MACEY
I sat in my car, parked right in front of the therapist’s office, and stared at the glass doors like they were daring me to walk through them. My fingers gripped the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turned pale. My heart beat too fast, too loud. I wasn’t sure if I was anxious, terrified, or just… tired. Maybe all three.
The world outside looked calm, but inside, I was chaos. I had never been to therapy before. The thought of sitting in front of a stranger and peeling back every layer I had built to survive made my stomach twist.
It was easier to keep pretending I was fine. I was getting so good at it. Smiling when people asked how I was doing. Saying, “I’m okay,” like it wasn’t a lie. I’d convinced everyone, maybe even myself.
But I wasn’t okay.
The truth was, I h
