HOST

Hot girls get abused.

And so do ugly ones. And so do ones with pin straight hair or
purple sneakers or spinach between their teeth. And
so do ones who can play the cello or
snort bath salts on the dance floor. And
so do ones who volunteer at animal shelters or
put tinsel in their hair. And so do ones who call you mom or
call you fat or forget to call you back.

Maybe it will end one day. Maybe
it won’t. Maybe they’ll rise above it and
make great speeches and
help victims on local hotlines. Maybe
they’ll start to bully waiters and
leave their wet tampons unwrapped.

Because abused girls are hot. Abused girls aren’t. Abused
girls are kind and sweet and raging and loud and
indifferent and small and political and silent. Abused
girls sit next to you on the bus. Abused
girls shop at your favorite online stores. Abused
girls sneeze in your direction. Abused
girls compliment your glasses.

Maybe you live with them. Maybe
they live in you. Maybe
you pretend you know them. Maybe

you pretend you don’t.