Mask Off


I didn’t mean to let my guard down with you. But you didn't stop trying to get to know me. You kept trying to see beyond the wall I had up.

And trust me, when I let you in... I did so you could leave. So you'd see beyond the facade and run. But you stayed.

This mask, I've worn for so long that even I started to believe it was my real face. The calm voice. The jokes. The easy smile. But beneath all that, I’ve been tired. So tired.

And you saw it. You knew it but you didn’t ask me to be strong or cheerful. You just stayed, even when my voice trembled and my eyes refused to lie.

It’s strange, isn’t it? How someone can make the truth feel beautiful.
You didn’t fix me. You didn’t try to. You just made me feel like I didn’t need fixing.

So here I am. Mask off.
Tear-streaked. Real. Unfiltered.
And for once, I’m not scared you’ll leave.

Until you left. Coward.

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