The lime green text was difficult to read on the screen, but it was necessary that I picked the most unique color possible for my instant message font. After eliminating all the colors that were plainly unacceptable for a thirteen your old boy—pinks and purples, obviously, but also infantilizing baby blue—I decided that lime green would be the least popular option, and thus could feel wholly mine. I’d learn to love it, since I liked regular green enough.

I never grew to love the lime green color, but I definitely grew used to it. Even if every word I spoke online was an adolescent cliche, they were all shouted in lime green, the color I chose for my voice.