Missing out

Ashwin Goyal

Oct 22, 2023 — 1 min read

“Are you coming?" My friends are all asking. They're getting ready to head out, waiting for me to say I'll be there soon. But I just shake my head and text back, "Nah, you guys go ahead."

I'm not sure why I'm playing hard to get. Maybe I like the idea of them missing me. I sit back on my sofa, the TV on, but I'm not really watching it. "I'm better off chilling at home," I tell myself.

As the night creeps by, their pictures keep coming. I scoff at their grins and the way they seem to be enjoying every moment. None of them has stopped to think about me again, have they? That’s fine. Really, it’s fine.

Maybe I’ll show up unexpectedly, just to see their faces drop with guilt. Or maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll just let them wonder all night why I didn’t grace them with my presence. They’ll know they messed up when they see I never showed!

Working hard

"First!" I announce to the empty office chairs, a small victory to start the day. It’s going to be a good one, I can feel it. My keyboard goes tap-tap-tap. “They’re going to be wowed,” I say to myself, as I beam at the progress on

Ordering at a restaurant

I plop down at the restaurant, my stomach’s making all sorts of noises, and I go through the menu. “Yup, yup, yup,” I’m thinking, ‘cause everything looks amazing. I’m ready to feast. Waiters come and go, each one looking like they might be bringing my order. I