I pull my lower lip all the way in between my teeth. If I try hard enough, maybe I can gobble my whole self this way.... I didn't try hard enough to swallow myself.

I just want to sleep. A coma would be nice. Or amnesia. Anything, just to get rid of this, these thoughts, whispers in my mind. Did he rape my head, too?

I can see us, living in the woods, her wearing that A, me with a S maybe, S for silent, S for stupid, for scared. S for silly. For shame.

Because I am still a little girl who believes in Santa and the tooth fairy and you.

I am super proud of being an American, but we fail our veterans every day.

I’m the girl who trips on the dance floor and can’t find her way to the exit. All eyes on me.

Sometimes being an adult means doing the right thing, even if it's not what you want.