(installment number two) Continued...

...when it was time to attend school, mirror girl was one of the brightest in the class. she knew her numbers and her letters on the first day. all of the children were fascinated by their very different friend. mirror girl had more friends than she could ever ask for. until one day when all of the children were let out to have their recess. a smallish boy with large ears and hair the color of orange soda took the seat next to mirror girl on the swing set. they both began to swing. kicking out their legs and pulling them back in again, each telling the other that it was they that could go higher. this went on for minutes and then the lunch time bell rang. the mirror girl and the boy with the hair the color of orange soda began to dig their shoes into the dirt each time they were close enough to reach the ground in order to slow their swinging. the mirror girl was just about to anchor herself when the boy with hair the color of orange soda asked her, why don't you look like us?

as the sun set on the back of the mirror girl's shoulders that evening, she remembered about the boy's question. nobody had ever asked her that question before. this, she thought, is strange. as soon as she arrived at her home, she smelled the smell of pepper steak, her favorite dish. at the table though, she did not feel hungry.
what is the matter, sweetie?, her mother had asked her.
the mirror girl pushed around the peas with her fork, watching the peas glisten into tiny green circles on her finger tips.
why do i look so different?, she asked her mother.
the clock in the dining room ding-donged at six o'clock, just as it did every night.
my dear, her mother replied, everybody looks so different. do you see the other children and know what their names are?, her mother asked, that is because everybody looks differently.
the mirror girl watched her peas reflecting in the palm of her small hand.
yes, i know, she said to her mother...