x
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEou2k8vYTb
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgb5phYmUZm
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4sKbat2J9
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWg44zYtgK
Lena sat beside me in class today.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VDOTokmlV
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9dcila84II
She leaned over and asked, “You okay?”
I said, “Yeah, just tired.”121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDtOIF1SwW
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMkE21iuRU4
She smiled like that was enough.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbKnGy5gva
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiogmPSq1BI
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.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvJi2wJQKO
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSTWzqhyzj
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.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKODCCt9knu
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmiRQeIOEb
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.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBqLcBBNE3
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GzDL9egq0
I speak when I have to. I show up when it matters.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYsSGywzSg
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYmQKisSTG7
But everything I say feels like I’m lip-syncing someone else’s life.
It’s not that I want anyone to chase me.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl34VryfHOX
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzVP2ssKCJ
I just want someone to notice that I’m drifting.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrMHjblFDM
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQAT6kdDni
Someone to stop smiling and actually look me in the eyes and say,
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgsnUs9P2t“Something’s wrong. Don’t lie to me.”121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJ4Q7B6MZe
But no one ever does.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR0zMQZhzN7
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSF9VGySKlm
They believe the smile. They always believe the smile.
And I don’t blame them.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmRvGUjLeo
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPr9nzuV9yq
I’ve made it easy.
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZAtkEEIz8M
I left my journal open on purpose this time.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedRqS1NY3D
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ298ugh2sKM
Page bookmarked.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzLPDzdXKH
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCa8UhNVlrM
Highlighting one line I hoped someone would read:
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1Jj5qqBWL“If you’re reading this, I don’t want to disappear quietly.”121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQza8khOMMi
I didn’t lock my room when I left.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4a2RJOOCa
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmbzPqv9QB
I just want to see who actually comes looking.
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLZFS8xpwN
Thank you for reading. If this felt real to you, follow for the issue 3— I’m just getting start
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZRGhnZwZ7
Issue 3 drops in [like “2 days”]
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43ovLR4IQz
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4BuFq5zwI
