What the Bear Knew

Maya's hands were sweating so much her **palm** prints would've been evidence at a crime scene.

Standing in the kitchen at Tyler's house party, she gripped her red solo cup like a lifeline. First actual high school party. First time wearing her natural **hair** out instead of in her signature tight braids. First time feeling like maybe she could be someone else—someone confident, someone who belonged.

"Yo Maya, you good?" Tyler appeared beside her, all easy grace and dimpled charm.

"Yeah, just... vibing." She attempted a casual lean against the counter. "This party is lit."

Tyler laughed. "You've been standing here for twenty minutes. Come hang."

He led her outside where a bonfire crackled in the backyard. Someone was playing guitar. People were roasting marshmallows and something else on sticks—wait, were those little **spinach** wraps? At a bonfire? Only Tyler's weirdly sophisticated friend group.

Then she saw it. The mascot head on the patio table. A **bear**. Their school mascot, stolen, presumably from the gymnasium. It stared at her with empty plastic eyes.

"Who took that?" Maya asked, gesturing.

Tyler shrugged. "Jake and his crew. Big move, right?"

Maya froze. She'd tried something new with her appearance tonight. Was he making fun of her?

But then Tyler's face softened. "I mean, it's kind of epic. You should've come with us. You've got that vibe."

"Vibe?"

"Like you'd actually do something crazy instead of just thinking about it."

He held out his hand. His **palm** was warm against hers when she took it.

"Dance with me?"

"What if I step on your toes?"

"I'll risk it."

They moved to the music swelling from inside. Later, Maya would discover a piece of **spinach** in her smile in the bathroom mirror and laugh. Her **hair** would frizz in the humidity and she wouldn't care. She'd text her best friend: I finally did something.

And she'd remember what the **bear** seemed to know all along, staring at her from that patio table: sometimes you have to let yourself be seen, even when your hands are sweating and you're terrified of messing up.