Laurel is thirteen when she realizes that she can’t remember ever seeing only in black and white. She has never questioned it before Joanna starts to talk about how great - and yet disturbing - it is to finally see colors, to know that the cute boy from their class, the one named Brady, is her soulmate. It’s weird to think that while most of her friends wonder when their world will stop being dull, Laurel just wonders how she will be able to know who her soulmate actually is. If she can already see colors, it means she had already met her soulmate, right?
Laurel is fourteen when she asks her parents about having been able to see colors for as long she can remember. Her mom tells her that the first color she actually saw was the blue of Sara’s eyes. She also tells her that only the purest of heart can see the colors of ‘platonic love’. Laurel likes the idea, even if it doesn’t help her to accept the fact that she might never realize that she has met her soulmate. Her dad says that it’s just a load of crap; Laurel just has met her soulmate when she was playing with some kid.
Laurel is seventeen when she decides that she doesn’t care about colors and soulmates. She should be able to choose her own destiny, to choose who she wants to spend the rest of her life with. Sara thinks it’s cute, that it’s her older sister’s own little way of rebelling - her first official rebellion against an unfair system.
Laurel is twenty two when she realizes how right her mother was all along. Colors start fading, oh so slowly. She doesn’t understand at first. But then, Moira Queen announces that the Queen’s Gambit sunk, that Oliver and his father died. It doesn’t make sense. Not until the moment Moira says that Sara was on board, too. Nothing makes sense anymore. The colors are still here, faded, but still very much present. She doesn’t tell anyone about that. She prefers to think that Sara really is dead, but that her soulmate is alive - somewhere far away from Starling City. It’s what’s best for her.
Laurel is twenty seven when she sees bright colors again. She is nearly blinded, when it happens. That Laurel. Gorgeous Laurel. That’s it. That’s her soulmate. A quirky blonde who babbles. Who looks very cute. And has gorgeous blue eyes. Of course, she is an acquaintance of Oliver - and of course, he lies to her about their relationship. Laurel has never been one to judge others, but she knows all too well what effect Oliver has on women, that the pretty blonde named Felicity would choose him any day. Laurel is twenty seven when she decides to give up all hope to ever be with her soulmate. Laurel is twenty seven when she, for the first time, gets drunk to forget everything - so drunk she isn’t sure how she got home, though she doesn’t ask questions, because her father is an alcoholic, so asking questions would be a stupid thing to do.
Laurel is twenty eight when she realizes that, despite what she had promised herself, she has fallen in love with Felicity Smoak. “You have a light, inside of you,” she says - and the first thought that comes to her mind is “You are my light.” And the colors have never been so vivid and beautiful. She can get used to it, to loving Felicity.
Laurel is nearly thirty the day Felicity tells her that she has been lying to herself about Oliver being her soulmate. Laurel is nearly thirty, when the woman she loves tells her that she is her soulmate. Laurel is nearly thirty when she is finally happy.
(Laurel is thirty, when the colors falter again.)