The Colors of Emotions

Brandon Chapter One - The New Kid

"A new study shows that green hair not only means peacefulness and healing, but also deceitfulness and jealousy. The researchers in this study also found that red hair can mean a person's ego is being "inflated," so to speak."

New studies like this always kinda bum me out because I never really know what someone is thinking, even with the added benefit of their hair changing colors. I decide to put my paper down and look around, I'm sitting in a coffee shop, at six a.m. There are people just beginning to file in for their morning cups, while I'm just about to head out.

I pack up my phone and portable charger I had set on the table into my backpack, and grabbed my cup of coffee. I looked back before leaving and saw mostly orange, yellow, and grey hair. Courage and ambition, happiness and indecisiveness, exhaustion and low energy. I kinda chuckled as I noticed mostly grey hair in the crowd of people.

As I was driving to school, again, I mostly saw grey hair, and once again, chuckled at it. When I walked into school I saw mostly pink hair from the girls (and a few boys) that I was passing in the hallway. Unlike most of my other friends from football, I hate this type of behaviour towards me. I'm more than just my medals and awards, as cheesy as that sounds. I walk into my first class and sit in my usual spot until the bell for school rings, finishing my coffee just before it does. My teacher, Mr. Jefferson, gets up and announces that we have a new student.

"Now class, I want you all to be kind to him as I introduce him to you, he just moved from Canada." The boy walked in and was actually pretty cute, but like in a manly way... yea... His hair was a deep and beautiful blue, I guess he was feeling pretty nervous.

The guy was told to introduce himself, it took him a minute but eventually he did, "Hi, I-I'm Connor, I'm from Canada, I kinda miss it though. This is actually the first time I'll ever be attending a brick and mortar school, before this is was all online stuff..." His thoughts kinda trailed off as he kept talking, until the teacher interrupted his nonsensical babbling. After that was over, it was time for roll call.

"Jasper?"

"Here." I never really liked the way she said here, it was almost sing songy.

"Kerry?"

"Present!" Why do some people decide to say 'present' instead of just being normal?

"Octavia?"

"Here." She sounds bored today, I don't blame her, it's Monday.

"Brandon?" Oh god, my turn.

"Here sir." Why do I always have to be so damn polite?

"Thank you, Brandon," ah yes, recognition from someone in the place of power. Makes sense now.

After roll call is finished class begins and ends as usual, the bell rings and we move on, though, that Connor kid seems to be following me. I walk into class and he follows, and now I'm forced to talk to him. "Hi, I'm Brandon," I say to him. "H-hey."

All I get is a hey. It's something at least, not much conversation though. "Do you like any sports?"

"No, not really, I guess I'm more of a musical theater nerd. Heh." His hair changed to a light red, possibly fearing I would make fun of him. But I never would, not him at least. I don't know very much about musicals, I did hear about "Alexander Hamilton the Musical" a lot. Not enough to talk about it though. "What's your favorite musical? I don't know very many but, I could listen to the soundtrack for it after school." I said the last part kinda quiet, my hair probably turned a bit pink or maybe red from my usual orange.

"I really like 'Be More Cool!'" His hair changed to a bright yellow, I guess this musical really makes him happy. Or maybe just the fact that I asked made him really happy. I've never heard of "Be More Cool," it sounded pretty interesting though. "I'll definitely check it out!" The bell rang, signalling us to sit down, Connor sat in the back so I decided to sit next to him.

The teacher walked in and welcomed us like she does everyday. Class went on as usual until Mrs. Anderson had to leave to go copy some paperwork. "You don't have to be so nice to me, you know." Hearing Connor talking suddenly startled me, "Yeah I do. You're another person that I'll have to see everyday for the next couple of months, I'd like to stay on your good side." He chuckled lightly, it was honestly kinda cute. His hair began to turn a light pink, for... friendship? "Trust me when I say this, I am not that scary or mean if I don't like someone. I usually just ignore them."

"That seems even worse." Why did I say that out loud? He looks shocked, not a bad type of shocked though. More just like he wasn't expecting me to say that, I honestly wasn't either though.

"How would it be worse if I ignored them?" Oh god, now he asking about it. How am I supposed to respond when it was an accident that I said it?

"I think you're pretty cool and, if I did something and you ignored me, I guess I would feel like I've lost a friend." He probably thinks I'm a loser with no friends now. Mrs. Anderson came back with the paperwork and told us to quiet down, I guess Connor and I will finish this conversation at lunch.

Except for the fact that I didn't see him at lunch. Or in any of my other classes, hopefully I'll get the chance to see him tomorrow. I drive back home and get started on my homework, and finish it fairly quickly. I decide to just watch some netflix or youtube, or something similar, until my mom gets home with dinner.

Mom gets home and we begin eating, along with the usual "How did your day go, honey?" and the response of "Pretty good, mom," but today with the added bonus of "There was a new kid from Canada today though, his name is Connor, he's pretty cool." That reminded me to listen to the "Be More Cool" soundtrack after dinner.

"Really? What's he like? Is he cute?"

"Ew! Gross mom. He's my age."

"Haha, I'm just asking sweety. But really, what is he like?"

"Pretty average as far as Canadians go I guess. He likes musicals too, he even recommended on to me!"

After that conversation I went back to my room and pulled up the soundtrack for "Be More Cool" on my phone. I put my headphones in and laid down. I guess I fell asleep though because the next thing I heard was my alarm going off. Time for school I guess.

I get there and see Connor just beginning to walk inside. I quickly get out of my car and call out to him, he notices, smiles, waves, and waits for me to run up to him. We say hello to each other then walk inside.

Once inside the building I ask him what his classes for the day are, we have all of our last classes together, great! I ask him where he goes for lunch and he says that he went outside onto the field yesterday. I tell him I'll join him for today and he agrees. My first classes go perfectly, and eventually, lunchtime begins. I walk into the cafeteria and tell my friends I'll be out in the field for todays lunch, even though they could care less about what I'm doing.

I walk out and see Connor sitting on the bleachers, just looking out. I go over to him and start talking. "I listened to "Be More Cool" yesterday, I fell asleep a few songs in though. But from the few songs I did listen to, I really like it!" He looks so exited and his hair changes to a bright yellow once again. We go on talking about the couple of songs I heard for a while until the bell rang for us to leave for our next class.

The rest of the day I introduce him to a few of my friends and they get along, well. Not as good as me and him get along though. Whatever, I guess that means I get him all to myself! Other than me introducing him to people, the end of our school day went off without a hitch.