Me: I lied to my family and traveled hours just to surprise a man who couldn’t even reply to my texts.
Friend: You actually went?
Me: Yeah. Spent my last money. Bought him food. Crossed cities for what I thought was love.
Friend: And?
Me: He looked annoyed I was there.
Friend: That must’ve hurt.
Me: I stayed anyway… feeling like a burden, not a priority.
Friend: What happened after?
Me: At 5 a.m., I was watching him sleep and it hit me—I had never put that much effort into my own life.
Friend: …
Me: The trip back home was paid for by the same people I lied to.
Friend: And you realized?
Me: The rejection wasn’t the worst part.
Friend: What was?
Me: Realizing I valued him more than I valued myself.
Friend: Lesson?
Me: Sometimes the biggest red flag isn’t him… it’s what you’re willing to accept for him.
Me today asking the kids at work if they watched the 20 year Hannah Montana reunion and they say “20 years, huh? I wasn’t even born when that show came out”