyebrow.

A girl in the laughing crown caught my attention. She was a darkskinned teenager. Eveb though I didn't hear the words, I read them from her lips. "I love you too. Thank you for your support." I said with a deep warm voice into the mic.

I walked a few steps back and forth on the stage while people were calming down. Then, I raised the mic again.

"as you guys know, the experiment to fix your DNA and emotions isn't an option anymore. And I realized that I might have hurt a lot of people by promising to fix what's wrong, instead of showing them nothing's wrong with them. I am deeply sorry for that. And I am moved by you guy's sadness. The thousands of people wearing black that marched the streets convinced me even more to talk to you all."

I rubbed my arm, my heartbeat quickening, and eyes tearing up. I could see the cameras on the big screen zooming in on my eyes. "I stand before you here, as a mistaken human. I made mistakes and I hurt a lot of you. It's the price you pay when you're wrong and are also in power. But I am still a perfect human. Not because of the lack of mistakes I made. But in spite of them. do you all hear me? I am perfect because of my mistakes and so are you!"

My question was met with cheers. I saw some people hold hands with the ones they love, and a few start crying. In their eyes, I saw their mind go back in time to their traumatizing experiences. I thought about mine too. "I thought I was insensitive too. Because of a words told to me years ago, I let someone spell my truth out for me. It ultimately created chaos in my life."

"one of the reasons I came up with the surgery is to fix myself. I knew I was disappointing my family with my insensitivity, but didn't want to disappoint you all, my supporters. This journey has been a hell of a roller coaster."

"here's what I learned after passing out more than once, and being in two commas withing a month of each other with a 30% of waking up 1) find it in you to give people second chances if their actions show that they care two, the mind may forget, but the heart is always right. Listen to your heart. It knows the truth. Three, don't hurt the people who care. And four, love Iike there's no tomorrow. Life's too short to dwell on the past."

That's the moment when the real cheers, and laughter erupted. People started hugging their loved ones with stars in their eyes, some with tears, and some with a mux of all emotions. The effect of my words on them all was foreign to me. But one thing I was sure of; they were right.

I felt emotional too, so I invited all of my family on stage. "come on here. Yes let's go." I said, when they looked at me with oblivious eyes. I laughed in the mic. "you all. C'mon they won't eat you all. Right, friends?" I said into the mic to the audience.

No, they all yelled together.

"exactly" I said.

Slowly, but surely they all lined up beside me. All of them. the closest were Tess and Amber with their arms on my shoulder. Quickly, we created a human chain. It inspired the audience to do the same.

"I am autumn. Literally, it means fall. I never found the name this fitting." I straightened my red mid-thigh coat. "the crispiness of autumn reminds us that everything dies. But it is also the start of something new. Autumn teaches to always grows gold and strong, even after being dead for months

I am Autumn. Be autumn, too."