Steps

Step 1: Get out of bed

Step 2: Look in the mirror

Step 3: Practice your smile

Step 4: Eyedrops to hide the red eyes

Step 5: Conceal the dark circles

Step 6: Breathe

The curtains are almost up

Step 7: Lock down the pain

Step 8: Ignore the weight on your chest

Step 9: Silence the screams inside of your mind

Step 10: Choke down the sobs in your throat

Step 11: Ignore the stinging in your eyes

Step 12: Swallow past the tightness in your throat

You’ve put on this show a million times

Step 13: Don’t let them see

Times up. Curtains up. Camera rolling