When we were young

Flowers in your hair: Chapter One

NOTE: This Chapter song is "Flowers in your hair" by The Lumineers

Our house was large and beautiful, countless halways, countless rooms. I didn't understand why we needed that much room. I lived with my two brothers, and my parents. I towered above my four year old brothers, as I was 11 years older than them. All of us had pale blond gorgeous hair, and peircing blue eyes. My mother cooked the meals, did the laundry, kept up with the house, and had a day job. My father went to work everyday and came home every night to a loving wife's kisses and 3 small children's hugs. Every night we ate dinner together and talked about our day. We were a perfect family.

I went to school like a good child should, I would come home and immediatly do my homework. Maria (the boy's babysitters) usually left at 3:30, when my mother got home from work. At that time I usually would peel potatoes or cut carrots, to help my mother with dinner. At nights I would pretend to be asleep, I would pretend I couldn't hear what was going on, I would pretend we were perfect. In the summer, I found myself avoiding home all together. I would surround myself with boys and girls my age, to help me forget. Most summer afternoons, me and some girls from my school would run to the valley and pick flowers. I had friends, but I could feel them drifting away. Fall came around and I turned to romance to help me forget. I met a boy, and I instantly thought we were in love. He would tell me I was beautiful, and he would make me feel like it. Some night I couldn't pretend I didn't hear, these night were the nights I broke the rules. The nights I sinned. These were the nights I loved the most.

I still ran to the valley to pick flowers every afternoon, but this time I was alone. I was happy to be alone. I would weave headbands out of dandelions and peonies, and run through the gorgeous fall trees. Alone. There was a certain spot deep in the woods, where I would go to think. No one found me here. At nights when it was unbearable to stay at home, I would run to this same spot deep in the woods. I enjoyed myself, I loved listening to the wind talk to me through the chilly evening breeze. When I was here, sometimes I thought we were perfect. and oh, how wrong I was!

Winter came along, and I hardly saw my father, he was always on business trips or working late. Oh how my mother cared for him, and he just beytrayed her. He was unfaithful, and i knew it. I feared my mother knew it too. He tore our family apart, and I hated him for it.