x
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7liBRtQS73
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29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6PnJndK1C
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARF1bRLgJS
Lena sat beside me in class today.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekVq9M9ZFb
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJjALr3TVx
She leaned over and asked, “You okay?”
I said, “Yeah, just tired.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEazd7U1G6
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxJvxpe8YC
She smiled like that was enough.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOcrd1lWhl
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNXUE57CRb
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbl8sRg6H5v
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtrufJZkEp
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpePUlbJbpN
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtnFi25Bwj
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJ4gOjOmVB
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLL6LTGQ4I
I speak when I have to. I show up when it matters.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUxAZo3fMB
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kKHusCraC
But everything I say feels like I’m lip-syncing someone else’s life.
It’s not that I want anyone to chase me.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0yDE3kTVE
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTcjGWAWCt
I just want someone to notice that I’m drifting.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQhlnS89Tt
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQSDEp2ppm
Someone to stop smiling and actually look me in the eyes and say,
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nGnMk3feR“Something’s wrong. Don’t lie to me.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtXPTEAQJk
But no one ever does.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3h9FSVbKdq
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowpTleuxsn
They believe the smile. They always believe the smile.
And I don’t blame them.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qRM93XPS4
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgPl8LtczD
I’ve made it easy.
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUJyjsvmN4
I left my journal open on purpose this time.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2gJFyASuE
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXojpSD5oR8
Page bookmarked.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWz3RtRgJI
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJVaJBYmGY
Highlighting one line I hoped someone would read:
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpsNPXGBjWT“If you’re reading this, I don’t want to disappear quietly.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRt71KxYlX
I didn’t lock my room when I left.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvf3ebxpBM
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTBGmwMQzWj
I just want to see who actually comes looking.
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfGRDMiQFK
Thank you for reading. If this felt real to you, follow for the issue 3— I’m just getting start
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0xgYCJkmA
Issue 3 drops in [like “2 days”]
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaN1XR7dXH
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUmr597iOl
