They say you become like the five people you spend the most time with.But what happens when all five are silently rooting for your failure? In my lowest moments, I learned something brutal: not everyone who's around you is for you. Some people smile with you just to study your weaknesses. Some check in, not to help—but to check if you're still stuck. And the worst part? You don't even notice until it's too late.There were people I laughed with, cried with, trusted. People I prayed for. People I would've fought for. But when my life got dark, they didn't offer light—they offered distance. Or worse… silence.Then there were the fake smiles. The ones who stayed close, not to support, but to spy. To gossip. To feed off my brokenness because it made them feel better about themselves. That was my wake-up call: Not everyone deserves access to me—especially not the version of me I'm rebuilding.I had to learn how to cut people off without warning, without guilt, and without writing a long explanation. Protecting your peace doesn't require permission.But I also won't lie—some of the pain came from me, too. I let people overstay in my life. I gave too many second chances. I ignored red flags painted in bold. I kept showing up for people who never showed up for me.And still… I don't regret being loyal. I don't regret loving. I just regret not loving myself enough to walk away sooner.Here's what I know now:
Some enemies come dressed as friends.
Some friends become enemies once they see you heal.
But the real ones? The silent few who stayed, even when I had nothing to offer—they became my family.