Find Me In Every Color

LUCA

“I was ten when I had my first kiss with Jayden Blake.

It happened at Camp Everwood, during a summer I should have forgotten years ago.

Except I didn’t.

It is 2026, and Jayden still hadn’t left my mind, my first love, my first kiss. The boy I had never quite managed to forget.

Of course, he probably didn’t remember me. Why would he? His posts online made it painfully obvious how far out of my league he was now. Perfect abs. A body that looked like it belonged on a magazine cover. A basketball player with a ridiculous number of followers, a group of equally attractive friends, and a life that seemed to run on the assumption that tomorrow wasn’t guaranteed.

How did I know all of that?

I am in love with him; I have been since that day, and while Jayden might have forgotten me, I have never forgotten him.

It had been seven years. I couldn’t blame him if he didn’t remember my face or even remember kissing a boy when he was ten, but I remembered everything.

He made remembering him easy, Jayden posted everything.

I knew where he went almost every Friday night. I knew the restaurant he loved, the places he hung out with his friends, the things he liked and hated. I even knew about his little sister, though he hadn’t posted about her in a while.

I hope she is okay.

I knew he didn’t like soda either, just water. That is probably healthy, right? I admire that about him”.

Luca sat in front of his open laptop, his recorder running beside him as he continued talking.

On the screen was the website of Blackwood Academy, the most prestigious all-boys academy in the country.

He stared at the photograph of its enormous stone buildings, his stomach twisting with anticipation.

“The final act was applying to the same academy as Jayden,” he said into the recorder before sighing. “I couldn’t afford to apply directly, so I tried for a scholarship. And now I’m just hoping I got in.”

He stared at the screen for another few seconds, this was insane, he knew it was insane but he was going anyway.

“Luca!”

A voice suddenly rang through the house.

Luca immediately paused the recording, he groaned.

His younger sister.

Of course.

“What?” he called.

He stepped out of his room, then stopped when he noticed the stack of mail in his sister’s hand, his eyes widened.

He hurried toward her.

“Did I get anything from Blackwood Academy?” he asked, already reaching for the envelopes.

His younger sister looked at him with exaggerated pity.

She clicked her tongue, “Does this mean you don’t get to see your crush?”

Luca shot her a warning look, “Be quiet. Anyone could hear you. What’s wrong with you?”

“Hear what?” Their mother’s voice came from the hallway.

She appeared holding another envelope in her hand.

Luca froze.

His sister slowly turned toward him with a knowing smile.

“Nothing,” Luca said quickly.

Their mother held out the envelope, “This is from Blackwood Academy. I think I accidentally took it with mine.”

She barely finished speaking before Luca snatched it from her hand.

His heart slammed against his ribs.

He tore open the envelope as he rushed back toward his room.

“Ummm… okay,” his mother said, staring after him.

His sister shook her head and walked away.

“Let me know if you get in!” their mother called, she then returned to sorting the mail on the table, “I still don’t understand why he wants to leave his old school. The system there was perfectly good.”

Then—

“Oh my God!”

Luca’s voice echoed through the house.

His mother immediately looked toward his bedroom, “What? Did you get in?”

His sister peeked out from the hallway.

“Maybe he got rejected. Don’t worry, Luca. Your old school will gladly take you back. That place is completely out of your league anyway. You’ll probably get bullied by all the rich kids.”

“Luca?”, his mother called again.

Luca said nothing, a moment later, he stepped out of his room, he looked at his mother, then at his sister.

“I got in,” he said softly.

His hands flew to his mouth.

His mother stared at him for a second before breaking into a huge smile.

“Really?” She hurried over, took the letter from him, and read it herself, “Oh my God. You did it.” She pulled him into a hug, “Good job, Luca.”

Luca smiled against her shoulder.

He had done it, he was going to Blackwood, he was going to see Jayden again.

That night, Luca couldn’t sleep.

He lay awake, staring at the ceiling, replaying the same thought over and over.

Jayden.

For seven years, Jayden had existed only on a screen, now he was going to be real again, close enough to touch, close enough to talk to, close enough to remember.

Luca smiled into the darkness, for once, it felt like life was finally on his side.

The first day of school arrived far too quickly.

His parents drove him through the enormous gates of Blackwood Academy, where security guards stood on either side of the entrance.

Luca’s eyes widened, the school was massive.

Grand stone buildings stretched across acres of perfectly maintained grounds, surrounded by towering trees and immaculate walkways.

It was easily the biggest school in Asterford.

“Are you sure about this, Luca?” his mother asked, glancing back at him. “If you’re not ready, we can turn around. We can pretend none of this happened.”

“Don’t discourage him,” his father said from the driver’s seat. “This is what we’ve always wanted for him, the best school, best of everything. We want the best for our son.”

Luca looked at his mother through the rearview mirror and smiled.

She sighed before turning forward.

After registration, meeting the principal, and completing the necessary paperwork, Luca was shown around the academy and eventually assigned to his dorm.

The word scholarship followed him everywhere.

“One of the scholarship students”.

As if it were a label stamped onto his forehead, eventually, it was time for his parents to leave.

They stood beside their car, his father’s hand resting proudly on Luca’s shoulder.

“By the end of your senior year here, I’m sure you’ll be a much better person,” his father said. “This school is prestigious, and I’m incredibly proud of you, son.”

He pulled Luca into a hug, his mother joined them.

She tried to hide the tears gathering in her eyes before reaching into her bag.

“Oh, God. What’s that ugly bracelet?” Luca asked when she pulled it out.

His mother laughed softly.

“Your sister asked me to bring it to you. You know how difficult and persistent she can be, but she’ll definitely miss you.”

She held it out, “Don’t ever take it off was what she asked me to tell you”.

Luca stared at the bracelet, It was simple. A little worn. Nothing special.

“Elowen is such a case,” he muttered.

His mother laughed again, Luca slipped the bracelet onto his wrist.

When his parents climbed into the car and drove away.

Luca stood there waving until they disappeared through the gates.

When he finally lowered his hand, he took a deep breath and looked around.

The towering buildings, the perfectly trimmed lawns, the students walking past in immaculate uniforms.

Even the uniforms looked expensive, everything bout Blackwood screamed money.

Then two voices drifted behind him.

“He’s probably one of the scholarship students,” one boy whispered, followed by a quiet laugh.

“Obviously. Didn’t you see the car his parents drove away in?” the other replied. “Low class. He probably won’t last a week here.”

They walked away laughing.

Luca turned and watched them disappear into the crowd.

His sister’s warning immediately returned to him.

“You’ll probably get bullied by all the rich kids”.

Maybe she had been right, maybe this place really was intimidating, maybe he had no business being here but then Luca looked toward the academy buildings again.

Somewhere inside those walls was Jayden Blake.

And suddenly, none of the rest of it mattered.