Happy Endings

Girls are taught a lot of stuff growing up. 

If a guy punches you, he likes you. 

Never try to trim your own bangs, 

and someday you will meet a wonderful boy, 

and get your very own happy ending. 

Every movie we see, every story we're told

implores us to wait for it, 

the twist that changes everything, the unexpected declaration of love, the exception to the rule. 

But sometimes we're so focused on the ending we don't learn how to read the signs

How to tell from the once who want us, 

and the ones who don't/

The ones who will stay, and the ones who will leave.

And maybe, just maybe, you're happy ending doesn't include a boy. 

Maybe you're happy by yourself. 

It's you, on your own, picking up the pieces, and starting over fresh. 

freeing yourself up for something better in the future. 

Maybe the happy ending is just moving on. 

Or maybe the happy ending is knowing that after all the unreturned phone calls, 

broken hearts, 

through the blunders, and misread signals, 

through all the pain and embarrassment, 

you. never. gave. up. hope. 

That's a happy ending if I've ever seen one