The Goldfish Hair Incident

Maya stared at the mirror, horrified. The box promised 'sun-kissed copper' but her hair was now violently, undeniably orange. Like, traffic cone orange. Fanta orange. Goldfish cracker orange.

"No no no," she groaned, grabbing her favorite beanie hat and yanking it down. The FIRST DAY of sophomore year and she looked like a walking basketball.

Her phone buzzed. Jax: u ready???

Maya: can we walk 2 school alone 2day

Jax: ???

Jax: u ok

Maya sighed. Jax had been her best friend since kindergarten, back when they'd shared goldfish crackers and finger-painted each other's faces. He'd seen her through braces, glasses, that unfortunate emo phase in seventh grade. But this? This was different.

"Maya! Breakfast!" her mom called.

She crept downstairs, hat still firmly in place. Her mom took one look at her and smirked. "Let me guess. The DIY dye job didn't go as planned?"

"Mom," Maya hissed. "Not. Helping."

"It's actually kind of cute—"

"I'm wearing the hat until it fades. Or I graduate."

Outside, Jax was waiting at their usual spot. He'd shot up like six inches over the summer and was now leaning against her porch looking ridiculous and lanky. His dark hair curled slightly at the edges, still wet from a shower.

He raised an eyebrow at the hat. "It's ninety degrees, Maya."

"I'm making a fashion statement."

"You're making a heat stroke statement." He fell into step beside her. "What's going on?"

They were almost at school when the wind picked up. Maya's hat flew off.

Jax stopped. He stared.

Maya's face burned hotter than her hair. She grabbed the hat and shoved it back on, eyes stinging. "Don't. Just... don't."

But then Jax started laughing. Not mean laughing—like, actually cracking up.

"What?" she snapped.

"You're orange," he gasped. "Like, actually orange."

"THANK YOU, I hadn't noticed."

"No, I mean—it's kinda awesome?" He grinned. "You know how everyone's gonna remember you this year? The girl who walked in on day one with orange hair like she didn't give a crap what anyone thought."

Maya blinked.

Jax nudged her shoulder. "Besides, you still owe me for not telling anyone about the goldfish incident in third grade."

She cracked a smile. "I was six."

"You drowned Mr. Bubbles."

"I overfed him because I LOVED him."

He laughed again, and this time Maya did too. She adjusted her hat, then took it off completely.

"You really think it's awesome?"

"I think you're awesome," Jax said simply, then pretended to choke. "I mean, your hair's fine too."

Maya's stomach did that weird fluttery thing it sometimes did around him lately. She put her hat in her backpack.

"Alright, Goldfish Girl," he said, opening the school door. "Let's do this."

And you know what? She did.