The Veil

For all the girls that think no one cares

I saw it clearly although it was almost invisible
We shared jokes and laughed a lot that afternoon.
Her beautiful white teeth gleaming in the sunshine
Her smile fading as soon as it appeared

I stared into her eyes, piercing them deeply
She looked away as though she was trying to hide her pain
I said to her, "take off the mask"
She looked perplexed and asked me what I meant.

I told her that I knew she was hiding something
There was something behind that veil called her face
She was a few inches beside me but she was far away
I reached for her hand to grab but I met her eyes and felt distance

She told me about her struggles and pain
All she was going through in life that no one knew
She said no one had been able to tell it was all fake
Her smiles, her cheeriness were a total facade

I took her in my arms and I told her everything would be okay
I didn't believe it more than she did
But in that time, at that moment
She was glad to be in my arms and I wished she could stay