black and white ~ a writing contest / Round 1 up!

I'll enter this. I love contests.

I'm baaaaccccckkkkkkkk!

Bump

In terms of either off topic or warriors, yes it is. But in terms of more theme, it kinda depends on the prompt.

And welcome!

Alright! I'll listen to the song and see what I can do with it.

i'll listen to the song and try to come up with something!

Do you want us to submit the story here, or in PM?

A Ray of Sunlight

Words of black flowed up on the white page as Ethan scrolled down the screen. Darkness enveloped the room around him, only the desktop dimly illuminating the space. Silent, the air sat still and light cold, making the atmosphere all the more heavy.

The blonde haired boy sighed unhappily, hand pressed into his cheek from a rather uncomfortable resting position, his elbow sitting on the hard desk. "It's not fair," he muttered to himself, green eyes reading the words. "How come everyone else gets to be so happy?"

This wasn't the first time the teenage boy had read through real life stories of others finding love, and it still wouldn't be the last. It was like torture inside him, lonely agony dancing on his heart, stomping it with each ungraceful step it took. Yet, something always compelled him to read these types of stories, even though every time he did, it only made him feel more and more alone.

"Maybe if I was actually attractive then someone might consider dating me." He shook his head, the hand that had been holding it up flopping onto the desk with a light thud. "Forget it. No one would ever want me. I'm too horrible for that." He was about to stand when a message popped up in the lower right corner of the screen.

Ethan's eyes went to it then he grabbed the mouse and navigated it over to the little box to click and enlarge it. It was a Skype message from his best friend, Cynthia. "Hey," it simply read.

Ethan let out a small sigh, not quite feeling like chatting right now, but he'd give her a little bit of his time before bed. "Hey," he typed back.

"Oh, you're still awake. Didn't expect a reply actually."

"Was just getting ready for bed. 11:23 after all."

There was a pause before Cynthia replied this time. "How was your day?"

The boy frowned at the question and ran a hand through his shaggy, blonde locks, messing them up even more. He hated this question, and he knew Cynthia knew it. "Fine," he simply replied, hoping she'd just drop it.

"Lies," came her reply followed by, "You looked miserable in school today."

With a frown, Ethan 's fingers tapped the keyboard as he responded with a frowny face. There was never hiding anything from Cynthia.

"I knew it," she sent back. "What's wrong? You might as well just tell me before I spam the question at you."

Ethan rolled his eyes at her comment, but he knew she would do it. Might as well just answer with the truth and get it over with. "I hate how other people find love so easily, but no one likes me, or even cares to talk to me."

"I like you," Cynthia typed back immediately.

"That's different. You're my best friend, but you're the only one who even bothers to be around me."

"But your parents love you, and so do I, your family. Tucker sits with us during lunch."

"Yeah, for you. He doesn't count, and family is different. They have to put up with me." He frowned in annoyance at the screen. She didn't get it.

"Not really... They care about you."

"Whatever. It's not the same. Everyone at school hates me, and they should. I'm horrible and ugly, and I hate myself too. My point is no one will ever love me so I'll be able to part of a happy couple too, and I hate that." His fingers flew over the keys, anger starting to build up inside his body.

"You don't know that," Cynthia replied.

At that simple comment, he exploded, minor annoyance turning into sheer rage and flowing out like a flood finally breaking the dam. "YES I DO! YOU DON'T KNOW HOW I FEEL! YOU'RE PRETTY AND SMART AND EVERYONE LIKES YOU. WHY THE HELL DO YOU HANG OUT WITH ME???" Mashing the keys, he let his anger flow and slammed down his mouse on the send button.

Breathing deeper and quicker through his nose he stared at the screen a moment as no reply came up, then he typed another, this time forgiving the caps lock button. "Just leave me alone."

With that, he closed the chatting program and stood up from the cushioned desk chair. Quickly, he walked to the bathroom, still careful not wake his parents or sister down the hall.

At the computer, message notifications kept popping up in the corner. "I'm never leaving you alone, Ethan." A moment later of no response, "Ethan?" Another moment. "Are you still there? Are you okay???"

Once in the bathroom, he flicked on the light switch and quietly shut the door. The mirror hung on the wall right in front of him, his reflection staring back at him, mocking him. His blonde hair was a mess and green eyes welling tears. The frown he wore as he gritted his braced teeth along with small spots of acne here and there to dot his face with a light shade of red completed the monster he always saw and hated when he looked in the mirror.

"You idiot. Look at you. How could anyone ever like you? You're so pathetic and worthless. Why do you even exist?" he growled to himself, staring at his inner, hideous beast in the medicine cabinet mirror. "Why are you even in this world?"

He looked down at the sink and placed his hands on the edges of it, staring down into the white bowl as dark thoughts raced through his mind, but one continuously standing out from the rest. "Do it."

The words popped up in his mind several times, an invisible force willing him to follow its instructions growing stronger with each passing second. He looked up and opened the cabinet behind the bathroom mirror. Rows of pill bottles, band-aid boxes, and hygienic products lined the three small shelves within. reaching in, he quickly snatched a bottle and closed the cabinet. Then, after stuffing the bottle in the pocket of the dark gray hoodie he wore, he opened the door and flicked off the lights than made his way back to his room.

He shut his bedroom door behind him very carefully, even if they all did sleep like logs, not wanting anyone to wake up until morning. The light of the computer screen still glowed dimly in the darkness, but he decided to leave it on so he could see enough of what he was doing.

Ethan sat on his bed, the dark blue sheets and mattresses giving way to his light weight and dipping only lightly. His hand dug in his pocket for a second then produced the bottle which he had stolen. "I'm sorry, everyone," he thought as a few tears that had been collecting against his eyes finally trickled down his reddening cheeks.

Just as he opened the bottle, his bedroom door flew open and a brown-haired figure rushed in and over to him. It grabbed Ethan in its arms and stole the bottle from him, then flung it across the room while holding him tightly, the bottle's contents rattling with the impact against his carpeted floor.

Ethan's body tensed and his eyes grew wide with surprise, but he did not fight back against the figure, instantly recognizing the slender frame of it and the long. flowing, brown locks which tickled his subtly stubbly face.

"Oh god, Ethan, you scared the hell out me!" the figure said, its feminine voice cracking with sorrow and worried relief, arms holding him tighter.

Ethan just blinked, letting what was happening process in his mind. "Cynthia...Why are you here...?" he asked quietly but didn't move; his arms were now pinned against his body anyway from the immense hug he was suddenly in.

The figure pulled away only enough to look at Ethan's wet, reddened face in the low light of the room. Cynthia smiled at at him, tears welling in her own eyes but not quite enough for them to flow yet. "Because you wouldn't reply to me. I knew something was wrong," she said then hugged him tightly again. "Thank god I only live three houses down and knew where your spare key is."

The boy was silent for a long moment while his friend simply hugged him but in a way that said she wasn't letting go anytime soon. More tears stung his eyes and contributed further to wetting his face, then he hugged her back as much as he could, only really able to move his elbows form the way she held him. "You shouldn't have stopped me," he chocked, but inside something was relieved that she had burst in when she did.

"Don't say that," Cynthia scolded, her grip only tightening further around him. "Don't even say that."

Ethan sniffed and let out a shaky breath. "But I'm worthless and stupid and no one should have to put up with me anymore."

The girl pulled away then but left her hands to grip his arms tightly near the shoulders as she now sat by him on the bed. "Shut up, Ethan," she almost growled, her face stern and serious, though hints of tears were still visible. "You're none of those things and never have been. You're my best friend, Ethan. I care about you more than anything. That will never change." Brown eyes bored into him.

Ethan blinked and sniffed again but still did not try to fight her grasp. "I don't understand how you could-"

"You don't need to understand," Cynthia interrupted him, looking him dead in the eyes. "I know you hate yourself, Ethan. I know I don't understand completely how you feel, but I know you don't need to understand why I care about you, but I'll give you some hints why. You're funny and adventurous and so kind to everyone, even those idiots who are mean to you at school. You have such a kind heart, and I don't want to see that wasted. I want to be there with you to watch it grow. If you hate yourself, then let me love you for both of us." her stern gaze grew softer with each words she spoke, and then she pulled him into another hug, burying her face into his messy hair. "You're so much more amazing than you give yourself credit for."

Ethan closed his eyes and sunk into the hug, turning his head to bury his face in her hair as well. He tarted to cry, harder than he had before. Everything flowed now, water rushing from his eyes and carrying all the pent up emotion that had been bottled up inside for so long.He really was so grateful to have Cynthia in his life, even if the rest of it seemed so dark and miserable. She was the ray of sunlight in his black world.

"I love you, Ethan, exactly for who you are. Always remember that."

Thank you

((Got it, don't worry, I'll have mine done by then!))

And the first round ended yesterday (monday) but I forgot oops I'm such a good contest-hoster

Still waiting on those entries, but either way the next round will be up on Friday once more.

I'm waiting :3 I'm excited to read some entries and see who wins!