The Cat Who Found My Courage

The hat was ridiculous. A neon green beanie with a plastic cat ear on top that I'd bought on impulse at Urban Outfitters, hoping it would make me look artsy and mysterious instead of just awkward. Spoiler: it didn't.

"You gonna wear that to Jordan's party?" Maya asked, barely looking up from her phone as we walked through the park. "He's gonna think you're trying too hard."

I pulled the hat down lower. "Maybe I am trying too hard. Maybe that's the point."

She snorted. "You literally bear the weight of the universe on your shoulders. It's a party, not a therapy session."

That's when I saw it—a scraggly calico cat behind the dumpster, eyeing us like we were the ones invading its territory. Something about the way it held its ground, skinny ribs visible but posture fearless, made me stop.

"That cat's got more confidence than I do," I muttered.

"It's a stray, Lena. It's not confidence, it's survival."

Exactly.

I sat on the bench and pulled a granola bar from my backpack. The cat inched closer, cautious but hungry. I broke off a piece and tossed it. It watched me with golden eyes before darting forward, grabbing the crumb, and darting back.

"You're not gonna pet it, are you?" Maya groaned. "Rabies, remember?"

"Not every animal is gonna bite you."

"Says the girl who's been avoiding Jordan for three weeks because she's scared he might not like her back."

The cat crept closer, then closer still, until it was eating from my palm. Its rough tongue scraped against my skin, fearless now.

"See?" I whispered. "Sometimes you just gotta take a chance."

The cat purred, a rumble I felt more than heard. I pulled off my ridiculous hat and set it on the bench beside me. The cat immediately curled up inside it, neon green ear flopping over its face.

Maya actually laughed. "Okay, that's kinda cute."

"The cat found its courage," I said, standing up. "Now I need to find mine."

"So you're going to the party?"

"Yeah. And I'm wearing the hat."

"Even though the cat's literally sleeping in it?"

"Especially because the cat's sleeping in it. Now it's blessed."

Maya rolled her eyes but grinned. "You're so weird. I love it."

I picked up the hat-wearing cat, moved it gently to the grass, and put the hat back on my head. Jordan's party was in two hours. For the first time in weeks, I wasn't terrified.

Sometimes the scariest things—cats, boys, being yourself—just need you to show up first.