Cat Goldfish Purple Hair Friday

Maya stared at the bathroom mirror, purple dye staining her hands like grape juice on a white carpet. Friday night. Jake's party. And now she looked like a glitching Snapchat filter.

"You look... bold?" Her best friend Leo's voice crackled over speakerphone.

"Bold? Leo, I look like a blueberry that gave up on life."

"It's not that bad—"

"My cat won't even look at me." Behind her, Mochi glared judgmentally from the toilet lid. The cat had been her emotional support animal since middle school, but apparently loyalty didn't extend to questionable hair choices.

A splash echoed from the living room. Both teens froze.

"Was that... your goldfish?" Leo asked.

"No way. Bowser's tank is literally fortress-level secured." But Maya was already sprinting.

Mochi had gone full predator mode. The goldfish bowl sat on the coffee table—Maya's brother had moved it for cleaning and left it vulnerable. Mochi crouched on the edge, paw extended like she was conducting an orchestra of chaos. Bowswirled innocently, oblivious.

"NO!" Maya lunged.

Mochi, startled, did that cat thing where her body existed in multiple dimensions simultaneously. Water sloshed. Bowser did a backflip that would've earned Olympic gold. Maya's purple-dyed hair caught the lamp light—a neon comet of regret.

Her phone buzzed. Jake: everyone asking if u're coming?

Maya sat on the floor, wet hair dripping, Mochi grooming casually like nothing happened, Bowser swimming in circles like that was his whole personality.

"Leo?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell everyone I'm fashionably late. Tell them I'm making an entrance."

"You're staying home, aren't you?"

"I have to wash my hair again. And also I think I just adopted a goldfish because he's traumatized now and I can't abandon him to his feelings."

"You know Jake's gonna post that group pic without you."

Maya looked at her reflection—stained hands, patchy purple hair, cat judging her life choices, goldfish dealing with emotional damage.

"Whatever." She grabbed her phone. "I'll post my own pic. #NoFilter #CatTastrophe #GoldfishDrama #MyHairHasABackstory. Let them wonder."

Leo laughed. "You're actually iconic."

"I'm a mess, Leo."

"Same difference."

The goldfish swam by,仿佛 to say: welcome to high school, newbie.