You're not alone bro

It was a quiet evening, the kind where the sky painted itself in soft shades of orange and pink. But Liam didn’t notice. He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the messy pile of schoolbooks on his desk. The words from earlier that day echoed in his head:

“You need to do better, Liam. How will you ever make something of yourself if you keep slacking off?”

His dad’s voice was sharp and full of disappointment.

Then there was his mom. She hadn’t said much, but the way she looked at him—like he was already a failure—hurt even more.

At school, it wasn’t any better. Everyone seemed to have it together. Perfect grades, perfect friends, perfect lives. Liam felt like he didn’t belong, like he was falling behind while everyone else sped ahead.

He glanced at the soccer ball sitting in the corner of the room. It used to be his escape. When the pressure got too much, kicking the ball around in the yard always made him feel free. But now, even soccer felt like another thing he couldn’t keep up with.

“What’s the point?” he muttered, picking up the ball. He rolled it under his foot for a moment, but the familiar motion didn’t bring the comfort it used to. With a sigh, he let it fall to the floor and watched it slowly roll away.

He reached into his drawer and pulled out a notebook. Its pages were filled with his thoughts, the ones he couldn’t say out loud. Flipping to a blank page, he started writing.

“I don’t know how much longer I can do this. I’m tired. Tired of pretending I’m okay when I’m not. Tired of trying to be perfect for everyone when I don’t even know who I am.”

Tears blurred his vision as he scribbled the words. For the first time, he let the weight of everything sink in.

Just as Liam’s thoughts began to swallow him whole, he heard a knock at the door. Startled, he quickly wiped his eyes and stuffed the notebook under his pillow, not wanting anyone to see the mess he was becoming.

“Hey, Liam. You okay?” It was his cousin, Jordan. They were close in age, but Jordan always seemed to have a different outlook on things, a way of looking at life that Liam couldn’t quite grasp.

Liam forced a smile, trying to brush off the lump in his throat. “Yeah, just… tired.”

Jordan didn’t buy it. He walked into the room, his usual easygoing smile fading when he saw the soccer ball lying forgotten on the floor. He raised an eyebrow. “You haven’t kicked this around in a while. What’s going on?”

Liam shrugged, not sure how to explain the weight pressing on his chest. Jordan had always been the kind of person who found the silver lining in everything, but Liam wasn’t sure there was one left for him.

“You know,” Jordan continued, sitting down on the edge of the bed, “when I was in your shoes, I thought I couldn’t keep going. Everything felt like too much. I kept thinking that if I could just disappear, maybe it would be easier for everyone. But then I realized something.”

Liam glanced at him, a little confused. “What?”

Jordan looked him straight in the eye, his expression serious now. “You don’t have to do this alone. You don’t have to have it all figured out right now, or ever. Life doesn’t work like that. And it’s okay to not be perfect, to not live up to everyone else’s expectations. The truth is, people love you for who you are, not for who they want you to be.”

Liam felt a knot in his throat. He’d never really heard someone say that to him before. It sounded so simple, but it made something inside him shift.

“I know it’s hard,” Jordan said, reading his face, “but it’s not about the grades, or being the best on the field. It’s about doing what makes you happy, even if that means taking a step back and figuring things out at your own pace. You don’t have to carry everything by yourself.”

Liam looked down at the soccer ball again, and this time, it didn’t seem like a burden. Jordan was right. Maybe he didn’t have to be perfect. Maybe it was okay to just… be.

“You’re not a failure, Liam,” Jordan said, his voice softening. “And if you ever feel like you can’t keep going, I’m here. We’re all here for you.”

For the first time in a long while, Liam felt a small spark of something—hope, maybe, or just the relief of knowing that he wasn’t alone. It didn’t fix everything, but it felt like a start.

“Thanks, man,” Liam said quietly, his voice cracking just a little. He wasn’t sure where he was going, or if he’d ever have all the answers, but maybe that was okay. Maybe, just for today, he didn’t need to have it all figured out.

Jordan sat back, his eyes thoughtful as he glanced out the window. After a moment, he turned back to Liam. “You know, it’s not just about the expectations or the school stuff. I get it, you’re trying to figure out who you are in a world that’s always telling you what you’re supposed to be.” He paused, then added with a quiet seriousness, “Being a guy isn’t as simple as people think. We’re supposed to be tough, always have it together. And when we don’t? We’re told to just ‘man up’ and keep quiet. But that’s not how it works. We’re allowed to have moments when we don’t feel strong, when everything feels like it’s too much.”

Liam looked at him, unsure where this was going but feeling like maybe Jordan was about to say something that made sense.

“It’s tough, especially when you feel like no one sees you struggling,” Jordan continued. “I’ve felt like that before—like I had to hide what was really going on. Society makes it seem like boys shouldn’t talk about their feelings, like we’re supposed to push everything down and keep moving forward without a second thought. But that’s not real. You don’t have to be some kind of superhero just because you’re a guy.”

Liam shifted, the words hitting him in a way that he hadn’t expected. Jordan was right. It seemed like everyone—his dad, his friends, even the world around him—expected him to always be on top of things, to be the one who didn’t struggle, to be the “man of the house” in his family. But he was tired. So tired.

“You know what? Sometimes we think we’re supposed to be perfect, like if we’re not good enough in school, or on the field, or with our friends, then we’re failures. But that’s not true. The world is too obsessed with comparing us to others, trying to make us fit into boxes. But the truth is, you’re not a failure, Liam. You’re human. You have good days, bad days, and everything in between. And that’s okay.”

Liam felt a lump rise in his throat, but he didn’t try to push it down this time. Jordan was saying the things Liam hadn’t allowed himself to believe.

“You know, a lot of guys go through what you’re feeling. But the difference is, they don’t talk about it,” Jordan said. “And that’s why you’re feeling like no one understands. But I get it, man. You’re not alone in this. And you don’t have to carry it all on your shoulders.”

Liam blinked, trying to hold back tears. “But I don’t know how to stop… feeling like I’m just… failing,” he admitted.

Jordan’s face softened. “It’s not about stopping, it’s about giving yourself the space to breathe. You don’t need to have everything figured out right now. You don’t have to be perfect or make everyone happy. You just need to focus on what makes you happy, even if it’s just small moments of peace, like sitting here talking to someone who actually gets it.”

Liam let out a shaky breath, a feeling of relief beginning to settle in. It was like a weight had been lifted, just by hearing someone else understand. For the first time in a long while, he felt like he didn’t have to hide.

“You’re not weak for feeling this way, Liam,” Jordan said softly, his voice full of care. “In fact, it takes a lot of strength to be honest with yourself. And if you ever feel like you can’t keep going, I’ll be here. You don’t have to carry this alone.”

Liam looked at Jordan, feeling a warmth spread through him that he hadn’t felt in ages. It was okay to feel lost sometimes. It was okay to not have all the answers.

“I’m glad you came in, man,” Liam said quietly, his voice thick with emotion. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t.”

Jordan smiled, ruffling Liam’s hair like he did when they were younger. “You’re not alone. Not now, not ever.”

Liam nodded, a quiet sense of hope flickering inside him. Maybe things weren’t perfect. Maybe life would always have its ups and downs. But at least for today, he knew he didn’t have to face it all alone. And that, in itself, made all the difference.