
16Please respect copyright.PENANAblQHnVIyYA
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Lena sat beside me in class today.16Please respect copyright.PENANAzVq8DNF1he
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She leaned over and asked, “You okay?”
I said, “Yeah, just tired.”16Please respect copyright.PENANA38dsKC5w7q
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She smiled like that was enough.16Please respect copyright.PENANAC24PdbO5MV
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAMJ6IpXy2tx
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAd9kBbr9yGd
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAescrP5Le5I
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I speak when I have to. I show up when it matters.16Please respect copyright.PENANAmSv8imk3hi
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAtPU9oE8aNt
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I just want someone to notice that I’m drifting.16Please respect copyright.PENANAwcs48ez0te
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Someone to stop smiling and actually look me in the eyes and say,
16Please respect copyright.PENANAfVPHgcS0mV“Something’s wrong. Don’t lie to me.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAh14iXXjfEK
But no one ever does.16Please respect copyright.PENANAJGCR1ourW0
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They believe the smile. They always believe the smile.
And I don’t blame them.16Please respect copyright.PENANA0a2zkXeF5J
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I’ve made it easy.
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I left my journal open on purpose this time.16Please respect copyright.PENANAmnjlf75ZMT
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Page bookmarked.16Please respect copyright.PENANAXX0oVTf8MG
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Highlighting one line I hoped someone would read:
16Please respect copyright.PENANAfszIj3oOVB“If you’re reading this, I don’t want to disappear quietly.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAZqaY1Wfko4
I didn’t lock my room when I left.16Please respect copyright.PENANAKghoBIudB6
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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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