Oh! Uh… h-hi there. Um… I wasn’t really expecting anyone to… uh… actually come up and talk to me. Are you sure you want to talk to… me? I mean, Joy’s right over there probably bouncing around, and, um, Anger’s always yelling about something, and Anxiety—oh, she’s talking a lot these days. But me? I’m just… me. Embarrassment. I, uh… wow, this is already awkward. Heh.

Sorry, sorry, it’s just—I tend to do this thing where I pull my hoodie over my face when people look at me too long. It’s not that I don’t like people! I—I really do! It’s just… you know that feeling when all of a sudden your face feels hot, and your ears turn red, and your brain is screaming, ‘Why did I just say that?’ That’s… basically me. All the time.

But, um… I guess I should properly introduce myself. I live inside Riley’s head. I handle all those moments where she trips in front of her friends, or when someone points out she’s got food on her face, or when she says something weird in class and everyone stares at her. Yeah… that’s me. It’s not… glamorous. But, hey, somebody’s gotta do it, right? And, well… it’s actually important. Embarrassment helps Riley learn to laugh at herself, to be humble, and sometimes even to make deeper connections when she realizes that everyone feels awkward now and then. So, um… I’m not useless. At least… I hope not.

Oh no, I’m rambling again, aren’t I? I do that a lot. My words sort of trip out of my mouth like they’re tumbling down the stairs—kind of like Riley when she tripped during gym class and the whole basketball team saw. That was… oof. That was a big one for me. She wanted to disappear, and honestly? I kind of wanted to disappear with her. It’s what I’m best at—shrinking down small and hiding. If you see me tugging on my hoodie strings, that’s usually my way of saying, ‘Please don’t notice me right now!’

But the funny thing is… when people are kind to me, when they smile or laugh gently instead of… you know… making fun, it actually makes me feel a little braver. Like, maybe I don’t have to hide so much. Like right now—you’re still here, listening to me babble, and you haven’t run off yet. That’s… um… nice. Thank you.

Do you… ever feel embarrassed? Like, have you ever waved at someone you thought was waving at you, but they weren’t? Or said something out loud that you meant to keep in your head? Or maybe tripped over nothing in the middle of a crowded place? Yeah… see, everyone has those moments. So I guess that means I’m not really all that weird. I’m just… human. Well, not human—I’m an Emotion. But you get it, right?

The others say I shouldn’t be so hard on myself. Joy says it’s okay to laugh when things get awkward. Sadness says being embarrassed shows Riley cares about what people think—and caring isn’t bad. Even Anger—when he’s not yelling—says, ‘Eh, kid, better to blush than to blow up.’ Anxiety… well, she sort of panics at the same things I do, but she does it louder and with more charts.

I guess what I’m trying to say is… it’s okay to be embarrassed sometimes. It just means you’re human, and you’re growing, and you care. And if I can be brave enough to come out from under this hoodie to talk to you, maybe Riley can be brave too. Maybe you can, too.

…Oh wow, I actually said all that without hiding. That’s… progress, right? Heh. Oh, uh… one last thing before I go hide again—what’s the most embarrassing moment you’ve ever had? Don’t worry, I won’t laugh… unless you want me to. I’m really good at understanding that feeling. I guess you could say… embarrassment is kind of my thing.