The Overthinker’s Lament

“Are you mad at me?” I ask for the tenth time.

“For what?” my friend sighs, eyes rolling like dice.

I pause, debating if I should explain—

That three months ago, they replied “K” to my text,

And my brain has been on high alert ever since.

I analyze every sigh, every pause,

Every period in a message—too harsh or just laws of grammar?

But wait—if they used a full stop,

Does that mean they want me to drop?

“Babe, I love you.”

I should smile, be content, but instead,

My brain opens Google Docs in my head.

Why did he say it so fast? Did he mean it at all?

Was there hesitation? That slight vocal fall?

Does he love me today, but tomorrow will fade?

Am I loved, or just a mistake he’s made?

And my mother’s sigh—oh, a tragedy grand,

A simple breath, yet my heart’s in her hands.

“Are you okay?” I ask, full of dread.

“I’m fine,” she says.

But her tone.

The pause.

The lingering glance before she went on.

Did I disappoint her? Is she questioning my birth?

Or does she just need water?—what is my worth?

My sister’s birthday text: “Happy Birthday.”

Two words. That’s all.

No exclamation, no spark, no effort at all.

Is she mad? Did I forget her own special day?

Should I check? Should I call?

Or is this the silent end to it all?

Arguments haunt me, they never expire,

My comebacks arrive when the moment’s retired.

“You’re selfish!” they said—oh, how I froze,

Now, six months later, I have paragraphs composed.

Debating, conquering, ready to fight,

Except…it’s 2 AM, and they’ve moved on with life.

I walk through the world like a detective of vibes,

Reading shifts in energy, decoding the lies.

“You okay?” “Yeah, I’m fine.”

LIES.

I saw the flicker, the fleeting blink,

And now my mind has time to sink.

To my fellow overthinkers—trust me, I get it. The sleepless nights, the imaginary arguments, the emotional breakdowns over a text that probably meant nothing. Our brains deserve a raise for the overtime they put in. But sometimes, we have to remind ourselves: not every sigh is a secret message, not every pause is a pending doom. Breathe. People love you, even if they don’t use an exclamation mark to say it.