Introvert

2

'Sometimes someone says something really small and it fits right into this empty place in your heart.' ~Anonymous

||Shyanna||

The thing about shyness and being an introvert is that people constantly confuse the two, thinking being an introvert is being shy. In fact, being an introvert is kind of the opposite. My shyness stems from a feeling of deep imperfection and indifference towards life in general, whereas my introverton is simply feeling happy in smaller groups. This has, of course, diminished the amount of people I hang around with daily, but if people don't understand it, shove it. I don't really care. Of course, I can't exactly say this in person, because of my burning shyness, but. My mind is my place, and I am entitled to my opinion there.

Of the few people I am friends with, exactly none of them have a direct distinction between the two. Which is annoying, yes, but I deal with it because I need someone to rely on who allows me just to listen, even if they don't understand why. Because I need them, desperately so, because I have fought for them so long and so hard. I cannot cope without the two people who make my life brighter than the sun.

They are my radiators in a frozen wasteland, and they melt the chill away.

Anna and Kristy are both waiting when I stumble my way into our eating area, talking about the Philosophy paper that's due in next week (I've finished it, of course, because I'm a swot, but Anna and Kristy are much too lazy for finishing early). 

"How am I supposed to ask a question and then explain my answer to it? Like, it's my own question, I know the answer to my own question I freaking asked it!" Anna exclaims, her cheeks pinking darkly with her annoyance. I settle down next to them without causing a commotion, another reason I adore my friends. They don't immediately talk to me, understanding I am happy to listen unless it's one hundred percent necessary to join in.

"Just ask a really vague question, Wheezy," Kristy taunts, flicking Anna in the nose as Anna squaws in indignation at her age-old nickname. Anna got the nickname of Wheezy because of her awful asthma and her middle name (Louise). The prime reason behind us meeting is because she'd had an asthma attack whilst running, and I'd picked up her inhaler for her from the front desk under the instruction of the teacher. I still haven't thanked him for asking me to get that. 

"I hate that nickname!" Wheezy responds, angrily huffing. But then a grin cracks over her face and she rolls her eyes, alerting us once again of how ridiculously forgiving she is. "I get that it's about life, and my stance on it, and if I think there's a life after death, but what question do I ask to warrant those answers?" Her eyes look down sadly, scuffing her shoes and letting out a tiny little 'hmmph' sound.

"I don't know... Um? Shy?" Kristy asks, and I roll my eyes at her. Of course she'd push it off onto me.

"I asked 'why is this world seen as abhorrent, and why does this make us question another life?'. I know it's not great, but-" 

"What the hell, Shy?! That's fantastic! Stop putting yourself down, you're absolutely fantastic at this!" Anna cries, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug, causing my hand to slide over my face, smushing my tuna and cucumber sandwich across my cheeks. I let out a quiet and displeased noise.

"Um, it's not that great, Wheeze. I could have come up with better, but I had to get on with writing it before I forgot my planned out paragraphs." I shrug, wiping my face clean with a tissue Kristy hands me, Anna returning to her previous position.