OF: "A Fleeting Image" One-shot

[Sol]

He hated taking family pictures. He hated how he had to stand near his family, putting a false smile onto his face. He hated how he had to sit there, going over the taken photos to choose which one was to be framed. Finally, he hated how he had to actually be in the continuous prescence of his family.

The family was in the lounge of a resturaunt on top of a hill overlooking the rest of the city. While the building wasn't anything fancy, the food was all it took to prove otherwise. The decorations of trees and the polished wood tables set a somber mood to the atmosphere, with people chatting with each other in hushed tones. Currently, the teen was just leaning back in his chair, listening to his CD player. He had long ago learned to tune out the voices of everyone else, but listening to a little music while doing it made it easier.

Currently, he was munching idly on an onion ring as he looked around the room. Several televisions were attached to the walls of the lounge, each one showing various sports games. People at various tables were leaning over the candlelit tables to talk to each other, murmuring on trivial things. He then looked back at his own table, where the plate of onion rings was nearly emptied. Across from him were his two parents, talking about something. He couldn't make out what they were saying due to the music blaring in his ears, but he assumed it was something about the pictures they had just taken. Next to him was his younger brother, who was messing around with his phone. His sibling took gleeful pleasure in smirking at him before turning back to his phone.

Sighing, he sat up in his chair as the current song on his player finished and was about to transit to a new one. He didn't know how long he had kept this cd in his player for, but he paid it no mind. The song that came up was a slow one with a high voice and dramatic overtures. One of his favorites in times like this.

Suddenly, his father slammed his palm right in front of him, making him look up in surprise. Pausing the track, he merely stared at the middle-aged man across from him. "Pay attention," the man said as he sat back, "we were talking to you."

He merely sighed and looked at his mother, watching her eyes narrow upon him. "Yes?" he asked quietly. The mother frowned.

"I don't know what's up with you today, but cut it out." she said crossly as she glared at him, "You don't have any reason to act annoyed with me."

The teen had to stop himself from snorting. He had all the reasons in the world to be annoyed with his mother, but he didn't feel like getting into an argument, especially at dinner. "Fine." he said while he gave her a heavy stare in her direction. The mother merely frowned a bit more before turning back to the father. Shrugging, he ignored the chuckling of his little brother beside him as he turned the volume back up on his cd player and unpaused it.

Finally, their dinner arrived at the table at last. He looked down at the breaded shrimp and bit into one, slightly wincing at the hard exterior. It seemed that it had been overbaked. Silently, he looked over at his family's choice of food, which consisted of Top Sirloin and Filet Mignion. Sighing, he shook his head and returned to his food.

While their dinner progressed, he finally noticed that his mother was waving her hands in his direction. Growling softly, he paused his CD player again as he took one earphone out. "What is it?" he asked softly, but still loud enough to be heard. The mother narrowed her eyes again.

"You better watch your tone." she reprimanded before returning to her filet mignion, "As I was saying, we're going on vacation next week. We'll be returning on Monday. Are we clear on that?"

The teen blinked before he found himself silently seething. "You want me to miss school?" he asked skeptically, "What if I have something important to do on that date?"

The mother just shook her head. "I trust that you'll be able to talk to your teachers about whatever is due on that date. After all, this is all dependent on you." The teen blinked a few times before he tried to say something, but his mother just went on; "I haven't had a vacation in such a long time! I've been working night and day around the house and I haven't had any time for myself at all. I mean, we could have gone last month, but with his test and all, we had to cancel." she explained to her husband and the little brother. Jamming the earphone back into his ear again, he turned on the CD player again to drown out her voice.

Whatever she was aiming for didn't work. Instead of making him feel guilty, she was making him feel angry. However, he soon felt his anger deflate. His mom had had no vacation in four months time, and she hadn't had any breaks in between. Shrugging a bit, he decided he could try and talk to his professors to see what he could do. Before the next track could pop up, his little brother jabbed him in the side. Pausing the track yet again, he looked at her yet again.

"What is your problem tonight?!" she hissed, glaring at him again, "You haven't been cooperative with me or anyone else. Tell me what your problem is."

"I'm annoyed." he said simply. It was directed towards no one, but he saw his mother's face turn a bit red. Perhaps it was from the second glass of wine, but he couldn't tell.

"You're annoyed at me? For what?" she ground out. The teen rolled his eyes. This was typical of her to take anything he said and twist it so it looked like he was verbally attacking her.

"I'm not annoyed at you," he said, leaning back into his chair, "I'm just annoyed with how today has been going. Nothing more."

The woman just narrowed her eyes again. "What, because of the pictures? I'm sorry you just had to stand there and smile." she let out sarcastically. The teen just let out a sigh.

"Yes. I dislike taking formal pictures." he explained as he rubbed his eyes. He felt more tired than he thought. The father just looked at him like he was crazy while his mother looked like she was about to explode.

"Why?" his brother snorted from beside him, "They're just some pictures. Get over it, you baby." he remarked before turning back to a conversation he was having with his father.

He felt the anger burning in his chest, just waiting to be released. Taking a calming breath in, he just looked away. "Whatever." He didn't feel the need to explain why he didn't like taking pictures; they would think he was even weirder if he did.

His mother then looked at him and sighed. "Look, just say something... please. You're starting to worry me." she said while looking at him. "You've just been so anti-social lately, and I'm starting to think you're having some problems. Are you really alright?"

Her sudden change in attitude caught him off guard. "W-what?" he sputtered, blinking rapidly. "I'm fine, really!"

His mother frowned. "You've also been a bit discouraged too. I don't know what's up, but you can tell me what's wrong, right?"

"Really mom," he said as he sat up a bit, "There is nothing wrong. I'm just feeling really tired right now. That's why I'm so annoyed."

It looked like his mother was about to say something else, but the waitress came with the bill and everyone just fell silent.

On the car ride back home, he picked up a print out of the pictures taken. He looked at the various pictures that he was smiling in and inwardly sighed. In those pictures showed a teen that was smiling rather forcefully.

I hate pictures like these... he thought as he once again turned on his CD player, They only serve to remind me that no matter what I do, there will always be a false image of myself...

Looking at his family again, he sighed. Although today was one of many days he would feel annoyed with everything in general, he knew that he liked it like this. His family was precious, and he wouldn't give it up for anything. If he had to put up a false image for other people, he would do it. While it irked him at times, he found himself finding his true friends through it.

On the player, the song returned to the slow song he liked. Leaning back a bit and letting a small smile cross his face, he closed his eyes. Oh well...it just means that it's all the more rewarding when people really do try to find out who I really am, instead of just my image.

---

Yes, another one-shot from me. I need to write stuff like this to get inspiration to write the first chapter.

Anyways, I wanted to try a new writing style by doing this. It was all intentional, so don't worry about me not naming anyone! XP

Please let me know what you think. Yes, I know I'm a horrible person for not releasing the first chapter of Affinity yet, but stuff has me so severely bogged down it's not even funny.

Just be on the lookout for it in the next week. I'll try and have it out by then. ._.
_________________


<3 Planty~
Art in icon done by Raburabbit.

[Sol]

He hated taking family pictures. He hated how he had to stand near his family, putting a false smile onto his face. He hated how he had to sit there, going over the taken photos to choose which one was to be framed. Finally, he hated how he had to actually be in the continuous prescence of his family.

The family was in the lounge of a resturaunt on top of a hill overlooking the rest of the city. While the building wasn't anything fancy, the food was all it took to prove otherwise. The decorations of trees and the polished wood tables set a somber mood to the atmosphere, with people chatting with each other in hushed tones. Currently, the teen was just leaning back in his chair, listening to his CD player. He had long ago learned to tune out the voices of everyone else, but listening to a little music while doing it made it easier.

Currently, he was munching idly on an onion ring as he looked around the room. Several televisions were attached to the walls of the lounge, each one showing various sports games. People at various tables were leaning over the candlelit tables to talk to each other, murmuring on trivial things. He then looked back at his own table, where the plate of onion rings was nearly emptied. Across from him were his two parents, talking about something. He couldn't make out what they were saying due to the music blaring in his ears, but he assumed it was something about the pictures they had just taken. Next to him was his younger brother, who was messing around with his phone. His sibling took gleeful pleasure in smirking at him before turning back to his phone.

Sighing, he sat up in his chair as the current song on his player finished and was about to transit to a new one. He didn't know how long he had kept this cd in his player for, but he paid it no mind. The song that came up was a slow one with a high voice and dramatic overtures. One of his favorites in times like this.

Suddenly, his father slammed his palm right in front of him, making him look up in surprise. Pausing the track, he merely stared at the middle-aged man across from him. "Pay attention," the man said as he sat back, "we were talking to you."

He merely sighed and looked at his mother, watching her eyes narrow upon him. "Yes?" he asked quietly. The mother frowned.

"I don't know what's up with you today, but cut it out." she said crossly as she glared at him, "You don't have any reason to act annoyed with me."

The teen had to stop himself from snorting. He had all the reasons in the world to be annoyed with his mother, but he didn't feel like getting into an argument, especially at dinner. "Fine." he said while he gave her a heavy stare in her direction. The mother merely frowned a bit more before turning back to the father. Shrugging, he ignored the chuckling of his little brother beside him as he turned the volume back up on his cd player and unpaused it.

Finally, their dinner arrived at the table at last. He looked down at the breaded shrimp and bit into one, slightly wincing at the hard exterior. It seemed that it had been overbaked. Silently, he looked over at his family's choice of food, which consisted of Top Sirloin and Filet Mignion. Sighing, he shook his head and returned to his food.

While their dinner progressed, he finally noticed that his mother was waving her hands in his direction. Growling softly, he paused his CD player again as he took one earphone out. "What is it?" he asked softly, but still loud enough to be heard. The mother narrowed her eyes again.

"You better watch your tone." she reprimanded before returning to her filet mignion, "As I was saying, we're going on vacation next week. We'll be returning on Monday. Are we clear on that?"

The teen blinked before he found himself silently seething. "You want me to miss school?" he asked skeptically, "What if I have something important to do on that date?"

The mother just shook her head. "I trust that you'll be able to talk to your teachers about whatever is due on that date. After all, this is all dependent on you." The teen blinked a few times before he tried to say something, but his mother just went on; "I haven't had a vacation in such a long time! I've been working night and day around the house and I haven't had any time for myself at all. I mean, we could have gone last month, but with his test and all, we had to cancel." she explained to her husband and the little brother. Jamming the earphone back into his ear again, he turned on the CD player again to drown out her voice.

Whatever she was aiming for didn't work. Instead of making him feel guilty, she was making him feel angry. However, he soon felt his anger deflate. His mom had had no vacation in four months time, and she hadn't had any breaks in between. Shrugging a bit, he decided he could try and talk to his professors to see what he could do. Before the next track could pop up, his little brother jabbed him in the side. Pausing the track yet again, he looked at her yet again.

"What is your problem tonight?!" she hissed, glaring at him again, "You haven't been cooperative with me or anyone else. Tell me what your problem is."

"I'm annoyed." he said simply. It was directed towards no one, but he saw his mother's face turn a bit red. Perhaps it was from the second glass of wine, but he couldn't tell.

"You're annoyed at me? For what?" she ground out. The teen rolled his eyes. This was typical of her to take anything he said and twist it so it looked like he was verbally attacking her.

"I'm not annoyed at you," he said, leaning back into his chair, "I'm just annoyed with how today has been going. Nothing more."

The woman just narrowed her eyes again. "What, because of the pictures? I'm sorry you just had to stand there and smile." she let out sarcastically. The teen just let out a sigh.

"Yes. I dislike taking formal pictures." he explained as he rubbed his eyes. He felt more tired than he thought. The father just looked at him like he was crazy while his mother looked like she was about to explode.

"Why?" his brother snorted from beside him, "They're just some pictures. Get over it, you baby." he remarked before turning back to a conversation he was having with his father.

He felt the anger burning in his chest, just waiting to be released. Taking a calming breath in, he just looked away. "Whatever." He didn't feel the need to explain why he didn't like taking pictures; they would think he was even weirder if he did.

His mother then looked at him and sighed. "Look, just say something... please. You're starting to worry me." she said while looking at him. "You've just been so anti-social lately, and I'm starting to think you're having some problems. Are you really alright?"

Her sudden change in attitude caught him off guard. "W-what?" he sputtered, blinking rapidly. "I'm fine, really!"

His mother frowned. "You've also been a bit discouraged too. I don't know what's up, but you can tell me what's wrong, right?"

"Really mom," he said as he sat up a bit, "There is nothing wrong. I'm just feeling really tired right now. That's why I'm so annoyed."

It looked like his mother was about to say something else, but the waitress came with the bill and everyone just fell silent.

On the car ride back home, he picked up a print out of the pictures taken. He looked at the various pictures that he was smiling in and inwardly sighed. In those pictures showed a teen that was smiling rather forcefully.

I hate pictures like these... he thought as he once again turned on his CD player, They only serve to remind me that no matter what I do, there will always be a false image of myself...

Looking at his family again, he sighed. Although today was one of many days he would feel annoyed with everything in general, he knew that he liked it like this. His family was precious, and he wouldn't give it up for anything. If he had to put up a false image for other people, he would do it. While it irked him at times, he found himself finding his true friends through it.

On the player, the song returned to the slow song he liked. Leaning back a bit and letting a small smile cross his face, he closed his eyes. Oh well...it just means that it's all the more rewarding when people really do try to find out who I really am, instead of just my image.

---

Yes, another one-shot from me. I need to write stuff like this to get inspiration to write the first chapter.

Anyways, I wanted to try a new writing style by doing this. It was all intentional, so don't worry about me not naming anyone! XP

Please let me know what you think. Yes, I know I'm a horrible person for not releasing the first chapter of Affinity yet, but stuff has me so severely bogged down it's not even funny.

Just be on the lookout for it in the next week. I'll try and have it out by then. ._.
_________________


<3 Planty~
Art in icon done by Raburabbit.

[Midnight]

Hmm....if this is what you are considering to be an experimental form of writing, I'd say this was a flagrant success.

As always, it was drenched in detail, but it wasn't overwhelming, which is always a good thing for the reader. I'm alos tempted to think that there is another method of getting the message across--through sympathizing with the protagonist. I always fnd that whenever I read pieces of fiction that have characters that share a lot of qualities with me, the story has that much greater of an impact, which is to be expected. THe last thought seems so refreshingly applicable to quite a few of us, since it seems that some us are in quite the same position.

Great job.

Edit--Whoops, typo.
_________________
Today, these three players are after Big Bucks! But they'll have to avoid the Whammy, as they play the most exciting game of their lives! From Television City in Hollywood! It's time to 'Press Your Luck!'--Rod Roddy

The Kingdom of Loathing: An Adventurer is You! // I ♣ Seals

Avatar by Spork. I very much appreciate it! <3

[Kitty-Chan]

It was really good! I think this is a neat form of writing.
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Need more Zero/X, Netto/Rock, Rock/Netto, Forte/Netto, & Blues/Netto. PLEASE!
Ano sa...could someone please make me a Zero/X, Blues/Netto, or Forte/Netto avatar/banner? I would greatly appreciate it...
Thanks for the avatar, Mandi!
People! We need more Blues/Netto & Forte/Netto on the net. Come on; help me out here! *gives everyone her Super-Adorable Irrisistable Sad Kitty Eyes(TM)*