When the World Became Colorful- Eri and Zaro Short

Student A:" Hey did you see the new foreign student?!"
Student B:"Yes! She's pretty cute but I heard she has no personality. She's like a fricken robot."
Opening the door, I make my way over to my desk quickly.
Student A: "Shit! I think she heard us."
Student B: "Go-good morning Eri!"
Turning my head backwards, I let out a big smile.
Eri: "Good morning!"
I know what people think of me, they don't have to hide it.
My name is Eri Wright. Recently I just moved back to Japan to enroll in high school.
Student C:" Hey Eri! What did you think of the show I recommended to you?"
Eri: "Oh! I watched it last night and-"
I'm quite popular at school for my looks and my high grades but I know that no one truly cares about me here. So I'll play their façade so that I can fit in.
I don't really have time for friends anyways, so I'm happy to pretend.
Ever since I started school, my parents push high expectations on me.

"You have to get the highest marks in you class. You need to be friendly and confident. You need to be perfect."

I've lived up to my parents harsh expectations all this time...but as I get older I started to realize that's all I was living for. Aside from school, I had no dreams of life afterwards. And this thought started to creep into my mind that wouldn't it be nice to disappear from this dull colorless world.
Student C: "Eri?"
Eri:" Sorry! I was zoning out. haha!"
I started wondering why it felt so hard to breath and why I felt the need to cry so often.
Standing on the roof of the school building, I often wondered how it may feel to fly just for a moment. But my mind would always reel this thought back with a saying I always told myself. "There will always be a rainbow after a rain storm."
Silly, I know. But a saying that kept me going.
Student A:" Hey Eri! Want to join a club with me?"
Eri:" Sorry, I really don't have time for one."
Student A:" Oh come on! At least try one day with me! Please please pretty please?"
This attention is irritating...but I suppose for one day I can suffer.
Eri: "Fine."
Student A:"Sweet! I invited another friend too! Let's all meet by the Willow tree in the center of school and we'll walk together."
As the minutes ticked away, I finally found the end of the school day approaching. I felt tirelessly in the fact that I had a new duty afterwards. Making my way to the Willow tree, I begin to feel a pickup in the strength of the wind which causes my hair to flow against it.
Student A: "Hey Eri! I have to go run and ask Professor Pan something really really quick. Can you wait right here for my other friend? Ill be right back."
Before I can muster a word, my classmate makes his way over to the main school building leaving me alone.
Taking a moment to myself, I let out a sigh and begin reading my favorite novel on my phone.
As I read, I think about how much fun life could be with the right people beside me.
???:" Excuse me? Are you here for the club too?"
Lifting my head up, it feels as though time has stopped.
Standing there is a man I've never met before, yet he feels so familiar
His big goofy smile is reflecting the light sunlight and his hair is flowing softly.
And the world around him, that always seemed so dull and so colorless, felt so warm and so colorful.
I don't believe in love at first sight, but within this moment that's truly how I felt.
During this paused moment in time, I thought to myself this is someone who brighten the world.
Eri: "Ah! Yes I'm hear for the club too. M-my name is Eri! Eri Wright!"
I always wondered how he felt in this moment, and I have to assume his heart felt at least a little like mine.
Zaro:" It's nice to meet you Eri. My name is Zaro Kuji! I hope we become good friends."
And within this short small moment, my world became a little more beautiful whenever I stood beside you.