Fiction#219.......A night of doubt.

Ken struggled through the crowded room, his eyes scanning the ocean of familiar faces. His friends Matt and Ben, were busy chatting and laughing with a group of people, and they waved him over.

“Hey, Ken! Come join the party!” Matt said his voice loud over the music.

Ken was excited to be there as he mingled with guests at the party. He was in his element, telling jokes and stories that left some people laughing and others politely smiling. To him, it was proof that he was the life of the party. The one who brought the energy and excitement to any gathering.

As Ken danced on the table, and told them of his latest adventures, Ken couldn't help but notice the reactions of people around him. Some were genuinely entertained, while others seemed to be humoring him, their smiles strained.

With all these, Ken did not stop. He continued to hold court, convinced that he was the center of attention. But as the party continued, he began to notice some subtle cues that made him wander if everyone really enjoyed his company as much as he thought.

“Hey! Guys, it seems am making a fool of myself.” Ken asked.

“Who said you are making a fool of yourself can't you see that people are really enjoying your company.” Matt encouraged.

“Come on guy, can't you see how people are laughing and smiling at your skills.” Ben added.

“Okay! I'm a bit relieved.” Ken said.

Ken continued to be the center of attention for the night. A group of people whispered to each other, glancing at him with raised eyebrows. One guest excused herself to take a phone call, only to linger outside the room, chatting with someone else, another pretended to checked their phone, their eyes glazing over as Ken launched another story.

Ken’s heart started to wander. "Was it possible that everyone was just tolerating me, laughing and smiling out of politeness rather than genuine enjoyment?" Those thoughts made him uncomfortable.

As he made his way to the kitchen to grab something to drink which would help calm his nerves, Ken overheard a conversation between two guests. “I'm just here for the free food,’’ one of the guests said rolling her eyes to his direction.

“Same here" the other guest added. "The party is not making sense because of Ken. He thinks that he is the life of the party, humph"

Ken's heart skipped. Was I really that unlikeable? Did people pretend to enjoy my company because they don't want to hurt my feelings? He said to himself.

Despite his growing unease, Ken put on a smiling face, determined to keep the party going. He tried another joke just to win the crowd with his charms. His friends, Matt and Ben were cheering him just to encourage him more.

But as the party drew to a close, Ken couldn't shake off the feeling that he might be fooling himself. Maybe he wasn't the life of the party as the claimed. Maybe he was just a guy who talked too much and didn't realize when people wanted to leave.

As the guests began to say there goodbyes, Ken forced a smile, wondering if anyone will actually miss him if he wasn't there. He watched people exchange phone numbers and made plans to meet up without him.

But his friends came to cheer him for a wonderful performance of the night. Even the party host approached him with a warm smile. “Thank you for coming, Ken. You always bring so much energy to any event, I'm glad you came.”

Ken smiled back, not sure if the host was being genuine or just polite. “Thanks too, I had a blast.”

As they left the party, they discussed how eventful the evening went and how they really enjoyed themselves.

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Thank you for reading.

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