Lightning Strike at the Padel Court

Maya gripped her iPhone tight, watching the TikTok edit loop. The caption read: 'Pyramid Scheme or Just Drama?' beneath footage of their friend group imploding at the padel courts last weekend.

'You're doom-scrolling again,' said Leo, sliding onto the bench beside her. His fox-like grin—charming but trouble—had gotten them into more situations than Maya could count.

'It's not doom-scrolling if it's research,' Maya shot back, though she knew he was right. Since the incident, the middle school social pyramid had flipped upside down. Former queen bee Chloe was now at the bottom, and quiet, brilliant Sofia—who'd called out their toxic dynamics—was suddenly everyone's favorite person.

First period waved at them from the padel court. 'You coming? Coach said if we don't practice, we're benched for the tournament.'

'Maybe I want to be benched,' Maya muttered. The tournament meant spending three hours with people who'd been fake friends for two years.

'That's not you,' Leo said softly. 'Since when do you let other people's drama stop you from doing what you love?'

Lightning cracked across the sky—actual storm incoming, not just the metaphorical kind that had been tearing through their friend group since Friday.

'Fine,' Maya sighed, grabbing her racquet. 'But if Chloe tries to act like nothing happened, I'm not faking it.'

'Good,' Leo said. 'Because pretending is what got us into this pyramid mess in the first place.'

The storm broke just as they reached the court. Lightning illuminated everything—the fake friends, the real ones, the version of herself Maya was becoming. Someone had their iPhone out, recording again.

This time, Maya didn't care. Let them post. She was finally done performing.