Chapter 1Homecoming dance. Theme: moonlight. White dresses only.
I'm completely colorblind—everything's gray to me.
So after I got the dress, I asked the four people I trusted most: "Is it really white?"
My boyfriend Ethan zipped me up. "Same as ours, babe."
My best friend Mia squeezed my hand. "You'll be the prettiest one there."
My brother and childhood friend? Both smiled and nodded.
The second I walked into that hall, the room exploded.
Laughter. Phones up. Everyone staring.
I grabbed the hem, confused—until a classmate told me.
"Your dress… someone painted it. Red and green."
I froze. Humiliated.
Mia—wearing MY white dress—smirked. "Told you she wouldn't notice."
Ethan shrugged. "It's just a prank. Don't kill the vibe."
Then the group shot time? All four lined up. No space for me.
Mia clung to Ethan's arm, grinning.
"Your red-and-green clown suit would ruin the photo anyway."
That's when it hit me—they didn't bring me here to celebrate.
They brought me as the joke.
I couldn't see the colors on my dress. But I finally saw them clearly.
Four was just right. So I stepped out.
...
I skipped the photo.
Locked myself in a bathroom stall. Hands wouldn't stop shaking.
Laughter through the door.
"Did you see her face? She looked crushed."
"Ethan's group is brutal. Red and green? That's cold."
"Wait—wasn't that white dress Amelia's? Why's Mia in it?"
Someone lowered their voice.
"Mia wanted it. Ethan let her have it."
I stared down at my dress.
Gray. That's all I ever see.
Last night, Mia brought the box to my dorm. Said Ethan picked it out himself.
The fabric felt stiff. I thought it was some fancy stitching.
"Why does it feel rough here?" I asked.
She hugged me. "It's textured. Part of the design."
Right. The design. Their whole pre-planned punchline.
My phone buzzed.
Ethan posted the group pic in our five-person chat.
In it: my brother Lucas and my childhood friend Kai on either side.
Mia dead center—in my white dress.
Ethan's hand resting on her shoulder.
Mia was smiling under the lights.
The chat blew up.
Lucas: [Where's Amelia? Is she seriously pissed?]
Kai: [Yeah, we pushed it. We'll coax her later.]
Mia sent a crying emoji.
[I shouldn't have worn Amelia's dress, sorry... But mine got wine on it...]
Ethan replied instantly.
[You're fine. She's being dramatic.]
I stared at my screen.
Then I remembered—two weeks ago.
Ethan said this was our last college dance.
He wanted all five of us there.
Lucas came by my room, worried I'd bail because of the color thing.
Kai promised he'd double-check my outfit himself.
So they really wanted me there.
After all, can't pull off a prank without the target.
I changed into a hoodie and sweats. Walked out.
The four of them cornered me in the hall.
Ethan frowned. "Why are you hiding here? We're all going to the bonfire."
"Who screwed with my dress?"
Lucas rolled his eyes. "It was a joke. Just wash it."
Kai eyed my tracksuit. "You already changed anyway."
"Don't ruin the vibe over this."
Then Mia stepped closer. Eyes shiny with tears.
"Amelia, I'm so sorry."
"I mentioned wanting to see you in bright colors. I didn't think they'd actually go that far."
Same script every time.
She started the joke. She delivered the dress.
But once her eyes reddened, she was the victim.
Ethan moved in front of her. "She said sorry. What else do you want?"
I looked at all four of them, then took a long breath.
"Nothing."
They visibly relaxed.
Thought a weak apology and calling me "dramatic" would make me fold. Like always.
But this time? I just didn't even want to argue.
Back at my dorm, I opened an email I'd ignored for two months.
Radio host job. Different city.
I'd turned it down.
Because Ethan said long distance sucked.
Lucas said Mom and Dad would freak if I left.
Kai said I should stay somewhere familiar.
But now? I typed back.
[I accept. I can start right away.]
Ten minutes later, they replied.
[Start in three days. Staff dorm arranged.]
Three days.
Enough time to disappear from their lives.
Chapter 2
Midnight. The four of them came back.
Mia held four doodled cards, face flushed from laughing.
Then she spotted me. Froze mid-step.
"Amelia, why weren't you with us? We searched everywhere."
I glanced at the cards.
Kai caught me staring.
"She grabbed four since you can't tell colors apart."
Mia's face crumpled instantly.
"I just didn't want Amelia to feel left out."
Back in elementary school, Kai used to sit next to me in art. He'd name every crayon I picked up.
He once told me, "I'll be your eyes."
Even made me a painting. I kept that thing for a decade.
Funny how people forget their own words.
Lucas dropped a greasy paper bag on my desk.
"Got you some food. Quit sulking."
Inside? Half a leftover donut with bite marks.
"Who ate this?"
Ethan didn't even glance over. Too busy talking to Mia. "Me."
"Didn't you hate cream?"
"Had a couple bites. Whatever."
Four years dating. He knows chocolate donuts' my favorite.
And he left me half of a cream donut. My least favorite.
I tossed the bag straight into the trash.
Ethan's face darkened. "I saved that for you."
"After you chewed on it and realized it sucked?"
Dead silence.
Lucas made a face. "It's just a donut. Why's this a big deal?"
I almost laughed.
"A dress. Cards. A donut."
"Anything involving me—it's never a big deal, right?"
Mia teared up right on schedule.
"Do you think everyone favors me? Then take all the cards. Are you happy now?"
Ethan pulled her close. "Stop letting her guilt-trip you."
Kai gave me a disappointed look.
"Mia has health issues. We look out for her. That's normal."
"You used to be sensible. Why so petty lately?"
Sensible.
Twenty-two years of hearing that word.
Lucas forgot to pick me up. I walked home in the rain. Sensible.
Kai gave my competition spot to Mia. I didn't fight it. Sensible.
Ethan ditched our movie date for Mia's birthday.
I sat alone in the theater until the movie ended.
Still sensible.
All it ever meant was: shut up and take it.
I nodded slowly.
"If she needs you guys more, then go."
Ethan scoffed.
"Drop the attitude. My mom's birthday is in two days."
"You promised to record the audio."
Lucas jumped in.
"Mom and Dad get back from their trip next week. You're picking them up."
Kai slid a folder across my desk.
"Mia has her hosting competition coming up."
"Go through this and mark her emphasis points."
Then all three left with Mia. Went back to their night.
Nobody asked if I wanted to join.
The door clicked shut.
I pulled up my notes app.
That birthday recording? Third revision sitting there.
Airport route? Mapped out days ago.
Mia's competition script? I'd already written her opening.
Years of this pattern.
They asked. I delivered.
Slapped "Amelia's got it handled" on anything and they could dump everything on me.
I stared at my to-do list.
For the first time, I stopped.
Deleted the audio file.
Cancelled the flight reminder.
Sent Mia's script back to the original blank version.
From now on, their problems?
Not mine anymore.
Chapter 3
Next morning, the school forum exploded.
Videos of me in that red-and-green dress—everywhere. Dozens of reposts.
Some set it to comedy tracks.
One got captioned: "The Colorblind Girl Dreams In Color."
Ethan's post? Top of the feed.
End of the clip, he flipped the camera to his face, looking proud.
"Messing with your girlfriend is half the fun."
Comments flooded in. People ate it up.
"Dude you're insane lmao~"
"Where'd you get that dress tho? Ugly as hell but kinda genius!"
Ethan's reply pinned at the top:
[Did it myself. One-of-a-kind.]
That one reply said it all.
I screenshotted everything.
Sent the whole thread straight to the Dean's office.
Hit submit.
Right after I hit send, Mia pushed open the door.
She still wore my white dress from last night, holding a crumpled shopping bag.
"Amelia. Your dress."
She tossed it onto my bed.
"The color won't come out."
"But you can't see colors anyway, so... what's the big deal?"
I didn't touch the bag.
I didn't want anything from them anymore.
---
Noon. Lucas dragged us to lunch.
Four water bottles lined up on the table. Each one labeled.
Light gray for Mia.
Dark gray for Kai.
Black for Ethan.
Lucas grabbed the fourth and shoved it in his backpack.
I stared at the empty spot in front of me. Didn't even hurt anymore.
Ethan noticed me looking.
"Set only came in four colors. You couldn't tell them apart anyway."
"So there's no reason to get you one."
"They do custom engraving, though. Couldn't you just put my name on it?"
Lucas blinked. He clearly hadn't thought of that.
Halfway through the meal, conversation shifted to post-grad plans.
Mia whipped out an apartment layout. Beaming.
"Ethan and I are on nine. You guys are on ten."
"We'll still see each other all the time."
I almost laughed. "You're moving in with Ethan?"
Ethan went stiff.
"Same building. Different apartments."
"What about the place you and I signed for?"
He set his drink down hard.
"Mia's new to the city. Commuting alone isn't safe."
"I'll be nearby. I can drive her."
Last month, we toured places together for weeks and picked one together.
He told me it'd be our place after graduation.
Now he'd changed his mind.
Lucas cut in.
"You've always handled things on your own. Mia needs help adjusting."
"Can't you just deal with it for a bit?"
Kai nodded along.
"Six months tops. Once she's settled, we'll sort something out."
I glanced at their planning sheet.
Four sets of house slippers. Four access cards.
Even a rotation schedule for whose place they'd hang at on weekends.
My name? Nowhere.
This time, I didn't bother asking why.
Pulled out my phone.
Dialed the landlord in front of all of them.
"Hi. That lease under Ethan Caldwell and Amelia Sinclair? Cancel it."
Ethan's jaw tightened.
"You're seriously pulling this to manipulate me?"
I ended the call.
"Not manipulating."
"Then what the hell is this?"
"Breaking up."
Dead silence.
Lucas spoke first.
"You're dumping him because he's living near Mia temporarily?"
Kai's tone dropped.
"Words said in anger stick. You sure about this?"
They figured I was bluffing.
Because every other time I got sidelined, I'd go quiet for a few days.
Then they'd act normal. And I'd pretend everything was fine.
Ethan stared at me, then laughed. Sharp and cold.
"Fine. We're done. Can't wait to see you come crawling back."
Mia grabbed his arm.
"Ethan, stop. She's just hurt. She doesn't mean it."
He leaned back in his chair. Smirking.
"Three days. That's all it'll take."
I didn't argue.
Under the table, my phone vibrated.
[Train ticket confirmed. Departure: 9:30 PM tomorrow.]
