A Loner
There was a girl once. She had a group of friends that felt like home. People who laughed with her, waited for her, and made her feel like she belonged. They shared inside jokes, late-night talks, and plans that always included her. With them, the world felt lighter. The days were easier. She felt seen, understood, and part of something bigger than herself. But slowly, things began to shift. Friendships got tangled with relationships. Conversations moved to corners she wasn’t part of. Plans happened without her. Laughs she once joined now felt distant, like echoes she couldn’t reach. And she began to feel like a shadow in her own group. A presence that mattered less with every passing day. At first, she tried to force herself forward. She smiled, tried to join in, even when her heart wasn’t in it. But it hurt. Every laugh she faked, every word she swallowed, chipped away at her energy. She realized she couldn’t keep pretending. So she stepped back. Not out of ego, but out of exhaustion...