Her toes dug into the grass, smooth and damp. The wind was gentle, but strong enough for her to rest against it.
So many colors surrounded her, like a rainbow was drowning the small meadow before her blue eyes, burning, glittering, and glowing. The mint green trees bristled under the breeze. Her long, golden hair that danced around her shoulders and the intoxicatingly bright sapphire sky soothed her soul.
The scent of daisies were overwhelming and the sun was beating hard on her young flesh.
A slight rustling sound collided with the silence, and a young boy with a scratched out face jogged before the little girl.
"I found you," he smiled, bright and confident. His mouth moved again, but she heard nothing. He blurred into nothing but a shadow, and she rubbed her sore eyes.
And when she opened again, all she saw was black and white.
The rainbow was gone, and so was the boy.



A monochrome world, dull and colorless, could be regarded as hell. The torture of being without the dark forest greens to the bright azure sky could kill a person inside, especially if they weren’t always living this shadowed life.

Chloe Vienna had been trapped in a similar black and white fifty’s film since she was eight years old, and she would be lying if she said she was used to it.

Living without the vivid, electrifying colors that she used to be surrounded by was a constant reminded of how much of a freak she was. Who one day sees everything so clearly, and then with a blink of an eye can’t see anything but shades of black?

That would be her.

The only people that knew of her peculiar disorder was her father and her ex-best friend Raina.

“I don’t see what you’re complaining about. Seeing the world in black and white is kind of neat,” her tall, fair friend replied on the day Chloe chose to reveal her secret.

“Just don’t tell anyone,” Chloe begged softly. “It’s not cool at all.”

“Of course I won’t tell anyone,” Raina agreed immediately. “Besides, you’ll probably regain your eyesight any day. If there was a reason for you losing it, there will be a way to get it back.”

Chloe smiled weakly. That’s what her eye doctor had assured.

“There isn’t anything wrong with her,” he claimed after examining her eyes. “Sometimes a traumatizing event could have triggered it.”

But Chloe couldn’t remember anything unfortunate happening to her lately. She had a doting father, and was always occupied with activities under the New Hampshire sun.

“Well, she’s only a little girl. Give it some time and I’m sure she’ll return to her normal sight soon enough,” the doctor concluded.

But he lied.

Nine years later, she still saw nothing but shadows. Light colors were white, dark colors were black. Nothing changed, and her optimistic personality began to drain away.

When she met Raina, Chloe was beginning to see hope again.

But that promise of secrecy was easily broken, and she could still feel the bruises of betrayal in her soul and on her flesh.

“What a freak,” classmates would murmur.

“I know right?”

“How creepy. Do you think it’s contagious?”

Like the stories you hear of but never imagine to come true, Chloe experienced bullying to its extreme. Her homework would be shredded; she would be stopped in halls and harassed. The teachers did nothing, and neither did Raina, who revealed it all.

“Why? You promised not to tell anyone,” Chloe said as she gripped Raina wildly in the halls.

“Because you aren’t normal. And we needed some new gossip.” Raina shoved Chloe off of her and strode away, confident and powerful.

Chloe’s eyes dimmed. She saw nothing but disloyalty, felt nothing but misery and pain, and the humiliation of being discovered for a freak was becoming suffocating.

But there was one thing Raina had done for Chloe that was a true act of kindness: a reason for escape.

The fact that it might be possible if she could regain her colorful sight had not seemed possible until a night she had a dream of her childhood. She was alone, enjoying the day full of light, when a boy showed up. Chloe knew this boy.

Though when she woke up, delirious and confused, she was well aware that he existed somewhere. His face was forgotten, as well as his name, and he could be anywhere in the world, but he was the last person to be with her when she lost her sight. She was sure it wasn’t a dream. And neither were the words of a place he told her of.

“You want to transfer schools?” Mr. Vienna, Chloe’s father asked, somewhat surprised. “Why so suddenly?”

That was right. He knew nothing of the harassment and humiliation Chloe went through five days a week.

“I think it’s a good experience. Plus, I would feel better if I went to a school that could help me.”

“Help you?”

Chloe pulled out a flyer of a school she had stumbled upon while doing some hunting on the internet and passed it to her father.

“IvyWood Private School?” he read slowly, befuddled. “I’ve never heard of it.”

“That’s because it’s a few hours from here.” Before he could reply Chloe continued. “It’s really nice and is as big as a regular university would be. I think it would be a good experience if I went there.”

“I’m sure it would be. But are you sure you want to leave your friends behind? They’ll miss you. After all, this school is very far away.”

Chloe fought a scowl. The only thing they’d miss is entertaining themselves by sucking out any confidence she had in herself. If she started a school far away, she had a chance of starting a new life-no one would know her secret. And this time, she would make sure never to tell anyone.

“May I ask why this school in particular?” Mr. Vienna questioned curiously.

Chloe beamed, taking the souvenir from her father’s hand. “It came to me in a dream.”


“Alright,” Chloe said as she stepped confidentially onto a wide pavement. “Here I come.”

Her blue eyes scanned the college sized pale school before her, surrounded by trees and small grass hills.

Seeing the pictures of IvyWood was completely different than actually experiencing it in person. The place, though she could not see the colors, she could smell them. She knew this place was paradise.

Chloe was well aware school had already started, seeing how no one was in sight, and she would normally be running to class if she knew where to go.

Chloe held the paper of her class schedule to her face and looked at her first period.

“Homeroom. The Art Building, C2-”

“Where is he?”

Chloe glanced up to see a group of boys, four, circling a specific student-a girl.

“Didn’t know you’d bring so many chicks,” the one who stood alone remarked with a smile. “What? No confidence in yourself?”

A burly, buff man who had asked the first question stormed up to the girl and grabbed her by her collar.

“Don’t be such a smart ass.”

Chloe tensed. She had never seen an actual fight of guys before, and it was clear which team was going to win. The girl with the smug smile was thin, with long black hair and white skin. She didn’t look like the type that would be able to fight against giant men, especially when it came to one against four.

Panicked by the situation Chloe followed her first instinct: she ran straight towards the group.

Just as they sensed her presence, the Muscle Man turned to see who was coming when his face was smashed by Chloe’s mail man bag, filled with textbooks.

“Bully-Bullying is wrong!” she yelled strongly, closing her eyes.

Silence invaded the situation for a moment, and she peeked to see what was wrong. The man was covering his face with one hand, the other still gripping onto the girl, who looked at Chloe in stunned confusion.

“What the hell? Get that girl,” the injured bully ordered his minions.

Chloe tensed. She hadn’t considered what would happen after she hit him. Should she run away? But what about the girl? She couldn’t just leave her.

Suddenly, the girl kneed the buff guy in the stomach and twisted his arm, releasing her from his captivity.

With lightening speed she was punching the others with force enough to throw them onto the ground. Chloe stood there, stunned by her strength.

“Come on,” the girl barked to Chloe, grabbing her wrist and jerking her forward as she broke into a sprint.

“He-hey!” Chloe yelled. “Where are we going?”

“You want to stay around and wait for them to get back up?”

The two skidded around the building and jumped into the crust of a small wood, hiding behind some trees.

The mysterious girl released Chloe’s wrist and wiped his forehead.

“Thank you,” Chloe replied. “For saving me back there.”

The girl looked back at her with a twisted expression. “Are you an idiot?”
Chloe stared blankly at her.

“Who runs in the middle of someone else’s fight?” the mysterious girl demanded. “That had nothing to do with you.”

“But you were in trouble,” she protested weakly. “A girl shouldn’t have to deal with that alone.”

The girl winced, almost as if she was smacked over the head with a pan.

“Girl?” she growled, slowly looking back at Chloe. “You think I’m a girl?”

Chloe fiddled with her fingers nervously. “Are-aren’t you?”

“No!” they shrieked.

“You’re a boy?” Chloe gaped. “Then why is your hair so long?”

“That’s none of your business.”

Now that Chloe got a closer look she could see that it was a boy. But from a distance, with the full lips and glossy hair, it was impossible not to mistake him for a girl.

“If you cut your hair maybe I wouldn’t have mistaken you as a girl,” Chloe replied defensively.

The girlish boy turned beet red. “Get out of here.”

“Fine,” Chloe shrugged, turning on her heels. “You’re welcome.”

Storming out of the small woods she fumed over how ridiculous the boy was. He must be mistaken as a girl all the time-what right did he have to get mad at her? She helped him, didn’t she?

What a sucky way to start the day, she thought bitterly.

Chloe glanced up at the sky, almost as if she expected to see blue, only to see a blank white and outline of clouds.

Being distracted, Chloe’s foot caught on a thick rock before her foot and she tripped down a small hill, collapsing hard on her knees.

“Ow,” she winced, about to move when she noticed something lying before her.

A breathtakingly gorgeous boy, fast asleep, completely unguarded.

Chloe cleared her throat, unable to move or speak.

Thoughts rushed through her head, thoughts such as what was his hair color? It was white through her eyes, but that wasn’t it. What about his eyes? He looked so beautiful. Like a Sleeping Beauty, only for a guy.

Chloe could feel herself heating up. She hadn’t ever been this close to someone so attractive before-it was only models in pictures she had experienced.

She leaned down, her nose less than a centimeter from touching his, and was overwhelmed by a citrus scent.

Suddenly, his long eyelashes shivered, and they parted as he woke.

The two stared at each other in silence, both shocked at each other.

“Gah!” Chloe jerked back and smashed her head against the side of the hill.

“You okay?” he pulled himself to a sitting position, eyes shaped in concern.

She nodded quickly, not trusting herself to speak.

Not ready to be bombarded and accused of stalking him, Chloe hopped to her feet in an attempt to escape.

“Wait!” the boy called. “Are you new here?”

Chloe kept her back to him and muttered a soft, “Yes.”

“Well, thank you.”

Chloe looked back in surprise.

“For waking me up. I probably would have slept through school if you hadn’t.” His tone was completely sincere.

“Actually school has already started,” Chloe said, reminding her of how late she probably was.

“What’s your name?”

“What?” her eyes widened.

“I’m Adam. You’re new here, aren’t you?”

Chloe flushed. “Yeah, I am.”

“Do you know anyone?”

She hesitated.

“Do you want to be friends?” Adam pressed, forcing her to blush wildly.

A godly attractive boy wants to be friends with a girl that was ogling him only moments ago. She could be a complete psycho for all he knew.

A normal guy like him would never want to be with a blind freak like her.

But, out of being polite, Chloe curtly bounced her head once.

“Great,” he smiled brightly, standing up. “I guess I’ll see you around….”

He was taller by a few inches, and she had to lean her head up to match his eyes equally.

“Vienna,” she answered.

Adam looked at her for a moment, scanning her face as if he was searching for hidden clues.

“Pretty name,” Adam finally replied. “Please don’t tell anyone you found me here.”

“Sure,” she agreed reluctantly, not sure why it was important whether people knew or not.

Adam smiled. “Thanks, Vienna.”

Chloe stepped aside and watched him disappear behind the hill, leaving her with her stuttering heart.

Never had her name sounded so good before, and never had she wanted to see someone again so badly.

It might be possible to be normal at this school.