Smile.

I wondered if she could breathe through the alcohol she was inhaling. If she could see through the tears slipping down her rosy cheeks. If she found the answers she was looking for at the bottom of that bottle. So many things I wondered as I looked at her. It was then that she turned to me, her lips forming upward in a smile, “I’m alright.” Her voice as shaky as her hands that she drunkenly assumed were out of my line of sight. But her eyes told me everything I needed to know. A soft brown, gazing back at me with an emptiness I hadn’t seen in a long time. Since the last time I had found her here. I so desperately wanted to believe her smile. It was in fact convincing, that is, to anyone who didn’t know her. But we had met before. Many times. I wondered if she remembered me. She so often forgot to reach out, to let me in. But no matter how much time had past, I always knew I’d see her again. I shook my head at her, my heart full of concern. If only she knew. If only she cared to wonder why it was always me who came to her in times of need. But it didn’t matter now.. I was all she had. Part of me wanted to scream at her. To make it known how neglected she made me feel. But instead, I took a deep breath, lifted my hand and gently placed it over hers. “You aren’t alright, but you will be”. Her eyes finally staring back into mine. Recognizing who exactly had been sitting in front of her the whole time, begging to be seen. And she smiled.. a real smile. While she peered into my dull brown eyes, a little less empty, but still familiar. And she smiled.