NINETEEN

It's never healthy to bottle everything inside. To lock away all the anger and to wear a mask covered with a smile to fool everyone into thinking that they're happy.

There is so much agony that one can take in silence before eventually erupting like a volcano destroying everything in its path.

Nicky's warm hand wrapped around mine eased my nerves that danced all over the dining room of Ms Friedman's home or as I had slowly grown to call her Aunt Elle. Marcie sat across from us looking visibly upset given the way she was eyeballing the plate of food which she had hardly touched. I wanted to be anywhere else but in that room given the uncomfortable silence that settled amongst us. "You just had to make this public," she scoffed pushing her plate away folding her arms. She looked at her mother clenching her jaw, glazed eyes that shined still holding onto her tears and pain. "Only because you refuse to talk to me, you left me no other choice since you've shut me out," Aunt Elle replied s