Orange Bear Summer

Maya's phone buzzed with another text from Lila: *You coming to the lake or what?* Maya stared at the screen, thumb hovering, then shoved it in her pocket. The orange hoodie she'd stolen from her brother's closet suddenly felt too tight, like everything else in her life lately.

"You okay?" said TJ, the only person at this party who actually seemed to notice she was having a panic attack near the snack table.

"Fine," Maya said, even though she wasn't. Lila had been her best friend since seventh grade, but somehow between middle school graduation and freshman year, they'd become different people. Lila was all about lake parties and older guys with cars. Maya was still trying to figure out who she was, period.

"You look like you're about to bail," TJ said, popping an orange slice into his mouth. "No shame if you do. This crowd's kinda much."

That's when Maya saw it—Lila laughing with some senior boy, her arm around a stuffed bear someone had won at the carnival. It was the same bear Maya had given her for her birthday last year, back when they'd spent hours making playlists and theorizing about who they'd be in high school. Now it was just another prop in Lila's social performance.

"Actually," Maya said, something in her chest loosening, "I think I'm gonna head out."

"Want company?" TJ asked, and for the first time all night, Maya smiled genuinely.

"Yeah. Actually, I really would."

They walked out into the orange-tinted sunset, and for the first time in months, Maya didn't feel like she was performing a version of herself she didn't recognize. Some friendships outgrew you like old hoodies, she realized. And that was okay. The right ones would fit eventually.