He stared at me for a moment in silence. Then, “Why would anyone do something that wasn’t to their advantage?”
I felt stupid, and scuffed my toes on the linoleum.
“Love?” I muttered, feigning interest in the cruet set.
He laughed. “Love is what we feel when another person satisfies our emotional needs.”
The killer move–I’d die for you. But I left it unvoiced. He’d only say I had a need to win the argument.
Friday Fictioneers is a weekly challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields to write a 100-word story in response to a photo prompt. You can fiend other stories here.
Neil MacDonald Author 
Love makes us do all sorts of things, and only rarely do they work to our advantage… or is that too pessimistic?
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I think that’s what she’s thinking
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The narrator is clearly at a disadvantage in the relationship – and skirting around the subject could get her in a lot of trouble. Sometimes the best course is to concentrate on a different cruet on a fresh table.
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Thanks, Jilly.
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Self-sacrifice in a relationship enveloped in dotting love is a train wreck about to follow.
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I agree
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Dear Neil,
Spoken like a true narcissist. Sad to see love in that light.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks so much, Rochelle
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Two very different people…
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Very ill-suited
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He’ll never know until, hopefully, love catches him by surprise.
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You’e such an optimist, Da;le
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Well… I am too 😉
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Sorry, I meant Dora
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Dale’s an optimist too 🙂
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Too funny!
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Ouch! That’s a rough conversation. Transactional people scare me. Sounds like she needs a different person to love.
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I think you’re right
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How on earth did these two find each other? He satisfies no one but himself; she’s too naive to know how soulless he is.
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You hit the nail on the proverbial
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What are you doing away down at 32, and writing in a female voice?
All that was tricky enough, then your story baffled me.
Why is she wasting her time, her life, on this egoistic numpty?
I could maybe arrange a wee accident for next week…
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I’m constantly baffled by who some people love those they do
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I found myself squirming in my chair just reading this. They do say opposites attract – not that I believe it!
Here’s mine!
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Squirming was just what I was after
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Unless she is that silly goose who thinks he will come around one day… while she wastes her time. Can’t say I’ve never done that. Thankfully we mature. Or get hurt enough to know better.
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I think she’ll see through him one day
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I hope she does.
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An imbalance like that in a relationship can’t end well.
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I agree
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What a lop-sided relationship! Both of them have a great deal of growing up to do. I just hope Mr Narcissist doesn’t use the narrator’s blind passion to enslave her.
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It’s a distinct possibility
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Strangely enough, humans do a lot of things that are not to their own advantage… but a true psychopath would prey on the rest of us.
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But, in the end, those who don’t reciprocate are shunned
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Looks like they are headed in different directions and probably for the best. Unless she remains under his spell.
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Yes, that’s the danger
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Poor girl has fallen for a psychopath and seems to have little self-respect. Like the POV in this tale.
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Thanks so much, Magarisa
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I bet those two have many interesting “conversations” i.e. verbal sparring matches. Insightful character study, Neil.
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Thanks so much, Jade
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You’re very welcome.
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An interesting story, I like how you included what you picked out from the photo.
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Thanks so much, Ted
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