Orange Hat Energy

The vitamin pyramid scheme wasn't even my idea. It was Jenna's. She swore those Neon Burst gummies would make us "radiate main character energy" and pay for our entire Europe trip after graduation. I just wanted to save up for a new padel racket.

"You're literally sitting on a goldmine, Maya," Jenna said, sliding into the booth at Orange Leaf, my ridiculous orange floppy hat pulled low over my eyes. "Everyone at school's gonna want these."

I adjusted my hat. It was my security blanket — this oversized vintage thing I'd found at a thrift store, perfect for disappearing into when social interactions got too intense. Which was always.

The first week, I sold exactly zero bottles. I just awkwardly stood by my locker while people avoided eye contact. But then Marcus, the sophomore whose Instagram was basically padel highlights and gym selfies, actually stopped.

"Those vitamins any good?" he asked.

"They're supposed to help with..." I scanned the bottle "...vitality and mental clarity."

"Cool. I'll take two."

Suddenly everyone wanted them. The weird quiet kid with the orange hat was now the girl with the vitamins. I started making actual money. Too much money.

Jenna wanted me to recruit people into the "downline." That's when it clicked — this wasn't just selling gummies. It was a pyramid. A literal pyramid scheme, and we were the suckers at the bottom.

But I didn't stop. I told myself it was for the padel racket. For the Spain trip. For not being the invisible kid anymore.

The day before the regional padel tournament, Marcus found me at lunch. "Hey, Vitamin Queen. You playing this weekend?"

I nodded.

"Cool. See you on court."

He walked away, and I realized something: I didn't need the vitamins, or the money, or even the orange hat anymore. I was just me — the girl who played decent padel and made questionable decisions with Jenna.

I took off the hat and set it on the table.

The pyramid scheme collapsed two weeks later. But I kept the racket. And sometimes, when I need a little extra confidence, I still wear the orange hat.