Some Color on Monochrome

His eyes drifted over the slightly wrinkled paper clutched in his lanky fingers for about the fortieth time in the past hour, every line was perfect. Every intricate detail was seamless. Simply staring at it was practically a glance in the mirror. God. Once again his sapphire eyes turned back to the restroom mirror. Beyond all the spidery cracks he studied his angular features for any difference between the sketch in his grasp. Nothing. Save for the little spark deep in the graphite photos' depths everything was in order. It was surreal to say in the least. Was he supposed to feel peculiar towards the skater now…? That would be the average response to another boy studying you I suppose. Why did he not feel a gut clenching embarrassment towards that fact? Instead there was a fondness to his photocopy, maybe it was the fact that someone even bothered at all. Again he glanced at the line paper. In the lower corner of the paper the artist scrawled his named. Messy, yet, it spoke out the owner of such a statuesque picture. Inhaling deeply he finally turned from the granite sinks to put the paper back in the blue binder which it belonged. There were plenty of other interesting sketches and doodles packed away in the papery depths. Lyrics that rivaled My Chemical Romance and their morose sense of reality. Among other things. Why was none of this malnourished talent acknowledged?

"Bring me another flask
Of that ocher poison
Because I know this night won't last
Everything fades to crimson

In the end
Wash over me and drown out the night
Because I'm not sure how much longer
I'll be able to take control…
This life isn't for everyone"

Maybe it was a set of lyrics, whatever. It was good. Beside the messy scrawl there were doodles of dinosaurs and short lyrics "I'm getting tired of the person I've become"--potential lyric and Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow"--Emily inspiration along with other nonsense. It was appealing in a bizarre sort of way, then again, wasn't Skyler as well? Brushing these idle thoughts aside Ridge brushed around to promptly saunter out of the smoke-hazed restroom. Offering an extra forceful push onto the ruddy swinging door, in turn the hinges screeched in protest. This was easily ignored for there were millions of other things that played his abyss-like conscious mind. A whir of Skyler. What had possessed him this morning to speak with the boy? There was nothing out of the average about him, as usual he shuffled into the room, confident as ever, before sauntering back to seat beside one of his nerdy friends. What the fuck was her name again? Kenzie maybe…? Anyway, Skyler was his focus. What was different about him? Not his hair nor his clothing. He was just average Skyler. And Ridge missed him terribly. Why was he reminded of this, he had no answer, but he was. Something must have possessed him to go over and speak with the skater.

Puffing out a torn sigh Ridge nudged his way out of the boys' bathroom, the ever present haze of smoke leaking along with him for a moment. Eh, disgusting. Why all the stoners in the school decided that the mildew ridden bathroom was a fantastic meeting place was beyond him. On that note the lanky boy lifted a hand to swat away the pollution. Gross.

"'Ey, Ridge!" Instinctively a pair of sapphire eyes flicked in the direction of the beckon. Oh Christ. The epitome of bitches. "Where the fuck did you go? We were supposed to meet up with Emma today at four."

"Sorry Amy, I guess I lost track of time." When you force a smile does it give you wrinkles early in life?

"Lost track of time? That's the best excuse you've got?" She sniffed before swaying over to him, pressing her body to his side, waiting for an arm to snake around the small of her back. God, are all chicks this clingy? Of course he obeyed the silent command, a plastered grin painting his chiseled jaw.

"Sorry baby." A soft kiss touched Amy's forehead, she fussed a moment in his grip before pushing closer. Forcing a rough kiss. Ugh. Disgusting.

"Whatever, let's go. I want to get home. Drive me."

"Actually, babe, I'm going out with friends tonight," Liar. "can't you just get a ride with Audrey?" This must not have appealed to her liking, her pinched nose wrinkled and her beady, hog-like eyes squinted up at him. On a whim she flailed out a weak arm and swatted him in the stomach--not that it really hurt, it was more of the intention that mattered. At this she pulled back. Spitting fire.

"Fine then, Ridge! Don't call me tonight to ask forgiveness then!" As if in an obtuse comedy movie she stomped a stiletto heel onto the tile of the school hallway and pushed her manicured hands onto pudgy hips. Spinning around abruptly (not without loosing momentary balance), she stormed off in a huff. Ridge simply allowed a sigh before adjusting his grip on the binder at hand. Tomorrow was going to be shit with the fucking gossip that she's going to spread. This, of course, is going to supposedly provoke a public apology for ruining her night. Then everything will blow over back to normal within the hour and she'll act as if she has done no wrong. It's happened before.

With the ides of a headache lapping at his brow the lanky boy shouldered around, refocusing himself with the task at hand. One, Skyler Bain.