177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkJV1tYB67
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgucK7J84yA
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdcnPKj9jAe
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLJhNVTHse
Lena sat beside me in class today.177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRxEBVORv6
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXI1Gehagy
She leaned over and asked, “You okay?”
I said, “Yeah, just tired.”177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHuiI9A7Ay
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDRhDuTiKC
She smiled like that was enough.177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vJyzpJXSZ
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNNhC5te7r
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.177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgn6DYDCJuH
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FmMkfbZyO
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.177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwPF2KuXE9
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7xvRc9Hf9
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.177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2dNwjxzsn
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQoVinEjCjs
I speak when I have to. I show up when it matters.177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGh71GQOqU
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg01cU4xaY1
But everything I say feels like I’m lip-syncing someone else’s life.
It’s not that I want anyone to chase me.177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DsDcNsMm6
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoy7Ssrf9G
I just want someone to notice that I’m drifting.177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmih4vOr5P
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Qa6ahR4l4
Someone to stop smiling and actually look me in the eyes and say,
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFcYcjdUSG“Something’s wrong. Don’t lie to me.”177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1O8WogP7hK
But no one ever does.177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58P7fRTYfM
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNIiwLMw8G
They believe the smile. They always believe the smile.
And I don’t blame them.177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxllWfUwJ1
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBF4w0BHCqS
I’ve made it easy.
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡob8qhBCUD2
I left my journal open on purpose this time.177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXD8Ecc5M33
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLFndNUwzf
Page bookmarked.177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6keQqbODN
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpshy9vhPZ
Highlighting one line I hoped someone would read:
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHRIvXs9FN“If you’re reading this, I don’t want to disappear quietly.”177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvSkugJ3fo
I didn’t lock my room when I left.177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ux9F3uVTx
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwK5QnlBmBd
I just want to see who actually comes looking.
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqExt7yGHFm
Thank you for reading. If this felt real to you, follow for the issue 3— I’m just getting start
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfOcqcXYaj
Issue 3 drops in [like “2 days”]
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuz22ww5HAi
177Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8LffNlrMk
