Beneath the laughter
Aiden leaned back into his chair, nursing a beer as he listened to his friend’s banter. They were seated around their usual table in their favorite bar; A dimly lit dive smelling of stale cigarettes and spilled alcohol. Clinging classes and laughter usually filled the air but tonight, the conversation had a sharper edge.
“So, Aiden,” Mike said, a smirk playing on his lips. “What’s this I hear about you and Emily? You’re going soft on us man.”
Aiden’s jaw tightened, but he forced a casual smile. “What are you talking about?”
“He didn’t stutter,” Kevin chimed in, leaning forward. “We’ve seen you with her. You’re opening doors and stuff. No more jokes, no more flirting with other girls. It’s like she’s got you on a leash.”
The other guys chuckled, whilst Aiden scoffed trying his best not to show the knot of frustration tightening in his chest. He glanced around the table, searching for a retort that would shut them up without revealing the turmoil brewing inside him.
“Whatever man,” he said, trying to sound nonchalant. “I’m just trying to be a gentleman.”
“Sounds like you’ve caught feelings, Aiden,” Mike teased, shaking his head. “Next thing you know, you’ll be a full blown simp.”
Aiden forced a laugh through Mike’s stinging words. Deep down, he knew there was some truth to their jokes. Emily had changed him, made him want to be better man; a concept foreign to him due to his past, a past defined by a single moment in kindergarten that would forever shape his views of women.
Back then, little Aiden had a crush on a girl named Sarah. He had gathered all his courage to give her a couple of daisies he’d picked from the schoolyard. But when he presented them to her she just pushed him to the ground and laughed whilst telling him she didn’t like him. The rejection stung deeply, and from that moment on, Aiden vowed never to let himself be vulnerable around females ever again. He built walls of arrogance and cruelty, treating every girl he dated as a conquest rather than a partner. Humiliating his girlfriends, gave Aiden the male validation he desperately craved.
But Emily was different. She was kind, beautiful, smart and saw through the veneer he presented to the world. There was a strength in her gaze that unnerved him, a quiet confidence that challenged his usual tactics. Aiden found himself wanting to be different for her, to be the man she deserved.
Everything changed however, when Mike’s birthday came around and they celebrated at the dive bar. Emily joined Aiden that night, hoping to connect with the people that meant so much to him. The evening started pleasant enough; she would smile politely at their crude jokes; even the ones made at her expense. Aiden’s friends were loud and as the night wore on, the jokes turned meaner and their banter, relentless.
“You remember that girl from college, the one who thought we were exclusive?” Aiden laughed, leaning in closer to Emily as if she were part of the joke. “Man, she cried for days when she found out I was also dating her best friend.”
His friends roared with laughter, and Emily’s smile faltered. She felt a pang of discomfort, but Aiden didn’t notice. He was too caught up in the attention, too drunk on their approval. “That’s not funny,” Emily said softly, trying to steer the conversation away. “Maybe we should talk about something else.”
But Aiden ignored her, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Oh, come on, Emily. Lighten up, besides she had a high body count, I wasn’t going to take her seriously; women like that deserve what’s coming to them.”
Kevin, picking up on Aiden’s lead, pointed his beer bottle at Emily. “Yeah, Emily, don’t be such a buzzkill. We’re just having a good time.”
Emily forced a smile through her growing discomfort. She squeezed Aiden’s arm, hoping he would take the hint. Instead, he pulled her hand off, turning to his friends with a grin.
“You guys want to hear something hilarious?” Aiden said, his voice loud enough to draw the attention of nearby patrons. “Emily here actually thought I was going to change for her. Can you believe that?”
Emily’s heart sank, her face flushing with embarrassment. She glanced around, seeing the smirks on Aiden’s friends' faces. “Aiden, please,” she whispered, her voice pleading.
But Aiden was too far gone, too immersed in his performance. “She actually believed all that crap about being different. But let’s be for real, a leopard doesn’t change its spots, right?”
The laughter grew louder, and Emily felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. Despite her careful vetting of him, she believed Aiden would treat her differently, she wanted to see the good in him, but this was too much.
“Aiden,” she said, her voice shaking, “I think I’m going to head home.”
“What?,” Mike said, slapping Aiden on the back. “It’s just a joke. Don’t get so emotional.”
But Emily had had enough. She stood up, her chair scraping loudly against the floor, drawing more eyes to their table. She looked at Aiden, hoping for some sign of remorse, but his expression was a mix of confusion and defiance. He wanted to get up and leave with her but chose his friends instead; their validation was more important.
“Emily, don’t be sensitive,” Aiden said, reaching for her arm.
She pulled away, her voice firm despite the quiver. “No! This isn’t a joke to me. I thought you were different, you told me you were different!”
Without another word, she turned and walked out of the bar, her heart heavy with the weight of her decision. Aiden watched her go, a mix of anger and regret churning inside him, but the jeers and laughter of his friends drowned out any chance of introspection.
As the door closed behind her, Aiden’s friends continued to laugh, clinking their bottles together in a toast to their own obliviousness. Aiden tried to join in, but instead had a hollow feeling in his chest, getting larger by the second; the reality of what he had lost was beginning to sink in.
Emily didn’t look back. As she stepped out into the cool night air, she felt a sense of relief wash over her, mingling with the sadness. She had given Aiden a chance and chosen him, but now she would choose herself.
Inside the bar, Aiden picked up his beer, the taste bitter on his tongue. He tried to force himself to laugh along with his friends, but the sound rang silent. For the first time, he wondered if the price of their approval was worth the cost of losing the one person who had truly cared for him.It all begins with an idea.
Aiden leaned back into his chair, nursing a beer as he listened to his friend’s banter. They were seated around their usual table in their favorite bar; A dimly lit dive smelling of stale cigarettes and spilled alcohol. Clinging classes and laughter usually filled the air but tonight, the conversation had a sharper edge.
“So, Aiden,” Mike said, a smirk playing on his lips. “What’s this I hear about you and Emily? You’re going soft on us man.”
Aiden’s jaw tightened, but he forced a casual smile. “What are you talking about?”
“He didn’t stutter,” Kevin chimed in, leaning forward. “We’ve seen you with her. You’re opening doors and stuff. No more jokes, no more flirting with other girls. It’s like she’s got you on a leash.”
The other guys chuckled, whilst Aiden scoffed trying his best not to show the knot of frustration tightening in his chest. He glanced around the table, searching for a retort that would shut them up without revealing the turmoil brewing inside him.
“Whatever man,” he said, trying to sound nonchalant. “I’m just trying to be a gentleman.”
“Sounds like you’ve caught feelings, Aiden,” Mike teased, shaking his head. “Next thing you know, you’ll be a full blown simp.”
Aiden forced a laugh through Mike’s stinging words. Deep down, he knew there was some truth to their jokes. Emily had changed him, made him want to be better man; a concept foreign to him due to his past, a past defined by a single moment in kindergarten that would forever shape his views of women.
Back then, little Aiden had a crush on a girl named Sarah. He had gathered all his courage to give her a couple of daisies he’d picked from the schoolyard. But when he presented them to her she just pushed him to the ground and laughed whilst telling him she didn’t like him. The rejection stung deeply, and from that moment on, Aiden vowed never to let himself be vulnerable around females ever again. He built walls of arrogance and cruelty, treating every girl he dated as a conquest rather than a partner. Humiliating his girlfriends, gave Aiden the male validation he desperately craved.
But Emily was different. She was kind, beautiful, smart and saw through the veneer he presented to the world. There was a strength in her gaze that unnerved him, a quiet confidence that challenged his usual tactics. Aiden found himself wanting to be different for her, to be the man she deserved.
Everything changed however, when Mike’s birthday came around and they celebrated at the dive bar. Emily joined Aiden that night, hoping to connect with the people that meant so much to him. The evening started pleasant enough; she would smile politely at their crude jokes; even the ones made at her expense. Aiden’s friends were loud and as the night wore on, the jokes turned meaner and their banter, relentless.
“You remember that girl from college, the one who thought we were exclusive?” Aiden laughed, leaning in closer to Emily as if she were part of the joke. “Man, she cried for days when she found out I was also dating her best friend.”
His friends roared with laughter, and Emily’s smile faltered. She felt a pang of discomfort, but Aiden didn’t notice. He was too caught up in the attention, too drunk on their approval. “That’s not funny,” Emily said softly, trying to steer the conversation away. “Maybe we should talk about something else.”
But Aiden ignored her, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Oh, come on, Emily. Lighten up, besides she had a high body count, I wasn’t going to take her seriously; women like that deserve what’s coming to them.”
Kevin, picking up on Aiden’s lead, pointed his beer bottle at Emily. “Yeah, Emily, don’t be such a buzzkill. We’re just having a good time.”
Emily forced a smile through her growing discomfort. She squeezed Aiden’s arm, hoping he would take the hint. Instead, he pulled her hand off, turning to his friends with a grin.
“You guys want to hear something hilarious?” Aiden said, his voice loud enough to draw the attention of nearby patrons. “Emily here actually thought I was going to change for her. Can you believe that?”
Emily’s heart sank, her face flushing with embarrassment. She glanced around, seeing the smirks on Aiden’s friends' faces. “Aiden, please,” she whispered, her voice pleading.
But Aiden was too far gone, too immersed in his performance. “She actually believed all that crap about being different. But let’s be for real, a leopard doesn’t change its spots, right?”
The laughter grew louder, and Emily felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. Despite her careful vetting of him, she believed Aiden would treat her differently, she wanted to see the good in him, but this was too much.
“Aiden,” she said, her voice shaking, “I think I’m going to head home.”
“What?,” Mike said, slapping Aiden on the back. “It’s just a joke. Don’t get so emotional.”
But Emily had had enough. She stood up, her chair scraping loudly against the floor, drawing more eyes to their table. She looked at Aiden, hoping for some sign of remorse, but his expression was a mix of confusion and defiance. He wanted to get up and leave with her but chose his friends instead; their validation was more important.
“Emily, don’t be sensitive,” Aiden said, reaching for her arm.
She pulled away, her voice firm despite the quiver. “No! This isn’t a joke to me. I thought you were different, you told me you were different!”
Without another word, she turned and walked out of the bar, her heart heavy with the weight of her decision. Aiden watched her go, a mix of anger and regret churning inside him, but the jeers and laughter of his friends drowned out any chance of introspection.
As the door closed behind her, Aiden’s friends continued to laugh, clinking their bottles together in a toast to their own obliviousness. Aiden tried to join in, but instead had a hollow feeling in his chest, getting larger by the second; the reality of what he had lost was beginning to sink in.
Emily didn’t look back. As she stepped out into the cool night air, she felt a sense of relief wash over her, mingling with the sadness. She had given Aiden a chance and chosen him, but now she would choose herself.
Inside the bar, Aiden picked up his beer, the taste bitter on his tongue. He tried to force himself to laugh along with his friends, but the sound rang silent. For the first time, he wondered if the price of their approval was worth the cost of losing the one person who had truly cared for him.
Blog Post Title Two
“It’s frustrating,” Maya said, pushing her fork around her plate. “I can spend half an hour laying out an idea, and no one really acknowledges it until a man repeats the same thing.
she sat at the long wooden table, surrounded by familiar faces. The ambiance tonight was warm, filled with the low hum of conversation and the clinking of silverware. This was a typical Friday dinner with colleagues, some more seasoned than others, where they would gather around plates of food and talk about their week, bouncing between casual jokes and deeper topics.
Maya, who had been in the company for a few years now, continues with her rant.
“So, I’m in our Tuesday strategy meeting,” she explains, her voice tight with irritation, “and I present my idea. It’s a good idea, right? But no one reacts. Then, Rick—the genius— cuts me off to say the same exact thing, and suddenly it’s groundbreaking! Like he just solved world hunger! I’m really tired of the sexism that goes on around here.”
Jamal, sat across from her, chewed thoughtfully on his food. He knew where this was going, and despite his best instincts, couldn’t resist. “Yeah, I get that. But, you know, it’s not just men doing that. I’ve had women cut me off too. It’s not always a gender thing, Maya. Everyone does it.”
Maya set her fork down, slowly. “What are you talking about?” her eyes narrowing like a lioness spotting her prey
“ Look, I’m not trying to defend men or women here—I’m an advocate for everyone; I’m just saying we’re all victims of this kind of behavior, it’s just human nature.” Jamal said, feeling like he’d just delivered the line of the century.
Just as Maya was about to respond, Steve, a vice president, sat beside her jumps in, raising his beer like a battle flag.
“Yeah, and you know who really gets overlooked? White men!” Steve declares “All this talk about sexism and racism, but nobody wants to talk about how hard it is for us these days!”
Maya blinked. Jamal’s food froze halfway to his mouth.
“I mean, think about it!” Steve continues, encouraged by the awkward silence. “Everyone’s so worried about women and minorities, but white guys? We’re practically invisible now. Can’t say anything without someone calling you out for being ‘privileged’ or whatever.”
Jamal slowly swallows his food, wishing it would choke him a little. “Uh, Steve, I don’t think that’s what we were talking about”
“Oh, but it’s all connected!” Steve continues “Like, take those complaints about women not getting ahead. You hear that all the time, right? But what about the men? They get passed over too! Or minorities talk about being discriminated against—newsflash, discrimination can go both ways! But no one talks about that, do they?”
Maya, slowly turn her head towards him in disbelief. “Are you seriously telling me that we should be having a conversation about white men facing discrimination right now?”
Steve shrugged, unbothered. “I’m just saying, equality means equality for everyone, right? Black, white, male, female—we’re all suffering.”
Brian, another colleague, jumped in, nodding with the enthusiasm of a golden retriever. “Exactly, Steve! The other day my brother got passed over for a promotion and you know why? because they wanted a diversity hire instead. We all go through discrimination” He points his beer and nods at Jamal “we should be advocating for everyone not just one group of people.”
Steve and Brian look in each other’s eyes in admiration, clearly proud of their contribution to social justice.
“Right,” Maya said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Because a few white guys missing out on promotions is exactly the same as women and people of color facing systemic barriers for, oh, I don’t know, centuries?”
Jamal, feeling like he was sinking into the earth, tried to muster a defense. “Look, I think what they’re trying to say is -”
“I just think we need a meeting about this” Steve declared.
“yeah, yeah Brian replies egging him on
Maya shot Jamal a look that could melt steel as she muttered to him “Are you hearing this?!”
Jamal, who was now desperately trying to stay out of the line of fire, reached for a chip, the only safe thing at this table.
Brian leans in towards Steve with sudden enthusiasm. “A meeting about how people shouldn’t interrupt each other. I mean, fair’s fair, right?
Mya leans in as well, annoyed and concerned “We’re getting way off topic here, I was – ”
“We should definitely address discrimination! “ Steve interrupts whilst raising his hand to cover maya’s face almost as though he was swatting a mosquito “I think you should give the example about your brother for starters”
Steve and Brian continued bouncing ideas off of one another, just the two of them in their own little world
Maya didn’t even try to respond anymore and had now fully disengaged. She just picked at her food, the fight drained out of her.
Watching now in horror, Jamal’s chip dropped back onto his plate with a dull thud as the absurdity of the moment hit him like a slap. Here they were, in the middle of a conversation about the very real struggles Maya and other women faced at work, which somehow turned into discrimination against white men and how women should not interrupt men.
It was beginning to dawn on him that by constantly pointing out the rare instances where women, Black people, or other minorities could be at fault, Jamal had been dismissing the broader, systemic problems. He had been missing the point— the same way Steve and Brian had missed it today.
As the night wound down and people were getting ready to go home, Jamal caught with Maya “ Hey, I just wanted to say I’m sorry,” he muttered. “For… all of that. I think I’m starting to see your point now”
Maya gave a faint smile, a little weary but understanding. “Its fine I guess, just… next time, Jamal, maybe don’t try to advocate for everyone. Sometimes, you just need to listen.”
Jamal nodded “Lesson learned.”
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
Blog Post Title Three
It all begins with an idea.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
Blog Post Title Four
It all begins with an idea.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.