Pyramid Scheme

Maya stared at her iPhone screen, thumb hovering over the 'post' button. The photo was perfect—her, Liam, and the rest of the popular crew by the lockers, all golden hour lighting and effortless smiles. But the caption was the problem.

「omg friendship pyramid scheme 😂 #squad #blessed」

She hit post. Within seconds, the likes rolled in. 47. 89. 132. Her pulse quickened.

「You good?」

Maya jumped. Carlos leaned against her locker, flipping through his phone like he hadn't just witnessed her entire personality crisis.

「Fine.」

「Cool, cool.」 He paused. 「You know that's literally a pyramid scheme, right? Like, you're at the bottom working for exposure while they get the clout.」

Maya rolled her eyes so hard it actually hurt. 「Carlos, not everything is a metaphor for late-stage capitalism.」

「Just saying. Last week you were 'investing' in your relationship with Liam by doing his history project while he 'invested' in his relationship with Chloe by taking her to that party you weren't invited to.」

The comment hit like a slap. Maya's stomach twisted. She thought of the pyramid—Liam at the apex, Chloe below him, then the inner circle, then her at the base holding everything up. And for what? The privilege of being seen walking next to them in the hallway?

Her iPhone buzzed. A notification from the group chat:

「liam_g: party at mine friday. usual pyramid rules lol 💀」

The room tilted. Pyramid rules. Bring enough drinks for yourself plus two for the higher tiers. Cover charge if you're not core. The invisible tax of membership.

「You're staring again,」 Carlos said softly.

「I think I'm done,」 Maya whispered.

「With what?」

「With the bull.」 She almost laughed—it sounded stupid out loud, but it felt true. All of it. The curated posts, the transactional friendships, the exhausting work of staying relevant.

Her iPhone lit up again.

「chloe_vibes: maya are you coming? we need someone to cover the door」

Door duty. Bottom tier work.

Maya typed, then deleted. Typed again.

「can't. busy.

She didn't elaborate. Let them wonder.

「Wanna get food?」 Carlos asked, grinning like he'd been waiting for this moment since September.

「Pizza Palace?」

「Pizza Palace.」

As they walked out, Maya's pocket buzzed one last time. She didn't check. Some pyramids were meant to crumble.