
41Please respect copyright.PENANAlsHHdxyVfS
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Lena sat beside me in class today.41Please respect copyright.PENANAie4upXomBj
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She leaned over and asked, “You okay?”
I said, “Yeah, just tired.”41Please respect copyright.PENANAZ7jxg132In
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She smiled like that was enough.41Please respect copyright.PENANA5rhOrzC0Is
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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.41Please respect copyright.PENANAsP6dUZZvi3
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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.41Please respect copyright.PENANA7ZPCEawSJI
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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.41Please respect copyright.PENANAqBmnOBn12M
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I speak when I have to. I show up when it matters.41Please respect copyright.PENANAy4IUKiIyhH
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But everything I say feels like I’m lip-syncing someone else’s life.
It’s not that I want anyone to chase me.41Please respect copyright.PENANAD3GloIRSjW
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I just want someone to notice that I’m drifting.41Please respect copyright.PENANAI8YjwMF3NN
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Someone to stop smiling and actually look me in the eyes and say,
41Please respect copyright.PENANAk4wdqq6nFn“Something’s wrong. Don’t lie to me.”41Please respect copyright.PENANA7VR07L0CYP
But no one ever does.41Please respect copyright.PENANAP2XvnMZJCj
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They believe the smile. They always believe the smile.
And I don’t blame them.41Please respect copyright.PENANADTEYvfB5Af
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I’ve made it easy.
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I left my journal open on purpose this time.41Please respect copyright.PENANAgdljYqL2HT
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Page bookmarked.41Please respect copyright.PENANAzePAhDHWRk
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Highlighting one line I hoped someone would read:
41Please respect copyright.PENANAStD28pwaIM“If you’re reading this, I don’t want to disappear quietly.”41Please respect copyright.PENANABpXFSOW5tb
I didn’t lock my room when I left.41Please respect copyright.PENANAmzTVnjzl0q
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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
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Issue 3 drops in [like “2 days”]
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