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Gray.

Everything was gray. The sun. The sky. The grass. Everything was gray. Just like it always was. Nothing ever changed. As she trudged through the hallway Leslie traced her fingers along the gray lockers. To her eyes they were gray as well.

Looking around she saw that those around her were gray as well. Just like it always was. When she saw a flash of color however she quickly looked away. The boy passed her without a second glance. Once he was gone she allowed herself to look up again. Turning her head slightly she caught another glance as he turned a corner.

Everyone knew those who stepped outside the lines set by the rest of the world. Those who chose to disobey the rules. The ones who were steeped from head to toe in color.

Somewhere deep in her heart where no one could see Leslie knew she envied them. Every time she would cross them on the street. Or see them in a store there would be a spark of something inside her chest. They looked as if they truly felt. Real emotions not the shadows of them. In those few seconds she would betray everything she had been taught and crave to be like them.

Soon after the moment would pass all she would feel would be shame. She knew it was wrong to feel this way. So she would bury the feelings as soon as they came praying they would go away as she got older.

Shaking the thoughts from her head Leslie spotted her locker in the distance. Even though the all looked the same she had never had trouble finding it. As she drew closer however she noticed something that made her slow her footsteps.

Something was stuck to her locker.

A square of bright red could easily be seen by all that passed by. As Leslie drew closer she felt her heart begin to flutter in her chest. A note. For that was obviously what it was. Stuck to her locker.

Coming to a stop Leslie felt like something was gripping her chest. Something she couldn't explain. The note stood out against in a way that nothing in her life had before. She could feel the weight of stares burning into her back as she stood there. Raising a shaking hand Leslie barely let her finger tip brush the edge before she opened her locker. Grabbing the book she had come for she quickly closed the door. Turning she walked away never letting herself look back.

-

The next day it was still there.

Leslie did everything she could not to think about it.

-

The day after that it was still there.

Waiting. For what Leslie knew all too well.

-

On the third day she couldn't stop herself from reaching for the note once more.

In the end all she could do was graze the paper before she turned and left.

-

It was on the forth day that she finally gathered the strength to pull it off. It went against everything she had ever learned, been taught, and heard. Her fingers trembled as she bent back the edges. When she reached the last one Leslie paused. There was still a chance to stop. To return back to her life as she knew it. Never giving thought to what could change.

After a few seconds she folded back the last bit.

As the paper unfurled in her hands she ran her eyes over the few letters that were written.

You. Are. Not. Alone.

As she read her eyes grew wide. Whirling around she came face to face with the boy she had seen days before. The paper fluttered out of her grip as his eyes locked with hers. They stood there for who knows how long. Finally he smiled and raised his hand to rest it on her face.

"Why?" Leslie asked, "Why me?"

Doubt. Anticipation. Things she never knew existed began swirling around inside her. She didn't notice as colors began to race over her body in strips. All she knew was that for some reason she ..felt.

"Why me?" Leslie asked again her body trembling slightly.

The boy placed his other hand on her face before leaning down and pressing his forehead against hers.

The color had reached her head. Her hair was dyed a golden blond as the tips became stained red. Leslie blinked and her eyes turned a hard green. As the last bit of color rushed over her skin the boy smiled.

"Because," he said, "You're not alone now, you're one of us."

When he pulled his hands away Leslie finally looked down at her body. She turned her hands in front of her face completely dumbstruck. When she looked up at the boy he simply smiled before stooping down and picking the piece of paper up. Folding it up he took her hand and gently pressed it against her palm.

"Pass it along," The boy said before smiling once more and walking away.

Leslie watched him go before looking down at her hand. For the first time that she knew a smile spread on her face. Sliding the note into her pocket she started walking away. As she moved through the crowds of people she kept her eyes out for the one pair that followed her.