
47Please respect copyright.PENANA864QtoqKTs
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Lena sat beside me in class today.47Please respect copyright.PENANAIuZlQXpKwh
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She leaned over and asked, “You okay?”
I said, “Yeah, just tired.”47Please respect copyright.PENANAafvDCV8pUm
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She smiled like that was enough.47Please respect copyright.PENANAWHqjzj2vNE
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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.47Please respect copyright.PENANAoP6gsgaM74
47Please respect copyright.PENANA4bK6pZapt2
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.47Please respect copyright.PENANAzD8PreU4tc
47Please respect copyright.PENANAjhsxv3aIWK
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.47Please respect copyright.PENANAA4oHcYtEVE
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I speak when I have to. I show up when it matters.47Please respect copyright.PENANAcv6E1VQ2Am
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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.47Please respect copyright.PENANA2tZMRZ6M6Z
47Please respect copyright.PENANAblE3KTrk59
I just want someone to notice that I’m drifting.47Please respect copyright.PENANAPjlnZ9N8bR
47Please respect copyright.PENANALwZZNWXAXN
Someone to stop smiling and actually look me in the eyes and say,
47Please respect copyright.PENANAXxFNExpjzY“Something’s wrong. Don’t lie to me.”47Please respect copyright.PENANAKOswGR8xeh
But no one ever does.47Please respect copyright.PENANAqvvhmQRoPE
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They believe the smile. They always believe the smile.
And I don’t blame them.47Please respect copyright.PENANAvPDH9Ii39X
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I’ve made it easy.
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I left my journal open on purpose this time.47Please respect copyright.PENANAOQp9E6cesa
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Page bookmarked.47Please respect copyright.PENANAuji3kPxaRp
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Highlighting one line I hoped someone would read:
47Please respect copyright.PENANAzl1Jmp4LRg“If you’re reading this, I don’t want to disappear quietly.”47Please respect copyright.PENANAJ4sKW4DomL
I didn’t lock my room when I left.47Please respect copyright.PENANAVskDtjGmf4
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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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