x
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFp80jsG4if
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Lena sat beside me in class today.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlP0J33Db4m
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXM0R9aUzur
She leaned over and asked, “You okay?”
I said, “Yeah, just tired.”12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6iFS00czy8
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGc1EP3E7s
She smiled like that was enough.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyC73mGT2E
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jFB6kEWr2
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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwiZsFMKLv
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4RCOVHskUU
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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2SyIGUZ5gu
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3n32V8fLqQ
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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡveun18AIpE
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2V59dS8KeQ
I speak when I have to. I show up when it matters.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6OXZEuT0ED
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp29ZaAP12i
But everything I say feels like I’m lip-syncing someone else’s life.
It’s not that I want anyone to chase me.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcHfxUNsTM
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoV8i3aih8X
I just want someone to notice that I’m drifting.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsuJ9EcrtNu
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpeRGvJ3pUu
Someone to stop smiling and actually look me in the eyes and say,
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUA1OxGEXn“Something’s wrong. Don’t lie to me.”12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTUFi8C4yM
But no one ever does.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsv6GHtuAnA
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhuwNjeRYS
They believe the smile. They always believe the smile.
And I don’t blame them.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUcgMK0jKt5
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I’ve made it easy.
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jxxLoAfgH
I left my journal open on purpose this time.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDQBDiWEpr
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Page bookmarked.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3OQc5YMhe
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09eEJo9UVc
Highlighting one line I hoped someone would read:
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3xkymeIux“If you’re reading this, I don’t want to disappear quietly.”12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPeY3FCkDV
I didn’t lock my room when I left.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkAWWvfQpj
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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
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡanBr5BSdEI
Issue 3 drops in [like “2 days”]
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12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8m1gpGO9gu
