Fresh Start

Mariza stared at the tall brick building in front of her. Kingston High School looked just like the other schools she'd attended. Same glass doors, same noise spilling out from inside. She adjusted her navy blazer and walked through the entrance.

"This time will be different," she whispered to herself.

The hallways buzzed with students rushing to class. Mariza checked her schedule and headed toward her first period English room. Through the doorway, she spotted empty desks scattered around the classroom.

A girl with thick glasses and messy black hair sat alone in the back corner, reading a book. Her uniform looked wrinkled, and she kept glancing nervously at a group of girls near the windows. Those girls wore their blazers open and their skirts shorter than regulation length. They whispered and giggled while staring at something on one girl's phone.

Mariza chose a seat in the middle row and pulled out her notebook. The teacher hadn't arrived yet, and the room felt tense. She noticed the girl with glasses gripping her book tighter.

The Paint Storm

The classroom door burst open as their teacher, Mr. Henderson, wheeled in a cart loaded with art supplies. Bright bottles of paint lined the top shelf.

"We're doing a special project today," he announced. "Partner paintings! Everyone choose someone to work with."

The popular girls near the windows immediately grabbed hands. Mariza glanced at the girl with glasses, who was still buried in her book. Nobody moved toward her.

"I'll work with..." Mariza started to say, but one of the popular girls interrupted.

"Oh, Yamada!" the girl called sweetly. "Come here! We need a third person for our group."

Yamada looked up from her book, eyes wide with surprise. She hesitated, then slowly walked toward the popular girls. Mariza felt her stomach twist.

"Sorry, new girl," the same popular girl said to Mariza with a fake smile. "Groups of three only."

Mr. Henderson handed out brushes and paper. The popular girls surrounded Yamada, whispering excitedly. One girl opened a bottle of pink paint while another grabbed blue. Mariza watched as they positioned themselves around Yamada's easel.

Then everything happened at once. The bottles tipped, paint splashed everywhere, and Yamada stood frozen as pink and blue dripped from her hair onto her wrinkled uniform.