The Hair That Changed Everything

Maya's hair had always been her security blanket — a curtain of dark waves she could hide behind whenever things got awkward. Which was often. Like now, sitting across from Leo at The Beanery while he talked about his lacrosse scholarship like it was no big deal.

"So yeah, Duke is pretty much a lock," Leo said, leaning back in that annoyingly confident way. "But my coach says I need to focus, you know? Cut distractions."

Maya's stomach did that thing it always did around him lately — part flutter, part dread. She tugged a strand of hair over her face. "That's amazing, Leo. Seriously."

"Thanks." His phone buzzed. He glanced at it and smirked. "Tiffany's blowing up my phone again. She's so extra sometimes." He looked up, his expression softening. "Anyway, I was thinking we could hit the movies tonight? Just us, though. Keep it low-key."

Keep it low-key.

The words hit Maya like a splash of cold water. How many times had she heard that over the past three months? How many whispered conversations in empty hallways, quick walks home that abruptly ended when his friends drove by?

She excused herself to the bathroom, where she stared at her reflection. The friend zone. She was literally wearing a beanie hat in April because he'd once said he liked girls in hats. She looked ridiculous.

Her phone lit up with a text from Jada: *Every girl at North has a crush on Leo Miller and every girl at North knows he's emotionally unavailable except you.*

Maya's fingers hovered over the keyboard. Jada had been trying to tell her for weeks. But Maya had been too busy playing this game, too convinced that if she just waited long enough, proved herself enough, Leo would finally see her as more than his low-key friend who was always there.

She pulled off the hat, shaking out her hair. It fell around her shoulders, wild and uncurtained.

For the first time in months, Maya actually saw herself.

Back at the table, Leo was still talking about Duke.

"Actually," Maya said, cutting him mid-sentence. "I can't tonight." She grabbed her bag. "But have fun with Tiffany. Or whoever's next on your roster."

"Wait, what?" Leo's confusion was genuinely comical.

"I'm done being your backup option, Leo. I'm done being low-key." She pushed open the door, letting the spring air hit her face. "Find someone else to hide behind."