Notes: Written for the prompt Monochromatic at Ladies Bingo Round 6. WC = 651
Everybody knew you only saw color when you met your soulmate. And, at 17, Allison was starting to worry she'd never meet hers. Would her world forever be in black and white?
On her third day in Beacon Hills, Allison was walking down the street, her face buried in her phone as she was sending a text message to her mother. Suddenly, she felt herself collide with something. Or, rather someone.
Her phone fell to the ground with a loud noise that made Allison cringe. Immediately, she bent down and scooped it up. She was relieved to see it was okay. Then she saw the person she'd run into and felt herself blush. Remembering her manners, she said "I'm so sorry. I should have been watching where I was going. Are you okay?"
The other girl Allison had run into nodded. "I'm fine" she said. "No harm done. Besides, I've always got my face buried in my cell." The girl was beautiful, Allison noted. Immediately she wanted to know more about her.
"I'm Allison" she said, holding out her hand.
"I'm Lydia" said the other girl, returning Allison's handshake.
"Nice to meet you Lydia" said Allison. "How about I buy you a drink to make up for almost running you over?" She just wanted the chance to spend time with Lydia.
"It's nice to meet you too" said Lydia with a smile. "And I'd love that! I never turn down a free drink." She winked at Allison.
"Awesome!" said Allison, her voice filled with excitement. She felt butterflies in her stomach at the idea of spending even a few minutes with this gorgeous girl.
"There's a coffee shop around the corner that has the best cappuccinos in town" Lydia suggested. She began walking in the direction of the shop, Allison quickly locking step with her.
At the coffee shop, Allison ordered a vanilla cappuccino for herself. Then she looked at Lydia expectantly. "I'll have a mocha cappuccino" she said to the barista.
When their drinks were ready, the two found a small table and sat down. "So Allison, are you new around here?" Lydia asked. "I haven't seen you before, and Beacon Hills is kind of a small town."
Allison nodded. "My family moved here two days ago" she said. "I start at the high school tomorrow, so I figured I should get out and see some of the town before I'm buried under homework." Her family moved around quite a bit, so she knew that starting at a new school always meant trying to play catch-up on whatever her classmates were in the middle of learning.
"What year?" Lydia asked. "I'm a junior myself."
"I'm a junior too" said Allison, unable to prevent the grin that formed on her face. "Maybe we'll have some classes together." She was excited at that idea.
"Well, if we do, I'd be happy to help you catch up" Lydia said. "I don't usually tell people this, but I happen to be pretty smart."
"I'd love that" said Allison, the butterflies in her stomach growing by the minute. "I'll definitely take you up on that offer."
The two girls chatted for almost an hour, until Lydia said she had to go meet her mother for dinner. Allison glanced at her phone in surprise. The fifty or so minutes they'd spent it the coffee shop only felt like five to her, because she was enjoying Lydia's company so much. "Maybe I'll see you tomorrow" she said, her voice full of hope.
"I hope so" said Lydia with a wink.
Allison felt herself blush again.
The next day, Allison ran into Lydia in the hallway. She was shocked to find the other girl's hair stood out in the crowd. While everything else was black and white, Lydia's hair was a vibrant shade. Allison felt her stomach do flip-flops. At 17, Allison saw red for the first time.