Pyramid Fall

The social pyramid at Northwood High had Jade at the bottom freshman year. By junior year, she'd climbed to middle tier—enough to get invited to Chloe's house party, which was basically the summit of our Saturday night options.

'I'm not going,' Jade said, legs crossed on her bed, petting her goldfish bowl like it was a crystal ball. 'It's gonna be awkward vibes only.'

'Since when do you care about vibes?' I tossed her the dress I'd stolen from my sister's closet. 'Put this on. We're making memories.'

The pyramid of red Solo cups on Chloe's kitchen counter was already three feet high when we arrived. Marcus, the self-appointed king of junior year, held court by the island, holding court like his opinions were law.

'Jade!' Marcus called out, zeroing in on her like a heat-seeking missile. 'Heard you're trying out for cheer. Bold move for someone who ate it in gym last week.'

The room went quiet. Jade's face flushed that specific shade of tomato that makes everything worse.

'That's bull,' she said, voice shaking but steady enough. 'I didn't eat it. I was testing my limits. There's a difference.'

Someone snickered. Marcus's smirk faltered for a microsecond.

'Whatever,' he recovered. 'Just saying, some people are built for the pyramid scheme, others aren't.' He gestured at his friends. 'We're the ones who actually matter here.'

Jade looked at him, then at the goldfish centerpiece swimming confused circles in its bowl, then back at Marcus.

'You know what goldfish do?' she asked suddenly. 'They grow to the size of their container. Put them in a tiny bowl, they stay tiny. Put them in a pond, they get huge.' She stepped closer. 'You're just a goldfish in a bowl, Marcus. Thinking you're a shark because nobody's showed you an ocean yet.'

Silence. Then someone—I think it was sophomore-year me—started clapping. Slow at first, then louder.

'Marcus,' I said, 'you just got roasted by a girl who named her fish after a breakfast cereal.'

Jade grabbed my hand. 'We're leaving. I have actual friends to hang out with.'

We spent the rest of the night at her house, watching reruns and eating pizza, her goldfish swimming peacefully in its expanded tank. Sometimes the top of the pyramid isn't where you want to be anyway.