he was hurting
and he knew it
but he couldn't admit it
he couldn't tell them he was in pain
because that would be admitting that it's real
not to them
but to him
admitting it would mean he was alive
a person
a soul
a life
and he wasn't ready for that
he might not ever be
because he was fine like this
inside his bubble
where no one could hurt him
because no one ever got close enough to pop it
he never wanted it to pop
if the bubble popped
he's real
he's alive
he has feelings
a soul
a life
so he ignored the pain
it will go away soon
he repeated to himself
its not that bad
stop being such a baby
it will be gone soon
and as long as he told himself these things
everything would stay the same
and he won't be alive
he won't be a person
or a soul
or a life
