my fake smile

You flash that smile like it's a mask, hiding tears just beneath the surface, pretending everything's fine when really, you're drowning in quiet despair

It's the kind of smile that appears in group photos where you're expected to look happy, even if your heart's heavy with unspoken problems

On social media, it's the go-to expression when you want to signal joy but your comments section reveals you're battling something deeper

At work, you use it to keep peace during tense meetings, smiling through your gritted teeth as someone else takes credit for your ideas

In a relationship, it's how you show up after a big fight,your smile says, 'I'm fine,' but your eyes give away that you're still waiting for your turn to speak