grey

Forest Green

Grey. What a bland name. Why name me something after a such a dull color? I like to think I'm colorful, but maybe in the sense that I'm fun and outgoing. On the other hand, maybe I'm not so outgoing...I mean I do like to read a lot, but that doesn't make me unfun...does it?

These are everyday thoughts running through Grey's head as she walks down the hallway. Ironically, this Monday she was wearing a grey turtle neck, tucked into a black skater skirt that fell just above her knees. Maybe she was bland. Dark hair fell just to her ribs and covered her face when she walked. It was like a wall separating her and the outside world. Today Grey donned black, thick framed glasses, like the ones everyone wears to look cool now, but Grey needs them to see. Her vision is terrible. She blames her mother.

She shuffles down the crowded hallway littered with adolescents. Jocks, such as Niall Horan, shove down the hallway flaunting their letterman jackets. Others, like Louis Tomlinson, butted themselves against the lockers, letting the jocks roam in their usual path.

Grey meets up with Louis and the pair roll their eyes at the arrogance. "How do people ever become like that?" Louis asks Grey, a question she had been pondering herself.

Louis and Grey had been friends for a long time. They just kind of met. Was it one day at the library, or the day Louis loaned her money? Neither remembers. Just that they have been friends since. Because both teenagers were quiet and shy, they first bonded over outcast-ness. Then, they realized not only did they both enjoy tea, but they enjoy tea on a rainy Sunday with a good book. So Louis and Grey would race each other to see who could finish a book, or book series first.

"Want to take the long way home?" Louis asked Grey as he held open her backpack so she could throw in her textbook. The long way home was Louis' way of asking if he could smoke pot on the way. Grey didn't mind, she only smoked a joint a few times, and only if she really felt like it. Usually she declined his offers.

"We can, as long as I get a chance to stop at the library and get that new book that just came in!" Grey's voice got higher pitched as she got more excited. She's only been waiting for 3 weeks and 5 days for this book to come to the town library.

She spent the whole walk practically pulling Louis to the library doors. He waited around back, so he could have his light, as Grey ran in.

"Hi, Mrs. Brown! Is it in the spot where it should be?" Grey asked, knowing the answer was yes. She flew by the front desk and ran to her favorite section: fantasy. As soon as she reached aisle 5, her heart dropped. Someone was standing there. Where her book should be.

"Excuse me," she said as she butted in front of the person. This was her book, she has been waiting long enou-

"Hey! That's my book!" The boy's voice cried out. Grey grabbed it off the shelf, where he was gazing, and indeed, looking for the same book she was.

"Sorry you're a slowpoke." She spoke loudly, clutching the book in her hands and hurriedly turned around to make it to the checkout counter.

A hand on her shoulder prevented her from making it any further. Grey turned around, ready to shrug the hand off. Jock? Niall Horan?

"What are you doing here?" Grey spoke softly now. Her hair fell in front of her face, and she looked at the ground.

"I came to get the book of my favorite series. I see you had the same idea." The fake blonde chuckled loudly. He held out his hand.

"What?" Grey asked, referencing to his hand.

"The book." He said as if it was obvious. "I was here first." Grey could practically smell the reek of asshole on him.

"I found it first." She said, just louder than a whisper. Grey hates confrontation with people from school.

"Wait, do I know you?" Niall questioned, taking in her appearance. You think that after passing her every day in the hallway since kindergarten would ring a bell.

Grey shook her head. She knew of Niall Horan, but has never said more than a "sorry" for accidentally bumping into him once.
"Yes I do! You're the chick that listens to music all the time!" Niall exclaimed as if he figured out a cure for cancer. His excitement was all for nothing, because Grey didn't listen to music. She was one of those people.

Sure, Grey could play music. She played piano and knew a bit of violin, and her band instructor was starting her on the French horn. But the sound of modern music made her cringe with all the mistakes.

"That's not me, Niall." Grey muttered.

"How do you know my name?" The captain of the soccer team asked the small girl in front of him.

"Who doesn't know your name? You're the star of the soccer team. You never do anything wrong. You're like the school's personal golden boy." Grey was getting antsy now. This 5 minute conversation was out of her comfort zone.

Niall was surprised at the lengthy sentence that left the shy girl's mouth. This gave her enough time to walk to the desk and swipe her library card, leaving the jock upset. He followed her to the door.

"Can I at least have your name?" He asked.

"Why? Why do you need my name?" She demanded from him.

"For the book." Niall pointed at the object in her small hands.

"It's Grey." She looked him in the eyes.

"Are you colorblind? The book cover is dark green."

"My name. My name is Grey. Grey Thomas." The girl pushed open the doors and left the jock standing in the doorway, and hurriedly met her friend around the back.

"What took you so long?" Louis asked his friend as they continued toward their homes.

"You will not believe this," Grey started to say.