“your family seems so put together”

i was only 6

as i sat at the top of the steps

covering my ears while bursting into tears

trying to block out the screaming and yelling

going on just underneath me

praying one day it would all stop

i was soon 11

no longer covering my ears

instead i sat there listening to the screaming

hoping i would never have to intervene

in fear of it getting worse

i was finally 14

sitting in my bedroom

trying to drown out the sounds of screaming

but it never turned violent

so i laid on my bed with my airpods in

blocking out the noise of my home

i guess you could say i was getting used to it

i’m now 17 years old

always stuck in the middle

i’ve learned to just leave the house

when things get bad again

i know my family seems happy but sometimes a look into the inside shows a whole different story