Sienna knew the rules.

Never sit at the wrong lunch table. Never talk too much or too little. Never wear the same hoodie two days in a row. And most importantly, never let them see you break.

She had broken once. Sixth grade, a class presentation. Her hands had shaken, her face had gone red, and someone had whispered Loser. The laughter had spread, and she had wanted to disappear. That was the day she learned another rule. If you can’t fit in, stay invisible.

For years, she followed that rule. But now she was done hiding.

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Sienna stood in front of her mirror, barely recognizing herself. The glasses she had worn since fourth grade were gone, replaced by contact lenses that made her eyes sting. Her dark brown hair, usually in a messy ponytail, was straightened so perfectly it looked fake. The hoodie she always wore was stuffed in the back of her closet. Instead, she had on a cropped sweater and jeans that felt too tight, too uncomfortable, too wrong.

Her stomach felt heavy.

This is what they wear. This is how they look. Blend in. Don’t stand out.

She had spent the past week watching them. The way they talked, the way they laughed, the way they carried themselves like they owned the school. She practiced in front of the mirror, forcing a smile, tilting her head slightly when pretending to listen. It still felt fake, but maybe if she did it enough, it would start to feel real.

A knock on the door made her jump.

"Sienna, you're going to be late," her mom called.

She swallowed hard. This was it. The first day of the new her.

She grabbed her bag, took a deep breath, and stepped out the door, hoping today would be different.