Orange Hair, Electric Truth

The bathroom mirror showed a disaster. My hair—supposed to be a subtle sunset brown—was screaming ORANGE. Like, traffic cone orange. Like, I-joined-a-clown-college orange.

"Mia! You coming or what?" Jordan yelled from downstairs.

My palms started sweating. Tonight was Jordan's party. The party where I'd finally confess my crush. And now I looked like a Pumpkin Spice Latte threw up on my head.

I shoved a beanie on and headed out.

The party was packed. I spotted The BULL—aka Derek—immediately. He'd made my life hell since sixth grade. Tonight he was loudly recounting some fake story about summer vacation.

"That's such bull," I muttered.

The weirdest thing happened. This girl Luna—goth eyeliner, stacks of rings—grabbed my hand.

"I've been waiting for someone to call him out," she said. "You've got bravery lines. Let me read your PALM."

She traced the lines on my hand, her rings cool against my skin. Her black nail polish contrasted with my flushed skin.

"You're hiding something big," Luna said, her voice dropping. "Something under that beanie."

My face burned. She pulled it off.

"Whoa." The whole room went silent.

Derek laughed. "Nice look, freak."

LIGHTNING flashed outside, thundering through the room. My heart hammered. I looked at Luna, then Jordan, then Derek.

"Actually," I said, my voice surprisingly steady, "I finally look like myself."

Jordan grinned. "It's fire, honestly."

Luna high-fived me. "Told you. Bravery lines."

Derek shut up, which was a first.

Later, Jordan and I sat on the porch watching the storm.

"So," Jordan said. "You and Luna seem cool."

"She's just a friend," I said, then added, "But maybe we could hang out again? All of us."

Jordan's phone buzzed. "Derek just posted something about 'respecting people's choices.' I think you broke him."

I laughed. My orange hair caught the streetlamp glow.

"You know," Jordan said, "I've been wanting to tell you something."

Lightning flashed again. Something electric passed between us—not a storm this time.

"Your hair," Jordan said, "is maybe the most badass thing I've ever seen."

I took off the beanie and let it be orange. Let it be me.