Mirroring others is often a way of protecting ones self, it usually develops after certain specific events in childhood and sadly its normal, not OKAY IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER, but many people still experience it, including myself.
Society has taught us we need to "fit in" in such subtle ways that often times those who are different find themselves trying to shrink to fit in other people's circles when theirs is a square or a triangle. It's like the matching game though, the circle isn't going to fit in the rectangle and deep down you know that.
I know what it's like to try and soften your story to make it easier to digest but here's the ugly truth: it's not easy to digest because it sure as hell wasn't for you and that's why it matters, that's why it is a problem.
Maybe that's why you feel like you have impress them. Because maybe you're afraid of how they would react when they get that raw, ugly, painful, REAL version of the story, but the thing is, that's the only version of the story that matters. Not the one where you soften it to save someone else's feelings or the one where you exclude all the ugly bits, but that ugly, terrifying story that you keep hiding the real version of.
You do not need to filter yourself for someone else, if it bothers them they go screw themselves because it means they are not meant to be in your life in that way, maybe in others, but not in this and that's important to understand.
There are people who will gladly listen to that ugly version and still think of you dearly. They will listen even if it's hard to hear, even if it's so hard for you to say that your voice is cracking and your choking over tears and it feels like you have barbed wire wrapped around your throat that gets tighter with every word.
I will be there, running to my laptop or phone or tablet whenever you need that one person to just listen. No matter how small your voice sounds, no matter how ugly the story gets, no matter how many jokes and smiles you try to play off.
Because I love you and now I send you many, many, many, many virtual hugs and kisses.