There are times when you just can't be yourself. There was this guy who wanted to be sad yesterday. He just wanted to be. He had many a reasons to tell himself:

"Hey! You can't pretend you are not a normal guy. You too have problems. Many, for that matter! Look at yourself. Now, is that not a fake smile? Now, pull that mask away, will you?"

And he exactly wanted to do the way he had planned. He didn't want to have dinner, but had to give some good company to somebody. "Hell No! Why should I give you good company? I am sick of it! Now, make way! Lemme outta here!"

But he couldn't say all that. And what a lovely host he was. That clenched jaw drew more lines on his face than the permanent laugh lines that he had.

"I am Bad. I hurt people. I will stare at you till every bone in your body rattles with fear." He was thinking.

"Excuse me, Sir. Did Something happen today?" The waiter appeared inquisitive, "You don't have that smile today?"

"Yeah. I am in a not-so-good mood today. Thank you for asking." He snapped, and boy, how polite a snap it was!

Finishing early, his gaze almost bore a hole through the plate and palate of his guest.

"Any problems?" his guest asked.

"Ah, well! What's life without any of them?" He grinned, "Nothing much, was thinking of the match!"

Yeah, A match. It can burn. Cause a fire. And leave ruins behind.

"Thank you, Sir!", the waiter appeared yet again at the exit. "Please come back tomorrow with your smile, sir!"

"Uh, Yeah..." The stoneface didn't even change.

"Promise?" The innocent question in those eyes almost made him cry. "Sir?"

"Yeah..." He stammered. "Promise."

"The world doesn't like you this way." The guest said.

"I just can't..." He looked at the long road ahead "I just can't be myself."