176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQXktvM3B2
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdX3UHBE1v
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrl7Wvwoh8P
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZsXESd2uu
Lena sat beside me in class today.176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQSZGApIRn
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSaNgdlq8f
She leaned over and asked, “You okay?”
I said, “Yeah, just tired.”176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3IuILvzJ0
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMJ9GgrMac
She smiled like that was enough.176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nS7rGIUJa
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQ7JctqIF6
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.176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHf8zEKIr6E
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGPbeYMR3o
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.176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEcuP2Q09Cl
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyHpjHz41J
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.176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5QRx2362Z
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyIb0u1x7Je
I speak when I have to. I show up when it matters.176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoafkGKDxu0
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVa7Ko1PBDU
But everything I say feels like I’m lip-syncing someone else’s life.
It’s not that I want anyone to chase me.176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFdOToQdCe
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSp7crhTgdq
I just want someone to notice that I’m drifting.176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbrfxTNX55
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZD5D3zo5pY
Someone to stop smiling and actually look me in the eyes and say,
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmN46XxR0xt“Something’s wrong. Don’t lie to me.”176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFElW2pUX8X
But no one ever does.176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxpuQ8Fvpy
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5has6BeX6
They believe the smile. They always believe the smile.
And I don’t blame them.176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQ6DvGagK4
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBknKkMC7UQ
I’ve made it easy.
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuYNiBIdlUd
I left my journal open on purpose this time.176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROURVvqDZ5
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzTNCFg7pm2
Page bookmarked.176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5fat0YztF
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJKrl8v2dI
Highlighting one line I hoped someone would read:
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs2vAUZs6bb“If you’re reading this, I don’t want to disappear quietly.”176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAl1S0O6E0
I didn’t lock my room when I left.176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPs6ktcEaCo
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb98FOfEEPp
I just want to see who actually comes looking.
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHlbsGVtNf
Thank you for reading. If this felt real to you, follow for the issue 3— I’m just getting start
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDh6Qp9Hqs
Issue 3 drops in [like “2 days”]
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6RG5qoE9P8
176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKdLTQzb3nV
