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PROLOGUE
When I was 10, I developed my first phobia.
Granted it was typical for a kid of my age, so my parents hid a smile when I told them I needed nightlight in my room. But it got so bad to the point where I couldn't sleep if there wasn't a source of light near, and I also peed my bed constantly out of fear of the monsters creeping under my bed.
I refused to go to bed, scared that they'd pull me under and eventually never went into my room at all.
I stopped sleeping the recommended hours for a 10-year old to sleep, and soon the bags under my eyes turned into permanent 'tired lines'.
My parents bedroom slowly turned into my oasis, and I found the comfort and safety within the arms of those who had birthed me.
The honeymoon phase between us ended soon after my 13th birthday, and my parents eventually grew tired of me sleeping in their room, and occasionally waking up to being drenched in pee.
Tad dramatic if you ask me.
Low, and behold I was shipped off to a pretty psychiatrist with bright red hair who asked me questions to try and figure out where the fear stemmed from. After my first round of sessions, the lady grew weary of my almost despondent response to any of her questions as my attention was solely focused on her hair.
It was captivating.
The vermillion hair that encased millions of strands falling under the soft auburn colour held my attention during every visit. The way the strands could form a whole other colour spectrum from being an individual strand had my mind reeling.
During the fifth visit, as I sat in silence still questioning the colour in my head, the occupant across from me grew nearly tired but noticed my ever growing fascination to the scarlet nest on her head.
"Willow...why do you keep staring at my hair?",she questioned lightly, her eyes beaming with curiosity.
"It's Will." I replied quietly. "and I'm confused."
"Confused about what?" she questioned further.
Frowning I replied, "What colour is your hair?"
She looked beyond shocked as she reached up and felt the tendrils of cherry.
"It's auburn" she replied softly.
I hummed in response not quite as content with the answer as I would've liked.
"It's natural. It hasn't been touched by hair dye once. It's my favourite colour. What's your favourite colour Will."
"Blue." Her eyes lightened as she grabbed her notebook out,
"Just blue?" Narrowing my eyes, the sassy reply was out of my lips before I had the chance to rethink it.
"Well what other kinda blue would their be?"
The humour shone as her lips quirked into a grin, "Hmm, well there's Aqua, Navy, Babyblue.." she trailed off as she bent into her desk and pulled out numerous different squares of colours, pointing to each as she said them.
"Just blue" I said shortly.
"Uh, okay. Well why do you like blue?" I was silent for a while, turning over in my head whether or not she needed to know.
"It reminds me of water. It's cold, or hot. It can be used in foods, or to drink. It comes in different shapes and sizes, like a shape shifter. You can play in it, but you can als-" i paused mid breath and looked down. My bottom lip was pulled between my teeth as I gnawed on the flesh.
"Also? Will what were you going to say" Auburns eyebrows were pulled in and huddled together, conspiring amongst the strands.
The light stinging in my nose because more intense and I felt the result rise in my eyes as they spilt over. "It can also hurt you. It can poison you in food. Kill you if you drink to much. Kill you if you drink to little. It can pull you under and-" my eyes shut tightly as I gripped the edge of my seat "hold you down. It can put its hand over your mouth so you can't escape. No matter how much you try and break free, it has an iron grip and just pulls tighter. And then..." I didn't realise I was shaking until Auburn places her hand on my shoulder, a steady reminder I was okay, she was here, and that I wasn't back there.
"It's dark. "
"Dark? What do you mean by that?"
"It's so dark. I hate it."
"Will...what colour do you not like?"
"...Black."
She wrote down something on her note book before she pulled her glasses off and put her hands on the table. "What colour are the walls in your room?"
I scrunched up my nose when I remembered the hideous colour in my room,
"Dark grey...almo-"
"Almost Black?" My hands twitched before it formed a fist. Auburn hid a smile as she finished my sentence, before standing up and going to the door.
"Don't we have 25 more minuets before you try and cure me so I can sleep in my own bed?" She smiled at me like she knew a secret I didn't and honestly, peeved me a little bit.
"Will there's nothing wrong with you, and consider yourself all cured. It's time to go home."
When I left Auburns office, I didn't know that that would be the last time I saw her before I saw her on the news for being involved in an attempted bank heist, and was kinda sad I wouldn't be able to see her Auburn locks again.
Little did I know, I would meet you, Blue. And soon red was at the back of my memories, being covered in dust and cobwebs because Blue was always my favourite.
