
54Please respect copyright.PENANAl16g6iB1GL
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Lena sat beside me in class today.54Please respect copyright.PENANAsTh4C3R5Hg
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She leaned over and asked, “You okay?”
I said, “Yeah, just tired.”54Please respect copyright.PENANAVKY50gJ3A2
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She smiled like that was enough.54Please respect copyright.PENANAQDEnHvUv93
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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.54Please respect copyright.PENANAIey8kQ8DTe
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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.54Please respect copyright.PENANALwAYbhMEug
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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.54Please respect copyright.PENANAevdOJS9zk5
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I speak when I have to. I show up when it matters.54Please respect copyright.PENANA0OA6KKloSB
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But everything I say feels like I’m lip-syncing someone else’s life.
It’s not that I want anyone to chase me.54Please respect copyright.PENANAfRlmEFwbej
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I just want someone to notice that I’m drifting.54Please respect copyright.PENANAtuSp8uYcjt
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Someone to stop smiling and actually look me in the eyes and say,
54Please respect copyright.PENANAAo2U0N5r9n“Something’s wrong. Don’t lie to me.”54Please respect copyright.PENANAaO2jBe0hy6
But no one ever does.54Please respect copyright.PENANAgvYkZm8Dxb
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They believe the smile. They always believe the smile.
And I don’t blame them.54Please respect copyright.PENANAojIX7myBS9
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I’ve made it easy.
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I left my journal open on purpose this time.54Please respect copyright.PENANARXYGx3JmsP
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Page bookmarked.54Please respect copyright.PENANAc4z7e0aTFj
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Highlighting one line I hoped someone would read:
54Please respect copyright.PENANADy8ywq0GQ8“If you’re reading this, I don’t want to disappear quietly.”54Please respect copyright.PENANAIuFhFsbVTl
I didn’t lock my room when I left.54Please respect copyright.PENANAoPV93rlCNu
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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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