Goldfish in the Pyramid

The social pyramid at Northwood High was less architecture and more precarious game of Jenga. I was definitely one of those pieces everyone forgot about until the whole thing started wobbling.

"You're staring again," Maya whispered, popping a goldfish cracker into her mouth. We were at her locker, which was strategically located near the swimming team's trophy case. Maximum crush visibility, minimum awkward interaction potential.

"I'm not staring. I'm observing. There's a difference."

"Right. And that observation just happens to coincide with Leo walking past every third day?" She smirked. "The guy's like a sphinx or something. All mysterious and quiet."

"He's not mysterious. He's thoughtful. There's a difference."

"Whatever you say, Captain Obvious. But you should know his ex is dating Kai, and you know how Kai gets about territory."

I rolled my eyes. Kai Bennett had graduated two years ago and somehow still cast a shadow over the school's social pyramid. It was exhausting.

The truth was, Leo was the only person who made me feel less like I was constantly swimming upstream. We'd partnered up in bio last year, and he'd listened to me talk about my grandfather's bear encounters in Alaska for forty-five minutes without checking his phone once. He'd called my passion "intense" in a way that sounded like a compliment, not the usual soft-spoken "you're a lot" that most people meant.

"I heard he's having people over after the swim meet," Maya said, her voice dropping. "Like, actually having people over. His parents are out of town."

"And?"

"AND? This is your chance! He's captain of the swimming team, he's hosting a party, and you're basically already part of his friend group by association."

"By association through your cousin's girlfriend's brother? That's like six degrees of separation, Maya."

"Details. The point is, you're going."

So I went. And maybe it wasn't terrible, except for the part where I wore the wrong shoes and spent half the night hiding in the bathroom, and Maya abandoned me for some junior she'd been "vibing with" since third period.

I found myself on Leo's back porch, away from the noise, watching his actual pet goldfish swim lazy circles in a bowl on the railing.

"His name's Sphinx," Leo said, appearing beside me with two sodas. "The fish, I mean. Kind of ironic, since he forgets everything every three seconds."

"You named your goldfish after the riddle creature?"

"Seemed appropriate at the time." He leaned against the railing, close enough that our arms brushed. "You having fun?"

"Honestly? I've been swimming in the shallow end of this party all night."

"Yeah, Kai's people can be pretty intense. They take the whole social pyramid thing way too seriously." He looked at me, really looked at me. "I'd rather be out here anyway."

My heart did this stupid fluttery thing that probably should've felt cliché but didn't. "Me too."

"Hey." His voice dropped. "I've been meaning to ask—"

"Leo!" Kai's younger brother appeared in the doorway. "Coach wants everyone inside for team pictures."

Leo's jaw tightened. "I'll be right there."

He turned back to me, something like regret in his eyes. "The thing I was going to ask you... can it wait until Monday?"

"Monday's good."

But Monday came and went, and Tuesday, and Wednesday, and by Friday I'd convinced myself I'd imagined the whole thing. Until I found a note in my locker: "The sphinx asks: What walks on four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three in the evening? Answer: A person. Also: Do you want to go to the winter formal with me?"

I stared at it, grinning like an idiot, until Maya found me and said, "You look like you just won the lottery."

"Better," I said. "I think I just got invited to dance my way out of the bottom of the pyramid."