A kiss was all it took
For them to give us everything.
Some days I had it in my mind
To try the same.
When I fell he picked me up
Brushed me off and told me
I was his beautiful little red-headed minx
His high school girl.
On happy days he marveled at my intelligence
My cunning, my skill at shoplifting
Convenience items we would need
For after he dosed us.
We lived in an abandoned wooden house
I went to class with glassy wide eyes
When the electricity was turned off
Because the school was air-conditioned
And someone was always selling
That cheesy popcorn I loved
And I got to pretend
I was just like you
But better
My secret never
Saw the light of day
Until she engaged me
To run away
With her home
And I did
I escaped
But it wasn’t far enough
Away from the love
I knew
And it was much too far away
From the love
I needed
The love
You had
The love I couldn’t see
Because it was
Virtuous and new
And honest
Like nothing
I had ever seen before.