I pretended not to be bothered by things that bothered me. I overextended myself. I acted like I wanted things I did not want. I said no when I meant yes, and yes when I meant no. I took responsibility for other people’s feelings and for their lives. I anticipated their needs. I protected them, often by sacrificing myself. Fuck, I even pretended to like people I actually didn’t like, because I either was afraid of them or thought I needed them on my side to be okay.
