Orange Hair and Electric Storms

Maya stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, horrified. The **hair** dye box had promised "copper highlights," but this wasn't copper. This was straight-up **orange**. Like, traffic cone orange. Like, "I'm a human version of the fruit" orange.

"Great. Just great," she muttered, smoothing her frizzy curls with trembling hands. Tonight was Jackson's party, and now she looked like a walking pumpkin.

Her **dog**, Barnaby, nudged her leg with his wet nose, sensing her distress. He was a rescue mutt with one ear that stood up and one that flopped down—basically the opposite of elegant, which she guessed made them perfect for each other.

"Thanks, Barnabus," she sighed, scratching behind his good ear. "At least someone still thinks I'm cool."

Outside, **lightning** flashed across the darkening sky, followed by a low rumble of thunder. The weather app had warned about storms, but Maya had been too focused on her history presentation to care. Speaking of...

She glanced at her open textbook. The ancient Egyptian **pyramid** diagram stared back at her mockingly. Her presentation was tomorrow, and she still couldn't remember all the pharaoh names. Why did ancient civilizations have to be so complicated?

Her phone buzzed. Jackson: "party starts at 7! hope u can come 😊"

Maya's stomach did that thing it always did when he texted—a weird flutter that felt like butterflies, but also like she might throw up. She'd been crushing on Jackson since seventh grade, when he'd let her borrow his pen after hers exploded during finals. Now they were juniors, and she still hadn't made a move.

Another text from her best friend Chloe: "ur hair looks SO GOOD. literally goals. u look like a mermaid punk princess and i'm obsessed"

Maya smiled despite herself. Chloe always knew what to say, even when Maya was spiraling.

Outside, rain started hammering against the window. The storm had arrived early.

Then—knock knock.

Maya froze. Who would be here in this weather?

She opened the door to find Jackson standing on her porch, soaked from the rain, holding a colorful gift bag.

"I, uh, saw your presentation setup through your window when I walked by," he said, gesturing to the house next door—his house. "I figured you might be stressing about the pyramid thing. I brought you something."

He pulled out a beautifully painted model of a pyramid, complete with tiny hieroglyphics.

"I made it in eighth grade for extra credit," Jackson said, shrugging. "I know it's nerdy, but—"

"It's perfect," Maya interrupted. "How did you even know I was struggling?"

Jackson looked at her—really looked at her—for the first time. His eyes dropped to her bright orange hair, and he smiled.

"I notice things, Maya. I've noticed you for years."

The **lightning** flashed again, illuminating his face and her ridiculous orange curls, and for the first time, Maya didn't hate her reflection.

"Wanna come inside?" she asked. "I have brownies. And we can study pharaohs together."

Jackson grinned. "I thought you'd never ask."

Barnaby wagged his tail, as if he knew something important had just happened. And maybe it had—maybe, just maybe, being a little orange wasn't so bad after all.