Are you okay?

It's such a simple phrase

No one knows the depth of it

No one knows when I lay in bed and cry myself to sleep

No one knows when I judge myself based on others and their photos or even how they look

No one knows when I constantly try and try and keep failing

No one knows

Are you okay?

I look up to see a friendly face and reply yes with the fakest smile on my face

If only they knew how much I was hurting but they walk away and don't realize the front I’m putting on

No one knows how I truly feel

No one knows how much I wish they would just realize how much I'm hurting inside

Are you okay?

I do the same thing as always and muster up my fake smile and reply yes

She tilts her head and gives me knowing eyes and asks again

Are you okay?

As she says it again, I feel little holes start to form in the dam I put up to keep my emotions in

As she keeps giving me that frown, I feel the holes grow larger and more emotions leak out

I realize I can’t hold it back anymore and the dam burst as the wave of emotions come through like a tsunami

I burst into wet tears as the wave of emotions start to settle within me

I feel it moving back and forth in reassuring motions

I feel like I’ve been under water for months and can finally get a breath of fresh air after so long

Someone saw the real me

She encased me in the comfort of her arms as I sobbed in her shoulder with a mix of emotions; relief, sadness, happiness, and understanding

Someone saw the real me

Are you okay?

It’s such a simple phrase

But now, it’s one I can answer with a real smile and say, yes, I am