There were days when I couldn’t even look in the mirror without feeling disgusted. I’d think about how I didn’t fit in or was never good enough for anyone. I’d push people away; afraid they’d see the real me—the one I hated. I would isolate myself and pretend everything was fine, even though inside, I was falling apart. Like Veronica, I kept everything to myself, afraid that if I let anyone in, they’d leave once they saw who I truly was. But one person stuck around, and their unwavering support helped me realize that maybe I wasn’t as broken as I thought.