The Bear, The Dog, and Everything In Between

Sixteen-year-old Maya pulled her beanie **hat** lower over her forehead, effectively disappearing behind brim and bangs. Another day of high school, another performance of Maya The Quiet Girl. Inside, she was screaming. Outside? Nods and half-smiles.

"You good, Maya?" Trey asked, sliding into the seat beside her. Trey with his easy grin and skateboard scuffed stickers. Trey who made her stomach do that annoying flutter thing.

"Yeah," she said. "Just tired."

Tired of pretending. Tired of feeling like a **zombie** moving through the motions—classes, lunch, more classes, home, repeat. Where was the spark? Where was the Maya who used to blast music in her room and dance like nobody was watching?

Her phone buzzed. Mom: You and Marcus still doing that charity run tomorrow?

Right. The 5K. Marcus. Her older brother's best friend who'd casually asked her to join him and now she was overthinking everything because maybe he meant it as more than friendly? Or was she reading into it because she was desperate?

That night, she found herself **running** earlier than planned. Just around the neighborhood, legs pumping, breath fogging in the October chill. **Running** from what, exactly? The uncertainty? The college applications looming like storm clouds? The way her chest tightened whenever she thought about the future?

Buster, the neighbor's elderly golden **dog**, woofed softly at her from behind a fence. She paused to scratch his ears. "At least you're real, Buster," she whispered. "No games. No overthinking everything."

"Hey, Maya!"

She jumped. Marcus stood there, jogging in place, grin wide. "Ready for tomorrow?"

"I... yeah."

"Cool." He fell into step beside her. "So, my friend's having this costume party after the run. You should come."

Maya's heart did that flutter thing again. Not Trey-flutter. Something different. Scarier. "I don't have a costume."

"Be a **bear**," he said, like it was the simplest thing in the world. "Everyone loves bears."

She laughed. Really laughed. For the first time in forever.

"Okay," she said. "A bear."

Inside, something woke up. Maybe the zombie routine was over. Maybe it was time to stop running and start facing things—starting with whatever this was, starting now.