Stephanie meets Cassandra

Five months ago

"You're weird," Stephanie said to the short girl sitting next to her, who was doodling in her notebook. The picture was of a boy with sleek hair that just reached his eyes. Two large knives were sticking out of his back, blood gushing everywhere. It was a caricature, but it felt like there was some unresolved tension behind the way she was pressing the pen into the paper.

"You're rude," the girl responded without looking up.

"Your earrings look like you made them yourself," Stephanie said, to see if she could get a rise out of her.

"That's because I did," the blond girl responded, steadfastly refusing to look Stephanie in the eyes. That idea backfired then. For homemade earrings they were actually pretty cool. Stephanie liked the way the beads clicked together when the girl moved her head.

"Can you make me some?"

"Depends."

"On what?" Stephanie asked.

"How much you're willing to give me for them."

The girl hadn't stopped doodling, but she had moved on from the grisly murder scene to an abstract pattern that reminded Stephanie of falling leaves.

"I've got five bucks?" Stephanie said.

"I said how much you're willing to give, not how much you are willing to pay. To make your earrings, I need materials to work with. Something that you owned."

"Okay, you're really weird," Stephanie said. "Why can't you just buy stuff?"

"It's not how I work," she said. The quick strokes on the paper were forming a clear leaf pattern now, but the leaves were all connected by a single string that ended in a loop. A loop that allowed you to suspend it from your earlobe. "I make jewelry from things people discard, or no longer use. If you want some made especially for you, I'll need something from you."

"And you'll make that?" Stephanie asked, pointing at the design next to the bleeding boy.

"I thought it would suit you," the girl said. She still hadn't so much as glanced Stephanie's way, so how she knew was a mystery to Stephanie, but the leave pattern would go well with the green and brown tones Stephanie was wearing.

"I have an old necklace that broke a while ago," Stephanie said. She couldn't quite believe she was going along with this, but she was curious now whether this girl could actually make the design. "Would that help?"

"Sure, any paperclips?"

"Uh, I think so," Stephanie said.

"Cool, bring them tomorrow. I can get you something by next week."

"Seriously? After I called you weird, you're going to make me earrings?"

"People call me weird all the time. I stopped taking it as an insult. Being a little out there compared to the people of Newlyn, Massachusetts is not such a bad thing."

"I'm Stephanie, by the way."

"I know. You're the new girl, everybody knows who you are. It's the small town way."

"And you are?" Stephanie asked.

"Cassandra, most people call me Cass."

"Okay, Cass. Call me Steph."

The school bell rang, signaling the end of the study hall period.

"Want to get out of here and get a burger, Steph?" Cass said, finally looking Stephanie in the eye. Cass had bright grey eyes that seemed to look straight through to Stephanie's core. It made her feel awkward, but when Cass smiled, the piercing look disappeared. "I know a great place to get something to eat and it's way better than school food."

"Are we allowed off the school grounds in the breaks?" Stephanie asked. "Principal Whatshisname  had some stern stuff to say about that."

Cass narrowed her eyes.

"You don't seem the type to care that much about the rules," she said and Stephanie felt a smile forming on her own face to mirror Cass'.

"You know, Cass, I think you and me might work well together."

"I had the same feeling, which is why I sat down next to you. Now, first burgers, then I'll introduce you to the rest of Newlyn's least wanted."