He Told Me

He told me

You look pretty with short hair,

I kept it short.

He told me

You could spare a couple pounds,

I starved myself out of 50.

He told me

I didn't mean to cheat,

I stayed with him.

He told me

I wouldn't have to hit you if you just listened for once,

I kept my mouth shut.

He told me

I love you

I believed him.

They told me

He's ruining your life,

I told them to stay out of it.

He told me

It wasn't rape. You were asking for it with that blouse,

I did nothing.

She told me

He did the same thing to me,

I told her I didn't know what she was talking about.

He told me

I don't like your friends,

I stopped talking to all of them.

He told me

I love you,

I believed him.

They told me

He's manipulating you,

I yelled at them.

I pushed them away.

I was left with nothing.

Nothing but him.

Until the day,

I found out I had more than him,

A daughter. 

I realized,

I couldn't let her be raised by a man like him.

I packed my bags in the night,

And ran like hell.

I ran to my parents.

I rang the doorbell,

Praying, 

God, please let them be home and awake.

The door opened. 

My mother's face.

Her tight embrace.

I knew that I was safe,

And finally,

Knew that I was loved.