Fox Fire & Vitamin Dreams

The bonfire cracked and spat sparks as Maya hovered at the edge of everything, clutching her $50 bottle of algae **vitamins** like a lifeline. Her mom had sworn they'd fix her skin, her energy, her whole basically pathetic existence. So far, they'd only made her wallet lighter and her breath smell like pond scum.

"You gonna stand there all night or actually socialize?" Maya jumped, dropping the bottle. It clanked against a jagged rock — thankfully not breaking.

Luke crouched to retrieve it, his **palm** brushing hers in the darkness. "Multivitamins? At a beach party? That's hardcore, even for you."

"Shut up," she muttered, but warmth crept up her neck anyway. Luke was the kind of guy who said things like "no cap" unironically and somehow made it work.

The **water** lapped against the shore, moonlight turning it into something alive and breathing. Maya's friends were down by the waves, daring each other to go in fully clothed. She should join them. That's what normal teens did at parties — made memories, did stupid stuff, lived in the moment.

Instead she was talking to Luke about supplements.

"My ex took those," Luke said suddenly. "Said they'd help his gains. Just made him break out like crazy."

"Charming." Maya laughed, surprising herself.

"Hey, you wanna see something cool?" Luke stood up. "Follow me."

He led her away from the fire, past the dunes, until the party sounds faded to nothing. And then —

A pair of glowing eyes stared back at them.

"No way," Maya whispered.

A **fox** stood at the edge of the dunes, its coat burnished copper in the moonlight. It watched them with something that looked almost like amusement before turning and vanishing into the darkness.

"Did you just —"

"Yeah," Luke breathed. "That was literally magic."

Maya's phone buzzed — her mom, checking in. She'd ignored ten texts already. But standing there with Luke, salt air in her lungs, something tight in her chest finally loosened.

"Hey Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I might actually be okay. Like, actually okay."

He grinned. "No cap?"

"No cap."

The fox was gone. The vitamins were still tucked in her pocket. But for the first time in forever, Maya felt like maybe, just maybe, she was exactly where she was supposed to be.