You're not that great a writer!

"You still manage to write these cheesy love stories, all so fresh and bright, even after so many years. I'm sure I have been quite inspirational," my friend smirks.

"Very much. You're everything I don't want my protagonist to deal with," I respond in haste,

casually, but ouch!

That must've hurt. She didn't say anything, and I didn't know what to say now.

I walk up to the laundry room. She's cussing me in a low, grumbling tone while putting clothes into the washing machine.

"I didn't mean any of that," I said. My voice low as my eyes filled with discomfort starred at her.

It was a peak summer afternoon, and sweat trickled down her forehead as she checked the pockets of my jeans before dumping it into the machine.

"For once, take your wallet out of your goddamn jeans!" She hurled my wallet to me. It missed me. She was a bad shooter. *Phew*

But my flying wallet hit the wall and took a tumble or two before landing on the floor, open.

The transparent slot had an old picture of us. I am a little old-school that way.

This picture was clicked during our college days if my memory serves me well.

I picked it up, smiled at us from the past. I kissed her picture loudly.

She gazed upon with disgust.

"It is just little things like these that fuel my imagination, and needless to say, it is you, and it will always be you," I say from across the room as she interrupted me.

"Syntax! It doesn't sound right. Remove that 'just.' 'Fuels my imagination' seems overused. 'Needless to say?' That emotion feels overdue."

Even before I could think of something to say out of sheer gratitude, she decided to finish me off instead.

"You're not that great a writer also. You keep recycling your content. Add a few new elements and woo your dumb audience. I wish someone read your stories from my head," she walks away.

I was defeated.

I stammered inside of my head while thinking of a comeback.

She walked back into the room.

"Now you understood what took me so long to respond to what you never meant?" She held open her purse and kissed the same picture, followed by a silly smile.