Goldfish & Glass Walls

Maya's thumbs hovered over her iPhone screen, another notification lighting up her dark room. #SummerFailures trending, everyone posting about their legendary adventures while she was just... existing. Her only real listener swam in lazy circles beside her bed—a goldfish named Neptune, probably judging her silence through his bowl walls.

"You get it, right?" she whispered, dropping a flake of food. Neptune ignored her, too busy being a mood.

The county fair pictures flooded her feed—her friends screaming on rides, cotton candy sunsets, Taylor looking annoyingly perfect next to the school mascot bull, which someone'd spray-painted neon green. Why was she always watching instead of living?

Her thumb scrolled faster. Notifications. Likes. The same bull kept appearing in people's stories—some cheesy tradition where you took a picture with it for "good luck." Everyone knew it was just an excuse to post something.

Neptune floated to the surface, opening and closing his mouth like he was laughing at her.

"Shut up, Neptune."

But maybe he was right. Maybe she was the one building her own glass walls.

Her fingers moved before her brain could overthink it. Story request to Sophie: You still at the fair?

Seconds stretched. Then: omw back. WHY??

Maya typed: Meet me. There.

The neon bull watched as Maya stood beside it later that night, Sophie snapping photos while their friends streamed over, confused but accepting her sudden appearance. Her iPhone stayed in her pocket.

Neptune would be proud. She'd finally swam outside her bowl.