Fox Fires & Frizzy Truths

Maya's mom had dropped her off at Camp Wawanaki with the worst parting words ever: "Maybe you'll make some friends if you just smile more."

She'd also spent $80 on a professional blowout that morning, which had already frizzed into something resembling a frightened **bear** by noon. Great.

Now Maya sat on the dock, knees pulled to her chest, watching the sunset reflect across the lake like spilled orange juice. Everyone else was at the campfire social—literally everyone. Even Aiden, the cute counselor with the ridiculously perfect **hair** that somehow always looked effortless even though they were literally at summer camp.

"Nice view, right?"

Maya jumped so hard she almost knocked her phone into the water. A girl with magenta streaks in her dark hair plopped down beside her like they'd been friends for years.

"I'm Fox," she said. "Like, my actual name. My parents are... interesting."

"Maya."

"You avoiding the social too?" Fox gestured toward the distant crackle of the campfire. "Or just plotting everyone's murder? Because honestly, valid either way."

Maya snorted before she could stop herself. "Both. Mostly avoiding. My mom thinks I need to work on my social skills."

"Moms, am I right?" Fox rolled her eyes. "Mine keeps telling me to embrace my 'authentic self' and then asks why I can't just dress normal."

They sat in silence for a minute, watching the first stars appear.

"Your **palm** is sweating," Fox said suddenly.

Maya realized her hand was clenched tight around her phone. "Oh. Yeah. I guess I'm nervous."

"About what?"

"Everything." Maya exhaled. "Making friends. Saying the wrong thing. My hair looking like a disaster. Being the weird kid who sits on docks alone."

Fox studied her for a moment. "First off, your hair looks awesome. Second, you're not alone anymore. Third, everyone here is pretending they know what they're doing. Literally no one has it figured out."

A loud howl echoed from the woods—probably Aiden and the other counselors doing their campfire wolf call bit. Both girls cracked up.

"Wanna go crash the party?" Fox stood up and offered her hand. "I promised myself I wouldn't spend another summer being invisible."

Maya looked at her outstretched hand, then at the campfire glow in the distance. For once, she didn't overthink it. She took Fox's hand and let herself be pulled toward the warmth and noise and possibility.

"Yeah," Maya said. "Let's go be weird together."

Sometimes the scariest campfires make the best stories.