Orange Lightning

The party at Maya's house was already wild when I showed up fashionably late. My **orange** hair (temporary dye, don't judge) was already starting to fade at the temples, which was honestly a metaphor for my entire social life this semester.

"Yo, Marco!" Jason yelled from the kitchen. "You made it!"

Jason was the kind of guy who made everything look effortless. He had this **fox**-like cleverness about him, always three steps ahead in every conversation, never awkward, never stumbling. Meanwhile, I was over here calculating the optimal trajectory to the snack table without making eye contact with anyone.

I grabbed a soda and leaned against the wall, trying to look chill. That's when I saw her - Lily, by the **goldfish** bowl in the corner. She was watching the fish swim in circles, looking as out of place as I felt.

"Your hair's interesting," she said, catching me staring.

"It's... temporary." I shrugged. "My mom's gonna kill me if it stains anything."

"No, I like it. It's brave."

**Lightning** struck somewhere outside. The power flickered. Everyone screamed, but she just laughed.

"My brother's **bear** of a roommate probably didn't pay the electric bill," she said. "Happens all the time."

We ended up on the back porch, talking about everything and nothing. She told me about her anxiety, I told her about my parents' divorce. We bonded over our mutual love for obscure indie bands and mutual hatred for gym class.

When her brother came out yelling about someone puking in the bathroom, she sighed. "That's my cue. Family obligations."

"Wait," I said. "Can I get your number? Or... Insta? Whatever."

She grinned. "You're bold when you want to be, Marco."

The power came back on, but I didn't care. My orange hair could fade all the way back to brown - I'd made the first real connection I'd had since moving here. Sometimes the best moments happen when the lights go out.