Orange Soda & Midnight Secrets

Maya clutched her red solo cup like it was a lifeline. The kitchen of some senior's house she'd never met before was packed, bodies pressing together, music thumping through the floorboards. She'd only come because Kayla insisted it would be 'literally life-changing.' So far, the only thing changing was Maya's heart rate, currently somewhere between 'panic attack' and 'actually dying.' She took a sip of what turned out to be warm orange soda. Gross.

'You look like you're plotting an escape,' someone said.

Maya turned to find a guy with messy brown hair leaning against the counter, holding—no joke—a cat. A fluffy white cat was draped over his shoulder like a furry scarf, looking disturbingly chill about the whole situation.

'That's a cat,' Maya said. Brilliant.

'This is Frito. He lives in the basement.' The guy scratched behind the cat's ears. 'I'm Liam.'

'Maya.' She gestured toward the living room where a crowd had formed around someone doing something that looked possibly illegal. 'What is happening out there?'

'Chloe's attempting to shotgun an energy drink.' Liam grimaced. 'It's not going well.'

Maya snorted. Then caught herself.

'You're not much for parties, huh?'

'Is it that obvious?' She swirled her orange soda. 'I'm more of a 'stay home and overthink everything' type of person.'

'Same.' Liam shifted Frito to his other arm. 'I'm only here because my mom made me come. Apparently, socializing builds character or whatever.'

'Oh my god, same energy.' Maya felt something loosen in her chest. 'My dad literally told me I'd regret missing this 'milestone experience.' I'm mostly just regretting my outfit choices.'

Liam grinned. 'You look fine. Better than fine. You look like someone who'd rather be literally anywhere else, which honestly? Mood.'

Something outside caught Maya's eye—movement near the edge of the backyard. 'Is that a fox?'

Liam followed her gaze. A sleek orange fox was trotting along the fence line, tail flicking, completely unbothered by the noise and chaos. It paused for a moment, glittering eyes scanning the scene, before slipping into the darkness beyond the patio lights.

'That fox has more social battery than I do,' Maya murmured.

'That fox is living its best life.' Liam opened the back door. The cool night air rushed in, carrying the smell of grass and distant rain. 'Wanna go hang out on the porch? Frito likes the fresh air.'

Maya hesitated. Then she thought about the fox, bold and untouchable, doing its own thing.

'Yeah,' she said. 'Yeah, I do.'

They sat on the porch steps while the party raged inside, passing Frito back and forth like the world's chillest prop. Maya finished her terrible orange soda and realized she was smiling—really smiling, not the fake polite smile she'd been wearing all night.

'Hey Liam?'

'Yeah?'

'This actually was kind of life-changing.'

He laughed. 'Same, Maya. Same.'