The Hawkweed Prophecy by Irena Brignull

They should never even have met, let alone become friends.  Poppy Hooper has been an outcast her entire life.  She is shunned at school and her academic life has consisted of being cast out of one school after another.  Her mother is in a psychiatric hospital lost in delusions while her father insists everything is fine.  She and her father have just moved to another new town and the pattern is playing itself out again.  She has no friends at school where everyone thinks she is weird.

Ember Hawkweed would have done great at the school.  She is the blonde hair, blue eyed girl everyone wants to be friends with.  But she doesn't go to school.  Instead she lives in a witches' coven deep in the woods and meeting or talking to 'chaff' as normal people are called is forbidden.  Ember is the worst witch in the coven, barely able to do anything magical.  It's a strange situation for a Hawksweed when prophecy insists one of her name will be the next witch queen.

When the two girls meet, they are drawn to each other and soon a strong friendship is formed.  Ember wants to hear all about chaff life with boys and pretty clothes and rock music.  Poppy is fascinated with anything magic and lives for the ancient books Ember sneaks out for her to study.  Soon Poppy is consumed by the magic and finds a talent and strength in herself she never suspected.

Leo lives on the streets.  He ran away from home and the hulking stepfather and stepbrothers who delighted in making his life a misery.  He meets Poppy and is instantly attracted to her and she to him.  But when he meets Ember, she is also attracted to Leo and now he must decide which girl to pursue, knowing that he will probably end their friendship.

This is the first in the Hawksweek series.  The secret of these girls is slowly revealed but the reader will suspect the truth before the reveal.  It is a story of teenage alienation and the strong instant friendships that are formed during the young adult years along with the thrill of first loves.  This book is recommended for young adult readers.