The Bear in My Backpack

The party was already lit when I arrived, iphone clutched in my sweaty hand like a lifeline. My first real high school party. I'd practiced my chill entrance in the mirror for forty-five minutes, but the moment I stepped through the door, all my cool evaporated.

"Yo, Marcus!" Jace called from the kitchen. "You finally made it!"

I raised my phone in what I hoped passed as a casual greeting, but my backpack suddenly felt ten pounds heavier. Because stuffed inside, wrapped in a spare hoodie like contraband, was Barnaby—the stuffed bear I'd had since I was four. No way was I letting him sleep alone tonight, not with Mom and Dad fighting again. But if anyone found out? Social suicide.

"What's with the bag?" Sarah asked, appearing beside me with a red cup in hand. Her hair was dyed a vibrant orange that matched her personality—bright, bold, impossible to ignore.

"Just... stuff," I mumbled, clutching the strap tighter. Outside, a sudden yowl pierced the music.

Everyone froze.

"Did you hear that?" someone said.

Another cry—desperate this time. Before I could think about how uncool this would look, I was pushing through the crowd to the backyard. There, trembling against the fence, was a scrawny cat. Its fur was matted, one ear torn, eyes wide with fear.

"Aww," Sarah whispered behind me. Others gathered.

The cat hissed and backed away. Everyone shrank back. Everyone except me. Because something about those scared eyes hit different. I knelt slowly, not caring about my jeans, and whispered, "Hey buddy. You're okay."

The cat inched forward. My backpack shifted, and Barnaby's ear poked out. Someone giggled.

I thought about running. Instead, I pulled him out fully. "This is Barnaby," I said, voice steady. "He was scared too, once. He knows what it's like."

Silence. Then Sarah stepped forward and gently placed the orange cat near my bear. "Maybe Barnaby can help."

The cat curled against the stuffed bear like they were both real. Everyone started smiling—not the mean kind, but something softer. Someone got tuna. Another grabbed an old towel.

"You're a good person, Marcus," Sarah said.

And for the first time all night, my iphone stayed dark in my pocket. I didn't need it anymore.