Tight smiles
At dinner again
Compliments to mother again
Little brother leaves the table first
Off he goes to his room he runs
If only my feet could race to my room
Like they could when I was little.

Into the living room
To watch a movie again
Father is already in his chair asleep
Sister grabs a tall glass
Fills it to the brim with Jameson whiskey
And ice.

I try to retreat
To my comforting room
With its comforting smell
And I slip by into the computer room.
After a while I sneak upstairs
Dreading saying goodnight.

Reading a book
Laying down
Mother comes in with an anger.
"why didn't you say goodnight?"
She demands
"what is so special about up here...?"

She leaves with a prim goodbye
And I let out an annoyed sigh
And pore myself into the pages
Trying to forget
How horrible and fake
My family is.