The Cat Who Knew

Maya's cat Barnaby was the only one who didn't make her feel weird about the acne explosion on her forehead. Her mom had started her on these massive vitamin D supplements—"it'll help with your skin, sweetie"—which basically meant she was carrying around evidence that she was Trying Too Hard.

At lunch, Sarah and her squad were debating whether Tyler was ghosting Jenna or just "taking space." Maya sat there nodling, clutching her vitamin bottle like it was some kind of emotional support water bottle.

"You good?" Chloe asked, actually looking at her instead of through her.

"Yeah, just..." Maya started, but then her brain short-circuited.

Then she saw it—a stray cat outside the cafeteria window, all patchy fur and 'tude, staring directly at her. Without thinking, Maya stood up and bolted, running past Sarah's confused "Maya?" and out the side door.

The cat waited, flicking its tail like it knew something she didn't.

Maya followed it around the back of the school, where the old track looped through the woods. She'd barely exercised since middle school gym class humiliated her, but suddenly she was running, actually running, lungs burning and legs pumping. The cat stayed just ahead, pausing occasionally to check if she was still following.

"What are you, my life coach now?" Maya panted, wiping sweat from her forehead.

The cat stopped at a clearing and sat, grooming its paw like this was totally normal. Maya collapsed beside it, staring up at patches of sky through the trees.

"Okay," she said. "Okay."

Her phone buzzed—Sarah's group chat blowing up about Tyler. But for the first time in forever, Maya didn't feel like she was missing out. She'd just run, like actually run, without caring who saw or what she looked like. Her vitamin bottle lay on the grass next to her, looking ridiculous instead of shameful.

The cat headbutted her hand.

"Yeah, yeah," Maya said, scratching its ears. "I get it."

She stood up, brushed off her jeans, and started running again. This time, the cat followed.