Color of Love

Rowan

It was the Wednesday before the party. Rowan was over at her place again – he'd been watching Jared but both were fast asleep in the guest room on the futon. Jade and I were eating dinner. She had made these taco things with wonton shells and called them wacos. Like everything else she cooked, they were absolutely amazing, but I'm sure the wacos were my favorite by far.

"Want to know what I think?" I pressed through chews. She raised a brow in curiosity. I looked towards the hall where Jared was sleep before murmuring, "I think," I began, "That you never saw anything with Rowan – that you told yourself so many times that you did that you started to believe it, but the color was never really there."

"And why do you think that?" she retorted.

"Because that's how I felt before. I was so sure Sterling was mine and look!"

Jade frowned, "So what? Is Rowan going to have some tragic death too?"

I rolled my eyes, "This isn't about him. It's about you. All I'm saying is you don't seem to remember or know anything about it. Why don't you admit you just haven't met the one?"

She snorted, "So what? Are you trying to say maybe you're the one miss 'I see green every time I'm with you.'" She was mocking me, but it was true.

"Joke all you want, Jade," I said dryly, "But I find it weird that when I'm with you, things seem to suddenly change. The first time I ever came over here, Rowan's bike changed for a split second and I've still yet to figure out what color it was. When I enter the store every day, the clothes look different to me. And, I find it quite odd that your eyes match all the plants around your house each time I come over. "

She paused from eating to look around her room. I followed her eyes and as she laid eyes upon each plant, I could see the leaves show a green color. It was getting stronger each day, but nothing else stood out more than her eyes did every time she looked at me.

Then she looked back at me and gave her damn non-chalant look. Jade said, "Well, to me, your eyes are just like any old grey." I was so used to those kind of comments that I wonder why I even tried, but something about her was so...intriguing. No matter how many times she said things like that, I still kept pursuing her. But perhaps that was her way of playing hard to get. I could never put my finger on it, but anytime Jade came to mind, I felt warm and happy; and every time she hugged or kissed me, even though it was usually simply on the cheek, it was as if the entire universe paused for just a second.

"See, you need to wake up, little Linnea," I heard Rowan's voice. My head snapped in his direction where he and Jared were both walking out into the main room, "I know you have a little crush on Jade or whatever, but wake up. She doesn't want you."

"Oh, hush, Rowan. You're just upset because I don't want you."

Rowan chortled and stretched, "I will always be home."

Jared was watching us all and I think he sensed the tension. He poked his lip out and then wailed, "I have to potty, mommy!"

Jade looked at Rowan and rolled her eyes. She placed her plate on the coffee table in front of us before heading to take Jared to the bathroom.

"You know you're just wasting your time right?" Rowan snorted when Jade was out of earshot.

"Huh?" I asked looking over to him.

He kind of strolled over to me before plopping on to the couch casually. "You're all head over heels in love with her, but she doesn't want you."

"And how do you know?"

He grinned, "Well for one, look at you. You're just some loser kid who just got out on her own. How are you going to take care of her and Jared? You're crushing on your boss – the woman who writes your checks!"

"If it got serious, I could make ends meet with them included. Why do you care so much?"

"Because when all you little females get involved, it makes Jade stop considering me. You think you're seeing something because you can see green; imagine when you can see all the colors of the damn rainbow. You can't see the beauty in her brown skin or how her lips are so pink. Oh, and don't get me started on sex. You can't make her feel how I make her feel with your virgin ass; you don't even know what the hell you're doing!"

My lip twitched in embarrassment. Had Jade told him about the time I'd spent the night? Surely she wouldn't throw me under the bus like that. "You'll never be able to make her feel how I made her feel. She thinks she wants a woman but it's absolutely nothing that you can do that I can't do. Plus, Jared needs a guy in his life – not some sorry little girl trying to play the role of mommy number two."

I just glared at him and bit my lip. I didn't even know what to say. "Trust me, baby girl," Rowan smirked, "Like your little friend, Steven or whatever the hell his name was, you know when someone is your soulmate and Jade is mine which means she can't be yours. She can't have two."

I frowned, "Sterling," I said through gritted teeth, "was his name. And I never saw color with him. I never felt how I felt with Jade. And like my sister told me about him, Jade may be yours but you aren't hers."

Rowan's eyes narrowed, "Ah you little-"

"Rowan!" I heard Jade snap. I glanced up to see her and Jared coming back in the room, but when I reverted my eyes back to Rowan, he still kept his cold gaze at me. "Rowan, leave! Now."

He looked like he wanted to jump and hit me, but Rowan held his ground. He stood up aggressively and sighed. "Why don't you ever tell her to go home?"

"It's my damn house, Rowan. Get out," Jade said pointing to the door. Her friend grabbed his helmet and headed out of the garage.

Once he was gone, Jade glared at me. "See how he was just talking to you any kind of way and you didn't even speak up to defend yourself. If you can't even stick up for yourself, how could you ever defend me and Jared?"

"That's different, Jade. If I needed to do something for either of you, you know I would!"

Jade rolled her eyes. "I'll just see you Saturday I guess," I told her as I stood up, "I'll leave too."

"I didn't say you had to leave, Linnea."

"I know, but it's alright. I just need to go home and think about some things." I grabbed my plate and put it in the sink. Then I gathered my belongings and headed to the door.

As I was leaving, Jared came up and hugged my legs. I looked down and ran my head through his soft hair. He had a fade so his hair came up into a curly poof on the top of his head. "Are you leavin', Nea?" he whined.

I glared at Jade who was watching us, but she turned away when we made eye contact and walked back into the living room. "Yeah, but I'll be back in a few days."

"But why? You can stay here. You make Mommy happy," Jared insisted. I smiled at the kid and looked over to where his Mom was on the couch flipping through channels on the TV and nibbling on the remains of her last waco.

"Really?" I whispered with a grin.

Jared smiled and nodded his head. He squeezed my legs tighter and then said, "I like when my mommy is happy. Come live here, Nea!"

"Jared!" Jade snapped from across the room, "Linnea wants to leave so let her!"

Me and Jared both looked at her and then back at each other. I leaned down to hug him before urging him to go over with his Mom. Once he finally trotted back to the living room, I headed out.