Hat Hair & Vitamin C

Maya's fedora sat crooked on her head—third time this week she'd worn it to hide the fact that she hadn't washed her hair since Tuesday. Being a freshman was exhausting enough without basic hygiene feeling like a personality test.

She adjusted the brim and stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. Mom was always on her case about taking those gummy vitamins, but Maya kept forgetting. Whatever. It wasn't like vitamin deficiencies were going to stop her from trying out for the softball team today.

Except she was terrified.

Her older brother Jordan had played baseball since before he could walk, and now he was a junior starting varsity. Everyone expected Maya to follow in his footsteps, but she'd barely picked up a bat since middle school. What if she struck out? What if everyone laughed?

"You ready?" Jordan leaned against the doorframe, already in his practice uniform.

"I think I'm gonna skip it," Maya mumbled.

"Seriously?" He raised an eyebrow. "You've been talking about tryouts for weeks."

"Yeah, but—" Maya caught her reflection. The fedora suddenly seemed ridiculous. She yanked it off, releasing a frizzy mess of hair that she'd been straightening since seventh grade because someone said curly hair looked "unprofessional."

Jordan's cat, Mochi, wound around her legs, purring like a tiny motor. The cat didn't care whether Maya's hair was frizzy or straight, whether she made the team or not. Mochi just wanted attention.

"You're gonna do great," Jordan said, totally missing the meltdown happening. "And if you don't, who cares? It's just softball."

Just softball. Easy for him to say—he'd never had to bear the weight of everyone's expectations as the little sibling.

Maya took a deep breath. She could keep hiding under the hat, keep worrying about whether her curls looked acceptable, keep letting fear make her decisions. Or she could grab her glove and go.

"Fine," she said, grabbing her backpack. "But if I embarrass myself, you're buying me boba after."

"Deal." Jordan grinned. "And maybe actually take your vitamins for once? You look exhausted."

"Shut up, I hate you."

But Maya was already smiling.