Don't Cry By: Liv Canova

You're not allowed to cry
You're not allowed to show them that you feel

Don't cry in school or they'll think you're weak
They'll think you can't contain your feelings, that you're weird or depressing
If you do have to cry, you need to hide it
NEVER cry in class
Go to the bathroom
But people will hear you there
So go to the corner by the courtyard and the doors
But people know about that place and will see you
So go to the hallways in the auditorium
But it'll echo
So go into a dark practice room and hope that no one will open the door
They can't know how much it hurt you

Only cry at home when you're alone
Close the curtains though, and make sure you're out of sight of the security cameras
If someone's home, too bad
Sob silently in your room and turn on the fan so that they can't hear you
Pretend you're asleep if someone comes in
Or turn yourself away from them and answer their questions without showing it in your voice
Wipe off the screwed up makeup, but redo it or they'll see it on your face
Turn over your mascara smeared pillow until you can sneak it away to the washer
Don't let them know how alone you are

Don't cry when you lose
You'll be a sore loser, no matter how hard you worked
Forget about all that and congratulate the winner
Be happy for them and ignore the constant pit in your stomach
You can't let them know how much you wanted it

If they see you, you're completely fine
"I just ran, that's why my face is red"
"I just yawned, you know how your eyes start to water like that"
Play it off like nothing happened
Make a joke, start laughing
Whatever you do, don't say that you were crying
Because then they'll ask questions that you don't want
"Are you ok?"
"What's wrong?"
Or worse, they'll try to help

You can't be vulnerable
You just can't
They'll think you're weak
They'll think that it's nothing
It'll be awkward
It's just better this way

You need to be fine
You are fine
I'm fine
I'm ok
I'm just tired