Calling Out Miss Celebrity

I didn't like how she always sought attention and tried to be the center of every scene. It grated on me so badly that I blurted out my thoughts and called her out for her behavior in front of everyone. And there was silence...

I joined the teen church choir so I could learn how to play the acoustic guitar. I wanted to learn from the church's guitarist and pianist, who both happened to be brothers, and they suggested that coming around on Saturdays would be much more convenient for them and me to hold the lessons every week, and that simply meant joining the choir anyway.

As I had zero musical skill, I did nothing most of the time and just hung around. I think I tried to sing a few times, but that never really went well for me. I was horrible at singing then. And having a conservative personality, I mostly never spoke much and just observed.

I made friends somehow, and so after rehearsals on Saturdays and church services on Sundays, we'd all walk home together. Actually, most of us going the same way would just move together, take the same routes, and eventually part ways to our various homes.

I wasn't the last to join the choir, and so people joined after I did, and there was this particular girl. She was pretty, and so that brought her a lot of attention. A lot of the guys wanted her attention, but more interestingly, she was also seeking attention and enjoying what she was getting.

Being friendly and approachable is a good interpersonal relationship skill, but it was on a whole different level. It was very appalling to see how she moved from one guy to another, obviously seeking attention, and even being lousy in her demeanor.

She'd say things that I would consider embarrassing if they came from me. I mean, she was basically annoying, and I wasn't the only one that thought so, but everyone just always minded their business. I, on the other hand, wasn't having any of that.

In my mind, I always thought, "Why do you always try to be the center of attraction for everything and even be so annoying?"

Now, at that time, which was many years ago, I was often very expressive with my feelings and hardly ever concealed them. It's much different now, but back then, I usually said what was on my mind.

So one faithful day, we had just finished one of our regular Saturday rehearsals and were on our way home together, as we often did. Miss Celebrity was at it again, but this time on level 100. I could just take it...

I was right behind everyone as we were walking, right beside my friend, and I just said to her."

"Do you always have to be lousy, annoying, and jump from guy to guy?"

Everyone was surprised. They all knew it was true. Some tried to conceal their laughter, but they were all mostly quiet. She was the most shocked, but she couldn't say anything. And then we all just continued walking, like it almost didn't happen.

But then I immediately regretted saying it out loud. It was none of my business and not in my place to do something like that, especially when she wasn't even interacting with me. My friend told me that I was right, but that I probably shouldn't have said it out loud in front of everyone.

Was she any different after that evening? I don't remember. I didn't care anyway and mostly wanted to mind my business moving forward. I never apologized, though. I could have, but I didn't think it was necessary at that time. What I cared about was not repeating such a mistake.

"Have you ever been in a situation where you said something that you instantly wished you could take back the moment you said it, whether or not you eventually apologized for it?" You may want to check out this week's prompts in Hive Naija for some gem writing prompts."