I probably deserve that. The laughter from my friends when I made a mistake, the way they look at me in sideways, and the silent they do when I tried to speak. Although it stung, for sure. But when I look back, probably it was just the universe that is trying to balance things out. Maybe I had been on the other end too many times—quick to make jokes, throw in sarcasm, and make cutting comments to impress people while subtly hurting someone else. It feels different when you’re the target of the jokes, your voice shaky instead of confident.
Maybe I got too used to being the one who poked fun, who spoke without thinking, and didn’t stop to consider if my words might hurt someone. Perhaps the situation just flipped this time. And now, as I sit here trying to pretend it doesn’t hurt, I realize how many times I’ve done the same to others.
The hardest part is the reflection—not of their laughter, but of my own from earlier times. How many times did someone leave a space because of something I said? How many quiet apologies never happened because I didn’t see the pain I caused?
So yes, I deserve that. Not as a punishment, but to teach me lesson against next time. That memory to remind me that words can hurt more than anything. Even small moments does matter. And probably next time, I’ll think before I speak. I'll Listen well. To be sure no one else feels like I do right now.