Archive of Our Own ^beta

Teenagers are innocent, right? They’re dumb and naive, they just dont know how the real world works

They should just sit down and shut up

or at least that's what everyone seems to think

Well

that couldn't be further from the truth

because i haven't been innocent since i saw my best friend's arm raw, red, pink bleeding from cut after cut, dripping down, down

not since they swallowed pill after pill just wanting it all to end, to end for god's sake please i can't take it

i haven't been innocent since my dad was so high he couldn't see straight still he drove with me in the car and later that night he was back on his way to the bar but, hey i survived right, im fine

but are we really?

i haven't been innocent since i was labeled lewd because my shorts were “too short”, but a prude when i didn't take getting cat called by a grown ass man as a compliment

not since i hurt myself because i couldn't find another way to end my pain, not since the little girl down the lane became my best friend because my mom sold drugs to her mom

we haven't been innocent since we were exposed to the internet at such a young age, brushed off, “oh it's fine the way that grown man is talking to you”

we’re trapped inside a cage, not one of our own creation

ya know, it's kinda messed up when the adults don't care as long as we follow, comply, obey

we need help too

we want to help too

we know what we're talking about now, for once, it's your turn to listen