Tape 1 - Side A: Issyiss

Tape 1, Side A Hello, issyiss . I bet you never thought you’d be hearing from me. Not like this. Not on a tape that’s going to pass from one set of hands to the next, a chain letter of guilt. But you’re the first link. You’re where it all starts, so you get the honor of pressing play. I’m going to tell you why I’m gone. And you, Issyiss, are Reason One. Do you remember the day in the cafeteria? It was loud, as always. A chaotic symphony of slamming trays and stupid laughter. I was sitting alone, which wasn’t unusual, but that day felt different. That day felt heavier. And then I saw you. You were with your friends, your little court, and you were looking right at me. I thought, for a second, maybe you’d smile. Maybe you’d nod. Maybe you’d just see me. Instead, you leaned in and whispered something to the girl next to you. I couldn’t hear the words, but I saw her eyes flick to me. I saw the smirk that bloomed on her face, a cruel, beautiful flower. And then I saw you laugh. It wasn’t a big, loud laugh. It was small and sharp, like a shard of glass. A laugh meant just for me, a private joke that I was the punchline of. In that moment, the entire world went silent. The noise of the cafeteria faded into a dull hum, and all I could hear was the sound of your laughter in my head, playing on a loop. It was confirmation. It was the verdict I’d been waiting for. It was you, looking at the pathetic, lonely girl and finding her so amusing you had to share the joke. You didn’t push me. You didn’t call me a name where anyone else could hear it. You just… erased me. You turned me into a cartoon, a caricature of a person not worthy of even basic decency. You looked into my world and decided it was a joke. That’s the thing about a moment like that, Issyiss. You probably don’t even remember it. It was a Tuesday. It was a fleeting bit of fun for you. But for me, it was the day the floor gave out. It was the first crack in the glass. Every other reason that’s coming… they all trace back to that crack. You didn’t start the fire, but you handed them the match. You lit the fuse. So here you are, on Tape 1, Side A. The first reason. The first domino. The rest of the story is coming, but it all started with you. Welcome to my life’s end. I hope you’re listening. There are thirteen sides to this story. And you, Issyiss, are just the beginning. The tape is in your hands now. Pass it on. Or don’t. But you don’t get to forget. You’re the first reason why. End of Tape 1, Side A.