Fake Smile: A YouTuber Fanfiction

Chapter 1

Author Note: Hello! I usually don't have author's notes before the chapter but here it is. I just wanted to say quickly that if you've read my previous fanfiction, you might notice a difference in quality with this one. I wrote this story some time before that one, and I didn't take as much time to refine and edit it as I did with that one. But I still think this one is good and I feel like it gets better as it goes, so I hope you enjoy it!

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"How many times do I have to tell you to sit up straight!" Jared's mother said in a harsh tone, slapping Jared across the face hard enough to leave a mark.

"I'm sorry mother." Jared replied, sitting up as straight as he could, while fighting the temptation to bring a hand to his stinging cheek.

"How will I ever get recognized with a worthless son like you." She seethed. Jared hung his head down low.

"I'm sorry." He apologized again, then he felt the hard lash of a whip at the back of his head.

"Keep your head up! We haven't even started eating yet and you're screwing everything up."

"I'm sorry." Jared repeated again, lifting his head up. He could feel something warm and wet running down the back of his head. It was blood, the whip had either opened one of his past wounds or it created one of its own. His mother had noticed but she didn't react with any urgency.

"You can fix yourself after you learn how to eat your dinner the proper way." She replied scornfully, sitting down across from Jared at the table, watching his every move carefully. Jared just sat in front of his plate of food, staring at it, completely still. "Go ahead, do it now."

Jared glanced at his mother, then looked back at his food. Nervously, Jared delicately grabbed a fork besides the plate, his arm trembling as he did.

"Stop shaking." His mother instructed, using her usual harsh tone. It was the only tone Jared ever really knew. Jared tried to stiffen his arm and he tried to keep it still with his other hand, but he couldn't help it, he was nervous.

For as long as he could remember, his mother had been asking, no, demanding perfection from him. Countless times he had failed her expectations, countless times he had been beaten because of it, and he had countless injuries and bruises he had to tend to and hide because of it.

Jared was scared of his mother, and the expectations she had set for him. But at the same time, he wanted to make her proud. He wanted to be the perfect son she wanted, he wanted to exceed that perfection. He wanted her to be happy with him for once, he wanted her love.

"Jared, stop shaking." She said again, this time with more of an emphasis. Jared tried to still his arm once more, fearing the consequences if he didn't. He managed to make it stop, now he just had to actually eat his meal.

With smooth movements, he got the perfect size of food onto his fork. He then slowly put it in his mouth and began to chew, making absolutely no sound and using little movement. He swallowed and then did the same with the next bite.

All the while, his mother stared at him with judging eyes as she crossed her arms. Her eyes burned through Jared, making him more tense. And the silence just made him feel worse. All the stress and pressure almost made him feel sick, making every swallow difficult.

When he was finally done, his mother stood up.

"There's still much room for improvement, your movements were too stilted and your form when using the fork was poor." She noted.