x
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ071VLOu3WE
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16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJdLrYg9uv
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Lena sat beside me in class today.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKnH9lNZJJ
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRpMw3tSAX
She leaned over and asked, “You okay?”
I said, “Yeah, just tired.”16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxewYgqW8Es
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqp4cBqbF4
She smiled like that was enough.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoG8amRu0hP
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6CQJQ9aus
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XMRRAxhKa
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Kw9qd3Cld
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9edllrkGI
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcD8AT3JuEB
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRBz6icP6f
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5tVgQW2IFx
I speak when I have to. I show up when it matters.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoVm1DAau8
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNToJDDSnhl
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgvoOXRtGg
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbMiw28DWI
I just want someone to notice that I’m drifting.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnkeIrMumI
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF29M9Pnc8y
Someone to stop smiling and actually look me in the eyes and say,
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKUyXnC9oq“Something’s wrong. Don’t lie to me.”16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWd8D2MAE1
But no one ever does.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDyXr35SWyf
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4nhM5zHGJ
They believe the smile. They always believe the smile.
And I don’t blame them.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmT4Ack3hq
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I’ve made it easy.
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyGFGl9vmR
I left my journal open on purpose this time.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2gMkoqfur
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVEBGK6ogV
Page bookmarked.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHcWsDoI8f
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBCZYUE2yq
Highlighting one line I hoped someone would read:
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePxjpHAcVb“If you’re reading this, I don’t want to disappear quietly.”16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnwk48XKlU
I didn’t lock my room when I left.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYad5EBC1KT
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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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16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUqJsYlAlB
