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Luz was a strange child.
She had no friends because no one wanted to hang out with a “freak.”
Everyone called her a freak because of her heterochromia and her pointed ears. And the fact that weird things always happen around her.
In first grade some kids were making fun of her and her sister, Vee. She got really mad and the bullies swear that the flowers and the tree roots grew bigger, but when the adults got there, it was like nothing had happened.
She had always loved nature. Except rain. She had an irrational fear of rain that never went away. In third grade a storm knocked out the power in the school. She freaked out and suddenly, the room was bright as day, even though the power was still out.
In fourth grade some kids were “playing tag” with her, and they will swear until their dying day that she teleported, not that anyone believes them, they were ten, it was a hot day, almost summer break, they were probably just seeing things.
There were even rumors that she collected shiny objects, whether she found them outside, bought them from a store, or stole them off classmates. Unfortunately for everyone else, this was never proven.
When she hit middle school, the bullying got worse, and she would escape to the forest behind her house.
She would just go to a secluded spot in the woods and read her favorite book, never going too far away because she didn’t want to get lost.
Then one day…
School had just ended, on the last day of school, and Luz was actually having a pretty good day.
So, of course, it had to be ruined.
“Hey, Luzer!”
Luz groaned internally. She knew that voice. “Hello, Jackson.”
“What, you’re not excited to see me? Come on, freak, I thought we were friends!”
“Yeah, we’re friends,” Luz said, rolling her eyes, “and that’s why you call me ‘freak’ all the time.”
“Hey!” He shoved Luz. “Was that sass?”
Luz shrugged. “So what if it was?”
He pushed her again. “Well then, you should learn to respect your betters!”
“And what makes you better than me?” Luz asked.
“‘What makes you better than me,’” he mocked, “how about the fact that you don’t even belong here?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Well, just look at you! You’re a freak with two colored eyes, and those weird pointy ears!” He scoffed, “your mom must be so disappointed to have a freak like you as a daughter! Or- wait, no. She’s not even your real mom!” He started laughing, because he knew that always got to her.
“Stop it.” Luz pleaded, getting tired of his stupid bullying, and trying to get it to stop before it escalated.
“Yeah? And what are you going to do about it, huh?” He shoved Luz again. “What are you gonna do about it, freak?” He repeated menacingly.
Luz started tearing up, trying not to cry in front of the bully, knowing it would only make it worse.
He smirked. “Aw, you gonna go crying to your fake mommy?” He asked in a condescending tone.
“Stop it.” She repeated.
He pushed her again.
“Stop it.”
“Come one, stop saying stop it, you’re starting to get repetitive. Or is that another birth defect you have?”
“Shut up!” There was a flash, and suddenly they were both on the ground.
“What? Did you just push me?” Jackson asked, visibly angry.
But Luz wasn’t listening, she had already started running. Jackson decided to just stop, and go try to tell someone what had happened. Maybe that Jacob guy who works at the museum , Jackson thought, I bet he’ll believe me .
Luz was on her way to the forest.
She was running hard, not paying attention to where she was going.
She was too focused on her thoughts.
Why was she such a freak?
Why did she care so much about her stupid parents, who obviously didn’t even want her?
Why did she have to be different?
She almost tripped over that last one.
No. She’s proud to be different. She’s proud to be herself.
She still wants to know who her birth parents are, but if they don’t want to get to know her, then fine. Their loss, right?
…
She still wanted to know her birth parents.
Then, she tripped, landing hard on the ground, and blacked out.