He told me that line sounded rehearsed. And in a way, it was.
But how could I even begin to explain the thousand scenarios constantly running through my head? The way I’d memorized every response; the way I focused each breath to not scream into the black hole of my mind. The self defense mechanisms in my brain, constantly flinching, bracing itself for the inevitable blow.
In a way, I wish I had been hit more, smothered more, more things thrown at me… because for some reason, societal norms could justify physical abuse. Physical abuse could be understood. They’d…
