Author's Note: Well, here you are, reading another high school fanfic. Surprisingly, there aren't many ones about Tales of the Abyss, or at least not as many as I expected there to be. I hope mine can be a little different than your average high school story (Read as: having some semblance of a plot.). The characters are as "in character" as they can be for an AU story, although to prevent the reader from screaming at the screen, I've skipped over Luke's brat phase and have given him a "pre-story haircut."
As always, you should review. In fact, I'm so desperate for critique on my writing that I'll even welcome flames. The more reviews I get, the more likely I am to post chapters before summer break, so just click the little button at the bottom of the screen and let me know that someone's actually reading my stuff. Please?
P.S. Since this story is AU (alternate universe), any spoilers shouldn't be too glaringly obvious. As long as you know who each character really is, you should be fine.
The way she was looking at him was unbearable. If he could, he would run back into the house and lock the door, just to get away from those eyes. She had always watched him with such adoration, always smiling, forever proud. But in rare times like these, her eyes became tinted with sadness, and he felt horrible for making her face even a shade less bright. She never yelled or scolded him, but the disappointment shook him more than any words she could say.
Her forehead crinkled in worry as she sighed. "Luke, sweetie, why aren't you smiling?"
"Should I be?" Luke took the opportunity to quickly pry his damp collar from the back of his neck. It was way too hot out to be taking pictures.
"Why of course! It's your first day of school! Everyone's happy when their first day of school comes around; it's part of growing up."
"Mom, I'm seventeen, not five. I mean, is this really necessary?" Luke gestured behind him to the signs fighting for space on his front lawn. They were staked into the ground in immaculately spaced lines, like gaudy white tombstones. Only instead of having dates and names written on them, rainbow letters spelled out phrases like "Off to School" and "I'm A Big Boy Now".
Luke doubted any self-respecting kindergartner would pose with these signs, much less a teenager like himself. Worse, his mother insisted that the pictures be taken in front of the house, in broad daylight. The only good part of the situation was that it was early in the morning, about the time any sane people would be waking up. If he finished really quickly, maybe he could clean up the yard and run back inside before anybody saw him.
Mrs. Von Fabre lifted her hand to her mouth and giggled into it. "Ah, yes. I realize that the signs are perhaps a little young for you, but it was the only back-to-school kit that the store had. And even though you're seventeen, it's still your first day of school, after all."
Luke heard Ramdas cough politely behind the camera. "Actually, m'aam, Kimlasca High began its term a week ago. Technically-"
"Oh, all right. The two of you, I swear. Maybe this isn't the typical time to celebrate the beginning of Luke's education, but it's my only chance! You can't do things like this when you're home schooling a child. But since it's the first time my baby is going to a public school, I want a little souvenir. That isn't too much to ask, is it?" She turned towards Ramdas and gave him her best begging face, asking him silently for just one more picture, just one, pretty please?
The servant sighed. "Very well, m'aam. But if we take much longer, Master Luke will be late.
Susanne von Fabre flashed a radiant smile of gratitude. "All right, in that case, Luke, if you could hold your backpack up, I want to try a few more poses before you go. It'll just take a minute…"
Ramdas silently mouthed a sorry to Luke and crouched behind the camera once more. Luke flashed a grin at him. Oh well, at least you tried. He then forced his sore jaw to stretch into a smile for what he knew would last a lot longer than a few minutes.