Riddle of the Lock Screen

Maya's brain felt like a straight-up zombie, staggering through fourth period chemistry on three hours of sleep. Her iPhone kept buzzing in her pocket—probably her best friend Chen blowing up her group chat about Tyler's party tonight.

She'd spent all night finishing her Sphinx sculpture for art class. Mrs. Perez said it had to represent "an inner mystery," which was such bull. How were you supposed to sculpt your inner mystery when you barely even knew who you was?

The Sphinx had Chen's face—kinda. Chen, who was pushing her to hit up Tyler's party even though Maya had zero interest in being around drunk juniors who'd make her feel small. Chen, who'd been her person since seventh grade but suddenly seemed allergic to real conversations.

"Nice zombie impersonation," whispered Jake, sliding into the seat beside her. He was the new kid—quiet, always drawing in his notebook, somehow already had more followers than Maya despite posting like twice.

"Rough night," Maya muttered.

"Art project?"

"Yeah. It's trash."

"Let me see after class?"

Jake was actually looking at her—not through her, not past her. At her.

Her iPhone lit up with a notification from Chen: party's gonna be LIT don't be lame

Something tightened in Maya's chest. That was their dynamic now—Chen dragging, Maya following, both pretending this was who they were. The Sphinx statue wasn't just art homework. It was the question she'd been avoiding: What riddle was she living, and what happened if she answered it wrong?

Jake's notebook had a drawing of a bull—majestic, horned, fiercely alive. "That's sick," she said.

"Thanks. It's for my sis—she's the only person who gets it."

"Gets what?"

"That being real is cooler than being perfect."

The words hung there. Maya pulled out her phone, opened Chen's message, typed: i'm good tonight. hitting the library instead.

Her thumb hovered over send. This wasn't about parties or homework. It was about the sculpture in her backpack, the friend who made her feel hollow, the boy who'd just drawn something beautiful and said it was for his sister.

Being real was cooler than being perfect.

Maya hit send.

"Wanna see my Sphinx?" she asked Jake.

His face lit up. "Absolutely."