in Creative Writing, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Writing 335 Words

Boundaries- #amwriting

Your laugh is rather loud, don’t you know?

Sheila’s world seemed to crack, almost invisibly.  Loud? she asked hesitantly.

Why, yes. I mean, I get that you’re happy and you want to express it, but it can be rather annoying at times, especially when I have a headache, said Gina, waving her hands to dry the nail polish on the ends.

I am sorry. I had no idea that my laugh offended you. I’ll try and tone it down,  Sheila replied, sarcasm dripping dangerously from the words.

Gina closed her eyes, tilted her head back and said, Oh thanks! I was wondering how you’d take it. Sheila looked at her friend, her hands splayed on the couch and valiantly controlled the impulse to say something that she’d regret.

Instead, she bit her lip and said, Anything else that I should change?

Oh yes! The way you wave and say HI!!! as though the other person is fifteen feet away; I mean, that’s just overdoing it, woman.

Now, Sheila could feel the tears pricking the back of her eyes. Really? I am too… what, now?

I don’t know. I guess the word ‘Exuberant’ would cover it, but it just gets my goat.

Gina opened her eyes at the last statement and looked at Sheila, You okay?

I’m fine, replied Sheila curtly.

~~~~~

Sheila sat by the lake, looking over the placid water and the grey-backed ducks wading in the shallow end. Her eyes misted up a little at the memory of that last conversation with Gina. Perhaps she had over reacted. Maybe she should not have severed the friendship.

But there is only so much of a mask that we can wear to conceal the deep scars that words can inflict on us. She took a deep breath and laughed out loud, scaring the ducks, yet releasing the pressure within.

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wreath4_red

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I am a Write Tribe Pro Blogger– Trying to blog everyday for a year.

Today is Day 54

Also linking this to Day 25 of the Ultra Blog Challenge

13 thoughts on “Boundaries- #amwriting”

  1. Pingback: Would you write about your pain? | THE MOVING QUILL

  2. Raised a good point here…friends hurt many a times knowingly or unknowingly.:)
    I have nominated you for, Liebster. Do check-http://anupatanalysis.blogspot.com/2014/09/liebster.html

  5. No, dear Shailaja – you did not scare the ducks when they flew off. They were actually applauding you! Even with friends there are boundaries dictated by the rule of: “Accept and Respect”. Having read the comments to this post, it is clear that you have friends, who follow these rules and love you dearly. Those are the ones to focus on.

    Your post reminded me of something I wrote a while ago. Similar theme, different setting, but like your post it was inspired by true events.
    http://www.cutthecrapsolutions.com/#!Thats-when-I-told-him-to-take-a-hike/clxq/FA30909C-B657-4C1E-8D27-EB05125BB21A

    HUGS <3

  6. Hmmm… Wouldnt feel so good having a friend like that… Why not laugh out loud.. A friend should not pick on things like this… and even though it was true, there could be a nicer way of saying it… like expressing it as her Opinion and not the truth… Luckily we can also choose ourselves what words we will allow to hurt us and what we will not allow… Nicely written piece dear Shailaja:-)

  9. Thanks Keirthana. Sadly, this is not all fiction. And the fault finding in this case, extended beyond laughter and a Hi. I agree that we point out shortcomings, but there is a way to say it. Hence, the image, Choose your words.

  10. I liked the post but about the plot I felt I gotta disagree. It’s true that we gotta choose our words but with a friend if we are not honest about their shortcomings, then who will? 🙂

    Also I agree that silly things like laughing out loud shouldn’t be a problem for friends unless the laughter is considered annoying by everyone and hence the friend points it out to protect her.

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