The Cat Who Saved My Feed

Maya's hands shook as she unscrewed the bright orange **vitamin** D bottle—her mom's latest solution for her "terminal awkwardness." The kitchen clock blared 7:03 AM. First day of sophomore year, and she was already psyching herself out.

Her **iPhone** buzzed. *Sage: meet @ our spot?*

Maya's stomach did that thing it always did—like someone was wringing it out like a wet towel. Sage had been her best **friend** since kindergarten, but something shifted over the summer. Sage got highlights. Sage got a boyfriend. Sage got... cool.

The walk to school felt like marching toward execution. Maya's thumb hovered over her phone, drafting and deleting texts like her life depended on it. *U up?* Too desperate. *Heading there now* Too try-hard. *On my way* Perfectly neutral.

Then she saw it—a scraggly calico **cat** crouched behind the dumpster near their usual meeting spot. One ear torn. Three legs. Eyes that had seen some stuff.

Maya froze. The cat stared back, unimpressed.

"Hey little dude," she whispered, crouching down. The cat inched closer, then bonked its head against her sneaker. Something in Maya's chest cracked open.

"What are you doing?" Sage's voice carried across the parking lot. She stood there with two other girls, all crop tops and lip gloss.

The cat hissed and bolted.

Maya's face burned. "Nothing. Just—"

"Were you talking to that gross cat?" One of Sage's new friends giggled.

"She's not gross," Maya said, surprised by her own voice. Steady. Clear. "She's awesome. Did you see her stand on three legs? That's hardcore."

Sage blinked. The giggling stopped.

"Anyway," Maya said, standing up and dusting off her jeans. "I'm gonna name her Tripod."

Sage's lips twitched. "Tripod? That's actually... kinda sick."

The bell rang. As they walked toward the building, Sage fell back to walk beside her—really beside her—for the first time in months.

"So," Sage said. "You think Tripod needs a vitamin D supplement too?"

Maya laughed, and the knot in her chest finally loosened. Maybe sophomore year wouldn't be so terrible after all.