Neon Hair, Midnight Air

The orange hair dye was supposed to be subtle highlights. Instead, Maya looked like a traffic cone. She stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, phone vibrating with 27 unread messages from the group chat.

"pool party starts in 20 lol you coming??"

Maya's parents thought she was at Lexi's studying. Lexi thought she was at the pool party. Reality: Maya was locked in her bathroom having an identity crisis and fighting the urge to cry.

Her older brother's old beanie sat on the counter. A hat. It could work.

She burst through the front door, calling over her shoulder, "going to Lexi's!" and sprinting down the sidewalk, hat pulled low. The summer air already thick at 7 PM.

When she arrived at Jordan's house, the backyard was chaos. Everyone was there—including Tyler, who'd she'd been lowkey obsessing over since May. Music thumped from somewhere. People were swimming laps in the pool, splashing everywhere.

"Maya!" Jordan waved her over. "finally get your butt here"

The hat was unbearable in the heat. Sweat trickled down her neck. Then it happened—Jordan's little brother, chasing after some inflatable thing, body-checked her from behind.

Her hat flew off. Orange hair spilled everywhere, neon-bright under the string lights.

Everything went quiet. Like, actually quiet. Maya's face burned hotter than the summer air.

Then Tyler started laughing.

But not mean laughing. He was doubled over, but he looked up and grinned. "dude that's actually sick"

"wait," someone said. "is that kool-aid dye?"

"no it's supposed to be champagne blonde," Maya muttered, finally tugging her hair back from her face.

Jordan's little brother chose that moment to shove a full cup of pool water down her shirt.

Maya sputtered, dripping, everyone cracking up, and something in her chest loosened. She jumped in the pool, clothes and all, orange hair floating around her like a halo.

Later, sitting on the pool edge with Tyler, her waterlogged phone buzzed.

"so," he said, "orange hair suits you"

She smiled, hair dripping onto her shoulders, feeling weirdly seen. "yeah?"

"yeah." He nudged her shoulder. "next time though maybe don't hide it under a hat"