Purple Is The Warmest Color

The Begining

On the day everything began, it was unusually bright outside. The sun dominated the cloudless Seattle sky.

     As I walked past the park, I realized I had no where to be urgently, so I might as well take advantage of the weather while it lasted. I walked into the park and laid down underneath a tree. 

 'Parks are kind of weird,' I thought to myself. 'We totally wreck the most of the planet and then say, 'Oh, I guess you can have this one little space in the middle of a city.' I dwelled on that thought for a while before eventually falling asleep. 

 I woke up when I heard someone say, "I guess we had the same idea. Mind if I join you?" 

 I opened my eyes to see a pale girl with short, light purple hair that was wearing a short white dress and a brown belt. My eyes locked on hers and I somehow couldn't look away. 

"Uh, yeah, sure," I said breathlessly.

"Thanks," she smiled greatfully, sitting down next to me. "My feet were killing me," she remarked before taking off her shoes and tossing them a few feet away. 

I struggled to regain my confidence. Just breathe. 

"I guess if we're to be sharing grass I should probably ask your name," I attempted to joke, making a nervous smile.

"Jones. Astrid Jones," she said in an imitation of 007. 

"Pleasure to meet you," I laughed, suddenly at ease. "I'm Valkyrie."

"Chooser of the slain."

I raised my eyebrows.

She showed a slight hint of embarrassment before going back to her unbreakable shield of confidence. "I've got a bit of an obsession with names," she admitted. "Yours means chooser of the slain. It's one of my favorites."

Then and there, I decided Astrid was my favorite name.

"What's your name mean?" I asked, suddenly curious.

"Divine strength." 

"I may have just met you, but I get the sense that fits you immensely well."

Astrid shrugged. "I wish. I can think of more than a few times when I could have used it."

"I think we could use some divine strength sometimes."

Astrid smiled half-heartedly. Just then she made a face like she suddenly remembered something important.

"What time is it?" she asked urgently.

I glanced at my phone.

"4:30," I said.

"Shit," she swore and started to stand up. "I have to go."

"Wait. Let me give you my phone number,"  I said, fishing through my bag for a pen.

Astrid pulled one I hadn't noticed out from behind her ear and handed it to me.

" A writer's gotta be prepared," she said in lieu of an explanation.

I stood up and scrawled my number on her arm.

"Hey, I just met you and this is crazy but here's my number so-" I began to sing.

She cut me off with a laugh and said, "No. Just no. I understand the temptation since it's so appropriate, but if you're going to reference something, reference something good."

"Alright, but seriously. Call me."

"You better believe I will," she said with a mischevious smile before turning and running away.

I smiled and shook my head. This girl might be my wonderwall.