Bad Hair, Better Truth

Maya's hair refused to cooperate. Again. She'd spent forty-five minutes with the straightener, but Portland humidity had other plans. Her natural curls were making a comeback—one aggressive strand at a time.

"You look fine," her older brother called from the hallway, already gaming with friends.

"You literally can't see me from there," Maya muttered, but grabbed her backpack anyway. Today was the day. The day she'd finally talk to Kai at lunch instead of just staring at him from across the cafeteria like a total creep.

Her best friend Jaya was already at their usual table, animatedly talking about something. "—and then my mom made me take these gummy vitamins because apparently I'm 'vitamin deficient,' but honestly I think she just bought them from an influencer and needs someone to test them first."

Maya half-listened, her eyes darting to Kai's table. He was laughing at something, his dark hair falling over his forehead exactly the right amount. Not too much. Not too little. Just perfect.

"Earth to Maya," Jaya waved a hand. "I said, are you gonna talk to him or what?"

"I'm working up to it."

Maya's stomach did this weird flip-flop thing that had nothing to do with nerves and everything to do with the fact that she'd barely eaten breakfast. She grabbed her lunch bag, hoping her mom had packed something normal for once.

Nope. A container of what appeared to be lawn clippings.

"Spinach salad?" Jaya made a face. "Again?"

"She's on this health kick," Maya sighed, poking at the green leaves with her fork. "Apparently this is what 'glowing skin' looks like."

Kai walked past their table, and Maya's brain short-circuited. "Hey, Maya, right?"

"Yeah!" Her voice came out way too loud. "What's up?"

He held up a similar container. "My mom's also obsessed with spinach lately. Think they're in a cult together?"

Maya laughed, and it wasn't fake or forced or weird. "Probably. Mine keeps trying to convince me that kale is a personality trait."

"Mine too," Kai grinned. "Hey, some of us are gonna get boba after school. You should come."

"I'd love that."

As Maya watched him walk away, she caught her reflection in the cafeteria window. Her hair was definitely not straight anymore—a cloud of curls, wild and unapologetic. Her spinach salad was still just spinach. And she'd forgotten to take her vitamin that morning.

But for the first time in forever, none of that mattered.

"So," Jaya smirked. "I'm guessing you're not vitamin deficient anymore?"

"Shut up," Maya grinned, actually smiling. "But yeah. I think I'm good."