Red lights.

When you left it felt like hitting a red light that never turned green again. Cars keep driving leaving me stuck in the intersection. I could never chose if I wanted to punch you or hug you. You always ran stop sings leaving me with the tickets. I would wait at crosswalks waiting for you to cross back to me because I was small enough to believe you would come back. I was wrong. Very very wrong. Because no matter how low I put my standards you could never meet them. I have learned better. Now I’m 17 and out-grew the shadows you left me with. But even now I still look at the red lights. Because all I ever wanted was for you to be proud of me. — Ellie.