It was easy at first. Too easy. Those early messages felt like a breath of fresh air after years of holding my breath. I didn’t expect much, didn’t think anything would come of it. We met online—just some casual chats here and there, nothing special. But she caught my attention. I didn’t know why at the time, but something about her words, her energy—it felt real. Like she wasn’t pretending. She wasn’t trying to be something she thought I wanted. And that? That was rare.
At first, I thought it was just the excitement of meeting someone new. But as the days went on, I found myself thinking about her in ways I hadn’t expected. Every message felt like an invitation to something more, and I, foolishly, walked right into it. I let myself care. I let myself feel.
But that’s when the pressure started. Slowly, like an undertow, pulling at my feet when I wasn’t paying attention. I had a job I hated, expectations I could never meet, and a life that felt too full to handle. And there she was—someone who deserved better than I could give. Someone who didn’t need the weight of my insecurities dragging her down. But instead of pulling away, I leaned in. Maybe I thought it would get easier. Maybe I thought I could handle it.
It didn’t.
I didn’t know how to juggle her, myself, and everything else. I should’ve told her sooner that I was struggling with my own depressing thoughts, but I didn’t. I thought I could fix everything on my own, that I could keep wearing the mask I’d spent so many years perfecting. But the cracks were showing, and she saw them before I did.
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A Different View
Short Story"A Different View" tells the emotional journey of Zayne, a man torn between love and his inner struggles. After meeting someone online and quickly falling in love, Zayne finds himself overwhelmed by his own mental health battles-depression, fear, an...
