Shades of Blue (ONC 2024)

Part 2

Rosewood Prep Boarding School has been a snooze fest for the past 3 years.

I've always felt like I don't fit in with anyone here. Everyone is on their high horse and has no idea how to have a good time.

I know that my classmates and teachers think that I am too much. I'm too loud, too out there, too willing to go against the pack.

That's how it is at home as well. My father, mother, and 20-year-old sister, Kayla, act how everyone around us expects them to. That essentially means they act like they are better than everyone else. Money makes their world go round.

My mom has always commented that she has "no idea" where my personality came from, and she doesn't say it in a good way. I've always been different from my family and those around me.

I don't care what people think of me. Never have, never will. Life is a lot more fun that way. I enjoy having a good time and letting loose, even if that means breaking some rules. I also don't care how much money someone has, or where they come from.

I don't have any friends here at Rosewood Prep, and I am sure it'll stay that way until graduation. The friends I have don't go to Rosewood Prep, they go to the local public high school in the area.

Then there was Lexa.

I wasn't really considering her to be a friend, though I was interested in getting to know her more, whether I expressed that to her or not. Lexa was a lot like me, she didn't care what people thought of her at our school. Her hair is blue, she has piercings, and she doesn't wear the skirt for our school uniform. She wears khaki pants. It's allowed, but no girl on campus does it, so it gets stares from our fellow classmates.

She was certainly different from everyone at this school.

Maybe more different than I ever realized.

I woke up the next morning after getting 2 hours of sleep maximum and realized that what I saw last night was not a dream.

I was going to talk to her today and find out what was going on, whether she liked it or not.

Sophie, my roommate, always gets up extra early to study in the library and get breakfast before class. I'm more the type to roll out of bed 20 minutes before class begins and get ready as fast as possible, usually skipping breakfast.

This morning was no exception. By the time I put on my uniform, which is a navy maroon sweater with a white collar that has my school logo on it, and a pleated plaid skirt to match, and went into the communal bathroom to brush my teeth and hair, I was by myself.

If most of the students on campus knew how late I got up for class, it would send them into a frenzy.

I quickly brushed my teeth and put my shoulder-length, light blonde hair into a ponytail. I put on some mascara and eyeliner and was ready to go. I knew that per usual, my teachers would stare at my septum piercing and stud on the left side of my nose disapprovingly.

My first class was Chemistry, which I did not have with Lexa. However, I had my next class, English, with her.

I walked into class, and she was sitting at her usual desk, looking at her phone. Her blue hair was pulled back from her face, showing her stunning side profile.

I felt my heart flutter as I sat down next to her. She glanced my way, and I met her gaze. Her expression was grim.

"Hello," I finally said to her.

"Hi Annabelle," she said back.

I could tell that she was nervous. I knew she was probably just waiting for me to bring up what I saw the night before, even though she told me to erase it from my memory.