x
40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9RkH4ZZTz
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Lena sat beside me in class today.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OI9nx1ED0
40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcN4NhrXsW
She leaned over and asked, “You okay?”
I said, “Yeah, just tired.”40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GPPuP21E4
40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJfmEx7z8y
She smiled like that was enough.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5OvST8Co0
40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjUVyolwTk
I smiled back — the kind you practice in mirrors so nobody asks twice.
It worked. It always does.
Later, Eli dropped something in the group chat. A plan. Movies, drinks, the usual Saturday noise.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8VgwMar0Hl
40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9oOAYVXCQ
Everyone reacted. I gave it a thumbs up, muted the chat, and closed the app like it burned to hold it.
I don’t hate people. I just hate feeling like I don’t exist around them.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bFolQwWOW
40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAyQregilmq
Even when I’m there, fully present, it still feels like I’m watching my life from behind glass.
I listen to people laugh and wonder what it feels like to actually mean it.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡra3V7OBEuU
40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkc2j9V30m
I speak when I have to. I show up when it matters.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWhn0Rl9gP
40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuR95xhsBc3
But everything I say feels like I’m lip-syncing someone else’s life.
It’s not that I want anyone to chase me.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRkCpfCipk
40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xlTYmEjeu
I just want someone to notice that I’m drifting.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0dNzvGy0M
40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJk4qvPfz6j
Someone to stop smiling and actually look me in the eyes and say,
40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOak1t92c6X“Something’s wrong. Don’t lie to me.”40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqZoCf2mqS
But no one ever does.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXUCLvbxXc
40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeSwj4fYaw
They believe the smile. They always believe the smile.
And I don’t blame them.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPoAoMQ5X8F
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I’ve made it easy.
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I left my journal open on purpose this time.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uS0vEAnPd
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Page bookmarked.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LfrNoa5w6
40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTTky5bSSp
Highlighting one line I hoped someone would read:
40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsP5tCLiBeB“If you’re reading this, I don’t want to disappear quietly.”40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEGDS18QOP
I didn’t lock my room when I left.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMzO9ekcfV
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I just want to see who actually comes looking.
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Thank you for reading. If this felt real to you, follow for the issue 3— I’m just getting start
40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ECjp8ES2v
Issue 3 drops in [like “2 days”]
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