Papaya Schemes and Poolside Secrets

The social pyramid at Northwood High was simple: you were either at the top, climbing it, or crushed beneath it. I was definitely in the crushed category, which was exactly why I was hiding behind a palm tree at Jessica's pool party, papaya juice staining my favorite crop top.

"You look like you're plotting something," said a voice behind me.

I jumped and almost spilled my juice. Tyler. The one person who'd accidentally texted me those weird messages about wanting to "build something together" last week. The exact reason I was playing spy tonight.

"Just avoiding the pyramid scheme crew," I said, gesturing toward a circle of juniors shouting about financial freedom and crypto."They already got half the sophomore class to invest in some fake NFT project."

Tyler laughed. "Classic. Want to see something actually wild?"

Before I could answer, he grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the pool's equipment shed. Inside, a whole network of telescopes and notebooks was set up.

"I've been documenting everything," Tyler said, opening a notebook."Who's dating who, who's secretly failing algebra, whose parents are getting divorced. The real intelligence." He paused. "I know what you're thinking. This is creepy as hell."

"Little bit," I admitted.

"But here's the thing." He flipped through pages."Everyone's faking it. Even the people at the top of the pyramid. Jessica's not rich – her family's drowning in debt. Kevin's not effortlessly cool – he practices his laugh in the mirror. We're all just pretending."

He handed me a telescope pointed at the party below.

"Your turn to spy. Pick someone."

I aimed it at my ex-best friend Sarah, dancing with her new friends. Tyler read over my shoulder from his notes: "Sarah cries in the bathroom every lunch period because she hates being popular."

My chest did this weird thing.

"She said she outgrew me,"

"She said she was lonely, actually." Tyler checked his watch."Also, she keeps checking her phone like she's waiting for someone to reach out."

I grabbed a napkin and scribbled: "Want to get papaya juice and talk about how much we both hate papaya?"

Tyler nodded approval."Bold. I like it."

I sent it. Two minutes later, Sarah was walking toward us, wiping tears from her eyes.

"I actually love papaya," she said, "but I'd love to hate it with you."

Tyler gave me a fist bump. "Operation: Social Rescue complete. Also, you're welcome."

"You didn't do anything,"

"I provided the intel. You made the move." He grinned. "That's how you climb the pyramid – by helping other people down from theirs."

Sarah and I sat by the water's edge, eating papaya and catching up on everything. Behind us, the pyramid scheme crew was failing miserably at convincing anyone to invest.

Some pyramids are meant to crumble. Others are worth rebuilding.