"Sweetie! Come on! You're gonna be late for your first day!" Ugh. I groan as I flip over, falling off my bed. I push my blue-raven hair out of my face and catch a glimpse of myself in the face of my clock. The pale girl in the reflection stares back at me, her long eyelashes brushing her brow bone. The pale pink lips in a frown. I shake it off and get ready for school. _ I'm standing at the bus stop when I hear voices behind me. "But, Layla, what if-" "Zachary. It's not possible. I can't make genetically altered fruit. Even if I could, I wouldn't." I turn my head slightly. "Well, wha-" He pauses. "Layla," he stage-whispers, "who is that?" "Zach, for one, she can probably hear you. Second, how would I know?" The redhead runs up to me, and says, "I'm sorry about him. He's...I don't know." I shake my head to say it didn't matter. "Oh, I'm Layla. What's your name?" "Umra," I whisper. She smiles. "Come meet the rest of the gang, Umra." With that, she pulls me over to her friends.