ii.

You stitch seams.  You know how to stitch your skin together after your dad hits you.  Your mother taught you what thread is best for fixing yourself.  She taught you in the way of you had to learn yourself because she never did it for you.  She is your homeostasis.  Your father keeps your blood running.  Your father buys you makeup because you have to cover the bruises.

You love your parents.

You seal every cut that you make with clear nail polish because it's cheap and it stings and it's toxic and maybe you'll die faster.  Your mother taught you how to paint your nails before she taught you how to keep yourself from landing on the floor after every hit.  The more you cut the less you bleed.  The hair doesn't even grow back anymore.  The cells have begun to protest the abuse like the way you do not.  You love your parents.  They provide you with everything you could ever want.  There are three basic human needs, your AP teacher lectures.  Food, shelter, clothing.  He looks you in the eye.  Your bangs hide a yellowing bruise.  You have no reason to complain.  You have two meals a day, you have a house to come home to, you are never naked.

Take me home, take me home, take me home.

Whether that is heaven or hell, you'll take what you can get.  This house is not a home.  This house is not your home.  You love your mom and dad.