150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCdAqDSwOd
150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZfoOgnLzqf
150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxDkRGjzrg
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Lena sat beside me in class today.150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfN4aG9ZZE
150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PTzbHsUph
She leaned over and asked, “You okay?”
I said, “Yeah, just tired.”150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupcWYEMFaI
150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlptLtjlgA
She smiled like that was enough.150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4T0rxh5COV
150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2XCcS3RRj
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.150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNRJWGnZo8
150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPeZdbdzWd
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.150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡapB9oemW5y
150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWaWCm4KsR
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.150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXIFsg25a0B
150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8RTS27aiT
I speak when I have to. I show up when it matters.150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuhoZHPfWL
150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2Q7cCXwOd
But everything I say feels like I’m lip-syncing someone else’s life.
It’s not that I want anyone to chase me.150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4yylgJf8r
150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2pd1eWMen
I just want someone to notice that I’m drifting.150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmiAWPer6C
150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWPeDAyeKi
Someone to stop smiling and actually look me in the eyes and say,
150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYMMkt4zlZ“Something’s wrong. Don’t lie to me.”150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFJHnSylBk
But no one ever does.150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd4E02ajnLD
150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEgRIIEZkZ
They believe the smile. They always believe the smile.
And I don’t blame them.150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkC9TR5rAGw
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I’ve made it easy.
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I left my journal open on purpose this time.150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbcGbqVgjOg
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Page bookmarked.150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgXP6l3gpm
150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZPmqmZXgqK
Highlighting one line I hoped someone would read:
150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnEsvabiwyl“If you’re reading this, I don’t want to disappear quietly.”150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJZRll3TdK
I didn’t lock my room when I left.150Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4AxQrJPGj
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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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