Goldfish Memory Protocol

6 AM practice hits different when you haven't slept because you were doom-scrolling your crush's Instagram. AGAIN.

I'm lacing up my trainers when Jayden slides onto the bench next to me, looking like the walking dead. No offense to actual dead people.

'Bro, you look like a zombie,' I say, because someone has to say it.

'Low blow.' Jayden passes me a lukewarm coffee. 'I was up finishing that bio project. It ate my entire soul.'

We're at cross-country practice, which honestly? Who signed up for this voluntary suffering? Oh right, us. Because nothing says 'I have my life together' like voluntarily running 5 miles before sunrise.

Coach Miller blows his whistle. 'Let's go, ladies! Today we're doing intervals!'

I take off, legs pumping, music blasting through my earbuds. The rhythm hits, and suddenly it's not so bad. This is the weird part I'll never admit to anyone — running is kinda therapeutic. It's just you, the pavement, and absolutely zero expectations except 'don't trip.'

Then I see her.

Chloe's at the water fountain, and my brain immediately goes 'this is fine, everything is fine, I am definitely not going to do something embarrassing.'

'Dude, you're staring,' Jayden whispers from behind me.

'I am not. I am ... casually observing the hydration station.'

'You're basically a low-key spy at this point. Just talk to her already.'

Easy for him to say. Jayden's got game. I have anxiety and a goldfish attention span.

My phone buzzes. It's a notification: Chloe posted a new story. My finger hovers. Do I look? Is that creepy? Is this basically the modern equivalent of being a weird stalker person?

'You're doing it again,' Jayden says.

'I'm checking the weather!' I protest.

'At her Instagram?'

'Weather happens everywhere!'

Practice ends, and we're stretching when Chloe walks over. My heart does that thing where it forgets how to heart.

'Hey,' she says. 'You dropped this.' She hands me my AirPod case.

'Thanks,' I manage. 'I'm ... going to need that. For hearing purposes.'

She laughs. 'You're funny.'

I watch her walk away, feeling like I stuck the landing but also face-planted simultaneously.

'You're welcome, by the way,' Jayden says.

'For what?'

'I 'accidentally' knocked your AirPods out of your pocket. You're welcome for the assist.'

I stare at him. 'You sabotaged me for a plot twist?'

'I'm the best friend you've got, and you know it.'

I check my phone. New DM from Chloe: 'Coffee after school?'

Maybe tomorrow won't be entirely terrible after all.