Once upon a time there were fairytales. And a girl who believed them. And the girl who believed them would pray for her prince charming. And wouldn’t settle for anything less than the knight in shining armor.

Once upon a time life was simpler. The sun rose in the morning, and set at night, and that was enough. The flowers blossomed in spring and the snow fell in winter, and that was a miracle. To the girl who believed in fairytales, days were endless and time was eternal.

Once upon a time there was a girl who didn’t fit in. She fit the cliché of standing in a crowded room and feeling isolated. Feeling alone. The girl who believed in fairytales believed that her knight would take her from this place. That they would live happily ever after in a world that didn’t divide children and discriminate.

Once upon a time there was a piece of paper. And a pen. And the girl who believed in fairytales was fascinated by the words she could write without trying. And so she wrote. She wrote about fairytales and about clichés and dreaming of her knight.

Once upon a time there was this girl. This girl who lived life in the shadows because she didn’t think anyone else could help her. But her knight. She let others write in her journal and tell her what to think. What knights to chase after.

Once up on a time these words became trying because when the girl met that boy it was beyond fairytales. Beyond clichés. Beyond dreams. Once upon a time fairytales didn’t mean love. And being awake was better than dreaming.

Once upon a time a girl became friends with a boy. They both had their insecurities. They both had their feelings on lock. The boy saw her. But he didn’t see her. But she saw him. She saw him in every detail. Every emotion and word. Every smile. She saw him. And she loved him.

Once upon a time a girl fell in love with a boy. He wasn’t a knight in shining armor but he shined brighter than the sun that rose in the morning and set at night.

Once upon a time life was complicated. The girl thought she understood the world. Thought she understood herself. But this boy who never read fairytales swept her off her feet. And she didn’t know why.

Once upon a time this boy made this girl so happy. She realized she had never really been happy before. Before this boy. Before this boy she thought her heart only beated for her. Before this boy, her heart belonged only to herself.

Once upon a time a girl loved a boy. She wasn’t special. She wasn’t like a shiny new Christmas present, all wrapped up in foil. She was just her. And he liked her for that. But he didn’t love her.

Once upon a time a girl loved a boy. She tried not to. She tried to take her heart back. She tried to give it to other boys. But it never beated the same way it did with that boy.

Once upon a time there were fairytales. And a girl who believed in them. And a boy who didn’t understand them.

Once upon a time happily ever after didn’t exist.