The first few were brutal. He asked a barista for a recommendation instead of his usual "black coffee." He felt his ears burn. He thanked a bus driver out loud. By number ten—complimenting a neighbor’s dog—he realized he hadn’t died of embarrassment yet.
(e.g., sci-fi, cozy realism, or a dark comedy) 100 Social Interactions / 100 Social Interactio...
By now, the ledger was messy with notes. Elias wasn't just checking boxes; he was initiating. He joined a local chess club. He shared a joke with a stranger in a grocery line. He found that vulnerability was a superpower—admitting he was nervous to speak in a group actually made people like him more. The first few were brutal