Just Clumsy, Sincere Me
Language: en
Growing up, my two closest friends gave me endless nicknames. Idiot. Space cadet. Socially inept loser. They swore it was affection, the teasing reserved for those closest to you. During a crucial quarterly presentation, Justin called me an "idiot" in front of my coworkers. The office erupted in laughter while the marketing director frowned. My face burned crimson as I stumbled through the rest of the slides. Afterward, Taylor patted my shoulder. "He didn't mean it, Lucas. Admit it, you are a little slow." At a company retreat, Justin mimicked my nervous stutter to entertain the crowd.…