Smile

4

It was around midnight

when I heard both

Mom and Dad

walk inside.

I went downstairs

and waved at both of them.

My dad said,

"Not right now,

Daiha.

We're exhausted.

Talk to us in the morning."

I swallowed the words

I was actually going to say.

I had finally worked up

just enough courage

to say hi to them,

and ask them

if I could go shopping tomorrow.

But then,

my courage disappeared,

and I couldn't say anything anymore.

And when I woke up in the morning,

my parents had already left

for work early.

 

* * *

 

I had a strawberry smoothie

for breakfast this morning.

But only because

Delilah was in the kitchen.

I'm starting to wonder

how I got this bad.

I know I'm starting to have serious problems,

but I don't know

if I even care.

I mean,

why should I care

if no one else does?

I know it's only been a week,

but I guess that's all it takes

for someone to completely change.

I'm not even sure

who I am anymore.

That's why

I'm starting to drown myself

into books.

That way,

I can have a happy ending.

At least,

a fictional happy ending.

 

* * *

 

In English class

we were asked to make

a free verse poem

about ourselves.

I made two poems.

One that was true,

and one that wasn't.

I turned in the one

that was a lie.

The one that was true,