The Cat Who Knew My Secrets

The first day of sophomore year, I almost didn't get out of bed. My hair was a disaster — I'd tried to dye it midnight blue over the weekend, but it turned out more like bruised purple. I grabbed my dad's old fedora, jammed it over my head, and headed to school like my life depended on it.

"Nice hat, Sphinx," Marcus called when I walked into homeroom. That was my new nickname now — Sphinx. Because I never spoke, just sat there mysterious and inscrutable behind my fedora.

The worst part? The welcome back swim party at Jordan's house was Saturday. Everyone would be swimming and I'd be sitting poolside with my purple hair hidden under a hat like some kind of weird mobster.

Thursday afternoon, I found the cat behind the bleachers during gym. A scrawny orange thing with one ear that wouldn't stand up straight. I'd been crying behind the bleachers because Marcus had made fun of my hat again, and this cat just crawled into my lap like he owned the place.

"You're the worst," I told him, but I was already pulling the granola bar from my backpack.

I named him Riddle because he was confusing and complicated and somehow made everything make sense.

By Saturday, I'd secretly visited Riddle every day. He didn't care about my purple hair or my stupid nickname or that I hadn't made a real friend since moving here three months ago. He just showed up and let me pet him and didn't ask why I was always alone.

Jordan's pool party arrived. I stood at the edge of the pool in my cutoffs and fedora, watching everyone splash around. Marcus floated by on a raft. "Hey Sphinx, gonna swim or just guard your hat all day?"

Something snapped. I pulled off the fedora. My purple hair tumbled out, wild and frizzy and completely wrong.

The pool got quiet.

Then Jordan's little sister pointed. "I LIKE YOUR HAIR IT'S THE COLOR OF MY FAVORITE SHARK."

Marcus blinked. "Actually... it's kinda sick."

I dove in.

Later, walking home, I stopped by the bleachers. Riddle was waiting. I petted his ears and realized I wasn't Sphinx anymore. I was just Maya — purple hair, weird cat, bad nickname, finally swimming.