Multicolor

It all started when I was pulled out of class. It was the last class of the day on a Friday, so the first thing I thought was my mom was picking me up early to get ice cream or do something fun like that. It wasn't every week that happened, but she did that sometimes if I did good on a big test or she just felt like it. But when I got to the office, I instantly knew I was wrong.

The principal was waiting for me and told me that my mom was waiting outside. My heart sank. This didn't feel like an ice cream kind of moment. The ride was silent, and the car felt heavier than usual. That's when I realized we weren't going to our house. She parked in front of a bus stop.

"What's going on?" I asked, my voice quivering.

"You're going to a new school," she said.

My eyes widened in shock. "What? Why? Did I do something wrong?"

"No," she said. "It's not that." Her eyes remained focused on the road ahead, avoiding my gaze. "It's just something we need to do. For the family."

A bus pulled up, and we stepped out. I sat in the front so I could hear their conversation better. It wasn't like me to do this, but I needed to know why this was happening. The driver handed my mom a tablet and a stylus. She signed something on the screen, and I was handed a backpack with my name on it.

"You'll be fine, Jay," said my mom. Her voice was firm, but I could hear the sadness in it. She gave me a quick hug before walking away. The door of the bus closed with a hiss, and the engine rumbled to life. I turned to face forward, feeling the weight of the unknown pressing down on my shoulders.

I watched out the window as my familiar world disappeared. The park where Owen and I would play soccer, the library I used to read comics at, and even the treehouse we built in his backyard. All of it grew smaller and smaller until it was just a blur of memory. My stomach churned as the bus pulled away from the curb.

The bus was filled with students. I assumed they were new like me. Some talked to each other, while others stared straight ahead, lost in their thoughts. I felt like an alien among them. My stomach was in knots.

Suddenly, it all connected. My stepdad and I never liked each other. Maybe this was his doing, a way to get rid of me. I felt a mix of anger and betrayal wash over me. But why? And why now? I decided to keep my thoughts to myself and just deal with the situation. The bus ride was long and uncomfortable, with every bump in the road making my anxiety spike.

The school looked freshly built and perfectly maintained. Huge courtyard, gleaming windows, a fountain, even a playground that I wasn't expecting since we were all in middle school.

As we stepped off the bus, the students whispered and pointed at me, their eyes wide and curious. I felt like a new exhibit at a zoo. The principal from my old school had sent a brief email about me, but it was clear nobody knew much else.

We were led to the main office, where we were handed a student handbook titled "Welcome to Color Kids Prep." It was thick, with pages that smelled faintly of ink and a strange hint of something else, something that made me feel uneasy. We were told to read the handbook thoroughly and memorize the rules.

As we were given our badges, I noticed the different colors. Some kids got blue, some yellow, and some even got red. Mine was green. It felt like a bad omen. The principal spoke, his voice echoing in the quiet hallway.

"Your badge is a symbol of your place here. It's your identity. Wear it with pride," he said, his eyes scanning over us like we were dolls he'd just unpacked from a box.

My hand trembled as I took the badge. It was heavier than I expected, and the green was so vivid it was almost painful to look at. The others took theirs in silence, their eyes darting around nervously. We were told to wear them at all times and never to remove them.

The students started to separate into groups based on their badges, talking to each other and checking out the newcomers. I saw a group of kids with yellow badges huddled together, their laughter piercing through the tension in the air. They were the loud ones, the ones who always had something to say. Then there were the blue kids, who walked around like shadows, blending into the background. And the red ones, they looked like they could start a fight at any moment, their eyes full of anger and mischief.

As I looked around, I spotted a girl with a purple badge. She was sitting alone, her back straight, her eyes cold and calculating. She was the only one who didn't seem to care about the commotion. Her badge gleamed under the fluorescent lights, and she wore it like a crown. I could feel the power radiating from her, like she was a force to be reckoned with.

I tried to ignore the glares as I found my own dorm. The room was small and neat, with two bunk beds, one loft bed, and a tiny bathroom. The walls were painted a soft shade of blue-grey. The other girls introduced themselves as Selene, Astra, Ezrienne, and Kaelis. They talked over each other, asking questions and sharing stories about the school.

Selene was the first to speak up. "So, Jay, what do you think you're going to do here?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I guess I'll just try to fit in and do my best."

"Fit in?" Astra said, raising an eyebrow. "You know you're the only green in here, right?"

I nodded. "I'll manage," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt.