365 Fiction Bites

'I still do it, but I have never been really interested in it. I do it for the workout.' And as he was saying it, he forgot whether he was talking about sex or gymnastics.

I, like the whole of the world's population, want to be the exception, not the rule. I have always had this distant, blurry, yet almost tangible image in the back of my mind. The predictable ending, the long way home -maybe with a little twist, but predictable nonetheless.

We don't want to settle and have to say, when we finally meet That Person -because, you know, everyone has to have one of Those-, thanks but no thanks I'm married.

Like if you wait, and the romantic comedy happens to you, you are not going to feel exactly as trapped as that Conforming Cathy feels, in five, ten years time.

But, you know what, I know this guy who has this cousin, whose roomate's ex-girlfriend's best friend had that exact thing you are going through end happily. Honest. And isn't that weird?

So hold on. And, you know, look for the signs. No, actually. Don't wait. Quit searching. Relax, because, you know -I mean, everyone knows-, it's when you're not looking that you find it.

Esta noche se acaba el mundo, andan diciendo.

Mientras tanto, tú sigues enchufada a la pared, como si nada. Prefieres seguir soñando, alucinando. Despegarte de ti requeriría un esfuerzo demasiado grande, no se me ocurriría siquiera pedírtelo. Pero sabes que han pasado un par de días apenas y ya no quieres verte dos minutos más aquí, y menos así.

Sacas del baúl tu kit de realidad virtual por hipnotismo y comienzas a montar el equipo, dando gracias por la ciencia, la tecnología y el poder de sugestión de la mente humana.

With smarts heavy enough to show me off elegantly, with grace. Not distastefully. When the plague comes, she will lie beside me and let fate's will be carried out. Not like a sentence, but a simple reality.

'You of all people. You're judging me?'
'We are superior beings and as such we govern ourselves.'
'You're so out of line. You are being stubborn. Expidency blinds you so easily. '
'Impartial, not blind. You are not fit to lead yourself, who are you to force anyone to do your bidding?'
'Don't...'
'Don't strife. I am confident you will see reason. We all have to answer and get ours in the end.'
'That's right. We will all have to answer in the end.'

Mia had a temper. She always had. But lately she had been having some really screwed up moods. One minute she would be feeling bumed out about life and the next it was all a blast. Her nerves would get on edge from time to time, although most of the time she would be OK. Not great, not miserable. Just fine.

"There can be no perfect 24/7 perpetual state for anyone, right?", she would think. "Life has its downs and ups. Everyone's." And then she would start to wonder if that "ups and downs" change of order could actually mean something. A sign of her unconsciousness acting up, maybe.

The word treatment felt to her like a betrayal. Like a slap in the face. As if she was something to mend, something that needed fixing. Broken.

Frivolous Spending. Check. Starting numerous project, but hardly ever finishing them. Check. Feeling of sadness, hopelessness, lots of sleep. Check, check and check. "Well, gee", she thought to herself while reading the pamphlet entitled "Bipolar Disorder: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment" -which they had tried to pass as literature; she was surprised the title could fit in it. "Maybe I'm just a teenager, perhaps? Oh, and Sleeping very little is also on the list. That's rich." No, she wasn't buying this at all.


Aly -Alyson, really- wasn't very good with people. She wanted to die when people used the word shy against her, as retribution to something she could not do and even had gotten the memo on that had to be done. She despised having to check the introverted box on every personality test she had ever been forced to take. She didn't hate sports. I mean, she didn't like them as much now that there were more of an imposition than a pastime. It's only she would rather finish her work first thing so that she could get some reading done.

"I swear, teenagers are just like cattle". She had her own opinions which differed from those of the majority. She simply had a personality of her own, and hardly anyone was worth her time but herself. So what?

The sole diagnosing her as an aspie didn't make her into one. Whoa, wait. Was that a bad word, "aspie"? She didn't have any prejudices against people in the Asperger's spectrum, she just wasn't one of them. Anyways, who was she hurting being her? She was fine, thank you very much. Just fine.


Children's psychiatrist Dr. Adams had a huge pretentious office. But he sure as hell had set up a small waiting room for his patients. When Mia came in she only had one sitting option. So she sat next to the mousy looking girl on the corner, reading a book all by her lonesome. Most kids went accompanied by their parents, but Mia was old enough -and pubescent enough- to go by herself -or be embarrased to show up with her mom-, thank you. And apparently so was Corner Girl. Mia had gotten to the doctor's office almost fifteen minutes late and told she would now have to wait, so she was feeling a little frantic. The boy to her left was very busy taking care of the inner depths of his nose so she turned to her right.

- Hi! -cheerfully exclaimed Mia. Aly was taken aback, pulled away, or rather pulled four leagues up, from the Grand Salon of the Nautilus, where Captain Nemo was surely about to say something of extreme importance. She looked up at Mia, rather puzzled, remembered where she was and some primal form of manners and babbled a "Hi" back- Whatcha reading?
- Um... Twenty thousand leagues under the sea.
- Cool. Is that a new Twilight? -said Mia, causing Aly's eyes to widen to cartoon proportions.
- Guh! -Mia chuckled- I am so kidding. So, what are you in for?
- Aggravated assault. Totally bogus charge, though. I'm completely innocent -said Aly, awkwardly aware of how rude that sounded. To her surprise, it was exactly the kind of response Mia didn't know she was waiting for.
- That's funny, so am I -Mia said, amused-. Innocent, I mean. Hey, do you mind if I ask you something?
- Uh... sure.
- Cool -Mia made a pause, seemed to think it over for a couple of seconds and then asked- Are you happy?
- Mostly happy. Everybody has some things they don't like -said Aly.
- I guess you're right -said Mia.
- I usually am. People don't seem to like it, though.
- And when you're not?
- I kindly remind them that wrong is just another word for alternative. That doesn't seem to make them like me any more -said Aly.
- Really? Well, so far I like you. And I bet you agree with me that in denial is just another way to say optimist.
- I do.