denial

she can't sleep because it hurts 

  but her daddy taught her never to cry 

    when it's gonna be a waste of tears 

  so she tries to swallow those tears 

but it doesn't work. 

he punched her

  but it was an accident

    and she believed that

  and it wasn't a big deal

just some smeared lipstick and a black eye.

she won't tell anybody

  because she's a giver of second chances

    but to others they call that afraid

  and she's not afraid

just tired and sleepy and hurting.

so she kisses him on the cheek,

  whispers sorry for all the things he's done

    and promises to get home early,

  'incase she's hurt again'

as if he wasn't the one who hurt her in the first place.