The Unwanted Guest

Mariza pressed her face against the dusty window of the giant house's third floor. Down in the courtyard, Ava stood with her hands on her hips, arguing with three older kids.

"He's trouble," Jake spat, his red hair catching the afternoon sun. "We don't need some weird boy messing up what we have here."

"Yeah," agreed Sarah, crossing her arms. "He gives me the creeps."

Mariza squinted through the glass. Behind Ava stood a thin boy about her age, maybe eleven. His dark hair hung over his eyes, and his clothes looked expensive but dirty. Something about the way he held himself reminded her of someone trying very hard to disappear.

"This is my decision," Ava said firmly. "Max stays."

Mariza's right eye glowed faintly green as she watched. The boy—Max—caught her watching from the window. For just a moment, their eyes met. He looked scared, but also grateful that someone wasn't glaring at him with hatred.

The Hummingbird's Warning

Mariza slipped down the back stairs, her boots silent on the wooden steps. The kitchen smelled like burnt toast and leftover soup. She grabbed an apple from the counter and headed outside.

Max sat alone on the garden bench, picking at his shoelaces. His shoulders hunched forward like he was trying to make himself smaller.

"Hey," Mariza said, plopping down beside him. "I'm Mariza."

He looked up, surprised. "You're not supposed to talk to me."

"Says who?" She took a loud bite of her apple. "Jake? He's all bark."

A tiny hummingbird zipped between them, its wings beating so fast they blurred. It hovered near Max's dirty shirt button, then darted away.

"That's weird," Max said, watching it disappear. "Birds don't usually..."

"Don't usually what?"

Max's face went pale. He stood up quickly. "Nothing. I should go inside."

"Wait." Mariza grabbed his sleeve. "What's wrong with birds?"

But Max was already hurrying toward the house. At the back door, he turned around. "Thanks for being nice. But you don't understand what you're getting into."

The door slammed behind him, leaving Mariza alone with her half-eaten apple and a dozen questions.