they played the victim so convincingly, i almost forgot! was the one they hurt. it's strange how easily the truth can get twisted when someone tells their story louder than yours. they played the victim so convincingly that, for a moment, questioned my own reality. i found myself shrinking, second-guessing the pain i knew i felt, almost apologizing for wounds i didn't cause. it's disorienting to be hurt and then made to feel like you're the one who did the hurting. but deep down, i remember now. i remember how it felt, what was said, what was done, and who carried the weight of it all no matter how convincing the act was, it doesn't erase what actually happened. i won't let their version of the story silence mine anymore, because my pain is real-and i deserve to acknowledge it, not rewrite it to make someone else more comfortable.