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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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