Colors

His name was Azure. He was named after his eyes, for when he first opened them they were the most vibrant shade of blue ever seen on a child. People used to crowd around his crib chattering and chittering like birds; they would foolishly exclaim that they put the sky to shame even on its bluest day. He was often found sitting in solitude, mostly in places where he could watch the world bend and break underneath the pressure of man’s weight. In school, he always sat by the window, regardless of the seat his teacher’s assigned. His classmates would watch him in awe, whispering to each other that if one looked close enough they could watch his thoughts form underneath the mop of mahogany that grew on his head and then marvel as the thoughts danced out of his ears. On days that had peculiarly fluffy clouds, they would say that they were full of Azure’s thoughts. People adored his laidback personality, one felt calm when they were by his side. If someone were to interrupt his thoughts, he would greet them with a friendly smile. Outwardly, he was as calm as the surface of a river on a windless day, but he held so many emotions inside of his ever-thoughtful mind. Such emotions remained secure within his person until he met her: his sun and moon.

Her name was Ruby. She was filled to the brim with an unbridled passion for life, for anything that she put her mind to. She had amber eyes that stood out against her tan skin. They were the windows to her vivacious personality; the average person could not stand to make eye contact with her for too long, or the brilliance of her soul would rob them of their sight. She walked in such a way that whole rooms would turn their heads to watch her auburn curls bounce as if they were on a trampoline, but she had an innocence about her that made them regret their tainted thoughts as soon as she left the room. She was an angel to those who were unaware that the glue on the teacher’s desk or the whoopee cushion on the teacher’s chair was her doing and not the art of the class prankster. She was full of wit and quick to smile, but if anyone dares insult her, she would turn a threatening shade of vermillion and glare at them as if the fires of Hell burned behind her eyes.

Her most charming characteristic was neither her personality, nor her looks, but her voice. She would spend countless hours in the music room singing as though if she stopped her voice would break. She sang with a fervor and intensity unknown to many. Those that received the privilege of hearing her compared her to a celestial being that graced Earth with her presence. On rainy days, she would find Azure playing melodious tunes on the piano. When she accompanied him their music would ripple through the school halls on waves of elegance, wafting through the corridors and air vents, and filling the atmosphere with exciting harmonies; if their music were a color, it would be the deepest of purples. Ruby had sparked a love inside of Azure that the most romantic of poets couldn’t describe, but she noticed nothing. She craved energy, a luxury that Azure couldn’t find the capacity to deliver. Her heart belonged to someone else.

His name was Xanthos. His Greek heritage was evident in his chiseled features and prominent nose, perfectly framed by his strong jawline. He had golden locks that made the brightest sunflower look dull in comparison. He was absent of any defining talents, but when he walked the halls women would swoon and even the most secure man would revaluate his appearance. He could always depend on his charisma to save him from a tight situation. He never turned homework in on time, and he would often show up late to soccer practice, but all was permissible when he flashed a killer smile; no one paid attention to his wild excuses. Xanthos always talked a big game, but he never went through with any of his outrageously overconfident ideas. Behind his suave exterior lay a coward, worried about other’s opinions, worried about his own performance, worried about failing. When the curtain closed on the play of the day after everyone had left the theater of life, the mask would come off and the façade would be hung up ready to be put on for the next event.

He only ever shared his true colors with the one person that brought true happiness into his life. Ruby was the joy that he was looking for. He loved Ruby, and Ruby loved him; their love burned bright like the sun bleeding orange on a summer day. Whenever they were together, Azure was absent from their presence. He burned green with envy whenever he was around Xanthos; People would say that they were the inverse of each other, opposites in nearly every way. He felt as if he were losing his best friend, the only person that understood him for more than “the boy who thinks a lot,” or “the boy with pretty eyes”. Xanthos tried to be friends with him, but Azure rejected any advances to friendship out of bitterness. He felt as if he had been cut through the heart by a crimson blade, never to recover from the blow. He cut himself off from his friend, remaining with only his thoughts, once again becoming the mysterious boy sitting on a bench outside, even in the rain. The world was once again his only friend, as he lived in overdramatic sadness.