1 The Ordinary Boy

Ryan Finch wasn't your stereotypical 21st century teenager. His parents, unlike most, were multimillionaire businessmen, grinding even some of the most popular celebrities to dust with the scope of their wealth. They owned estates and companies around the globe and were, for the most part, a household name. Ryan himself however, was a bit different from the two. Unlike the successor they had hoped for, Ryan's main passion from a young age wasn't business, it was video games. More specifically, strategy games.

They were his passion, his raison d'être if you will. He liked them so much that it bordered on fanaticism. A nerd, if you will. When he was younger, others were amazed by his knowledge, and held his every word in high esteem, he was the popular kid. Back then anyway. But as they grew older, they also grew more distant. The knowledge that had once garnered him respect amongst his peers now only brought hate and disdain.

Because of this, he began to isolate himself from the world, as well as everyone around him. He closed himself within his room, refusing to see anyone, anytime. Gradually, even those that had bothered to stick with him as he grew older distanced themselves. Despite his judgement telling him he was being immature, he continued with this lifestyle. In no time at all, he was left with no friends at all, no one even came to his room, bar his parents.

Though his emotional connection to all but the two had broken, he continued with his hobbies, lest the pity drives him insane, or so he feared. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months and months into years. It had been a little over a year since Ryan had locked himself in his room, he refused to leave even once. During this time alone, he did manage to make some new friends after roughly a month or two. They were now his emotional support, gradually, he grew less and less dependant on his parents.

Spending all of his time on video games obviously garnered some semblance of skill. He himself believed that he could even go against proffesional E-sports players, not that he had tried however. After a few more months had passed, Ryan began to grow closer to one of the female members of his guild, named Alice. Though they had never met face to face, they already felt like they knew so much about eachother, they knew that the other was the perfect person, their soul mate.

With himself growing closer to Alice and the other members of his guild, he began to slowly but surely cure his social anxiety. Though it wasn't fully there yet, he was much better compared to when he first locked himself within his room. Due to this, his parent's coaxing had finally paid off, he was persuaded to leave his room by the two of them, almost a year and a half after he had locked himself away.

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As they knocked on his door, Paul Finch and his wife, Abigail, sucked in a deep breath of air. After all, this would be the first time seeing their son face to face in well over a year. Though they had still cooked for him, he hadn't opened his door once, everything that he needed was within his own room. Traces of excitement and worry encroached upon their faces as they thought of Ryan walking out of that room. It had been the longest, saddest and most stressful year of their life.

Abigail stood in front of the door, hands clasped to her chest. Even from here, Paul could see that she was breathing heavily and sweating profusely. Abigail was about 5"4, with dark brown shoulder length hair and round glasses, giving her the look of a librarian.

["Honey, I know that it's a big day for you, it's a big day for me too! I know how much it means to the both of us but please, change into some proper clothes, we're leaving in an hour!"] {Paul}

Abigail, who was still in her nightwear, turned to face her husband.

["Oh please Paul, spare me your criticism just this once, will you? Look at you, putting on such a tough façade when just below, your legs are shaking in angst like a new-born fawn!"] {Abigail}

Paul's face flushed a deep shade of red as he looked down at his trembling kegs, before lifting his head up and glared at Abigail.

["Well what about you, Abigail? Berating me for something like that when your hands are clasped so tightly to your chest your about to rip a hole in your shirt!"] {Paul}

Abigail flushed an equal shade of red as Paul continued on.

["Is that so? Well I -"] {Abigail}

In the midst of her counter attack, the door in front of them slowly creaked open, as a lean, pale figure poked his head out through the recently made crack. It was clear that Ryan wasn't lean due to the exercise he had been doing, he was lean to the lack of sufficient nutrition and sunlight, causing him to shrink by at least 5 sizes.

Paul saw the face of his son pop around the corner and immediately lost all interest in the argument he was having with his wife. Gasping in surprise, he tried to get a word in.

["Ryan! I hav - "] {Paul}

But before he could continue, Abigail had already lept at Ryan, and began to sob and whimper in his embrace, not even making the slightest attempt to muffle the sounds he had been making. Seeing this, Paul couldn't help but break out into a beaming smile, his eyes similarly fogging over.

[I've missed you, Son."] {Paul}

Ryan slowly looked up at his trembling father, before tears rolled down his cheeks too.

["Me too, dad."] {Ryan}

The two looked at each other for a few seconds longer before Paul rushed towards him too, wrapping his arms around his son, as if he never anted to let him go again.