Goldfish Memory at Midnight

Maya pressed herself against the kitchen wall, feeling like a total spy as she watched Liam laugh with the popular crew across the room. Three hours of scrolling through his Instagram hadn't prepared her for seeing him IRL—his smile was way cuter in person.

"You look like a zombie that forgot how to die," Chloe whispered, sliding beside her. "Just talk to him already."

Easy for her to say. Chloe had main character energy. Maya felt like an NPC in someone else's game.

"I can't," Maya muttered. "My brain has the memory retention of a goldfish. I'll say something stupid and remember it forever, but he won't even recall my name."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "You're overthinking it. You're not some background goldfish, Maya. You're the girl who survived that English presentation without passing out. That's legendary courage."

Across the room, Liam looked up. Their eyes locked. Maya's heart did that embarrassing flutter thing that definitely wasn't swoon-worthy.

"He's coming over," Chloe hissed. "Play it cool. Be a fox."

A fox? What did that even mean? Cunning? Sly? Attractive? Maya's brain short-circuited.

"Hey," Liam said. "Weren't you in my history class?"

"Yeah," Maya managed. "I sat behind you."

"Right!" He grinned. "You always had those goldfish stickers on your notebook."

Maya's mouth went dry. He'd noticed? All those times she'd felt invisible, spying on his life from three desks back...

"I like goldfish," she said, and immediately wanted to die.

But Liam's smile didn't falter. "Me too. My betta fish keeps attacking his reflection. Sometimes I feel like that, just fighting against my own stupid self."

The popular kids were calling his name. He hesitated.

"Stay?" Maya heard herself say. "I can show you my goldfish memes. They're actually kinda fire."

Liam laughed. "Yeah. Yeah, I'd like that."

Maya caught Chloe's eye across the room. Her best friend gave her the slightest nod.

Not invisible. Not a zombie. Just a girl who liked goldfish and was maybe, finally, being seen.