CLEOPATRA'S POV

Through the small, quaint wooden bathroom window of the apartment, I could quite clearly make out an almost perfectly grey scaled evening sky ravishing with clouds and torments by bursting figments of white light I could only begin to assume were the beginning of lightning and thunderstorms the quiet borough of Chelsea wasn't ready nor prepared for in the middle of a somewhat warm spring.

Work had been just short of a disaster earlier in the afternoon and after being reduced to tears by my boss in front of co-workers, tonight - all I had in mind was attempting to wind down and recollect memories I had where it was the little things in life that made things seem all the more better. A soothing, almost romantic scent of fresh orange blossom and vanilla had encompassed the living room and gently floated through to the bathroom where I rested in now lukewarm water - the candle I'd lit earlier I was sure would almost be burnt down to the end of its wick and the bath I was still in almost an hour later; although not as hot as I'd initially intended it to be still entirely tranquil.

Shutting my eyes for what should have been just a moment; my attention was snapped and pulled at by a noise at the front door; the gentle unlocking of a key fumbling left and right before the old oak which played entrance carefully swung open - the sound of sneakers creeping in which painted a small smirk across my lips.

"Cleo.. I'm home."

The voice came from none other than Louis: best friend, housemate, acquaintance, lifelong companion, comrade, ex co-worker; you name it, he and I have shared the friendship. I knew the set up I'd created would lead him to exactly where I was - all the lights off, empty tea cup on the coffee table, the sounds of Coldplay whistling from the radio I'd turned on in my bedroom before deciding the only place I wanted to spend any time this evening was the bathroom.
Running my hands firmly across and over my arms to take in where bubble bath would have once covered now bare skin I heard a weak knock at the bathroom door, Louis obviously leaning his weight against it as it swung open a half inch; holding only just with the lock I'd used on the inside.

"You know, you and all your candles one day are going to equal a fire hazard if I don't get home and act as fireman", he let out with a deep chuckle, I could hear the humor in his voice.
"Like you can talk, you left the kettle on the stove the other night and fell asleep."

Slipping his fingers through the gap the door gave, Louis swiped up - removing the lock from the hook on which it sat and stuck his head in, pushing the door open without hassle letting it rest where it ended. Folding his arms across his chest, he rested up against the inside of the door frame, flicking the light switch on with his thumb.

"You shouldn't be sitting in the dark - not good for your eyes. Don't you remember what the optometrist said?", he scolded me with a shake of his head, "How was work?"

"You know...", I sniffled, trying to get my eyes to adjust to the new light, "Good. I mean, as good as someone with monochromacy can get when they work in an art supply store."
"You know, you could make life easier on yourself and just get a normal job."
"Define normal?", I spat rubbing at my eyes before pursing my lips together."

Louis did have a point and as quickly as I'd be the first to agree, I'd also be the first to argue it. My condition, monochromacy wasn't something considered 'usual' in the medical world - let alone the real world so from a young age I'd found it quite difficult to fit in; the easiest things in life such as waiting at a red light in traffic or deciding on a shirt color to wear each day had been stripped from me since I was able to remember - all I saw was black, white and 1000 shades of dull, mindless grey.

"Okay, bad choice of words", he smirked, "On to another topic - are you coming out to Rangers tonight?"

The question sent a shiver up my spine although I did my best to try and conceal it not wanting another argument like we'd had a few nights ago after a few too many vodka infused chamomile teas and the mention of certain names and memories it was assumed mutually, we'd both rather forget. Rangers Bar was a local hang out we and friends from college had met up almost ritualistically every Thursday night to watch whatever football game was playing after it was decided one drunken midday a few years back. The best pies and beer in all of Chelsea and possibly even the whole of New York should anyone care to think of it like that.

Apparently football traditionally equaled pies and beer.
Pies and beer equaled men.
Where men were; women swarmed.
Men and women in one way or another equated to fun.
Fun that last week, got a little out of hand.

"I don't know...", I whistled quietly between clenched teeth.
"Oh c'mon - it'll be fun, you know it."
"I might just stay in tonight, y'know Lou - relax."
"Can't relax if the waters cold..."
"Huh?"

Before I had a chance to register what was even going on, Louis had paced over turning on the cold tap and was met with an ear piercing scream I'm sure the neighbors would have thought was bitter, bloody murder. Clutching at my chest and sitting upright as if I'd been hit by a lightning bolt from the still stormy weather outside, Louis jogged off immediately, forcing me to turn the taps off myself and carefully climb out of the now freezing cold bathtub; pulling the plug and reaching for soft, fluffy towels which weren't too far from reach hoping to trap some of the heat I'd had.

"I'm going to fucking kill you Tomlinson...."

Maybe those were a poor choice of words for the scream everyone had just heard. Being forced to get ready and act as if tonight was going to be 'amazing', I quickly got dressed into all black; the shade of choice for someone in my position and after drying my hair, coated my lips with what I could only believe was cherry red gloss, going off the name labelled to the side of the wand; internally frustrated over the fact I was being dragged out.

"Would you just smile.. c'mon, live a little", I was elbowed in the ribs as we paced, feet in time with every step taken beneath the tiny umbrella neither of us was sure where we'd acquired it from.

"I could be at home enjoying solitude."
"Geez Cleo.. lighten up."

A foul aroma of burnt tobacco and spilt liquor had infused the walls of Rangers encapsulated wholly by the type of people who frequented it on an almost religious basis like myself; rain, hail or shine as a place where one could get away from everything life through at them and just run away to a place they were accepted. Cue sticks jamming and pool balls racing across velveteen green; within minutes there was already a drink in my hand and a strangers arm around my shoulders forcing me into social interaction.

"Haven't seen you around here for a while Ms...."

It was a drunken slur; something I'd gotten use to over the 4 years I'd now lived in New York. Peeling each of the gentleman's fingertips off my shoulder, his grip a little more eager than I'd had hoped, I took a quick sip of my beer, hoping to place it down by the pool table where Louis was in the middle of a game with Liam - a friend from our college days and perhaps make an exit before I was noticed missing.

"And where do you think you're going?", Liam asked, noticing the moment I placed my glass down what my intentions were.

"Uh-uh", Louis shook his head, resting up with the help of his cue stick, "You're staying here, you're having fun tonight and I'm insisting on it."
"C'mon... seriously, I don't even want to be here Lou..."
"Come play pool--."
"You know I can't."
"You didn't let me finish, I'll teach you."

Now this was going to be entertaining.

"Alright, maybe... just let me get another drink first, with you as an instructor I'll need it."

Spinning on my heels with a now empty glass in my hands after gulping down the last few hundred mil of tepid, tasteless bronzed alcohol; I took a step forward not taking notice of what I was doing or where I was going; walking into someone I didn't see nor expect - a shower of corona spraying over my legs once the gentleman dropped his drink.

A lemon scent had filled the air.

"Shit... I'm so sorry", I panicked, bringing my hands up to my mouth and biting at my fingertips not wanting to be told off or thrown out by security in case they thought I'd already after a single drink reached my tolerance limit. Shaking himself off and biting his bottom lip between his teeth, the stranger smiled, kicking out his legs to get rid of the alcohol which had spilt onto his tight, black jeans.

"Don't be...just a mishap."

Glancing over in my direction, I was shocked when we met face to face; he was a few inches taller than I was, looking down over me with a look of hilarity which quickly turned to curiosity and then bother when I finally noticed for about a minute - I'd stayed silent staring.

"You um... wanna take a picture sweetheart?", he joked laughing with one of his friends who'd come to stand by, "It'll last longer."

"No... um, I mean s..sorry... I um.. it's ju..just y.. you...your eyes", I finally got out in broken english before saying something no one who knew me, or I was ready to expect slip from between my lips...













"....their green."

Notes

Hopefully nothing like this has been written on here before... and I promise, before you start freaking out - no, the story isn't going to end merry, happily or romantically. Don't get ahead of things xo

Comments and feedback would be absolutely amazing <3