I read a quote once that said
“When you're born in a burning house you think the whole world is on fire, but it’s not”
I never really thought my house was burning
I mean I always had two,
two houses,
two beds,
two front doors,
two birthdays
As a kid I thought I had it all
I didn’t see anything wrong with this way of life because it was all I ever knew
My parents didn’t love each other
but they loved me
they made sure to tell me often
My mom was born in a burning house
We talk about it sometimes
How she couldn't escape the fire
So that’s where we still live today
I can still smell the rising smoke in the kitchen
Strangling my lungs
I idolize my dad for putting out the fire
But his house still has water damage
We don’t really talk about what caused the fire
Or how he extinguished it
I started dating boys and they are covered in ash and soot too
they remind me of my dad
I wonder who started the fire
I never really thought I was born in a burning house, but whenever I meet someone new,
I wonder if their house went up in flames too
And if they ever made it onto the fire escape