Sphinx at the Lunch Table

Maya's orange hair was supposed to be auburn. The box lied, and now she looked like a traffic cone. She pulled her hood up, scanning the cafeteria like it was a minefield of judgment.

"Hey, Orange." Jason smirked from his throne-like spot at the center table. Great. Now it was a name.

Maya ducked toward her usual corner spot, but someone was already there. Lena. The Sphinx. Lena never spoke, just watched everyone through dark-rimmed eyes like she was solving puzzles no one else could see.

"Sit." Lena's voice surprised her—raspy, like she hadn't used it in weeks.

Maya hesitated, then slid onto the bench. Lena pushed something across the table: a tiny orange bottle.

"Vitamin D." Lena's expression was unreadable. "Your hands have been shaking all week. I noticed."

Maya's face burned. "My mom says I'm deficient. She thinks that's why I'm so... tired all the time."

"That's not why you're tired." Lena's gaze intensified, sphinx-like. "You're tired because you're carrying around everyone else's opinions. They're heavy."

The cafeteria noise faded. Maya's hands, which had been trembling all morning, suddenly stilled.

"How did you—"

"I observe." Lena shrugged. "Also, I heard those girls talking about your hair in the bathroom. They're just mad because they wouldn't have the guts to try something new."

Maya blinked. "But it's orange. Like, really orange."

"It's bold." Lena smiled—a real one, tiny but genuine. "Like you could be, if you stopped caring what Jason thinks."

Something shifted in Maya's chest, like a vitamin finally kicking in. She pulled down her hood.

"You think?"

"I know." Lena stood up. "Same time tomorrow?"

Maya nodded, watching her walk away, mysterious and certain. The orange hair wasn't a mistake anymore. It was a flag she hadn't known she was planting.