Cable & Zombies & Bull

The ethernet cable lay tangled across my bedroom floor like a dead snake, exactly where I'd tripped over it at 2 AM when Maya finally replied to my text. Three dots. Dancing. Disappearing. Repeat.

"You're literally zombie walking through life," my sister Jenna had said that morning, grabbing the last bagel. "It's been two weeks since the party. Move on."

Easy for her to say. She hadn't been the one standing in Carter's basement while someone put on yet another zombie movie marathon, watching her crush龙湖 laugh at someone else's jokes. Someone whose name probably didn't start with "M" and end with "aya."

The bull ride at the county fair was supposed to be my redemption arc. Show up, look casual, maybe catch Maya's attention between the corndogs and the rides that definitely violated several safety regulations. That was the plan.

What actually happened: I spent twenty minutes psyching myself up in the porta-potty line, then watched from the concession stand as Maya and Carter shared a milkshake. Meanwhile, some kid from our English class took his turn on the mechanical bull. Lasted 3.2 seconds. The video was already on Instagram.

"Bro, you okay?" Liam appeared beside me, holding two slushies. Blue raspberry. "You look like you just saw a zombie."

"I'm fine," I said, even though I wasn't. "Just thinking about how much cable I still have to run for my gaming setup."

"Wanna help me with something?" Liam asked. "Maya's looking for you."

My stomach did that thing where it forgets how to be an organ. "She is?"

"Yeah. Something about her phone? Said you're good with cables and stuff?"

I found her behind the food truck, frowning at her phone. "Hey," I said.

"Finally." She handed me the phone. "The charging port is busted. Can you fix it?"

I took it. Our fingers brushed. "I can try."

"You're literally a lifesaver," she said. "My zombie dad is supposed to pick me up in an hour and I need my GPS."

"Your dad's a zombie?"

"You know what I mean. He's been working the night shift all month. I'm basically raising myself at this point."

I worked on the port with a borrowed toothpick and steady hands. "There."

"Thanks." She smiled, and it was better than any mechanical bull ride could ever be. "Hey, you going to the game on Friday?"

"Wasn't planning on it."

"You should. I'll save you a seat."

I walked back to Liam, who handed me the forgotten slushie. "Dude, you're glowing."

"Shut up."

"Seriously. From zombie to human in under five minutes. That's gotta be a record."