The Bear Truth

Maya's iphone trembled in her hand as she zoomed in on Kayla's Instagram story. There, frozen on the screen, was proof: Kayla and Tyler at Miller's Creek, the water rippling around them as they laughed. Maya had been spying on Kayla's stories for weeks, watching her former best friend drift away, one post at a time.

"You're bear-ing your soul again," her older brother Jake teased from the doorway, using that ridiculous voice he always did when he caught her stalking. "Just text her already."

"It's not that simple," Maya muttered, but Jake was already gone, leaving her alone with the digital evidence of her abandonment.

At school the next day, the mascot—a giant bear suit that someone had worn to every football game since forever—sat in the corner of the gym. Students took turns taking selfies with it, making ridiculous faces. Even Tyler posed, his arm around the fuzzy brown bear like they were best buds.

Maya watched from the bleachers, her iphone burning a hole in her pocket. She wanted to spy on them properly this time—not through screens, but up close. So she grabbed the bear suit when no one was looking and pulled it over her head, the musty smell of high school memories filling her nose.

"Tyler," she called out, her voice muffled by the bear head. "Come take a selfie with me."

He didn't recognize her voice through the costume. But as he wrapped his arm around the bear's shoulder, he whispered, "Kayla's been obsessed with this old suit lately. Says it reminds her of someone she used to know."

Maya froze inside the bear.

"I think she misses that person," Tyler added. "But she's too proud to admit it."

The water in Maya's eyes had nothing to do with the sweat building up inside the costume. She grabbed her iphone later that night, her fingers hovering over Kayla's contact. No more spying. No more hiding.

"Want to get ice cream?" she typed. "Like old times?"

Three dots appeared. Then disappeared. Then appeared again.

"Only if you promise to never wear that bear suit again. How did I know it was you?"