Poolside Sphinx

Maya stood at the edge of the **pool**, clutching her solo cup like a lifeline. The seniors' graduation party roared around her—laughter, splash fights, someone blasting Doja Cat from a portable speaker that crackled with every bass drop. She'd been invited by mistake, probably. The text had said "everyone from chem class," but Maya knew she was everyone's backup friend.

"You look like a **sphinx** guarding secrets," said Leo, sliding up beside her. Leo, with his stupid perfect hair and that varsity jacket he still wore in ninety-degree heat.

"Just plotting," she shot back, then immediately regretted it. Plotting sounded weird.

Leo's eyes lit up. "Ooh, like a **spy**?" He dropped his voice to a whisper. "I'm totally spying on Jenna and Tyler by the snacks. They're definitely flirting."

Maya rolled her eyes but leaned in. "You're so obsessed with Jenna. It's giving simp energy, honestly."

"Am not." But Leo went bright red.

Suddenly, a mangy orange **cat** hopped onto the pool fence, staring at them with ancient, judgment-filled eyes. It let out the most deranged yowl anyone had ever heard.

"Bro, that cat just exposed my entire vibe," Maya laughed, her shoulders finally dropping three inches. "That's literally me when I'm trying to be chill."

"No, that cat is a mood," Leo nodded sagely. "A whole spiritual experience in fur form."

Between the cat's continued commentary and Leo's terrible puns, Maya forgot to feel awkward. Later, when her mom picked her up, she'd snapchat everyone with the caption: *polite ruin my life, i just spent three hours talking about a possessed cat with leo feldman and i'm literally obsessed.*

Best party ever.