There was once a time when you were a princess and lived in a great beautiful castle, And your father was king and your mother queen and you were the smartest, bravest, and most beautiful girl in the whole wide world. You used to think “no bad things could happen here” There was once a time when the only bad things boys could do to you was to give you cooties, And the only pain you felt was when you fell and got a cut. You only cried when you couldn't get the toy you wanted or you had to go to bed early. There was once a time when you couldn't wait to grow up When feeling heartbreak was an excuse to start dating There was once a time where you could never fathom something bad to happen, So when it did, it felt like a ton of bricks just hit you full on in the chest. You used to believe in Santa Clause and princesses and magic, You couldn’t wait to fall in love There was once a time where you couldn’t imagine being sad, as if that was the worst thing that could happen to you. “My mother is only popping pills and her picking skin to feel better” you would say. How was I supposed to know it would end this way? Now boys give you heartbreak and getting cooties are the last thing on your mind Now you worry more about getting an std or pregnant than living And your parents are just the background noise to your life, telling you what you shouldn't do and how to do things better than they did instead of letting you live. Your decisions were never yours to make and now they can’t relate to how you feel even though they think they do they think they know you and that these emotions are just a “phase” But how can you explain that everything they say and every choice they force you to make only makes you break? Now castles are impossible to afford and you give yourself cuts and bruises to try to take away the pain Because how can you cope with all of this? Becoming older used to give you bliss Now you’re just an empty abyss Filled with sadness and pain so familiar you know it like the back of your hand Your friends are now the ones pushing you off the swing instead of helping you fly. Your parents don’t get it and never will and now instead of your dad being a king he is a tyrant You’re no longer a princess or a child But you wish you were Who knew growing up would be so cruel? All those math and history lessons never prepared you for this Your parents said always look both ways before crossing the road Now they say “don’t get pregnant” My parents said “there are no monsters under the bed” Maybe not anymore Because now they’re in my head.