If Only I Had Peace

Eliza learned early that silence could be both a shield and a prison. In her house, being quiet-about her thoughts, her feelings, and especially who she loved-was the safest way to exist. But outside her room, she wore a different face.
Bright. Bubbly. Outgoing.
Her smile arrived before she did, and most people believed she was as cheerful as she seemed. At her social events, she was the one who lifted others up, always quick with a joke or encouragement. No one there would ever guess how hard things felt once she went back home. Inside, her thoughts were heavier than she let anyone see. Anxiety pushed her forward, her moods tugged her in different directions, and some days felt harder than others. At seventeen, she carried all of it quietly, hoping no one noticed the strain. Still, she dreamed of peace-simple, steady, honest peace. A life where she didn't have to hide or pretend. A place where she would finally feel safe to be herself.
Her story begins here:
with hope, with courage, and with a girl trying her best to make it through while searching for a place she can truly breathe.