This photo presents so many possibilities. Who is the boy? Who is taking the picture? Where are they? What’s the YA story behind the hand? Please leave your inspiration in the comments. Here’s mine.
What’s up with Braden? He threw up his hand just like he did when Ollie tried to take his picture at lunch.
“It’s cool, Braden.” I lowered my phone. “We’re in my front yard, not school. My mom won’t give us lunch detention for posting pictures of each other.”
He held his arms away from his body, like he was ready to cover his face again. “I don’t like people taking my picture.”
“You can take pictures of me. That’s fair.” Now that I think of it, in the two weeks since I’d met Braden at school, I hadn’t seen him with a phone. “And I’ll show you exactly what I’m gonna post before I do it. If you don’t like it, I won’t post it.”
He looked to his feet. “I gotta go.” He hopped on his bike and pedaled like a bear was chasing him.
I stepped out on the sidewalk. I could just make out Braden stopping at his new house, dropping his bike in the front yard, and running inside.
Oooh good picture and story idea! This could be everything from new braces or a nose job to being under the witness protection or being a runaway….
I love your start, so I’d continue with the narrator looking up Braden’s name and trying to track down people at his old school when the search shows absolutely nothing for Braden. Maybe he has a new name, and the narrator will become an amateur detective uncovering clues!
I’d probably go the amateur detective route, but you’re right. His avoidance of pictures could be a sign of all kinds of plot twists.