I Didn’t Want to Wake Up…

The morning alarm buzzed again, but I hit snooze like it was a battle I’d already lost.

Dragging myself out of bed, I went through the motions — brushing teeth, pulling on my uniform, tying my shoes.

Every step felt heavier than the last.

I didn’t want to go to school.

Not today. Not any day.

The world outside my window looked just as tired as I felt. Gray clouds hung low, matching the weight in my chest.

I barely noticed when I slid into my usual seat in the back of the classroom. The hum of chatter buzzed around me, but I was somewhere else — trapped behind a fog I couldn’t clear.

Then the classroom door creaked open.

She walked in — not like she belonged to my world, but somehow like she did.

Not smiling like she was happy or trying too hard — just that easy, natural kind of smile that makes you want to look up.

She glanced over at me and shrugged with a casual, “Hey.”

Nothing more. Nothing less.

But somehow, it was enough.