The Joke

2 0 0
                                    

I clenched my teeth and forced a smile on,
told everyone everything was okay,
for your sake.

Laughed and joined in on conversations,
showed everyone I was okay,
for your sake.

I cried and puked in the bathroom,
returned with a fixed face,
and a fake smile.

A joke was said and I thought it to be just that,
a joke.

People asking if you cheated or mistreated me,
I'd shake my head and say no.

When people asked I kept it light,
spoke nothing but kind words of you.

I made light conversation with you,
told you I was okay,
for your sake.

Caught you up on the little things,
showed you I was okay,
for your sake.

In return,
you went back to our co worker,
the one you lied so much about.

I found out the truth and still didn't hold it against you,
still tried to reason why,
made excuses for you.

What was a joke ended up being a masked truth,
the laughter made sense,
in that moment you slipped up.

Everyone's eyes landed on me,
it dawned on me then,
I was the joke.

Everyone knew except me,
everyone was laughing at me.

The humiliation I felt,
that disheartening feeling,
my entire body sagged and my heart sank.

That's why nobody invited me out that night
That's why everyone treated me like a child
That's why no one wanted to talk to me anymore

That's how little of respect you have for me,
making me the joke everyone could laugh at.

Feelings On PaperWhere stories live. Discover now