do you see?
she stops smiling the moment you look away.
her face holds a blank stare,
as though she's examining some great nothingness,
or contemplating the meaning of life.

you ask her a question.
her response is brief and shorter than before.
she laughs at her favorite joke,
but her laugh seems a bit off;
it's forced.

she distances herself form you and everyone.
she makes excuses,
little white lies to ward off your concern.
but you ask yourself:
is she really just tired?

pay close attention, now.
see the way she covers her skin,
hiding every hated inch of it.
your compliments ricochet of her armor of self hate,
as she thanks you for your lies.

don't make the common assumption.
self hate often disguises itself as self irony.
every time she says "i'm fine" with a smile,
watch closely for the empty look that's sure to follow.