A Year in Blue

Prologue: The First Day

The harsh sunlight practically cooked me alive as I walked to Silvercoast High School. With my violin strapped to my back, I saw the large, brick building loom the horizon. The rest of the walk was only about two minutes, which was nothing, especially in comparison to the other thirty-five minutes of my scorching trek to school. I went to the far north side of the school, where the door to the band room was left ajar.

I could hear about thirty new hues and possibly ten familiar ones. Renée's voice, magenta and bright, cut through the air. I heard Scott, as well, evergreen as ever and Sean, still the gilded shade of pure honey. It felt as though rose petals were fluttering about in my stomach as I came closer and closer to the door. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around in a hurry, flinching at the sudden touch.

I found myself face-to-face with a girl not much older than myself, if older at all. She was taller than me, but that wasn't a grand accomplishment or anything. There was a big, dimpled smile stretched across her slightly-pimpled face as her light blue eyes stared into my very soul. I had seen her a few times in the hallways, but I never actually noticed her before now.

"Hiya!" she greeted, extending her hand. "My name's Janessa!"

'Hm...,' I thought. 'A soft yellow-green, the same color as a meadow in the springtime.'

I took her hand and shook it with a firm grasp, returning her smile, albeit not as wide.

"My name's Iris," I said.

"I know! Everyone knows about you, Iris," she giggled, making me raise an eyebrow.

I found myself resisting the urge to roll my eyes when that just caused her to giggle more. It's not that I have anything against laughing and sunshine, but this girl's laugh was so high it could break glass. And it wasn't even like I had done or said anything funny.

"That sounded so creepy!" she said in between fits of laughing. "I'm sorry! I just meant that everyone's heard about you because we've never really had a violinist before. I don't want to sound like a gossip, but let's just say I'd keep you guard up if I were you. A lot of our girls are worried you'll steal the spotlight. Well, our girls and Billy."

I eyed Janessa with suspicion. I couldn't tell if I was more weirded out by her and the way she talked so much or the fact that I haven't even met two-thirds of these people and I was already a target for the petty gossip.

"Uh..., thanks," I finally said, forcing a smile. "Now, would you mind telling me where to go or what to do? Because I have absolutely no idea what I am doing."

"Sure thing!" she said. "I'll walk you."

Vanessa led me through the large door and I found myself in a decent-sized band room. In one corner were the drums. Scott and Sean were screwing around on the bass drums as the other seven practiced on drum pads. In front of them were the trumpets, playing their scales at a volume so loud, I'm fairly certain I could feel the vibrations from ten miles away. The saxophones were mainly chatting, but a few of them were practicing their sight reading. Janessa and I passed by the flutes, bells, and sousaphones, as well as a bass guitarist, before I realized we were at the front of the room.

"Iris, I'd like you to meet our drum major: Dorian Meyer!" she said, causing me to tear my focus away from the band.

At that moment, my eyes landed upon a boy so handsome, he didn't belong in a high school marching band. There was something about him —his disheveled, dark brown hair, his sharp and strong features, his warm eyes and smile— that just drew me in immediately. He extended his hand as I stopped myself form staring.

"Hi," he said. "I'm Dorian. You must be our fiddler!"

'The sky past sunset, but still before it's completely blackened. The sea at sunrise, minus the tufts of silver. The deepest shade of sapphire I have ever seen.'

It was at that moment that I fell completely and utterly in love with the color blue.