Garage Goldfish

The bass from inside made the garage walls rattle. I leaned against the minivan, nursing my Solo cup of flat soda, scrolling through memes I'd already seen three times. Parties weren't really my vibe, but when your best friend begs you to come because her crush is finally gonna notice her, you show up. Even if it means third-wheeling while she giggles at something that wasn't even funny.

A cat wound around my ankles, orange tabby with half an ear. I knelt down, scratching behind his ears. He purred like a tiny motor, at least someone was happy to see me.

"You're not missing much," I told him. "Inside everyone's doing that TikTok dance where you look like you're having a seizure while simultaneously looking cute."

The cat's eyes glowed in the security light. Someone's goldfish sat in a bowl on a shelf, swimming in bored circles. I stared at it, suddenly hyper-aware that I'd been standing alone in a garage for twenty minutes at my first real high school party. My phone buzzed—my mom asking if I needed a ride. I typed "no" then deleted it then typed "yes" then deleted it again.

Because the truth was, nobody noticed I'd slipped away. Nobody was wondering where I was. I was just... there.

Then lightning flashed through the garage windows, illuminating everything in this stark electric second. The goldfish. The cat. The stacked boxes. Me. And something clicked—like, actually clicked in my brain. Maybe being "on the edge" wasn't the worst thing. Maybe it meant I could see everything, the whole picture, not just whatever was right in front of people's faces.

My friend Jenna stumbled out, eyes bright, breathless. "You're out here? I've been looking everywhere!"

"I've been here," I said.

"Good. Kyle's friend Marcus is inside and he's actually so normal and I was thinking you two could—"

I looked at the goldfish, still swimming its endless loop. Then I looked at Jenna, who was actually looking at me, not through me.

"Show me this Marcus," I said, standing up. "But if he asks what my sign is, I'm leaving."

The cat watched us go, unimpressed. The bass hit harder this time, and this time, I walked toward it.