Chapter 2

The second day of school begins much the same way, but today the only topic of conversation is Stargirl. Hillari Kimble is princess of the in crowd and is loudly making her opinion known. She believes the new girl is part of a scam being perpetrated against the student body by the government. When someone asks why, she claims it is an attempt to increase school spirit by giving students something to rally around, which would alleviate the apathy that was rampant at Mica Area High School (MAHS) last year. Kevin hopes she is right so they can capitalize on this curiosity about Stargirl, but Leo is not convinced—until Kevin reminds him they can use Hot Seat to expose Stargirl in front of the entire student body.

Today Stargirl is even more outlandish. She is wearing red bib overalls, her hair is in braided pigtails, and she has rubbed rouge on her cheeks and applied some oversized freckles on her nose. Once again, she eats lunch alone; once again, she prepares to play her ukulele. Instead of playing right away, though, Stargirl walks the room, staring into face after face as if she is looking for something. As she approaches Leo’s table, Leo fearfully turns away from her, though Kevin waves at her. She stops several tables away and serenades a senior boy with “Happy Birthday,” much to his dismay. The crowd loves it, though. Stargirl exits and Hillari begins her tirade once again.

Kevin tells Leo this girl had better be fake, because if not she is in real trouble. MAHS is a school in which there is some variety but not much diversity.

We all wore the same clothes, talked the same way, ate the same food, listened to the same music. Even our dorks and nerds had an MAHS stamp on them. If we happened to somehow distinguish ourselves, we quickly snapped back into place, like rubber bands.

Leo agrees that she will not survive here—or “at least survive unchanged.”

The pattern continues: a 1920s flapper outfit, a kimono, birthday serenades, and greeting perfect strangers in the hallways. In class she asks random, unrelated questions and makes up songs about isosceles triangles. As part of the cross-country team, she turns left when everyone else turns right and never crosses the finish line at the first meet. She is kicked off the team. Stargirl keeps her pet rat in her sunflower bag, and she dances in the rain. Hillari insists the new girl is a scam, but Leo realizes she is real.

Chapter 3

Kevin and Leo do not agree. Kevin wants to get Stargirl on Hot Seat, but Leo is just not sure. Kevin reminds Leo that they high-fived on it. Leo says Kevin can do it but he will not produce or direct if he does. Leo thinks they should just leave her alone. Their four-year friendship is being tested.

Hillari’s theory has grown and the other rumors and speculations are outrageous: she has hundreds of other rats at home, she is an alien, her parents are “brain-dead vegetables living in Yuma,” and more. Stargirl’s behaviors feed the speculation. She drapes a ruffled curtain as a tablecloth over her desk each class period and keeps a flower in a vase to adds to the ambience. But something is beginning to change. When she sings “Happy Birthday,” other students now join in; when she addresses them in the hallway, they wonder how she knows their names. The mystery and intrigue of someone who is friendly but has no friends is beginning to captivate MAHS.

Kevin is not the only one who wants to see Stargirl on Hot Seat. Leo lies and says no tenth graders can be on the show. Something in Leo is beginning to respond to this new girl, and he asks himself if he is “becoming goofy.” One day after school he follows her.

She wanders a bit, clearly looking for a particular address; when she finds it, she puts something in the mailbox. Once she is far enough away, Leo looks at what Stargirl put there. It is a hand-made congratulations card. He hurries to keep pace with her and sees her take her rat out of the bag and place it on her shoulder. Stargirl meanders across town and toward the mountains, where a beautiful Arizona sunset is accompanied by her strumming on her ukulele.

It is getting late and Leo knows his parents will worry, so he leaves her to head home—but he feels an urge to warn her of something, though he does not really know why or what.