New Faces

Mariza bounced into Jefferson High, her turquoise hair streaks catching the morning light streaming through the tall windows. She loved the start of a new school year, even if she was only ten and attending high school through an advanced program.

"Did you see the new girl?" whispered Katie from behind her locker door.

Mariza turned to look down the crowded hallway. There she was—a girl with the strangest hair Mariza had ever seen. One side was chopped short and uneven, pulled into a lopsided ponytail. The other half hung straight in a messy bun that looked like it might fall apart any second. But it wasn't just the haircut that made Mariza stare.

The girl's hair was bright green.

"That's... different," Mariza murmured, adjusting her red and black skirt.

As the green-haired girl walked past, Mariza caught a glimpse of her eyes. One pupil was shaped like an X, glowing neon green. The other eye had a neon green star instead of a normal pupil.

"Super weird," Katie said, slamming her locker shut.

Unusual Appetites

Mariza couldn't stop thinking about the green-haired girl all morning. During third period biology, she spotted her again sitting alone in the back row, hunched over a notebook.

"That's Lena," whispered Marcus, the boy next to her. "She transferred from some private school upstate."

When the lunch bell rang, Mariza grabbed her tray and looked around the cafeteria. Most students clustered at their usual tables, but Lena sat by herself near the windows. Mariza watched as Lena opened a brown paper bag.

What came out made Mariza's stomach flip.

Lena pulled out an entire crow—black feathers still intact, definitely not cooked. Without hesitation, she took a large bite right out of its side.

Mariza's apple juice nearly came back up. She forced herself to walk over.

"Um, hi," Mariza said, sliding into the seat across from Lena. "I'm Mariza."

Lena looked up, those strange X and star pupils focusing on her. "Lena," she said simply, taking another bite of the raw bird.

"Is that... normal food where you're from?" Mariza asked carefully.

Lena shrugged. "It's normal at my house."