She responds by kissing me harder and longer and deeper. She loves me too. She's just afraid.

Sometimes I'd catch myself looking at my reflection in windows and wonder who I was. Where I was going. Then the image would change and it wouldn't be me, just some nebulous shadow person.

Really? It seems too good to be true. I don't trust it. I don't trust anyone.

Me? I had no dreams. No longings. Dreams only set you up for disappointment. Plus, you had to have a life to have dreams of a better life.

You can't trust machines. You can't trust people.

Yeah, I hear the truth. But this is my truth.

My parents will be sad for a while, and they may even blame themselves, the way they do now. Eventually they'll come to peace with my decision. I hope they'll realize I'm finally at peace.