The Life of an Introvert

Story #1

The first of our 'story' entries. The one was written by KaitlinMarie, and I'd like to thank her for taking time out of her day to write this. This one is a short story, written by her. Enjoy!

"Oh! We should invite Greg and Matt too!" Jen's eyes light up as they always do when she gets in her party planning mood. "We'll need more food, too 'cause you know how much guys can eat," she continued.

I nod, slathering more peanut butter onto my sandwich. How the two of us, Jen being the loudest, most social and outgoing girl and me, quiet and I'd-rather-stay-at-home-and-read Grace, got to be friends, I'll never know.

"Do you think we should invite Chad, too?" Jen asks. She attempts to steal my sandwich and I swat her hand away with a knife.

"No." Chad was an okay guy but we already had twenty people too many on the guest list. It had started out as a small campfire for our closest friends but with Jen planning it, we now had more people than necessary coming.

She frowns at me. "Well, I'm going to invite him anyways. You can go sulk in the corner and be lonely but I'm going to have fun!" She walks out of the kitchen and into the family's living room.

I was just happy the sleepover we had last night had stayed between the two of us. Jen never seemed complacent with just the two of us and thought I was crazy for liking small groups.

Just as she said, she thought all I liked to do was sulk and be lonely. She didn't understand.

Not too many people did. I think being an introvert is hard for other people to understand. I wasn't lonely just because I was alone and I certainly wasn't sulking. It was just my usual expression and I was fine. 

But no one got that. Ever. Not even Jen, my best friend of seven years.

"No more people after him, though," I said and plop down on the couch next to her. "Too many people exhaust me."

"You exhaust me, Gracie. I try and try but you just won't come out of your shell."

"I like my shell," I said.

"You think you like your shell but when you try to be social you'll realize how boring it is!"

I frown. "I can guaruntee that I won't."

She huffs and mutters something under her breath.

We're silent for a few minutes then she stands. "I think I'll go home now. My mom wants me to help make a cake for my brother's birthday."

"Okay." She's looking at me expectantly and I raise an eyebrow. 

"What?"

"Aren't you going to ask me to stay any longer?"

"No." I look over at the clock. "I'm good."

She stares at me and nods. "Fine," she said. "I'll text you more about the party. Bye Gracie!"

She leaves the room with a blown kiss and I hear the front door open and close soon after. 

I loved Jen. I really did. She's my best friend but I really did need alone time.

You see, there are five basic needs of an introvert:

1. Alone time

2. Small groups

3. Deep conversations

4. Books. Or something else that didn't require talking

5. Understanding friends

I had most of those things fulfilled save for the understand friends. They tried to put up with me more than understand me. 

But I guess that's how things work in the world. Majority rules and the majority are extroverts. Therefore we introverts must bow down and assimilate-something like that.

"Grace!"

I sit up from my slump on the couch. Mom walks in with a phone in her hand.

"Grace, didn't you hear the phone ringing?" she asks. "You're always daydreaming! What are you going to do if the fire alarm goes off?"

"Leave the house."

She rolls her eyes at me. "Not if you're too stuck in that head of yours to notice." She holds the phone out to me. "It's Jen."

I take it from her. "Hello?"

"It's me," Jen said. "So I was texting Kasey and we can't have the campfire. There's a big soccer competition that weekend and everyone wants to be rested for it."

"So it's cancelled?"

"Could you at least try to sound sad?" Jen grumbled. "Yes, it's cancelled...for now."

I smile, glad Jen can't see how happy I am-not that she doesn't know anyway but still.

"I'll talk to you later," I said into the phone. "I have to go; I have to balance out the amount of time I spend with people to the amount I spend alone."

I can just picture her rolling her eyes. "Of course, my introvert friend. Just don't become a hermit."