Laughing With You or At You | Teen Ink

Laughing With You or At You

December 17, 2009
By sleeplessdreamer PLATINUM, Raleigh, North Carolina
sleeplessdreamer PLATINUM, Raleigh, North Carolina
30 articles 0 photos 332 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I have always wanted to write in such a way that people say, 'I have always thought that but never found the words for it.'" -anonymous


Imagine you’re sitting in science class. For some, this takes you back years. For others, only yesterday.

Your teacher begins to walk to the other side of the room and stands beside a light switch. She is holding an odd light bulb in her hand.

You are wearing the cutest light blue top. You’ve been waiting for the perfect day to wear it. Today was that day. You’re whispering to the really cute guy beside you, so glad that the day you wore this shirt was the day he finally noticed you.

In the middle of your bliss the lights are turned off. Your focus is turned back to the front of the room. The teacher has turned on the light bulb in her hand as she walks back to your side of the room explaining phosphorescent lighting. All you’re thinking about is how well the conversation went with that boy.

Laughing. The most horrible sound you will ever hear in school: people laughing at something you haven’t caught on to. You look around nervously. Everyone is laughing at you, looking at you with wide, disbelieving, mocking eyes. What? What have you done?

You look up at the teacher anxiously. She’s holding back a laugh unsuccessfully just like the rest of the class. “Your bra!” she exclaims with a sudden burst of unnecessary giggling. “It’s phosphorescent.”

Gush of laughter.

With the heat rising to your face you look down and, sure enough, through that once adorable shirt, your white bra is glowing!! Glowing almost as bright as the light bulb in your teacher’s hand.

You have two options: a) blush and tear out of the room as the peals of laughter cause tears to pour from your eyes, or b) laugh along and, to the side, beg for some girl to loan you a sweatshirt. Anyone?

And what do you do? You laugh.

You laugh through the kids snickering at you all day long as you walk down the hallway. You laugh through the glances from boys that you know have to be wondering to themselves, “I wonder what that looked like.” And, most importantly, you laugh through the name calling: “Hey, lightning bug!” “How are you, firefly?” “What’s up, glowworm?”

And why? Because, if you don’t let it get you down, it won’t. Why? Because, if you don’t seem embarrassed they have nothing to tease you about. And why? Because, if you don’t make it that big of a deal, it won’t be to everyone else.

And how do I know this?

I was the girl with the phosphorescent bra.


The author's comments:
This literally did happen to me one day. It was so embarrassing. I wrote because I felt like a lot of girls wouldn't have done what I did, and I think letting them know this happens to everyone helps you get over humiliating experiences like this.

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This article has 6 comments.


on Aug. 17 2010 at 2:20 pm
MercedesXO DIAMOND, South Easton, Massachusetts
52 articles 0 photos 280 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I realize that life is risks. It's acknowledging the past but looking forward. It's taking chances that we will make mistakes but believeing we all deserve to be forgiven."
-The Dead Tossed Waves.

i thought this was a nice piece for admitting and acknowledging out embaressing moments. and i like how you said that if we dont act like it bothers us, then it wont bother others, and thely'll have nothing to make fun of you about. however, i don't know if its just me, or if i just dont really care, but i wouldnt be that embaressed about it. and i certainly wouldnt cry about it. but im glad you laughed:) lol.

on Jun. 30 2010 at 6:55 pm
Lost-In-Life GOLD, Whitby, Other
11 articles 0 photos 299 comments

Favorite Quote:
It's never to late, if it weren't for the last minute many things would never get done!

This is great. I love how you managed to tell a message through the story without explaining it too much. I also completely know what you mean and have experienced similar situations, and am proud to say, I am the girl that laughs. So thank you for posting this!  

on Mar. 24 2010 at 7:08 pm
SarClark BRONZE, NC, Connecticut
2 articles 0 photos 534 comments
i absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this, not to laugh at you

My school sucks for that, ugh... FIVE STARS!! :)

on Feb. 24 2010 at 4:42 pm
awesomeaugust GOLD, Boston, Massachusetts
10 articles 0 photos 176 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground"
~Theordore Roosevelt

I loved it- very brave to post it too. I'm not sure if I would have been able to do what you did, as much as I might like to think I would. I liked the almost casual writing style of the story. Great job, keep writing!

alibee279 said...
on Jan. 18 2010 at 9:32 am
alibee279, Maplewood, New Jersey
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"Sometimes you need to run away just to see who will come after you"

I thought it was pretty good. It could have been a little bit more structured, and maybe instead of writing exactly what happened you could have written another short story based on that experience. Overall I liked it, and it was really brave of you to post this.

bubbles said...
on Jan. 17 2010 at 8:46 pm
I thought it was really good, i liked how it connects with every day life, at first i didnt like the second person piont of veiw but then it turned into a cool story, very well written btw... five stars from me:)