Thirteen year old girls,
You over exaggerate. You're overdramatic. You over exaggerate the way he said he loved you, you over exaggerate how cute he was when he smiled at you, you over exaggerate how sweet and kind he was.
Thirteen year old girls,
You under exaggerate. You're under dramatic. You under exaggerate how scared you were when he yelled, how frightened you were when he was on top of you and you couldn't push him away, how much it hurt when he twisted your arm until you though it would break.
You under exaggerate your fear because you over exaggerate your love.
Thirteen year old girls,
You don't know what's best for you. You won’t listen when I tell you that. I was thirteen once; I thought I knew what was best for me. When people told me otherwise, I didn’t listen. And you, thirteen year old girl, will continue reading this and think that you know what's best for you.
You won't take this to heart. That's okay. You’re just a child – yes, you are just a child. You won’t agree with that either. That’s okay, too.
But if you take nothing else from this message, take this: when someone - your mother, father, sister, brother, cousin, friend - tells you "you are in a dangerous situation that you need to back away from before it gets out of hand," do it. Listen to them. They are not trying to ruin your life, they are not trying to come between you and the "love of your life," they are trying to protect you.
Thirteen year old girls,
You don't know what's best for you. So listen to people who say you're in a dangerous situation.
Thirteen year old girls,
Listen when people tell you you're in a dangerous situation. Tell people when someone does something you're unsure about. Tell someone when he does something that scares you or makes you uncomfortable. It doesn’t have to be your parent – it can be a school counselor, a teacher you trust, a youth group leader, anybody.
Thirteen year old girls,
Tell them. Tell them before you end up fifteen, or sixteen, or seventeen or eighteen or nineteen, unable to sleep due to the nightmares, when you're keeping everything in and crying and fearful and not wanting to tell anybody because you recognize the fact that thirteen year old girls over exaggerate.
Thirteen year old girls,
He is not worth it.
He is not and never will be worth the fear and pain he puts you through.
Thirteen year old girls,
Listen to me. If you say no, it means no. If you say no, and he asks again and again and again and guilt trips you into agreeing, he is in the wrong. You have done nothing wrong. No always means no.
Thirteen year old girls,
No means no. If he doesn't understand that, leave.
Thirteen year old girls,
You over exaggerate the good and under exaggerate the bad. Understand that no means no and whatever he does that you did not consent to is not your fault.
Thirteen year old girls,
Your parents won't be angry. Your teacher or counselor or youth group leader won’t be angry. I know you think they’ll be mad about what happened, and if they sound angry, they aren’t angry at you. They’re worried, because they care.
Thirteen year old girls,
You want to believe what happened didn’t. You want to believe he was perfect. You want to believe all of your good memories haven’t been invalidated by all the times he hurt you.
Thirteen year old girls,
All of this is not to say all your relationships are toxic.
Thirteen year old girls,
This is for those of you scared of your partner because he hit you, or yelled at you, or did something you weren’t comfortable with.
Thirteen year old girls,
Despite what he says, you can do better.
Thirteen year old girls,
Have fun. Date. Figure out what you do and don’t like. But never expose yourself to a dangerous situation or allow yourself to stay with a boy who hurts you.
Thirteen year old girls,
If you have, it’s not your fault. It’s scary. It’s hard to realize the situation you’re in is dangerous on your own until after it’s over. It’s okay.
Thirteen year old girls,
Protect yourself. Please.
Thirteen year old girls,
From present day, fifteen year old me, giving advice to thirteen year old me, listen. You are in one of the most vulnerable points of your life emotionally. Rational thinking is hard. You think ‘this would never happen to me.’ You think ‘this isn’t what a dangerous, evil boy looks like.’
Thirteen year old girls,
This is a message from me to my thirteen year old self. It’s too late for me to take this advice. I pray you do.
Thirteen year old girls,
I’m here for you if you feel you’re unsafe, or if you’re unsure about the situation you’re in.
Thirteen year old girls,
Stay safe.