Nobody really understood how Josh saw the world. How bleak and black and white it was. Nothing vibrant, nothing special. He knew this wasn't how it was supposed to be, but Josh's eyes couldn't help perceive the dull, mute colours of the world. The people were always grey, no matter what. Just so plain and ordinary, made to fit in, made to follow. Life just felt so lifeless living amongst the others, because Josh hated that he himself was grey too.
Every day was just so monotonous that it sucked out every bit of vibrancy, leaving Josh to black and grey and white, but he knew that that wasn't all life had to offer. He knew that there was more to it than these basic boring colours that left the pit of his chest feeling empty and drained.
The bell in school rang and everybody shuffled out as they did every other day -- with silent unimportant chatter between one another. Josh slung his black backpack over his shoulder and went towards the white entrance of the door towards the deep grey locker that held his books. A defeated sigh parted his lips as he shut the locker door, turning to view the sea of people moving ahead of him. A sea of grey and black and white, but something sparked ahead of them. Something that caused him to squint his eyes and shuffle forward. He didn't know what he was chasing, but he was pushing people aside to get to it.
There was something different amidst the sea of basic colours, and Josh was chasing it down, eager to find out what had sparked his interest. Josh rounded the corner and saw someone standing at his locker. Nobody else stood there, and whatever Josh had seen he thought was long gone until this person turned around and he saw something different. Something vivid in his face. It was like a spark of pastel green splashed across his face that changed from green to blue to peach as the stranger walked past his way. Josh felt something in the pit of his stomach that he hadn't felt before, and when he raised his own palms his previously grey hands burst with colour before his very eyes before fading to grey.
The corner of his lip moved to smile as the colours faded because, as they did, he saw what he knew was meant to be there.
Josh stood at the corner of the hall, completely stationery as he replayed the colours in his head until the bell rang and snapped him out of his trance. Josh took his usual seat in his history class but had become fidgety when he realised who was sitting in front of him.
The pit of Josh's chest was blooming with a pulsing red before his very eyes as the stranger sat in the desk right in front of of his. 'Thisisweird. You'rejuststaringathim. Youdon'tevenknowhim. Thisisstupid.'
'No.'
'This isn't stupid. Thisisspecial.'
Josh reached a hand out, fingers pointed towards the strangers back. He just wanted to see what would happen. Why he would make all these colours appear, and Josh's eyes became soft as his own fingers burst to vivid life before his very eyes. The colour crept up his hand and he watched it snake around his arm until the stranger turned around, and then the two of them were completely filled with colour before Josh's eyes. The only two strokes of life amidst all the black and grey and white.
"Hey, what chapter are we on?" Josh couldn't answer. His body wouldn't permit it. His chest was tingling, like his heart was working overtime. And his legs felt weak, like he wouldn't be able to support himself if he stood to walk. His palms were sweaty, and all he wanted to do was be in this beautiful person's grasp. Josh turned the book around to let him see what page he was at.
"Ah, thanks," said the stranger, outstretching a hand towards Josh. "I'm Tyler." He smiled, a genuine smile. Something real among the mute and lifeless people around him. Josh shook his hand, palms sensitive to Tyler's touch. "Josh."
And with that, Tyler turned around and Josh watched the colours fade. All except for the pulsing red that steadily beat in his chest. He didn't know what the feeling was, but he knew he needed more of it, and Tyler was the one who made it happen.
The day was over and the bell to signal the time to leave resonated through the school. Everybody hurriedly shuffled out to leave, even Tyler left, leaving a faint purple glow in his path. Josh crammed all of his stationary into his pack, zipped it up and ran after Tyler as he walked through the halls.
Tyler stopped when he turned and say Josh walking his way, smiling softly as Josh felt the colour creep up to his cheeks. "Sorry," Josh mumbled when he arrived in front of Tyler, colour blooming between the two. "Just thought you'd maybe want someone to walk with."
"Sounds good. I was just going to throw rocks into a lake anyways." Tyler said, while josh watched the soft pink wisps move from his lips with each parting word. "Alright. I'll join you."
"I don't mean to be rude, but, why the interest in me?" Tyler asked, his eyebrows furrowing as Josh could see the beating in Tyler's chest as well. He inched closer to Tyler, raising a hand to cup his cheek. "For this." Tyler leaned into it when he realised what was happening, and their lips met in an encounter of soft flesh and bursting colours. It was like explosions in a paint factory went off in Josh's head and, feeling Tyler's lips against his own, the world held colour again. This was how it was supposed to be.
Tyler's hands were thrown over Josh's shoulder as the kiss deepened and breaths were skipped, until they both pulled away to press their foreheads together. Josh gave a broad, toothy smile that lit up the entire hall.
"Don't you see it?" He said, grinning and looking around to see the world finally filled with colour. "See what?" Tyler asked, his gentle features changing to confusion as he stared at a grey Josh.
"The colours." Josh answered, looking back to see Tyler's bitter confusion. He didn't see the colours too, and with the snap of a finger, all the colour faded from Josh's views. His face dropped as the steadily beating red in his chest was shattered and disappeared, leaving Josh to black...
And grey...
And white.
•••••
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Thank you so much for being patient with this book. Ive been trying to write this fic for several days because my writers block is bitching AF.
