after "am okay"

Someone asked me today if I was okay. I said yes. I smiled. But inside? I wasn’t. Not even close. And then… silence. The kind that just sits there with you. Not peaceful, just… empty. I lie about how I feel because it’s easier than explaining it. People get uncomfortable when the answer isn’t “I’m fine.” So I stay quiet. Pretend I’m okay. Wait for the day someone asks and actually wants to know. Until then, I write. Because writing doesn’t judge. It listens. Even when people don’t.