Teeth gleaming, always laughing,

She's the captain of numerous teams,

She has a multitude of friends,

Hair always in place,

Mascara never running.

She walks home alone.

Her face changes as she turns the corner,

Her house key turns with a familiar click as she opens the door.

The fighting is everlasting,

Another plate is broken as is her heart.

She takes her little brother into her room so they could forget the noise outside of her bedroom.

Dad gets into his car and drives away to God knows where.

Mother is crying, shaking as she lights another cigarette.

The children sleep, pillows covering their ears for peace.

She wakes up and goes to school, teeth gleaming, always laughing.