the video

The screen flickered before them. They stared at it horrified by what they saw. They had just witnessed something fairly strange indeed. It was a video. Actually it was an extremely popular video. But that wasn't the strange part. The woman in it gets attacked. By the end she is covered in blood and is laying on the ground. But even that isn't what is strange to these guys. The camera never moves, never pans in or out. And at the end the guy looks like he comes over to turn it off himself. There weren't any cuts. It was all done in one go. When the woman screamed in terror you just knew it couldn't be acting.

"Hey guys I don't think that was for a horror movie."
"W-what do you mean?"
"I don't think that it's fake. I think that guy really just did that to that woman."
"N-no way!"
"I'm going to call the police."
"R-really?"
"Yes."

I just wish!

I just punched him in the face. I mean seriously what else was I supposed to do? I suppose I could have yelled at him again but I don't think that would have done any good. I mean I had done that a bunch of times and he just kept doing it.
I shook the pain from the punch out of my hand as I walked away without a word. Several people were whispering around me. I had never done anything like that before so it was probably a shock to some people I suppose. But really how could I put up with that anymore? He just kept doing it. I told him to stop!
I'm breathing hard once again because it just makes me so frustrated and annoyed. He never thinks of anyone else. I wish he could just let it go. But apparently he can't. I got over it! Well nearly. ...
I slumped against the wall crying quietly. Soon I slid myself down so I could sit on the floor. I heard him coming before he got there. I didn't move though. Even as he slid down the wall beside me.
"I'm sorry. It's just I don't want to hear stuff like that either. I guess I used you as a shield. I wish I didn't do it now."
He put his arm around me and let me cry on his shoulder. He didn't say anything more but then he didn't have to.

Why!

Why?
Why do we do the things we do?
Why do we think the way we do?
Why do people react the way they do?
Why is everything so complicated?
Why is it that I think of those times I did something stupid?
Why did my line of thought go this way?
I sighed as these questions rolled around my head. I looked at the work I was doing and sighed again. I couldn't concentrate. Almost none of it was finished. The work was tedious and let my mind wander. I hoped it would keep me busy. Instead it made me contemplate society. Why do I contemplate society?!

Was that too harsh?

"Rosuke-kun?"
"Yes?"
"I really really like you. Will you go out with me?"
"I'm sorry no."
"Why not?"
"Because you don't know me."
"That's why I want to go out."
"I thought you wanted to go out because you 'really really' like me?"
"Well that too."
"Then I can't go out with you."
"I don't understand."
"You don't really know me so you can't say that you really like me."
"But-"
"No stop the person you like isn't me. The person you like is kind to you, takes you on dates and talks with you about nice things correct?"
"Well yes."
"The person in those dreams is not me. I study all the time. I'm very precise so I don't get jokes sometimes. Also I'm very blunt and certainly not what you would call a kind person. Put simply the guy you think I am doesn't exist. I can't go out with you. I don't like you."
The girl Rosuke was talking to ran away tears streaming down her face.
"I hope that wasn't to harsh. She wasn't crying right?"
"Oh, I'm sure she's fine."
"Really?"
"No did you see her? I mean really are you just always a heartless bastard."
"Well technically I'm not a bastard... I have a father."
"This is why I'm the only one who hangs out with you."
"What do you mean?"

My real work

Anything. It could be about anything. I relished the idea that something I would actually get credit for could be about anything I wanted. Usually it was dictated. But this time they said it could be about anything! I imagined all the things I dreamed about drawing. I could see the perfect picture forming in my mind. 'What if they don't like it though? What will I do then?' I started to fret and adjusted the painting in my head. It wasn't the same, but I wasn't sure if they would appreciate the other one like I did.
A few weeks later I was finished. I didn't really like this painting as much as the one I had imagined. I got out another blank canvas and started to paint my version of it just for myself. A few days after I finished the first painting I contacted the buyers. They came over to look at it.
"Oh, it's marvelous!"
"The texture is fantastic."
"I love it!"
"Hey wait what's that one behind it?"
"Oh a second version?"
"It looks better than the first."
"Is it for sale?"
"No that's too bad."
"I would definitely pay double for that one."
I was stunned as the visit ended. They liked my work. My real work. I was really happy. Maybe now I could sell some of my real paintings.