161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmyPJlajSO
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1UkuLNulf
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Lena sat beside me in class today.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5ljSTKRuq
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqwx5RakuR
She leaned over and asked, “You okay?”
I said, “Yeah, just tired.”161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZMrBzsgo8
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHeew8yAHbR
She smiled like that was enough.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdFb0HpKCX
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAt5nlR7K4G
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.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZmjE3HKd3B
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW61bH0n2te
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.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrKiyQtKKG
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXSUwCUMJY
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.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxJMuAu58z
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lGtCP9Tyg
I speak when I have to. I show up when it matters.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpTIN5sNzS
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4X9xbUyNG
But everything I say feels like I’m lip-syncing someone else’s life.
It’s not that I want anyone to chase me.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRiBkOvKyyz
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlTgXXn3cM
I just want someone to notice that I’m drifting.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7JrK9iMmU
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡanNN2qmnGR
Someone to stop smiling and actually look me in the eyes and say,
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbpaQfIg5Q“Something’s wrong. Don’t lie to me.”161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Fni4pfrnz
But no one ever does.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpK6VEzd2j
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPnpCuTo0l
They believe the smile. They always believe the smile.
And I don’t blame them.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdH81DxWCAZ
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I’ve made it easy.
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlZAM7iPzz
I left my journal open on purpose this time.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKb1L4enJ9w
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ouZDV7bRf
Page bookmarked.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBKz6mE7Xh
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefIya3RjVH
Highlighting one line I hoped someone would read:
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSD8rpBMXe“If you’re reading this, I don’t want to disappear quietly.”161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rjBhwJggJ
I didn’t lock my room when I left.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjmiff7V21
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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
161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJtnTe0mLW
Issue 3 drops in [like “2 days”]
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