The Cable Guy Conspiracy

My mom made me start taking these disgusting orange **vitamin** gummies because apparently "your hair looks dead, Maya." Which, rude. But also... valid. My hair was basically straw after I fried it with that DIY bleach kit I bought from TikTok. Live and learn, I guess.

So I'm sitting in my room, miserably chewing my daily gummy, when I notice something weird about the **cable** guy. He'd been at our house for three hours supposedly "fixing the internet," but the WiFi was working fine. Plus, my neighbor's **cat**—this judgmental orange tabby named Mango—was sitting on the fence outside my window, STARING at the cable guy like he knew something.

Mango NEVER stared at anyone. He barely even looked at me when I tried to pet him.

My inner **spy** awakened. Obviously, I had to investigate.

I crept to the window and watched. The cable guy kept pulling out this weird device instead of a regular toolkit. He was taking photos of the electrical box. At one point, I swear he typed something into a phone that looked exactly like mine—like, suspiciously exact. My phone.

My heart pounded. Was he stealing my data? Installing cameras?

I grabbed my phone to call my dad, but then I saw my reflection. My frizzy, fried **hair** was everywhere. I looked like I'd stuck a fork in an electrical socket. The cable guy was probably installing a camera to document this tragedy for his TikTok.

Okay, that was my insecurity talking. But still.

Then Mango did something unprecedented. He MEWED. Loudly. The cable guy jumped, shoved something in his pocket, and practically ran to his truck.

"All done here!" he yelled, peeling out of our driveway like he'd robbed a bank.

I ran outside. Mango trotted over and rubbed against my leg. In the grass, where the cable guy had been standing, there was a small piece of paper.

A receipt. For a BIRTHDAY CAKE.

From my dad's phone number.

I stared at it. Then I noticed the date—tomorrow. My 16th birthday.

The cable guy wasn't a spy. He was installing something for my SURPRISE PARTY. My dad had probably ordered some fancy smart home setup. The weird device? A sound system. The phone? My dad ordered a matching one for me.

I looked at Mango. "You're a terrible spy," I told him.

He purred.

My hair still looked a mess. But honestly? I was kind of excited to see everyone tomorrow. Even if they'd see my fried hair. At least I'd have cake.