So, my birthday was last weekend, and I (22F) invited a few close friends over for a small gathering. The vibe was laid-back—cake, drinks, music. Everything was going great until Maya (23F), one of my friends who’s really into poetry and “personal expression,” asked if she could “write a poem about me” during the party.

I was confused at first and asked what that meant. She said that as part of her creative process, she liked to write poems about people in the moment to capture “their essence,” and that she felt really inspired by me. I thought it was kind of flattering, but then she pulled out her journal and started writing while everyone was still hanging out and talking.

She asked me to sit quietly in the middle of the room while she “observed” me. I didn’t know how to react, so I told her I didn’t want to sit still while everyone else was having fun. I told her I didn’t mind her writing about me later, but it felt weird to just be her “muse” on demand in front of everyone.

Maya got super upset and said that I was “blocking her creative flow” and that I was being “unsupportive.” She even said it was a sign of my “lack of openness” and that real art requires being vulnerable, which honestly, felt like a lot of pressure to perform for her.

Now she’s barely speaking to me, and some of our mutual friends are saying I should’ve just let her do it. They say I’m being selfish and overthinking things. I feel like it wasn’t a big deal, but I also don’t want to come off as unsupportive of her art.

AITAH for not letting her write a poem about me during my birthday party?